Authors Note: Well, here it is, the fic that ate up the better part of my writing time for the last five months! Unbelievably, I'd intended this to be a one-shot but as soon as I sat down to write, it kind of took on a life of its own!
Big thank you to the wonderful and ever patient Mithril Lace who not only beta'd for me but also provided inspiration and motivation :D Chances are without her, this wouldn't have seen the light of day for a very long time!
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Chapter 1 - The Boy from High Town
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Sabo closed his eyes as a cool sea breeze drifted in through the open window, causing his soft blond curls to dance gently. He breathed in deeply, the salty air a welcome reprieve from the overpowering stench of potpourri his mother insisted on having in every room of the house, including her sons' bedrooms.
A soft twitter caught his attention and blue eyes opened slowly. He glanced down and spied a blackbird that was currently nesting in the tree just below his window. Its early morning song was a welcoming distraction from the hustle and bustle he could hear rising up from the awakening city.
Sabo smiled, listening to the blackbird twitter again. He whistled softly in reply, causing the bird to tilt its head curiously before swiftly gliding up onto the window ledge. He chuckled lightly.
"Sorry, I don't have any food for you right now," he said softly, wondering what in the world his brothers would think if they could hear him talking to a bird. Luffy would no doubt find it hilarious and try and join in the conversation. Ace would probably stare at them as though they'd lost their minds. Sabo smiled ruefully at the thought, wondering how true that statement could actually be when the bird twittered again. "You wouldn't want anything from here anyway," he mused. "It all tastes like crap. Gray Terminal has better offerings."
A sharp knock at his bedroom door was all the warning he received before one of the maids bustled in. Sabo caught her disapproving frown before her face flickered back to the polite and respectful expression his father required from all of his staff. Sabo ignored the slip, gaze returning to the open book in his lap. He was well aware by now that none of the staff approved of his favourite reading place. He'd fashioned a window seat out of a couple of old crates and cushions and everyone but Sabo believed it to be an eyesore. The only reason his mother had permitted such an ugly thing in the house was because it was in a room company rarely ventured into. Sabo liked it, not only because it annoyed his parents but because it also allowed him a perfect view of the nearby port. Many an hour had been spent staring at the ships and their crews, wondering how much it would cost to bribe them in order to gain his passage from this godforsaken house.
Sabo shook his head slightly, dampening down his thoughts of freedom. He couldn't leave. His father would go after Ace and Luffy and he refused to let that happen.
"Young Master," said the maid, breaking into his thoughts and quickly going about pulling some clean clothes from his wardrobe. "Your father has requested your presence down at breakfast."
Sabo heaved a sigh, closing his book with a sharp snap. Rather unwillingly, he took the offered shirt from the maid, knowing if he arrived in the breakfast parlor wearing yesterday's clothes his mother would have a fit, and Sabo didn't particularly feel like receiving a lecture that morning. He could already feel a headache coming on.
A short while later, Sabo slid into his usual chair beside Stelly who was, as usual, fawning under their mother's attention. The older boy personally couldn't think of anything worse than having his parent's attention on him but Stelly reveled in it. He'd once boasted to Sabo that he made a game of it to see how many compliments he could get out of their mother in a day.
"You're late," Outlook grunted, not looking up from his morning scrutiny of the newspaper.
"Sorry, I was reading," said Sabo, eyeing the breakfast table distastefully and trying to find something that looked halfway appetising. He grimaced when Stelly reached over him for what looked to be his third strawberry tart of the morning.
"Hopefully you were revising for that test one of your tutors informed me you have on Thursday. We don't want you failing this one like you did the last," his father huffed.
"I didn't fail the last one. Stelly did," Sabo replied, finally deciding that the porridge looked to be the lesser evil and would hopefully slip down without much effort.
"Nonsense!" his mother shrieked. She patted Stelly's hand with an endearing smile. "My little Stelly didn't get a single answer wrong did you, sweetheart?"
Mouth full of strawberry tart, Stelly could only shake his head, flashing a smirk at Sabo while their mother fluttered about finding him another sickly sweet pastry.
"I suppose the book was incorrect then," Sabo muttered to himself.
"Belinda, silence please," said Outlook, shutting down his wife's simpering. Sabo was more than a little alarmed when the newspaper was lowered and he was confronted with a very cool gaze. "Sabo, since your tutor for today was dismissed following his atrocious behaviour, you will be accompanying me to the office in town until a suitable replacement is found. It's high time you started putting what those tutors are stuffing in your head into practice."
Sabo stifled a groan of despair at the thought of spending an entire day in his father's company. Everyone agreed it was better when Outlook and Sabo spent as little time in each other's presence as possible and Sabo was less than eager to change the status quo.
He cast an annoyed glare at Stelly, the sole reason Sabo's favourite tutor had been fired the previous week after taking the blame for one of the younger's pranks. But to Sabo's surprise, Stelly had a deep frown spreading across his face.
"Father, can't I come with you to the office, too?" he asked. Sabo sensed he wasn't the only one staring at his adopted brother in bemusement. Stelly never offered to do anything.
"Out of the question," said Outlook, picking up his newspaper again. "Professor Binns is a fine tutor for you. We mustn't inconvenience him or he may not have time for your lessons and that would be a loss indeed. He came very highly recommended."
"Stelly, darling, you don't want to go to the office anyway, it'll be dreadfully boring. You don't need to know any of that. Sabo's your father's heir, let him mingle with the commoners," Belinda tried to reason, looking slightly uncertain as to how to deal with the very downcast expression on her young son's face.
"Make sure you dress in your best today, Sabo. And I'd better not see those blasted goggles on your hat again," Outlook warned.
"Of course not, Father," Sabo sighed. He hadn't actually found the place his father had hidden them since the last time he'd forgotten to remove them from his top hat before venturing outside, but Outlook didn't need to know that. "When are we leaving?"
"In half an hour," Outlook replied shortly.
"May I be excused to go and get ready, Mother?" Sabo asked, forcing a polite smile onto his face and hoping it hadn't come out as a grimace. Belinda nodded stiffly and pursed her lips tightly when Stelly also jumped out of his seat. Sabo rolled his eyes before making to follow, knowing that if he had made to leave without permission he'd have been sternly lectured on manners, but of course there was one set of rules for him and another for Stelly.
"You're so lucky," Stelly griped as he stomped up the grand staircase towards the two rooms that had been designated as the boys' studies.
"Yeah, so lucky to be spending the day locked up in an office," Sabo replied, following at a slightly more sedate pace. Stelly whirled around abruptly they reached the top.
"I want to go to the office! Why do you get to go?" he whined.
"If you hadn't blamed that prank on Professor Nessham, I wouldn't be going to the office with Father," Sabo reminded the pouting boy, walking around him.
"Hm," Stelly sighed. "Yes, if I'd have blamed the prank on Old Man Binns I'd be able to go to the office with Father myself, and he'd be able to see that I'm a much better choice than you to take over the family business," he said thoughtfully, dragging his feet along the carpet behind Sabo.
"I thought you liked Old Man Binns," Sabo remarked with a small frown.
"I do," Stelly insisted. "He's hilarious! He's so fat he takes ten minutes to get up the stairs, and then when he does he needs a half hour break before he can even start the lesson! And after lunch, I can do whatever I want because he always falls asleep when Mother goes for afternoon tea and Father's in one of his meetings," he said with a wide grin.
That certainly explained why Stelly hadn't been in his study and how poor Professor Nessham had gotten caught up in the rather elaborate 'trap' that'd been set to scare the next unfortunate maid walking along the corridor. The man had been so shocked at seeing the white sheet fall from the ceiling that he'd gotten all tangled up in it and managed to knock over one of Belinda's favourite vases. Needless to say, he'd been asked to compensate for the damage and told not to return, much to Sabo's disappointment. He had been the most lively of Sabo's tutors by far, always happy to go slightly off the strict curriculum if it meant touching upon a subject that interested his student.
If he hadn't seen Stelly's shocked – although still very amused – expression, Sabo would have thought that he'd tried to get rid of the man on purpose. Stelly certainly took great pleasure in taking everything else Sabo enjoyed away from him. The little brat still hadn't returned half the navigation books he'd claimed he desperately needed for a project - one Sabo knew didn't even exist - but no matter how much he searched, he still couldn't find the books.
"I don't know why Father's insisting on taking you," Stelly huffed. "We all know you're never going to take over the family business. You'll be out of here the first opportunity you get."
Sabo frowned and turned to the boy in confusion. "Out of here?" he repeated.
Stelly nodded. "Of course. You're planning on running away again, aren't you? I must say, you've been rather clever waiting all these years before making another attempt. Let them all lower their guard and then make a break for it," he smirked.
Sabo stared at him in disbelief. "Stelly, I'm not leaving again."
Stelly appeared to be frozen for several seconds at that admission before an angry red blush spread across his chubby cheeks. "Why the hell not? You obviously don't want to be here. Why wouldn't you leave?"
"It's not that I wouldn't," Sabo said softly. "It's just that I can't. I refuse to let anyone hurt my brothers if I can help it," he whispered, turning away from the stunned twelve-year-old and slowly continuing the long walk to his room. For some reason, it seemed to take much longer than normal.
xxx
Sabo could tell the excitement the clerks had initially felt at having their employer's young son and heir in the office was quickly diminishing as he fired question after question at them. A few seemed genuinely impressed at the depths of his queries while the rest simply looked rather disgruntled at being told they were doing it wrong.
Sabo had only been in his father's office for a couple of hours, but already he could see not everything was done by the books. The clerks had made a big show of allowing Sabo to look at the ship logs, but even with a fleeting glimpse, the blond could tell there were several large discrepancies in the client's invoices. He knew for a fact his father only had a merchant ship go out every fortnight; he claimed it saved on costs but the accountancy books showed clients were being invoiced for shipments every week. When he had pointed this out to the clerk, the book had been firmly slammed shut with a harsh whisper to keep his voice down, and a nervous glance had been sent to the front of the office where one of the said clients was chatting amicably to his father. Sabo had been less than impressed but let the subject drop when his father glared at him darkly.
Sabo had instead turned his attention to a more entertaining pastime. He had feared it would be an even more tedious day than normal, being forced to suffer silently in his father's company, however the clerks' reactions after a morning of continual grilling was enough to keep Sabo amused. One old man had scrubbed a hand through his hair so hard he'd even dislodged his wig.
"Are you sure this is correct? It certainly doesn't sound it," said Sabo, trying his hardest to conceal a small smirk as the clerk before him actually appeared to be on the brink of tears.
"Of course it's correct, Young Master," he stuttered, very flustered and wringing his shaky hands together as Sabo made a show of studying the file he'd picked up without invitation. The clerk looked like he wanted nothing more than to snatch the papers back, but daren't raise a hand against the young noble.
"But this ship, The Anchor, was logged as being out, why's it not back yet? Its return date was three days ago." If there was one thing Outlook prided himself on (outside of his vast wealth) it was promptness, but there had been no record of communication with the ship in over a week. Sabo forcefully pushed aside the uncomfortable weight that had settled heavily in his stomach, his mind racing with all sorts of possible scenarios about what could've happened to it as he carefully re-read the notes.
"Um, well, that's – I mean, it's not, you – The Young Master shouldn't be concerning himself with such idle matters, surely?" the clerk stammered.
"Sabo!"
Sabo flinched when a rough hand landed on his shoulder and squeezed threateningly. He looked back to see his father staring down at him, clearly annoyed. The file was ripped from his grasp and thrown into the arms of the grateful clerk.
"Leave these good men to their jobs now, you've distracted them enough today," he said, steering Sabo forcefully towards the main door. "Go and find a new book or something," he ordered, thrusting a heavy purse into Sabo's hands. "I have an important client coming in today for a meeting and I'd rather he not overhear how insolent you're being."
Sabo blinked, squinting slightly in the bright afternoon sun he suddenly found himself standing in. The office door slammed shut behind him with a resounding thud. Rather stunned at the sudden turn of events, Sabo could only stand in the middle of the pavement, staring down at the weighty purse clasped in his hands.
A loud tutting caught his attention and he jerked around to see an elderly woman staring disapprovingly down at him from underneath the shelter of a large, floral parasol. She waved one gloved hand impatiently at him, gesturing for him to remove himself from her path. Sabo forced a smile and tipped his hat quickly in silent apology before turning and making a hasty retreat away from the office.
In all honesty, Sabo was a little ashamed to find himself rather at a loss as to how to spend his unexpected free time. He'd had little to no time to himself outside the confines of his bedroom in the last four years. He'd certainly been allowed out before, but always with a minder, his parents being naturally untrusting of him not to make a dash for freedom as soon as the opportunity arose. Outlook had only done away with them a couple of months ago, when his mother had finally decided the guards were an absolute eyesore since all they did was mindlessly lounge outside Sabo's study or bedroom.
Sabo found himself a little overwhelmed. Whilst certainly elated at his unexpected freedom, he hardly felt comfortable. The mass of nobles going about their daily business made him shy away from the main streets; the men's heavy cigar smoke and the women's rich perfumes were quickly giving the blond a headache.
He tugged on the collar of his stiff shirt once before forcing himself to stop. Sabo had nothing against dressing well, but he wished more than anything he was back in his lighter shirt and cravat. They were at least easier to move in and didn't feel like they were going to choke him every time he turned his head.
Pausing briefly outside what looked to be a promising bookshop, Sabo's attention was snatched away from the window display by several loud police whistles and alarmed screeches. He snorted softly in amusement when several women nearby began to chatter nervously as the commotion drew closer. He was so intent on ignoring the little drama unfolding that he nearly missed the excited voices across the street.
"Did you see that guy? He looked like a toad, Ace!"
"Laugh later, Luffy, for now just shut up and run!"
Heart pounding, Sabo spun around so quickly he nearly gave himself whiplash. There, across the street and rushing up the small incline towards him, were his brothers. Both were grinning with boyish excitement and Luffy had a leg of meat clutched tightly in his hand, leading Sabo to assume they must have done a 'dine and dash'.
It was the first time in four years that Sabo had seen his brothers, he realised, a deep ache rising from deep within his chest as he watched the pair move ever closer. He couldn't take his eyes off them, drinking in the two achingly familiar faces. Instinctively, he took a single halting step towards them.
"I hold their lives in hands. If you really care for them…"
Sabo's entire body froze, his father's words echoing in his mind. Outlook had already proven he was willing to hire pirates once before to do his dirty work. There was nothing to say he wouldn't do so again if he discovered Sabo had been seen near what his father believed to be 'mountain trash'. Shaking his head, Sabo forced himself to take a deep, steadying breath. He couldn't go to them. He wouldn't put them in danger, especially when they both looked so happy and healthy. Better he slipped away quietly before –
"Sabo!"
He jerked his head up and spotted Luffy standing almost directly opposite him across the street, his little arms waving frantically. Ace stood behind him, his face slack with shock that Sabo was sure had to be mirrored on his own.
"Hey, Sabo! Ace, look it's Sabo!"
Sabo had to wonder how in the world Luffy had managed to recognise him. He was dressed in finer clothes unlike anything his brother's had seen him in before, and Ace's slightly horrified expression as his gaze roved over him was enough confirmation to the blond that he hadn't been exaggerating when he'd looked in the mirror earlier that morning and felt like he couldn't recognise the person staring back.
Luffy looked like he wanted to lunge across the street to his brother when angry voices and pounding footsteps interrupted them.
"There they are! Catch them! Thieves!"
Ace grabbed Luffy's arm and pulled him back, causing their little brother's face to crumble in disappointment as he was forcefully pulled along. Sabo breathed a quick sigh of relief, not sure he would've had the strength to turn Luffy away when he wanted nothing more than to run away with them.
The policemen appeared over the crest of the slope, shouting angrily at the two dark-haired boys.
"Run, Luffy!" Ace half-snarled, shooting the men bearing down on them a dirty look.
Sabo moved without thinking; he threw his weight against a nearby flower stall, knocking the rickety thing into motion. The street had just enough of an incline that the cart quickly gathered momentum and sped towards the storming policemen.
Sabo allowed himself a small victory smirk as he watched them get knocked over like bowling pins, certain he heard Luffy's signature laughter over the panicked screams and curses. Dismissing the men immediately, Sabo turned to check Ace and Luffy had taken advantage of his intervention. There was no sign of the two dark-haired youths. They'd disappeared just as quickly as they'd arrived.
xxx
For the next two weeks, everywhere he went Sabo seemed to catch glimpses of his brothers out the corner of his eye, yet whenever he turned for a closer look, there would be no sign of them. It was just like when he'd first returned with his father and had spent as much time as he dared searching for them, hoping to catch some small sign that they were both okay after the fire that had ravaged Gray Terminal.
Except this time, Sabo was more desperate than ever to see them again. Hearing their voices, being so excruciatingly close enough to touch them, had reawakened a desire for contact that he'd thought he had smothered out completely. He didn't care how fleeting it might be; he wanted to see Ace and Luffy.
Sabo heaved another sigh as he walked slowly down one of the quieter streets of Edge Town. Outlook still hadn't found a replacement for the disgraced Professor Nessham and so Sabo had once again been permitted to wander.
It was thoroughly boring, he acknowledged, ducking into the mouth of an alley to avoid a horse and cart as it cantered down the cobbled street.
Sabo jumped when a small but surprisingly strong hand wrapped itself around his wrist and gave a sharp tug. He stumbled awkwardly and glanced down. It took him half a second to register that the arm attached to the hand was stretching far back into the deep shadows of the alley. Sabo grinned and his nerves suddenly jumped with excitement. There was only one person he knew who could stretch like that.
The hand tugged at him again, urgently. Sabo allowed himself to be led along, a little surprised at just how far Luffy had managed to stretch before he was yanked around a corner. He barely had time to check out his surroundings before a heavy weight barreled into him, nearly knocking him clean off his feet.
"Sabo!" shouted Luffy, giggling in delight and wrapping his rubbery arms as tightly as possible around the blond's neck.
Uncaring that he would have to answer to why his pristine suit was covered in dirt, Sabo returned Luffy's tight embrace, lifting his little brother clear off the ground.
"Hi, Luffy," he grinned as he finally set the younger down. Over Luffy's shoulder he spied Ace leaning back against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. He was steadfastly staring at the opposite wall of the alley. Sabo's excitement at seeing his brothers deflated slightly in the face of Ace's physical and emotional detachment. "Ace," he greeted, somewhat hesitantly. The other flashed him a blank look before returning his gaze to the wall.
Sabo didn't have too much time to be disappointed with Ace's lack of response before Luffy pounced on him again. "Ignore Ace, he's been grumpy for days," he whined. Ace glared at him but Luffy barely even noticed as he tugged on Sabo's arm eagerly. "Hey, did you see how far I stretched? Did you?" he gushed with pride.
Sabo ginned. "I did, but you have to stay quiet or someone might find us." It wouldn't do for them to be caught now, especially since Sabo wouldn't be missed for hours. "So, tell me," Sabo encouraged sitting down with his back against the alley wall. "What've you been up to?"
It was all the encouragement Luffy needed. He barely seemed to even bother pausing for breath as he related four years' worth of exciting adventures, his whole body practically vibrating with excitement. Sabo listened with rapt attention, soaking in Luffy's boundless enthusiasm like a starved man.
"I'm really strong now," finished Luffy with a cheeky smirk. "I can even use my Gum Gum Pistol!"
Ace snorted. "Still can't control your rebounds," he said.
Sabo laughed at the very indignant look Luffy shot their brother, though his laughter faded when he finally managed to catch Ace's eye briefly before the other looked away again.
Sabo sighed lightly, unsure of what to say to his brother. It was plainly obvious that Ace was angry with him, and Sabo was pretty certain it was because he'd left after they'd been caught by Bluejam. But Ace couldn't hold a grudge forever, could he? Sabo worried silently. He'd eventually see that Sabo had had no choice but to walk away from his freedom. There was no one more important to the blond than the two people currently in front of him and he would do whatever necessary to protect them.
"I wanted to come see you sooner," said Luffy, shifting to lean against Sabo. "But Ace said we had to leave you alone," he pouted.
Sabo dropped an arm around Luffy's shoulders and tapped the brim of the straw hat teasingly. "Ace is right. If my father ever caught us together again, we'd all be in serious trouble," he explained.
"We can see you again though, right?" Luffy asked. "Or you could come with us? We can all go home together," he added, hopefully.
Sabo stared down at him, slightly dismayed and hating himself for having to disappoint him. "Luffy, I -"
"Sabo probably has more important things to do than run off with us," Ace interjected, his scathing remark cutting into Sabo's heart like a knife. Sabo looked up at him, staring remorsefully into grey eyes.
"You know why I can't go with you," he whispered. Ace looked away.
Luffy suddenly frowned and jumped to his feet. "If you can't come with us, then we'll come to you," he insisted. "We can meet here!" A brilliant smile suddenly burst across his face at his idea.
Sabo gaped at him for several long moments, completely baffled at how Luffy thought that was a good suggestion. "No, Luffy. What if someone sees us?"
Luffy waved a hand dismissively. "We won't be seen. We'll be careful. We can come again, can't we, Ace?"
Sabo wanted to bury his face in hands. Luffy and 'careful' never went well together, he thought despairingly. He glanced up at Ace, hoping he would cut off Luffy's crazy scheming, but the other boy had been caught by Luffy, who was urgently tugging his brother's arm.
"Ace, please, let's come again. You want to see Sabo too, don't you? We can, can't we?" Luffy pleaded, nearly in tears.
"We could," Ace said, somewhat reluctantly. Sabo gawked at the pair, feeling like he was missing something. He'd never seen Ace give into Luffy's demands without an argument before.
Luffy cheered loudly until Ace tapped him on the head, whispering at him to keep it down already.
"You're both crazy if you think this can work," Sabo cut in, rubbing a temple. He wasn't comforted at all by the twin smirks that appeared on his brothers' faces. Sabo heaved a sigh. "I've no idea how you expect me to get out of lessons."
Luffy laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "Sabo's smart! You'll think of something!"
"Luffy, we need to leave," said Ace shortly, his face turned upwards to the gradually fading daylight. "We need to get out before they shut the gates."
"Aw," Luffy whined.
Sabo pushed himself to his feet only be nearly knocked down again as Luffy slammed into him. Deep, brown eyes peered up at him pleadingly.
"Please meet us again, Sabo, we miss you," he said, arms tightening around Sabo's waist.
Sabo smiled sadly even as he finally nodded. He never had been able to say no to his little brother. "I'll send you a note when I can, okay? I can't promise anything though," he warned. Luffy simply beamed at him, the knowledge Sabo would do what he could clearly enough for him.
"Luffy," Ace called, already having leapt onto the top of the high wall of the alley.
Luffy threw his arms up and grabbed the wall. Sabo stepped back sharply as Luffy sprang forward, only to overshoot the top of the wall and land with a loud clatter of bins on the other side.
"That didn't hurt!" he shouted back, voice somewhat muffled. Ace rolled his eyes.
Sabo smiled fondly before turning to Ace, his expression falling slightly. "I'll see you soon?" he asked, somewhat hesitantly. He knew that no matter how much Luffy wanted to see him again, if Ace didn't agree to the idea then it would never work. Luffy wouldn't be capable of navigating the winding streets of Edge Town by himself and it was far too risky for Sabo to go and meet him at the gate.
Ace didn't reply; he simply disappeared from sight over the wall.
Sabo stared at the place Ace had been. He dropped his head slowly, tears prickling at the corners of his eyes. He was so stupid, he thought, hands clenched tightly at his side, nails digging into his palms. There was no way Ace would risk leading Luffy into Edge Town just to meet him. No amount of begging would save his brothers a second time and Ace knew that. He was an idiot to even contemplate –
"See you soon," Ace called, his quiet voice barely carrying over the wall.
Sabo slowly raised his head and stared at the brick wall separating them. A faint smile broke out across his face.
"Yeah, soon," he whispered.
xxx
"Don't even think about it," said Sabo quietly, not bothering to raise his eyes from his book as the presence behind him froze.
There was grumpy sigh from behind him and out the corner of one eye he spotted Stelly swiftly throwing himself down into the comfortable chair next to the empty fireplace.
"What gave me away?" he grumbled, throwing aside a wet towel, no doubt swiped from the kitchen, into the corner with a wet 'plop'.
Sabo glanced over to him and smirked. "You're still too loud," he said, making a point of gesturing to the heeled boots the noble insisted on wearing at all times. Stelly had been most put-out to realise on their last visit to the clothing store that Sabo had suddenly shot up in the last year and now towered over the younger by a good two inches. Once again, Sabo was grateful for the years spent honing his instincts in Gray Terminal as he eyed the wet cloth with disgust. Judging by the stench rolling off the thing, it wasn't drenched in water.
"What are you doing?" asked Stelly curiously, wiping his damp hands on the comfy chair, the pastel pink fabric slowly bleeding a dark red. His greedy little eyes quickly zoomed in on the small plate of cookies a maid had laid out for Sabo with his evening tea, which the blond had so far ignored. Quick as a cat, he snatched up a handful, scarfing them down so fast Sabo was a little surprised he didn't choke.
"Reading," replied Sabo bluntly, knowing it was better to go through the twenty questions than have Stelly scream and rage that Sabo was ignoring him. Stelly didn't need to know he was trying to distract himself from the problem Luffy had unexpectedly thrown at him. He'd gone over numerous plans and ideas over the last several days, but so far had failed to come up with a plausible excuse that would hold up against his father's scrutiny and allow him to secretly meet his brothers.
Stelly turned up his nose haughtily. "You're so boring," he griped, a spray of crumbs erupting from his mouth. "You used to be so much more entertaining to watch, trying to give your minders the slip all the time."
Sabo snorted and nodded to the wet cloth, which was slowly creating a rather large puddle. "Is that why you've resorted to making your own entertainment?"
Stelly looked at him curiously. "You don't even write anymore. All you do is read or stare out the window."
Sabo blinked in surprise when he realised that for once Stelly was right. He used to regularly fill several sheets of parchment with accounts of his days, usually addressing each entry to Ace and Luffy, thinking that one day he might be able to share the journals with them. But in recent months he had rarely picked up a quill outside of his lessons.
He barely had time to ponder the reason why when the study door slammed open and Outlook stormed in.
Stelly jumped to his feet and dashed to meet him. "Hello, Father," he greeted, a coy smile appearing on his face as Outlook patted the top of his head.
"Stelly," Outlook acknowledged before turning his attention to Sabo who was forced to stare up at his father at an uncomfortable angle as Outlook loomed over him, hands clasped neatly behind his back. "Sabo, as you may have noticed, I have been having some difficulty in acquiring another tutor to take over your lessons on Tuesdays. I have spoken to your other two tutors and they both seem to believe you are old enough to be in charge of your own learning."
Sabo stared at his father, wondering where in the world the conversation was headed. If Outlook even suggested he was to spend his time in the office, Sabo would quite happily throw himself to the mercy of the closest Celestial Dragon.
"I'll admit, I'm at a loss as to what to do with you," said Outlook, glaring at him. Sabo resisted the urge to snort as he was reminded of the time his mother had received a particularly ugly (even by her standards) ornamental bowl, which she daren't discard for fear of insulting her social circle. Instead the bowl had been flung into the nearest spare room where it needn't be seen on a day-to-day basis. Sabo had new empathy for the bowl as his father stared down at him with the same disgust Belinda had shown.
"Your mother is adamant you not be allowed free reign while we are out and we certainly can't have you disrupting Stelly's education by letting you run wild," Outlook continued, dark brow furrowed in annoyance. "And after your last performance at the office, I don't want you there either. You're far too disruptive."
Behind their father, Sabo caught sight of Stelly snickering silently in delight.
"So, you don't want me alone in the house?" asked Sabo slowly, wanting to clarify exactly what his father was implying as a small idea took root in his mind.
Outlook nodded once before turning his attention to Stelly, who was tapping his arm lightly.
"Father, may I please go to the office with you instead of Sabo?" he asked, a sickly sweet smile spreading across his face.
Outlook smiled indulgently even as he shook his head. "Out of the question. Whilst Professor Binns is still able and willing, you are to have lessons with him."
Sabo ignored the quiet entreaties Stelly kept offering their father in return for a trip to the office. Luffy's voice was ringing in his ears.
"Please meet us again, Sabo, we miss you…"
Sabo glanced at his father, gauging his mood and hoping Stelly's badgering wasn't about to ruin it for him, his mind racing. Professor Nessham's lessons typically lasted at least five hours every afternoon. If Sabo was to have that much free time a week - free time he was required to spend outside the house - it was just enough to make it worth the risk. Any less time and there was no point in Ace and Luffy coming into town at all. Any more and Luffy would no doubt coerce his two big brothers to go out on jaunts, which they certainly couldn't afford to do. Since his return to High Town, Sabo had been forced to take steps into society and his face was unfortunately well known at this point. If anyone recognised him gallivanting around with two rather notorious trouble-makers, there would be no escaping punishment.
Sabo studied his father cautiously. Could he risk it?
"Sabo, we miss you…"
The blond nodded to himself as he mustered his courage. Yes, he could.
"Father," Sabo called interrupted politely as possible. "Could I please go to the library on Tuesday afternoons?"
Outlook raised a brow. "You wish to spend your time at the library?" Sabo nodded, slightly nervous as he tried to read his father's impassive face. "You wish to spend time with borrowed books. You would prefer to share rather than own?" he enquired with a small sneer.
Sabo nodded again. "My tutors have mentioned previously it might be beneficial to visit," he explained, thinking fast. "I understand the library has some rather rare books in their collections and -"
Outlook tutted and waved a hand dismissively. "Very well, if it'll keep you out of our way and out of trouble you may be permitted to visit the library. Butonlythe library."
Inwardly, Sabo cheered with joy, but he was careful not to let his father see his hidden elation as he was dismissed from the study. Outlook may well change his mind if he saw it was something Sabo was actually looking forward to. Off to one side, Stelly was scuffing the toe of his boot, clearly disgruntled, but Sabo paid no mind to the glare he received as he made a swift exit. He had a note to write.
xxx
Sabo restlessly paced the length of the alley where he'd last met Ace and Luffy, tugging at his leather gloves nervously. He'd had a hard time of it that morning to disguise his growing enthusiasm as the time he was due to meet his brothers approached. The note he'd sent them three days ago had been as brief as possible since he hadn't wanted to chance anyone intercepting it and he was now waiting impatiently to see whether they'd been able to make it through the gates without causing too much havoc.
"Are we there yet?"
Sabo paused mid-step as Luffy's voice rose above the brick wall.
"Almost, now shut up or someone'll hear us! You go over first," replied Ace with a slight grunt. Sabo could only guess he was giving Luffy a boost over the wall rather than risk Luffy rocketing himself over and making a racket.
Sabo looked up just in time to see Luffy's round face pop over the top of the bricks. He grinned excitedly when he spotted the blond.
"Sabo!" he shouted.
"Shut up, Luffy!" Sabo hurriedly hissed, hearing Ace chorus in unison on the other side of the wall. He reached up to catch Luffy as he dropped down.
"You have to remember to keep quiet," said Sabo, a smile appearing on his face even as he softly reprimanded his giggling little brother and accepted his eager hug. "Did you have any problems?" he asked, turning to Ace when he landed silently next to them.
Ace shook his head and dusted himself off. "Nope, none. I tell ya, those gate guards are slacking off. Never used to be this easy," he said.
Sabo saw him discreetly checking over Sabo's attire, which was a lot more wearable than his usual day clothes and much closer to what his brothers were used to seeing him in, only with considerably less tears. Sabo saw him nod briefly before catching his eye and grinning widely. The blond was a little taken aback by the abrupt mood change from a couple of weeks ago.
"You actually managed to make an escape then?" Ace asked, leaning back against the wall, looking significantly more relaxed, although no less alert. Sabo couldn't really blame him. After all, they were all in the pits of hell right now, no matter how clean and pretty it looked.
Sabo nodded. "Yeah, my father couldn't find a replacement tutor so I have Tuesdays to myself," he explained.
"Every Tuesday?" Ace repeated in shock. An excited grin broke out across his face. "Great!" Sabo stared at him, more than a little surprised at his sudden enthusiasm. Ace coughed in embarrassment. "I mean, that'll please Luffy," he tried to clarify.
Understanding suddenly dawned on Sabo as he watched a small blush spread across Ace's freckled cheeks. He suddenly realised their last meeting probably hadn't been an accident. He could just imagine that Luffy had badgered and pleaded with his older brother to find Sabo after their encounter in the street. But there had been no guarantees when they parted that they would ever be able to meet again. It could've been months, if not years, before another opportunity arose, and all they had had to offer was thinly veiled assurances they would try. Ace had suffered many disappoints in his short life; he had learnt the hard way not to get his hopes up at the minute possibility of being able to see Sabo again.
Sabo smiled encouragingly. "It is great," he agreed.
A loud rustling caught their attention. They glanced over to Luffy who had been surprisingly quiet during their exchange and saw him prodding curiously at a small bag Sabo had set down in a disused doorway. "What's this? Is there food in here?" he asked hopefully.
Sabo shook his head fondly. "Those are books from the library. They're my cover story," he said with a cheeky grin. Ace and Luffy stared at him blankly. "I asked my father if I could come into town to use the library. So long as I take books back to the house every now and then, he'll have no reason to suspect I'm not where I say I am," he clarified, shrugging casually.
Luffy laughed gleefully. "See Ace, I told you Sabo was smart!" he exclaimed.
"Yeah, he is," Ace agreed.
Sabo tried not to blush at the unexpected compliment.
XXX
Please remember to review :D
Oda has never officially revealed Sabo's mother's name so I took the liberty of naming her. If it's ever revealed, I will update it xD