Ryou was an idiot.

Well, he was deeply intelligent in a way. He had a natural intuition that allowed him to connect the dots from seemingly disconnected facts. He understood how the human mind worked and how people would react under different circumstances. He often used this knowledge to deduce how a killer or a thief would act to find his culprit.

Despite knowing so much about how people worked, Ryou didn't know how to apply it in his own life.

Figuring out people from afar was so easy to do on paper and in his head. But even when Ryou was aware of how his words and actions could affect the people around him, he was never good at doing what was right. He tried to make up for it by being polite and charming when called for, but he always got in his own head. He always managed to get in his own way and do something stupid.

Ryou sighed, pressing his forehead against the glass pane of the carriage. The horse-drawn cab jostled along the cobblestone path, Ryou feeling each and every bump. Malik sat across from him, eyes studying the crowded streets of shoppers and storeowners alike. Though Malik didn't seem angry at the moment, Ryou felt his cheeks burn from his earlier accusation.

It didn't matter if Isis was seeing someone or not, in the grand scheme of the case. He knew that small detail in his supposed narrative was minute and only served to figure out how she may have met Jack the Ripper. Perhaps she did, perhaps she didn't. Still, Ryou didn't have any right to make such outlandish claims.

He knew had he been in Malik's position and heard someone suggesting such awful things about his own little sister, Ryou would have lost his temper as well. He probably wouldn't have slapped him, but that option wasn't off the table either.

Ryou felt these thoughts pulling at the back of his head, trying to ignore them as he hopped out of the stopped carried. Malik quickly followed after him, Ryou holding the door open for him to the precinct. Malik didn't seem angry at him anymore, but it didn't put Ryou's mind at ease. He still felt like a prat over what he said.

A quick conversation with an officer near the front informed the two that Kaiba was in his office in a meeting with Yugi. Perfect – Ryou needed to talk to Yugi. Irritating his irate boss was another plus to the whole situation.

Ryou wandered up to the familiar set of doors, knocking politely. "Commissioner Kaiba, it's me, Detective Ryou. Might I have a word with Yugi?"

As if proving how much Kaiba didn't want to acknowledge his new guests outside, no one answered. Before Ryou could knock again, Malik grinned, a devious look on his face. "I love it when he gives me an opportunity to piss him off."

Ryou frowned, curious as to what his companion was doing. He bit back a laugh when Malik started to fiddle with the lock, a small smirk on his face as he methodically went to work. "I wasn't aware of your criminal background, Mr. Ishtar."

"It's not criminal if you don't get caught."

Ryou covered his mouth, unable to keep from laughing. Malik smirked, the lock unhitching. He flung the door open, an arrogant look on his face.

Kaiba looked like he was about to have an aneurysm. "Ishtar! I swear to-"

"Oh, hi, Ryou. It's been awhile!" Yugi exclaimed, standing next to Kaiba by his desk. He had a map laid out, detailing some specific region for city planning. Ryou remembered that Yugi had his work cut out trying to repair and rebuild some "structurally unsound" buildings after a recent fire last year.

"Good to see you, Yugi. Are those the plans for the reconstruction?" Ryou asked, knowing that if he wanted information about the expansion of the police department, it would be easier to get answers out of Yugi versus Kaiba.

Yugi sighed. "Sort of. I lost my original blueprints the last time I was here. I have no idea where I left them, but I have to make do with my memory for now."

"That's rough. Are you working on the station house at the moment?

Yugi shook his head. "No, the hospital. The state medical center was deemed structurally unsound a few months back and it's been hell trying to address medical emergencies. And since that specific hospital was the primary location for all police emergencies in this district, we've had to consolidate the medical team from the hospital over here-"

Yugi cut himself off, glancing up at Kaiba with a tired look. "It's frustrating. The sooner this can get approved, the sooner I can get all these extra workers out of here."

Ryou pressed his lips together, noticing how the commissioner and city planner glared at each other. Apparently, there was a difference of opinions on how things were being done.

Ryou stepped forward, reaching into his pocket. "Well, while I'm here, mind if I ask a favor of you?"

Kaiba growled, stepping out from behind his desk. It was clear that if he stayed in that room any longer, he would have snapped at being thoroughly ignored by the detective and didn't want to deal with his antics. He needed Ryou on the job, so the detective was safe (for now).

Yugi barely paid any note to Kaiba's frustration, leaning back against the window. "Sure. Is this for the Ripper case?"

Ryou nodded, pulling out a folded sheet of paper. He held out the small list. "Would you be able to tell me the proprietors of these flats?"

Yugi blinked, his eyes furrowing. "… I'm not sure how legal that is."

Ryou shrugged, ducking his head away. "Probably not very. Thing is… I have reason to suspect that Jack the Ripper may have bought one of these properties and is using it as a sort of base."

Yugi's eyes widened, head snapping up away from the list. Ryou kept his gaze steady, sensing the other man's shock. He knew the killer expected him to play by the rules. But that didn't mean Ryou couldn't bend the rules if it got him a name.

Yugi considered Ryou's request a moment longer, the reluctance still etched into his face. A few long seconds passed before Yugi finally sighed, folding the paper and slipping it into his own pocket. "I'll have this to you in two days at the latest. It shouldn't be hard for me to locate this information."

Ryou smiled, a sense of relief crossing over him. "Thank you for doing this, Yugi. This is a great help."

Yugi shrugged, a light blush on his face. "Just doing my job in helping to catch crazy serial killers in this city. That's why I wanted to be a city planner, after all."

Ryou chuckled, stepping backwards. "Of course. Those criminals need to look out."

Ryou turned back to Malik, who had started to pull books off of Kaiba's bookshelf. Malik didn't even bother putting them back into place, stacking them on top of the neatly organized books. Malik noticed Ryou's stare, giving a quick nod to Yugi, a sheepish grin on his face. "Sorry about constantly interrupting your meetings with the commissioner. Still appreciate the help."

Ryou raised an eyebrow, unaware of their past interaction. Yugi just shrugged, propping himself up to sit on Kaiba's desk to examine some of the commissioner's notes. "I don't mind, though I imagine Seto does. Speaking of which, can you invite him back into his office? We still need to finish up business and I can't delay this meeting any more than I already have."

Ryou grinned, assuring Yugi would do just that. Fortunately for him, Kaiba hadn't travelled far at all. He stood outside of his office, leaning against the wall, eyes closed. They flicked open when Ryou and Malik exited. Ryou gave him a mockingly polite smile, gesturing for Kaiba that he was allowed back in.

Kaiba stopped in front of Ryou, his expression stern. Ryou met the icy, blue eyes, tempered with something deeper than anger. "Watch your conduct, detective. Do not forget who your employer is and what debt you owe him."

Ryou said nothing, well aware of the respect due to his boss. Despite Kaiba's off-putting attitude, Ryou was not going to let the commissioner's demands prevent him from doing his job. Even if it meant stepping on his toes at times, the detective always provided results.

Perhaps it was that shared knowledge allowing Ryou to be let off the hook once again for his presumptuous behavior. He watched Kaiba close the door, sighing as the events of the day started to catch up with him. Ryou felt like he had so much information before him, but he wasn't sure how all of it tied together quiet yet. He had pieces and snippets, but the whole picture remained elusive still.

A quick trip down to the basement informed them that Namu had already left for the evening. Ryou knew that if he actually looked up his schedule beforehand, he could have avoided this issue. Then again, he always had too many thoughts going on in his head to remember details like a normal schedule. Ryou shook his head, wryly smiling as he pressed his forehead against the fogged glass. He supposed he would have to try again tomorrow.

A cough caught Ryou's ear and he turned to his remaining companion. The small smirk on Malik's face told him that he had been lost in thoughts again. Ryou flicked his eyes away, the urge to fidget with his hair returning. He really needed to do a better job of paying attention to his surroundings.

"So, any other plans for the evening?" Malik asked, taking a moment to fix his hair.

Ryou frowned, thinking. What was their next step? "I don't have anything else for you to translate. And Namu isn't here to give me that list of missing organs from the other victims."

Malik gave him a long stare before finally breaking eye contact. "Yeah, still not use to dealing with a murder case."

Ryou bit his lip to keep from smiling as he led them up the stairs to the atrium. He kept forgetting that Malik was still a bit squeamish about it all. "I was thinking of checking out Whitechapel again, but at night. Perhaps there'll be something there that we didn't notice during the day."

"That's not a bad idea. When do you want to do that?"

Ryou blinked, stepping outside as he squinted in the evening sunlight. "I figured we go now. Why wait any longer than need be?"

Malik shook his head. "Could we do tomorrow perhaps?"

Ryou narrowed his eyes. He wasn't entirely sure what Malik was getting at. "I suppose. If you're not comfortable at going at night, I can go by myself tonight and meet up with you tomorrow?"

Malik snorted, shaking his head. "That would defeat the point of what I'm trying to get you to do."

"And that would be?"

Malik sighed, leaning in to poke at the shadows under Ryou's eyes. "You need to get more sleep. Last night's nap isn't enough to fuel you through the rest of the investigation."

Ryou jerked his head back, flustered at the soft, warm touch above his cheekbones. "Since when did you become such a mother hen?"

"Since a certain detective stopped taking care of himself in lieu of his case. Seriously, you're going to pass out if you keep going at this rate." Malik frowned, a hint of concern leaking into his voice.

Ryou brushed his hair out of his face, his gaze returning to Malik. This was… not exactly what he expected. He had figured Malik would want him to solve the case as quickly as possible. And Ryou would certainly throw himself into the case without rest. In a strange twist of role reversal, Malik was the one reminding him to get rest and take care of himself.

Though instinct urged Ryou to research and investigate without rest until he found the killer, logic dictated that this was a foolish plan. Ryou couldn't keep working tirelessly and expect to produce results. Even detectives needed to eat and rest, despite the danger that threatened the city. Yet it was Malik who was reminding him of this, and it was Malik who was making sure he took care of himself.

Ryou hadn't had someone in his life care about him in that way in many years.

So despite the desire to keep working, Ryou felt himself relaxing. He caved in to Malik's request, seeing the wisdom behind it. "Fair enough. I suppose I haven't been getting much sleep as of late. Shall we meet tomorrow?"

Malik let out a breath, his shoulders slumping with released tension. He thought for a moment before speaking. "Yeah. If you want, you can meet me by the university. I should be able to pull up more books and documents about ancient Egyptian religion. Maybe we'll find some clue in that."

Ryou perked up, smiling at the idea. Not only was the university the research center for Egyptology, but other dead cultures and languages. Maybe he would be able to pull some files regarding the other messages left by Jack the Ripper.

"That's an excellent idea. Let's meet, say, eight in the morning?"

Malik laughed, shaking his head in amusement. "Okay. You might be able to get up at that time, but I'm going to need a bit more sleep. Meet me after lunch, okay? That'll give me time to wake up and find those documents."

Ryou blushed, a small smile growing on his face. "Sorry – Not use to a 'normal' schedule. After lunch then."

Malik nodded, an odd look crossing his face. Ryou furrowed his brow, a question lingering in his mind. Before he could ask, Malik turned to leave, giving him a short wave goodbye. Ryou watched his odd companion leave, the sunset making his blonde his glow like fire. He thought about earlier that morning when they stood by the river, the sunlight sparkling and giving him a radiant glow.

Malik was made to be in the sun.

Ryou shook his head, turning to head back to his flat. This last week working with Malik had been exhausting but productive. Strange to think that he had only met Malik yesterday morning, and yet how quickly the young researcher integrated himself into the case. His work, insight, and quick wit were an asset to the case. He was certainly better company than the other detectives who had previously worked the case.

Ryou remained determined to catch the killer. And perhaps with Malik's help, they would actually succeed.

The last tendrils of the sunlight slipped beyond the horizon, a purple aura bleeding out into the black sky. Ryou turned his head up, a crescent moon gazing down on him, a new source of light across the quiet city. He found his mind strangely at peace despite the many thoughts and theories that fought to take hold. It was cleansing in its own way, and it made Ryou feel the weight of his own tiredness.

Ryou sighed, picking up the pace as he found himself looking forward to a good night's rest.


Ryou didn't sleep very well, but he did feel more rested the following morning. His mind never did let him rest for very long, but he did catch a few breaks where he thought of nothing. Though long stretches of uninterrupted sleep were true bliss.

Ryou couldn't dwell on his lovely evening of sleep as he stepped onto the campus the following day. It was just after noon, and Ryou couldn't help but feel a little curious. He had never been at King's College before, and he was curious about what sort of place Malik usually worked at.

As Ryou wandered the halls of the History department, he felt his body stopping to examine and study each trinket and token along the way. Though most items on display in the department were of English and European history, he did see a few samplings of artifacts of cultures vastly different than his own, including that of Egypt.

Ryou studied the golden pendant that hung by two other golden items. The pendant and the ring seemed strangely familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it. Ryou studied the items intensely, not hearing the visitor approaching him.

"Fascinating, aren't they?" Ryou jumped at the voice, turning around to see a well-dressed man. He had long silver hair, though it appeared to be natural instead of graying. He wore a red dress coat with a black vest underneath, the jewelry on his fingers indicating his wealth and stature.

Ryou nodded politely, returning his gaze to the items encased in glass. "They are rather beautiful. Though such trinkets often carry a bloody history with them."

The gentleman laughed, shaking his head. "Well, you're one for wives' tales it seems. These are considered some of Egypt's greatest treasures. I should know – I am the Head of Antiquities in England."

Ryou blinked, turning around to study the man. Based on that title, this meant he was talking to Malik's boss, and by extension, Isis's. Naturally, his first thought on the matter didn't deal with a matter of respect, but of what this could mean for the case. Still, Ryou knew how to play his part. "I see. It's an honor to meet you. I'm Detective Ryou of the London Police Department."

Pegasus chuckled, offering his hand. "Maximillion Pegasus. A pleasure to meet you. Do you normally come here to check out the Egypt exhibit here at the university in your free time, my good detective?"

"Not usually. It's more like my work has lead me here. I'm working with Malik regarding the disappearance of Ms. Isis Ishtar."

Ryou studied Pegasus, gauging the archaeologist's reaction. If he did know something, he didn't reveal it. He sighed, a look of weariness crossing his usually collected face. "I see. Well, I'm glad to hear someone's working on the case. Isis is an incredible archaeologist. She's as sharp as they come. I actually was finishing up some business with her a few nights prior."

Ryou held his breath, keeping his expression neutral. "When was that?"

Pegasus frowned, raising a hand to rub at his chin. "I want to say the 22nd of this month? I can't really remember. My schedule's so busy as of recently."

Ryou nodded, his mind racing. That date was when Isis went missing. He recalled when Malik first spoke to him over a week ago, mentioning how his sister left their boss's estate coming home. Ryou never drew the connection, but the lines started to form. This meant the last known person to have seen Isis was Pegasus.

Needless to say, Pegasus suddenly became a person of interest.

Before Ryou could even begin to ask questions, a voice caught the pair's attention. An elderly gentleman followed by a bald man with startling blue eyes came running down the hallway. Pegasus sighed, crossing his arms. "It appears work demands my attention again. It was good to meet you, Detective Ryou."

"Likewise. If it's not too much, would I be able to speak to you regarding Ms. Ishtar in the near future?"

Pegasus chuckled, waving his hand. Whether to say farewell, dismiss the suggestion or express that it wasn't an issue, Ryou had absolutely no clue. He didn't have time to inquire further as the two gentlemen caught Pegasus up in a conversation, leaving Ryou alone with his thoughts and questions.

Ryou couldn't shake the feeling that he probably shouldn't have let a witness go so quickly, but Pegasus excused himself before Ryou could strategize. It was a strange predicament to fall into. He would have to outsource to Malik and get his help trying to catch his boss at a time when he wasn't busy.

The sound of footsteps in the other direction caused Ryou to turn his head. He smiled when he saw Malik making his way down the hallway. He had lost the dress coat and wore a white button-down with a tan vest. His sleeves partially rolled up, Malik apparently hard at work this morning. It showed a different side to him, a bit more relaxed than the carefully preened appearance he normally maintained.

"Did you get any sleep?" Malik asked, a smirk on his face.

Ryou chuckled, walking over to meet him halfway. "A little. More than I usually do."

Malik snorted, deciding to let that slide. Ryou suspected Malik was not happy with that answer, but Ryou noticed a similar gray shadow under his companion's eyes. Perhaps he wasn't the only one losing sleep at night. It was certainly ironic for Malik to lecture Ryou on not getting sleep only to then deprive himself of some rest.

Of course, this was an argument for another time. Malik inclined his head towards the hallway he just came from. "I spoke to Rishid and he helped me locate some files that could help us."

Ryou nodded, thankful for the two brothers' work ahead of time. "Excellent. So we should be able to finish the translation?"

Malik's smile widened, a gleam in his eye. "Not only that, but he was able to outsource to some of the other historians. I mentioned how the killer left messages in Latin, Cuneiform and Biblical Hebrew, and we were able to gather some resources that might help us translate those texts. It'll be rough estimate, but Rishid is pretty good at deciphering grammatical structures of dead languages. Between him and me, we can probably figure something out."

Ryou stopped walking for a moment, a stunned look on his face. While he never considered Malik to be a liability, Ryou was constantly amazed by his resourcefulness and cleverness. He felt a smile playing across his face, but quickly masked it into a cool smirk before Malik could realize what he was thinking. He ignored the curious stare Malik gave him, a small chuckle on his lips. "Not bad Malik. You surprise me still."

"Well, I can't let you be the one constantly baffling me every day," Malik jabbed back without pause.

"You know, you would make a pretty good detective," Ryou suggested, watching Malik's face to see what his reaction would be.

Malik furrowed his brow, his own face crinkling in consideration. "Really? I feel like I would get frustrated with dead ends."

"Maybe, but you're stubborn and hate losing. Those are the qualities of a good detective right there."

"Speaking from experience, are we?" Malik smirked, raising an eyebrow.

Ryou laughed, unable to deny the claim. Once again, Malik's power of observation was coming in handy. He reflected on his previous night's thoughts, hoping that they may at least connect the dots to see the truth.