𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐀 ; forthbeam

⎛ CHAPTER THREE. ⎠

――"LIAR,  LIAR."

⎛   CHAPTER THREE.   ⎠

Forth's eyes, with reluctance, drew up to Pha. "Have you kept him here all night?" the ladder demanded, his palm flush against Beam's forehead. "He's freezing!"

"How did you find us?" uttered Forth, unwilling to explain himself to Pha.

Pha narrowed his eyes at Forth. "I've been driving around all night trying to—"

Beam had begun to whimper and stir in Phana's arms.  "Sorry, na, sorry, na," said Pha, his expression twisted into something Forth couldn't quite decipher. 

It was sincere, too sincere.

Beam blinked slowly.  "Ai'Beam, Ai'Beam wake up, na." Pha urges, his fingers tangling themselves in Beam's damp, raven hair. "How do you feel?"

Beam's eyes flickered to Forth before returning to Pha. "Ai'Pha...?" he grabbed the fabric of Phana's t-shirt, trying to balance himself, "How did you—"

Beam turned away and had begun to cough.

Forth made to step forward, but Pha—catching the action through the corner of his gaze—shifted his body to the side, hiding Beam from Forth's view. "You're burning up, na," scowled Phana, lifting Beam from the ground. "I'll take you home."  At Phana's words, Forth's rose from the ground, a protest on his tongue, but before he could speak Beam's eyes had opened and he spoke. 

"Ai'Beam promised Ai'Forth, na."

Forth sat across from Beam, both hands neatly folded before him as the plastic bag was placed between them —— as though creating a barricade.  "Ai'Beam," Forth began, his words carefully selected and oddly formal.  Too formal.  Beam, now that he thought of it, could not recall a time Forth looked as... as calm as he had now.  "Do you remember what you promised me?"

Beam rubbed at his eyes, struggling to stay awake. "No," he said an, in that moment, if he were to be Pinocchio, he knew his nose would stretch an inch.

Forth bowed his head, his lips tugging into a small smirk—— No, not a smirk. A smile.

"Ai'Beam," he said in a voice so gentle, Beam almost hadn't heard, "you're a bad liar."