Zero - A Vigilante Deku Story

Chapter 14 - Welcome to my humble abode.

POV Zero

He had leaned forward and was holding onto the two front seats. The car ride was interesting. The feeling of getting through the city so fast in broad daylight, and then right above the ground, was unfamiliar. It was a completely new perspective.

Eraser's gaze met his through the rear-view mirror. "Everything okay?"

Zero noticed the proximity to the underground hero and pulled back a little. He wanted to reply with a nod, but Eraser was already concentrating on the thickening traffic again. He cleared his throat. "Yes. Sorry if I distracted you, it's just..."

"It's just what?"

Zero fiddled with the hem of his hoodie. "I've never driven in a car before."

Eraser scrutinized him through the mirror. The hero had that melancholy expression on his face again which the teenager couldn't place. "Do you like it?"

"Yes," he replied slowly, "a new perspective."

"Something else I wanted to tell you ... When we're not in class, it's okay to call me Shouta. During class, it would be Aizawa-sensei. It's important not everyone has a face to go with my hero name. You understand that, right?"

"Yes." Zero didn't know yet if he could bring himself to call the man in front of him by his first name, but he would try.

"What should I call you?"

He tilted his head. "Zero," he answered hesitantly. The question confused him. Eraser had understood by now that he reacted badly to Null.

The hero looked a little disappointed, but he quickly hid it behind a neutral expression. "Fine, then I'll stick with Zero."

They spent the rest of the ride in silence. About ten minutes later, they reached the police station of the district where the vigilante had mainly patrolled. Shouta - even the thought felt strange - parked the car, got out and went to the back to open the door for him as well.

Zero looked at the building in front of him. He had a knot in his stomach. Would he really be allowed to just walk out of here like this later?

"Ready?"

He looked up at the man next to him. He smiled encouragingly at him.

"You'll stay with me the whole time?"

"Yes, I promise."

Zero took a deep breath. "Then we can go."

Together they entered the precinct. The vigilante looked around furtively. Various police officers were to be seen. Most of them greeted the underground hero briefly and wanted to continue on their way, but stopped as soon as they spotted Zero.

The boy pulled his head in and drew his wings towards him. He wanted to make himself as small as possible.

Shouta put his hand just under the base of his wings and pushed him forward. "It's okay," he whispered to him and they walked on.

Zero looked up at the man. It was tempting to let himself sink into that feeling of security the hero exuded. Could he really allow himself to do that? He was afraid of being betrayed. Zero had never had an ally before. Only now did he realize how much he longed for someone to be on his side, for him to ... no longer be alone.

Shouta nodded in greeting to those present and pushed Zero through the open entrance area of the station into a narrower corridor. At the end of it, they stopped in front of a door. The hero knocked and entered the room without waiting for an answer.

It was an office - not an interrogation room. Zero relaxed a little. Behind a chaotic-looking desk, Zero spotted a face he knew well. Detective Tsukauchi, the lead investigator on his case. The teenager swallowed nervously.