Originally Posted by Marielle
There are also some lines for Tav (before the ritual) that show her fear of Astarion. For example, after interrogating Peter ("I fear you more than the Elder Brain") and some others.

I clicked on it once to see what Astarion had to say and his reaction was hilarious. xD

Originally Posted by Marielle
I was heartbroken for the sweet and "kind" Astarion, it's like he just has nothing left in his life but you, you are the last thing he clings to.

Because sadly he really has nothing else besides Tav at that point. The power is gone forever, his home reminds him of his torment so he won't stay there and his siblings vanish into the Underdark. He is destined to live like a vagabond from that moment on. He keeps reliving the scene with Cazador, he even admits he's not happy with how things turned out, but it feels right. Does it though? He's probably panicking wondering what he'd done and is full of doubts. I think that's where the whole "reassessing what he wants" conversation comes into play. Since the ritual's gifts are forever off the table, he now needs to find something else for himself. He wants Tav, because it's the only thing he can have and he doesn't want to lose them too. I find his dialogues too sugary, he's saying all the right things a hero in love would want to hear. He's trying to convince Tav and himself this was the best outcome for him. He seems confident, yet after the final battle he's completely insecure and asks you to make all the decisions. He's also lying saying he'd be ok if you wanted to part ways, because if you do break up he will shout at Tav and say he made the sacrifice for them.
It just doesn't feel right to ask a guy who'd suffered so much to sacrifice himself like that. He deserves a reward for all the crap he'd endured.

Originally Posted by Marielle
There's an inherent pleasure in "pampering" the Ascended Astarion, to give him whatever he wants, even if it's a little hint like, "I'd like to see her corpse in the gutter... (about Oblodra).

Haha, so true. I let him have the pleasure of personally knifing her.