"But, Baby ...."
Forth kissed Beam's lips to make him stop talking. Beam sighed and parted his lips, giving Forth's tongue access to explore his mouth.
Forth squeezed Beam's waist as he licked and sucked Beam's lips and tongue. "Uh, Baby, you turn me on," Forth mumbled over Beam's lips.
Beam gasped for air to breathe. "Baby, please, let me talk?" persuaded Beam.
Forth looked at Beam and rubbed his swollen lips from the kiss earlier. He nodded.
"Baby, if you decide to stop making music because of me, then I'm against that decision," Beam said softly. "I've heard stories that you've loved music since you were a child and wanted to be a musician. I don't want you to lose all that. I didn't come into your life just to be a stumbling block in your career."
Forth grabbed Beam's body in his arms and rubbed his back gently. "No, honey, you're not the reason I decided to quit music. I'll still make the music and songs I want, but I don't want to be on stage anymore. I'll be working behind the scenes. Phi Grant has had enough of running a company that should be my responsibility, as well as my friends in the company we founded together. I've been too selfish all this time, only pursuing my own interests and making them bear the burden that should be my duty."
"But your fans will think you quit because of me. Especially when we're getting married. They'll hate me."
"I don't care what they think and neither should you. I'll make a clear statement about that and I'm sure, whatever I do, even without you, there will always be contradictions. I've been thinking about retirement for a long time, including when we met. I've been thinking for a long time, it turns out that I really don't belong in this frenetic world. I'm tired of not being able to be myself."
Beam broke free from Forth's embrace and cupped his face with both hands. "I understand, Baby. I will support your decision, whatever it is."
Forth smiled and closed his eyes, as Beam kissed his forehead, nose and lips. He had just grabbed Beam's waist when he heard the sound of glass breaking from the balcony.
"Baby, what's that?" asked Beam surprised.
Forth stood up and took Beam's hand. They came out of the room and saw shards of glass coming from the glass door leading to the balcony scattered on the floor.
"Baby, be careful, you might get hurt stepping on it," Forth said as he pushed Beam away. "Put on your shoes, Beam."
Beam followed Forth's words. He put on his sneakers and took Forth's.
"Forth, who did it?" said Beam angrily. "No one knows about this apartment."
Forth and Beam decide to buy a small apartment as their personal space, because Forth's apartment is too far from the hospital where Beam works and sometimes he is too tired to drive.
Forth also sometimes needs a quiet place to write songs and most of his fans already know where he lives so there's always a fan who escapes security and chases him into the apartment.
Forth walked carefully avoiding the shards of glass on the floor and picked up a black box in front of the now out of shape glass door.
Forth took the box and pulled Beam into the room. He opened the box and gasped. Beam stared in horror as Forth picked up some scribbled and stained photographs. The Forth and Beam photos and all Beam images were tampered with with scratches and scribbles.
"Ba-baby, this... how did these pictures come to be? These are pictures of us on the hill, in the butterfly garden and on the beach."
"Someone's been following us all along," Forth growled. He put the photos back in the box.
Beam looked into the box and took something out of it, from behind the photos. A piece of paper. Beam reads it and trembles. Forth took the paper in Beam's hand. There was writing in red ink on the paper. "The Doctor will be dead soon."
Forth tossed the paper back into the box and closed it.
Forth took the phone from the table. "Lam, can you come to my apartment? Bring the others too. Anyway, call Phana and Kit too. I need someone who can accompany Beam."
Forth put his phone back on the table and walked over to Beam on the bed. "Let's get out of here, Beam. This place is no longer a safe place for us. I'm sure someone is trying to play tricks on us."
Beam obeyed Forth without saying much. "Forth, what does the sentence on the paper mean?" Beam asked as they got into the car. "Is someone going to kill me?"
Forth reached out and grabbed Beam's hand. He gripped Beam's hand tightly. "You know, Beam, no one is allowed to touch a single strand of your hair without my permission? I will protect you, Baby, with all my might."
Beam raised his hand which was in Forth's grip and kissed the back of Forth's hand. "I shouldn't have been by your side."
Forth pulled his car to a safe side of the road. He unbuckled his seatbelt and grabbed Beam's hands. "Baby, don't ever say that again," Forth said sharply. "I will protect you. Please give me a little faith that I can actually protect you. You know what would happen to me if you weren't around. I would suffocate to death. You are air to me, you know that, right?"
Tears flowed from the corners of Beam's eyes. His heart felt heavy. He was afraid, but Forth's words comforted him. "I... don't care if anything happens to me. I'm alone, no one will miss me but you are different, Forth. I shouldn't have walked into your life and messed things up."
Forth pulled Beam's body and lightly kissed Beam's lips. He sucked and bit Beam's lips and tongue with emotion. Beam groaned as he felt the corners of his lips sting. Forth let go of Beam's lips and cupped his face. "Never say no one will miss you if you're not around! Me, Phana, Kit, our friends, my family, your patients, all need you, miss you and love you. You hear, Beam? I. Will. Protect you. I. love you. Love you very much."
Beam looked into Forth's eyes and reached out, wrapped his arms around Forth's neck and wept in the crook of his neck. Forth kissed Beam's shoulder and neck while crying too.
"Sorry, I'm sorry, Forth, Baby. I'll stay by your side no matter what," whispered Beam.
Forth cupped Beam's face and rubbed the corners of his lips which were bruised from the bite earlier. "If you intend to go, you better kill me first," whispered Forth. "I love you so much, Beam. Don't ever leave me for any reason, or I'll kill myself. You know I can do it."
Beam nodded and kissed Forth's forehead. "Let's go home and sort this out. We are together in this." Beam said.
Forth smiled and put his seat belt back on.
*****
