(i'll be good jaymes young) 'i'll be a better man today' (sorry nothing but thieves) 'i'm sorry, i'm so sorry for what i've done' (arsonist's lullaby hozier) 'don't you ever tame your demons, but always keep them on a leash' (false confidence noah kahan) 'oh i hope somehow i'll wake up young again (disaster button snow patrol) 'and i am up and on my broken limbs’ (flaws bastille) 'there's a hole in my soul, i can't fill it’ (headlights on dark roads snow patrol) 'for once i want to be the car crash' (salt bad suns) 'i'm trying to get my feet off the ground' (someone new hozier) ‘would things be easier if there was a right way?’ (good as it gets little hurt) 'i got a good heart, but sometimes i'm a little dark' (♫)
One of many older apartment buildings in NYC, Grayson’s building boasts an intricate lobby, with copper chandeliers, leaded glass and gilded surfaces. His apartment itself is a strange thing, cobbled together from the leftover spaces in between the luxury apartments that swallowed the historic building whole during a years-long renovation project. It’s existence was actually a mistake, made when contractual oversights caused the team who’d begun the project to quit midway through, and another team to try and continue on. What was once supposed to be a pricey corner apartment was now left with much less space than it’s neighbors, and an almost claustrophobic set of rooms. Due to it’s narrow layout, and much smaller square-footage compared to the surrounding offerings, it was listed at something Gray could actually afford, and the odd character of roughly exposed brickwork and twisted layout actually give it a character he fell in love with.
The doorway leads to a narrow entry hall, a small skinny table along the right side backed by an antique mirror the only furniture that would fit, a set of small hooks on the wall for Gray to hang his coats hidden when the door is opened. Opposite the little table where Gray abandons his keys and wallet and bills is the doorway to the bathroom, gold fixturing and a tub where Grayson has spent more nights than he’d ever admit soaking in overpriced bubbles. The next door along the hall leads to the bedroom, just barely big enough for the mattress with a small closet that Grayson actually tucked a squat dresser into. This first cluster of rooms is tightly packed, barely enough space in each to contain the necessary furniture so that it can live up to it’s name. There are more often than not stacks of books at Grayson’s bedside, and abandoned coffee mugs on the windowsill.
Towards the end of the hallway, another left-side doorway leads to the kitchen. Despite it’s small size Grayson wouldn’t change it for the world. Trying to foster a love of cooking within himself he spends a lot of nights amongst the dark cabinetry and gold fixtures, following recipes he’s found online. The hidden fridge is actually plastered with pictures, not many from his childhood or early adult years, most show him with his sisters, various family vacations with his sister Ella and her husband and son, him and his other sister Dani making faces to ruin the posed shots. A couple are ones Dani and Ella sent him, the pair posing in front of tables filled with his books at stores back in Kansas City, and one of Grayson’s nephew (8 months old at the time) with one of Gray’s books held open on his chubby thighs. Despite his steadily growing palate and newly developed foodie habits, a search through the cabinets will reveal a reminder of where he’d come from, boxes of off-brand macaroni, canned soups and shake-and-bake meals a comfort he can’t seem to pull away from. The largest space is at the end of the apartment, where the hallway pours you out into the combined living/work space. Grayson quickly filled the industrial style shelves with books, and cracks open one of the huge windows to smoke when the inspiration is good to him. There’s a small collection (three) of antique typewriters also on the shelves, and a mechanical keyboard on the desk he can connect to his laptop.
