p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chuck had almost dozed off when Earl slipped into bed. Chuck could tell that he was trying to be undisruptive, but it was impossible to clamber onto the single-sized mattress without causing a little bit of a disturbance. Even if Earl was graceful as a swan. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"He'd just gotten out of the shower. His hair was down and he smelled like sea salt. Chuck had been amazed by how long Earl's hair was when he'd first seen it out of the usual gravity-defying pompadour he wore to school. Chuck would not be surprised if the Coldfaces were singlehandedly supporting the entire hair gel business./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chuck kept his breathing slow and rhythmic. He didn't want Earl to know that he'd woken up. For some reason—though it was entirely silly—the chance to witness Earl in all his natural glory, without any pretenses, was exciting. Although, truthfully, Chuck probably already had the privilege of seeing Earl at his most genuine./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Apparently, the only thing genuine, no-pretenses Earl wanted to do was lay beside him, comfortably cool against the warm summer breeze drifting in through the open balcony window. He hadn't bothered to dress. Chuck stayed still, relaxing into Earl's touch as he settled into place. They weren't a perfect fit for spooning—maybe if Earl was a little taller-but Chuck wouldn't have him any other way. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Earl planted a gentle kiss at the occipital of Chuck's neck, just behind the ear, and tucked his chin into the nape of Chuck's shoulder. "I know'th thou art awake."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chuck bit his tongue to keep from laughing. "No, I'm not."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Thou art smiling." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"He pursed his lips, tensing all of his muscles to pull the nastiest scowl he could manage. "I'm not smiling."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Earl buried his face in Chuck's shoulder to stifle his giggling. Chuck let himself grin at that. He would never, ever stop loving the sound of Earl's laughter. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"He'd just gotten out of the shower. His hair was down and he smelled like sea salt. Chuck had been amazed by how long Earl's hair was when he'd first seen it out of the usual gravity-defying pompadour he wore to school. Chuck would not be surprised if the Coldfaces were singlehandedly supporting the entire hair gel business./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chuck kept his breathing slow and rhythmic. He didn't want Earl to know that he'd woken up. For some reason—though it was entirely silly—the chance to witness Earl in all his natural glory, without any pretenses, was exciting. Although, truthfully, Chuck probably already had the privilege of seeing Earl at his most genuine./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Apparently, the only thing genuine, no-pretenses Earl wanted to do was lay beside him, comfortably cool against the warm summer breeze drifting in through the open balcony window. He hadn't bothered to dress. Chuck stayed still, relaxing into Earl's touch as he settled into place. They weren't a perfect fit for spooning—maybe if Earl was a little taller-but Chuck wouldn't have him any other way. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Earl planted a gentle kiss at the occipital of Chuck's neck, just behind the ear, and tucked his chin into the nape of Chuck's shoulder. "I know'th thou art awake."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Chuck bit his tongue to keep from laughing. "No, I'm not."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;""Thou art smiling." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"He pursed his lips, tensing all of his muscles to pull the nastiest scowl he could manage. "I'm not smiling."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif;"Earl buried his face in Chuck's shoulder to stifle his giggling. Chuck let himself grin at that. He would never, ever stop loving the sound of Earl's laughter. /span/p