You woke up, and when you moved, felt a pair of strong arms tighten their grip around you, pulling you closer. The earl's words from the night before rang through your ears.

'You were just too cute like that.'

You let out a little sigh, then tried to wiggle free. However, the more you wiggled, the tighter the earl held you. Eventually you gave up, and ended up shrinking against him. You heard a boyish chuckle in your ear.

"You really tried."

You jumped a bit at his words, then got angry. He was up the whole time! Why didn't he say anything?!

"He-"

"Shush. Unlike you, I'm still trying to sleep."

You sighed, a moment before there was a knock at the door.

"For the love of-! Will you get that?"

"No! I'm only wearing a shirt! You at least have pants!"

"I suggest you lower your voice, otherwise they may get the wrong idea."

"Well, they'll definitely get the wrong idea if they see me in shirt, with messed up hair!" Though you had lowered your voice, it still held the same ferocity as before.

"Ugh!" He finally got up, and rubbed his eyes. "You're right. Though I wish you weren't." He walked over to get the door, stretching and yawning. You desperately tried to brush your hair, but the stuff was so insanely curly in the most infuriating way, you got nothing done.

"Hey Phipps. What do you need?" Well doesn't he sound surprisingly cheery. What happened to grumpy him?

Phipps sighed. "Where's the girl?"

"Inside, still sleeping." You laid down as quietly as possible. Why? Because it meant you got to prepare more before seeing the queen. You went along with the earl's lie.

"That girl. She needs more sleep. She feel asleep on the way here and is still sleeping now?"

Grey sighed. "Yeah. It's a little ridiculous. She just feel right asleep after laying down last night too."

Wow. You were shocked. He was at this. Lieing, but not really. It was something you were pretty terrible at. That's why you usually stayed quiet instead of trying to lie to a person. You stuttered, your palms got all sweaty, and your eyes would dart everywhere. It was ridiculous, you were a comically bad liar.

After a few more minutes of banter, the door shut, and you sat up. Only to see the earl slowly sliding down. At the end, he was sitting on the floor, and mumbling.

"What?" You asked.

"I hate mornings. I hate people in the morning. I hate work in the morning too. The only thing that belongs in the morning is sleep and food." He was whining and pouting and you had to try hard too keep in your laughter. He noticed anyway, "It's not funny!" He whined. You burst out laughing. Tears coming to your eyes, and then realized you were supposed to be asleep. Just as you were about to put a hand to your mouth, you were beaten to it.

"Shh!" The earl put a finger to his lips. "You're supposed to be sleeping." You were still smiling, but the laughter was under control. He didn't remove his hand. "I don't trust that face." You licked him. It was one of the few ways you were still childish.

"Hey!" He pulled the hand away, and you buried your face in a pillow. Hiding the giggles spilling from your mouth. You felt him move your hair, though you didn't know why. Not until a second later anyway.

You felt him lick your cheek. You popped up, "Hey!" He was cackling, not even trying to hide it.

"Now we're even!" You were still wiping it off.

He finally calmed down, and you were trying very hard to be angry at him, to no avail. He was really hard to stay angry at. Especially when he was laughing like that. All smiles and happiness. He wiped away the tears, and you feel that you had wiped away all of the moisture from your cheek, when you heard an exasperated sigh from the other side of the door.

"Are you two done being children? I knew she was awake from the start." It was Phipps. That party pooper. You thought, less than a second before the earl voiced it.

"Phipps! You're no fun! Smile sometime!"

"Grey, will you stop the childish antics and get out here."

Grey made a pouty face, and you had to hold in giggles again. "Fine! But we need to get dressed! I don't think the queen wants to see us in our pajamas!" He shouted out, then fell onto the floor. He laid there, his face in the carpet for a little while.

"Earl?" You asked. Then decided on something bold. "Are you planning on moving, or are you simply going to become a carpet?" His words came out muffled, and you couldn't understand them. "Well then, I guess you'd be a rather comfortable carpet." You walked over, then sat on his back, grinning.

The earl rolled over, and you fell off of him. He then began to tickle you. You laughed till your stomach hurt, until you couldn't breathe, when there were tears falling down your face, the earl was satisfied. You were still curled up, trying to resist the urge to laugh. When he poked you, and got another five minutes of laughter out of you.

You closed your eyes, and by the time you had gotten your breathing under control and your eyes were opened, the earl was already changed. He was also poking your nose.

"Hey! What are-" He poked your cheek too.

"You should get dressed."

"I know. But my clothes are gone!"

"Heehee. The maid probably took it for cleaning."

Your mind froze at that statement. Someone saw you two. In bed. Together. You took deep, steady breaths, and willed the growing heat in your cheeks to vanish.

"Y/N? Are you okay? Do you need food?"

You sighed. "Probably. But that can wait. What am I supposed to wear?"

"I dunno. I just want food."

You smacked your head into his chest. "What is wrong with you." You mumbled into his shirt. What are you doing?! Get away! Why are you so comfortable?!

You ignored the voice in your head. This was fine for you. It didn't matter anymore. You had all but fallen in love with that guy.

Correction: I have fallen in love with him.