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 gives Ezra an affectionate headbutt, because he's pretty sure it will be well received and apparently he has a soft spot for kids.

(He's just way better at interacting with them when he doesn't have to talk)

Spot nods, glancing at Ezra again and then back at Kevin.

"So... he's probably going to be here whenever you're here?"

(For somebody so supposedly interested in the cat, he hasn't actually stepped any closer to Xie, apparently content to let Ezra have all his attention)

[weird_cop]

Kevin nods in the affirmative.

"Probably," he says, though he adds: "maybe not all the time. If he gets too tired I'll leave him at home. You know, it's hard being a cat."

That's a joke, obviously. But also it's not. It's hard being a cat.

[xie_er]

Xie would roll his eyes if he could, but also it makes him feel kind of warm because it's a joke, but it's like it's their joke.

(And also because Kevin actually cares about the strain. He used to think Yifu cared, when he paid for a masseuse on occasion, but now he realises he just wanted Xie to stop complaining)

Spot, knowing that Xie isn't actually a cat, picks up on the double meaning and gives Xie another interested look. Hard, but not impossible.

(If Ezra wasn't here, he'd make a cocky remark about how being a cat was very easy, actually. For him.)

[weird_cop]

If Spot and Kevin weren't here, Ezra would tell Xie that he wishes he was a cat, with cat problems. But he also assumes that maybe it's stressful to travel every day, and wouldn't want to stress the cat out.

"Can we come in and see him?" he asks now, thinking of the many times that lessons just get too much and he wants to be alone. Alone with a cat sounds much better.

Kevin confirms. "If he's in, and I'm not doing anything private, sure."

Though he suddenly gets an image of all the kids in the home crowding into the admin office and adds:

"Let's say one of you at a time, though. In the future."

That will give Spot privacy if he wants to ask questions as well.

[xie_er]

Spot scowls a little bit, because Kevin and Xie are here for him and stupid Ezra is getting in the way of that. He bites his tongue, though, since Kevin is undercover and everything.

(And because it's a dumb thing to be mad at and he knows that, and he'd never admit to being jealous anyway)

Xie is about to protest, similarly thinking about suddenly being inundated with kids, but then Kevin corrects himself and he relaxes again. One at a time is fine.

Spot, too, is glad at the rule, and he mouths 'thanks' to Kevin - assuming Ezra is too distracted by the cat to notice him.

[weird_cop]

"Call it part of your community service. Being petted by grubby kids."

Kevin shrugs a sort of apology at Spot - he's right, Ezra does seem to be distracted, but he does also seem to be enjoying it, a long as Xie responds to his scritches.

But then a teacher sticks her head around the door, and frowns at them both.

"Beth said I might find you here, Ezra. Do you feel like joining us for English?"

"No..." Ezra's shoulders slump, and he scowls at her, but rather than starting a fight, he slumps out, having given Xie one more stroke on the head.

He glares at Spot as he goes though. How come he isn't being hauled out?

[xie_er]

"Maybe I should have picked jail" Xie quips back - though, of course, he really doesn't mind. It's a bit to be petted, but it's not unpleasant, and Ezra certainly seems in a better mood for it.

At least, he does until the teacher shows up. Xie gives him one last headbutt before he leaves.

Spot tenses when the teacher appears, and honestly he isn't entirely sure why he's not being called out, but he's not going to complain. He does smirk a bit at Ezra as he passes though.

"I didn't know you could turn into more than one animal." He blurts out almost as soon as the door closes again.

[weird_cop]

Kevin waits one second to give Ezra the chance to leave.

"Funny story," he says. "I used to think he was only a cat. Didn't even know he was human.

"He taught himself the cat. Took a long time and a lot of effort, but people are less likely to notice a cat than a scorpion, around here."

And Xie is special, but Kevin doesn't want to discourage Spot if he wanted to try a new shape.

[xie_er]

Spot vaguely remembers them saying something about Kevin not knowing he had a human form to begin with, but it's news that the form he first encountered was the cat. He snorts a bit of a laugh, though, because it's funny that he didn't know.

"That's cool." He says, feigning casual but a hint of genuine admiration sneaking in as he looks over at Xie, who has sat back on his haunches on the table and is looking back at him.

"So... how long are you guys going to be around for? Are you just here during the day? What if somebody tries to come at night? You can't just hang around forever, right...?"

[weird_cop]

"Someone's watching the place at night," Kevin confirms. "Normal police. But it's just a precaution because we really don't think anyone can find you. If we get worried, I can switch to residential, but we're really not worried."

After all, if Spot's Dad had implanted a chip in him, he'd have found him on the streets.

"We're basically here just in case. And if you have any questions or problems you need to ask us about while we figure out how to keep him from you for good. I'm hoping that will be as soon as possible, but right now? You're my case. I'm here until you don't need me anymore."

[xie_er]

Spot seems uncertain for a moment but Kevin's calm confidence is pretty reassuring so he relaxes, nodding in acceptance.

It's not forever, but the idea of keeping him away for good, the idea that they're working towards that possibility, is enough for now.

"Thanks." He says, a little awkward but genuine.

[weird_cop]

Kevin shrugs away the thanks.

"It's our job," he says, smiling softly at Xie.

"But you do need to tell us if you are worried, if anything seems weird. We've got ways of keeping you safe even from the most powerful witch, but that's basically like house arrest and I think you'd hate it."

[xie_er]

Our job. Not just Kevin's, but theirs.

It's hard for Xie to feel like anything other than a tag-along to the entire team, just the 'pet criminal', and he still hasn't really found his niche there yet. He knows this isn't really that different, that this is Kevin's gig and he's just also here, but it still makes him feel included and that's nicer than he expected it to be.

He does mentally snort at the comment about house arrest, though, since it literally was house arrest for him. Emphasis on the arrest.

"Yea I'll stick with this, thanks." Spot agrees, pulling a face at the idea of house arrest. Even this place chafes a little, suddenly being beholden to a schedule and expected to attend classes. He knows they're giving him some leeway because he's new, but he doesn't expect that to last forever.

"It sucks," he adds, because he's a teenager "but the food's okay at least."

[weird_cop]

"That's what you said," Kevin can't help but joke.

"Is it? I brought my own lunch. Maybe I'll try what's on offer tomorrow."

[xie_er]

"Your food is more than okay" Xie returns. There's no way whatever they serve here is better than Kevin's cooking, but he also knows that decent, fresh, hot meals are probably the best thing ever to Spot right now.

"Yea. They let you get seconds, too." Spot adds, still feigning indifference but it's obvious that he's pleased about it or he wouldn't have mentioned it.

[weird_cop]

"Yeah but you didn't admit it straight away."

He looks impressed at the idea of seconds, as well.

"What about thirds? Or is that asking too much?"

[xie_er]

"Didn't want you getting a big head" Xie replies jokingly. Which is nicer than mentioning that he still hated Kevin at first and would never have admitted his cooking was good. Even though he had to acknowledge to himself, at least, that he thought Kevin's cooking was great from the moment he tasted it.

"Dunno." Spot shrugs "I haven't asked, but I guess it would probably be okay, they seem pretty chill about that kinda thing."

[weird_cop]

"They do, don't they?" Kevin agrees. It's nice, he thinks. Spot seems content enough.

"How's the place seem so far? Apart from the food, I mean. It okay?"

[xie_er]

"Yea I guess." Spot shrugs again "I've got to share a room but it's not so bad. Got a cupboard that locks and the bed's comfy."

Not that he really has anything to lock in the cupboard, but he at least appreciates the ability to have some privacy.

"Classes suck but I knew that anyway." At least he's with other kids who are in the same boat, here, and there's not really any weirdness around not knowing certain things. Kids are still going to be assholes, sure, but he sticks out less when there's other kids who have had as little schooling as him - or less, in some cases.

[weird_cop]

Kevin pulls a face at the idea of sharing. That really does sound like it sucks.

"School does suck," he agrees. "Stick it out, though. It gets better."

He reaches out over the table without even thinking, and strokes Xie's head.

"Sorry we can't make that not suck."

[xie_er]

Xie, on the other hand, recognises that a bed of your own and a locking cupboard, even in a shared room, are miles better than what Spot will have had before, so as much as he's being blasé about it, it's probably pretty great.

Hopefully great enough for him to put up with the loss of independence and the whole school thing, but time will tell on that front.

"Yea..." Spot says "Still it's... it's cool you're here."

[weird_cop]

"Sure," Kevin says cheerfully. "I'm not going anywhere. And you can phone me at night as well. Have you got a phone?"

If not, he'll have to find Spot one, without letting on it came from him.

[xie_er]

"Yea I got a phone." Spot nods. It's a crappy old thing and he definitely didn't acquire it legally, but he has it, and he still has Kevin's number as well.

"I better go. You probably got like... work or whatever to do." And he should get back to class, but he's not going to mention that part

[weird_cop]

"I actually do," Kevin confirms. It's not stressful work, but it's still work.

"I'll catch you later?"

In the meantime, he's going to finish the checks on the staff, even though Kevin's pretty sure they're all clean.

[xie_er]

"Sure." Spot nods "Bye Xie." He adds, getting another feline nod from the cat before he leaves.

"He seems surprisingly settled here already" Xie observes. Maybe it won't last, or maybe this is just a good day, but it's still nice to see.