As much as I'm obsessed w Astarion I really do think I would choose Gale irl

Hello there!

Just wanted to say I'm very much enjoying your character explorations and interpretations of Astarion. After reading some of your thoughts on how he might handle a more pliant Tav (or at least one that might eventually yield to him), what about someone more stubborn or clever or wilful? Do you think he'd even fall for someone like that? That he might not ever be able to manipulate (at least not fully) or do you think he'd enjoy the challenge and keep trying? Or would he just lose interest after a while, especially if she keeps pushing back no matter what he does?

Asking because my Tav is pretty much all of the above, and is especially stubborn and wilful once she puts her mind to something. I could always see her eventually opening up to him, she definitely finds him fascinating and fun (even if she has an incredibly dry sense of humor and likes to pick on him), but I don't know if she would ever trust or like him enough to let him carve anything into her let alone his name. That aside, I would also think that having someone around who is almost always subservient to him would get old after a while, no? Especially, later on down the road when they've been together for a while?

Anyway, I realize this feels like one of those answers that may be obvious, but I just wanted to hear your opinion on it in particular. c:

Ah, you came to the right place.

Why is that? Because I am the most willful, stubborn brat to ever brat, and I simply don't abide the thought of him being some limp-noodle loser that just gives up when things get a little rocky. Astarion fancies himself a clever boy, and I doubt a little backsass would be enough to make him hit the bricks. As I've said before, I see him as a bit of a brat tamer, so I think this might tickle him a little bit, even serving to enamor him later on.

Life gets oh-so monotonous after a few hundred years. Even now that he's found his freedom, I feel like one of the pressing issues one faces when staring down the barrel of eternity is an ever-present sense of boredom and adhedonia. What better to spice it up than a partner that is constantly challenging you? One that is a wee bit too canny to fall for the bullshit you pull on other people? He might be able to pull the wool over everyone else's eyes, but Tav might be a bit too clever for that.

I think the dynamics of the relationship might be a bit different, but ultimately, I think it ends up good for him. Astarion is a smart fellow, he needs the stimulation and the challenge. While he might want a partner that is submissive and easily pliable-- or at least he thinks he does-- it's much more engaging to have someone on his level.

Ultimately, I think both are very viable choices for him. Different colored collars on the same dog, so to speak.

I've stated before that my ideas on Astarion start to stretch into the outright dastardly though, so just because she says 'no' or doesn't want something, doesn't mean that it won't happen anyways. I truly does depend on the dynamic of their relationship and who he ultimately ends up becoming. I think a lot of things are possible, from being some semblance or shadow of a 'good' creature to straight up villainous.