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]

"The best I have in years."

Which is true. He thanks Xie for the tea and sits, enjoying breakfast in quiet companionship until Tony comes in with three empty tea mugs.

There's no reason for him to look between them the way he does, but he says nothing except good morning.

"And when you're ready there's something you're going to want to see."

'You,' in this case is Xie.

[xie_er]

Xie is confused by the look, but he does at least say good morning back. He's about to ask what's going on when Tony continues and he resists the urge to sigh.

"What is it now?" He asks tiredly - he'd bet money that it isn't a good thing, it never is.

[weird_cop]

Kevin is not confused by the look, and is grateful to Tony for not saying anything. It helps, of course, that Tony is his best mate and has known this has been coming for a while.

Tony only includes Kevin in his answer out of politeness, though, because his news doesn't really concern him.

"That paper's got hold of some stuff. About you. It's not an operational threat..."

This is police speak for no one's in danger.

"...but it's shit, mate. I'm sorry."

(Kevin is already standing.)

[xie_er]

Some stuff about him? The possibilities run through his head. The crimes he's committed? That's the most likely option he can think of, exposed criminal kingpin's son is prolific assassin, that's the kind of thing that sells papers right? The fact that he was adopted from the streets is unlikely to be it, that's old news that Yifu squashed years ago, back when he was first adopted.

(Privately, Xie thinks that was a mistake, Yifu should have used it to boost his own image, it would have made the perfect puff piece - businessman takes in poor orphan child)

There's something about that apology, though, something unsettling. Xie puts down his fork, appetite suddenly gone (he was mostly finished anyway) and pushes himself to his feet.

"Show me." He says, already moving towards the basement stairs.

[weird_cop]

Kevin grabs one of the teas Tony poured out, plus his own, and follows Xie, close enough behind him to give support.

Downstairs Quill and Lisa are sitting, waiting for them, and unsurprised that Xie is first. Lisa picks up the paper in question and hands it over, unable to keep the pity out of her face.

Jimmy is scowling like he wants to burn down all of Fleet Street.

[xie_er]

That look on Lisa's face makes him want to stab something already, but he forces himself to take the paper and actually look.

He had an idea, he did, the way the others were acting gave him enough hints, but he'd really been hoping it was just some dramatic retelling of his many assassinations. It was a foolish hope, but it had been enough to get him down the stairs and looking at the paper when every other fibre of his being was screaming not to.

He wishes he'd listened.

DECEASED CEO SEX SLAVE SCANDAL the headline proclaims dramatically. He can practically hear the editor's excitement. What a fucking story.

It does, it turns out, talk about Yifu taking him off the streets, there's even a picture (they must have gotten it from police in Hong Kong, it's a mugshot from when he was 13, back when he'd been skinny and wild with awful, messy hair, clumsily braided) - it's the poor orphan angle, but leading into how Yifu was grooming him.

He gets compared to a fucking mail order bride, which just seems a little racist, but that's the bottom of the barrel of things that make him want to scream. There's quotes from anonymous sources (and oh they are getting ripped to shreds if he ever finds out who they are), it talks about Yifu "lending" him to people, makes a big deal about how young he was when it all started, everything. Every horrible little detail written to sound as sordid and fucked up as humanly possible.

It makes Yifu sound like a monster, and maybe he was, but it also makes Xie sound like an innocent lamb led to slaughter and that makes him want to tear his own skin off.

Or maybe somebody else's.

[weird_cop]

Kevin doesn't even need to see the headline. He gets enough of the content from Xie's emotions without even looking over.

He finishes coming down the stairs, gives Lisa her tea, nods at the question in her eyes and then:

"Everyone out or do they stay? Your call."

Whatever Xie answers he will relay immediately to the team.

[xie_er]

He takes a breath, and then another, tries to calm the rage swirling inside him. What's he going to do? Go on a killing spree at the paper? It won't change anything, they're already out there, all over the fucking country people are reading this and feeling sorry for him. He can't stab all of them.

He can stab the people in this room, though, which is why he immediately responds to Kevin's question.

"Out."

He likes Lisa, but if she keeps looking at him like that he's going to scream, and if she hugs him - which she looks like she's about to - he might end up with his switchblade in hand reflexively.

He doesn't actually want to hurt any of them, but he wants to hurt somebody and he's got to misplace his anger somewhere.

[weird_cop]

They don't even hesitate when Kevin tells them. They are gone within a minute; leaving Kevin standing there feeling useless but desperate to do something.

He moves towards Xie, aware that he might get stabbed, but honestly willing to risk it.

"What can I do?"

[xie_er]

"Burn it." Xie shoves the paper at him. He doesn't care if he does it magically or not, he just wants it to no longer exist in the house. He knows it's probably stupid, but it will go some way to satisfying his visceral need to destroy things right now.

Beyond that, he has no idea, he doesn't know what can be done, there's no fixing this or taking it back, he just has to deal with it... and how the fuck do you deal with something like this?

"I need to go for a run."

[weird_cop]

Kevin obeys - and unnecessarily, perhaps, he uses Xie's power to do it. He pulls enough magic through the link that Xie can feel it, know it's his power doing it, and incinerates the whole paper with a instantaneous flash.

He wonders for a brief moment whether letting Xie out of the house is a good idea, and immediately dismisses that thought with a flash of anger at himself.

"Let me check with the uniforms outside that this place is definitely secure, okay?."

The absolute last thing they need is the press - or anyone - finding out their location. He's confident, but not completely confident.

"I'm here if you need someone to talk to. And I'm here if you need someone to hit."

He would be dismantling another dummy at this point.

[xie_er]

Xie is glad that Kevin uses his power - both because he's always glad when Kevin uses his power and because Kevin's right, it does feel better knowing it's his power that destroyed the disgusting thing.

He chafes at the delay but he nods, the last thing he wants to do is step out into a crowd of reporters.

"You have until I get my running shoes on" He says, already moving for the stairs. If it's not safe out here, he's going through the portal to find somewhere that is.

He pauses halfway up the stairs, the rage is still thrumming too strong to actually talk much, but there's something about Kevin's offer that doesn't feel judgemental or pitying, just... understanding.

"...Thank you."

[weird_cop]

"Always."

It's like 'you're welcome,' but it's also a promise - their lives are fucked up and messy and they probably both have terrible coping mechanisms but Kevin is willing to weather it all.

He pulls his shoes on and jogs out to the house across the street, where the shift workers aren't actually in uniform, but are alert and relaxed. They confirm that they've seen nothing that indicates that anyone (else) is staking out the house and it's safe for Xie to go for a run if the DC thinks it's safe.

They also promise they'll pull up the CCTV cameras they've access to along his usual route, just to keep an eye out.

[xie_er]

Xie nods slightly and carries on up the stairs. He thinks he'd feel the same, if the situations were reversed - one day, maybe, with the work Kevin does, he'll have a chance to find out. He doesn't really like that idea, but maybe supporting somebody through the bullshit is better than going through it yourself.

It probably isn't. He'd rather things just stopped being so fucking complicated, for both of them.

He goes and changes into work-out clothes, even puts a hat on just to add a little anonymity, and then goes to the door to toe on his running shoes.

"Good to go?"

[weird_cop]

"Good to go."

Kevin waits on the street, his phone out to text and look a little less like someone who needs to be on the street for their housemate to leave the house.

"If you want me let me know."

He decides to stay outside, partly so he can immediately phone the team and ask for updates.

[xie_er]

Xie nods, doing the most cursory of stretches before taking off down the street. He doesn't feel like it's doing much, at first, but when the burn starts to set into his muscles it feels a little better, just a little.

He pushes himself until he's out of breath, having to stop on a corner to catch it. He's trying to tune everything out, so maybe that's why he doesn't notice the van parked just behind him, or really pay attention when the door slides open and somebody steps out.

If they'd stepped close enough to knock him out physically, maybe he would have noticed in time, but unfortunately the witch emerging from the van has a more efficient way. Xie feels a sudden drowsiness sweep over him and has just enough time to think what? before he crumples, slumping to the pavement like a sack of potatoes, completely unconscious.

The witch drags him into the van, one of his running shoes catching on the pavement and falling off. It lies there, unnoticed, as the door closes and the van drives away.

[weird_cop]

Kevin is trying to keep busy, and not be a mother hen, so he paces the street on the phone, resisting the urge to check in on Xie constantly.

There's still frustratingly little about how the press got the info. It doesn't appear to be an inside leak, the only external people to have seen Xie's charge sheet and the transcript of his statement have been...
...his lawyers.

Kevin shallows his frustration as he checks in on Xie, finding him not quite where he expected. He reaches out through the link to ask if he's okay, and gets nothing.

And then he's racing to his car, once again phoning Quill to scream for help.

[xie_er]

When Xie comes round - or, more accurately, when the witch brings him round - he knows immediately something is wrong. Hard not to, with his arms tied behind his back and a blindfold over his eyes. His switchblade is gone, he can already tell, and he swears under his breath.

He tugs experimentally on the bonds around his wrist. Cable ties, he thinks, from the way they're cutting into his skin, and they're attached to something. He reaches back, feels around a little and decides it's a radiator. There's more cable ties around his ankles as well. One of his feet is cold where he's missing the shoe, the heel of it sore from dragging unprotected on the pavement as he was pulled into the van.

He doesn't seem to have any other injuries, at least, the magical knock-out is good for one thing - but he doesn't know where he is, who took him or why.

He stills his own breathing, straining his ears to listen. There's a faint whisper of fabric, a shift - somebody's in the room but they aren't speaking, probably just watching him. The witch who knocked him out, he assumes. For the moment, he ignores them, reaches out through the link instead.

"Kevin?"

[weird_cop]

"Xie."

He sighs the name out loud in relief at the same time, wishing that he had Tony's skill with a car as he desperately tries to follow him.

"I'm on my way. What do you see, feel, hear?"

He's as level toned as possible, looking for information but also - grounding Xie, giving him something to focus on.

[xie_er]

Xie doesn't usually think of himself as helpless, and in truth if he didn't have Kevin to fall back on he probably would figure a way out of this situation - but the flood of relief he feels when Kevin replies is just as much his own as it is Kevin's.

"I'm blindfolded, tied to a radiator I think, lying on... feels like floorboards. There's someone else in the room but they're not doing anything, just watching me I think. I didn't see who took me."

He tries to shift - can't stay blindfolded or tied up when you've changed shape - but it doesn't work. It's like he's blocked, somehow. He goes to open his mouth, ask what the fuck, but he can't even do that.

At least that answers the question. He can't shift because he can't move. His window of opportunity was the moment he woke up, when he could still at least move his fingers, but apparently whoever is watching him decided not to take any chances after that.

[weird_cop]

"I think I know that spell," Kevin tells him. "It's breakable with effort but a lot of effort all at once and its easy to reassert. Don't waste energy fighting it if the time isn't right."

Which will be hard to gauge with a blindfold on.

"Do you feel anything? What vibes does the spell give off?"

Fear, hatred, greed. They are all clues he can work with.

And he's getting closer. Thank all the gods available that they didn't get much of a head start.

[xie_er]

"It's- wait. Door's opening."

He hears footsteps, the faint creak of a chair as his watcher turns.

"About time." A voice says - rough, familiar, used to work for Yifu he thinks, but he's having trouble placing a name. "Why'd you have me wake him up if you were gonna take this long?"

"What does it matter?" Another replies - the newcomer, it must be. It's smoother, but just as familiar. "You think he's going to do anything?"

"Wouldn't put it past him." The first says darkly.

"You took his knife, didn't you? He has no weapons, he can't shift and he's tied up, you can't tell me you're scared of him?"

"Not scared," the response is sullen, defensive "just don't trust the fucker. Is everything ready yet?"

"Almost."

"Good. I'm looking forward to watching him bleed."

[weird_cop]

Kevin listens to this exchange through the link with some interest, flipping through possibilities and ruling things out as he gathers evidence.

There's a level of don't really know what they're doing that reassures him a bit, even while deciding that he doesn't much like there way they're talking about Xie bleeding.

"Okay," he says as he turns into the residential street he knows Xie is on. "Two minutes."

Of course he knows Xie knows this, but he keeps the communication going, keeps a calm tone going.

He's been sharing his location with the team since first calling them.

[xie_er]

The spell can be broken with effort, he said. If Xie breaks out and shifts just when they arrive, the two idiots' attention will be split.

He relays this plan to Kevin, still listening with half an ear to the two holding him captive. He's remembered, now, who they are - two defectors from Ghost Valley that were working for Yifu for a while. Xie had been the go between because Yifu didn't want to be seen associating with them. When they'd done what he needed, Yifu had cut them loose. They hadn't been very happy about that, apparently they still weren't.

One of them approaches him, he isn't sure which one until he's roughly poked in the shoulder and the man speaks - it's the first one, the one who was in the room when he woke.

"You should be happy you know, you're going to help us bring your precious master back." He gloats roughly, breaking off into a nasal snigger "Not that he'll be anybody's master when we have him. And you won't be alive to see it anyway. Guess you shouldn't be happy after all." He laughs again, like he's the funniest person in the world.

[weird_cop]

"What a frigging idiot," Kevin opines.

"If he's the gloating type, he might let you speak. If you fancy a bit of improv: get scared, beg them not to hurt you, or ask them if they can save Yifu."

He's parked, but the electric vehicle made no noise that would announce his arrival, and he's taking the time to rummage through the holdall in the boot.

"I'll count down for the distraction."