The Noble Stranger ~Sabo x Reader~ (Part 6)

“So we are even then?” [Name] muttered as she bandaged the man's face.

Currently both were seated on her bed. This time, however properly dressed and no more slapping. She watched the man flinched under her touch-she must have slapped him quite hard. As she tried to attempt to fix her sloppy bandages skills, she could tell the man raised an eyebrow signalling he didn't understand. She knew exactly what she had to say.

“Apparently I stole your belongings and I slapped you twice, “[Name] stated with a slight blush beginning to form on her cheeks, “You saw me half-naked. That was my price.”

The man's face turned scarlet. He really didn't mean to walk in on the woman while she changed. He actually didn't know another person, especially a woman, lived here. He really thought the older woman he saw earlier was his thief. But no, he was wrong in so many levels. Yet, he couldn't help but feel a bit thankful knowing it wasn't her. He was kinda attracted to the one that was front of him for some reason and he couldn't point out where he saw the dress she was wearing. It was so familiar. She was also familiar- Her face seemed like a dream.

He coughed a bit out of embarrassment and running his hand through his hair, “I don't think that’s fair.”

“Well, it isn't,” [Name] immediately frown as she got up, “Especially if you were the first man to see me at such a state.”

“Hey, I didn't mean too.” He put his arms up in defense.

“No, who tried to break into my home?” [Name] muttered looking at the male-loosing control of her anger, “I swear you just wanted a view or something. Stupid pervert male creature you are!”

The man seemed to get ticked off slightly but understood where the women was coming from. Yet, he couldn't help but get a little upset at the woman's accusations. He stood up, his height towering over the woman- he then said, “Look I didn't really mean to but what do you expect? If someone steals from you; you try to get it back right? Plus, I have a name. It's not “Stupid Pervert Male Creature” Okay? It's Sabo.”

“Okay Sabo,” [Name] crossed over her arms, “But I didn't steal. A friend of mine allowed me to read them. I was given permission to take them. Since it seems you know this person; her name is Koala. Ring a bell?”

[Name] noticed Sabo sweat dropped the moment at the sound of Koala's name. She wondered exactly why Koala allowed her to take the books if she actually wasn't allowed to.  It seemed Sabo really did care for the books and letters she took away. She could only assume they were from his little brother. It did make sense the books were fairly new- it wasn't possible if Sabo was the writer anyway. Plus, he didn't seem like that cheeky intelligent boy in the books. This was what she concluded.

“Okay Koala really did get me this time. You even read them.” Sabo groaned as he took a seat back down on [Name]'s bed.

“What do you mean by that?” [Name] said as she went over to her table where she placed the books, “You saying Koala set this whole thing up?”

“Exactly.”

Mean while as [Name] packed the letters and the books into the given box-she frowned, “But she just seems so sweet.”

“You don't know her as well as I do.”

“Heh, it must be because you pissed her off. Maybe because you saw her half naked too, or worse/” [Name] joked in a friendly manner.

Sabo rolled his eyes at [Name]'s teasing even though a blush was forming once more on his cheeks, “I said I didn't mean to. Plus, I don't want to see a woman naked okay?”

“Oh so, you didn't like what you saw?” [Name] slightly smirked in a teasing way, “I'm not that attractive?”

She giggled as Sabo turned red as a tomato. She had a feeling he was innocent when he saw her changing before she threw things at him mindlessly. She just had to add some teasing to get proof. She did mentally sigh with relief-the first man to see her half naked was an innocent free man. Yes, many attractive girls like Amaya didn't care if a man walked in on them when they were changing. Yet, [Name] was the typical one still not used to men- like she was a year ago. That was like the only thing she still had as a person of her past. She was still cautious when it came to men. But it didn't seem to apply to Sabo in any way. In thought, she would have just pushed him out the window but she didn't.  Maybe it was of Sabo's interesting appearance- a huge scar that covered almost a quarter of his face and wavy messy blond hair.  Or the fact he was a grown man who was trying to run away from a woman as she threw things. It was quite funny if she thought about it.

“Okay calm down with the teasing...” Sabo sighed still flushed with a little twinkle in his eyes, “So what's your name “The strange noble lady who didn't kick me where the sun don't shine after walking in on her”?

It was [Name] turn to blush. She could have sworn he meant that she wanted him to see her that way-half exposed. Yet, again she knew it was true that she was strange but she still didn't want him walking in on her at all.

“The proper name is [Name] Clinton” [Name] slightly smiled as she walked towards him with the box in her hands, “You may have heard my name a lot- I don't really have a good reputation you know.”

When she stood in front of Sabo- she noticed a sudden change. His eyes seemed more happy and relief as if he won the lottery.  Yet, she ignored it and placed the books beside him on the bed and took a seat, “Here, I did read them. I'm really sorry if they are personal or anything. Your brother seems like a great kid.”

Sabo tilted his head in question.

~

Sabo had a feeling he knew her from somewhere. The way she walked was a huge clue and the way she was dress was a massive one as well.  He could have swore he saw the combination somewhere. His memory went back to all his missions that required to attend noble balls and then all his female dance partners. He couldn't place it anywhere but there was something off. Then, there was the time when he looked at her from a certain angle-towering over her; her face was super familiar like he actually danced with her before. Yet, he couldn't figure who she was. He had this odd feeling in his chest hoping she was someone he knew in the past.  

He watched her as she finished placing his things into the box. He could easily see that she had taken care of them with grace. The way she organized them, the way she smoothly stood up- were signs of her nobility. He was clearly surprise why a woman like her lived among these parts of the island. She clearly was born under a noble house hold but his mind was aimlessly making up ideas of why she lived here than think the obvious. Like her family threw her out of the house, or she lived on her own as a noble and wanted adventure. His mind was dodging the idea of her running away- just like him.

Yet, it changed the time she spoke, “The proper name is [Name] Clinton” She slightly smiled as she walked towards him with the box in her hands, “You may have heard my name a lot- I don't really have a good reputation you know.”

The moment she said her name everything clicked. He did know her. He swore he could be smiling like an idiot right now. Not only was the woman in front of him someone he was thinking about for a year since he have met her- she was standing in front of him in the flesh. Despite all the rumours he heard about her around the island, she was the woman he couldn't get his eyes off the night of the stupid Prince Mark's ball. She was that innocent woman sitting by herself at a table. She was that woman who looked different amongst the whole noble women population. She was that woman he dance with – the one with the most grace he had ever seen. She was basically all in all- the woman he desired.

He knew at the time how stupid he was. He was on a mission but he was so distracted by her the entire time. He, at least, wanted to dance with her before he was to leave. So he took the courage to take a step on the dance floor despite Koala's protest. Even though, his decision effected the time limit of mission he didn't regret dancing with her. Not one bit.

He knew why Koala did what she did. He made a mental note to thank Koala later.

Sabo watched as [Name] place the box right beside him and took her own seat. He just couldn't believe his luck. He was so glad he took the week break he was offered after of non-stop work. He was even more glad when Koala had to do undercover work as a book keeper. What was he to do without her?

“Here, I did read them. I'm really sorry if they are personal or anything. Your brother seems like a great kid.”

Sabo tilted his head in question. It took a few seconds before he understood what she meant. He then knew- she thought it wasn't his but one of his brothers. As if it was written, he was maybe Ace or Luffy. Well, he didn't blame her- there were no descriptions, dates or anything to identify them. He purposely wrote them that way to prevent anyone to find out it was him. The only people who actually knew were Koala and Hack. He written those books only because he needed a stress reliever when he was a kid. Yet, he decided to publish them into a books only for his personal purposes. Yet, now they were in the hands of a woman he desired to know more about. He wanted so bad to correct her but he did really want to know exactly what she thought of him as a child subconsciously. He didn't want her to answer untruthfully if she had a bad impression about them. If she knew it was him, she could easily lie.

“Um..so what do you think about him?” Sabo asked unsure, “You did read all right?”

He watched as her eyes sparkle and with a smile; he swore his heart beated abnormally at the slight.

“I admire the boy. He has guts. He is someone I really hope I get to be friends with. It's embarrassing but he and I think a like even if I don't know him. He knew what it was like to live under a noble evil household full of pressure and no love. He just seems to understand what I had to go through the past 20 years of my life. Not, like anyone on this island. But this boy, he escaped it at the age of 10. I'm really jealous since as you get older it seems to gets tougher to escape. Yet, look at me now! A year later I'm free from my family's overruling torture. I just can't believe someone like him exists. It makes me feel more at ease.”

Sabo widely smile at this. His mind racing- thinking how much she really did seem like a dream come true.

But it didn't seem like she remembered him.