as the door to his apartment swung open and dylan stepped ahead of him into the slightly crowded brick loft he'd lucked into two years prior, grayson hesitated for a moment. all of the irritation that had been bubbling up under the surface came to a head as he blew air from his lips, allowing himself a few seconds to feel it before he pushed ahead. the door was promptly shut behind him and he locked it before shedding his jacket. "you seem like you had a good night." he spoke, trying to sound casual and playful but instead it sounded pointed. he blinked, thankful she wasn't looking at him as he rolled his eyes at himself. "i mean, you were having fun, obviously."

"what, you think i'm incapable of just being your friend?" she's right, but it still offends him regardless.

"wait, do you... do you know that guy?"

"i don't have office hours today, so... you're welcome to go out and enjoy your day." grayson's doing his best to get rid of her, not that he's sure it'll work. it never seems to.

they'd been on the side of the road for twenty minutes, the rain pouring down heavy on the windows as they tried and failed to get service. grayson had done the gentlemanly thing, walking out into the rain with his coat draped over his head and phone to see if it would help, but it did nothing. by the time he got back into the car, droplets coated his body and made him shiver, his muttering complaints about the cold silenced when he realised where his companion was. "what are you up to, sweetheart?" she looked like temptation, giving him a look that made his heart skip a damn beat. "really? right now?"

reminders of grayson's own college years pass by him as he turns the corner in his car, students clad in glowing accessories and clearly wasted stumbling as midnight swiftly approaches. he stops the car outside the hulking house that seems to be pouring out young adults in various states of disarray, music pumping from within so loud that he swears it must be rattling the bones of the house. this is a rager if he's ever seen one and he's uneasy in his approach, passing people and hoping he won't be recognised until he reaches the steps and spots the head of dark hair he's been searching for. "cass!" he calls out to her, approaching and kneeling in front of where she sits at the bottom of the stairs. "can you walk?"

"y'know if i wasn't definitely drunk i'd think you were flirting with me."

"is this weird, for you? i don't mind sleeping on the floor, i mean it."