AN: My first reversebang~!

My partner was kforkoala ( .com) and I shall link to their likely beautiful art once they post! (I'm a few hours ahead bc of AUS time vuv)

His father's gloves rested against the dark wood, fingers pressed together and expression expectant. "You failed," he started slowly, and Sabo felt his throat constrict, "your classes again."

"Yes sir," he mumbled, head bowed. Though a desperate defence rested on his tongue, he knew saying that he'd done better than most of the others at his uni while balancing a schedule that'd make half of them burst into tears would only cause his father to sneer at him. Sabo couldn't just do better – he had to be the best.

"And why is that, do you think?" his father asked, in a tone that said he already had an answer but was waiting to see what excuse Sabo would come up with.

"Because-" he said, struggling frantically to come up with anything that wouldn't end with his father's anger building. His father waited patiently, tilting his head in a way that was almost amicable, and Sabo felt his apprehension grow. "Because I wasn't focusing?"

His father's lips pursed, and Sabo bit his lip, squeezing his eyes shut for a brief second to stop tears brimming at his eyes. He knew that hadn't been the answer his father wanted, and the hesitant tone he'd said it in had probably made his father's anger worse.

"I've organised a few things that should motivate you a bit more, Sabo." Horror curled in his stomach, and he swallowed thickly, unable to help his apprehension. "Because your scores lately have been so absolutely dismal, I have decided to send River Run College. I went there myself as a young man and still have many contacts from there that I keep in touch with."

Yeah, because they can still give you what you want, Sabo thought bitterly to himself, his fingers tightening behind his back as though he could use his hands to grab the words before they left his head. "And- and the-"

"Don't stutter," his father snapped, eyes narrowed, Sabo swallowed past the knot of fear in his throat.

"Sorry sir," he mumbled, and his father looked appeased, leaning back in his chair.

"By the end of the year you shall marry Vivi Nefertari, and secure our family's future. She's quite influential Sabo, so I expect you to be civil." The undercurrent to his father's words was so easily heard, Sabo wondered why his father had even bothered to try and disguise them.

I expect you to bow to her every whim and do exactly as I direct.

He ducked his head in a quick nod to show he'd heard but couldn't trust himself to speak and not say what was going through his head. Truthfully he'd barely understood anything. There were so many things confusing him in this conversation that he didn't even know where to start!

First his father had sprung marriage on him to a girl he'd never met, and then his father said that Sabo was going to be moving from home for the rest of the year? He'd only had his birthday a few months ago, had only just turned twenty-two, and now his father wanted him to get married?

While being able to escape the stifling presence of his family and the dead air of their house was cause for celebration, the school his father had decided to send him to was nothing short of a prison. Sabo didn't want to trade the comforting sight of the city skyline stretched before his window for a tight-collared uniform and statistics he'd never use.

He didn't want to marry a lady he'd never met, and trade his meagre freedoms for another gilded cage, even if this one came with company that may've been slightly more bearable.

Sabo's feet felt heavy as he left his father's office, dragged down by the weight of his thoughts. His brain worked frantically to try and come up with a solution that would get him out of moving and marriage, but it was depressingly, hopelessly blank.

The click of his door shutting behind him made his heart sink even lower, and Sabo regarded his room with deadened eyes. He'd realised that as of now the time he had to relish his personal space was being pulled unstoppably down the drain. Though the room was relatively blank, characterised only by his notebooks on the desk and the few novels he'd managed to collect for himself, the room was still his.

This was the room where he'd first imagined living a life far away from his father's controlling hands, this was the room he'd spent hours studying in, this was the room where he'd hidden his first personal journal, desperate to have anything to get the thoughts running rampant through his head out.

He didn't want to leave.

The feeling of desperation surged within him again, relentless and unstoppable, and in a few quick strides he'd thrown open the windows and stepped onto the balcony. White marble matched his knuckles, hands clenched around the banister, and he leaned over the edge, a strangled shout escaping him.

He couldn't scream his anger, knowing that his parents or the servants would easily hear it, and so the choked sound was all that he could let into the cooling air. His body shook, and Sabo let his knees collapse beneath him, dropping him to the ground. The bars of the banister mocked him, throwing shafts of light across his face – barring him from the garden and everything beyond. He was trapped, stuck behind bars as finely crafted as the ones in front of him.

What on earth could he do, when his father controlled so much of his life?

There was nothing-

Almost nothing, he thought as he stared at the city lights slowly winking to life in front of him. There was one thing he could do, though the idea was almost insane.

Sabo could escape, down to the city streets. Escape and vanish into the throngs of people, become another faceless nonentity that his father would never see again. He'd never have to worry about his decisions being made for him, never have to contemplate marrying someone, he'd never have to bite his tongue again for fear of being reprimanded for doing something that wasn't 'gentlemanly'.

But he couldn't just leave!

Could he?

His hands slipped from the bars to his side, and he bit his lip, the pain clearing the tangled rush of his thoughts.

He could leave. He'd heard his father discuss how disappointing he was before, so when Sabo went missing his father wouldn't even look for him – and if Sabo timed it right, maybe his father wouldn't even realise he'd disappeared.

His legs still felt shaky as he stood, stomach churning, but his tight fists were strong and he refused to be bowed by the weight of uncertainty. He'd never wanted this life, being moulded to fit ideals he'd never believed in, and his decision now felt like someone had lifted a weight he'd never known had existed from his chest.

Turning from the city lights, knowing that in a few short days he'd be among them, Sabo headed for his closet, sorting clothes and supplies into two separate bags. One to trick his father, and a smaller one that he'd actually use while escaping to the streets.

Sabo would just have to bide his time, and hold strong to his patience. He knew he could survive a few more days, no matter if he thought they'd kill him.

He had to.

The world dissolved around him, fading into the harsh grate of his breath in his ears, the cold ache in his lungs, and the sweat he could feel trace a track down the side of his face. A strand of dark hair hung in his face, limp from sweat, and Ace heaved in desperate breaths, taking a break while he could.

His adrenaline easily tuned out the mob-like roar of the people eager to see blood – either his opponent's or his own would be enough to drive them further into a vicious frenzy.

The ringing ding! of the starting bell made him lunge forwards, but his opponent did the same, swinging a sloppy fist over his head that he easily ducked under. Body surging upwards, Ace slammed his fist into their jaw, and grinned when he saw their feet leave the ground, neck snapping backwards.

They toppled like a monolith, slow but unstoppable.

He could see them try to rise, shaking off the dizziness, but easily held them down with a foot to the neck. The crowd around him roared as they began to count down, the sound bursting the bubble formed by his adrenaline, but no-one's voice was louder in his ears than Luffy's excited cheer.

The money from this fight would be enough to buy food for the next few weeks, even though he'd had to pay for it in bruises and an aching body. The thought of Luffy's happiness and a full belly was enough to satiate him, and as the final bell rang he felt exhilaration in his chest.

What a damn perfect night.

What a damn shitty night.

Sabo gave a muffled curse, shoulders hunching even further and satchel held tight in cold hands.

His escape plan had gone off without a hitch, but as soon as he'd found himself in the city he'd immediately gotten lost. He'd turned down twisted alleys and crossed so many streets he was soon unable to even point his way home if he'd tried.

He probably should have tried to plan a few more things before he'd left, like how he was going to earn money, and where he was going to stay. His illusions had broken as soon as night had properly fallen, but the cold that sank through his clothes did nothing to stop the elation that filled him.

Sabo may've been cold, lost, and starting to get hungry – but God, the feeling of freedom was amazing. Sabo had already felt laughter bubble in his throat just at the knowledge he had no-one to order him to eat and sleep and work on things that held no interest to him, and he'd already discovered things he'd never seen before.

Red flickered against the stones of the street before him, and Sabo moved forwards, curious to see where the light was coming from. A raucous chorus of voices cheering in some discordant harmony met his ears as he continued forwards and he ducked under the awning of a building, sneaking forwards till he could see past the crowd of people.

"Woah," he breathed, staring in wonderment as a guy shorter than him punched a man in the face and sent him stumbling backwards. Lean and fast, the fighter darted backwards when their opponent got up and tried to kick them, and as they sped past the side of the circle Sabo caught the wild grin on their face.

He tried to move closer to get a better view, but was bumped to the side into someone else. An apology came automatically to his lips, but the glare he received silenced his words. "Scram, kid," the man said, quite literally spitting the words. Sabo wrinkled his nose at that.

"I'm not a kid," he said, and the man snorted, shoving him to the side. Sabo stumbled back again, but this time bumped into someone cheering madly. Sabo's nose wrinkled even further at the smell of alcohol, but it changed into a yelp as the man swung a hand – and a bottle – over his head. The bottle cracked over the head of the man who'd shoved him originally, and then the entire crowd dissolved into a messy skirmish full of yelling.

Sabo backed away from the crowd, unable to figure out how that'd all happened in such a short amount of time. He stopped when he back into the small wall that separated the crowd and the fighters, and tried to figure out how he was meant to escape.

"Hey!" someone yelled over the crowd, grabbing onto his bicep, and on instinct Sabo ripped his arm away, whirling on the person. It was the fighter from before, sweat-streaked but grinning as he asked, "Need a hand?"

"God yes," Sabo admitted, and the boy laughed, grabbing his arm again and pulling him through the crowd. The crush of people on all sides made him feel claustrophobic, but the boy weaved through them like an eel, slipping between gaps and weathering the surging mess with ease.

Sabo gasped in a grateful breath of fresh air when they broke free of the crowd, and was about to thank his rescuer when he realised he was still being dragged along. Before he could ask where they were going, though, they'd stopped in front of a freckled young man.

"Luffy," the man said, folding his arms and frowning, "who the hell is this?"

"He's my new friend, Ace!" the boy – Luffy? – said, grinning, and turned to Sabo, staring expectantly.

Sabo jumped, realising what he wanted. "Ah- I'm- I'm Sabo." The instinct to add his last name was prominent, but he held it back, instead holding out his hand. Ace merely stared at it, expression absolutely foul, and Sabo dropped his hand awkwardly. "Nice to meet you," he mumbled sarcastically under his breath, and Luffy grinned even wider.

What on earth was even going on here? Was Luffy an idiot or something? Why on earth had Sabo been declared Luffy's new friend when they'd only exchanged a total of six words? Absolute confusion filled him, only heightened when Ace turned on his heel and began to walk away.

"C'mon then!" Luffy said, tugging Sabo after him again.

What the hell, Sabo couldn't help but think, and obligingly followed, sensing no ill intent behind Luffy's innocent smile. Ace on the other hand…He wasn't even a hundred percent sure that the knife at Ace's belt was just for show, and they hadn't even had a conversation!

"So, where are you from?" Luffy asked curiously, and Sabo shoved his hands in his pockets, trying to come up with a lie from the top of his head.

"Uh- out of town. Not really from around here." Luffy made an understanding hum, and Sabo tried not to show how awkward he felt. "Where are we-" he started to ask, frowning, "Where are we going?"

Luffy's uncaring shrug made Sabo frown in confusion even more. "Nowhere, probably."

Was that code for something? Was he meant to understand that 'nowhere' was a bar or something like that? Honestly, Sabo hadn't felt more confused in his life.

Well, this was the start of his new life, anyway, and he had always wanted to try new things. He followed doggedly behind Ace and Luffy hopped in front of him, switching feet in a way that Sabo was sure was going to make him trip as he walked backwards. "So do you do that every night?" he asked Luffy curiously, and Luffy snapped his head up from studying the pavement to grin, obviously pleased at Sabo attempting a conversation.

"Nah, only sometimes! Ace is a big baby and won't let me fight when they come around," Luffy stuck his tongue out over his shoulder, and Sabo heard Ace scoff loudly in front of the both of them. He didn't turn around however, and Sabo rolled his eyes at Ace's ridiculous attitude. Honestly, he just seemed like a grump. Why did someone who had so far relegated their entire conversation to grunts and glares hang around someone who seemed so earnestly, honestly happy ? "Ace fights all the time though!"

Sabo turned his attention back to Luffy, frowning in confusion until he connected the conversation again, and made a quiet noise of understanding before saying, "Well you looked pretty cool up there. Seemed like fun."

"Do you do fights?" Luffy asked curiously, peering at Sabo's face, and Sabo tried to think of what to say. In this situation, lying probably wasn't the best idea, and he'd rather not have Luffy call him out on it.

"Nah. I know some self-defence, but I'm not a good fighter. It'd be cool to learn though."

Luffy's grin got even bigger, and he looked to be about to say something more when Ace suddenly appeared behind him and hit Luffy over the head. Luffy began to whine, punching Ace in the shoulder, but Ace's glare was enough to make him pout and cross his arms, mumbling sulkily, "But I want to."

"No," Ace ordered, the first words that Sabo had heard him utter since they'd left the fight ring, and he frowned, trying to figure out what they were talking about. Had he missed half the conversation or something?

Ace's eyes flicked to him, narrowed in a glare, but Sabo glared back until Ace turned on his heel and started to walk again. Luffy trailed after, and Sabo picked up his pace when Luffy looked back at him curiously.

Luffy watched him expectantly, the silence stretching thin, and though he would rather enjoy the quiet night, he'd easily figured that Luffy liked having conversations and so asked, "Where are you guys from?"

"Here!" Luffy chirped, jumping over dark cracks on the side walk as he talked. "Well actually Ace used to live with friends of my grandpa 'bout two hours out of the city, and I used to live here with grandpa, but then grandpa had to go away and he bought Ace here to take care of me. 'cept Ace didn't like being here so he kept running around and I took care of myself. Then Dadan moved up here too and started running road tolls to get money, and-"

"Luffy, don't spill your life story," Ace said from in front of them, but the order seemed almost amused, and Sabo could see the glint of his teeth in a smirk when he turned his head.

"Sabo asked though!" Luffy said, hopping up till he could fall in line with Ace's long strides, "Hey, hey, do you think that if I did step on a crack and break my mom's back, all I'd have to do to find her is find a lady that looks like me with a broken back? Do you think Zoro could do it? What about Sanji?"

"Sanji knows where his mom is," Ace replied, "and Zoro doesn't care. Anyway, you think Izo and Dadan aren't gonna get mad hearing you talk about breaking your mom's back? They like you calling them mom."

"Izo's not a mom though," Luffy complained, "he's like- I dunno, he's like Izo. Like Marco during parties, except scarier!"

Ace snorted, and Sabo watched his grin widen as he slung an arm around Luffy's shoulders, leaning in close, "Oh yeah? Well who do you think's scarier – Marco when you mess up his bird feeders, or Izo when you mess with his makeup?"

Luffy opened his mouth, about to reply, but then paused, looking as though the question posed a serious dilemma.

The conversation between the two of them had made Sabo hang back, unwilling to disturb their talking, but just from listening he now understood what Luffy seemed to see in Ace. Maybe Ace just didn't like strangers – considering what'd happened with the first strangers Sabo had met at the fight, and how he'd inadvertently started a brawl with them, Sabo should probably have been a bit more wary with these two. However, it was hard to remember that things could hurt him when he'd never been in serious, life-threatening trouble before.

It was honestly strange being the odd one out in a conversation – though he'd often been talked over by his parents, and actually preferred it that way lest their attention be drawn to whatever part of himself they demanded he 'fix', Sabo found longing rest heavy in his chest. He wanted to know these strangers better. He wanted to be involved in their conversations and their inside jokes and he wanted his life now to be different from his life before.

Sabo couldn't bring himself to speak up, though. A lifetime of biting his tongue meant words failed him now, and he dutifully followed, hoping that Luffy would notice that Sabo's presence was gone and invite him back into their conversation.

Before that happened, however, they stopped in front of a well-lit door and Ace's arm slipped off Luffy's shoulder to dig around in his pocket, pulling out a handful of crumpled bills. Luffy held open the violet lacquered doors for Ace, but Ace didn't enter, instead keeping his gaze on Sabo.

Sabo's eyes flicked up to overhanging name, trying to see if it were any place he knew. "Shaky's rip-off bar," Sabo read out loud, than looked at Luffy and Ace. "You know, I feel like if you're trying to get the most out of that money, going to a place called 'rip off' probably isn't the best idea."

Luffy was staring at him like Sabo had just discovered a new species of puppy. "You can-" he started to ask, and Ace's face immediately snapped to Luffy.

"What?" Sabo asked, worried confusion making him frown, and he quickly looked around, trying to figure out what he could have possibly done to make Luffy stare at him like that. A glance down at his plain jeans and black boots did little to help him figure out if it was something on his clothes, either, and he glanced back to Luffy, thoroughly confused. Luffy was almost bouncing in excitement now, hopping up and down on the balls of his feet, and Sabo demanded, "What?"

Ace's look really seemed to be all that was keeping Luffy in place and silent, but Luffy's excitement soon overpowered listening to Ace, and he burst out with, "You can read?"

Sabo frowned even further, unsure of what to do. Both Ace's and Luffy's gazes were pinned on him expectantly, and nerves fluttered in his stomach. "Um- yes?"

He watched as his answer made Luffy bounce even more, hands flapping from his side, and Luffy cast Ace a pair of puppy dog eyes. Good lord Sabo hoped that those were never turned on him – Luffy looked as though he were about to cry!

"Ace-," Luffy whined, sniffing, and Sabo watched Ace set his jaw, refusing to turn around. "Aceeee," Luffy whined again, and Ace started humming. Sabo had to clap a hand over his mouth to stop himself from laughing, unable to figure out how the threatening young man from before had proven so easily tied around Luffy's finger. "Ace pleaseeeee," Luffy begged, and Sabo watched as Ace let out a massive groan, his entire body rolling with the movement.

"Fine!" he snapped, shooting Luffy a glare over his shoulder and then turning back to Sabo. "Luffy wants to learn to read," Ace said, pointing behind himself at Luffy. "Teach him."

"What?" Sabo asked in utter confusion, "Why?"

"Because otherwise I'll stab you?" Ace replied, smiling almost innocently, and Sabo worriedly kept an eye on him, unsure about how serious Ace actually was. When Ace glanced back at Luffy and saw his disapproving pout, however, he sighed and ground out, "I'll teach you to fight." He sighed even more heavily, eyes narrowing, "And you can stay with us till you find a place."

Sabo blinked, trying to reconcile Ace's earlier distrust and his now sulking kindness, but when Ace shifted irritably he nodded. "Alright then," he agreed, and Ace spat on his palm before holding it out, obviously waiting for Sabo to take it. He couldn't help the flash of disgust that went through him, beaten in instincts that sounded like his father telling him not be so disgusting.

Sabo snapped his hand out, wrapping his hand around Ace's, and grinned.

"So…" Sabo started, carefully following after Ace and Luffy as they strolled through the steadily darkening streets, "do you know anything about reading?"

Luffy shook his head, swinging his arms back and forth, and Sabo bit his lip. Well, it shouldn't be too bad, but Luffy seemed like one of those people that had an attention span equivalent to an Iphone battery life; short and fast to change. Sabo would probably have to think of a bunch of ways to keep Luffy's attention on actually learning.

They turned right, slipping down a narrow street that barely let Sabo see the stars, even as he craned his head upwards, eyes tracing the metal curvature of fire escapes pressed to the side of the buildings. Ace stopped, and Sabo almost ran into his back, barely stopping himself.

"This is our place." Ace said, harshly sweeping out his hand and indicating the narrow frame of a door and the squished building, pressed to the end of the alley wall. Sabo looked it up and down, unable to stop himself from frowning at the peeling paint and-

And the 'danger' sign?!

"That says 'to be demolished'!" he cried, pointing at the sign and knowing horror was written all over his face.

Ace merely shrugged, pushing open the creaky door. "That's Atmos'. He said it'd stop people from bugging us all the time about staying here."

Sabo gave a weak whine, still concerned, but he was unwilling to provoke Ace's temper and slipped past Ace into his and Luffy's…house.

Honestly, Sabo wasn't 100% sure that demolition sign was fake – the staircase was half-built and looked way too dangerous to climb up, the kitchen barely looked like a kitchen, and even though he could see pillows and blankets strewn across the floor, there was no evidence of beds anywhere.

Not even a sofa made up the furniture of the house, and Sabo forced himself not to turn up his nose in disgust, used to living conditions that were much better than this.

"I-" he started, looking around, "take it you don't have any books, either."

When Luffy only looked at him in curiosity, Sabo pursed his lips and tried not to feel that he may have bitten off slightly more than he could chew with this deal.

Ace pushed past him, dumping a large bag onto the table, and Luffy eagerly leapt for it before Ace's elbow pushed him away. "Oy," he growled warningly, "lemme divide it first." Luffy pouted, shifting impatiently as Ace grabbed packets of wrapped substances and bread from the bag, his hands working steadily. "Luffy eats like a horse," he warned, eyes fastened on the bread so Luffy couldn't steal anything. "Get in quick."

"Yes!" Luffy cried as soon as Ace grabbed his share and moved from the table, and he pounced on the meagre meat and bread spread on the table.

Sabo quickly moved forwards too grab his share but Ace stopped him, palm pressed to his chest. "This is the only time I'm feeding you." Ace hissed, eyes flicking back to Luffy, "You gotta earn your own keep."

For a moment he stared, unable to figure out what Ace meant, but realisation hit him soon after and he replied, "Fine."

He pushed past Ace, snatching his bread from Luffy's probing grasp, and quickly stuffed it in his mouth to prevent it being stolen. He'd seen how quickly Ace and Luffy had devoured their food, and though the small amount likely wouldn't keep him from feeling hungry he didn't want his food to be taken.

Mind wistfully recalling the spread of food at his house, Sabo heard his stomach give a low rumble of complaint, demanding more food. Luffy giggled at the sound, flopping to the floor. "You eat as much as Ace and me!"

Guilt pooled in Sabo's stomach, crushing his hunger, and he stared at Luffy with wide eyes. "Wait, so you only eat that much every day?"

Luffy nodded, blinking at him curiously.

Schooling his features, Sabo tried to control the shame he could feel rest in his chest. This was all they had – and they'd shared it with him. They'd shared, and all he'd done was complain about how little food there was. Though he might have done it mentally, he couldn't help but chastise himself.

"Oy, Lufe." Ace said, interrupting Sabo's internal angry spiel at himself, "If you're gonna train him like us you better bring him up to scratch fast. He looks like Stefan could knock him over easy."

When Luffy grinned at him, Sabo was reminded of how viciously he took down the other man in the ring, and couldn't help but gulp, smiling shakily back.