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]

The but is a little annoying, because for a moment Xie thought it was going to be simple. He realises that his recently publicised history and very criminal background are going to make anybody in their right mind unlikely to want him around vulnerable kids, he just hadn't thought about it beyond the initial desire to also help watch out for Spot.

He wishes there was a way he could be there without...

When it comes to him, he thinks he's an idiot for not suggesting it right away.

"I can't join you undercover," he agrees "but can you take a pet?"

[weird_cop]

It's a great idea, and Kevin loves Xie for having it, for wanting to help. He turns his head to smile at Xie, despite the flaws he can see in the plan.

"I could put a scorpion tank in an office, I guess."

It's just that pet scorpions aren't common in residential child care facilities, as far as he knows.

[xie_er]

"Doesn't have to be a scorpion" Xie reminds him, though he feels a little swell of love for Kevin for immediately going to his natural form - it's a silly thing to love him for, and yet.

Being a cat is a discomfort, yes, but as long as he gets his rest and maybe pleads a massage or two out of his loving boyfriend in the evenings, he'll be fine doing it regularly for a little while. He used to do it all the time, and at least this time it's his choice.

[weird_cop]

Kevin hadn't quite forgotten, but it honestly hadn't occurred to him. Despite all the jokes at the time, and thinking of him as just a cat for so long, when he thinks of Xie in an animal form, he thinks scorpion.

Now he hums in thoughtful surprise.

"Are you sure? I know it's uncomfortable."

His first thought was of Xie passing out after a shower, too tired to watch Queer Eye because he'd pushed himself to burn out. Just because he thought Kevin wanted it.

[xie_er]

Xie just glances over at him with a fond smile.

"I'm sure, as long as I take breaks and stretch when I can, or get plenty of rest when I can't, it's manageable." he reassures "And it'll be easier to keep an eye out if I can roam a bit more"

He'll be careful about it, and they'll have to talk about how it works, but he can do some fairly easy patrols of the area and keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary if he can do it on paws.

[weird_cop]

"Actually that's a great idea," Kevin decides finally. A cat could be really useful for surveillance.

"I'll run it past Quill. And make sure you're well looked after."

[xie_er]

Xie nods, pleased that Kevin is on board with the idea. He knows it might still get shot down by Quill, but he hopes that the other man will recognise the usefulness - and the fact that it's a much better use of Xie's time than pouring through a bunch of case files that probably don't even need him to identify potions anyway.

"We never did reach out to Kexing and Zishu to see if they had any contacts or information that might be useful for finding the kid a witch, we should do that as well."

[weird_cop]

"Yeah," Kevin agrees. That would be a good idea. "Be nice to meet with them when we're not in urgent need for help. I'll bring them food or something."

Okay so maybe they're not 'double date' friends, but they are the only couple Kevin knows who are also a witch and familiar, so it could be nice to maintain that acquaintance.

But the topic makes him think.

"I can't stop thinking about how many people like Westcott might be out there."

[xie_er]

Xie is definitely resistant to them being double date friends, he's slightly resistant to them being people they turn to for questions like this, but he can put his own feelings aside for the sake of results.

And they probably deserve food for all the help they've given. Just.

"Witches who want power? A lot."

[weird_cop]

"If she'd found Spot... Or got hold of those chains, Or any familiar who wasn't you..."

He's used to the world, or he thought he was. As a policeman you kin of have to get used to the idea that you can't stop all the bad guys, there are always going to be people out there doing bad things. You just do what you can.

But he's the only witch in the Met. The only person in authority that kids like Spot can turn to. It's the whole point of their unit, he knows. It's just... a lot.

Kevin turns into the driveway of the safehouse and stops, but doesn't get out of the car just yet, turning to Xie instead.

"I think about what it must have been like for you, and I hate that you went through all of that."

[xie_er]

Xie doesn't think she would have bonded to a kid, but that doesn't mean there aren't witches who won't. Those chains still exist, things like those chains still exist, and there's other Familiars out there... it's a lot, Xie gets it, and it's the kind of thing that can drown you to think about if you aren't careful.

He looks over, reaches out to take hold of Kevin's hand and squeezes it.

"You can't help everyone," he says softly, and it's not as cynical or bitter as it might sound, especially when he continues "but the people you can help? The lives you do save? That means everything, especially to them. Especially to me."

[weird_cop]

Kevin squeezes Xie's hand back, brings it to his lips briefly.

"You saved yourself. I mean, yeah, I helped. But you chose it, eventually. You chose me."

Then he leans forward over the handbrake and kisses Xie properly.

"I don't know if I've told you this. But when you decided to make that statement? You were so brave in that decision. That's when I fell in love with you."

[xie_er]

Xie kisses him back, but he draws away a little at those words, staring at Kevin in surprise. That had been so early on, before they'd even started to to be something more, and while he could have probably said in hindsight that he was already starting to fall for Kevin by that point, he never would have expected it to be something mutual.

"Brave?" he repeats, huffing a soft laugh "It was petty, vindictive revenge... but it was a turning point, I suppose. The right thing to do, even if I did it for the wrong reasons..."

He leans back in to kiss Kevin again.

"I never would have been able to do it if you hadn't helped me see the truth, though"

[weird_cop]

"You knew the risks," Kevin points out, "and you did it anyway. It wasn't about why you did it, just that you did it at all."

He lets go now, pulls back, but only to open the car door and get out.

"I know its tough, seeing your past in this kid. And I'm proud of you. I love you."

[xie_er]

Xie considers this for a moment as he gets out of the car, and he can kind of see Kevin's point - is touched by it, as well, for him to see such good in what he did, despite his reasons.

If anybody else said they were proud of him, he'd probably roll his eyes, reject it as pity or patronising, but from Kevin it's just... different, somehow. Maybe it's because with Kevin he actually lets himself accept it, lets himself hear the words he's wanted to without trying to push them away. Because he wants Kevin to be proud of him.

"I'm just glad we're trying to help him." he admits "And I love you too."

[weird_cop]

Kevin grins at him over the car roof.

"Okay, let's go inside, I want a quickie before I get dinner on."

After which he'll call Quill, tell him the plan, and get his permission to take a civilian undercover with him.

[xie_er]

Xie laughs, and nods, because right now he'd quite like that too.

(He'll point out that he's not really a civilian, but he also won't actually interrupt Kevin's call, because he trusts Kevin to know how to convince Quill better than he can)

[weird_cop]

It actually isn't that hard ti convince Quill. Partly because Jimmy doesn't immediately think of Xie being uncomfortable in cat shape. The hardest part becomes convincing the home that Kevin, recruited as an administrator to the main office, should be allowed to bring his cat.

But Lofthouse does her magic, and it's agreed that it should be just suggested that Kevin has a pet who gets anxious when left alone and would do so much better if brought in. And it might be good for the kids to have an animal anyway.

So Kevin makes a trip to the petshop, gets feeding bowls, toys, and the most comfortable looking cat bed he can find, before heading into work.

[xie_er]

Xie isn't entirely sure what to think when he hears that the excuse for his presence is supposed separation anxiety, mostly because it feels a little too close to home. Not that he'd admit that even to himself.

He gets over it, though, because it works. He does raise an eyebrow at Kevin buying cat toys, not entirely convinced they're necessary to sell it, but he does make a joke about how it's a pity they don't still have the cat tree Tony bought.

He hasn't shifted into a cat since the time he tried to claw a kidnapper's face off, but it still comes just as easily to him as it used to - it might get uncomfortable after a while, but he's still well practiced at it and it is muscle memory at this point - though he does wait until he absolutely has to, when they're almost in sight of the place.

Spot, meanwhile, has heard they're getting a new member of staff (one kid overheard one of the admins talking about it and it spread through the dining room before dinner had even finished the night before Kevin's arrival) and is, unusually, hanging out in the common room. He's holed up in his room since getting here, but he's pretty sure new staff are probably going to get a tour, and he wants to see if it's Kevin.

[weird_cop]

Tony, Kevin points out, built that cat tree with his own hands, he didn't buy it. And it's now being loved and appreciated by a three legged 15 year old orange tom that he and Lisa accidentally brought home from the shelter instead of donating the tree in question.

But he brings bed and dishes and toys with him, and hopes no one notices that when he reaches into the back seat to grab the cat carrier, he has to shut the door before picking it up, so it doesn't look like the cat's had the full access to the car while he was driving.

The centre manager is a woman who introduces herself as Beth Wilson: an amputee whose slightly stiff bearing and tightly tied back hair suggests she's ex-military. She knows who Kevin is, but most of the staff don't, she explains. Kevin's staff card says his last name is Pierce, but they're a first name facility so he'll be addressed as Kev.

The tour happens, and Beth brings him into the common room, pointing out some of the kids she finds in there: Spot, of course, and Kevin gives him the same a friendly 'first time meeting nod' that he gives to the others, including the sulky kid sitting on the window seat, clearly waiting for the unseasonal rainstorm to clear up so he can run outside. It's a seat that also gave him full view of the staff car park.

"Hey, what was in that animal carrier you brought in?"

"Ezra has a gift with animals," Beth explains.

[xie_er]

For a moment, Xie is kind of touched that he went to that trouble. Then he realises he went to that trouble for a cat and it's really stupid to be touched even if the cat is him. He doesn't voice either of these thoughts.

While Kevin is away on the tour he pokes around the office just for something to do - he would explore the building already, but they decided it would be better for the other staff to be made aware of the cat before he was allowed to go wandering. Just in case.

Spot gives him a totally casual nod back, though there's something about him that seems just that little bit more relaxed now that Kevin is here as promised. When Ezra asks about the carrier, he sits up a little.

"Animal carrier?" He repeats. He hasn't shown any particular interest in animals since arriving (he hasn't shown any particular interest in anything) but now he's definitely interested.

He's also wondering what kind of animal carrier you need for a scorpion...

[weird_cop]

"That's my cat," Kevin tells Ezra, glancing briefly at Spot just to acknowledge the question. "I don't have much room for him to wonder at home so Beth said I could bring him with me."

Beth, who has not been told why the undercover policeman wanted to bring his cat, and only had the explanation to go on, smiles at Ezra specifically.

"I thought it might be nice to have an animal around during the day, maybe you can meet him later."

"His name is Scorpio," Kevin adds, hoping that gives Spot enough information. "Don't pull his tail."

At the same time he's telling Xie about the conversation.

"Looks like you might get other kids paying attention to you, sorry."

Ezra scoffs. Of course he wouldn't do that.

[xie_er]

Spot's shoulders drop, just a little, when Kevin says he has a cat. It's not that he's mad about the cat or anything, he just thought...

Then Kevin says his name, and his eyes widen a little. It does give him enough information to realise he was right the first time, but it also gives him more questions. Well, one question. Namely; how is Xie a cat when he was a scorpion before!?

(He's only ever known familiars with a single animal form, he didn't even know others were possible)

"I thought that might happen. I won't scratch them unless they deserve it"

(He wouldn't scratch them if they did deserve it. Probably. But only because they're here for something more important)

[weird_cop]

"I don't think Spot knows that you can learn other shapes."

Kevin grins at both Ezra and Spot. "His bed is in the main office. Drop by when you've got a break later and we'll see if he's in."

Beth is not surprised by Spot's interest in Kevin, but she's impressed by Ezra's. As they walk off to continue the tour, she explains:

"I haven't seen him that interested in something for a while. He's one of our more challenging kids: incredibly bright but no tolerance for boredom."

It's just a matter of time before Ezra meets someone else in Kevin's line of work, and Beth is keen that this be avoided.

[xie_er]

"That doesn't surprise me, I don't think it's common knowledge, it's not easy to do" Xie says - he doesn't sound boastful when he says it, in that way that sometimes he forgets when something he can do is actually kind of special after years of Yifu's manipulation.

Spot nods, already looking forward to stopping by and asking about it - though he gives Ezra a sideways look, trying to figure out the best way to make sure he goes when Ezra isn't around, or he won't be able to ask.

Once Kevin moves on, he goes back to the usual disinterested sullenness he's cultivated since arriving.