Mind Games

Chapter 7

I walked down a long hallway with the man who introduced himself as Kaneki Ken. I received several glares on the way through, causing me to second guess his reassuring words back when we were on the street.

"I thought you said we'd be safe" I questioned, brushing past a Ghoul who scowled menacingly at me.

"Well, you're relatively safe..."

I rolled my eyes, focusing on Kaneki's back instead of the Ghouls we were passing.

Finally, we stopped in front of a darkly stained wood door. Kaneki knocked on it, waiting patiently until a person on the other side of the door gave us the go ahead.

Kaneki pushed open the door just enough to let us slip in, closing the door gently behind us.

"Who is she?"

I looked to the corner of the room to see a teenager shrouded in darkness. His blue eyes pierced my green eyes, pupils searching for any intentions I may have had.

I held my head high and stared back, "My name is Araki Hira."

"And what is she doing here?" he asked, standing up and looking to Kaneki.

"I found her on the street, she has nowhere to go-"

"Then why bring her here? We don't have the room to accommodate strays..." he glared in my direction.

"I am not a stray."

"You sure as hell look like one."

"Speak for yourself. You look and act like a junior high school kid who skips math class."

He scoffed, "And what does that make you, short shit? A grade schooler?"

A growl rose up from my throat. Kaneki stepped in between us as a sort of mediator.

"I don't believe you can decide whether she leaves or stays, Ayato" Kaneki said softly.

"Yeah, but I can put my two cents worth in..."

"Your two cents isn't worth shit" I spat, watching Ayato tense up with rage.

"I'd be careful if I were you... People around here aren't as forgiving."

"It's a good thing you aren't me then." I crossed my arms and stared him down as best I could considering I was quite a bit shorter than him.

"It'd be pretty smart of you to keep that big mouth of yours shut" he growled. He stepped up to me, glowering down at me. His chest was inches away from mine as if he were trying to intimidate me.

I eyed him skeptically. What exactly would he do to me? What I lack in height, I make up in speed and accuracy.

"That's enough. Both of you" Kaneki spoke calmly, pushing Ayato away from me.

He turned to Kaneki, looking over at me through the corner of his eye. The expression on his face displayed the confliction he must have been feeling. I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow, a smug look gracing the delicate features of my face.

"What?" I asked, taking pleasure in watching Ayato purse his lips as he debated whether or not it was a good idea to start a fight with me while Kaneki was in the room.

Kaneki grabbed Ayato's arm and turned him away before he looked over his own shoulder and spoke to me, "Araki, we'll be back a little later with the answer to your current predicament..."

He pushed Ayato toward the door from which we came previously, leaving me alone to the dark shadows and eerie silence of the small room.