Money.
The world works on it.
Without money you are nothing in this world.
With money you can be anything you want.
His eyes were blurry as the worlds sounds came back to him. Or rather..the lack of sounds. The lack of his teachers voice.
He raised his head from the desk and looked upwards, blinking a few times so his vision would focus.
''Am I really that boring to you, Ayato?'' – He said. –''Do you find these lectures unneeded?''
''..No..sir.'' – Ayato tried to sink back into his chair..or rather he wished to disappear as everyone's eyes focused on him at that moment.
''Oh really? I'm serious, if you don't want to listen to me, you can go right ahead and exit this class.''
''No..sir.'' – Ayato answered in a quiet voice. –''..I'm sorry for falling asleep.''
The class chuckled.
The teacher sighed. –''Don't play games so late and everything will be fine.''
''Yes..sir.'' – Ayato said and brought his head lower.
The class chuckled once again as the teacher continued his lecture.
Ayato's eyes were refusing to keep open as he tried to concentrate on the teacher.
..
As the classes ended, Ayato quickly left the school. It went without troubles and no one bothered him, but something caught his eyes. The schools most beautiful girl was walking with one of the three perverts.
''..That's odd.'' – He thought to himself but threw it out of his mind. He looked at his trusty, old-school Casio watch and noted that he had twenty minutes to get to his part time job.
A few minutes passed and he turned into his apartment complex. His apartment was on the second floor. He took the keys out of his pocket and unlocked the doors in a rather awkward motion.
The doors opened with a creek and his half empty, half messy room was pulled into the view. Ayato dropped his bag by his small desk and quickly pulled off his clothes.
He pulled on the black uniform pants and went into the bathroom. He washed his face at the sink.
He looked upwards, staring at his own reflection. Ayato had average facial features. He had black, dull eyes that had blue rings below them and black, messy hair. His demeanor was rather calm and distant for the most time.
He slapped himself a few times, in hopes of slapping away the tiredness. He used an old towel and wiped his face, as he went outside of the bathroom.
He threw on a white shirt and a vest and when his black shoes were on, he quickly moved outside, to lock his doors and go.
As the doors locked with a metallic sound, he heard a voice.
He turned and looked upwards.
''You're 5 days late on your rent, kid.'' – He said and crossed his arms over his chest as he looked at Ayato with his condescending gaze.
He was the manager of the building...his name had fallen out of Ayato's mind.
''...I will bring it.''
''When?''
''..Tomorrow..''
He snickered. –''Tomorrow..what?''
''Tomorrow, sir.'' – Ayato answered, spitting the ''sir'' part over his lips.
The manager turned to walk away.
Ayato sighed. –''..Asshole.''
The cafe where Ayato worked was located in a 5 minute-walk distance from his apartment, and thus he got to it in no time.
He had made it in time and began to serve customers, taking orders in his usual, calm and passive demeanor.
The cafe was a small, homely place that Ayato found by coming to eat and do homework at. He served a few customers, some of the usuals who even greeted him.
It was after school time, and thus, the small cafe was bustling with people. He heard the door chime as some more people were coming in, but he didn't really look in their direction until one of the other serving girls spoke up.
''Ayato, can you seat them?'' –She spoke, as they passed each other.
Ayato nodded without a word and moved towards the entrance.
''Welcome to-'' – Ayato was about to say the usual greeting, but his voice cut off when his eyes went up to the two people who had arrived. –''..REPLY.''
The girl's blue eyes looked at Ayato while the other man's dark brown widened a bit.
It was Issei Hyoudou and Rias Gremory...on what seemed like a date. Both of them were a bit taller than Ayato and looked down at him slightly.
''Ayato, you work here?'' – Issei asked, knowing his name from the fact that they were classmates.
''Mhm.'' – He responded and gestured to the side. –''..Come. I'll show you to your seats. Closer to the end or wherever?''
''..Somewhere quieter.'' – The Gremory responded.
Ayato nodded and lead them to a desk at the deeper side of the cafe, without saying a word more.
As he walked back, having taken their orders, the same girl he worked with grabbed his wrist.
''..Was that The Rias Gremory with a boy?''
Ayato nodded and pulled his arm away, seemingly uninterested in the happening.
...
The day went without a hitch, if you excluded the fact that Issei and Gremory had a date. It had gotten late and he was walking home. Most people didn't really notice him as he blended in with the crowd, making himself even smaller because he was slouching his back.
When he arrived at his apartment, he noticed that the doors to his apartment were open and he knew for sure that he had locked them.
He understood on the spot who it was. He slammed the doors open and walked inside. As soon as the small corridor ended and his room came into the view, he noticed the shadows lumping over it.
''..'Bout time.'' – A man in a suit spoke up. A dark black, elegant suit with white buttons and a white shirt underneath. He was sitting in Ayato's only chair.
Ayato's eyes pulled narrower and he began to sweat. His heart began to race. Without the main man, 4 other tall and big looking men were inside the small room.
''A small, 1 room apartment. After school you go to a part time job to scrape up a bit of money to eat and pay the rent. Ain't that cute?'' – The man spoke in a low-pitch voice. –''That means your step-parents aren't giving you any money, huh? Tough luck, kid.''
''..I don't want their fucking money, Masaru.'' – Ayato responded, calling the man by his name.
''It's been what, 4 months since you moved and changed schools? How has life been treating you?'' –He asked, with a voice that didn't sound interested.
''Like always.'' – Ayato gave him a short answer, like he always did. It was a habit he had – to answer as short as he could.
''..I've been bored, you know. You haven't visited me once ever since.'' – Masaru chuckled.-''Besides...I have a job for you.''
Ayato froze up and made a ''che'' sound.
''What? Don't tell me you've forgotten the big debt your parents left when they died?'' – He chuckled, while Ayato's palms pulled into fists.
Ayato didn't respond.
''..Haha. Some dog forgot their spot in some things...besides. He too owes me some money. If you...rough him up a bit..I will pull some cash off the debt and give you some to spend.''
''...How much money?'' – Ayato asked in a silent voice.
''50000 yen.'' – He responded and smiled. – ''Besides, I would assume his place has some money there as well.''
Ayato quickly calculated things in his mind. He needed the money...with it he could pay the rent and buy some better food...besides, he needed new shoes.
''..Greed over everything? Wasn't that your saying?'' – Ayato asked as he clicked his tongue. –''I'll do it. Wouldn't be the first time, right?''
The man named Masaru got up from the chair and towered over Ayato. Ayato didn't look upwards.
''Haha.''- He laughed and put his long hand on Ayato's head.– ''I left the address and other info on your table. I simply knew you would accept...because you are just like me.''
He pulled his hand off Ayato's head, put both of his arms in his pockets and walked off, leaving Ayato standing in the middle of his room, motionless.
When he heard the doors close he fell face first into his bed. He put an alarm for an hour later and closed his eyes, falling asleep instantly.
...
Ayato was standing on a rooftop, looking down on an apartment complex. He was wearing an old, worn out dark blue hoodie, black, well fitting pants and worn out sneakers. The hoodie that was pulled over his head, together with his messy hair, covered his face pretty well.
As he stood and waited, he heard police car sirens in the distance...and then he saw a dark car pull in by the street. The drivers side doors opened and out stepped an average sized man who quickly looked in every direction, seemingly paranoid about someone following him.
The man sighed when he was sure that no one was following him and he went up the ladders, to his apartment. It was the third floor. He opened the doors, looked around once again and entered.
Ayato, onlooking from his vantage point sighed. ''..Look upwards next time, idiot.''
He quickly turned around and went down the ladders on the side of the building. It wasn't some manga for him to jump off the roof or anything like that. He moved over the street and up the apartment complex stairs.
He slowly touched the door handle and pushed down on it. The doors didn't budge. He sighed again. He stepped back and felt his heartbeat raise trough the roof. He inhaled and exhaled deeply.
''...Fuck.'' – He said to himself and kicked the door in. They opened with a bang as he kicked the lock.
He quickly stepped in, noting the darkness. As he stepped trough the corridor, only the moonlight illuminated the room. He looked over it, not seeing anyone. Complete silence enveloped him as moved forwards trough the room. It was a basic living room with a sofa in the middle of it.
As he reached the middle point of the room, going towards one of the doors he heard footsteps behind him.
He launched himself to the side, as a knife slashed by his hood.
His heartbeat became even louder and faster, now seemingly beating in his ears as adrenaline made his arms shake. He raised them and stepped backwards.
The man smiled with the knife extended in front of him. ''Who sent you? The goddamn yakuza? Or was it the other guys?''
Ayato didn't answer as he had now stepped back, near a desk. His eyes flickered downwards for a second and looked back up into the man's eyes. It was just that moment that let Ayato recognize where the vase was located.
In a instant he grabbed it and threw it at the man in front of him. The vase shattered against the wall as the man swiped his arm sideways, but in that exact moment Ayato had charged. His arms went up as he grabbed into the mans wrists. The man tried to force the knife lower, but Ayato's strength surprised the man for a second, as Ayato headbutted him in the jaw. He stumbled back and the knife slid out of his hands and hit the wood floor with a clang.
Ayato knee'd the man in the stomach a time or two before he was pushed off. Without thinking he threw a punch that was dodged and he was hit in the face.
He stumbled backwards and dodged a hit, completely focused on the fight. He quickly stepped to the man's side and punched him in the ribs.
As soon as he leaned down in pain, Ayato punched him the side of his head. Twice.
In that moment, the man dropped his guard and was pushed against the wall. Ayato punched him in the stomach a time or three.
The man of course fell to his knees. Now, Ayato grabbed his collar and pulled it upwards.
''Masao doesn't forget.'' – He said as he pushed his head against the wall behind him. A loud thud echoed over the empty room. –''...You were made by him. Because of him.''
Ayato punched him in the nose and it cracked, releasing a rather bone freezing sound, but he didn't fumble or mind it. His mind was on autopilot after all.
''...Remember it.'' – He said and smacked him in the face again, this time blood spurted over his arm. –''..Because he will take everything from you.''
He was holding the man by the collar, with his bloody fist raised when he sensed that someone was watching him. He turned his head sideways and noticed that the door to the next room was open just a little bit. Trough the small opening, a single eye was taking a peek on what was happening. The single eye was so low, that Ayato had to assume it was the man's child.
The eye disappeared as soon they made eye contact and Ayato heard quiet footsteps moving back. The adrenaline rush suddenly bursted and Ayato's numb calmness fell back. His arms began to shake and he released the man. He fell to the ground with a thud.
Ayato, with shaking hands reached into the unconscious man's jacket's inner pockets and took out his wallet. He quickly opened it, and with awkward movement, he fished out the yen bills that were in it. A few thousand at least. He dropped the walled and turned around.
Ayato had to run.
He quickly exited the apartment and ran trough the nearby park. He hid his bloody knuckles into his hoodie's pocket.
He walked trough the crowd, trying to blend it. His legs felt wobbly as he walked. Most likely because he understood that the scene he had shown to the kid had forever damaged him.
He didn't hear any cop cars or anything of the sorts, however a few people looked back at him, which he found weird. As soon as he arrived to his apartment, his adrenaline plummeted entirely and he began to feel pain on his face.
Once inside, he found an envelope on the desk – the money he was promised.
He threw off his hoodie and his shirt, both of which were soaked in sweat and he went into the bathroom.
He looked into the mirror. His own face stared back at him, only difference from usual was his purplish eye and the blood that was flowing down his face, coming from the lip. He touched it and grouched in pain. He stared back at his own black, dull eyes. His eyes traced downwards, at his own body. He was rather muscular...but that was because of the training. Training he had done to grow stronger.
Ayato touched his shoulder. The shoulder, around which a single color tattoo stretched over it, from his bicep, over to his shoulder, and over to his shoulder blade, on the left side of his body.
It was a snake that was wrapping trough a colorless, crumbling skull that was on his bicep, moving upwards around his arm. The snake's tongue was out of it's mouth as it was showing off it's fangs.
..The tattoo proved his part in the yakuza. The yakuza that was run by the same man who had ran his father and mother into their graves, leaving him with a debt bigger than he could ever wish to repay.
And thus, he had to do as the man asked of him. So he had trained.
''...Hahahaha...I'm no better than the bastard.''
Ayato laughed and turned around, decided that he needed a shower to wash off the sweat and filth.
...
The next morning came. Ayato stepped outside of his apartment as the manager was waiting for him. Ayato's was with his back as he locked the doors. He turned around and looked at the manager who was..disturbed for a second.
Over Ayato's left eye was an medical eyepatch while his lip was dry and had a black spot, obviously ripped by trauma.
He smiled and extended an envelope to him.
''Rent.'' – He said and when the manager took the money, he turned to walk to school.
To live – it means to steal.
To live – it means to become strong.
And thus – he stole.
Yo. It's the writer of ''Broken Wings''. This is an experiment I want to do with an OC. Most people write over powered, strong, tall and handsome OC's who can swoon Issei's harem like no one else. Well.
This OC is weak and far from a handsome lady's man. And yes, looks wise - he is like Ayato from Tokyo Ghoul. I simply wrote the look and then I used a name I've liked since forever - and the OC, on a coincidence, basically looks like Ayato from TG. Welp, who cares.
As expected from me - he is with his mental baggage and suffering.
Issei in this story, together with the other girls, will be quite relevant.
I will probably update this with sporadic intervals, don't expect too much from this.