It's a evil ending on morality, DnD. There isn't some rule that evil is over the player, it's Evil Win with its own pros and cons.
Larian themselves "enforcing one way" as all patches before this, including the new kisses 4 patch with Astarion on both paths were happy.
In addition... What kind of face should Asatrion have if hypothetically Larian adds an opition of fear? The same as with consent? So Asatrion will stare and smile while his partner is uncomfortable with intimate things.
Hardly fits the original character idea (an enchanting balanace of dark and fun, engaging. Stephen Rooney. Idle Insights Idle Champions D&D 21:51), the story and what game Larian released and wrote.
Dark Fantasy Abuse Rape was only in fanon.
Fear is not applicable to AA kissing in terms of plot and logic of the kiss. There is no situation, no dialogue or line suitable for kissing and fear together.
I'm convinced that in bg3 in a single romance with an evil man where most of the lines play a consensual, willful, happy dynamic.
The rest is 3-4 lines, where Tav either didn't realise something about "forever together" and consented, or dating the rather dangerous, immoral spawn Astarion is afraid of rough kissing. Maybe some people were drawn to it, the whole atmosphere and context of the story is different. Of course Larian chose a happy set of kisses for both Minathra and Astarion. Tav who doesn't like it will break up with him.
I don't believe non-consent or rape is necessary for that path. The point is that Tav is in love with someone they believe has died the day of the ritual, and grows from being unable to admit it to loving their ghost. That's tragic romance. It's not necessarily abusive, though it is toxic.
Again, I think the expressions are overplayed as usual -- a subtle vibe of just being somewhat *colder*, a short moment of hesitation, even desperation would suit it better than extreme fear. Nonetheless, I think this path deserves a shot. There was great potential here Larian never fully utilized, then tried to tap into with a random patch that unifies all routes in a weird way. I only really have time to play in summer, so I'll only get to experience any changes next year either way.
