I'm Up Too Late (Thinking 'bout You) - (Traded Fic)

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN: March 2026

NOTES: This is a fic I did as part of an art trade with riptides on ToyHouse! In exchange for some adorable chibis of my OCs Alice and Blake, he asked me to write a little thing about his OCs Vincenzo and Angelo! I was given a lot of freedom with this piece, and definitely encourage you to check them out!

Vincenzo couldn't believe it. It was like the universe itself were punishing him. For what exactly? Even he didn't know. Yet when he saw the class group chat begin to pick up speed, he had known the recent exam's grades had been sent out. Quickly scrolling through his inbox, he found the document and posted it for everyone to find. There was a temporary lull in the chatter as everyone opened the document to find their names, then it picked up again in a passionate explosion as everyone celebrated or consoled. For it being so late at night, the activity was honestly unexpected. It was a nice change of pace, even if he ignored it for the most part, idly scanning over the messages before re-opening the document and scrolling... and scrolling... and continuing to scroll...

Until he found an all too familiar name at the bottom. Well, almost near the bottom. The only name below it were a student who'd been marked exempt—that's what he was forgetting to do while still on campus. Damn. Maybe tomorrow he could see what was up with that.

As if the universe had seen him looking through the scores, though, a slew of private messages came across the top of his screen.

Angelo: Yo, Pres! See the test scores yet???

Angelo: ... Wait, you posted them. Of course you did.

Angelo: I'm not at the bottom of the list!

If Vincenzo's phone screen had been any darker, he'd be able to make out the way his brows twitched and knit together. With a sigh, he discarded the document and opened the chat.

Vincenzo: Lagdameo.

Vincenzo: You're not at the bottom because there was an exemption, you still failed the exam.

On the other side of the screen, Angelo was currently trying to stop his homeboy from tearing up (another) sock, both hands currently occupied by the knitted fabric as the tiny terror wagged enthusiastically. It bowed, digging its paws into the floor and refusing to cease this dramatic tug-of-war match. And it would be proven the victor as Angelo let go in attempt to keep himself from falling out of the desk chair. One hand fell atop his desk, the other gripping the worn-down cushion as the chair began to roll out from under him. With a victorious bark, the robotic hound dropped the sock and meandered off to go take a nap. When the phone dinged, he sat up and read over the chat...

Then immediately pulled up the document again to find his name. Sure enough, there was a grayed out line beneath his.

Angelo: It's not that bad...

Angelo: I got a 60!

Vincenzo: Yes, I saw.

Angelo: Sooooo... It's an improvement and you know it.

Angelo: C'mon Pres, cut me some slack. Please :))

Vincenzo: It's an improvement, sure.

Vincenzo: But I—

No, he didn’t want to word it like that. He shook his head and erased the message, taking a moment to mull over his words as he shut the bedroom light off and sat on the bed. The screen’s light seemed brighter now, reflecting on his glasses just for a moment before he took them off and set them on the nightstand. Once settled, he replied.

Vincenzo: But you can do better than that.

Vincenzo: If you paid attention during our last study session instead of seeing how many books you could stack into a fort, you could have passed.

Vincenzo: … And we wouldn’t have gotten kicked out of the library.

A subtle heat dusted Vincenzo’s cheeks as he recalled the embarrassing moment.

It started with a simple request: Head over to the nearby section and grab one, single book that Vincenzo figured would help create a better mental map of the topic. Angelo did come back with a book. Several, in fact. All from the same section. And after sliding the requested book forward, he stacked the rest on the table and—between bouts of writing and haphazardly paying attention—would begin to piece them together into a nice little castle for them both. Books lined the edge of the table, standing sideways and upright to shield them from passersby. Every time Vincenzo would take one down, at least two more would erect. It got to a point that they’d given up on studying and engaged in all out war over this territory. Pointed looks became terse whispers, and both became so infatuated with this newfound territory that they didn’t notice a third challenger approaching: The Librarian.

It was with her appearance that those same whispers silenced, and they found themselves allied in tearing down the kingdom and setting sail for other territories. One had his head bowed in apology, and the other offered a sheepish, lopsided grin. Even now, they took on similar postures. Angelo doubled over laughing as he recalled the memory, leaning one arm over the top of the desk as the other set the phone down to wipe tears from his eyes. Vincenzo shrunk against the sheets, grimacing and looking anywhere but at his phone… until it dinged again.

Angelo: Yeah maybe. But getting kicked out of the library did help.

What?

Vincenzo: What do you mean?

Angelo: Well…

Angelo: When I was reading over that question about… uh... The Knights Templar or whatever.

Angelo: I remembered that Philip IV was the one who destroyed it because you made a comment about how useful it’d be to have help taking down the book tower.

Vincenzo: …

Vincenzo’s lips pursed in attempt to hide a smile. If the universe saw him looking for Angelo’s name on the grade sheet, and punished him by manifesting this conversation, then surely a smile would be his downfall. He could NOT accept the idea that he might be encouraging this behavior.

Vincenzo: You can’t be serious.

Angelo: I am! Dead serious. Scouts honor, pinky promise, so on and so forward.

Vincenzo: So forth.

Angelo: Right, so forth or whatever.

Angelo: Anyway, I mean it. So thanks, I guess.

The smile on Angelo’s face softened as he typed, posture slouched as he rested his feet over the corner of the desk and leaned back in the chair. There was an oddly light sensation in his chest, and he shivered when he finally realized its presence… then promptly decided to ignore it.

Angelo: So…

Vincenzo: … So?

Angelo: What’re you up to tomorrow?

Vincenzo: ?

Vincenzo: We have class tomorrow.

Angelo: DUH! I mean after.

Vincenzo: Why? Are you trying to get me kicked out of more libraries?

Angelo snickered.

Angelo: Noo. I don’t want to spend another day in the library right now. Not until our next exam, anyway.

Angelo: I was gonna ask if you wanted to go to the arcade. I heard they finally added a new Jurassic Park game.

Vincenzo: And you can’t play that alone?

Angelo: I can!

Angelo: But it’s one of those big booths. It’s too awkward. People are going to think I’m an outcast or something.

Vincenzo couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped him.

Vincenzo: You’re saying you’re not?

Vincenzo: You built your own dog, nearly flunked out of the semester, and spend most of your free time hiding games around campus. Which speaking of…

Curiosity was piqued. Angelo tilted his head against the palm of his hand, and waited impatiently for the next message to come through. When it did, he nearly jumped out of his chair. The reason? Vincenzo had his DS! The one he swore he hid in a good spot this time.

Angelo: wHAT

Angelo: HEY!

Angelo: HEY WHAT?????

Vincenzo: If you want it back…

Vincenzo: Meet me at the arcade after school.

Vincenzo: And no, I’m not giving it to you at school. Or walking there with you.

Angelo: … Fine.

Angelo: Smart ass.

Angelo: I’ll see ya then.

Angelo: Night Pres.

Vincenzo: Goodnight, Lagdameo.

Both found themselves lingering on the conversation before exiting out and occupying themselves until the gentle, lulling calls to sleep found them.

One neatly rested his phone on the nightstand and laid back to take in the quiet sounds of the night outside. To watch the moonlight filter through the gaps of the curtains and illuminate the settling dust particles in the air and linger on the odd sensation creeping through his muscles. It was an odd mixture of expectation and nausea; excitement and intrigue—Vincenzo was actually happy to have a set plan, even if he was far too stubborn to admit it. Even as he rolled onto his side and looked over the vibrant, red DS that sat waiting.

The other finally made his way to bed, flopping down with a soft ‘thud’ before adjusting to reach down and pick up the little hound and tuck it in beside him. Once that was done, he unlocked his phone once more and began to absentmindedly scroll through social media. There wasn’t anything particularly interesting beyond the same old cycle of news, reactions, and the occasional council post. It was a shame Angelo had already commented on the newest one, though, as he pondered how funny it could have been to comment a new chain now that the exam results were out. Oh well! That just meant he’d have more time to ponder on it as he finally set his phone aside and rolled over to entangle himself in the sheets. A smile lingered on his lips as he dozed off, mind drifting toward what would come tomorrow.