DMBI - Love is a Hybrid of Friendship and Lust

Chapter Twelve

"You don't have to come..." Namjoon bites the inside of his mouth, arms sliding through the smooth fabric of his coat's lining.

"I need to keep you safe, Joon. I owe you that." Shin grabs his hand and pulls him outside, while Namjoon pretends that holding hands doesn't affect him at all.

"You owe me nothing, baby." Namjoon chuckles, allowing her to manoeuvre him towards the car, as though he'd be able to prevent it anyway, while Shin pretends that the pet-name doesn't affect her in the slightest. "And it's not like I'm in any danger or anything, it's just family." 

"In my experience, family can be the most dangerous." She looks at him seriously. "Remember who my older brother is..."

"Not family that doesn't even know about the supernatural world... Their version of worrisome threats is taxes and bills, whereas I'm more worried about if there's gonna be a world to wake up to tomorrow in which they can leave the house without getting attacked..." His brow furrows and Shin squeezes his hand comfortingly.

"We'll make sure there is." Namjoon nods at her words, smiling slightly. As he gets to his car he spins Shin until her back is against it and kisses her softly, yet firm enough that its nowhere near hesitant. His palms rest on each of her cheeks and she holds onto the front of his shirt. He eventually pulls back and both feel oddly embarrassed.

"We should be careful... People still might see us."  Shin bites her lip, looking around. Namjoon frowns, confused for a second until it clicks. It's still just benefits for her. Maybe now friends, not just randomers, but it still doesn't mean anything to her. He nods curtly and walks around to his side of the car in silence.

***

"So... Just friends? You're sure?" Namjoon's sister smirks at him in the kitchen.

"Yah! Yes. Just friends." The warlock looks in Shin's direction almost sadly.

"Oh, no. Oh, honey! You don't want it to be..." His sister gasps, hands flying to cover her mouth as her eyes widen in pity.

"Shut the hell up! She might hear you." Namjoon looks away quickly. 

"She's in the other room, it's fine." The human girl giggles and hugs her brother quickly before running back in and sitting next to Shin, intrigued. Namjoon warily follows, sitting opposite the pair, and Shin smiles at him as he does. He blinks, smiling back slightly before looking away. The vampire frowns, head cocking as she worries. He's been acting a little off ever since they got in the car.

"So, son. I heard that Magna Blue was making a lot of cutbacks. Even the CEO was fired, right?" Namjoon's father asks.

"Yes, that's true." Namjoon purses his lips slightly as he confirms his father's worries. Shin sees the slight pain in the warlock's eyes as he can't tell them the truth.

"That didn't include you, did it?" His mother nibbles on her bottom lip, laughing slightly at the preposterous idea.

"I... I'm afraid it did. Most of my friends, and I... Shin too..." His eyes stay focused on the freshly vacuumed rug, not prepared to see the disappointment in his parents' faces.

"But why? What did you do?." His father glares.

"I-.." Namjoon blinks, pupils widening and a look of panic adorning his previously glum but calm features.

"No one did anything." Shin cuts in, not liking anyone making Namjoon upset, even his own family. "They're just a large, soulless company. They were going bust and instead of facing the issue and stopping it, they just fired a load of people who did nothing wrong. That's all." Namjoon blinks at her but nods, confirming the story for his parents. As an argument ensues over exactly which union their son should contact, Namjoon thanks Shin with his eyes and she grins back, glad to be of any help.