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]

"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.

[xie_er]

Xie just rolls his eyes again - it didn't feel like an order, and even if it had he would have been able to get away with the implied 'when you're able to', but there's something fond in his expression that he doesn't entirely have control over.

He's just as reluctant to let go as Kevin, but he does, trusting the paramedics to actually know what they're doing. He doesn't even object to going with them, not really wanting to let Kevin out of his sight right now - and maybe because, actually, with the stab wound and all the throwing around and the choking, he probably could do with some medical attention.

The adrenaline seems to be abandoning him again and his legs are wobbly, he doesn't want to lean on Quill, avoids it at first, but after the first couple of stumbles he concedes it's going to be a lot easier to just take the offered arm.

The idea of running doesn't even occur to him until they're almost at the ambulance, but even when it does he brushes it off - he's in no position to run right now. At least, that's what he tells himself.

[weird_cop]

Quill rides with them, under the guise of 'keeping an eye on the fugitive,' but he spends most of the ride watching Kevin instead, as the paramedics fuss over both of them.

Kevin's wound is cleaned and the knife removed - Quill has an evidence bag just ready - and an entronox delivery mask pulled over his head, but he keeps looking over for Xie, checking on him.

Quill eventually shakes his head and turns away to make a phone call.

"Hey love, we're fine. I'm in the ambulance with Kev. Yeah. He got stabbed. Yeah, I'll get a cab home later. Love you."

He hangs up and tells Kevin: "Sarah says not to die."

[xie_er]

Xie finally gives up when they're in the ambulance, slumping back against the side and just letting the paramedics get on with it while they clean and dress his new shoulder wound and check over his throat. He keeps his eyes on Kevin the whole time, except when he is literally forced to look away when the paramedics get between them or start shining lights in his eyes to check for concussion.

He feels like every part of his body is bruised, but he knows they can't do much about that beyond pain management.

"I say not to die, too"

[weird_cop]

"Doing my best." Kevin at least is amused by the fact that he's getting that in stereo. His arms are both dressed for burns, lying impassively at his sides, and he can only really see the roof of the ambulance, so being able to still converse is a relief.

"You too, okay?"

[xie_er]

"No risk here" He says, faintly amused in turn. He's lost some blood, but the shoulder wound is superficial, and his throat is just sore, everything else is just... exhaustion.

Maybe he could ask Kevin to heal him, if he promises to use Xie's power to do it... except he won't, because there's still... a lot, there.

He's not looking forward to the inevitable conversation.

Still, they might be both half dead but at least Yifu is all dead and that...

It hits him then, in a rush. Yifu is dead. Gone. No more... no more hit out on them, no more major operation beyond the clean up. No more safe house, probably. He doesn't know what happens next. Beyond that, though, it's still Yifu. He might have gone there to kill him, might have wanted it, but all the rage and pain was just a cover for the years he'd spent loving him, and now he was gone.

[weird_cop]

Kevin is rapidly becoming light headed again from the pain and the gas, but he recognises something, an unwelcome feeling of loss, for someone that he, Kevin, felt nothing but contempt for.

He's confused, but not so confused he can't figure out what that is.

"Hey," he ventures softly.

"It's okay, you know? If you need to mourn. I'm here."

He considers the ceiling for a second and adds:

"Okay, I'm going to pass out in a minute. But I'm here."

[xie_er]

Xie looks at him, startled for a moment until he realises. He feels another spike of it's not fair but he's more focused on the feelings, and Kevin's reaction to them.

He wishes he wouldn't be like this, so caring, it makes Xie's heart ache. And yet, at the same time, he's pathetically grateful for it.

He huffs a soft laugh at the follow up.

"Go ahead and get some rest. You're safe, I'm safe, everything is okay." he's not used to reassuring but he's pretty sure that's the right thing to say, right? He can cope with being in his feelings by himself for a bit... and yet it's somehow easier knowing Kevin is there, conscious or not.

"...Thank you."

[weird_cop]

Kevin doesn't bother with you're welcome or no problem. He just accepts the thanks and lies back for a bit, letting himself be swept up into unconsciousness.

Quill is watching with enough attention to recognise when Kevin's breathing steadies, and he huffs out a satisfied breath.

He glances over at Xie, now, not sure how to talk to him, or even if he should say anything. But the guy seems like he's doing okay.

He clears his throat.

"Gave us a scare there, mate."

[xie_er]

Xie has leaned his head back against the side of the ambulance, not quite closing his eyes but thinking about it - until Quill speaks.

He rolls his head over to the side to look at him and then looks away, nodding slightly.

"I know." He says quietly, painfully. He isn't even sure if he means that they were scared he'd escaped or even scared he'd gone back to Yifu, or if they're just talking about Kevin getting dragged into it, but either way he gets it.

[weird_cop]

Quill watches him with a tilted head, trying without telepathy to understand what's going on under those braids.

"Got him, though. Would have been a brilliant plan if you'd told us about it."

[xie_er]

Xie huffs, faintly amused. Yea, he did get him... there's another wave of that complicated grief there, but he pushes it aside.

He tilts his head to concede that, fine, going off on his own was something they were predictably not happy about.

"He wouldn't have agreed to it." He glances over to Kevin briefly "and you all have red tape"

He didn't need to get approval, or do it by the book.

[weird_cop]

"Too right he wouldn't have," Quill says, gesturing at Kevin to indicate the reason he wouldn't have agreed to it.

"Red tape's there for a reason, son. And if there's a team that experienced at bypassing all that bullshit, it's us. If you tell us, right?"

[xie_er]

Xie huffs slightly.

"Why bother with the reprimand?" He asks, an edge of bitterness creeping into his tone "It won't have a chance to happen again."

He doesn't think he regrets doing what he did. He regrets that Kevin got hurt, that he got involved at all, but ultimately he was successful, so he can't say he wouldn't do it again - he just might do it a little differently.

Not that it matters, because before long he'll be in prison and that'll be that, probably.

[weird_cop]

Quill shakes his head.

"No, you know I don't believe that. You clearly have a knack for this thing. Just because it's going to be hard for you doesn't mean you won't manage it."

He's familiar with trickster types, Xie. They've also all discussed many times how they don't think there's a prison that could keep Xie, and they don't know what they're going to do about it.

"Just give us some warning before you pull Kev into it."

[xie_er]

Xie just stares at him for a long moment, because he honestly hasn't imagined a future that wasn't either prison or escape, or the absolute best case scenario of 'relatively light sentence and then disappearing into the sunset', the idea that he might, somehow, stick with them (with Kevin) and stay as... as...

As Kevin's Familiar.

His gaze strays over to Kevin, uncertain. Could it be possible? He came running...

Because Xie is an escaped criminal who was supposed to be in his custody and he's the one who knew where Xie was. That's why. Isn't it?

He could say he didn't pull Kevin in, that he came by his own choice, but he knows that's a weak argument. Of course he came.

"Fine." He says eventually, he can agree to something that isn't going to matter anyway.

[weird_cop]

"Good lad," says Quill, sitting back like the question is settled.

The way Xie's gaze moved over to Kevin isn't lost on him either, and the dry smirk he gives betrays that.

They can have that discussion when he wakes up.

[xie_er]

Xie isn't sure he's ever been called a "good lad" in his life. He's not sure there's anything good about him, if there even could be.

He wonders, though, if maybe... if maybe he might get a chance to find out?

He leans his head back again, does close his eyes this time, cautiously tries to imagine what that kind of life might look like...

It's a nice daydream to pass the rest of the ride to the hospital, if nothing else.

[weird_cop]

When they get the hospital, the prognosis is that Kevin doesn't need to be rushed to surgery, but he and Xie are separated so they can be treated separately. Quill sticks by Xie, at least playing lip service to the idea that he's supervising a prisoner, while Ross, Costain and Lofthouse, once arriving at the hospital, take turns pacing the family room.

Eventually Kevin does get into surgery, and then he comes out, and when he finally opens his eyes sleepily, the first thing he does is reach out through the link, just to find out where Xie is.

[xie_er]

Xie is weirdly grateful for the company, not wanting to be left alone with his thoughts and, honestly, his worry.

He's checked over again, hooked up to various fluids and painkillers and informed he needs to stay in overnight for observation. He's also told he should speak as little as possible, which he's grateful for as well.

He had thought he'd basically pass out as soon as he was left alone, but he feels too wired to sleep, not until he knows Kevin is okay.

"You're awake" Xie says, relieved. He's in the bed beside Kevin and he basically hasn't taken his eyes off him since he came back from surgery

[weird_cop]

"Hey," Kevin replies, relaxing immediately back into the bed, comfortable as he can be to feel Xie in the room with him.

"Everything okay? I saw Tony make the arrest."

His first priority is to make sure the operation succeeded. He assumes he and Xie were the only people injured.