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

[xie_er]

Xie smiles at that look of astonishment, guessing that the spell worked and pleased that he managed it.

It fades slowly when he starts to register the expression on Kevin's face, though, and the realisation steals over him. He told Kevin about his relationship with Yifu, not what he did for him...

"I'm sorry" He says softly "I didn't think."

He falls quiet, not sure what to say, how best to explain it, or if he should even explain it at all and just let Kevin ask the questions he wants to ask.

[weird_cop]

Kevin looks at him as he thinks.

Didn't think he'd be able to read this, or didn't think it'd be a surprise?

No, Xie told him what the spell did, he figured there was nothing that he'd mind Kevin knowing. So Kevin already knew this. He knew who he was living with.

He's not sure that's better.

He's not sure if he should be afraid.

"It's okay."

It's not okay. He's just forgiving Xie for not telling him.

"I just wasn't expecting it."

It's not even that he's hit any details, it's just... blood. So much.

[xie_er]

Xie should have been, though, he should have thought of this and warned him, or picked a different spell. Should have already thought about what would happen when Kevin found out - a Kevin who hasn't had months of getting to know him and understanding and processing time.

"I should have warned you." He says, glancing down at his empty plate and wondering if it's even possible to make this better.

"You didn't just take me away from Yifu to save me... it was also an arrest. I was in a kind of protective custody with you until the trial. I can... I can answer any questions you have, or show you the court transcripts, or tell you about it, whatever you want. Or I can... I can give you some space, while you process it, if that's what you need"

[weird_cop]

"Okay."

Kevin's thoughts are rushing but he finds it surprisingly easy to act calm. It's not okay but he's acknowledging Xie's attempts to make it better.

"You've had a trial, then?"

He's had his judgment. And if Kevin already knows it, presumably he's been okay with this, all this time.

[xie_er]

Xie nods - he's aware of the emotional turmoil, knows that the calm exterior is just masking some complicated feelings, but he appreciates that he's trying, and he doesn't call him out on it.

"I have. I plead guilty, I don't deny what I've done. I'm working with you all now because it's part of my sentence." He pauses, smiles faintly ruefully and then adds "I want to, as well, I want to help people the way you do, make amends for my past."

He looks down, thinks about the conversation he had with Kevin, back near the beginning of their relationship.

"I want to make better choices."

[weird_cop]

Kevin takes a deep breath, lets it go slowly.

"When I get my memories back I won't need you to tell me anything more," he decides. "So you don't need to do that now. I just need to process it."

He smiles ruefully up at Xie.

"I'm willing to bet i believe in rehabilitation."

[xie_er]

Xie nods - the urge to explain himself still lingers, to try and say the right thing that will make Kevin feel better, but he also knows that it isn't really necessary. He's right, too, when Kevin gets his memories back he won't need to explain it.

It's just difficult right now, when he needs time to process instead of Xie just being able to look after him.

He huffs a soft laugh, nodding.

"You definitely believe in second chances, a fact that I am very grateful for"

[weird_cop]

Kevin manages a more easy smile, focusing on the pleasant sound of Xie's laugh.

"And I bet I've done some questionable stuff myself"

[xie_er]

"Well, I didn't like to say..." Xie starts, as though he's about to admit to something serious "but you do watch a lot of football"

That's comparable to mass murder, right?

He says it to lighten the mood a little bit, but also because he's not sure if it would help to admit that, as far as Xie is aware, Kevin's only done questionable things in service of the greater good - he is more than willing to gush about his wonderful boyfriend and how much of a saint he is, even to his face, but right now it just creates something he has to live up to, shoes he needs to fill, and Xie doesn't want to put that pressure on him.

[weird_cop]

Kevin can't prevent the smile that crosses his face. He thinks he sees what Xie is trying to do, and appreciates the effort.

"What team do I support? Oh god, please say it's not Man U."

That would be awful.

[xie_er]

Xie laughs slightly, glad that the subject has shifted - he knows Kevin is still going to need to take some time, but at least he hasn't ruined all possibility of pleasant conversation.

"It's not Man U. It's Chelsea"

This is how much he loves you, Kevin, he could have avoided mentioning football at all and been gloriously free of it until the memory issue was resolved.

[weird_cop]

Kevin grins.

"I was hoping I'd get a rush of emotion, would be able to say that felt right, but it doesn't. Just nice information to have."

He's been trying to find something in this conversation that would ring a bell, unlock memories, but so far it's just information - useful, helpful in building a picture of this person 'Kevin Sefton,' but not actually making any real connections in his mind.

[xie_er]

Xie would be deeply offended if Kevin got that feeling of rightness from his football team, but he has to admit it would be nice if there was something that could trigger memories beyond the sense or muscle memory of actually doing things.

"I wish it could be like that, but it's not like memory loss from an injury..." He sighs softly "If they've been locked away rather than taken, something strong enough might be enough to trigger them, but it's impossible to say what that might be. Magical cause is much more likely to mean magical cure."

He wishes he could start working on an antidote now, but he's going to need to restock all his equipment and ingredients from scratch.

Although, it's possible that some of it is still in police lock-up, and he does have the connections to get that sort of thing back, now.

(The whole lot is tied up in a complicated estates process, among other legal questions, and after that Xie has plans to basically sell everything off and start over anyway, he's just waiting for it all to be finished with. Some of it could be useful, though - he'll probably donate Yifu's entire library to the police, if they're not already planning on keeping it)

[weird_cop]

"And magical stuff is what those people - my colleagues - do, right?" Kevin tries to sound hopeful.

"And you. You said you could work on an antidote? How can I help?"

[xie_er]

Xie nods.

"You and them, yes. They'll get to the bottom of this for sure"

Kevin is still Kevin even if he doesn't remember everything, so Xie's pretty sure they'll find a way for him to be involved, they'd be idiots not to.

"I'm going to need to track down the ingredients I'll need, I can start on that tomorrow. We'll check in with the others and see what their plan is and where you can help. There isn't much we can do right now, unfortunately"

[weird_cop]

Kevin nods to agree, and is just standing up to clear the table when his phone rings.

He checks it before he answers, and tells Xie it's Lisa Ross. He uses her full name. When he answers, he lets Xie listen in through the link.

"Hi," she says. "I'm just calling to find out how you're doing."

"I'm doing okay. Xie's been filling me in with who I am."

"That's great," she says, and sounds like she means it. "We've been working on it all evening and we're going to continue. I just wanted to let you know someone will come around tomorrow morning to drive you both into the station to catch up."

"Great, thanks. Xie says he needs ingredients for a potion."

"Yep, Tony said. Hey, Kev. If you need to talk about any of this... I just wanted to let you know that many of us have had similar experiences. It's going to be okay."

He smiles, at her calling to check on him, and then directly at Xie.

"Thanks... Lisa, right? Thanks."

[xie_er]

He isn't completely sure if Kevin is letting him listen deliberately or accidentally, but he isn't going to question it, mostly because it feels like normal, like a thing they'd usually do, and he's clinging to every scrap of that he can find - especially after the strangeness of hearing him refer to Lisa by her full name.

He knows Kevin should be his first priority, and he is, but it's harder than he realised it would be to watch Kevin go through this, to look into those eyes and not see the same recognition and love that he's become used to.

He smiles back, encouraging, and it doesn't fade when he hangs up.

"I'm not surprised they're still working, they all care about you a lot."

[weird_cop]

Kevin wonders if he also cares for them. He assumes he does, but they seem like new acquaintances, people it would be nice to know.

It's nice that they're working so hard, he thinks.

"They seem like good people," he agrees. "I hope I haven't got them too concerned."

[xie_er]

"They'll be worrying about you, but it's not your fault... and it's nothing that you wouldn't do for them."

Probably nothing that he hadn't already done for them, knowing Kevin.

"Tomorrow you'll be able to help them figure this out. We both will."

[weird_cop]

Kevin gives out another heavy breath and agrees. He'll help them tomorrow.

Now, though, he's struck by how tired he is, still standing where he'd been when he answered the phone, and is hit by a huge yawn.

"I should probably get some sleep."

[xie_er]

"You should." Xie agrees. After a beat, he realises that Kevin is basically a guest in his own house.

"Do you need me to show you where anything is? It's the bedroom you were in earlier, with the guitars... and I can sleep in the spare room, if you prefer?"

It breaks his heart a little, but he also knows that, as far as Kevin's concerned, they basically met a few hours ago and he's still dealing with the fact Xie's a former assassin, he has no idea if he'd be comfortable sharing a bed under those circumstances.

[weird_cop]

It takes a few seconds for Kevins lips to part as the realisation dawns on him that he'd be turfing Xie out of his own bed.

"Oh," he says. "I don't want you to move; I can take the spare."

He's not against sharing, he's just not sure whether he should with someone he doesn't have those romantic feelings for.

[xie_er]

"Still too nice for your own good." Xie says with a soft, affectionate sigh. He gives him a nudge towards the stairs "Don't worry about me, the spare room was mine before anyway."

It wasn't quite, in this house, but it's easier than explaining the full truth.

He'd also rather not drag this out, because he's taken Kevin's offer as confirmation that he doesn't want to share, and he'd like to wallow in self-pity for a little bit so he can go back to focusing on Kevin tomorrow.

[weird_cop]

"Okay," Kevin smiles quickly at the nudge, as well as the affection in Xie's voice, and starts up towards the bedroom.

It takes him a few minutes to search for pyjamas, work out he probably doesn't sleep in them, and wonder which toothbrush is his. But after all that, when he finally is ready, he crawls into bed.

There, despite being tired, he lies awake in this strange bed and thinks about waking up, cold and alone, bound in a basement.

He doesn't want to be alone.

So he gets out of bed, pulls on a dressing gown, and goes to look for Xie.

[xie_er]

Xie watches him go with a sad smile and then goes back to the kitchen to clean up and make himself a cup of tea (chamomile, since he knows he's going to have trouble sleeping).

He can't quite face going upstairs to an empty, unfamiliar bed, so he goes to the living room instead. He tidies away the abandoned chess board and then sits, running through the day's events. What if he'd realised sooner, got there faster? Could he have stopped it? Helped?

When Kevin appears in the doorway he looks up with a start.

"Everything okay?"