Ashleigh put down the tray a tired sigh escaping her lips. It had been a week since she moved to London and three days since she began working at Penny's Patisserie. She enjoyed it at the quaint, little café and had nestled in nicely and it was a real convenience having to only walk two blocks to work. But after the hustle and bustle of a busy Sunday afternoon she gladly welcomed the calm and quiet.

She looked around the well decorated room. Her eyes stopping at the booth in the back corner where a boy sat she hadn't seen him come in, and wondered how long he'd been there. He sat facing away from her, but from here she could see his black hair was messy and unkempt and that he wore a white long sleeved shirt and loose blue jeans with, surprisingly, No shoes on.

Not only that but he sat in a peculiar position crouching with his feet on the seat and his knees up by his chest as he hunched over looking at an array of paper and documents sprawled out in front of him a laptop open nearby at the ready. Odd seemed to be the only word to describe him.

"Hey Molly" she called gaining the attention of the girl on the opposite side of the counter "what's with the boy in the corner?" she ask nodding in his direction. Molly was a few years older than Ashleigh with shiny blond hair falling to her shoulders, blue eyes and a frilly white apron wrapped about her petite waist she was pretty and a strong cheery aura hung about her. She was quick to adopt Ashleigh as her new friend.

Molly followed her gaze towards the boy, recognition and understanding flashed through her eyes before she spoke. "He's a regular, always sits like that working on something or another, but we don't mind because he always orders a lot of cake" she paused for a moment before grinning "plus he's pretty cute" she gave Ashleigh a wink. Ashleigh continued to eye the boy she couldn't see his face so she would just have to take the blond girls word for it.

"Here" Ashleigh snapped her eyes from the boy and looked back to the blond girl, who now held out a plate with a delicate looking cake coated with fluffy cream and a bright red strawberry sitting on the top. There was no doubt about it, this small café hidden away in one of the many branches of streets had the most delicious cakes in all of England, and perhaps the world.

I was about to take this over to him but you can do it if you want. Then you can go on you break" the blond girl smiled cheerfully./p

"I don't really need a break" she answered reaching out taking the plate careful not to damage the cake. Despite the busy day she didn't feel the need to have a break, she enjoyed working at the small café the fresh smell of sweets and tea filled the air giving it warm homely feel. Although she hadn't been in this country long working here was something she treasured she wanted to stay as long as she could. And there was something satisfying about pushing through the hours.

"Don't be silly you have been working nonstop all day!" Molly exclaimed snapping Ashleigh from her wistful thoughts and nearly causing her to drop the cake she was trying so hard to preserve "You'll work yourself to death, your taking a break weather you want one or not" the girl demanded holding up a stern finger and placing her hand on her hip. It was an action not to be argued with.

"Here you can even have a cake as well" the girl quickly brought out a second cake identical to the first one placing it effortlessly on a plate holding it out for Ashleigh. A smile lifted to her lips as she took the plate carful to keep the cake evenly balanced. Ashleigh couldn't help but feel thankful having made Molly as a friend so quickly.

"Ok but only a quick one" Ashleigh compromised before walking towards the black haired boy a strawberry cake in each hand. She bit her bottom lip as she concentrated on keeping both cakes standing holding her as she watched them as they trembled slightly.

This was the first café she had ever worked in and the patisserie stocked amazing looking deserts that had so much detail, looking almost to perfect to eat. Molly had laughed at her the first day because of how she wobbled all over the place trying not to spill, drop or demolish anything. "Don't worry if you mess up" the girl had said "It'll come to you just don't try so hard" Ashleigh was a lot better than she had been at the start of the week but she had a duty of care while the cakes where in her custody and she would ensure they remained upright and faultless until they reached their destination.

Once at the table she placed the cake down in front of him careful not to put it on any of the papers sprawled out in front of him "here you go pal" she said lifting her hand back away sighing in relief that she'd made it here successfully.

He muttered back at her not even bothering to look up or even really taking much notice of her presence at all. She glared back at him. The least he could do is say a proper thank you, since she had to balance the cake all that distance just for him.

She couldn't see his face but from his frame was slim and no doubly he was tall. She took note of his jaggered fingernails concluding he was a nail biter. She could tell from his unkempt state that he didn't much care for appearances and the fact that he had his shoes off and feet on the seat showed he didn't much care what other thought... or held much respect for others.

The way he sat in generally was strange and she'd never really seen anyone take up this position before but she could guess but the way he never shifted his eyes from the paper and the way he held his thumb on his mouth it must help him concentrate.

Bringing her attention towards the paper ignoring her moral warning not to snoop she skimmed over some of the heading Official report, government, Evidence, police investigation, cold case, her eyes widened he was looking at what appeared to be a crime case.

She looked back to the boy pressing her lips firmly together he defiantly didn't look like any police or government agent, if he had stolen these documents he wouldn't come to a public place. Unless he was a complete idiot, she mulled over that possibility a moment, amused, Nah somehow she doubted that, plus Molly said he usually had papers like this so that would indicate he was allowed to have them which led to the more probably conclusion. she was 87% sure he was a detective of sorts despite his young age. But who was she to judge.

She took a look around the still quiet café before placing her own plate on the table and sitting across from him in the booth. After all Molly did suggest she have a break maybe she could have some fun with this peculiar stranger. She rested one elbow on the table placing her chin on it before picking up her spoon and knocking her cake on its side destroying its structure in one swift move. She found that if you toppled the cake over it became a lot easier to eat and you didn't have to worry about keeping it standing because it was already on its side.

She scooped a bit of the cream up placing it in her mouth savouring the soft sweet texture in her on her tongue as she watched the boy before her hiding behind his black hair, she began contemplating his name and occupation.

"Can I help you?" his bored, uninterested voice broke her out of her own thoughts. He still hadn't looked at her. She was surprised he noticed her at all with the intensity of his concentration.

"I was just wondering what your name was" she smiled even though he made no motion to look at her whilst putting a sincere politeness in her voice that had contrasted his.

"Ryuga" the name seemed to slide off his tongue way to easily and she narrowed her eyes at him she was always good at telling when someone was lying to her and she'd always hated it. But having an alias was common for detectives better make that 94% sure.

"What's your real name?" she asked a bit more coldly taking another bite of her cake blissfully enjoying the perfect balance of vanilla and strawberry.

-

Ryuga's eyes widened in surprise what's your real name? He repeated the question in his head. He had been well aware of the girl being there but hadn't taken much notice of her. In fact he had been getting a little irritated by her presence but now she had his attention, something that was rare.

He looked up from his work to the girl inspecting her for the first time. Thick chocolate brown hair was hastily held back in a ponytail. Deep blue eyes stared back at him and even with makeup on he could still distinguish the small dark circles under each one, she obviously had trouble sleeping.

She had on a white button up shirt the letters PP stitched in cursive writing on the left breast indicating she worked here but he had never seen her before so he was right to assume she was new. There wasn't anything to specific about her she was a little difficult to read but she looked to be an average girl. He watched as a playful smirk rested on her lips it was as if she knew something he didn't which irritated him.

"What makes you think that isn't my real name?" he asked narrowing his eyes at her considering the small possibility's he had been compromised.

-

Ashleigh smirked to herself proud to have gained the boys attention. She thought he was quite ordinary looking his face was nicely shaped he had dark eyes with bags under them from lack of sleep, but she was still uncertain as to why that would be, work?, Insomnia?, Nightmares?, Too soon to tell. But she supposed that in a certain light he could be considered attractive, as Molly had suggested.

-

Ryuga watched as her eyes scanned over his features examining him much like he was her it was a strange feeling one he wasn't used too, and he didn't much like it. He was surprised when she let out a light chuckle scrunching her nose as she did so "I can just tell your lying" she spoke casually. He hadn't noticed before but now that he paid attention her Australian accent was clear.

"I see". He considered her words carefully before picking up his spoon scooping up the cake she had brought to him and placing it on his tongue enjoying the sweet sugary taste as it rolled around his mouth much like his thoughts rolling around his head. He had told that name numerous times to various people and no one had ever been able to tell he was lying. He was intrigued "What was your name?" he asked in return.

"As if I'd tell you my name if you won't tell me yours" She pouted childishly crossing her arms.

"I could just ask one of you colleagues" he stated unaffected.

"Not if I swore them to secrecy" She pointed a spoon at him, to this he raised his eyebrow at her.

"Did you?" she let out a small smile.

"No" she stated shrugging and he immediately sweat dropped at her answers. She was just playing games with him. What was the point of that? This whole convocation had proved to be pointless. And to top it off he was still trying to figure out why she had sat there in the first place.

"Its Ashleigh" she answered after watching him a moment longer decided to put him out of his misery and popping the last bit of cake into her mouth. She took one more look to the documents and decided she was sure he must be a detective. But the jingling sound of the door opening gained her attention and she watched as a group of customers walked in. break time was over.

She stood up and he watched her "you should take another look at this picture, something's wrong" she pointed to a single photo amongst the chaos of pictures before walking away "it was nice talking to you detective Ryuga" she called out over her shoulder a amused smirk on her lips before making her way to new customers.

She called him a detective. She wasn't wrong but he hadn't expected that, no one had surprised him so much in a short matter of minutes. There was something strange about her he couldn't put his finger on it. He dismissed the thought, he didn't have time to concern himself with such things she was just a person like all the other, besides he had this to solve.

He looked down to the mess in front of him, he had been working on a 6 year cold case, a family of 5 had gone missing while on holidays, there stuff had been found abandoned at a lookout and there had been no trace of anyone. He eyed the photo she had pointed to, it had a small description stating it was suspected the photo was taken moments before they vanished they had set up the timer and stood in front of the camera it had been found still on its tripod.

Using his thumb and finger he held it up loosely in front of his face, tired eyes examining the photograph. Why had she pointed this one out? there was the mum, dad, three kids' two girls and a boy. Then it suddenly clicked and his eyes widened, none of them where looking at the camera they were still getting ready for the photo, if they had set the timer they would of all been prepared and ready, which means someone else had taken the photo, someone else was there and it's a 95% chance they knew them.

He looked back up to the girl with chocolate brown hair as she carried trays back into the kitchen, he couldn't help but be a little curious about her.

/ ok thats it let me know what you think ^^