Oh, oh, oh it's magic (Xie and Kevin)
Oct. 15th, 2023 01:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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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...
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Date: 2024-02-05 05:16 pm (UTC)He's woken up to be moved, but doesn't say anything in the ambulance. Instead he lies quietly, staring up at the vehicle roof, and quietly meditates.
No one at the new hospital is exactly sure why he's moved there - they certainly don't have the specialist burns care that the other trust believed they had. But it's within the M25, and there's a spare bed, and Lofthouse pulled some fantastic sleight of hand with the paperwork.
"I call it the Quill maneuvre," she explains to Xie. "After James walked out of a morgue, no one likes to pay too much attention to my team's medical records."
Either way, eventually there is a bed, in a room, in London, with some privacy.
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Date: 2024-02-05 05:22 pm (UTC)Xie might sleep, he might just straight up pass out, he doesn't actually know. He doesn't feel like he's slept, but time moves in fits and starts so maybe he did after all.
He allows himself to be removed from the bed when Kevin is moved, and stumbles after him, zombie-like. He won't be kept from the ambulance, but at least he doesn't make a fuss, just sits there quietly on the journey and continues to watch Kevin intently, like he's going to disappear if he looks away for too long.
He does let himself be pushed onto the spare bed when they arrive in the new room, partly to get out of the way so they can get Kevin properly settled, and partly because he still doesn't look like he's had any sleep. He nods at Lofthouse's explanation, even manages a soft huff of something like laughter, though speaking is far too much effort.
Once they're finally left on their own, he's out of the bed like a shot, moving to Kevin's side to take his hand again.
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Date: 2024-02-05 06:03 pm (UTC)"Alright. Help me. I want to sit on the floor."
He shouldn't. He shouldn't be moving out of the bed, his hip screams from the effort and he can't sit properly, just lounges slightly with a tilt to one side. He's probably doing damage to himself, but if it goes to plan he can fix this.
He also shouldn't have to. He's not intending to have to use the power of London for this, but he's not willing to give up this time. He wants to be able to draw a circle and make a sacrifice as soo as he needs an extra boost.
But despite the tears in his eyes, he's smiling as he reaches for both of Xie's hands.
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Date: 2024-02-05 06:11 pm (UTC)Xie wants to protest, wants to tell him it's fine, to keep resting, that he should stay in bed and look after himself.
But the ache of need is making him selfish and even as he hates himself a little bit for it he helps Kevin out of the bed and on to the floor. Kneels in front of him and takes both his hands with an eager desperation.
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Date: 2024-02-05 06:33 pm (UTC)He closes his eyes and squeezes Xie's hands as he reaches in, thinking his way through the ritual rather than trying to chant or do anything complicated. He knows the way through now.
With his own power much more replenished, he feels it rise around and in him, reaching out with certainty towards the bond.
It still takes most of his power, he grips hard on Xie's hands and rocks forward with the effort, straining with the effort.
And then he finds it, feels the strong bright power that he knows so well, and pulls it into him, his groan of effort giving way suddenly to a laugh, as he feels it flood his soul.
Physically, Kevin lets go of Xies hands, just so he can roll back and lie on his back and laugh in delight.
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Date: 2024-02-05 06:39 pm (UTC)Xie knows that forming a bond doesn't hurt, but he wasn't quite expecting it to just sweep away all that lingering ache in one immediately burst. He had expected it to be like feeling the grasp of a hand pulling you from the water when you're drowning - perfect, relieving, an end to the torment, but you were still drowning.
It's more like the bond reasserted and suddenly it's like he was never drowning at all. He feels whole and full and right again, with nothing to show for everything he just went through beyond a little tiredness and a rumbling in his stomach.
He ignores that, though, in favour of diving forward so he can lean over Kevin - careful to keep his weight on his own arms, knowing Kevin is still injured (for now) - and kiss him.
"I love you. Thank you. I'm sorry."
He can use the link again! He doesn't have to stop kissing him to talk! Everything is at it should be and yes he still feels horrible and guilty and selfish but he also feels so, so relieved.
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Date: 2024-02-05 06:47 pm (UTC)He lifts the hand on his uninjured shoulder and cups the back of Xie's head, kissing him deeply and reveling in how right it all feels.
"Don't ever do that again."
He can't sound mad though. There's too much relief, too much joy at finally feeling right after all this time of being wrong.
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Date: 2024-02-05 06:53 pm (UTC)"I won't, I'm sorry" And he really does mean it, because for all he did it to save Kevin's memories he absolutely does not want to go through any of that again. Even being bonded to somebody else was vgauely uncomfortable in a way he doesn't want to experience a second time.
He's pretty sure he's crying from the relief of it all but he doesn't care, all he wants in the world right now is to lie here and kiss his boyfriend until they're both breathless. He should maybe, at some point, get Kevin back into bed, but that can wait.
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Date: 2024-02-05 07:01 pm (UTC)He leans back again, makes himself a bit more comfortable, because as much as he wants to kiss Xie he's still in pain, and with Xie in his arms he focuses on that for a little while.
"I'd rather have you then any of my memories."
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Date: 2024-02-05 07:06 pm (UTC)"You'll always have me. I'll never do anything like this again. I don't ever want to be apart from you"
He doesn't regret it entirely, because he did want Kevin to have his memories back, to be himself again, but he regrets it enough to think twice if they're ever in a similar situation.
He does, eventually, break away and pull back enough to take Kevin's hand.
"You should get back into bed" Preferably before somebody comes and yells at him for getting Kevin out of it in the first place.
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Date: 2024-02-05 07:20 pm (UTC)He stands a lot more easily now, though there's still a lot of pain, and kisses Xie again when they're standing.
"Thank you," he adds again, "for looking after me. And getting them back, even if I'm mad at you about the 'how.'"
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Date: 2024-02-05 07:25 pm (UTC)"I haven't done that much looking after you." Xie says with a sigh, but he kisses him back and helps him into the bed - he's not thinking about how much he looked after him while his memories were missing, just how helpless he's been since the house.
"I know you're mad. I'll make it up to you somehow." He promises, leaning over for another kiss
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Date: 2024-02-05 07:31 pm (UTC)"And you have. All week, you've been looking after me."
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Date: 2024-02-05 07:37 pm (UTC)Xie laughs against his lips and thinks "God I've missed you" through the link before pulling back a little just to smile at him.
"I've been doing my best," he admits, glad that it seems to have been enough, at least "I'm glad to have you back, though. You were still you but you weren't... my you. I lost count of the number of times I almost kissed you and then realised I couldn't"
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Date: 2024-02-05 07:43 pm (UTC)"I wanted to kiss you, too. But it didn't feel right, not while I wasn't... your me, does that make sense?
"I think I fell in love with you a bit. Again."
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Date: 2024-02-05 07:46 pm (UTC)That Kevin could fall for him all over again in such a short space of time, even having learned about his past but without knowing even half of the things he'd been through trying to make up for it, it floors him a little bit. He's momentarily overwhelmed, but then he's leaning in to kiss him again and again.
"I love you, I love you so much"
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Date: 2024-02-05 08:01 pm (UTC)It doesn't compare to how he feels now, though. It's not the same.
"I know. I could tell whenever you looked at me."
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Date: 2024-02-05 08:06 pm (UTC)"I suppose it was not very subtle" Xie admits, slightly sheepishly. It's hard, though, to keep up a mask around Kevin, and he doesn't feel like he needs to.
"It helped that you still knew how to cook" He adds, teasing.
The thought of food, though, reminds him that he hasn't had anything but that one protein shake in a while, and he should probably do something about that.
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Date: 2024-02-05 08:15 pm (UTC)But that reminds him that now he's more healed, he's really hungry too.
"Hey, do you think someone's going to bring us food here, soon?"
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Date: 2024-02-05 08:24 pm (UTC)Xie laughs and kisses him again.
"I'll take you back to the Jade Dragon" He promises - it would be nice for him to meet the old couple who run the place with his memories in tact, and for Xie to be able to actually introduce Kevin as his boyfriend.
Of course, he knows Kevin actually enjoys cooking, so he'll still encourage him to cook whatever he wants when they get home. Totally unselfishly, of course.
"Let me go see. If the others are still around I'll let them know you'll probably want to get out of here soon." Given that he can heal himself again, Xie guesses he probably isn't going to want to spend too long hanging around here.
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Date: 2024-02-05 08:39 pm (UTC)Oh yeah Kevin really wants to meet them properly. He feels bad for keeping Xie from them for so long.
Lisa is sitting on a waiting chair down the corridor, her laptop on her lap. She looks up when Xie appears, and her face instantly brightens at the sight of him.
"It worked then?"
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Date: 2024-02-05 08:46 pm (UTC)Xie smiles, kissing him again and then heading out in search of food and friends. When he sees Lisa, he smiles, nodding. He knows he still looks a mess - no sleep, no food and still wearing yesterday's clothes - but he also knows he looks like a human who hasn't slept rather than some kind of feral creature.
"It did, the bond is back in place, so he's going to be able to heal some more and get out of here soon. For now, though, we're both hungry, so I came to see if I could get some food."
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Date: 2024-02-05 09:03 pm (UTC)"Alright, go back in and I'll go get you both something from the canteen. Tell him not to get carried away, we want him discharged, not logged as some sort of medical anomaly."
She shuts her laptop and tucks it away, smiling happily at him. "I'm glad you're both okay."
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Date: 2024-02-05 09:11 pm (UTC)Xie huffs, and then relays all of that to Kevin through the link just because he can. It feels good to use it again, even after only a day.
"Thank you." He tells her - for the offer of food and the the expressed emotion.
"I'm glad we are too."
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Date: 2024-02-05 09:25 pm (UTC)Lisa gets two hot boxes of hospital canteen food, which she dutifully brings to the room, expresses her pleasure directly to Kevin about seeing him well, and refuses to talk work yet.
"We're going you have a lot to talk about when you are back though," she says.
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From:I stg I replied to this but apparently I didn't so I need to type it out again. Sigh.
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