Oh, oh, oh it's magic (Xie and Kevin)

[xie_er]

Zhao Jing used to be a nobody, born into influence and wealth but always in the shadow of those around him. In magical circles he was even worse, a barely-remembered witch that didn't have enough power for any familiar to even consider looking twice at him.

Somehow, though, after many years (and a few suspicious deaths), he's managed to climb his way to the CEO of Five Lakes, his power - of both kinds - growing exponentially.

The previous CEO was surrounded by some unfortunate rumorus before his death, so Zhao Jing has been focused on repairing the reputation of he company and solidifying his support, mundane and magical, which means it is far too delicate a moment for Xie to be in the spotlight, even if he was promised he'd be allowed to stop hiding when the position was in Zhao Jing's hands.

He just has to wait a little longer, that's all, and it's not like it's difficult to only appear in his animal form whenever Zhao Jing is in public, just uncomfortable, and the last thing they need is for somebody to recognise Xie for any of the things he's done to help his witch get where he is today, when his position is still so precarious...

He tells himself all the excuses he's heard from Yifu, repeats them in his head like a mantra as he sits through all the meetings and negotiations, a little black cat and Zhao Jing's feet, watching the men and women he's speaking to for anything Yifu can use. He hangs around when Zhao Jing steps out the room, listens to what they say behind his back - that's his job with normal people, to be a pair of ears they don't realise are there. Even paranoid types who scan for bugs would miss him, which he finds funny, privately, because he is a bug of a sort.

Not that he's allowed to take his original animal form - a scorpion would be out of place if anybody caught sight of him, and Yifu doesn't like the idea of him hiding in pockets or anything like that. He says it's dangerous, that something could happen to him, but Xie privately thinks he just finds the form creepy. Even around other magical people, the cat is preferred - his job with them is to be a reminder that Zhao Jing has a familiar, and a relatively powerful one at that.

It's hard for familiars to change the form they can take, but he did it, for Yifu.

He tells people the cat is called Scorpion, and that somebody else named him - which is technically true, Xie does mean scorpion, and his parents named him - and that he's vaguely embarrassed to have such a fiercely named cat.

(He doesn't tell magical people anything at all, they know Xie isn't a pet so they're less likely to ask, at most they will wonder why his familiar always stays in animal form. Zhao Jing just tells them he's shy. He isn't, he doesn't care about people seeing him, but it's easier to do the things Yifu wants him to do when nobody knows what he looks like)

Xie hadn't always known he was powerful - when Yifu had taken him in he'd been told he wasn't much, but that maybe he could be useful. Later, when some witch had made an offhand comment about it, the story had become that Yifu recognised his power and took him in before anybody else could steal him away, that he just wanted to protect Xie from the people who would use him for his power. Xie was already so far gone by that point that he accepted it, that he told himself he was lucky he had Yifu to protect him, to guide him.

It's funny how easy it is to lie to yourself.

When the meetings are over for the day he finally shifts back to human form, spending a few minutes stretching out the kinks that come from forcing himself into a form that isn't quite his, especially with how much he's had to do it over the last few weeks, and then going in search of something to eat. He could probably just head back to his own apartment since he doesn't think Yifu needs anything else from him, not today, but the outsiders have all left and everybody in Yifu's manor at least knows Xie, even if they don't know that Xie and Scorpion are one and the same, so it's safe to be around them.

He likes to spend as much time here as he can get away with, likes to remind Yifu he can be useful in other ways... and maybe he likes to keep an eye on this new apprentice Yifu has taken on. He doesn't understand why he needs anybody else when he has Xie, but the last time he'd questioned somebody new in the house Yifu hadn't spoken to him for a week, so he doesn't voice that thought out loud - he just watches the guy suspiciously every chance he gets, and wonders how easy he would be to get rid of.

He's halfway to the kitchen when something makes him stop. A tug of power, the vague echo of chanting, there's a ritual happening and something about it is drawing him close. He frowns, confused, and follows the pull...

Comments

[weird_cop]

Kevin races forward when they start hand to hand fighting, skidding to a halt by Xie, so that Zhao doesn't have to move his head much to see both of them. He stands a little in front of him, but not so Xie can't see past him, can't get past him if he needs.

He isn't even slightly distracted by the taunts, but uses the time to pull a healthy amount of magic into his hands, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet, waiting for the next attack, the next opening.

"Shoulder okay?"

[xie_er]

"I'll live, stay focused" Xie tells him, though even his mental voice sounds pained. No matter what else is going on with them, they have to work together, they can't afford to slip up.

The next attack comes from behind, a wall of magic that knocks Xie off his feet a split second before it will reach Kevin, if he doesn't stop it, just as Zhao's shield drops and he dives forward to swing with his sword at the same time. There's an edge of magic to the blade, but it's also still a blade.

[weird_cop]

Xiee being knocked off his feet is a warning to Kevin, who lifts a hand behind and makes another gesture, easing a hole in the wall so it passes safely over him. That at least will give something for Zhao to have to deal with, which might take the edge (ha!) of the fact that Kevin brought his fists to a swordfight.

He slips to the side, twisting lightly on his feet while throwing down his hand - his burned hand, but sheathed in his own power - to deflect the blade safely behind him. With the same motion he brings his other hand down hard, loaded with power, towards Zhao as he reaches him.

He's surprised - he had not judged Zhao to have this much power without Xie, and that's worrying.

[xie_er]

Zhao manages to block the hand with his own, just about, though the force of it sends him staggering a little. He smirks, though.

"Your power has come a long way in such a short amount of time. I wonder what that could be..." He taunts, his gaze flicking to Xie, who is just now pushing himself up onto his knees, dazed and aching from all the hits he's taken.

"It would be such a shame if something happened to that power..." Zhao continues, pushing back with some of his own power and lunging towards Xie with his sword.

Xie manages to roll out of the way, though it does nothing for how exhausted and hurt he already feels. Yifu has more power than he used to, he's sure of it. He doesn't know how or where he got it, but it's there all the same, and Kevin...

"Why aren't you taking my power? Still!" He sounds weak, but he knows the magical power within him isn't affected by that, knows that it's there, just waiting to be used - and he is worried that Kevin will be at a disadvantage without it.

[weird_cop]

"Just stay safe," Kevin tells him, ignoring the question because Xie knows the answer.

But source of power or not, Xie is at serious risk here, and keeping him safe is Kevin's top priority.

He considers his options for a second, glancing to the floor where he catches sight of one of Xie's dropped knives. The idea hits him suddenly, and the plan forms solidly in his mind.

"Stay the fuck away from him."

He grabs the knife and rushes them both, throwing himself between them, looking for all the world that he is defending his source of power. He holds one hand out in front of him, forming a powerful magic shield that should take a few seconds.

Behind his back he holds the knife. By the blade, held in his palm. Bracing himself for the pain, he closes the fist further.

Protect him.

Blood pools in his palm and as he opens his palm he feels the warmth pouring down his fingers as the knife clatters to the floor.

"Draw a circle. Stay in the circle. Please."

[xie_er]

I'm going to fucking kill him.

Why is he still protecting Xie? He's got all this power without him, he's just putting himself in harm's way - and then! Then injuring himself even fucking more just in order to keep Xie safe.

"That's a little rich coming from a thief" Zhao is saying, battering at the shield with more hits that get him nowhere, but it seems like only a matter of time before he breaks through and Kevin is thinking about protecting Xie more than himself.

Xie can't even do anything about it because Kevin's given him an order, and this is way, way too high stress a situation for Xie to gather the proper willpower to resist it, so he dives forward and smears his fingers into the dripping blood, uses it to sketch a circle around himself - with some effort, he's trying to move quickly so Kevin doesn't have to defend him for longer than absolutely necessary, and it hurts.

But he gets the circle drawn, stays inside it and feels, yet again, frustratingly helpless.

"But I'll have what's mine back, soon enough." Zhao looks like he's flagging a little, like he's used up a lot of his power, and the injuries he's sustained are taking their toll - but he smirks, stepping back a little as the two assassins from before step out from the shadows to join him.

Xie's eyes widen in fear - Kevin is more powerful than he or Zhao really knew, but is he powerful enough for this?

[weird_cop]

"Not. Yours."

Kevin doesn't offer it as a retort so much as grind it out through gritted teeth, an affirmation meant for no one's ears but his own. He braces himself against the shield, spares a moment and a sliver of energy to stop the bleeding in his palm, and shores up another handful of magic.

When Zhao steps back, Kevin moves. He throws the remnants of the shield at Zhao like he's kettling with a riot shield and darts forward, charging one of the assassins.

The magic in his fist flicks out like a police baton and he swipes at the assassin's knees with it as he passes, skidding in the dirt of the warehouse floor as he turns to face all three of them, making them turn away from Xie to face him.

He stands low, shoring magic in both open palms, feet light on the floor.

"Really, Shifu? Didn't think you could take me on your own?"

He's not sure if he's powerful enough for this, either, but he knows he's going to have to try.

[xie_er]

"I prefer to come prepared." Zhao days coldly - he'd stepped back when Kevin pushed forward, letting the two assassins take the brunt of the attack, one of them moving in the way of the shield remnants and the other meeting his charge head on.

Behind them, Xie scoffs. Prefers to be a fucking coward, more like. He should probably be flattered Yifu risked his precious skin for him.

The assassins aren't even looking at him. So used to magic attacks that they think a Familiar isn't a threat. It's galling. It's also right, he doesn't have his usual assortment of knives and Kevin told him to stay in the circle. Only Yifu is still turned slightly towards him, able to see him from the corner of his eye even as the majority of his attention is on Kevin.

His gaze falls to the dropped knife, just within reach, and he debates keeping it close for protection or...

The male assassin is on his knee, dropped by Kevin's hit but readying a hit of his own. The woman is gathering fire in her hands and Xie moves without thinking, grabbing the knife and throwing it. Yifu doesn't even stop it, cares more about his own safety than those fighting with him, as Xie knew he would. The knife buries itself in her arm and she screams, the fire dropping from her fingers and dissipating against the floor. She whirls, flinging the other ball towards him instead of Kevin. He ducks, but the fire smashes harmlessly into the barrier created by the circle in a shower of sparks.

"Leave it. Focus on him." Zhao snaps. The male assassin shoves himself to his feet with a roar and throws a magical blast at Kevin.

[weird_cop]

The rush of pride and gratitude when the knife hits is tangible even over the fear. Kevin glances at the barrier, sees no evidence that throwing a knife through it damaged the integrity, and he makes another gesture.

Dropped weapons on the floor start clattering towards Xie, as if that area was suddenly magnetic.

"Two" He counts as the fireball dissolves on his shield.

Then he has to give his full attention to the other assassin. The blast is too big to dodge, and just shielding from it takes up a but more power than he has to hand. Kevin throws both arms up, but again can't absorb all of it, and he feels the blast setting into his forearms.

In the second he has while the next attack readies he darts forward, choosing to deal with this guy the old fashioned way: with a solid crack to the jaw.

He's running out of power though, can feel it.

[xie_er]

Xie smiles grimly, grabbing the knives as soon as they're within reach and readying to throw the next. Yifu is paying more attention to him now, but the other two aren't - the guy stumbling back from the hit and then diving towards Kevin, instinct making him respond with physical force instead of magical.

The woman summons another two fireballs, throwing them in quick succession - apparently not caring if she hits Kevin or the guy fighting him.

Xie throws his next knife towards Yifu, who ducks out of the way. Ducks, doesn't magically block it, actually physically moves. Xie throws another, experimentally, he dodges that one too. Is he out of power? Is - no. He's doing something. He can't use his magic to block Xie's knives because he's using it to build up an attack. The other two are just a distraction.

"He's planning something" he tells Kevin urgently, surely now, now he'll use Xie's power...

[weird_cop]

"Thanks."

Kevin has a laughable advantage in a fist fight. He practically uses the man as a shield to avoid the fireballs and then gives three solid hits in quick succession to drop him to the floor. He stays where he is, gathers enough energy to lash out and dissipate the last two fireballs, but otherwise just keeps half an eye on the woman, ready to counter any of her knives.

Kevin gives most of his attention to Zhao, and he sees it - that confidence was never bravado, with that guy, the smugness in his face really does mean he has power ready, and Kevin has burned through his.

"The circle will hold," he tells Xie steadily. "As long as you don't break it, it will hold. He can't get you."

He pulls his power together, weighing it, wondering if it's enough to counter whatever his old master has waiting for him. Hoping.

"Where's all this from, Shifu? I'm not the only one come a long way."

[xie_er]

Xie stares at him, the final knife still in his hand. The circle will hold... that does not sound like the kind of reassurance given by someone who expects to make it out of this fight. He's flagging, Xie can see it now, and yet he still isn't feeling the familiar pull of his energy being used.

"You think a Familiar is the only place I can pull power from?" Zhao smirks "There's so many ways to get it, if you're willing to do what's necessary..."

The man is groaning on the floor, the woman readying another fireball, but Zhao barks an instruction at her in Chinese and she drops back, getting out of the way as his power becomes palpable, like static in the air.

Desperately, barely even aware what he's doing but acting on some unknown instinct buried in his very DNA, Xie gathers his own power, finds the conduit between him and Kevin and just shoves. If he won't take it, Xie will give it to him. Force it on him, in fact.

[weird_cop]

Kevin rolls his eyes, completely unimpressed by this kind of brag. Don't come to me talking about doing what's necessary, you have no idea.

He braces himself anyway, setting his feet apart in a defensive stance, bringing up what power he has left to block what's coming, at least buy his friends time...

...and then he feels the dam breaking, feels that power rushing into him, so hard and fast that his body physically shudders, like a brief, very strong sneeze.

It's just so much. He knew Xie was powerful, but this is ridiculous. And it's fresh, and clean, not bloody and dirty like his usual source. And all Kevin can think about is how right it feels, flowing through him.

He doesn't even look at Xie, he's sure the man knows how grateful he is.

He focuses his attention on Zhao, on the power gathering around him, and whips his power out, fast and sharp, aiming at the man's wrists.

[xie_er]

It takes effort, when he's already so weak from the injuries, far more effort than just letting his power be used does, but even though the weariness sets into his bones and he has to work to stay conscious, it feels good.

Zhao is about to release the power he's gathered when Kevin's magic snaps out, flicking his arms backwards and causing the power to explode around him at random - the guy gets lifted from the floor and thrown bodily against the wall with a nasty crack as his skull connects and he slumps to the floor, another burst of it crashes around Xie, the circle only just holding it at bay. Some of it does fly towards Kevin, too, but wild, uncontrolled and easy to defend against or dodge, especially with the new power coursing through him.

[weird_cop]

Kevin pulls his outburst of magic back, and flicks it in the air around him as he does, deflecting much of the magic flying at him so he can physically dodge the rest.

The woman is building up for her last two fireballs, and he lets them come to near fruition before whipping out again, dissipating them uselessly.

He turns to Zhao, already pooling the power around his hands and arms.

"Are you going to come quietly?"

[xie_er]

Zhao backs up, sensing the way the tables have turned, somehow, and not quite certain how it's happened. He's only looking at Kevin now, and Xie silently reaches for the final knife nearby.

How much more trouble can he really get in with the law?

Zhao barks out another order and the woman rushes forward, putting herself between him and Kevin and trying to cause a distraction, drawing her own knives. Zhao turns and runs - only he strays a little too close to Xie, who lunges forward with his knife.

He dodges, diving to the side, Xie manages to rake the knife along his side, deep enough to draw blood but not enough to do any real damage. Zhao lashes out with a magical blow that knocks Xie off his feet.

They both freeze, neither of them really expected it to work, and as one they look down at the circle... the circle that Xie has broken, smudged the blood with his foot when he lunged forward.

Xie grips his knife tighter but before he can move he's lifted off the ground by an invisible force. Zhao has his hand up, his fingers squeeze the air and Xie feels the pressure constricting his throat.

[weird_cop]

"Xie!"

Kevin screams through both the link and through his lungs, not knowing where one starts and the other ends. He rushes forward, throwing up a shield which he barrels into the woman as he passes, sending knives clattering and knocking her to the ground.

He pulls on Xie's power, focused and clear, knowing consciously that there's only one way of saving Xie's life, and making that decision for himself. The power fizzles around his fingers and Kevin urges it forward, twin snakes of electricity that hit Zhao - one in the centre of his magical core, the other into his heart.

When he drops Xie, Kevin is there to catch him.

[xie_er]

If it wasn't for the fact the cry echoed around his head as well as the warehouse, Xie would have thought he imagined it. Everything seemed far away, black spots swam in front of his vision.

And then suddenly he can breathe again. He drops, manages to catch himself on his feet for all of three seconds before his legs crumple beneath him, but instead of crashing to the ground he's falling into strong arms and it's a lot easier to steady himself.

Zhao has dropped as well, convulsing on the ground until he isn't anymore, he's lying still. A stillness that Xie recognises, but he can barely even process it. Instead, he turns to Kevin, reaching to grip onto his arm.

"You..." he starts, breaks off into coughing and realises speaking is a little too much right now.

"You saved me."

[weird_cop]

"You saved me first, mate," Kevin tells him, wrapping his arm around Xie's waist in order to steady him for what it's worth, as Kevin feels pretty damn unsteady on his feet himself.

"Hey!" he snaps at the woman struggling to her feet, "know when you're beat, love!"

She turns, runs towards the door of the warehouse, and literally into Costain's chest, who waists no time subduing her, handcuffing her, and cheerfully reading her her arrest rights.

"So frigging nicked, you are," he says with relish.

Kevin lets that happen, and turns his attention to Xie, lifting one of his hands to brush a braid from his face, nominally checking for injuries.

"You scared me."

[xie_er]

Xie feels like it might be nice to just pass out, right about now, but he pulls on whatever lingering reserves of strength he can find, wanting to at least stay conscious until he's sure everything is dealt with.

He's actually glad to see Costain, but only because it means Kevin can keep holding him up and doesn't need to go and deal with that.

He closes his eyes, just for a moment, at that gentle brush of Kevin's hand. It's too soft, too tender, and he's so, so tired. He doesn't know if he can hide how much he needs even that tiny scrap of affection.

"I'm sorry" sorry for scaring him, sorry for the argument, for going off on his own and nearly getting both of them killed, for everything else.

[weird_cop]

"Apologise later."

Not don't be sorry, not it wasn't your fault, just the acknowledgement they have to talk and now is not the time.

The flashing blues outside indicate the arrival of uniforms, just as Lisa picks her way over to them, as Kevin turns to start half-carrying Xie out. But the movement makes him stop suddenly, as a stab of pain hits him in the stomach.

"Kev!" Lisa rushes to him, eyes wide and focused on that area and he blinks down groggily.

It turns out that one of the female assassin's throwing knives is still firmly embedded in his abs.

"That's not good."

[xie_er]

Xie just nods, moving with him until he stops and then... and then...

All tiredness suddenly vanishes as adrenaline floods his system. And he switches abruptly from being supported by Kevin to moving to support him. He hooks one arm under his and ignores the scream of pain from his now twice injured shoulder.

"Don't move" he tells him firmly. He doesn't want to risk jostling any more than necessary, and he doesn't have anything to put pressure on the wound so he also doesn't move to pull the knife out.

"Ambulance." He says to Lisa, voice rough and the word dragged painfully from his throat.

[weird_cop]

"Oh now you're playing hero," Kevin replies dryly. He doesn't resist the change in their situation, leaning on Xie as he shifts weight, wincing at a phantom pain in his own shoulder he can't quite work out.

Lisa calls out to Quill to see if there's a stretcher among the flashing blues outside. He nods and races out.

"Make sure that attempted murder of a police officer is the very top of her rap sheet.."

[xie_er]

"Sure, I'll just explain that to them" he says with a roll of his eyes - the sarcasm is partly because he doesn't think they're going to listen to anything he has to say (unless it's explaining exactly why he did what he did) and partly because speaking is difficult right now.

He just has to keep Kevin still and upright for a little bit longer, until he's being looked after, and then... then he can collapse and deal with anything else later.

[weird_cop]

"You do that."

It takes him a second to realise he hasn't actually said any of this out loud, but he wiggles his fingers on Xie's shoulders, not risking a squeeze.

"That wasn't an order, don't do that. Stay with me, okay?."

When the paramedics do rush over with a stretcher, his hand lingers even when he's being gently prised away.

"Him too," Kevin says finally to Quill, and he nods, professionally, offering a supportive arm to Xie.

"Come on, son. We can share the ambulance."

And you're not going to do another runner, right? is implied.