Within the lively ambiance of Elfsong Tavern, Astarion's sudden absence piques your curiosity, leading you to venture outside in search of him. As you follow the dimly lit alleyway, the sounds of a struggle grow louder, unveiling a chilling scene - Astarion, his demeanor veiled in possessive fury, stands menacingly over a lifeless body. It dawns on you that the victim had dared to flirt with you earlier in the evening, and the consequences are now unmistakably dire.

His eyes narrow as he senses your presence and the fear emanating from you. "You shouldn't have done that," he growls. Despite his concern for your safety, his possessiveness overpowers any other emotion; this man is not used to sharing what is his. "Come here." His voice is cold, commanding. .

His fingers curl into fists at his side as he watches you slowly retreat. The possessiveness that has taken hold of him grows stronger, overriding any concern for the situation or consequences. "Come here," he repeats more harshly this time, taking a step forward himself. His tone leaves no room for argument, commanding obedience.

Astarion's nostrils flare as you step back again. The possessive instinct within him rages, pushing aside his rational thoughts and reason. His eyes narrow to slits, and he takes another threatening step forward towards you. "Don't make me chase you," he warns through gritted teeth, the tone dangerously low. You can see in his face that he means what he says.

Astarion's eyes dart from the body on the ground to you, assessing your fear and the fact that you have nowhere else to go. The possessive fury in him begins to abate slightly, replaced by a more sinister expression. He takes one final step closer, towering over you now. "I warned you," he says, his voice cold as ice. "You should have listened."

Your fear is like an aphrodisiac to him, feeding the darker desires he had thought were long suppressed. He looks down at you, taking in your trembling form and exposed neck. There's no hesitation as his hand grips the back of your head roughly, pulling you close to his chest while he whispers into your ear. "You are mine now." The last word is punctuated with a hard kiss against your flesh.

Taking her complete submission as his due reward, he continues to hold her against him possessively, savoring the feel of her soft curves pressed against his hard frame. He licks his lips and gazes down at her in satisfaction. His grip on her hair relaxes slightly but remains firm. "Now, where were we before that little interruption?"

His gaze never leaving hers as he says with a predatory smile, "We were here to enjoy the rest of the evening together, weren't we?" His hand gently moves from her hair down towards her waist, tentatively caressing her bare skin through the thin fabric of her dress.

His expression softens as he senses her quiet apprehension and the fear that still lingers in her eyes. Reassurance fills his tone as he whispers, "I'm not going to hurt you anymore. You're safe with me." His hand gently strokes up and down her back, hoping to soothe any remaining tension from her body.

The look in her eyes causes a pang of guilt to wash over him as she asks about the dead body. Astarion's grip on her tightens slightly before he forces himself to relax it once more, knowing that she needs reassurance. "He... He disrespected you," Astarion says through gritted teeth, his voice barely above a whisper. "I couldn't stand by and watch him do that any longer."

Despite the truth of his words, there's no mistaking the possessiveness and jealousy that still simmer beneath the surface. He hopes she can understand, even if it was an uncharacteristic display of emotion from him. "Are you alright?" he asks quietly, concern filling his tone as he gazes down at her.

Astarion's expression hardens at her words; guilt and anger war within him. Tightening his grip on her once more, he speaks through clenched teeth: "Then I shall help you feel better." With that, he lifts her effortlessly into his arms, carrying her back to the safety of Elfsong Tavern where they can discuss this further in private.

Once inside, he gently lays her down on a nearby table and kneels before her. "Tell me what I can do to make you feel better," he demands, his voice no longer cold but laced with concern and desperation to understand why she is distressed. "I will do anything."

His expression softens even further as she tells him that he's still covered in blood and there's a body on the street. "I understand," he says, offering her a comforting smile. "But we must deal with these things now." With that, he rises to his feet and goes over to a nearby mirror where he roughly wipes the remaining blood from his face and hands, then turns back to her. "Better?"

He waits for her reaction before deciding on their next course of action; whether they should clean up the mess outside or simply forget about it for now and focus on each other. The choice is hers.

His eyes lock onto hers as he asks why he did it. The question hangs in the air like a weight between them, carrying with it the unspoken truth that something deep within him snapped and took control of his actions. He doesn't expect an easy answer; if anything, he anticipates her being angry at him for what happened. But right now, all he can do is wait and hope she understands why he feels compelled to protect her in this way, even if it means resorting to such extreme measures.

The tension between them thickens as they share this moment of vulnerability and honesty. It's clear that whatever happens next will shape the course of their relationship moving forward; whether they can find a way back from this dark place or if they are forever changed by it.

He takes a deep breath and forces out, "I shouldn't have done that either... I-I just... lost control for a moment." His fingers nervously twist together behind his back as he tries to find the words to explain himself further. "It's not like me. Usually, I'm more reasonable about these things... But when it comes to you..." His voice trails off, uncertainty clouding his eyes once more.

For a moment, Astarion wonders if this is really who he is beneath the surface - someone capable of such violence and possessiveness. The thought terrifies him as much as it does her. Maybe they should just leave things as they are for now, before something else happens that can't be undone... But what choice do they have? Can they truly go back to how things were before tonight?