Raymond hated the morgue.

The cold, sterile walls seemed to close in around him as he strolled down the hall with his partner. They walked in silence, the question of that morning’s doctor appointment hanging in the air between them.

When they reached the double doors that read MORGUE above them, Raymond yanked the door open and allowed Ward to go in first. He followed after a quick glance either direction down the hall.

“What do you have for us?” Raymond approached the table where the pixie lay, the cloth pulled over her completely at the moment.

The wizened old form of Dr. Shoe popped up from the other side of the morgue, strolling toward them with more bounce in his step than any man of his advanced years had a right to. Catching his stool with his foot, he hopped on it and slid the rest of the way to the examination table.

“Well, despite the obvious.” He waved a hand to her, then promptly smacked Ward’s hand as he reached for the cloth. “The victim, as we know, was twenty five years in age. So young…”

Picking up his clipboard, he adjusted his glasses as he peered at it. Ward glanced at Raymond, rubbing his hand, and the troll offered him a shrug.

“Yes, yes…Just over five feet, female…a Pixie of the Aquae variety…” Raymond held back a groan as Dr. Shoe nibbled at the end of his pen. The man gave a brisk nod, set the clipboard down, and looked up at both of them intently.

“As you suspected in your report, Detective Raymond, our friend here, was alive when her wings were removed. Like the other two victims.”

“Same M.O. entirely then?” Raymond looked down at her through the sheet that clung to the angles of her body in a taut, grotesque manner.

“Yes. Shame really…I am positive her wings would have been beautiful.” Setting the clipboard aside, he looked at the two gentlemen for a long moment over his hooked nose. “I do not have much else for you, yet. Still tests to run, and all.”

“Then why did you call us here?” Raymond growled at him, narrowing his eyes as he glared down at Dr. Shoe. For his credit, nothing fazed Dr. Shoe.

“Well, there was one thing…” Dr. Shoe pulled out what they had on the previous two victims. It wasn’t much, the first one being the smallest of the three. He pulled out the photos, and pointed to cut marks on both of the women.

They, too, had been pixies, tied and had their wings hacked off. They’d received less injuries than the third victim, though. Raymond assumed it was either that they struggled and fought back less or differently. Or, the darker thought, the killer was starting to get more into enjoying the kill.

“See, here…These ones were made by a right-handed man.” Dr. Shoe pointed to where the cut was thicker, and where it thinned out, talking about the way the blood splattered. In his line of work, he’s seen plenty of cuts and slashes to start to notice these patterns over the last few hundred years.

Pulling the sheet on the body aside finally, he revealed the body of the pixie. She was white here, gray almost in the dim lighting. A tinge of blue seemed to color her lips, and her eyes were closed to the horrors of the world. Where Dr. Shoe had worked could be seen clearly, clear cuts in her otherwise smooth skin that were stapled closed; but it was to the cuts sustained before her death he pointed to now.

“These cuts were made with someone’s left hand.” Dr. Shoe ran a gloved finger along one cut, then glanced up at the two men.

“What does that mean?” Ward cast a side look to Raymond, who shrugged at him. “Are there two killers?”

“Perhaps…Perhaps our killer hurt his right hand. Or perhaps he can use both hands.” Dr. Shoe shrugged, and yanked the sheet back up over the body. With that, he turned on his heel and walked away from them, waving a hand over his shoulder. “I’ll let you know when I finish my testing. Good day, gentlemen.”

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Soundly dismissed, the two headed out to the car in relative silence. Neither of them got in and out quietly, and Raymond took the driver’s seat with a rather harsh bang of the door.

The engine roared to life, a snarling beast beneath them that rumbled all throughout its frame. It was more of a jeep than it was a car, truth be told, but that suited them just fine. Raymond did not say a word as he pulled out of the parking lot, aiming to get back as quickly as he could. It would be a feat, as lunch rush hour was in full swing, and standstill traffic loomed immediately in their path.

Ward cleared his throat, glancing out the passenger window. His eyes slid to Raymond, who pointedly watched the line of cars proceed to not move in front of them.

“So…Ray…How’d yer appointment go?” He gave a small smile more akin to a grimace.

“Fine.” Raymond stretched his neck out, peering around to see if he could spot a break in the traffic. He rather not talk to Ward about his appointment. Instead he wanted to ponder what Dr. Shoe had said about the cuts being made by a left-hand.

“Ya…still mad at me?” Raymond closed his eyes briefly as Ward continued to talk.

“Yep.” Raymond flipped his blinker on, moving to merge into the next lane slowly. Someone honked behind them, but he paid them no mind.

“Right…” Ward looked out the window again.

The silence stretched between them, an immeasurable blanket that smothered everything beneath it. It left a chill in the air Raymond was not accustomed to when he was with Ward.

Finally, as Raymond managed to get off that godforsaken road and onto a side street, Ward looked at him again.

“Look…Ray…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make the Chief doubt ya.” His brow furrowed, forming deep grooves in his flesh.

“She didn’t doubt me.” Raymond pulled down another, smaller, side street to avoid more traffic. This wouldn’t get them where they were supposed to be going any time soon, but it’d get them somewhere.

“Then why ya so pissed at me?!” The big orc turned in his seat to glare at Raymond.

Clenching his teeth, Raymond pulled into the first parking lot he saw and shut off the engine. He rounded on Ward, both their big bulks hard to maneuver in the tight space, thus putting them much too close for proper scowling and glaring.

“Because it wasn’t your business to share!” He roared at Ward.

“To hell it wasn’t!” Ward pointed a large, sausage-like finger at Raymond. “If it compromises our job, it damn right is my business!”

“It was nothing! Like I told you!” Raymond pulled his lips back from his tusks, and Ward did the same. Both of them glared at each other, neither wanting to give an inch on the matter.

“Then what was it?! Because it sure as fuck didn’t look like nothing.”

“I don’t know! A fluke!” Raymond tossed his head back, then he ripped off the seatbelt and scampered out of the car. Ward followed, smacking a hand on top of the vehicle.

“Ray! Get yer ass back here!” He called after him, but Raymond merely lifted a hand to flip him off as he headed for the business they’d parked in front of.

Raymond heard the car door slam, and the thudding feet of Ward chasing after him to catch up. He paid him no mind, that is, until he felt him grab his arm. Whirring to face Ward, he opened his mouth to say something and felt the crunch of the orc’s fist in his jaw.

The world spun for a moment as Raymond shook himself off. Then he looked at Ward, wiping blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. Ward lifted both his fists, his eyes dancing with the light of battle.

With a cry, Raymond charged him, and the two began to exchange fists. The punches landed with loud slapping sounds, and grunts of pain rose from them as stifled as they could make it. Raymond managed at one point to grab Ward’s arm, and yanked the orc close enough to slam his head into his nose.

Grabbling each other at that point, they fell into a tried and true form of each attempting to push the other away. Feet spread apart, braced against the asphalt to maintain balance and muscles bulging.

Raymond was the first one to move the other, forcing Ward to take a step back. Sensing victory, he surged onward, aiming to shove his partner out onto the sidewalk. At the last second, Ward suddenly released him, ducking down and out of the way. Surprised, Raymond felt his grip on the other slip and he stumbled onto the sidewalk.

“Hah! I won, ya dumbass.” Ward stood there panting, one hand on his knee and the other wiping blood from his mouth.

“Cause you dipped.” Raymond turned to him, his lungs aching as they sought to fill themselves with fresh air.

“It’s called a tactic.” The orc straightened, and offered a hand to Raymond.

He stood there a moment, then snorted, reaching out to take his hand. They nodded to each other, giving a firm nod, before Ward yanked Raymond toward him and knocked his head into Raymond’s nose.

“That’s for my nose.” He smirked at him, and Raymond laughed as he rubbed his nose.

“It looks better that way.” Looking at the business, Raymond frowned. It looked like some sort of small shady place, actually, and even Ward looked at it dubiously.

“...Want to get coffee?” Ward glanced at him, arching a brow.

“Yeah, coffee sounds good.” They turned to head back to the car. “Let’s not tell the Chief about that.”

“Oh, no. She’d be pissed.” Ward shuddered, shaking his head as they climbed back into the car.

“Who knew someone so small could be so terrifying.” As they hit the road again, Ward chuckled lowly.

“Aye, well…She ain’t the Chief for nothing.” He nodded his head as if this was the most sage advice he could ever give.

“Ain’t that the truth.”