[ Astarion gracefully makes his way to the table, seating himself and reaching for the wine - though the ribbon-wrapped canvas gets a raised eyebrow before Jaskier begins to explain.

It takes him a moment to connect the dots, seeing as how he happily put the whole episode behind him the moment he skittered out of Jaskier's abode. And with the unexpected gift around the holidays, he assumed the bard had done the same.

He glances down at canvas with a blank look and then - oh. His brow furrows as the memory of secondhand embarrassment threatens to rush back in like the tide (along with the unnatural stench of his hunter companion...) ]

Darling, you really didn't have to - [ take everything I said so seriously... no, he can be nice. He can... salvage this before it turns sideways again. It's just going to take - he sighs, glancing toward the ceiling as though there's anyone up there that can help - what a joke. ]

I suppose... I owe you an explanation of sorts.

[ A pause, and he sets his glass down again, looking a bit tired. He doesn't really know how much Jaskier understands about vampires, let alone the similarities and differences between all the different realms... ]

One of the very few and far between benefits of being... what I am, is ageless immortality. I remain beautiful forever - and the only catch is that I can never see my own face in the mirror again. No reflection, nothing.

[ So, he maybe gets a little sensitive when confronted with certain details, let alone artistic interpretation... ]