dollymixtures | Oh, oh, oh it's magic (Xie and Kevin)

xie_er posting in

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...

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

weird_cop

"Take all the time you need," Kevin says as he stands and grabs another chair for him to sit on. "I don't expect anyone to coming knocking."

Of course, ten minutes later there is a very determined knocking on the door.

From:

xie_er

Xie steals another kiss and then stretches before settling into the other chair to take a rest.

He's feeling a little less sore when the knocking comes, but that doesn't mean he's happy about it. He pulls a face and shifts, hopping down off the chair and going to curl up in the cat bed instead. It's sort of like resting, even if it is uncomfortable.

At least the cramp hasn't come back.

From:

weird_cop

"What the frig?" Kevin asks, at the violence of the knocking. He unlocks the door, opens it a little, and has to step back under the force of Ezra pushing himself in.

"Ezra..." he says, surprised because he hasn't seen this kid in days. "Everything okay?"

Ezra shakes his head, looking accusingly at Kevin and then pointing at Xie.

"I knew you weren't a real cat," he says. "And you," to Kevin. "You're weird too, aren't you? You're a wizard."

From:

xie_er

"Well. Fuck." Xie observes. He's still, just kind of staring at Ezra and torn between admiration, uncertainty and guilt over apparently blowing Kevin's cover... well, sort of.

He's a little bit offended that the kid pegged him as not a real cat, too, he was being a totally normal cat!

From:

weird_cop

"It's probably fine," Kevin assures Xie, though his hands are up and he's giving Ezra a confused look.

"What makes you say that, Ezra?"

He can't argue with the video on the phone Ezra shoves in his face, though.

"You're doing something to his leg there, aren't you?" he says. "I had you pegged as a cop, but what are you even doing here?"

Kevin sighs, and sits back down on his chair.

"Yeah, alright," he concedes. "I'm a... I prefer the term witch, actually."

From:

xie_er

I had you pegged as a cop oh this kid is good - Xie didn't even manage that. Admittedly "Kevin the apprentice" was a very good cover, and Kevin is acting very much like himself for this job. Still, Xie's impressed.

"Want me shift back or leave you to handle this?" Xie asks when, when Ezra shows his evidence. He's not sure if his presence would help or hinder the conversation.

From:

weird_cop

"Stay for a sec," Kevin replies. "Probably best not to shift while the blinds are up, and I don't want to freak him out."

"Are you using telepathy?" Ezra demands, looking from Kevin to Xie and back. "That is so cool."

"Alright Ezra," Kevin says. "Yes, I'm a cop. But I'm not here investiagting anyone, I'm just here because the place could do with some magic protection, and that's me, your local magic cop."

Ezra looks suspiciously at Xie. "What about him?"

"...he's my partner."

From:

xie_er

Not while the blinds are up... yea that's a lesson learned, just a pity it's a bit too late.

The kid is quick though, Xie knows Kevin is pretty good at hiding his expression when they're talking but Ezra spots it anyway.

The explanation is good, he thinks, close enough to the truth without needlessly drawing attention to Spot. He's not surprised, though, this is what Kevin does.

He ducks his head in a nod of confirmation when Kevin describes him as his partner.

From:

weird_cop

Ezra narrows his eyes at Xie anyway, still feeling a bit betrayed by the whole situation.

"Okay, Ezra," Kevin says finally. "Is there anything I can do to make you feel better about the situation?"

"Does Beth know you're a cop?"

"Yes."

After a second, Ezra says:

"Can you teach me to change into an animal?"

"No, sorry. That's a talent he just has."

Ezra considers it for another second.

"Can you teach me magic?"

From:

xie_er

Xie guesses at the betrayal but there isn't much he can do about it, especially when he isn't talking to the kid directly. He isn't sure if he should tell Kevin to apologise for him, but thinks maybe he should just do it himself when he gets a chance - and assure him he hasn't repeated anything he said to anybody else.

Well. Apart from the therapy animal thing.

Besides, Kevin seems to have it pretty under control and he's better with kids than Xie is.

From:

weird_cop

Kevin considers Ezra for a long moment.

Then it occurs to him that blackmail or not, the kid might benefit from it.

"It's hard work," he says. "You have to learn all sorts of complicated techniques. Like meditation."

Ezra looks doubtful at the idea of meditation but nods stubbornly.

"I can do it."

"Alright. Let me have a word with Beth," Kevin agrees. "And if you shut the blinds maybe someone would like to talk to you?"

Ezra whips a look at Xie again, then does as asked.

From:

xie_er

Xie probably should be concerned that Kevin is agreeing to teach the kid magic, but for one thing he doesn't really care and he also knows that Kevin is a good person who'd never teach him anything dangerous. Anyway he's clearing it with Beth so what does it matter?

When the blinds close he's happy to shift, stretching a little just to soothe the ache before turning his attention to Ezra.

"Hi."

From:

weird_cop

It's relatively obvious Ezra hasn't read the appropriate newspapers, because there's no recognition, just a flash of accusatory anger.

"I talked to you!"

From:

xie_er

Xie's actually glad of that, because he's getting a little tired of "aren't you that guy from the papers". He nods, apologetic.

"I know. I'm sorry." He says "I didn't repeat any of it, and I won't."

From:

weird_cop

Ezra breathes in and, still glaring at Xie, breathes out slowly.

"Okay," he says, a little sulkily. He turns to Kevin instead and tilts his head, asking a pointed question.

"Come talk to me at lunch tomorrow," he says. "I'll have figured out how to start my then."

From:

xie_er

Xie isn't entirely sure what he did wrong, but he suspects there isn't anything he could have done right under the circumstances, so he just lets the kid be mad at him and hopes he'll get over it.

At least he doesn't have to teach him anything.

From:

weird_cop

Ezra agrees finally, nodding quietly but telling Kevin he'd better teach him magic or else, then the bell rings for the end of lunch and he has to head off.

Kevin reaches out to Xie, just to touch him lightly on the arm.

"You okay?"

From:

xie_er

Xie smiles slightly, stepping in to give him a quick kiss.

"I'm fine, I'm just not good with kids" he says with a shrug "Are you okay? This isn't going to cause you any problems, is it?"

He still feels like this is his fault - he was the one who made Ezra suspicious, he was the one who needed to shift without thinking about the window...

From:

weird_cop

"I don't think so," Kevin admits. "I hope not. Quill might be mad, but I'm not going to teach him how to make blood sacrifice to the power of London. Just some of the basic techniques Shifu started with. A bit of meditation and mindfulness might be good for him."

He wraps his hand around Xie's back to hold him for a second.

"You're not bad with kids. There's always a bit of betrayal when they find out you're a UC."

From:

xie_er

"I've found meditation can be quite useful even without the magical benefit" Xie admits - he doesn't do it often, but it's still nice to do every now and again.

He leans in to Kevin's embrace, just enjoying the quiet moment before he knows he'll need to change back again for the rest of the day.

"I didn't feel betrayed. I felt annoyed I hadn't been able to work it out and use it against you" He admits, his tone joking even though he's absolutely telling the truth. He's very glad he never did work it out, or things would have been very different. He'd probably be dead, actually.

"Not sure how to feel about the kid working it out" He adds with a faint smile.

From:

weird_cop

"You weren't the person I betrayed. You didn't trust me to start with," Kevin points out mildly. He's glad of a lot of things in the long chain of events that led to him standing here with Xie in his arms.

"That's a smart kid. I lived under your paws for months and never realised you weren't a cat."

He realised he was a Familiar, though. And it's easy to dismiss uncat-like behaviour if you know it's a magic cat.

From:

xie_er

"I trust you now." Xie says, soft and genuine. He knows Kevin knows that, but likes to say it anyway.

He laughs lightly at the comment about not realising he wasn't just a cat.

"Ah, so it's your fault I thought I was convincing..." He teases

From:

weird_cop

Kevin laughs, kissing Xie's forehead.

"How often did you have to sit and take a petting as a cat?"

Kevin certainly never did. He didn't even talked to him - maybe stroked his head once.

From:

xie_er

"Not that often," Xie admits "Yifu didn't really regularly meet with the kind of people who petted cats..."

Even his non-magical clients were often more serious business types. Though once or twice when entertaining there were others around who were more inclined towards animals.

From:

weird_cop

"Then it's not you, it's a smart kid who likes animals and pays attention," Kevin assures him.

"And possibly me being sloppy because our lives aren't in constant danger. Frigging embarrassing, though."

Kevin leans back to get a better look at Xie's face, stroking his hair affectuonately.

"How's your leg? Wanna call it a day?"