Joshua || MxM || Lgbtq+

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Where did you get a car?" Mr. Hanson asked and Egypt shrugged.

"Joshua. He gave me his car." Egypt stuck the keys in the front of his jeans and pretended he didn't see his father's scowl.

"That felon gifted you a brand new car?" Egypt sighed loudly. It wasn't the first time his father called Joshua a felon and Egypt was sure it wouldn't be the last.

"Come off his case dad. Joshua is a good guy and I-I love him. You can swear and call him whatever you want. You can hate him forever and that still won't change that I love him." Egypt's father stared at Egypt with a glare right in the eyes.

"I've accepted the lifestyle you want to lead Egypt but to fall for a convict like Joshua Pits is just..." Egypt watched as the man tried to find distasteful words to sling at Joshua and Egypt felt like this was it. This was the end of any respect he held for his father.

Egypt was fine with the man acting as if he nearly didn't exist. Egypt was fine with the way he was dealing with his wife's death but to throw the kinds of statements like that and the many more he's slung so far against Joshua was Egypt's boiling point.

"Dad, mom told me about your records." And just like that Mr. Hanson's face went from anger to incredulity and then back to anger.

"She had no right!" Mr. Hanson stood, nostrils flared as he glared at the portrait of Marlena Hanson on the mantle and Egypt's eyes gazed at it too. Her laughing eyes and wide smile. Her curly unruly hair much like Egypt's own and her button nose. Neither of them had the heart to remove that portrait.

"If she didn't I'd be fooled by you right now. The same words you're using against Joshua you once were, dad. You were once a convict and a felon and a ruffian." Egypt could see the tick in his father's jaw but the man needed to take his attitude down a notch or two.

Egypt scoffed, "You once saw the inside of a prison cell dad. Just because it's been years doesn't mean you can conveniently forget that you too was once a convicted felon." Egypt made sure his voice didn't falter. "It didn't make me love you less and it sure as hell won't make me love Joshua any less either." Egypt strolled out of the living room and left his father to stew.

Standing at the opened door of his bedroom Egypt stared at his worldly possessions packed into five boxes and two duffel bags. He didn't want to cry. Not again but he couldn't stop as it hit him that he was finally going off to college.

It was after their breakup that Egypt saw the ad on his Facebook profile. It intrigued him and he started doing his own research into the programme. Egypt made up his mind after his telephone conversation with Mrs. Benfield from the school's admin department. He wanted to be far, far away from Joshua because he was positive he'd make a fool out of himself at some point. Maybe he'd throw himself at Joshua or maybe he'd become a crazy stalker. Who knew, but he wanted a fresh start. Something new and something that was his alone.

Egypt sighed and did his final nightly routine of bathing, brushing his teeth and moisturizing his skin. Once done he tossed his last bit of laundry to wash and waited for it to finish rinse and dry before he folded them and packed them into his duffel.

Egypt texted Mason and Bethany to let them know he had arrived home and that he loved them. He scrolled through Facebook a bit and smiled sadly at Joshua's last post that would be right after Joshua rode off in Mason's car. It was a Youtube link and already got over two hundred reactions and Egypt smiled sadly. Against his better judgment he tapped on it and laughed humorlessly when he read the title again-Shots by Imagine Dragons Acoustic Version.

Egypt opened up Jay's case and began strumming along with the song. Fitting he thought, that Joshua would think a song like that would get through to Egypt more than anything else.

Egypt stopped playing when the song ended and replayed it. He put Jay away and just listened to the song. If this was Joshua's way of apologizing by making himself look like a villain from birth then Egypt didn't want it.

Egypt turned off his data and turned on his alarm. Come five o'clock in the morning Egypt would be leaving all that drama behind him. He'd already given Joshua an ultimatum and it was too late to take it back. Besides he didn't want to. He'd give Joshua the six months he promised and then he'd move on.

Joshua loved him enough to let him follow his dreams and he loved Joshua enough to honor his bout of martyr-ism. Egypt thought that if the man wanted him happy then he'd do that. He'd find happiness wherever he can.

Meanwhile Joshua was sat prettily on Mason's sofa. He hated it. He could have been up to his knees in whiskey or any type of alcohol for that matter. Instead of dropping him off at his own apartment like he thought Mason would, Mason drove them both to his house and served him a light beer and turned on the TV.

"Joshua, you know we're here for you right? Me and Bethany." Mason sat heavily next to him after he walked Beth to her car.

"Mason..." Joshua didn't know if to be really angry with his brother or really happy.

"Stop looking at me like that. I made the right decision." Joshua said and Mason shrugged.

"Seriously. Egypt is gonna go places." Joshua said and sipped his beer.

"Okay Joshua. I just hope you can live with your decisions then." Mason raised his beer in a mock salute to Joshua and Joshua just nodded, eyes stuck to the TV screen.

I can't, but I'll have to. Joshua thought to himself as the movie playing droned on and Joshua pretended to be engrossed in it and Mason did the same.

****************************************************** A/N

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