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

To Reflect Golden Light

Morax was intrigued to find out that dancing was another one of those things that spread through a crowd like wild fire. Humans seemed to have an inherent interest in rhythm and movement. With a little music and courage they took to the floor in droves.

He leaned back against a pillar and sighed. After their own dance had ended, Childe had eagerly joined the crowd. Morax had been invited but politely declined. The moment he had come back to his senses, even he had been taken aback by his boldness. He needed time to collect himself.

Childe mingled with the crowd, a wide and sincere smile on his face. He looked so at home, so at ease as he convinced the different groups to teach him their dances. The Guili Assembly was a melting pot, since they had the power to protect those who sought refuge from the destruction of war. It was only natural that it would lead to a mixing of cultures. It occasionally lead to tension, but on nights like this it led to a beautiful sharing of knowledge.

Someone like Childe, who was always seeking to further his skills, would naturally be drawn in. His eyes were alight with the desire to learn, his brows furrowed in concentration. Childe's inherent athleticism and adaptability made learning the dances look simple. He could move his body exactly the way he wanted it.

Morax absently wondered what Childe would look like in battle.

He shook himself from the thought. Childe was now teaching a group himself. His movements had an overall different feel from the rest of the crowd, and Morax knew this must have been something he had learned from the north. His movements were graceful and sharp, energetic and powerful. However, the dance Childe had lead him in did not make another appearance that night. In a strange way, that fact pleased Morax greatly.

A dance for a dance. The different groups all showed off their own skills, occasionally sparking fierce competition. It was no surprise that Childe found his way to the middle of the revelry. Even after all that had happened that day he showed few signs of fatigue, only the slight sheen of sweat on his brow and a blush from his efforts.

Even Haolan had been coaxed out by his enthusiasm, but he could only last so long at his shifu's side. The young boy simply couldn't keep up and eventually wandered over to Morax, his sides heaving. There was a silence between them as the boy caught his breath.

Haolan kicked nervously at the ground, staring at his feet as he said in a small voice, "My Lord...are you enjoying the festival?"

When he didn't get an immediate response, Haolan looked up to see Morax staring at him, a finger held up to his lips.

"Zhongli," he reminded him. "Today, I am Zhongli."

"Zhongli....xiansheng," the boy corrected. "Well, are you?"

Morax thought about his question, turning back towards the crowd where a blue figure was smiling happily. He nodded.

"I am."

Haolan followed his gaze and, upon seeing who Morax was staring at, started giggling. The god frowned, puzzled. But when he inquired, the boy only laughed harder.

The night began to quiet down as the crowd faded away, taking back to the lantern lit streets before heading home with their families. As they waited, Morax found himself telling stories of bygone days. The words flowed easily off his tongue as he recounted tales of battles against beasts even more ancient than himself. He found that telling such stories made the events feel like only yesterday, the memories still clear in his mind.

It wasn't until he heard Childe clearing his throat that Morax realized he had ramble on for far longer than he had meant to. Childe had changed back into his gray and red robes, an amused expression on his face. Looking down, he found that Haolan had practically fallen asleep. The boy was snuggled up against him, his head bobbing as he drifted off.