When Malik was little, he hated everything related to the darkness, including the night.

It hadn't always been like that. Things had been relatively calm when he was younger. It was only after his mother died that things started to change. As a child, Malik didn't understand the full extent of how much her death tore their family apart. He had been angry and bitter towards his father – he still was in many ways.

But Malik also knew that his father had been broken by their mother's death.

Perhaps he was a bit more gracious as he got older, compassionate even as he matured and saw the whole situation for what it was. Still, it was hard to forgive a man who turned to alcohol and violence to handle his grief. Gone was the stern, yet loving father he had known and in its place was a shell of a man, unable to cope and spiteful for all that had been taken away from him.

Malik used to sneak out onto the roof at night to watch the stars. The inky black speckled with light drew him in. His elder brother had taught him about constellations and which ones to look for in each season. Being away from the city at that time made the sky vividly beautiful, untouched by factory smog.

That darkness seemed overwhelming when his father stole away the light from him. Malik never took orders and commands well, even when he was little. He was stubborn even back then, an Ishtar trait as his sister would tell him. As a kid, Malik knew he hadn't done anything wrong. He had upset his father, but not for any reason a parent should be upset. So Malik didn't see any issue and refused to back down.

When his father dragged him by the arm and locked him in the closet for his behavior, Malik was angry. He screamed and yelled and made whatever noise he could think of. But as time wore on, Malik felt the weight of it settle in. The panic of being trapped, of being in pitch darkness with no light, of wondering if his father forgot or worse, knew he was still in there and refused to let him out.

The fear grew, like the darkness that swallowed him.

It got to the point that Malik grew terrified to go to sleep. He couldn't bear the thought of falling asleep in the dark. He knew that the moment he closed his eyes, the darkness would wash over him and suffocate him. He cried and pleaded for Rishid to let him keep the lamp burning, to keep it lit all night until the sun rose each morning.

Rishid promised Malik he could keep the lamp on until he fell asleep. Malik wasn't satisfied with such an arrangement, the terror so painful that he struggled to breathe. He didn't know then that Rishid was still trying to protect him. That if their father knew that he kept a light on at night, he would have lashed out, his short-temper clouding his judgment.

That first night, Malik told himself he wouldn't fall asleep. He would force himself to stay up until dawn if it meant the light would never leave. It was a foolish plan, but it was child's desperate wish. Malik had been so convinced that if he let the light leave, it would never come back.

And perhaps it wouldn't. At least, not on its own.

Like most stubborn children with the best laid plans, Malik fell asleep. When he woke the next morning, he struggled to remember Rishid's promise. He felt terrified, scared to wake up in darkness. To his surprise, Rishid and Isis were sitting in his room, the shades pulled back to let in the sun. They had suspected that Malik would stay up as late as possible. Even they understood what it meant to be stubborn.

The joy that Malik felt to be greeted by the light, by the warmth of his siblings, taught him something that day. There are times when it felt like darkness had won over the light. That when the door was locked and closed, there was no way out. Sometimes, you had to fight for the light, claw your way out until you figured out how to open that door yourself.

Sometimes, you couldn't even accomplish that much. But that's when others were there to bring you to the light.

Malik couldn't keep the sun, but he could cherish it when it was there. And just like the stars and the moon that lit up the night, there was light to be found even in the darkest of nights.

Malik felt warm, soothed even. Like he was wrapped up in a warm embrace. It was a strange feeling, given that it had been awhile since he felt such comfort. London always felt cold and distant.

Time didn't exist in Malik's world. He could see darkness and light passing, whether it was minutes or days, he didn't know. Perhaps death was a mixture of both, fast and slow, warm yet distant. He hung on this edge, detached from it all but his very soul hinging on the moment.

The thought gave Malik reason to blink open his eyes, staring blankly at the ceiling. He realized he was laying down in bed, but it wasn't his own. Malik tensed for a moment, looking around at the hospital room. He shot up from his spot, his heart racing at the fear of being captured by Namu.

A sharp stabbing pain at his waist caused Malik to coil in, his breath stolen away. He looked down, puzzled when he saw the bandages peeking out from under his loose shirt. He also realized that the light in the room was natural sunlight. He wasn't in that abandoned state hospital, but a different facility. An active one he had obviously been rushed to after Kaiba arrived with the rest of the police force.

Malik still felt confused, struggling between the horrors he last saw with the warm sunlight that welcomed him. He didn't have much time to gather himself when the door swung open. As he turned and saw his siblings, he suspected it wouldn't be as cheerful of a reunion as he would have hoped. Especially given Isis's scowl.

"I asked one thing of you and you couldn't even do that!" Isis snapped, though Rishid had a bemused look on his face.

Malik felt his cheeks burn, feeling small under Isis's glare. "I'm alive? Does that count?"

He knew the answer didn't ease his sister's mind as Isis crossed the distance between them. She plopped herself on the bed next to Malik, a stern look on her face. "Why do you have to be so damn reckless? You were nearly killed! Does that mean nothing?"

Malik huffed, annoyed at being lectured after not having time to fully wake up. "I didn't mean for things to get out of hand! Ryou was in danger and I had to do something! There wasn't any time-"

Malik cut himself off, a panic replacing the irritation he felt. Thoughts of the detective he loved swam into mind, shifting his focus altogether. "Ryou! Is he alright? Where is he? Di-"

Malik ignored his irate sister, who looked miffed at being dismissed, though not nearly enough to refuse his questions. Rishid stepped into the conversation quickly, sensing his brother's alarm.

"The detective is okay. He just woke this morning, actually, and we spoke to him earlier this morning while you were still asleep. We were surprised that he woke up before you – you've been out for three days."

Malik let out a sigh of relief, despite his shock at the passage of time. Ryou was okay. Isis was okay. Everything would be okay, despite his current pain. "Thank god. I thought-" Malik didn't finish the thought. He didn't want to worry about how close they had come to failing. How Namu nearly broke them and destroyed everything they loved.

Malik's mind raced back to the case, the event from days before still seemed blurry. Everything that happened after he had pulled the trigger didn't feel real, like a dream. He remembered holding Ryou, being rushed to the hospital, Kaiba probably barking orders. It all seemed so long ago. Longer than three days at least.

"What happ-"

"We can worry about what happened at another time. Let's not weigh on such matters." Rishid caught the look Isis gave him, still defiant yet and demanding answers for some of Malik's more dangerous actions. "While I don't condone what actions Malik took the other night, we should be celebrating our reunion, not souring it with reprimands. We'll have plenty of time for that discussion at a later time."

Malik hid his growing smile, ready to sing praises for his brother's intervention. It was easy for Malik to get defensive quickly, even with his own family members. Isis rushing in and venting her worry and frustration at his reckless behavior was not a good start for the three siblings. Like always, Rishid knew how to de-escalate the situation, soothing all the nerves in the room.

Isis glanced away, looking somewhat meek under his rebuke. Malik took mercy on his sister, giving her a wry grin. "I'm on Rishid's side of these things, if that's good with you, sis."

She snorted and shook her head. "Of course, you are. Still, I suppose I shouldn't ruin this good moment. It's been so long since we've all been together."

Malik nodded, his heart feeling warm. His sister had been missing for weeks and the agony of wondering what happened to her had wreaked Malik's heart. He had even felt distant from his brother, desperate to find her and stave off any feelings that could muddle his search. It became difficult to cling tight to what they had left when it seemed as if anything could tear them apart.

So to see Isis sitting on the bed next to him, tired yet bright eyes gleaming in the morning light, stole his breath away. Rishid was more relaxed, comfortable with his company and finally at ease after their long and harrowing time.

"It's good to have you back Isis. Are you feeling okay?" Malik asked, letting himself enjoy the moment as well.

Isis nodded, her defenses falling away. "I feel good. Namu didn't mistreat me in any way, but fresh air certainly cured what ailed my soul."

Rishid narrowed his eyes, pulling up a chair so as to not cramp Malik on his bed. He was always polite like that. "Why would Namu kidnap you to begin with? He didn't harm you nor are you dead. It doesn't make sense."

Malik bit back his initial reaction, a bitter retort about how madness has no sense or logic to follow. If there's anything he had learned in this case, Jack the Ripper had been very meticulous and careful in all of his actions. Why Namu would target someone who had known him previously didn't align with his actions. Even Ryou admitted that much, reluctant at first to look into his sister's disappearance since she didn't match the profile of his usual victims.

"Did he ask you anything about Egyptology?" Malik asked, going back to their initial theory.

Isis shook her head, a frown on her face. "He didn't ask me anything. I was left alone mostly unless it was to feed me. I'm not sure if he even knew what he was planning." Her head jerked up, alarm on her face. "Oh god, what's happened to my beloved department since my departure?"

Malik had to bite back a laugh. Of course his sister would have a panic attack over her work, the only child he was convinced his sister would ever want. Rishid adjusted his coat as he sat down. "I've been holding down the fort. With two Ishtars missing in action, someone had to keep up with all the work."

"Two missing Ishtars?" Isis asked, Malik already sensing the impending glare.

He shrugged, avoiding all eye contact. "I was helping Ryou with the case."

Isis rolled her eyes. "Pegasus will be livid. Lord knows how much work we'll need to catch up on."

"Pegasus has different issues to take care of at the moment, legally speaking," Rishid remarked.

Malik blinked, turning to his brother. "Wait, what happened?"

Rishid gave him a deadpan stare, almost questioning if Malik was being serious. It took Malik a few moments for him to remember the confession his boss had given to the commissioner, admitting to stealing ancient Egyptian artifacts to be sold off. He blushed, remembering how he incidentally uncovered that.

Isis, however, was not part of that new development. "Rishid, what do you mean?"

Rishid sighed, not looking forward to explaining how their brother uncovered their boss's less savory business dealings. Malik glanced away, looking down at his wound. He wore a clean, white shirt, unbuttoned as he examined the bandages. Aside from his earlier sharp movements, he felt relatively okay. For a bullet wound, it didn't hurt as much as he thought it would. Perhaps it only grazed him. All the same, Malik felt well enough to even try walking.

Which was important for his next course of actions. Malik shifted in his spot, swinging his legs off the bed. Rishid stood up, as if to urge his brother to lay down. Instead, Malik took a deep breath, preparing himself. "I'm going to go see Ryou."

It was a request, despite Malik's firm tone. Isis and Rishid exchanged a look before standing up with Malik. He blinked, surprised by the lack of resistance. "Wait, you're just going to let me get up and go see him."

"Malik, we're Ishtars. I will fight you on many things, but I know when your mind is made up, there's no point in fighting back," Isis gave him a smirk, hiding her amusement. Rishid didn't say anything, but gave a solemn nod, as if this stubborn trait of theirs was the greatest law of their family. Malik grinned, shaking his head. How ironic that they would reach an accord by recognizing their own pigheadedness.

Malik swayed once he got to his feet, feeling woozy. Rishid grabbed him for a moment, but Malik shook off his aid. If he was going to stand by his stubborn decision, then he could at least make the walk himself. The first few steps were a struggle, but as Malik gained momentum, it became easier to force himself forward.

The three of them walked down the hallways, Isis and Rishid guiding Malik to Ryou's room. They mentioned that the detective had been awake when they saw him earlier today. Malik hoped that meant that he was okay and not in dire straits. Ryou risked everything for his family, to give them back their peace and happiness. No thanks would ever be sufficient.

The thought clogged up in Malik's chest as he struggled to ignore it. He felt his emotions getting the better of him and it irritated him. Malik shook his head, ignoring the dizzying effect as he held onto the door frame momentarily. Isis gave a tentative knock on the slightly opened door. It figured that his siblings would give more respect to the detective and ask for permission before entering.

Even though Malik had seen Ryou the previous night, had rescued him, nothing really prepared him for what he saw. As he walked in, he caught himself staring at Ryou, sitting propped up in the hospital bed. His chest was bandaged, a brace at his hip that caused Ryou to sit at an odd angle. The sheets covered his lap, hiding any other injuries he may have sustained. The full extent of what happened to Ryou was still unknown, but he felt anger swell in him at the gauze on his forehead and the bruises that couldn't be hidden by bandages.

And yet despite his own frustration and anger, his heart lifted when Ryou turned to them, a large smile on his face.

"I was hoping you would drop by!" Ryou chirped, sounding full of energy despite his haggard appearance and pallid features. He looked much paler than usual but… Malik felt his cheeks burn. Even now, Ryou was still so beautiful.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" Malik asked, chuckling. He tried to hide how his hip was starting to ache, sliding down to sit next to Ryou on the bed. Isis and Rishid were slower to follow, not as familiar with his companion.

"I've been sleeping for days now. You look like you're ready to collapse any minute now," Ryou teased, though his eyes lingered on Malik's bandages hidden beneath his open shirt.

Malik took the opportunity to button the shirt up slightly, hiding the wound from sight. "Hardly. I was thinking about chasing down some more crazed serial killers this afternoon if you're up to it."

Malik looked back to catch his siblings' reactions. His sister gave him a horrified look while Rishid seemed more exasperated. Ryou only laughed, amused at the suggestion.

"I'll race you out the door."

"I think I'll win that bet." Malik turned back to his siblings, courtesy finally demanding he at least pretend to play the polite sibling and friend. "Ryou, you've met Rishid. This is my sister Isis."

"We actually met earlier, Malik." Isis chuckled, moving to sit near them, taking the chair by the bed. "Ryou is the reason I escaped."

Malik remembered that detail, turning back to Ryou. The detective just gave him a shrug, a small smile on his face. "I promised I'd find and save your sister."

Malik shook his head, words escaping him. He didn't trust his voice, not in front of the people he loved so much who had given him so much. He knew the moment he tried to express his gratitude and thanks for all Ryou had done, he would not be able to stop the tears from flowing.

Almost abruptly, Isis stood up, sitting for only a moment. "I imagine you two are hungry. Why don't Rishid and I grab some food and bring it back here so we can all eat together?"

Malik didn't even get to voice his opinion on the matter as Ryou nodded vigorously, his expression delighted. "Yes! Food! I'm starved!"

Rishid chuckled, a smile on his face. "That's an excellent idea. Why don't you two catch up while we find us some lunch?"

Malik saw no reason to fight the current, realizing he would like some time to speak with Ryou more privately. There were certain things he had yet to discuss with his siblings, if he ever chose to. This would be easier.

Malik smiled, the pang in his side distracting him from any hunger he felt. "Lunch sounds great." He imagined he had eaten in the last few days at some point, but a meal right now sounded exquisite. The more he thought of food, the more ravenous he became.

Malik watched Isis and Rishid leave, feeling self-conscious to be alone with Ryou. Even though it had only been a couple of days, it felt like an incredibly long time since he had been with Ryou. So much had happened in such a short period of time that it felt like a lifetime ago.

"Unless you said something directly to your siblings, they're very intuitive," Ryou mused out loud, trying to hide a smile.

Malik chuckled. "Don't give them too much credit. I'd be surprised if they saw this as anything more than friends."

"Looks like you'll have to figure out that battlefield then."

"Oh, joy." Malik rolled his eyes. He watched Ryou's face carefully, trying to figure out if he was putting on a smile to be strong or of a genuine show of happiness. He was pretty good at hiding his feelings, though Malik had gotten more used to the deadpan expressions than his smiles. Ryou should smile more though, as Malik marveled at how lovely he was even as frail as he was.

Without too much thought, Malik reached a hand out, brushing his fingers against Ryou's cheek. The skin felt cool under his fingers, yet a blush that naturally spread immediately followed where his fingertips lingered. "How are you. Really."

Ryou hummed, leaning into his touch. "Okay. I hurt, but I feel much better than before. I've had a lot of odd visitors, truth be told."

Malik snorted, somewhat curious. "Like who?"

"Bakura dropped by, telling me I owed him. Don't want to know about that," Ryou glanced over to the table next to him, where some flowers sat in a tumbler. "Serenity, Joey, and Mai all came by to wish me well. Even the good commissioner came by to scream at me for being out on sick leave and not finishing up my paperwork on the case."

Malik cackled, a grin growing on his face. Even after all they had been through, some things never changed. He never expected to feel so light and free with the shadow now cast off.

Ryou shook his head, clearing his mind. "This case will be a nightmare to file a report on."

Malik nodded in understanding. "Who knew the worst part of chasing down a serial killer would be the paperwork?"

Ryou gave a dry laugh. "You joke, but I wonder what's worse – being trapped in a room with Namu or with Kaiba?"

Malik gave a weak smile, but his thoughts were distracted. The two fell silent for a moment, Malik's gaze slipping down. He licked his lips, his hand dropping down to take Ryou's. "Hey Ryou-"

"You want to know why?" Ryou asked without missing a beat.

Malik nodded. Ryou seemed to know his thoughts before he could even speak. "What was the motive? Why go through all of this? Do you know?"

Ryou frowned, glancing away. "… He claimed to have no motive. That he hurt people because he could. I'm less certain of that. I think there's truth to that, but I refuse to accept madness as the end all answer to this. Whether it was something psychological that wrought pleasure in harming others or something as base as survival turned hobby, I don't know."

Ryou let out a heavy sigh, a defeated look on his face. "Kaiba confirmed that Namu was killed. Any questions we had, any truth that may have been hidden, is gone with him. Still…"

"You don't like to leave questions unanswered."

Malik watched Ryou's face, his brown eyes flitting up. He gave a small shrug. "I like to answer all questions involved in a case. But reality is less tidy, less neat than that. It's messy and cruel and twisted."

"Sometimes there aren't answers." Malik finished the thought, lifting Ryou's hand up in both of his hands.

Ryou gave him a tentative nod, a bitter smile growing on his face. "I'm terrible. Even now with the killer caught and dead, I'm not satisfied."

Malik gave a light chuckle, kissing him on the knuckles. "You're a detective. Being anal is part of the job."

Ryou snorted, pulling his hand away. "I save your sister and catch her kidnapper, and this is how you repay me?"

Malik grinned, bringing a pale hand to his bandaged waist. "No, this is how I repay you."

Ryou stared at him, his stern expression breaking as a smile cracked his laps. A giggle slipped past and Malik knew that he had won him over. Malik felt his own smile slip away, shifting to stare at the flowers in the vase. He felt his heart rampaging in his chest, uncertain of the words, but speaking nonetheless.

"Ryou – thank you."

Malik flicked his eyes towards Ryou, who stared at him. He looked slightly confused. Malik sighed, turning to face him and then deciding he couldn't do that and turned to stare at the floor. "Ryou, you saved my sister. Everybody else had written her off for dead and you never once gave up. He fought and struggled and did everything in your power to rescue my sister. You did what I couldn't do and-"

Malik took in an unsteady breath. He felt himself shift from struggling with what to say to unable to prevent the flow of the words that now came. "She's back. She's back and we're whole again. I didn't realize how much of me was breaking and broken and you made us whole. All of us. My sister's alive. And you're alive. Oh god, you're alive. You were taken, and I thought you would die. But I couldn't let myself believe that. I had to believe you'd survive. That you were alive and I-"

Malik jerked back as the soft brush against his cheek. He realized it was Ryou reaching out to comfort him. Ryou shushed him, his thumbs brushing across his face. That's when Malik realized that he was crying, tears streaming down his face. He hadn't cried in so long, rarely reaching the point where it all overwhelmed him.

But as Ryou looked at him, with his warm brown eyes and soft smile, he felt something else break in him. A fear that was never realized but the thought of it was just as heart wrenching. Malik lunged forward, remembering Ryou's burns at the last moment. He wrapped his arms around Ryou's neck, carefully avoiding putting pressure on his healing chest, sobs wracking through Malik. He didn't stop the tears. Malik let himself cry, let himself release all that he had been holding together the last few weeks.

Ryou returned the hug, gripping him fiercely despite his feeble appearance. Malik buried his face in the crook of his neck, unable to stop the tears nor did he want to. Of all the unreal things that had happened, this felt the most unreal of them all. Malik held onto Ryou, convinced that the moment he let go that he would disappear. Like a child clinging to light before darkness fell, he clung to Ryou like a candle at night.

But Ryou never faded. He was real, here in his arms. Malik could feel his short white hair tickling his brow, his pale fingers running through his hair. Malik pulled back enough, looking up at Ryou. Tears glittered in the corner of his brown eyes, a fragile smile on his face. The same sense of relief, or joy, of unspoken horror they had shared swam in his eyes. And just like Malik, Ryou needed this moment to exist.

Ryou sighed, pressing his forehead against Malik. "I kept telling myself to keep going. Just hold out a bit longer until you figured it out. I knew it was a long shot, but the hope that you would solve the case where I couldn't kept me going. I had to believe in you or else I'd give into despair. I had to believe that you would keep searching and find me."

"I would have looked for you until my dying breath." Malik watched Ryou's eyes flutter shut, tears yet unshed. Malik brushed their lips together, his voice growing soft. "I don't fear any darkness so long as I have you."

Ryou gave a giggle, nervous and choked full of emotions. Malik started to feel embarrassed, realizing how serious he must have sounded. Even though he meant those words, he still felt his ears burn, unsure of how Ryou would respond.

Before he could react, Ryou leaned in, stealing a kiss from him. Their eyes locked, Ryou beaming, the happiest Malik had ever seen. Ryou cupped his face, Malik's heart skipping beat when Ryou whispered back sweetly;

"I love you too."