I like Astarion for thirsty reasons, even though I sometimes feel like I'm invading LGQTB spaces when I romance him. That might be a me problem though.
And he's sad at the idea of losing the tadpole, because that would mean he will lose the ability to stand in the sun
well, if it makes you feel any better about invading spaces, there are dev notes for his party banter about walks with gale where it says "astarion tries to flirt with gale" & there are ALSO dev notes in his party banter with shadow, where he says she has a grim name for such a beautiful flower, & again, the dev notes say "astarion tries to flirt with shadowheart" so other than the fact that all the companions are able to be romanced regardless of player gender, i think, canonically, astarion is definitely a free for all, regardless of his flamboyant mannerisms.
& i don't think it's so much the sun that he's afraid of losing as it is his free will, which is the BIGGEST thing the tadpole gave back to him after 200 yrs of slavery, starvation & torture, & that is the MAIN reason i love him so much & sympathize with him so strongly, he's suffered horrific abuse, & all those nasty first impressions ppl get are a wall he hides behind, (& he's actually the only one that treats you any differently at all after romancing him) & all his thirst for power is desperation to have any power at all after having none whatsoever for longer than most of the other characters have even been alive.
