The thing about him calling you 'Pet' is just utterly ridiculous to me. Most of Astarion's dialogue was written by Rooney, he's from ireland, in common with most of the Uk and both northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland the term 'Pet' is used as an endearment. It doesn't signify anything more than that, I've heard it used towards people more or less all my life, in London its often 'petal' but its more or less the same meaning - no one decided it was some weird type of abuse. In my Uk ears its the same as him saying 'My love' or 'My dear'. It was probably unfortunate that that the word used was one which doesn't travel in other cultures very well but no more than that.
I realized, by the way, what Astarion means when he calls Tav "Pet". P.E.T. - Perfect Every Time.
