Chapter 65 - What the fu-?

AUTHOR'S NOTE: VERY IMPORTANT FOR THIS CHAPTER [rEaD It]

This chapter is going to work a bit differently and I will do my very best explaining how it works. Basically, all the bold italics you see this chapter are NOT thoughts but rather a flashback from a week and a half ago (the meeting between Nero and Leo). Due to the lack of other methods of differentiating text, I have to go down this route.

Essentially bold italics is Nero recalling the event and answering Aiden's question to the man at the same time (this is so it's word efficient). Any non-italics is present time (Nero/Aiden at the bar) and conversation during present time. I really didn't do a good job explaining this but hopefully, it'll make sense while you read it.

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POV: Nero

"...Your first question is what was his mood initially, while you guys were in the office?" Aiden asked quite enthusiastically which was very off-putting.

"Of course, you would go for the hardest one first. Well..."

It'd been five minutes and thirty one seconds since my boss sat in his designated seat, located on the other side of the table. For the past five minutes (soon turning six) all he did was stare at me with an unreadable expression. It was blank. So very blank.

I couldn't get a read on the guy and my fear from before multiplied by ten folds. I almost broke my blank mask and displayed the nervousness I was feeling. I began to overthink and spiral.

Aiden interrupted. "Wait so you couldn't get a read on the guy? You didn't know what his reaction was initially?"

"Nope. It stressed the shit out of me. A blank face is always worse than a clear look of anger in my opinion because at least, I'll be prepared to react back in a certain way."

"True, but eventually he talked right? What's the first thing he said?"

"Um, since it was me who said something first, the first thing he said was a response to my question."

To break the stalemate (for my sanity), I asked one of the many questions that had been running through my mind ever since I left the bank. "Are you uh, ok? I mean, did you get hurt after... all... that?"

The other man remained eerily silent for a while longer, making me all fidgety. At that point, I wanted nothing more than to smash the windowpanes and free-fall to my death. Maybe do a couple of aerial tricks to make it a bit more majestic death. "I am perfectly fine. You did a fine job in protecting everyone," Leo finally said with his baritone voice. He was still unreadable and I was basically losing my mind.

"God is this guy trying to pull off Mr. mysterious? That's your thing. You should tell him to stop stealing your thing." Aiden seemed weirdly passionate. He even smacked his empty glass onto the marble top to show his upset.

"It's not my thing Assden," I eye rolled my eyes, "I don't try to be mysterious. I just have a lot of secrets."

"How very mysterious. Anyway, what's next? How did the rest of the conversation go?"

"Um, yeah that's good." I inwardly cringed at the awkward response but cut me some slack. My head was throbbing due to anxiety, stress and fatigue. "So why did you call me up here?"

Leo just rose his eyebrows. "I think we all know why I called you up here."

"By all, do you mean this entire building or just us or...?"

"I think you also know the answer to that as well."

I gave up. Being cautious and anxious around the guy was going to kill me before we even got to the point of the conversation. Words suddenly just streamed out of my mouth. "Yeah look, I'm trying to drag out the conversation so we don't get to the point and you miraculously get a call notifying you that you must attend a random gala at the last minute so I can escape this conversation and then go back home and freak out about how now someone else other than Aiden knows my identity and cry about how I'm going to be judged by you and now you're going to see me in a negative light and I really shouldn't care about your approval but I do and it sucks ass. So can I like to run out of the room now before continuing further embarrassing myself because I have the inability to shut the fuck up? The option of death is really looking tasty right now."

By the time I was done with my word vomit, I was panting, I was red everywhere on my body and I was looking everywhere but at him. When I said I give up, I didn't literally mean baring my soul to the infatuation like an idiot. But it happened.

Aiden had fallen off the barstool and was literally ROFLing. It was embarrassing but considering we were around hammered people, it was just another day at the bar. I, on the other hand, wanted nothing more but to stomp on his stomach. Repeatedly. This was exactly why I didn't want to tell him of that day. "Aiden, are you going to forget that you did the same thing, if not worse, like the other day? Where all you did was touch his hand and look into his eyes?"

That got him to shut up real quick and in a flash, he was back on his stool and covering my mouth to stop me from saying any more. His cheeks were dusted with pink, bringing a chuckle out of me. "Speak no matter of this you demon–"

"Actually I am not the demon. I just have the demon within me..." I interrupted. This was a very important fact. People get it confused all the time.

Aiden pinched my forearm in retaliation. "Shut up Nero. What happened next?"

"Stop interrupting me then Assden."

Leo finally broke his non-emotional mask when his lips twitched upwards and his eyes lit up in amusement. I wanted to kiss it off his face.

Punch. Punch it off his face.

Nice to know he found my pain and suffering so entertaining. What a dick. He managed to prevent his lips from curling into a beaming smile. "Someone else knows your identity? Who?"

What the fuck?

"WHAT THE FUCK?" it seemed I couldn't hold it in. "Out of ALL of that, THAT'S what you picked up on?" instead of how I admitted your opinion mattered or if you hated me, I'd cry, which kind of gave away that I may have a thing for you slightly.

"Well I picked on the other things too but this is much more important."

"What? Why?"

"Just is."

"Did you want to know first? Do you have some sort of superiority complex?" Yeah, the verbal filter had been trashed and incinerated. "Do you need to know who knew the secret first?"

"Nero..." Leo vocalised in a low, grating voice.

Screw jumping, this man would kill me first before I could even take the first step towards the window. "What? It's a genuine question. I feel like everything else I said is so much more important. Blackmail worthy even."

The CEO sighed, "No, I do not have a superiority complex. I'm just a curious man."

And one hell of a man he was. What I wouldn't do to just jump up and wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist and– god, not having any sort of brain filter was so relieving yet so shameful at the same time. I was NOT mentally prepared for any of this. I just wanted to be an average office worker man, grabbing no one's attention. "I'm sure you're bound to find out sooner or later who it is."

"Huh? Why is that?"

"... Alright whatever. Erwin. Erwin fucking Fonzo found out first."

Somehow, that was the wrong answer because Leo stood out of his chair (scaring the shit out of me) and slammed his hands on the wood desk (scaring the shit out of me twice in a row). He leaned forward and looked at me with a very annoyed expression. "ERWIN knew?"

I scratched my head and slightly leaned away in fear (as much as I could while sitting on a very comfortable leather chair) but to also avoid a potential boner because damn that man looks just as good up close as afar. "Uh, is there a right answer to this that won't get you to nearly jump at me again?"

Leo was perplexed at my question. "I­– uh, the truth?"

"Then yes, he knew first."

"And he didn't TELL me? That's like breaking major bro code."

"We told him not to tell you, or anyone. I think we threatened to cut off his balls otherwise but that might've just been in my head. Regardless, the bro code is a no-code in this situation."

"A no code? Really?" Aiden gave a disappointed look as he interrupted.

"Listen, my brain was completely and utterly fried and I had no support because I certain someone backstabbed me and fed me to the sharks with their own hands, all by myself."

"And he calls me dramatic." Aiden was meant to mumble this to himself but failed tremendously so I punched his arm.

"Right," Leo still looked as if he found his dad sleeping with Leo's girlfriend. It was kind of funny. "So then how did he find out? Did you guys tell him?"

I scoffed. "Of course fucking not. Why the fuck would I tell him first out of all people? He found out completely accidentally. I don't know if he told you but he was at a party where there was a bomb threat. It was me and Aiden who stopped that from happening. We found out about it at the last minute so we couldn't prepare another identity or mask so I had to go into the party bare-faced to get the least suspicion on me. Blend into the crowd. Anyway, the dumbass – Aiden – checked the guest list but didn't realise that Erwin Fonzo was a name I knew so he told me there was no one there we knew. Jokes on us I guess. If that dumb bitch listened to me instead of being a prideful idiot, he would've known we met the guy but noooo, he had to be a little shit. So yeah, he found out completely unintentionally. Aiden and I wanted to stab ourselves after that night. It seems when it comes to impromptu, we're really bad at it. I mean first the birthday bash and now the robbery dash."

Covell couldn't hold it in anymore and chuckled loudly at what I said. Or maybe at me. Probably at me. "Robbery dash? Birthday bash? Since when did you turn into cat in the hat?"

"Ay, that had a nice ring to it. Might put that line in my next single."

The chuckling turned into laughing and soon, both of us are laughing at each other like madmen.

"You guys have both gone crazy. The joke wasn't even that funny. Also, it was completely unnecessary to call me all those names. It was a mistake on both our parts."

I smacked Aiden on the back of his head. "It was completely and utterly your fault and you know it. You deserved all that name-calling."

"Whatever, look, we're kind of running out of time here, so can you like fast forward and tell me if he commented on your alter ego? Are you fired?"

"It's not an alter–"

"Yeah, yeah just answer the damn question."

"Demanding shit," I mumbled under my breath.

"So... surprise?" Yeah, I had no idea what the fuck to say.

Leo let out an amused snort. "Yeah, quite the surprise indeed. Although..."

"...Although what?"

"I've had my suspicions."

I was baffled. Utterly shook. Totally stumped. "What the fuck..."

"Is that all you're going to say today?"

"What do you mean you had your suspicions?"

"... I guess that's better."

"Shut up." I pouted and immediately felt childish but that wasn't gonna stop me.

"But I thought you wanted an explanation?" The playful smile on his face should NOT be allowed. Or at least, it shouldn't make him look good.

"Mr. Covell, please."

"Mr. Covell? God, I haven't heard that in a long time from your mouth. Call me by my designated to nickname and then I'll spill."

"Can you stop being a child for two seconds?" This man got me from stressed to crazy to confused to frustrated and crazy in like three seconds. The whiplash was going to break my neck.

"How about... no."

The fact that he still wanted me to use the nickname took half the weight off my shoulder. He didn't hate or at the very least, was willing to hear me out. "... Nardo, why did you suspect me out of millions of people?"

Leo's kiddish smile grew wider and made all the embarrassment of using the name worth it. "A lot of things kind of pointed towards you."

"A lot of... things?"

"Circumstantial evidence. Nothing incriminating per se."

"Such as...?"

"Well, one would be your phone. I've noticed how you have an iPhone one day and an android the next. It first caught my attention the day we went to that restaurant for the meeting with Murphy. When I caught you in the hall, you had the white android but while in the car, you were texting with an iPhone. Suspicions right there. The android also matches up with the one time the night knight used during the second run in."

"... Right well, I can see how that would be kind of odd. But it's not enough for having suspicions about me. Purely coincidence."

"Which leads to my next point. The timing with Murphy seemed too coincidental to be by chance. You mention his dodgy background and within 24 hours, the man is exposed and taken away by the one and only. The timing was too perfect to ignore."

"I see what you mean by pure circumstantial evidence..."

"There's more. There's the other coincidence where you always have a band-aid over the same place where the vigilante's mark grows and pulses. Don't think I didn't notice that. And finally, the overlapping with shadow manipulation and the demon's magic. They're both dark so one can cover-up the other. Needless to say, they all put you under the limelight but I don't have anything to prove it. Also, I feel like this is an important thing to mention but the encounter with Boris got me very annoyed because I had to stay even longer in the office which cut down my free time where I would be playing with the love of my life, Timmy. The Shiba was very heartbroken that night and I demand an apology."

"... well, I'm shocked." And I was. To think I was that careless and obvious around an observative person put me to shame. "Why didn't you confront me on it then? You can read people and I know I would've slipped if I was caught off guard. I am also very humbly sorry for restricting you from playing with your dog. Wait, where was the dog the night I was at your house?"

"I thought about it," he said contemplatively, "but it's not my style to confront without hard evidence. Plus, I just assumed it was wishful thinking. Something I wanted to happen. You had your reasons but it does bother me you lied about your Oddity on official company documents. That is technically illegal. Timmy was in the VET by the way. He had a very ill tummy."

"Please, don't think you're special. I lied to the fucking government and told them I have shadow manipulation as my Oddity. So technically, your official docs are correct as it's in line with their docs. I hope Timmy is alright now." Are we seriously having two different conversations right now?

His mouth dropped open and his eyes widened in shock. "Blimey, that's government level illegal. How the bloody hell did you get away with that and why did you do it?" Timmy had been forgotten. You will be missed my pup.

"Eh, it's easy to fool the eyes of the incompetent and as to why... that's a pretty long story that I'm not going to delve into. Just know, it worked out at the end for me and Aiden since they couldn't exactly track me as devil user technically didn't exist."

"Hell... that's why you were so against the police back then and it also explains your cryptic pleads from earlier. Nothing illegal that'll affect the company huh..."

"Yeah... so technically we're criminals in that sense but since we're doing the right thing, it kind of gets complicated

"Shit..."

And then silence. The uncomfortable type. I was quick to break it this time (instead of letting it drag on). "So, am I fired? Do you hate me?"

Surprisingly, Leo looked at me softly. "I never hated you, Nero. In both... personas? Is that what that is?"

"I... don't know if it's personas..." I looked down on my lap and fidgeted with my fingers. "They're both me. One is just expressed more than the other depending on the circumstances but they're definitely both me."

The softness remained. "In that case, I've never hated you full stop. And probably won't ever. I'm just... confused about how I should go about this or what I should think. That's why I'm asking no, pleading you to tell me the backstory or the context behind... why you do what you do and how you do what you do. Just some sort of context. So I can form an opinion of my own. As for whether you're fired or not, probably not but I still would like to listen to the full backstory before I decide on that, considering how you're technically a criminal."

His words had no harsh or ill intent behind them. It was purely from the heart and out of genuine curiosity. All I wanted was to explain myself, properly. Maybe not this soon but eventually. And he allowed that. I didn't know why I was so adamant about explaining myself since usually, I wouldn't care what others thought of me or my actions. But this man tended to make me do the opposite of the usual. Furthermore, the fact that he admitted he didn't hate me broke the final wall I was building around me and soon, I was telling him everything he wanted to know.

"So you told him... everything?" Aiden downed the last of his beer as he leaned against the bar.

"Not everything. Nothing about my childhood or whatnot. Just how my childhood did fuck me over emotionally and turned me into a cold-hearted bastard, before you kind of changed that. I just told him about what we do and how we do it. Essentially, it was what we told Erwin, except I also explained to him that I'm a bit cold-hearted when it comes to people and won't hesitate to kill somebody if needed."

"How'd he take that?" Worry flashed through Aiden's eyes before he hid it away behind the glass cup.

"I mean he took it well I guess. He said he didn't know the context so he can't judge it for himself but he said he trusts me enough to know it's for no reason and that something bad must've happened to get me to that point." My cheeks warmed up again as I recalled the words again.

"Well isn't that adorable? What a lovely gentlemen. To think rich people like him still exist in the world. They're too perfect to exist if I'm being honest. I wish I had a boss like that. Someone not like the dipshit I currently work under."

"You guys are just childish. Half your fights are petty as shit."

"Shut up. I don't judge your fights. You don't judge mine. So then we can assume you guys are still friends and you're not fired?"

"You can assume correctly. I just told him to tell the law enforcement that he never knew if I ever got caught. I still want to work MegCorp and this seemed to be the best way to go about it. He was surprisingly against it at first, saying how I shouldn't take the brunt of it or whatnot, but I told him that it's my fault to begin with and he wasn't even meant to find out. So just act like it was before you knew. He agreed to it eventually."

"That's great news," Aiden cheered, "I'm still pissed he knows but at least you get to keep your friend and keep growing your love for him. After this, I'm sure your friendship is going to be a lot closer. A big win if you tell me."

My face heated up further. "I'm not in love with him! There's nothing to grow, I shout out, before quietly saying, "but yeah, I'm glad he doesn't hate me and we can still remain friends." And Aiden was right. After that meeting, we did end up getting closer. He initiated a conversation with me the next morning and since then, we've been texting back and forth every day. We've even had a couple of calls together (I fell out of bed when I heard his voice just he woke up. I also jerked off to it afterwards but minor details). I only saw him twice after that day but each time, we'd greet each other and have friendly banter. Coincidentally, Leah was there in the distance both times, sending daggers into my head with her cat eyes.

Needless to say, I was in a much happier place now that some of the burdens of my secrets had been lifted by a single man.

Shaking the thoughts out of my head, I finally brought the attention back to the club and the reason for the attendance of said club. "Now that I've explained my story, you explain why on earth we're here in our usual stakeout gear."

Aiden gave a determined smile as he confidently slid off the barstool to stand in front of me. "That's because my friend, we're going to be spies tonight. And would you look at that, you asked at the right time. It's showtime, my friend." Aiden turned his head towards a table at the back of the room, where there were only dim lights illuminating the place. I turned my head in the same direction to find his eyes targeted on one table with very rich looking but dodgy-looking occupants. Their suits and aura screamed the underground.

Without looking at Aiden, I stated, "They're the mafia." There was no question in my tone. There didn't need to be. You don't need to know them personally to know who they were or what they were. Their vibe did it for them.

The electro user looked back at me with a cheeky but knowing smile. "It's time to do our jobs again, my friend."

I looked around to see that the table was not alone. They've brought their friends, who were blending in with the crowd but guarding the occupants of the special table.

Oh boy, this was going to be a long night.