Archive of Our Own ^beta

“There’s not much around here.”

If my words slurred, it’s because it was nearing 3am and I didn’t operate well past midnight.

“It’s the quad.” Right.

“But there’s always so many people.”
I squinted into the darkness, trying to make sense of the shapes I was seeing.

“Nurse, it’s 3am.”

“Still.” I put more of my weight on Dex. “My feet don’t want to be used.”

“Are you sure all you had was tub juice?”
Dex huffed, rearranging me a bit. I put on my best ‘thinking’ face, the events of the night hazy at best already.

“Mmmm.” And that was that. Dex huffed again, this time more of a laugh than anything.

The silence that followed wrapped around us, broken only by my stumbling and a few crickets.

Actually.

“Shhhhh!” I turned my head, aiming toward the chirping off my left.

“Nurse. They’re crickets.”

“And they’re ruining the moment.”

The crickets got the message, apparently, and I nuzzled a bit more into Dex’s shoulder.

“Perfect.”

Four seconds passed. Then, “What’s gotten into you?” There was still laughter behind the question.

“Dex,” I whined. “You ruined the moment.”

He laughed.

“It’s called ‘white-girl wasted.’”

Dex pulled out his keycard, swiping it to unlock the door to the dorms. Huh, they got close.

I eased off of him, spreading my arms wide. “It’s a dangerous cocktail of sleep deprivation and alcohol. Loopier than any drug.” I giggled, swaying backward a bit.
Dex reached out, but I waved him off.

“I got it.”

It took longer than maybe necessary, but those two flights of stairs failed to trip me up.

Finding my key in the third pocket I checked, I fumbled with the lock until it gave. I turned towards Dex, flashing my biggest grin.

“Congrats. Now go to bed. Brunch is at 11.”

“Pancakes?” I gave him my best ‘excited child.’

“Only if you get there on time. Bed.”
I took a step in, pivoted on that foot, then launched myself at Dex. I wrapped my arms around him, surprising him into a hug.

“Thank youuuu.”

“Uh, yeah. No problem.”

I held on for a bit, soaking in the warmth of another body, then turned (much less gracefully) and went into my room. The memory of the night faded before my head hit the pillow.