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Left turn, down the middle, left path again… He remembers the news that got back to his office at the Northland bank. More like gossip really, whispers of rumours among his co-workers about a criminal by the moniker of 'Ying'. One who's said to have never been caught and whose traces fade like the wind.
And now?
tap, tap, tap
She's on the run, and he's hot on her heels ...He'd like to think that, at least, but there's only ever been one outcome with each of their little duels. Childe rounds a corner, following Ying's trail. However...
A dead end. And of course, she’s nowhere to be seen. Great.
It only even ends like this. It's only ever ended like this. As always, he looks around for and picks up the ever present object of mockery the criminal leaves at her scenes. A little note on a scrap of paper, accompanied by a cute little doodle of a mascot character making a face of mockery. Its tongue is sticking out in a fashion annoyingly similar to his siblings’ teasing, and a certain bard from Mondstadt whom Zhongli-xiansheng seems to be very fond of.
Childe sighs to himself. Today is not the day, it seems. He pockets the note, turning on his heel, ‘ maybe with the next lead, ’ he muses to himself. He begins his walk back to his office from the dark alley. It's ironic that he's doing this, really. Coming from the Fatui, a mafia-like organisation with way too much in every region of Teyvat. And here he is, a detective. ‘ A detective who can't catch a petty criminal, you mean .’ he thinks to himself.
What
hasn't
Ying done? She’s stolen so much, her targets ranging from the wealthiest of households to the most guarded and famous of establishments.
To even his heart.
Hell, anyone who gets pickpocketed on the streets curses her name!
Damn, this was the closest he's gotten, too. It wouldn't be a thrill if he caught her so easily, though. There's a reason why he's the top detective within Fatui ranks. He may hate the little tricks the others play, but he's well acquainted with them nonetheless. He knows how they work, and when they're used… He was like that once too after all.
Now though? He loves his detective work. Well, he loves the part where he actually gets to track down and capture the criminal, at least. The boring paperwork would kill him eventually, he just knows it! In his thoughts, Childe's legs had brought him back to his office on autopilot. Convenient that his bedroom's just to the side of his office. But... yes, right, paperwork. ...The same paperwork he ignored the moment he got a lead on Ying's trail. Nevermind the paperwork killing him, Kat's gonna kill him before it does if he keeps shirking his work!
Childe sits himself down on his lofty armchair, not the most practical per se, but definitely comfortable. It reminds him of home back in Snezhnaya, near the warmth of the fireplace with the rest of his family. He misses them, the last letter he sent them mostly talking in detail about his job tracking the notorious criminal he just missed. He picks up his pen to begin writing. Reports, letters, notes… Oh, a message from Zhongli.
The redhead can't stop thinking about her. Never even properly seeing her before, and yet he's committed her voice to memory. Every little taunt and jibe directed at him seem to get him going more than any of his romantic partners ever could before. Maybe it's the adrenaline , he reasons. But he knows at this point, that's just an excuse. He finishes off his paperwork in record time, signing off his name on one final document.
Childe sheds his attire in favour of a well-deserved cold shower. His mind keeps wandering back to her. The slight view of blonde locks beneath her cloak's hood, like a black hole attempting to swallow the sun. Her melodious voice, her teasing little tones, her handwriting… Argh he can't stop thinking about her at all. Childe wonders if Ying knows exactly how much she's taken over his life. Maybe she does. Maybe that's her goal.
What an interesting target.
-----
The very next night he's on her trail again. The same chase, same scene, same damn alley. But this time, his target's making different twists and turns.
...Leading up to another dead end. With no sign of her in sight.
Childe sighs again, continuing forward to investigate. How does she keep escaping his sight? If it's a dead end for him, it should be a dead end for her, too. Unless there’s something he’s not seeing, a false wall or a door or anything . So he looks around, tracing his fingers across the grooves of the brick wall. Nothing . He didn’t even realise it when he was taken by surprise from behind.
Swift, strong arms grab a hold of his own, and a thick, sturdy rope tying them together with inhuman speed. Fuck . He's been captured by the enemy . She probably has him exactly where she wants him, subdued and vulnerable. Tsaritsa, he really is a shitty detective, being taken by surprise by his own damn target. She ties up his legs too, not like he’s going to escape anytime soon.
Ying doesn’t gag him, so he questions her, "What do you aim for when you do this? You're the one with information I want, not the other way around." Turning his body around and leaning himself against a wall, he sees the cloaked figure of his captor bathed in moonlight. Some light reaching past her hood and reflecting off her golden locks, but not enough to reveal her eyes. A black face mask blocks the lower half of her visage
"You've been on my tail for so long, you know? I thought it'd be nice to finally get to know you a little more personally, detective." She sounds cocky, just a little. But he can't help but feel excitement build in other places. He doesn’t respond, so she continues her taunt. "Why do you keep trying? No one's been able to ever detain me, what makes you think you'd be the first?" She sounds so sure of herself, however soft spoken. Her voice is even soothing to his ears.
He smirks, giving a show of confidence. "Hah, it's not that complicated. You're a challenge, and I live for them." Which isn't completely a lie, he loves a good challenge. But her? Ying's just something else entirely. He doesn't know if a normal criminal would stay this interesting to him for as long as she has.
"Is that all? You're an interesting one, detective." The light reflects just right, and the glow reaches past her hood. This is the first time he's getting to see her eyes and oh , they way they glow a dark gold in the dim light of the alley. The way they look down at him with a gleam akin to interest. He can't get enough of it. Neither knows how much time has passed. Despite him being tied up their staring contest for dominance doesn't break, not until they hear voices approaching them in the little corner of the alley she's caught him in.
"Haha... Well it's been fun." The criminal turns to face away from him. "I look forward to your next attempt, Tartaglia ." Ying’s figure rounds a corner, and she’s gone. Again. The way she says it is so unfair , and the tightness straining in his pants is definitely not helping.
Oh Tsaritsa, he really is down bad, isn't he?