[ Baby steps. The longer they spend out in the world, maybe Astarion will find more things to like about it. Wishful thinking on Iorveth's part, maybe, given that the entire world is constantly looking for ways to kill the both of them (sometimes for good reason), but in a century from now, maybe the plight of the elves will have gotten better, and maybe Iorveth will no longer need to buy people's anger to keep his kin safe. That might give him more space to let Astarion enjoy peace.

May, maybe, might. A lot of hypotheticals. Still, at the very least, at least they have some sort of future together, which is more than Iorveth could ever have asked for before, with his reticence to say "stay with me". ]

Mm.

You are beautiful when you're angry and dressed in blood. [ A deranged reaction to someone saying they want to get revenge. The sensible thing to say would be something along the lines of "revenge doesn't solve anything so you don't have to do that, I'm fine," but Iorveth, the most vengeful elf in Toril, would be lying if he did.

A beat later, he softens and shifts to press a kiss to Astarion's temple, the faint sharp sting of preservative fluid still on his hair. ] But I would rather burn the entirety of Athkatla before I allowed you to be hurt within its walls again.

[ Again. Not a good person. ]