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

xie_er posting in

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...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

xie_er

Xie huffs a gentle laugh.

"And a lot more than that, as I recall." He says, amused. He's more than happy to work their way down Kevin's list. Several times over, if necessary.

"Right now, though, we should get you cleaned up" He adds softly.

From:

weird_cop

"And a lot more than that," Kevin concedes. But he also concedes the second point, kissing Xie again before edging to the edge of the bed.

He catches Xie's hand in his as he goes, though.

"You want to come?"

From:

xie_er

He's not so needy he has to go everywhere Kevin does, he can give him his own space.

But if he's offering...

Xie smiles softly and nods, using their joined hands to pull himself up so he can follow Kevin to the bathroom.

From:

weird_cop

Kevin tugs him gently into the bathroom, where he discovers to his pleasure that they have both a bath and a separate stand up shower, into which he pulls Xie.

Just as the water starts he wraps his arms around Xie's shoulders for a long kiss.

From:

xie_er

Xie had already seen the bathroom when he put his products away earlier, but now he eyes up the bath tub, contemplating the size of it - until he's quickly distracted by being pulled into the shower.

He curls his arms around Kevin's waist, stepping in close to just enjoy the kiss. He's trying to keep his hair out of the water, because once it gets wet it's a whole thing, but it's hard to think about that and kiss, and he knows which one he'd rather be doing.

From:

weird_cop

Kevin, meanwhile, had almost the opposite thought in his head.

"Do you want me to do your hair?"

From:

xie_er

He had been thinking about how much effort it would be to wash his hair when he's feeling so relaxed and lazy. Kevin washing his hair is not that much effort at all. In fact, that can only prolong the good mood.

"You don't have to..." Which is a yes, obviously, but he doesn't want Kevin to feel obligated

From:

weird_cop

Kevin takes a handful of braids up in his hands and kisses Xie's earlobe before starting with one of the braids that hangs to the front.

"I want to."

From:

xie_er

Xie smiles softly and nods, turning slightly to make it easier for Kevin to reach most of the braids - he doesn't want to turn away entirely just yet, but he can help a little.

He also starts undoing one of the braids on the other side, just so that Kevin isn't doing all the work.

From:

weird_cop

Kevin takes his time, of course, enjoying it as he works on each at a time, letting the water run down the hair of each unbraided section as he holds it in his hand.

"This is easier standing up."

From:

xie_er

Xie huffs a gentle laugh, twisting a little more as Kevin works through each braid, until he's standing with his back to him and resisting the urge to just lean into him and interrupt the process.

"More comfortable for me, too" he agrees

From:

weird_cop

Kevin does try to focus on his work, but it's easy to get distracted by the curve of Xie's back into his arse, so it takes a little longer than it should before he reaches for the shampoo.

Then massaging Xie's head does become massaging his shoulders.

From:

xie_er

Xie can live with a few distractions, especially any that involve Kevin's hands straying over the rest of his body. Especially strong fingers working down from his scalp to his shoulders - after the day he's had, everything this evening has been exactly what he needed to take his mind off it.

He leans back into the touch with a contented noise, eyes half closed.

From:

weird_cop

The temptation to start kissing Xie's hair is kept at bay by the shampoo at least, but Kevin contents himself with his hands.

Eventually he moves around to the front of Xie so he can back him into the shower stream to rinse out the shampoo.

From:

xie_er

Xie resists the push at first, leaning in instead so he can steal a kiss, but then he allows himself to be pushed back under the water.

Then he pulls Kevin in close for another kiss, just because he can.

From:

weird_cop

Kevin allows himself to be kissed, particularly as he can now run his fingers through Xie's hair while it is silky and wet and unbraided.

"Sick of me saying how much I love this hair yet?"

From:

xie_er

"I could live with hearing it a few more times" He admits, although he pauses to pull Kevin's hands away gently, reaching for the conditioner and passing it to him.

"If you keep running your hands through it before it's conditioned I'll get breakages." He adds sternly, his expression softening to a smile so Kevin knows he isn't really serious.

(Well, he is, but not in a mean way)

From:

weird_cop

"Sorry."

Kevin is more genuine in his apology than is really necessary, and is surprised by how embarrassed he is at that.

He obediently applies conditioner to his hand and then starts smoothing it over Xie's hair, occasionally leaning in for a kiss as he does so.

From:

xie_er

Xie just smiles sweetly at him for the apology, because it is sweet, it's genuinely touching that he would apologise for something like that, that he wouldn't get defensive or berate Xie for being demanding when he was already doing something nice.

It's that kind of sweetness that makes him feel safe and warm and wanted. That makes him feel happy.

He responds to each kiss happily, looping his arms around Kevin's waist to hold him close while he smoothes the conditioner through his hair. Once he's done, he turns them around so Kevin's between him and the spray.

"Want me to do yours?" He offers - the conditioner has to stay in for a while anyway, it would be nice to spend that time returning the favour

From:

weird_cop

"If you want."

If Xie has been judging Kevin on his own brand shampoo all this time, he hasn't mentioned it, so Kevin reaches for it to hand to him.

"You don't need to use much."

The coconut oil conditioner is a bit higher end, but nothing approaching Xie's brand.

From:

xie_er

Xie gives it a slightly disparaging look, but he takes it. He contemplates doing some research into better shampoo for Kevin's hair, but realises that there would be better choices of gift for him, and his hair is just fine the way he wants to take care of it.

It's nice to be able to do this, though. To take the time to work the shampoo through it, massaging his scalp at the same time the way Kevin did for him. It's nice, getting Kevin to look after him, but it's just as nice to return the favour.

He leans in for another kiss, pushes him back a little way at the same time to bring him under the water so he can rinse the shampoo out.

From:

weird_cop

It's true that while Kevin would appreciate the thought, he'd appreciate other things more, and his hair is just fine.

He enjoys the attention, though. Lets Xie take care of him and hands him the conditioner when it's time.

He takes advantage of the opportunity to put his hands on Xie's butt while this attention is being paid, of course.

From:

xie_er

Xie laughs slightly, but he's really not complaining, Kevin can grab his butt whenever he likes.

He works the conditioner in and then turns them around again so his own can be washed out, but not without stealing another kiss.

And maybe getting his own hands on Kevin's backside in turn.

From:

weird_cop

Kevin now gets back to running his fingers through Xie's hair, his eyes going a little wide at how amazing it is with the conditioner. He carefully inspects it all for any lingering traces before rinsing his out, fairly quickly.

They've been in the shower fir a while, and he's ready to be dry.

From:

xie_er

Once they're all rinsed off and Xie has squeezed the excess water from his hair, he steps out and grabs towels for them both, passing one to Kevin before wrapping one around his hair first.

Getting dry isn't a slow process by any means, but it's not that quick a one either, since Xie keeps pausing to step close enough for another kiss, but eventually they're dry and he's gone through his skincare routine and put his hair in a braid and some clean boxers on for sleeping, and he feels sleepy and comfortable and happy as he takes Kevin's hand and pulls him towards the bed.