[ That still isn't a "yes, I promise to at least try". Stubborn cat. Iorveth likes to think that he knows Astarion well enough by now to recognize when Astarion won't budge, and also thinks that Astarion is at his most obstinate when he's quiet about what he intends to do instead of stomping his feet and kicking up a fuss.

It's frustrating. It's also incredibly attractive. Astarion quietly asserting himself without budging an inch is simultaneously the most beautiful and most vexing thing in the world, and Iorveth has to respect it as he washes his torso one last time and steps away from the dirty bathwater. ]

Infuriating, [ is the last thing he'll say about the matter, without actually sounding angry at all. ] ...I'll speak to the innkeep about sending Gale a message. After I make arrangements for our departure, we'll go.

[ Poor Gale, who probably expected this to be a lot more open-and-shut than it wound up being. He deserves none of this, but these are the friends he unfortunately made. ]