"I can do it that way too."

"Okay." 

He's very cuddly and very warm. 

"I have explained to you that I am a terrible person. I am not sure you understand and I do not want you to spend time with me under false pretenses."

"I'm not sure it's false pretenses if you've explained. — one of the things you like about me is that I'm upset about people getting tortured and that makes it very easy to like you even though you have also done a lot of other things." 

"You make me want to be better."

"I'm glad." 

"I want to become somebody who deserves you."

He doesn't know what to say, so he pulls Ashka closer and hugs him instead. 

Hugs are very nice.

They are. 

It's good when Ashka makes that face. 

"I've never felt about anybody the way I feel about you."

"I'm honored." 

More hugs!

More hugs. He plays with Ashka's hair, kisses his forehead very gently. 

Ashka's expression is grateful and almost worshipful.

...that's a lot. He doesn't have any visible reaction but it's a lot. 

"Tell him if he wants to make you happy he should believe in me."

Are you joking. 

"It could help us figure out how whatever-it-is-that's-keeping-me-weak works, and if I do successfully get his belief then I'd be more powerful."

That's true. It could. 

"Why are you glaring at me."

He holds Ashka more protectively and raises an eyebrow in Tholassi's general direction. 

"I have no idea what you're upset about, I'm not a mind reader. --I mean, I am a mind reader, but human minds are complicated and yours in particular has a dozen layers of things you're trying not to think about at any given time."

On a conscious level, what Sataro is thinking is no. 

In terms of undercurrents-- Ashka is his responsibility now, it is his job to keep Ashka safe, and that means not using his moments of vulnerability to get him to pledge himself to causes he doesn't believe in. 

"I am your responsibility and it is your job to keep me safe."