She blinks confusedly at him. For once, she's not actually sure what she did that was so attractive, this time. It's not like she's a particularly notable illusionist; she knows (knew) mesmers that would have pulled that off in a quarter of the time.

"... What? Did I take so long that you got bored and started imagining me naked?"

"No, my princess, I just enjoy watching you be thorough and do a job that you find satisfying."

"Aw. Thank you, dear." She bestows him with a kiss, then spends a little while smiling goofily at him.

After a few seconds of that, she remembers herself, and gets to setting out a little place for them to sleep underneath the illusion. There isn't all that much space in there, so they'll have to cuddle. The horror.

Such horror.

But there's enough space for a small tent he has tucked in his mesmer bag, and they can prepare some travel rations.

They eat the bland but nutritionally balanced and filling meal, and then Vetareh can toe off her boots, take off her jacket, let down her hair, and settle into the small tent for snuggles. When James eventually stops being so covered in spikes and fire, anyway.

He will eventually stop being so covered in spikes and fire, and be in his underwear.

Then he will be snuggled!

"Am I overdressed?" she wonders, giggling a little.

"You can be dressed as much as you want to be. But yes."

"James honey, I'm basically made out of paper and spite. I'm keeping on as much magically protective clothing as is feasible while we're on these islands." She pecks him on the nose. "But you can certainly sleep in your underwear if you'd like."

"I can enter Reaper's Shroud if need be, the enchantments in my clothing were actually more useful for increasing my damage-dealing potency than protecting me, so that's fair."

"Mmhmm. I thought so." Then she gives a little yawn, tucks herself comfortably against him, and starts attempting to get some sleep.

He snuggles close to her and falls asleep almost immediately. This is probably a useful skill when you are the Commander.

Yeah, it definitely seems like it. He probably achieved it through a lot of practice sleeping in really terrible places. She'd be jealous, except it probably wasn't all that fun of a skill to cultivate.

She takes a bit longer to fall asleep. It's too hot on these islands, sleeping on a padded mat in a tent on the ground isn't particularly comfortable, prolonged silence is a little psychologically uncomfortable after the Mists, and while he feels safe, he's not quite passed the threshold into 'familiar,' yet. But she did a lot of walking and fighting today, she has ever slept on a padded mat in a tent on the ground before, and she can soothe her discomfort with silence with the even sound of his breathing and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Eventually, they lull her to sleep.

They are undisturbed through the night.

James wakes up early but doesn't get up quite yet.

His girlfriend is nestled next to him, hair a mess, personal vanity illusion dispelled by slumber. Fast asleep and looking terribly content and peaceful.

He is terribly, terribly fond of her.

She sleeps on, eyelids fluttering slightly as she lies undisturbed beside him.

Eventually it becomes obvious she won't wake on her own. That's fine. He'll give her a few more minutes and wait until she looks to be in a particularly disturbable part of her sleep cycle then gently shake her.

"Mmnn?" she hums, stirring. She blinks open her eyes, then smiles fondly at him. "Hey."

"Morning. How did your beauty sleep go?"

"I'm pretty without it," she yawns, sitting up to stretch.

"You are absolutely gorgeous, I agree," he says, sitting up as well.

She hums agreement, reaching out to touch him with one hand and rub sleep from her eyes with the other.

"Flatterer," she yawns. "How long'dwe sleep?"

"A little bit over nine hours."

"No wonder I don't feel like death. 'Least we didn't explode. Or get attacked."