Growing Together

ForthBeam: First to Know

"Good Evening, Forth," P'Oh had said without gestures or rude tones, something that was very out of character for him. It wasn't that he and P'Oh didn't get along, they kept it civil for Beam's sake for the most part. Although usually it was Forth who always initiated any sort of conversation. "Beam went back to the classroom to grab his book. He should be back in a bit," P'Oh went on as he looked at his watch before he was looking back at Forth, "I have to get going. Remind Beam not to forget to bring back the notes, will you?" before he was rushing off and officially leaving Forth a little unsettled by the interaction.

"Forth?" Beam had called out to him when he had finally made his way back out. "Did something happen?" He asked sounding worried just by seeing his boyfriend looking a little too quiet.

"P'Oh, was being nice..." Forth said more so to himself than to his boyfriend before he was shaking it off and reaching to take the books from Beam. "Did something happen to him? He didn't seem like his usual self...It kind of pissed me off." Forth said.

"Ah, it's probably because Rome is finally out of the hospital," Beam said with a smile when Forth opened the car door for him. He had slid right in and tossed his back to the backseat.

"I didn't know he was sick," Forth said with a small frown. He had met the kid once or twice when he had dropped Beam off at P'Oh's place. He seemed like such a nice kid, hard to imagine he'd get so sick he would be hospitalized.

"He wasn't sick, P', he had a baby. I thought I told you that he was pregnant with your friend's baby," Beam said reaching for the door so he could close it, but before he could Forth's hand had reached out to hold it. His brows had furrowed a little about to ask him what his deal was but seeing that look on his face had Beam calling out to him, "Forth?"

"I'm sorry...that just took me by surprise," He said as he squatted down besides his boyfriend and rubbed his face feeling a headache coming on as everything was starting to make sense. Pick strange behavior was making all the sense in the world to him now. "You never said anything, I just assumed they didn't like each other or that they were fighting over that freshman... I didn't know, he was going to be a father. Shit..."

"Forth!" Beam had scolded but seeing that apologetic grin be turned towards him had Beam sighing as he twisted in his seat and reached to cup his boyfriend's face in his hands. "You're acting like I'm the one who said I was pregnant. What's the matter?"

"No, because I'd be over the moon if it was us," Forth said with a huge grin as he felt this warm flip in the pit of his stomach just imagining Beam heavy with his child, but he shook that thought away for now, "Pick's the last person I would have thought would become a father, and with another man. He's not particularly against gays per say, he's just always been a little weird about it. I'm not saying he's not a good friend, he's just been very adamant about being straight," He said before quickly adding, "We can't tell anyone else, Pick's been very secretive these past few weeks. I'm assuming he doesn't want anyone to know, yet. Especially given his behavior," Forth said as an afterthought before he was grabbing Beam's hands and bringing them over to his lips to place a kiss on each one.

Just hearing Forth talk and worry about his friend had Beam's gaze softening, "You care a lot about people, and that's something I admire and love about you." He said leaning down to press a kiss to his boyfriend's lips. He let his lips linger and let Forth lengthen that kiss for a moment before he was pressing his palms aways his chest before Forth got swept away in the moment, "He'll figure things out on his own. Now take me to buy food and take me home."

Those words had Forth grinning for a moment before stealing quick peck, "Right, let's get going." He said letting Beam get back into his seat and settled before he was closing the door for him.

***

They had decided to make tonight a date night. So, Forth had taken them out to dine at one of Beam's favorite restaurants, which always did wonders to settle the fury in him. Forth didn't particularly care much for the restaurant, but he never had been a picky eater anyways. He was just happy enjoying this moment with Beam, which always made him recall that conversation back when Beam would reject him.

"We will never work out!" Beam had cried out to him then, which was rare to see a flood of emotions running through his eyes when he has said those words for the nth time.

"Why? You always say that, but you never give me a reason. How do you know for sure we won't?" Forth had protested.

"Because it won't!" Beam had yelled as if was reason enough.

In reality, Beam had been scared and once Forth had forced the words out of him, he realized Beam wasn't rejecting him because he didn't love him. He was rejecting him because he was very committed to his own plan and he was afraid that if he let Forth love him, Forth would eventually grow tired of him because he wouldn't be first in Beam's life and would spend days and perhaps years waiting for him before he could give him the time Forth wanted. Stupid, on his part Forth had always thought because he loved him so much, he would wait for him regardless. Which was funny to Forth to think that they had progressed far faster than Beam thought they would. After a year of chasing him, for that yes, they had almost immediately moved in together.

And he did wait, Beam was busier now more than ever now that soon he and P'Oh were graduating and soon entering his internship at the hospital.

"Forth are you listening?" Beam's voice said breaking into his thoughts.

"I am," Forth said taking another sip of his drink, "You said you were going to be off for the next two days? Are you going to go over P'Oh's to study, then?"

"No, I'm staying home," Beam said looking at him with that look that told Forth all he needed to know.

"Oh well, in that case, we should add a stop on our way home," Forth said with a grin. It wasn't often that Beam had the free time to stay home and when he did there was a handful of things they gravitated to doing. One which was particularly on both of their minds, seeing as Beam's cheeks were turning red.

When they had paid their meals, they decided to walk to the nearby mart to get a couple of things for their upcoming days in. Beam had grabbed the cart and handed it over to Forth so that he could grab a few items of food and as they turned into the snack isle, they nearly bumped into the very person they had been talking about.

"Pick," Forth had said with a slight smile, "Didn't expect to run into you." He said looking down at the basket in his friends hands that he was clearly trying to hide because of the items in it.

"I-...uh.." Pick said looking close to panicking but looking at Forth's boyfriend next to him he couldn't help but swallow hard. He'd seen him over and around Rome a couple times, so surely Forth knew. "I, just came to pick up some formula...My wife's not lactating enough yet because of the medications so..." Pick said motioning to the basket as if to say he was sent on a run.

"Oh, these are probably a little too big for a newborn," Beam said picking up the bottles out of Pick's basket, "Let me help," Beam said naturally going to switch them out and leaving the two friends alone to talk.

"So, you're married?" Forth asked out of curiosity.

"Yeah, we got married a couple weeks ago," Pick said rubbing the back of his neck a little uncomfortable.

"You can relax, Pick, I'm not going to judge you," Forth said with a smile as he patted his friend's shoulder which earned him a sigh.

"I know, just..." Pick said before he added, "I've been a dick before about this whole thing, but I do love him, Forth."

"I would hope so, he went through the trouble of giving birth to your baby," Forth said with a small chuckle before he was adding, "How is the kid? You have any pictures?" Which seemed to brighten up Pick's mood all together and started to show him the hundreds of pictures he had taken of the kid. Even the freshman was in some of them, and Forth could tell Pick really did love them.

By the time Beam returned he had a few more added items for Pick, and told him what each was for and how better to help Rome so that he could increase his milk supply. Pick was extremely grateful to him and promised he would repay him one day.

"Guess, I'm lucky my boyfriend is a doctor, at least we won't have so many worries when we start having kids," Forth said wrapping his arm around Beam's waist.

"Yeah, well for your sake I hope we are married and you've bought me a house first or I'll kill you," Beam said tossing the box of condoms into their basket before he was leaning up to kiss Forth's lips, "Let's go home."

"I can buy you the house now," Forth said pulling him in by his next to deepen that kiss only to be met with Beam's palm.

"Not in the store!" Beam said blushing brightly.