His Eyes Never Change (Gold like Cor Lapis, Blue as Noctilucous Jade)

Jade Moon

Tap, tap, tap, tap...

Childe was currently attempting to focus on the sheet of paper in front of him. This was likely the third...no, fourth time he had reread the document and the information was just not sticking. Why? Because he had a headache.

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

He ceased the drumming of his fingers on the pinewood desk. He brought his hands up and allowed his head to relax against the coolness of his palms, taking a deep breath as he did so. Childe had originally hoped that if he simply willed it to happen, the pulsating pain in his skull would stop. It did not.

It had crept up on him slowly. About an hour into his work he felt it just above his left eye. Over the course of the hours following it moved to encompass the entirety of his forehead. He had made it a bit more than half way through his pile and now his body was conspiring against him. How cruel.

Archons, I need to find something more interesting to do or I might just go insane. He moved his hands (which were no longer cold) to clear the papers in front of him so he could press his head against the coolness of the desk. He sighed, partially out of temporary relief and partially out of sheer boredom.

I remember hearing somewhere that there was a camp of hilichurls not far from the city...maybe... Childe shifted so he could rest his chin on his forearms. The tapping resumed, this time by his left foot. Ah, actually scratch that. If I go now I won't come back, and I did promise Katya I'd get these done. Hmmmm...what else would cheer me up right now?

His mind was quick to supply him with golden eyes framed in red.

Childe looked up at the clock. A bit early for lunch but he felt that fresh air, delicious food and conversation would do him some good. He elected to leave behind his jacket, suddenly feeling unusually warm.

As he stepped through the main area he noticed his fellow Fatui, including Ekaterina, staring at him as if he had grown extra limbs. He raised his brow and most of them turned back to whatever task they were doing. Seeing him without his usual jacket couldn't have been that strange? Liyue was a warm country.

He waved casually at Ekaterina, "I'll be going out for a bit, it's getting stuffy in here. I plan to stay within city limits, if anything happens that requires my attention-"

"I will be sure to let you know, Lord Harbinger," she sent him a knowing smile, "I hope you and Mr. Zhongli enjoy a nice lunch."

Childe returned the smile and headed for the exit. Did he really have lunch with Zhongli so often that his underlings knew to expect it? He supposed he had.

The moment the ocean air hit his face he felt refreshed. His headache had been terribly distracting before but with a few deep breaths he felt much better. He paused when he made eye contact with a familiar figure walking across the red bridge connecting the entrance of the bank to the adjacent buildings.

The amber tips of the man's hair seemed to shimmer in the sunlight, although it was entirely possible it was simply alight with its own inner glow. Steady golden eyes were creased in a surprised smile.

"Zhongli-xiansheng," Childe walked a few steps to meet him, "are you here on business?"

Zhongli shook his head, "No, I am simply taking a break. You?"

"Actually, I'm taking a break of my own. It was getting stuffy in my office, my head was starting to kill me."

A worried frown settled on Zhongli's face. Truth be told, Zhongli's face was actually quite inexpressive, usually settled in a sort of calm stillness, but not unkind. However, Childe had learned to read the micro expressions of the ex-Archon, from the tiniest uptick of the corners of his mouth to sparks of curiosity that would sometimes bloom in his eyes. It was the eyes, Childe found, that were the most expressive.