Yes the "I will protect you" line just hangs in there like any other dialogue option you don't intend to take, be it breaking up or convincing your buddies to digest/commune with tadpoles. The later annoys me most of all because, while it is handled as a neutral conversation in some cases, in others the dialogue seems to assume you want to talk your companions into taking the squid. I would really like to get rid of these lines.
I see the select lines mostly as things that are in some way to convey the characters' personality, a bit tongue in cheek because quite a few break the fourth wall. (Some of them should probably be ditched on certain character routes.) Having the dude who tries to hit on your character through most of act 1 express, that he really wants you to keep your paws to yourself, is an interesting detail. I don't think that's something that becomes miraculously void within a romance though. Mainly because Astarion says he finds any kind of intimacy difficult even if it's with the player-character. The game isn't very explicit about the details (apart from Lae'zel's comment) so you can probably headcanon it however you like. But from my perspective, it's a jump to assume that, just because of "love" tm, someone is suddenly extremely into all kinds of physical affection in all situations. I wished they had kept that "You didn't have to ask ... " line in for the first kiss after the act 2 scene. It's a bit much for repeated dialogue but it would have been nice as a one time situation.
My thought was more that the lack of physical interactions with AA during the epilogue matches with how he keeps the player character at a distance during his kisses. No intention of keeping you all from asking for your dream epilogue.
I like simply asking him how he wants to continue best in the act 2 scene, btw. Opening your mind would be very nice, if it had been handled in a more atmospheric way.
