"It most certainly can," he says, undoing the clasps of his wristguards and shoulderguards. "It had never occurred to me as a downside to this armour set that it makes hugging harder."

Giggle.

"I don't mind really mind, it reminds me not to, to... mess up your image?"

He laughs. "I thank you for that, although at this point it would not be much of a problem, especially around those guys." He holds out his arms.

Hug!

"Yeah, I got that impression. Thus why I was affectionate with you in front of them at all. I just don't want to do it thoughtlessly. You have a nice image, with the fire, spikes, door kicking, and running around like a shadow of death."

"I do think the shadow of death adds a nice touch, don't you?"

"You could be a second coming of Dhuum! Or perhaps Grenth and Balthazar's lovechild. I can't decide."

He chuckles. "Let's not go with Dhuum."

"He was a bit of a bastard," she agrees.

"Grenth is much more my style."

She smiles fondly at him. "I always liked Grenth. Sometimes more than Lyssa, actually, mesmer though I am." Then she winces and gives a little sad sigh. "... I can't believe they left us. Grenth especially, actually, if he's even abandoned the Underworld as well."

"...yeah. We don't know that they've left altogether but they barely answer prayers anymore, and resurrection no longer works."

"So there was no reason or explanation? They just. Stopped caring. For no apparent reason."

"Shortly after Abaddon was killed, yes."

"... Abaddon?"

"...maybe we should go somewhere else and I should try to explain this in order."

"Sure, this isn't the most comfortable place for explanations, anyway." She squeezes him in the hug, then releases him. Her hand finds his and lingers there for a little while after, then she smiles wryly and releases that, too. "Lead on, then."

"I actually believe that they might have set up a temporary waypoint on the airship. Let's glide there."

She nods, then asks, "What's a waypoint?"

"It's an asuran invention that allows quick transit. Any functioning waypoint can be used to go to any other waypoint, if you've been there before and can identify it. I have a few keys that will let you follow me even though you have never been to any waypoints in Divinity's Reach."

"Oh, that's convenient, all right. Sounds good. Carry me away, oh Commander."

"As my princess wills it." But first he's going to fetch his spiky armour bits to store them in an enchanted bag. And then: arms?

She distracts herself with the weight lightening enchantment while something in her stomach does a lovely little flip at 'my princess.' That... certainly feels different than before. Less affectionate teasing, more sincere affection.

Arms!

"Your princess?" she wonders, going for wry or arch and... only really making it to 'barely concealed delight.'

He just smiles and steps off the edge of the floating rock, freefalling for a bit before activating his glider again and pointing northwest.

When he jumps without a glider, she gives a little startled yelp, clinging to him in alarm. "James—"

And then he activates his glider and she finds herself laughing dizzily with delight and relief and how much she really, really wants to kiss this smug bastard.

"You're—you—" she begins, but she can't get much of anywhere in that sentence, she's too busy laughing.

He can't help but start laughing, too. Onwards he glides, towards another of those magic lines, one that's going up, which he catches and which starts lifting them.