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 has now read Lisa and Tony and informed they have it too - the Saviour of London bit, not the blessed part which is from his series of dalliances.

Lisa turns to Xie, ignoring the hands - Kevin did place his hand over Xie's to return the squeeze briefly.

Having waved her fingers, she says, more thoughtfully, less teasing:

"Well, I can tell you're a familiar. And that you're gay. Some hints about a tough childhood which is hard to put into words. I can see all the people you've killed..."

But she pauses, looking for a word that takes a second to come to her.

"You're a survivor."

[xie_er]

He expected the familiar part, and the gay part, but the rest is a surprise. The childhood comment makes him slightly uncomfortable, though it's not because he's thinking about the whole victim/pity thing, it's because he views his 'childhood' as the time before Yifu, and it's a time that Yifu always acted as though he should be ashamed of, that he should be trying to put that behind him.

It's strange to think all that effort was for nothing, that it's written on his soul for anyone to see. Well. Anyone who could see.

The people he's killed is unexpected but he thinks it makes sense - if they can pick up what Kevin and the others have saved, of course it would show what he's destroyed, especially when assassination was such a big part of who he was for so long.

Then she calls him a survivor, and it feels right. He's strangely proud to have that be something that can be read on him. No matter what the world has tried to throw at him, he's found a way through.

He can't quite place why it means so much to hear it, until it suddenly hits him - it's the opposite of what Yifu always tried to tell him; he was nothing without Yifu, he was helpless and spoiled and lucky to have Yifu's support and guidance. He'd fall apart without him. Well, fuck that. He's stronger and tougher and better than all of that.

"Well." He says after a moment "Some of us have to rely on ourselves. We can't all be blessed by gods." He did ask to cause a distraction, but now he'd quite like that attention back off of him, sorry Kevin.

[weird_cop]

Kevin had been watching this with a small smile of his own: pleased that Lisa can see what he knew all along.

Now he looks back at his food, feeling flustered, and not necessarily in a good way. Like he's been called out on privilege. Like the kids are calling him posh.

"I rode the Hell bus for that."

[xie_er]

"I didn't say you didn't deserve it." Xie says, softly, more apologetic than defensive.

He really didn't mean to touch on a sore spot, but he isn't quite sure how to fix it or distract attention again. He glances at Lisa, wishing for a moment that he could talk telepathically to her to ask her to help. She seems like she's good at this kind of thing...

[weird_cop]

Lisa meets Xie's eyes, and actually isn't sure what to say, though Kevin does reach out through the link to try and reassure Xie that it's okay.

"I know."

Tony though, he nudges Kevin in the shoulder.

"Don't be like that. You frigging worked for what you got. None of us were willing to do what you realised you had to in order to save the frigging day. Be proud of it, mate."

[xie_er]

He realises, as soon as Tony speaks, that of course he'd be the one to say the right thing - when it comes to Kevin at least. He's still a dick, but he is Kevin's best friend, and it's clear to Xie that he probably knows him best.

"He's right, you know." He says, because of course he's not going to admit that out loud.

[weird_cop]

Kevin offers Tony a weak smile to say that fine, he'll stop being silly.

"Thanks. Lisa's right, too. You're a survivor. That's why - I never needed a bar-code to know that."

This is about the time that Rebecca Lofthouse lets herself in, and nods to all of them.

"Ready, Xie?"

There's a table and two chairs at the side of the room. They can sit there while Kevin and Lisa work on the blanket.

[xie_er]

Xie just smiles at him softly - lovingly, really, not even trying to control his expression.

Until Lofthouse comes in and he pulls his gaze away quickly, face carefully impassive again.

"Ready." He agrees, finishing off his cup of tea and standing to go and join her at the side.

This is much easier than the last couple of statements he made, it's straightforward and thorough - and his contempt for his kidnappers is dripping from every word.

[weird_cop]

She doesn't even discourage the contempt. They weren't exactly high level at wat they were trying.

Still, it takes some time, and across the room Lisa keeps flinging indetectable spells at him, and Kevin blocks them.

It's much much easier than Kevin expected, and after a couple, he says:

"Try Tony."

That's more difficult, he finds, and he makes Lisa try Xie again.

It's easy, he finds, almost instinctual.

Like the magic doesn't count him as a different person.

[xie_er]

Xie is vaguely aware of the experimentation going on behind him, but he doesn't feel anything. It should probably be distracting but it's easy enough to tune out, any conversation just becoming oddly comforting background noise.

Once he's done with the statement, though, he turns back to look at them.

"How did it go?"

[weird_cop]

"Great," Kevin says, flush with the happiness and pride that comes from achieving something in his speciality.

"Like we're one person."

"Come here, let me show you the hand movements."

He beckons Xie over to join them, and shows him the basics so they can synchronise the movement, make it look like it's him throwing the blanket.

"How did yours go?"

[xie_er]

"That's what it's supposed to be like."

He means the bond in general rather than that spell, he knows - has always known - how it's supposed to feel. There's a synchronicity to the right bond, a feeling of completeness that he's always been chasing.

A feeling he has now.

Not that he says any of that, he just moves over to join them and practice the hand movements.

"Fine, it was probably the easiest statement I've had to give"

[weird_cop]

Kevin nods his thanks to Lofthouse, even if she didn't hear the sentence that prompted it, and she nods back anyway.

"Oh," she adds, suddenly, "before I forget..."

She picks up a small shopping bag from the corner and passes it over. As well as the evidence bag containing Xie's switchblade, underneath is a fabric wrapped set of throwing knives - the very edge of legal.

She glances at Kevin, who gives a quick explanation: "London-made. Scrap from London yards, melted and reforged in London; crafted in a London-based armoury. They'll protect against London magic. Thanks for getting them, Ma'am."

[xie_er]

Xie snatches up the switchblade with a grateful look and it almost immediately vanishes into his sleeve. Something in him relaxes to have the comforting weight of it back.

He pulls out the fabric wrap with a confused look, though he doesn't waste any time unrolling it to see what's inside. His eyes widen a little and he draws one out to inspect it as he listens to Kevin's explanation.

"Thank you." He says genuinely, then after a moment thinks to repeat himself out loud to Lofthouse.

He tosses the knife a few times, getting a feel for it, then flicks his arm straight out to the side without even turning his head. It flies, arrow-straight, and buries itself right in the centre of the taped X over Zhao's picture. He smiles, a little smugly.

"They're good."

[weird_cop]

"Good shot," says Costain, obviously reveling in the sheer violence to a photo that had it coming.

Kevin looks down at the floor, to all the world looking like he's too shy to accept real thanks, especially with the way he blushes.

"That was so fucking hot."

[xie_er]

Xie smirks and stands, sauntering over to the board to pull the knife out so he can slide it back into place within the fabric and roll it back up. It probably looks like he's just smug about Costain's praise, but that confident swagger is all for Kevin.

"How much longer do you have to work?"

[weird_cop]

"Are we done here, Ma'am?" Kevin asks casually. "Gov?"

Lofthouse and Quill share a look, and he nods.

"Yeah. Get some rest, you two," Jimmy says. "Kev, you wanted to go meet up with your contacts, you can do that tomorrow."

Kevin nods, and then allows himself eye contact with Tony, who is smirking like the cat whose best friend is about to get the cream.

He doesn't say anything out loud, thank god.

[xie_er]

Xie thanks them and says goodbye, apparently completely casual, but there's still that lingering air of smugness just underneath it all.

He even helps pick up the bowls and cups that belong in their house... except they're barely through the portal into the loft before he's shoving them onto the nearest shelf so he can turn and drag Kevin in for a kiss.

He should probably check that the portal is closed or that they can't be seen through it or anything like that, but he leaves Kevin to worry about that part. He has, at least, stepped out of the circle of boxes so that's something, right?

"Did you really think that was hot?"

[weird_cop]

Kevin kicks a box out of the cross formation the instant he's out, breaking the portal instantly, because he knows what Xie is about to do and he doesn't want to be too obvious in front of his superiors.

"Are you kidding me? You're an artist."

[xie_er]

Xie turns them - without breaking the kiss - so he can back Kevin up against the wall, pressing into him. The hands curled into the fabric of his shirt loosen, sliding down to tug the hem up and slip underneath, stroking over his abs.

This kind of compliment he can take without getting nearly as flustered, when it's about his skill he's practically hungry for it. It doesn't hurt that it's about his skill being attractive.

"Like most art, it's easier with the right tools." He replies smoothly - and he'd very much like to show Kevin just how grateful he is for those tools.

[weird_cop]

"The right tools are essential, Kevin agrees. And because Xie is already pulling on his shirt, and because its easier to do now, he tugs off his entire T-shirt and tosses it in the direction of the loft door before cupping Xie's head in both hands.

"They're probably not the best you could get, but they're going to be useful if you do come out with me."

[xie_er]

"They're perfect. You're perfect." Xie tells him, diving in for another kiss. He barely even knows what's got into him, really, but now that he's started he doesn't want to stop.

It's true, they're not the 'best', but they were chosen specifically, for a purpose, with him in mind. That makes them better than anything given just because it was the most expensive that money could buy.

[weird_cop]

Kevin has his hands back at Xie's shoulders, draped loosely behind his head, happy to let Xie control the intensity of the kissing - he seems to know what he wants.

He'd make a comment about buying gifts more often.if he gets this attention, but he doesn't want to imply he's trying to buy affection.

"And you're sexy as hell when you're doing what you're good at."

[xie_er]

"Keep talking" Xie says, almost demanding, kissing him fiercely once more before moving again to his neck, his hands dropping to undo Kevin's jeans.

He mouths at Kevin's neck until he has the jeans undone and shoved down Kevin's hips, then he drops to his knees.

[weird_cop]

Kevin keeps talking. Through the link, though sometimes the groans coming out of his mouth supercede words even in his brain.

He tells Xie just how sexy he is, in great detail. He mentions his looks and his body, obviously, but tells him how much he loves watching him with his knives - carefully skirting how Kevin does not find murder sexy - and how much he loved listening to Xie play guitar.

He tells Xie over and over again how fucking skilled he is with his mouth as well. And when his legs give way and he sinks to the floor of the loft, jeans still around his ankles, he pulls Xie to him before he's even finished swallowing, and kisses him messily.

"What can I do for you?"