Open Secret

A/N: Angsty one shot ahead. You've been warned but since this author loves happy ending, I give this a happy ending
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Maybe. Hahaha

Enjoy!!!

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They keep it a secret. They hardly ever communicate with one another. Forth, who switches between affectionate and businesslike at a frankly indecent rate, doesn't seem to have a problem with this (Beam suspects he has a hidden button somewhere on his body that controls this facility-he hasn't found it yet, but he's been having fun exploring). Beam, on the other hand, wanders around in a daze, half convinced it was all a glorious delirium, half ready to shout from the rooftops that Forth's tongue is useful for more than just talking.

He can see why Forth would want to keep this-whatever is going on between them-quiet. Beam is loud, drunk, and embarrassing, and he is the polar opposite of the type of person Forth should be with. Forth has goals, and if his newfound extracurricular activities became widely known, he'd never be taken seriously again. It's natural that Forth wouldn't tell anyone; what's strange is that Beam feels compelled to remain silent on the subject. Forth hasn't asked him to (as previously stated, they haven't discussed it at all aside from the initial so we're doing this, yeah, and yes, right there), but he feels like hiding under the sheets whenever he thinks about it.

They don't tell anyone, but that doesn't mean no one is aware of what's going on.

Their friends, for the most part, remain silent about it as well. Mook, as the one who has had the most chances to notice Beam's absence, has most likely pieced it together, but he keeps it to himself. Sharp ends up with twenty dollars that used to belong to Park (plus another twenty dollars from Mek), and despite wearing a triumphant smile the rest of the night, he remains tight-lipped about the circumstances of the bet. Yihwa and Hin may or may not notice a visible bruise (ahmmm... love marks. But let's make it subtle, yeah) on Beam's collarbone (Forth is prone to his excesses too, it would seem). When they force him to try on new button downs to replace the green one with the hole in the collar-either way, they smirk at him for the rest of the afternoon like Cheshire Cat bookends from his childhood bedroom.

From Beam's perspective, it's almost plausible that none of their friends are aware of anything.

Forth is aware of the situation. He's the one who discards Park's glittery greeting card and the one Lam pulls aside after one too many lingering glances at the artist in the corner.

"You know I support your decisions, and after this we never have to address it again," Lam says, "but I'd feel like a terrible best friend if I didn't make sure you know what you're getting into."

Forth nearly laughs. "Do you mean 'bad idea' is tattooed between his shoulder blades? I know." He is well-versed in the subject. "I've seen it, and I've felt it with a few of my other senses. It has its eyes open, okay?"

"Okay," Lam says. "Oh, and don't listen to Park's love advice. I'm not saying he'd intentionally sabotage you, but I'm also not saying he's not irritated about picking the wrong month in the betting pool."

"I would never," Forth says, "Take Park's advice. His relationships typically last nine days."

"Relationship?"

"What was that about a betting pool?"

Beam meets Forth at his apartment after whatever organizational discussion or study session is on Forth's schedule that night. Sometimes Forth has already moved on to homework of some kind, and Beam waits with his sketch pad (yeah, fine arts major Beam like on Waiting on a feeling) until he returns Forth's TV only gets the boring channels. Beam will sneak up behind Forth and kiss the back of his neck until he is sufficiently distracted. Then they kiss for a while, on various surfaces throughout the apartment, using different parts of their bodies and usually without a full set of clothes between them. After a few hours, Forth returns to his work, and Beam gathers his belongings and exits. He does not stay the night, and Forth does not request it. He's not sure if it's an unspoken rule (all rules are unspoken) or if it's simply not part of their routine.