His expression had gone blank and you couldnât tell what was going on in his head. Had you said something wrong? You quickly replayed your words in your head.
hey you - yes you. want some percy x sage fanfic? then read this post.
this is a different take on Late Nights. a lot of elements were maintained but I have changed the flow as well as the ending.
hope it won't disappoint u :-)
ps: ive posted this in ao3 earlier today to get some feedback. so this is a slightly polished version. enjoy and see u in 2 weeks!
*pps: ĺŠă㌠means help
Who would have thought that you would be spending the weekday night outside campus again?
Dropping by Extra Fries for takeout and then hanging out at Halfpoint was a recurring thing in your circle (or triangle?), but this time, three new faces made the whole thing feel different.
Cameron always had spontaneous ideas. So as usual, you went over tomorrowâs to-do list in your head, reshuffling everything to make this detour fit. Certain youâd oversleep, you drilled one thing into your brain â 8:30 a.m. exam.
Huddled together at the back of the Cammobile with the rear door open, everyone remained seated around the space that had just been cleared of fast food, which you were 100% sure was enough to feed at least twenty people.
You were near the right edge, with Percy, Elio, and Jamie to your left, and Deja and Cameron to your right.
It had only been a few minutes after you had conquered the Big One, albeit unofficial and unrecorded, but that didnât matter to Cameron.
After the icebreakers and small talk, all of you sat in quiet triumph, satisfied it was done yet painfully aware of the consequences: your stomachs slowly digesting an ungodly amount of food meant for five days, not ten minutes.
You glanced at Jamie, who you thought couldnât get any paler, yet here he was, trying hard not to puke. Was it bad that, despite all this, he still looked handsome?
How unfair.
You immediately shook your head at the naĂŻve thought, though. You knew Jamie was more than just a pretty face. He might resemble a scared rabbit, but in the right company, he had no qualms showing who he truly was.
And you were grateful that he considered you part of that.
Elio, on the other hand, pressed a firm hand to Jamieâs back, slowly rubbing small circles as if it could ease the stomachache.
That was cute, you mentally admitted.
Since the day you met him, Elio had always been like this. Gentle, attentive, and effortlessly kind.
A walking bundle of sunshine.
And you couldnât help thinking how lucky you were to have spent these past few weeks with him.
On the other side of the Cammobile, Cameron and Deja rummaged through the storage, searching for indigestion medicine. Though not without muffled laughter directed at the sorry state of the boys beside you.
You cracked a smile.
After two years together, the three of you had weathered nearly everything college life had thrown so far.
And now that your group had expanded, you found yourself looking forward to whatever came next with this bunch.
Your mind wandered to the remaining member of your group, Perseus Tozaki⌠wait, where did he go?
You only realised he was missing when the cold started seeping in despite the blankets.
Stretching your neck, you peered out the Cammobile and spotted the missing walking heater leaning against the fence, gazing at the city lights.
You turned to Deja and Cameron. âI think I need fresh air. If I breathe in any more of this greasy air, I might end up like that gentleman. Youâre still looking for the meds, right? I can help before I head out.â
Without looking back, Deja responded, âItâs all good, Sage. We have two pairs of eyes here; weâll find it soon. Right, Cam?â
âUh-uh. Youâre dismissed, Private Aubade.â Cameron saluted you with a smirk.
Elio, still rubbing Jamieâs back, chimed in, âWeâll be fine, Sage. I mean, Jamie will be fine. Heâs a tough cookie despite how soft he looks."
He gave you a small reassuring smile before adding.
"And this isnât his first rodeo at food challenges. Iâll have you know the three of us have done tons of stupid shit so, heâll manage. Somehow.â
Jamie, still visibly distressed, only shook his head in protest. Though a small smile betrayed him.
You were grateful that despite the differences between your group and theirs, everyone knew how to adjust and respect one another. You were all on the same wavelength, and it felt easy and natural to spend time together.
It had only been two weeks, but you could no longer imagine a hangout without these guys.
Finally accepting that you had nothing to contribute, you waved goodbye, hopping off the Cammobile with a light bounce as you stealthily made your way to your target.
Each careful step drained so much of your energy, but you didnât care. You wanted to scare that man out of his wits. A small price to pay for all the flirty jokes heâd thrown your way.
If Cameron could see you now, theyâd probably shiver at how crazy your eyes looked as the corners of your mouth curled upward.
Step, step, step.
Youâre now an armâs length away from his back. Recalling all the lessons youâd taken over the years along with the unhealthy amount of anime and manga you had consumed, you felt quite confident in your Japanese.
Preparing your throat to deliver the creepiest ăĺŠăăŚ*ă you could manage, you leaned toward his left ear, breath ready to whisper â
âPenis.â
Your body froze.
Like time actually stopped.
Your brows furrowed as disbelief sank in. You could not believe what this man in his twenties had just said.
Sure, the group had shouted variations of âpenisâ at the cliff earlier, but that was collective stupidity.
Right now, he was alone, murmuring as if it were the only thought left in his head.
And that was scary.
You were still rooted to the spot when Percyâs back hitched with suppressed laughter, a noticeable âpffftâ escaping his mouth.
He finally turned around, cheeks red as he tried his hardest not to explode in laughter.
You had promised your RAs that you wouldnât be rowdy, so the fact that he remembered that even now was mildly impressive.
âDid you really think you could outmatch me in stealth? For your information, our family descends from a long and prestigious line of ninjas.â
You could only shake your head in disbelief. âThe heck, since when did you know?â
âFrom the very start? Ninjas are required to have excellent hearing. But that was a good attempt. You have more to learn, young Padawan.â
ââŚYou are mixing franchises now.â
âEh, Jedi are just⌠alien ninjas, arenât they? We donât discriminate so they are welcome to our ranks.â
âJedis are more like space monks than ninjas, though?â
âMeh, same difference.â
You just could not win against Percy, huh? It seemed like he had infinite rebuttals for everything.
With a scoff, you instead decided to join him at the fence as he resumed gazing at the city lights.
âSo, why are you out here? Jamie's dying back there you know. It's just Elio with him, plus Dee and Cam."
âHey, canât a grown man have his âme timeâ away from his baby chicks? I just wanted to take in the scenery. I mean, WeeMee is definitely top tier when it comes to aesthetics and shit, but we donât get this kind of view there."
"Point taken. I feel bad for Jamie, though. I heard this challenge wasn't a first for you guys."
"Elio told you? No way. Now we can't make up an excuse for him. But, yeah. To be fair, what we tried before doesn't even compare to the Big One - that thing was huuuuuge."
Percy suddenly turned to you, eyes lighting up.
"Okay for context, do you know League of Legends? If I had to compare what we tried before to the Big One, it was like Gold going up against Challenger. The gap's insane!"
You chuckled at the comparison. Percy was really a gamer through and through.
âIâm ashamed to admit that I was addicted to League in high school, so no worries there, I get you."
âWhaaaat? I canât imagine you raging, Sage. Youâre like an epitome of inner peace.â
âThatâs why I quit. Any longer and I would've become a walking embodiment of toxicity. I probably wouldnât have become friends with Dee and Cam either. So... butterfly effect, we wouldâve never met.â
âWe're not sure about that." Percy said lightly. "Butterfly effect, huh? Then, what if, on my end, I'd gotten addicted to League too? We wouldâve probably met online, cursing each other in some ranked match. That kind of interaction.â
You smiled at the thought. Percy on the opposite team, same lane, both of you fighting to break the otherâs nexus, spamming profanities back and forth.
It was an amusing alternate timeline.
You glanced up at the stars before answering.
âThat wouldâve been interesting. But Iâm glad it didnât turn out that way. I like the me today⌠and I like you.â
Silence. And more silence.
You tilted your head at Percy, wondering why he had suddenly stopped yapping.
His expression had gone blank and you couldnât tell what was going on in his head. Had you said something wrong?
You quickly replayed your words in your head.
Oh shit.
âAh! Sorry, I meant I like you as a friend. Please donât take it the wrong way. Itâs only been two weeks, Iâm not that desperate.â
Percy slowly blinked a few times, then let out a scoff as the smuggest smile spread across his face. What the heck?
âHey, all good. I got your point... Too bad for me, though. I missed the chance to gloat about that confession to everyone.â
Wha- confession?!
âWhat! I didnât confess! I just said I like you as a person. As a friend!â
âYeah, for now maybe. I agree that two weeks isnât enough to really know someone. So, will that change in a year? Or maybe sooner?â His smirk deepened.
âHelloooo? Earth to Percy. Itâs getting in your head, please come back down. I might just revoke my fondness.â
âAw, man. Okay, Iâll stop.â
You closed your eyes, sighing in relief.
âBut not before saying that I also like you, Sage.â
Eyes still closed and your forehead now creased again, you were so ready to call out his bullshit. You opened your eyesâŚ
And stopped.
Percy was intently looking at you, no smirk nor teasing edge. Just steady. Serious.
This might have been the first time you truly noticed how warm his brown eyes were.
Then silence.
Again.
He didnât say anything as if waiting for you.
In response, your face felt hot and your heartbeat picked up its pace. But at least you were self-aware that this was only because of the situation you were in. Anyone would react the same if they were in the same position.
Then, just as the moment stretched too thin, Percy broke. A laugh burst out of him, loud and unrestrained, no longer caring whether Rory would scold him later.
It took a while before he could breathe again. He wiped at the tears in his eyes, still grinning like he'd just won something.
âIâm so sorry, Sage. I was just fucking with you. Your facial expressions were the best. One word wouldnât suffice to describe it. It was like a looping transition of shock, confusion, disbelief⌠and maybe a tiny hint of shyness?â
Thinking he would be done teasing was a mistake.
You took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, shoulders relaxing as you gathered all the inner peace in the world you can muster.
âFrom today onwards, I, Sage Aubade, do solemnly swear I will not give in to Perseus Tozakiâs rage baiting.â
Percyâs grin returned in full force. So, he retaliated.
âAnd I, Perseus Tozaki, vow that I will do my best to elicit a wide range of emotions from Sage Aubade.â
Realizing that you would lose this game of rebuttals, you bowed your head down as you waved an imaginary white flag to declare your surrender.
As Percy relished this, nose all pointy and shoulders perked (based on your imagination, since you were not really looking at him), Dejaâs voice cut through the air.
âYou guys! Itâs time to go!â
Turning your head in Dejaâs direction, you could see that everything had already been packed and cleaned. They were simply waiting for you and Percy to hop back in.
Rushing back while Percy was trailing behind, you climbed inside the Cammobile and spotted Elio and Jamie in the last row, covered in blankets and already knocked out.
Percy got in next, eyebrows raised when he saw the two sprawled across their seats, but his expression eventually softened. A subtle smile tugged at his lips as he adjusted their blankets without saying a word.
Badump.
You looked away immediately, ignoring whatever that was as you turned to Deja, who was sitting diagonally across from you.
In a hushed voice to avoid waking the others, you whispered, âSorry, Dee, I should have helped.â
Deja smiled gently.
âSilly, there were four adults here who could handle the cleanup. And honestly, we might have overdone it, just look at those two. Anyway, Iâm saying this because I know that if it were the other way around, youâd do the same.â
She really hit the nail on the head. Knowing each other for two years now, she definitely knew you inside and out.
You mumbled a silent âthank youâ, and she nodded in return.
You looked at the driverâs seat, but it would be impossible to see Camâs face without invading Percyâs personal space.
So you reached out to tap Camâs shoulder instead, to which they responded with a thumbs up to your direction. You could totally imagine Cameron winking while smirking on the other side.
âThanks, Cam... I really appreciate you two⌠Iâm glad that you are my best friends.â
Caught off guard, Cameron retracted their thumb.
And suddenly, they scrambled at the space between the front seats, turning fully toward you. They grabbed your hands as if you were a divine figure, voice shaking dramatically.
âOkay, Sage, whoâs chopping onions? I might just burst into tears.â
Deja covered her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh at this turn of events.
âCam, please donât. You still have to drive us home.â
They took a dramatic pause, as if genuinely contemplating whether they should actually take everyone home.
âDamn it. Fine. When we get back, yâall need to comfort me, okay?â
You wholeheartedly nodded to Cameron. They lingered quite a bit though, waiting expectantly until you ruffled their hair. Once. Twice.
Satisfied at last, they returned to their seat.
The engine started, and the group began the ride home.
Conversation continued to flow in hushed tones so as not to disturb Elio and Jamieâs drift into dreamland.
Deja was chatting to Cameron when you glanced to your right and noticed Percy listening intently. It was surprising seeing him quiet. He always had something to say so this was new.
Was it because his baby chicks were asleep?
As you pondered, your eyes were fixated on him a little too long, and he caught you looking at him.
Badump.
Not this again. The moment at the cliff had already run its course, so why was your heart acting up now?
âWhatâs up, Padawan? If looks could kill, Iâd be laying cold right here.â
âUh⌠Canât I look at you without any reason?â
âNope, not really. Go ahead and look, itâs free estate.â
This guy!!!
âNo, thank you, I shall close my eyes and get some sleep. These two are making me jealous.â
âThen off to dreamland you go. Good night.â
Percy said so as he reached out and gently ruffled your hair.
Was that your first skinship with him?
The thought alone made your pulse jump again. But annoyingly, it was⌠nice. Relaxing even.
Leaning back to your seat, your closed eyes. The exhaustion from studying came crashing in all at once. And before you knew it, you were knocked out.
.
.
.
â⌠lift⌠couchâŚâ
â⌠carryâŚâ
ââŚsleep well⌠honest⌠likeâŚâ
.
.
.
It felt like you were in and out of consciousness and could not really figure out the voices you were hearing.
When you finally woke up, it was already morning. And it sucked because you realised that you hadnât brushed your teeth nor washed your face last night.
Looking at your surroundings, you figured that:
1) you had slept on the couch and
2) no one was around
The only relief you had was the smell of freshly brewed coffee, which meant Dejaâs somewhere in the apartment.
You heard shuffling noise inside her room and, as expected, she stepped out with a towel wrapped around her hair. Trailing behind her was Cameron, yawning with an undeniable bed head, their eyes barely open.
Deja glanced at you, then cleared her throat like she was about to deliver an SGB report.
âGood morning, sleepy head. Short explanation: Elio carried you to the couch. With Percy as moral support."
She gave you a pointed look.
"And you're in the couch for the same reason you're thinking."
Right.
You told Deja and Cameron before that you hated bringing outside clothes onto your bed. How lucky that they actually remembered the little things you said.
Deja continued, "The guys also slept in the living room but woke up early due to an earlier exam sched. As for you⌠that's in about an hour? So, no time to waste, princess. Brush your teeth and take a bath.â
Holy shit.
You glanced at the digital clock mounted on the wall: 7:25 AM.
You scampered off the couch, running to your room to get ready.
Unfortunately, there was no time for extra review so you prayed to the gods that whatever showed up in the exam, you could hopefully answer.
As soon as you were done, you rushed out the door, catching a glimpse of Cameron lying face-down against the piled-up cushions on the floor.
You lightly smiled at the sight. They had always been difficult to wake up, so this was nothing new.
The warmth of the moment lingered until reality snapped back in. Time was ticking, so you waved goodbye to Deja, who lifted her mug of coffee in response.
As you walked through the campus to your assigned building, you realised that you hadnât checked your phone.
Grabbing it out of your pocket, you checked each notification until you saw the latest one â a message from Percy.
hey, hope u donât miss your exam lol
in case u missed breakfast tho, we can get brunch later after ur exam?
with the gang of course
cuz I know youâll be shy if itâs just me lmao
anyway, let me knowww
btw
i carried u to the couch (it was me i swear, not elio)
and i might have slept beside u too
don't get too shy later ok
You sucked a sharp breath as you somehow tried to stop the natural function of your faceâs skin from getting red.
And you gulped so hard, it would have been obvious to anyone watching.
This was not good.
Percy was someone you had met two weeks ago.
Your brain, though caffeine-deprived, tried to assess this situation logically.
One thing's for sure: whatever you were feeling right now would definitely disrupt the balance of your friend group.
Despite the time running, you consciously decided to stop and forced yourself to think, afraid that letting it linger would distract you later.
It took you some time, just standing there at the side of the hallway, mulling over the situation.
After running through every possible what-ifs, you finally confirmed: this was just a fleeting feeling.
Once Percy went back to normal a.k.a. once he was done teasing you, everything would go back to normal too. And anyway, heâd always thrown around flirty jokes, right? That was how you two met in the first place.
You concluded that what your body's going through was a natural response.
Satisfied that you finally sorted it out, you responded to Percy:
g for brunch see ya 10 am @ green
Before you could pocket your phone, you heard a loud notification ping.
He reacted a heart to your message and sent a GIF:
Well, that was fast.
You smiled and reminded yourself not to read too much into it.
Perseus Tozaki was your friend.
And always would be.
Nothing more, nothing less.

















