"What the fuck Joshua?" Mason roared when he got to his home after one in the morning. He went straight to the guest room and found Joshua lying in the dark staring up at the ceiling. No booze, thank the Lord. Mason flipped on the lights and entered fully into the room.
"How could you do that? He's staying with his dad tonight and tomorrow he's moving out." Mason said and Joshua swallowed hard.
"Well good."
"That's seriously all you have to say you... you, moron?" Mason stalked further into the room barely restraining himself from grabbing Joshua and beating the shit out of him.
"What the fuck do you want me to say Mason? It's none of your business what happens between Egypt and I?" Joshua had the audacity to say and Mason scoffed.
"Why?" was all Mason asked and Joshua closed his eyes and clenched his sore fists.
"What do you mean why? I explained it all already." Joshua said lowly.
"Ha. Oh yea. But then again all I heard was you being a cowardly little bitch." Mason stomped out of the room with all intentions of leaving Joshua to his own devices.
"How am I a coward for wanting what's best for him Mason?" Joshua asked and made Mason stop at the door. His back to Joshua and head turned slightly to look over his shoulder.
"You know what I've done. You know how I am when I get angry. I can't..." Joshua sat up as soon as he felt the bile at the back of his throat.
"I'm not good enough for him Mason. I'll hurt him one day. I know it." Joshua bent his head and stared down at the place between his two feet.
"I'm just a fuck-up Mason. Just a violent fuck-up and a borderline alcoholic. I don't have a college degree hell I barely graduated high school." Joshua's words against himself were spoken harshly but he continued anyway.
"I want everything for him Mason. I want him to go to college and make music. I want him to not have to worry if I'd snap one of these days and end up in jail again. I don't want-" Joshua broke off when his voice cracked and Mason was at his side rubbing soothingly on his back.
"I don't want to have to ask him to wait for me if that happens. I'd only be holding him back." Joshua sobbed not caring that Mason might make fun of him later. Tell him to suck it up but surprisingly Mason hugged Joshua tightly.
"You're a fucking idiot. You're worrying about things that might never happen. That will never happen because I know you Joshua. I know and Egypt knows and deep down inside yourself, you know you would never put your hands on Egypt. Ever." Mason's words were valiant and painted Joshua in a nice light but Joshua knew better because he lived with the anger and rage inside himself and he didn't know where he got it from.
Mason left when he realized his words did not penetrate Joshua's armor.
Joshua laid down after he took off the lights in the room and just stared at the walls then at the ceiling. Sleep unable to come because a certain curly haired, brown eyed boy was not wrapped up in his arms with the scent of Japanese cherry blossom in his nostrils.
When the sun rose Joshua was on autopilot as he brushed his teeth and bathed. Ate breakfast Mason made and then took up residence on the couch and ignored Mason's presence until he left around eleven to help Egypt move out of their apartment.
"You're doing the right thing." Joshua said to himself after his shower in the evening when Mason didn't return home.
"Just stay away from him and you'll be fine. He'll be fine." Maybe he was tripping off, well on his way to insanity but Joshua kept talking to his reflection. Warning the mirror image of himself to stay strong. To not drop to his knees and beg for forgiveness the next time he sees Egypt. To not be selfish. Egypt deserved the world and Joshua would help him get it.
Joshua stared at the bottle of whiskey, Mason's radio playing lowly in the background. Joshua hated it because he didn't know where the thing was located so he could shut it off and not hear the fucking songs that reminded him of Egypt and his guitar.
Joshua and that bottle of whiskey had a silent show down until Mason came home around nine in the night with a solemn face.
"He's gone." Mason went straight to his bedroom and left Joshua on his own. Whether he downed that bottle of whiskey or not was his own fucking business.
---
Egypt was a right mess. Mason's heart hurt so much for the kid. He didn't know what to think really. On one hand he got where Joshua was coming from but Mason knew deep down Joshua would never hurt Egypt. Never. If only Joshua believed it too.
Joshua stared at the ceiling again and was wide awake when Mason knocked on his door to start readying for court the next morning.
Joshua was dressed to the nines in a pair of dress shoes and a black suit with a crisp white shirt and maroon tie. He removed his eyebrow piercing and slicked back his hair with some of Mason's fancy gel.
"Ready?" Mason was dressed simply in a blue button down and black slacks.
"Yea." Mason didn't spare him a second glance as he walked out of his condo and Joshua followed behind like a lost puppy.
"We're here." Joshua didn't remember the drive to the court house.
"You remember what Sira went through with you right?" Mason asked and Joshua nodded.
"Yea. Let's go." Joshua hopped out of Mason's range rover and straightened his suit.
"Joshua..."
"What?"
"Egypt will be there. He said he'd stand as your witness." Mason said and Joshua nodded. The mention of the boy's name almost made Joshua's knees buckle but he stood tall.
They met Sira on the stairs of the court house and Joshua gave Sira a quick hand shake followed by Mason and walked behind the lawyer to the designated court room where Joshua's matter would be called before a Judge Aguilera.
They took the seats Sira pointed out to them and awaited. Stood when the officer told them to and sat when the judge swept in. He was a short pale man with sincere eyes in Joshua's opinion.
"Case number 92 of 2017 – Kevin James versus Joshua Pits for assault and battery." The judge called out when he sat and Joshua stood together with Sira.
"Your Honor, I'm Sira Noel and I will be representing Joshua Pits in this matter and also Egypt Hanson for a protection order and assault and battery against the complainant Kevin James." The judge nodded and Sira sat and so did Joshua.
"Your Honor. Anderson Raymond and I represent Kevin James in both these matters." Sira glanced to the table a few feet away from theirs and Joshua didn't even bother to glance. Kevin James was a little man that beat on weaker people. He didn't deserve any of Joshua's attention.
"And where is this Egypt Hanson?" the judge asked and Joshua heard Egypt's barely whispered words.
"Mr. Hanson please take a seat next to Mr. Pits." Joshua stilled.
Fuck.
"O-Okay." Egypt replied shakily and then his sweet scent wafted up Joshua's nose and he calmed instantly.
Joshua was afraid to look but he needed to.
"Hi." Egypt whispered when Joshua glanced at him.
"Hi." Joshua whispered back.
The judge started speaking and Joshua tore his attention off Egypt to focus on what the man was saying but that proved a difficult feat with the boy of Joshua's dreams was sitting right next to him.
Fuck.
**********************************************
Hey sugarzzzz!
So early update and i also entered Joshua and Beta Mine in the Wattys2018. Please vote, comment and share if you enjoyed.
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Joshua || MxM || Lgbtq+
Romance#264 in Romance 06/02/2018 #267 in Romance 03/01/2018 #304 in Romance 07/01/2018 #455 in Romance 24/12/2017 *** Joshua Pits was a big man and that was mostly due to his job as a head mechanic at Pits Stop and Garage which he now co-owns with his old...
