Home Planet // Joshler

Part 6

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"Tyler something is wrong." Josh entered the living room with a concerned look, eyebrows knitted together.

Tyler instantly went into work mode. He sat up straight and replied in a stern voice.
"What is it, Josh?"

"Someone is trying to track me and I think it's Patrick." He began pacing.
"When the authorities prepared me for deportation, they installed a permanent chip in my port. This chip allows the authorities to track my location at anytime. But I think somehow Patrick has hacked the chip to try and send a message."

Tyler let everything sink in. He wiped his hand over his face and took a deep breath.

The time on Aptos, because of the distance from the sun, passes much slower than on Earth. A few weeks on Earth is equivalent to about a day or two on Aptos. By now the Council will be seeking his guidance on things, and he feared he may have to return, with or without Josh. There had to be another way.

"Well has he gotten a message through?" Tyler looked up at Josh.

"I wasn't able to see the exact contents of the message but I know it was meant for you."

There was a moment of silence before Josh spoke again.
"You're going to have to leave aren't you?"

Tyler stood from the couch and walked up to Josh. He looked into his crimson eyes, filled with worry, and placed a hand to Josh's cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned into the touch.

"Josh, I have to sort things out. I left abruptly and without much thought to what would happen once I left. I was only thinking of you."

Josh opened his eyes and met Tyler's again. He wrapped his arms around Tyler's waist and pulled him closer.
"I understand, Tyler. People need you."

"I won't be gone forever. I'll come back and we can be together again. I promise." Tyler leaned in and kissed the red-haired boy.

They pulled apart and Josh tucked his head into the crook of Tyler's neck.
"When do you have to go." He said solemnly.

"I should probably take off tomorrow." He said, stroking the soft hair on the back of Josh's neck.

Josh sighed and nodded. "Okay. I'll help you pack. You can take some of my clothes if you want." He mumbled sadly.

___

It was quiet for much of the day after that.

Josh knew Tyler had responsibilities. He knew that, but the selfish part of him hated it. He was proud of Tyler for stepping up to his birth right. Even after all he'd been through, he was still strong enough to govern an entire planet. He was so strong.

But Josh wasn't. When people left him he lashed out. He made stupid decisions and most of the time took risks that almost got him killed. He wanted to be strong for Tyler, but after the horrors that occurred when he was a young boy, he was traumatized.

Josh put some of Tyler's favorite clothes in a small black bag. He chose one sweatshirt of his own that he knew Tyler liked. He had told him one night that it "carried his scent which smelled similar to the teeth cleaning substance". Josh giggled. He always loved the names Tyler came up with for human things.

Josh zipped up the bag just as Tyler walked into their bedroom. He smiled.
"You packed for me? You didn't have to."

"It's okay, Ty. I wanted to." Josh held his arms out to Tyler.

He buried his face in the soft fabric of Josh's t-shirt and breathed in heavily.
"I'm going to miss this. Your scent and your warmth. It reminds me of that day on the beach. The sun felt so good."