Chapter Text
Sabo paced the halls of his home wearily. His father was bored and had forbidden him to go out. He did that sometimes when he thought Sabo might do something to embarrass their family. The house was large so it was usually easy to avoid his father. Somehow, he still had lots of bruises hidden by his clothes.
Unfortunately, the servants were less easy to avoid and today he didn't feel like talking to anyone. He saw the rarely used staircase leading to the attic and darted up them. The air was heavy with dust that floated around though the air. It was early summer and starting to get uncomfortable in the long clothes Sabo wore. He would bare the dusty heat if it meant some peace and quiet. Sabo looked around slowly and saw chests, boxes, and old furniture covered in cloths. All expensive items that his parents deemed unworthy for their house but hadn’t bothered to get rid of.
It seemed so quiet and peaceful except for the slight creek of the floor board under Sabo’s feet. Sabo moved a sheet off a chaise and sat down. It was soft and comfortable, and he thought it was very beautiful with rich blue fabric and an ornate carved frame. But it was exactly the kind of thing his mother would hate. He reclined on it, closing his eyes and enjoyed the peace.
Sometime later, Sabo was awoken with a start when he heard a shuffling and what sounded like metal scraping. Sabo sat up slowly listening for the sound again and walked towards it cautiously. There was an object a little taller than Sabo covered in cloth. Sabo crept slowly, trying to be as quiet as possible
He grabbed the cloth and yanked it back revealing a mirror. Something in the mirror jumped and Sabo spun around but didn't see anything behind him but old furniture. He turned back towards the mirror slowly and instead of his own reflection there was another boy sitting there. He had black messy hair falling across his freckle covered face and a bewildered expression.
Sabo was speechless, moving his hand back and forth as the dark-haired boys' eyes followed. Sabo slowly walked around the mirror slowly, running his hands along it. The mirror was flat and behind it was more boxes and furniture. Sabo couldn’t find anywhere a boy his age might be hiding. He made his way around to the front again and stared down the boy. The more he looked the more concerned Sabo was. Underneath the dark messy hair was sad dark eyes and a slightly hallowed face covered in freckles. He looked thin and underfed. His clothes were baggy and dirty and Sabo thought he may even be tanned under the film of dust covering his skin . The boy was rubbing his wrist and Sabo noticed there was a cuff on it with a chain attached. Underneath the cuff was red and sore. Sabo’s eyes followed the chain to a large ring on the wall underneath a window. He turned around and looked there was no chain but the large ring was there.
“Ummm Hello?” asked Sabo turning back around
“Hello” said the other boy looking up at him. He was sitting cross-legged in front of the mirror. Sabo sat down, mimicking the way he sat touching the mirror. The glass was cool and nothing about it felt unusual.
“My name is Sabo, what is yours?” he asked
“Ace” said the other boy, his eyes moving from Sabo’s face to his hand.
“Ace huh... so.... why are you chained in my attic?” asked Sabo moving his hand away from the mirror to watch Ace.
“Your house?” he asked “This is a home for ‘cursed’ kids and they said I was too dangerous to be with the others.
“Cursed...?” said Sabo slowly “Cursed how...” Sabo looked him up and down
“Kids with...powers. They are dangerous and taken away from their family to be rehabilitated.
“What why?!” said Sabo. Devil fruits and weird abilities were not uncommon and not something to punish kids for.
“B... because we are dangerous” Ace said softly with a shrug, looking down and away from Sabo.
“That is bullshit” said Sabo leaning back thoughtfully. Ace looked surprised to see him speak so frankly.
“Do you really think that?” asked Ace after a long pause. Sabo nodded and gave Ace a reassuring smile. He HAD to find a way to help the boy in the mirror. He couldn’t just leave him locked in a dusty basement.
Sabo touched the mirror again. Everything about it looked normal. There were no strange inscriptions, no trap door, nothing out of the ordinary, except there was no reflection of people. Sabo moved the mirror slightly and then looked back at Ace. The view was the same even though it should have shifted. The mirror seemed to work more like a screen then a mirror.
“What are you doing?” asked Ace who had been watching Sabo with fascination.
“There has to be a trick to it. There has to be something to this mirror. A way to get you out.” said Sabo. He sighed and touched the glass again. He picked up a book from a box and poked the mirror, once again with no result.
“What book is that?” asked Ace his eyes brightening when he saw it.
“Ummm this is Moby Dick.” said Sabo
“Do you think you could read a little to me?” asked Ace rubbing his hands together.
“Sure. Can... you read?” asked Sabo sitting back down.
“Yea but... The box of books is too far away...” Sabo nodded, it would be just out of reach for Ace based on that chain. Sabo sat with his back to the mirror so Ace could see the book, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to see how Ace was doing. Ace was enthralled with Sabo’s reading, his dark sad eyes lit up. Ace leaned forward, scooting closer until he was almost ready to push into the mirror.
Sabo read for hours, only stopping to talk to Ace. He was hungry and thirsty but didn’t see any food or water nearby for Ace so he stayed, afraid to ask how often he was fed.
Pausing to enjoy the breeze he heard a servant calling his name in the distance. Sabo glanced out a window and stood up.
“I have to go I’m sorry” said Sabo. “I will come back as soon as I can” he said sitting the book down on the floor. Ace looked sad but nodded understanding.
“I... I'll be waiting” he said watching as Sabo quickly left the attic.
Sabo calmly made his way back to the upper level, a very flustered young servant looked relieved to find him.
“Young master Outlook. Your father and mother want to make sure you are getting ready for this evening. Your covered in dust, let's get you in a bath and I will tell them you are getting ready. You must hurry” she said.
Sabo nodded, taking a deep breath. He didn’t want to be late; his father would be furious. He was glad a servant found him first. He checked the clock; he had an hour and half before he had to leave and Sabo knew his father would be agitated if Sabo was not ready at least a half an hour early.The servant rushed ahead of Sabo quickly drawing him a bath
“Thank you” Said Sabo
“You're welcome young master. I will tell your father you are preparing. I will be back in a moment with fresh towels and to lay out new clothing. “she said with a bow, darting off before Sabo could respond.
Sabo shut the bathroom door and began to strip, tossing his dusty clothes into a laundry bin. Sabo was a fairly fit young man but what stood out the most, especially to Sabo was the scar that ran down the whole left side of his body from his face to just above his knee. Sabo hid as much as he could with clothing, he was ashamed of his scar. Sabo tested the water with his hand, it was a little too warm for him. Things that were too hot just reminded him of the day he got that scar. He added some cold water before climbing in.
Sabo sat in the tub, his mind wandering to the boy in the mirror. He tried to watch the clock but this seemed so unimportant compared to helping Ace. But still, Sabo feared his father’s wrath enough that an hour later he had bathed, dressed, and fixed his hair. Knowing his father would find something to nitpick he left on button slightly misaligned, that way he could find something simply to criticize and hopefully would leave him alone.
Sabo headed to the other side of the large mansion and down the large curved staircase heading for the parlor. His father was already waiting and Sabo noticed his mother had not yet arrived.
“It is about time.” snapped his father. “Come here so I can make sure you do not look like an embarrassment.” Sabo walked over and stood in front of his father. Those angry judgmental eyes scanned over Sabo quickly. “Fix that button. “he said taking a deep breath.
Sabo quickly fixed the button and watched his father nod in approval and start pacing across the room, back and forth.
“Where the hell is your mother?” asked he snapped Sabo shrugged a little and looked out a window.
“I am right here” came a flat feminine voice. Sabo turned and saw his mother entering the room.
“We are going to be late” said his father in an agitated voice
“Only fashionably so. If we arrive right on time, we will look eager.” Sabo’s father took a deep breath and walked out. Sabo’s mother followed without another word or even glancing in Sabo’s direction. Sabo shrugged and followed. The last thing he wanted to do was to go to some absurdly boring Gala but he feared what would happen if he protested.
He didn’t even remember what the Gala was for but it was a night of pretending he cared about the people he was talking to, avoiding awkward conversation, and thinking about the boy in the mirror. Over and over again he thought about what he saw. Was he so lonely he had imagined a boy trapped that needed his help? Or was there magic about? Perhaps a devil fruit had trapped him there. Sabo would have to do research and see if he could find any information.
It was early in the morning by the time Sabo got home, he was exhausted and crept upstairs and went to his room. He knew the house was too quiet this time of day for him to creep upstairs, someone would surely notice. During the day the house was bustling with servants and his steps would go unnoticed. Reluctantly Sabo went to his room, falling fast asleep. His dreams filled those sad dark eyes and the sound of the chain scraping against wood as Ace moved and watched Sabo.