and i love too that love soon might end (be known in its aching)

There's no need for either of them to speak - this is routine enough, now, that Joel does exactly what she wants him to, and heaves himself over to his other side without so much as a mutter. He's wasted enough that she has to help him a bit, and the scrapes of her palms groan against the hazy warmth of his back, but Tess' muscles know the weight of Joel's exhaustion well, and so he goes easily.

[or: Little spoon Joel was formulated in a lab to hurt me personally. Here's something tender and aching for you.]