I swear I'm alive. I just had a lot to do these past few months. I'm actively working on part 3 for the Sabo x reader. It should be done in 1-2 days if writer's block doesn't bite me in the ass.
Read the first part for context. Reader's gender is not mentioned, doesn't matter.
3k words, not beta read
part 1, part 2, part 3
"That's it. I'm running away and I'm going to be a pirate." Sabo stated as if the decision was final.
You'd been babysitting him for about a year now. Every few days, you'd stop by, help him study, then take him to the Grey Terminal to talk to the old folks there.
Sabo learned a lot about the world from them, the truth behind the government and the navyβspoiler alert, they weren't good guys! He also got a reality check or two when he tried going off on his own (he got mugged).
But all of that made him stronger. He got used to the back-and-forth trips, and the smell, and the weird food. He was confident he could live on his own now!
"Good luck with that," You sat on his bed, feet kicked up, reading a bookβabout islands in the skyβthat told a much more believable tale than Sabo.
"I'm serious! This time for sure!" Sabo stomped his foot. You didn't care enough to give him a proper reaction.
He's been saying the same thing every time you've visited. At the end of the day, he'd always come back.
"Sure. Just don't forget your hat, or your shoelaces, or bandages, or your favourite pen." You mocked his past excuses, flipping the page.
Sabo huffed, his face going red. "I won't. You'll see." He grabbed his hat off his desk and climbed up onto the window. He hesitated when he looked down. Why was the ground moving?
"If you fall and die, your parents will kill me." You called out boredly, flipping the book shut. You were still older and technically responsible for him.
"Just watch." He dangled both his feet off the edge, his small hands braced on either side of him on the windowsill, trembling.
You walked up behind him with a mischievous smile. Sabo felt a shiver run up his spine, as if sensing your ill intent. He turned around in time to see you poke his side.
He screamed and flinched, banging his head on the raised window. "What was that for!?" He shouted, reaching to poke you back. With only one hand bracing himself, he lost his balance. It was only when he slipped off the ledge that you stopped laughing.
"Careful!" You reached out and tried to pull him back in, but too much of your body had been leaning out of the window.
Sabo didn't remember much of the fallβhe'd shut his eyes through it, thinking he was actually going to die.
Apparently, you had enough instinct to shield his head and try to land in the bushes. You did, but not without its cost. He heard a sickeningly loud crack followed by a scream.
When Sabo opened his eyes, you were crying, and his parents were rushing out, panicking at the sight of blood. He forgot you could cry, that you were just another kid. He didn't even process his mother's nails digging into his arm as he was pulled away.
It was strange not seeing you in his room the next day. It was a bad quiet. It was empty. Sabo was grounded, his windows and door locked for the foreseeable future. Whenever he tried to ask about you, he'd get screamed at and dragged back to his room by the ear.
He just wanted to know if you were okay or notβif you'd ever come back.
His father spent most of his time in his study, pacing, thinking of how to repair the relationship between your families. His mother did the same, but in the bedroom, wondering how she was going to socially recover from this.
Sabo sat in his room, ignoring the heavy feeling in his chest in favour of reading. It was the only thing that could distract him long enough to forget your cries. His parents stopped bothering to remind him to study, but he wasn't sure how he felt about that. He'd come to associate it with your presence.
Weeks passed.
"I feel bad," He overheard the servants outside his door. Gossip was his only access to the outside world. He sat with his ear pressed against the wood and his arms wrapped around himself.
"For the kid or the young master?"
"A bit of both. Mostly the kid. Did you hear they broke their leg? Poor thing."
Sabo hugged himself tighter. Why did you have to protect him? It was his idea to jump out the window, so why was he unscathed?
"Do you have word on their parents' reactions?"
"None yet, but from how the madam has been speaking about it⦠Not good. I doubt they'll ever visit again."
Sabo stopped listening. The more he heard, the worse he felt. He ran over to his wardrobeβhis favourite hat hidden right at the top. You'd caught him trying to reach it the first time you visited. But he'd grown since then; it was no longer a struggle.
He'd found a way to unlock his windowβa lockpicking technique hidden in one of the books you'd brought over.
This time, he was sure. I'm running away. Hesitance is what led to you getting hurt, so he wouldn't do that anymore.
You got the news a week later, almost a month after you'd broken your leg.
"That little devil ran away," Your mother stated, crossing her arms.
Good for him, was the first thought that came to mind.
Were you mad? Absolutelyβat least, you told yourself you were. But not about the leg. It was kind of your fault for messing with him in such a dangerous spot. You were pissed that he didn't bother with a goodbye after everything you'd done for him.
Despite that, and despite the fact that your parents were fuming, you couldn't think of him with hatred.
You knew he'd be fine. If not on his own, then those he'd come to know at the Grey Terminal could be his crutches until he was ready.
But the feeling of bitterness, from being abandoned, lingered. He hadn't visited, didn't even make an attempt! He could've just thrown a rock at your window, or left a letterβhe knew where you lived.
"Stupid kid," You mumbled to yourself after your mother had left the room. You were in bed, your leg in its comedically large cast propped up on a pillow while you studied.
You promised yourself the moment you got out of that cast, you'd chase him down. That's if your mother would ever let you out of her sight.
She'd gotten more obnoxious since the incident.
I knew that family was no good. Please! All that talk about 'role models' was just to have you babysit for free. They clearly didn't raise that freakish boy right. I knew he was bad for you.
At least you still had your image.
Sabo was the misbehaving seven-year-old boy who jumped out of a window based on a silly whim. You were the older kid who heroically leapt out to save him from injury, only to get injured yourself.
Fun.
You groaned and pushed your books away, flopping down onto your pillow. Being stuck in one place was never your style. If the injury didn't kill you, the boredom would.
Half a year later, you were allowed out unsupervised for the first time since the accident. You found yourself instinctively wandering towards Edge Town. Despite the crime, the Grey Terminal offered more of a home than yours ever did.
Besides, you were sure a certain blonde kid would be there. His parents had tried to stop the rumours from spreading, but everyone knew that their only son had run away. He was replaced pretty quickly with some other kid you couldn't stand.
Good thing you were banned from their household.
While walking past the Great Gate and through the mountains of trash in the Grey Terminal, you'd noticed two men following you. You may not have been in the best condition to fight, but you had a knife in your pocket.
Still, you'd rather avoid getting injured, so you tried to lose them. You ducked behind large barrels, shacks, and sped up to the best of your abilities.
That only pushed them to pursue you faster.
A large, scarred hand landed on your shoulder, pulling you back. "Huh, you're not that kidβ¦" The man grumbled when he saw your face beneath the hood. Is he looking for someone?
You reached your hand into your pocket, but the other man grabbed you before you could do any damage.
Shit. You mentally calculated how hard you'd need to kick their family jewels for them to buckle over in pain and give you an out.
"Hey, you know a blonde kid with a top hat?"
Now where have you heard that before? You tried not to let recognition show on your expressionβyou were always good at control. "No."
"Y'sure?" The man drew his sword. "He and his friend stole some cash from us. We just wanna talk to him." He laughed, resting the blade on his shoulder. You noticed the men had matching arm bandsβa gang? Maybe pirates...
But their words held your interest. You almost couldn't believe it. Sabo? Stealing? The most unbelievable part was the comment about a friend. He had the charisma of a rat. They had to be talking about someone else.
"I gave you my answer." You mumbled, tugging gently to see if they'd let up. They didn't.
"Then maybe you have some cash you can lend us. See, our boss isn't a nice guy. Don't you wanna help us out? You're a good kid, right?" He spoke to you in a mocking tone you hadn't heard since you were five, leaning close enough for you to smell his fishy breath.
There was no way you were getting out of this without a fight. You thought you'd get the first hit in.
CRACK!
The man jolted back, clutching his nose where you'd headbutted him as hard as possible. The other man went to draw his sword, but you were faster. You aimed where it mattered and watched him scream like a goat as his eyes teared up.
Then you ran for it.
And oh how it hurt. The strain on your unused leg was unbearable. Your muscles ached like this was your first time running. You didn't think you could make it to the gate in time.
You didn't.
They caught up, grabbing the end of your cloak and shoving you to the ground.
"You little shit!" The man mumbled, his nose dripping blood onto your cheek as he leaned over you.
Gross. You tried to break free, but he knew not to underestimate you now. His friend caught up, limping. You tried not to laugh.
"You're gonna pay for that!" He raised his blade, and it finally hit you that you weren't going to get away. This was it.
You shut your eyes tightly, waiting for the impact, refusing to beg or scream when you knew nobody would come.
You never felt the cold edge of a sword touch your skin. You did, however, hear the cartoonishly loud sound of metal meeting skull. Twice.
When you raised your head, you saw two little boys running away into the distance. One wearing a painfully familiar blue coat with a goofy top hat. So he was alive... WAIT. Why was he running!?
That little⦠Sure, he saved you, but you still needed to give him a piece of your mind.
"SABO!" You called out, jumping up to your feet to run after him. It only made him run faster, his 'friend' yelling at him.
You were struck with an idea. It was a gamble, but it was the only way you could think to make him stop. You 'tripped' over a broken chair and landed on a sheet of metal as loudly as you could, screaming, "OW!"
As expected, Sabo skidded to a halt. You heard his footsteps approach and opened your eyes to see him leaning over you with a worried expression.
"Are youβ"
You grabbed him by his collar and threw him over your shoulder. "Asshole!" He looked stunned as his world spun, his back hitting the metal right beside you.
"What was that for!?" He rubbed his head, sitting up.
"Not once did you bother to see me after I broke my leg!" You poked his chest with a scowl. "And then you just vanished! Without saying a word or even saying goodbye. You knew where I lived, you could've come!"
"I didn'tβ" Sabo didn't know where to start. "But I told you I was runningβ"
"That doesn't count! You never went through with those." You smacked his shoulder, hard.
Sabo didn't flinch, didn't dodge. He'd sort of missed this. He was afraid you'd be angrier at him for hurting you physically, not emotionally.
Before he knew it, he was smiling. Laughing.
"What's so funny?" You asked, trying to calm your breathing after all that exertion.
"I thought you didn't care about me!" Sabo huffed between laughs.
Oh? This was new. The Sabo you knew before would never say something so cheeky. "I don't. It's a matter of principle!" You excused, but knew he wouldn't buy it. You did care about him, and you were sure he did too. Otherwise, he wouldn't have stopped.
"Oi, Sabo." The other boy around his height approached. A scowl was carved on his face, making him look older than he probably was. "Is this that person you always talβ"
"AAAH!" Sabo jumped to his feet and pressed his hands to his friend's mouth.
It didn't take a genius to figure out what he was going to say. Before you could tease him, you saw a group running towards you, wearing the same arm bands as the men who were looking for Sabo.
"Whaβ"
"Gotta go!" This time, Sabo didn't run from you. He must've thought you actually got hurt when you fake-tripped, because before you knew it, he was lifting you up onto his back.
You didn't think he couldβyou were still a fair bit taller than him. Living out here must've made him stronger. Good thing he was busy running, or else he would've seen the stunned look on your face as you were hauled up. It was a little embarrassing. Just a little.
"Did we lose them?" Sabo's friend, who you now know is called Ace, asked.
"Yeah, around the first river you guys jumped over." You'd been keeping an eye out so they could focus on running.
Sabo was careful when he put you down against a tree. "Are you alright?" You were still surprised he was able to carry you AND run this deep into the woods. Then again, he didn't look like a baby any more.
Besides the wear and tear on his clothes, he was covered in minor scratches and bruises. His hands, still little, were rough from work and wielding a rusty metal pipe. The scariest part was that he was smiling more than you'd ever seen before.
He really is happier here.
"I'm fine." You got up, brushing the dirt off your clothes. He was acting mature, but you couldn't help but see that shy, little boy who clung to your sleeve when he was scared.
You glanced at Ace, who was leaning against a tree, looking back towards the Grey Terminal, as if waiting for the men to show their faces again.
"So, are you going to introduce me to your little friend?" You whispered to Sabo. He tensed but turned to Ace.
"Him?" Sabo smiled. You were starting to get used to the look. "That's Ace! We're both going to be pirates together once we save up enough money." He sounded hopeful, but not like someone assuming everything will turn out okay. But like someone who actually had a plan.
"Oh, is that why you stole from those guys?"
Sabo opened his mouth to respond whenβ
"Sabo!" Ace called out loudly, startling both of you. "You're telling them too much." He didn't seem to trust you, even if Sabo did. You couldn't blame him, you were a stranger.
"Butβ¦"
"It's alright," you flicked the end of his hat with a smile. "I'm glad you're making friends. I didn't think you had it in you!"
"HUH? What's that supposed to mean!?"
There he is, you thought. The familiar little stomp, him crossing his arms. Some things never change.
When night fell, Sabo offered to escort you back to the great gate. You were a little gratefulβyou couldn't exactly navigate the forest. You'd never been out this far.
But the disappointment on Sabo's face as he watched you go was hard to ignore.
That night, he found himself sleeping on a tree branch.
"Hey." Ace appeared out of nowhere. Sabo bit his cheek and nearly slipped off the branch.
He blinked in confusion as he climbed back up, "Aren't you supposed to go back now?" It was far too late for Ace to be out here. That Dadan he was always talking about was probably waiting for him.
Ace didn't answer. He leaned back against the trunk of the tree and looked up. The branch was big enough for both of them to sit side by side, so Sabo mimicked his action. They sat in silence until Sabo's thoughts became too loud to contain.
"Do you think⦠that they'd want to be a pirate too?" He found himself muttering, looking up at the stars.
"No," Ace huffed without hesitation. "If they did, they would've stayed or at least said they wanted to."
Sabo's chest felt heavy, but he nodded. He had run away. You were olderβif you really wanted to, you could've done that too. Maybe you were fine with having a stuffy life. You were always good at playing that role, no matter how much he knew you hated it too.
"I guess you're right." Sabo tucked his knees to his chest, his gaze dropping to the ground.
"Butβ¦" Ace sighed, running a hand through his hair. "If they do want to, I wouldn't mind letting them join us." He couldn't bear to see Sabo look so defeated. He knew you were important to him, he knew, at some point, you had taken care of Sabo. And he trusted the blonde's judgement, he wouldn't be close with someone bad.
"Really?" Sabo perked up, leaning closer to Ace. "If I can convince them, could they join our crew?"
Ace smiled and shoved him away, "Yeah, sure. IF you can."
This is set way before he ran away. Reader's gender is not mentioned and doesn't matter.
Tags: mostly fluff, both of you are kids, childhood crushes, spoilers for one piece (duh), 3k words, POV switching, NOT beta read
Warnings: Abusive parents, classist remarks
part 1, part 2, part 3
"He's been distracted." He heard his father's voice, deep and tired from the day's work.
"I'm sure it's just a phase," The words spoken in his mother's voice, muffled by the door.
Sabo sat outside his parents' room, listening as they exchanged their disappointments in him. It was dark enough that he could run back to his room unnoticed if they decided to step out.
"I often find him wasting his day with other activities besides studying. We don't have the time to manage him ourselves."
"I could ask the servants to keep an eye on him."
His father laughed, "Like those commonfolk would know the difference between study and play. They're only good for housework."
Sabo held his pyjama sleeve tighter. He didn't want someone hovering over him, he didn't want to study, he didn't want any of this. He knew there was a big world out there. Why couldn't he get to see it?
"I know!" He heard his mother clap, like she always did when she had an idea. "An acquaintance of mine has a child, a little older than Sabo, but far more proper and mature. She's never had any issues with them."
His father went quiet in thought. "A babysitter?"
"A role model," It made it look less like they were dumping parenting responsibilities on another kid, and it sounded much better when talking to other nobles.
Sabo picked himself up and tiptoed to his room, resisting the urge to slam the door behind him. He jumped into bed and groaned, pulling the pillow over his face.
What a nightmare, Sabo thought with a pout. He'd met other noble kids. They were annoying and acted just as spoiled as their stupid parents. Knowing his mum and dad, they'd go through with the plan, and he couldn't do anything about it.
Sabo was dragged out of bed before the sun finished rising. His mother ordered the maids to brush down his hair and make him look 'presentable'. He felt like a doll stuck playing dress-up.
Sabo yawned, rubbing his eyes with his free hand while his mother tugged him along by the other. She hadn't told him the plan, just that they were meeting with someone special.
He wasn't very good at hiding how he felt, a big frown on his face as his mother slowed to a stop outside a cafe. A woman sitting on one of the tables outside waved them over.
Sabo stared at the ground as he was pulled along and plopped into a seat.
His mother pinched his hand under the table, her way of saying "fix your face". He jolted and rubbed the sore spot, looking up. He forced a thin smile.
"I'm so sorry about my son," His mother laughed, her hand moving to his shoulder in a way that made her look loving. "He's shy."
"I can see that," The other woman reached over to pinch his cheek. Sabo didn't fight it, no matter how annoyed he was.
While the ladies yapped, he looked over at the other kid across the table who was already staring at him. Their outfit, tailored to match their mother's, was ironed perfectly. Every detail, down to their hair and accessories, was meticulously planned. Even their expression was controlled.
Their parents must love them. He thought bitterly.
Sabo hadn't heard a word of what his mother was saying until she was patting his arm, clearly repeating herself, "Go on, introduce yourself." She hissed into his ear, maintaining that cheery expression.
Sabo gulped and stood up. No matter how he did it, she would find something to be upset aboutβsomething he screwed up.
He bowed, "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, my name is Sabo." The little cap he had been forced to wear slipper off his head.
You embarrassed me! He could already hear his mother's voice in his head. He braced himself.
The hat didn't hit the floor. Sabo lifted his head, watching as the other kid caught it and put it back on him.
"The pleasure is all mine, Sabo." They smiled and held their hand out, introducing themself.
Show off. Sabo thought as he shook their hand.
"I will send someone to collect them in the evening. Do call if you need anything," Your mother nudged you forward into the strange house.
You couldn't believe you were stuck babysitting some snot-nosed brat. That blonde kid was practically still a toddler with how he was stumbling about when you first met. You couldn't believe he was only a few years younger than you.
You almost forgot you were still expected to act like your 'perfect' self, snapping out of your thoughts. Honestly, playing the role of a golden child was easier than being the disappointment. At least they stopped hitting you.
"Thank you for having me," You bowed politely. Shamboβor whatever his name wasβ's mother squealed in delight, welcoming you into her home warmly. Your own mother couldn't wait to have you out of her hair, running off.
The servants took your coat. You were three seconds into the entryway and already being offered snacks and drinks, but you didn't trust them enough yet, politely declining. The boy's mother took you upstairs and knocked on a large wooden door.
No response.
His mother knocked again, and you were starting to think nobody told Goldilocks you were coming. He probably slept inβit was pretty early after all.
"Excuse me one second," You recognised the look on the woman's face. A strained smile with twitching brows. You could practically see the veins popping out on her hands.
As much as you didn't want to be here, you weren't going to let him get beat because of you.
"It's alright, ma'am." You smiled and stepped forward. "You wanted me here to help, right? Let me take it from here; you deserve a break." Please buy it.
Your flowery words calmed her downβdelighted her even. "What a sweetheart you are! Sabo could learn a lot from you."
Oh right, Sabo was his name. Good to know. "I'll do my best." You smiled until she walked out of sight.
You sighed and barged into the kid's room, swinging the door open abruptly.
The little boy, who had been precariously balancing on a stack of books on a chair near a wardrobe, stumbled. "WoOAhwooAAAAH!" A crash and thud rang through the house.
You shut the door, confused. "What are you doing??"
Sabo pulled a book off his face and sat up. "T-That's none of your business." His tone made it pretty clear that neither of you wanted to be here.
You walked over and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him to his feet. "I'm gonna be here all day whether we like it or not, so just deal with it." With no adults around, you didn't need to pretend to be nice, your voice taking on a harsher tone.
Sabo's jaw hung slightly, wondering where that prim and proper personality had gone.
You let go of him, looking around the room. It was mostly clean, except for the mess you'd watched him make. The walls were lined with shelves reaching the ceiling, leaving no room for any other decor.
Your mother had briefly explained what you had to do. Make sure he studied, show him how he was supposed to act, and basically make him better. She said it would be good to mingle with other families, but you knew she just wanted you to get dirt on the family if possible.
"You're bad at studying, right?" You turned to Sabo, who was picking up the books from the floor. "Show me the books you're studying. You're probably doing it all wrong."
"I am NOT!" Who did you think you were barging into his room, telling him how to do things?
You crossed your arms. "Well then, why am I here?"
He didn't have anything to say to that. He bit his cheek, crossing his arms to try to look all tough.
This kid⦠He wasn't going to make this easy. "Look, this sucks. It's stuffy and annoying, but there's nothing you can do about it. You can either fit in or fuck off."
Sabo gasped. "Youβ You saidβ"
Oops. He probably hadn't heard much of that language around these parts, let alone said it. "Don't be dramatic. I'm older than you anyway, I'm allowed to say that." You hopped the casual act meant he wouldn't snitch.
You grabbed a book off his desk, "Let's start with this, shall we?"
They're not too bad. Sabo thought as you read the book out to himβBasics in Algebra. It was really hard, but apparently, noble kids had to learn it by six. He hated maths; it never clicked with him. He would rather spend his day reading books that use letters to make words instead of equations.
You snapped your fingers in front of him. "Hey, focus." You handed the book to him and pointed at the bottom of the page. Practise questions.
Sabo groaned, flopping backwards onto the ground. "Do I HAVE to?"
You tossed a pen onto his head. "Yes. We can take a break afterwards."
"Break?" His parents didn't give him breaks. He was expected to study from sunup to sundown. It was the only way he'd possibly reach the royal standard by marrying age. You'd both get in trouble if he were caught playing. "We can't." He mumbled, picking the pen up.
"Of course we can."
"No, we can't. You don't get it." Your parents probably let you do whatever you wanted.
"I do. You're just dumb."
What was he saying about you not being too bad? Scratch that, Sabo still hated you. "Yeah? Wellβ Well you're only smarter 'cause you're older! It's not fair."
"Seriously?" You stood up, dusting off your clothes. "I figured this out when I was your age." You pointed at the questions. "Finish this, and you'll see."
You stormed out of the room. Sabo made sure the door was shut before he stuck his tongue out.
He was in shock.
Sabo stood in front of his house, dressed in outdoor clothes, while you were talking with his mother about what time you should be back.
He was actually getting a break.
"I'll make sure he stays focused." You hummed with that gross smile that made all the grown-ups swoon. Sabo hadn't been sure if too sweet existed. It did, and it was plastered all over your face.
The front door shut. You turned to face Sabo just as he was making a fake-gagging motion. He froze when you caught him.
"I saw that!" You smacked his shoulder faster than he could dodge. "You should be grateful. I'm helping you out." You grabbed his hand and started walking out, passing the front gate and onto the cobbled streets.
Sabo kept his head down whenever he passed kids who knew him. It was embarrassing being dragged around like he was some kid. But whenever he tried to pull his hand back, you'd tug harder and say something about him getting lost.
"How come everyone likes you when you're so mean?" He grumbled, not expecting an answer.
"Me? Mean? I would never." You mocked. "Ask anyone I know, I'm an angel."
He whispered. "Yeah, if Lucifer counts."
You kicked him. He learned to just shut up and take it. You didn't hit as hard as either of his parents, it felt playfulβand very deserved.
"Think of it as acting. It only matters what people think they see. If everyone thinks you're perfect, then you are, and you get all the perks of it!"
That sounded boring to Sabo. He didn't want to pretend to be someone else just to please other people. "There has to be another wayβ¦"
You, surprisingly, didn't make fun of him. Instead, you hummed thoughtfully and continued down the road. "You could always run away."
Sabo's heart stuttered at that. He'd thought of itβbasically fantasised about it day and night.
Running away and being anything else, someone free, a pirate. But where would he go from home? The Grey Terminal was crawling with criminals who wouldn't hesitate to kill kids. That's what his parents had told him. Could he trust their word?
You pulled him aside into a gap between two buildings and started rummaging around old boxes.
"What are youβ Ack!" Sabo coughed as a dusty piece of cloth was thrown on his face.
"Put this on." You had one just like itβa cloak. You put it on and covered your face.
Sabo stood there, confused. Why was this kid always clueless?! You were running out of patience, so you grabbed it and shoved it over his head. "Just hurry, we need to go and be back before dark."
You pushed the hood over his face and went off into a thick crowd. You didn't grab him. Did you mean to do that? Sabo was reaching for your sleeve before he could stop himself. You didn't comment on it, letting him hold onto you.
Sabo was on edgeβpun intended. He never came near Edge Town, and you were walking him right through it as ifβ¦
He paused in front of the Great Gate. "Wait, wait." He pulled you back. "We can't go there. Weβ We'll die."
"Is that what your parents told you?" You asked, pushing your hood up to get a better look at him. "Well, alright then. If you're such a scaredy-cat, we can go back." You sighed, shaking your head. "I guess I was wrong to think you're more than just some little kid."
Sabo made a face. He wasn't a scaredy-cat. He was a whole six years old! How dare you! "I never said I won't go!" He pushed off of you and crossed his arms, trying to appear strong. It didn't help that his legs were shaking.
"Good," You smiled expectantly and walked towards the Grey Terminal. Sabo only hesitated for a few seconds before running after you.
He didn't make eye contact with the guards nor the criminals. He wasn't sure how you looked so calm when he felt his heart sweating and his soul leaving his body.
The stench hit him quicklyβrust and smoke, something sweet and burning in the distance. It made his stomach churn and his eyes water. Their air was warm, thick, and oozed through his nose.
He was going to cover the cloak over his mouth, but you didn't even react at the stench, and he didn't wanna look weak. He sucked it up (and held his breath instead).
By the time you stopped, his face was turning blue.
You suddenly perked up and waved, "Hey, pops!" He looked ahead and saw a group of people sitting around a tyre fire. Sabo watched in surprise as you ran over and jumped onto a pile of trash beside a wrinkled sack of skin that vaguely looked human.
"Ah, there you are! You're late." The old man smiled, patting your head. Sabo froze when he looked at him standing off to the side. "Who's your little friend?"
You turned to Sabo and frowned. "He's a kid I got stuck babysitting." Sabo didn't know these people, but they looked cool, and you were embarrassing him in front of them. His ears went red.
The old man gestured Sabo closer. It's not like he had anywhere else to go, so he listened. "Would you like to hear a story?" That caught his attention.
"What kind of story?" Sabo asked, now standing beside the man.
"I used to be a pirate, you knowβ¦"
If Sabo could, he would stay there all day. Books had nothing against stories straight from the source. The old man regaled them with tales of thrilling adventures, high seas, and monsters he'd never heard of. A world he'd never seen. A world of freedom.
He only realised how dark it was when you pointed it out. "We have to get going now." You bowed to the old man, the first genuine sign of respect Sabo had seen from you. "Thanks a lot."
"You know I love to talk," The old man laughed, pulling out a flask and taking a long swig.
"But you didn't finish the story! How did you escape from that sea king's belly?" Sabo's eyes shone brightly as he leaned forward.
"If you come back tomorrow, I'll tell you." He gave the little boy a wink, but he wasn't amused. "Run along now."
Before Sabo could complain, you left. "Hey! Wait for me!" He ran after you, not realising how tired he'd gotten.
You slowed down as he caught up, watching him rub his eyes. Did you pity him? A little. But it was funny to watch him keep up his big boy act even now.
"If your mother asks, we went downtown so I could teach you about trade and socialising." You weren't sure if he heard you. By the time he made it to your side, he was falling asleep on your arm.
"Stupid kid." You mumbled as you carefully picked him up on your back, letting his head flop onto your shoulder. You weren't necessarily strong; he was just little.
You woke him up before you arrived at his house. His mother would probably fuss about him working you or being impolite if she saw you carrying him. He'd thank you later.
You put him down on a bench and fixed up his clothes, brushing dirt off his face. You didn't have to do thisβyou didn't have to care, but you did. He never would've thought a noble kid would go out of their way to interact with people their parents said were "lesser".
He didn't want the day to end. "Are you coming again tomorrow?" He asked as you finished adjusting his collar.
"I think so," You helped him up off the bench. "My mum said I'll be your role model until you're a proper member of society." You put on a funny voice and rolled your eyes, making him laugh.
"Then I'll keep being bad so they bring you."
"Haahh? That won't work!" You dug your knuckles into his head. "If they don't see you improve, they'll think I'm not helping at all."
"Okay, okay!" He pushed your hand off. He could try to behave, but after his taste of freedom today⦠he doubted he would. "No promises."
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