Joshua || MxM || Lgbtq+

Chapter Twenty

                 Weeks passed since the day Egypt walked out on Joshua after their court appearance and Joshua had done everything possible to stay away from Egypt. Mason accepted that there was nothing else to be done so he helped. He went into the store for anything Joshua needed and he didn't bring up Joshua or Egypt in any conversation he had with either of the men in his life. Pretty exhausting of you asked Mason.

"You brought the wrong filter." Joshua said from under the hood of the Chevy he was working on.

"Shit sorry man I can't go in. I'm a mess." Mason said and Joshua sighed.

"I'll get it." Joshua wiped his hands and went into the store.

"Louis?" Joshua asked in disbelief as Egypt frowned his way.

"Hey, Joshua." Louis smiled crookedly and he was still as cute as Joshua remembered.

Louis wasted no time in walking over to Joshua and hugged him tightly. Egypt looked away and tidied up his desk when Joshua's arms wrapped around the guy in an equally tight embrace.

Egypt had already flipped the sign and locked the door. He balanced his cash and locked the register. He grabbed Jay from beneath the counter and went out through the garage.

"Mason I left the cash in the draw. I'll swing by the bank tomorrow and make the deposit." Egypt mumbled and Mason glanced up.

"Okay, see you tomorrow." Egypt nodded and went home. His chest ached with how easily Joshua hugged Louis.

"Hey Egypt." his father called but Egypt ignored him and went up straight to his room and fell onto his bed.

He set an alarm and stripped off his clothes then he went under the blankets and let sleep take him.

---

Egypt woke not to his alarm but to his stomach roaring loudly. He checked the time on his phone and groaned. He took off the alarm and trudged to get a shower then food and off to his gig in that order.

"Where are you off to?" his father asked and Egypt spared him only a glance as he finished washing his dishes.

"Out." He replied and picked Jay off the counter. He sat on the steps and waited for his Uber to arrive patiently while listening to music on his head set.

When Egypt got out of the car he sighed and mentally prepared himself before stepping into his destination.

"Um, excuse me... I'm Egypt Hanson and I'm looking for Carl?" Egypt was nervous as the burly bartender stared him down.

"That's me. How can I help you?" he crossed his big arms.

"I'm supposed to sing tonight." Egypt said and Carl smiled slightly.

"Oh okay. We start in a few minutes but there're four people to go on before you." Carl said and Egypt nodded.

"Cool. Can I have a root beer?" Egypt paid for his drink and watched on as the first singer went on and did a nice cover of Wicked Game. Egypt liked the girl's tone.

The second person was a girl too and she did a cover of All I want by Kodaline. Egypt couldn't help but sway to her melodies.

The third was a red headed guy who looked to be in his thirties. He sang a song Egypt only listened to very recently and it was only because it was suggested to him. A guy by the name of Jacob Lee and the song called Demons.

When the last person came on Egypt sang along because this girl did her cover the same way. Stay by Rihanna and Mikky Echo.

"You're on kid." Egypt smiled and finished his drink before heading up to the little stage.

He set up his mic and adjusted his guitar on his lap as he sat in the stool. He started playing the strings he rehearsed every day for the past week. An acoustic version of James Bay's Let It Go.

Egypt sang and looked into the crowd after the first chorus and he almost froze on the spot. Looking back at him was Joshua. Joshua and Louis who looked as if they were on a date.

Egypt's eyes watered and his voice faltered for only a second. He clenched his jaw and continued playing. When the song drew to an end he didn't play his second song and last song Blackbird by Nina Simone instead he did Try Again by Idyl.

Egypt looked away from them. Pretended he didn't see the way Louis was attached to Joshua's arm and he pretended his heart didn't break.

Egypt finished his song and was out the door before anybody could blink.

---

Joshua blinked to make sure he just saw Egypt singing up on stage. And yep, there was no mistaking that voice.

"Isn't that the boy who works for you?" Louis asked from beside Joshua and rested his palm on Joshua's arm.

"Yea." That's all Joshua could say. His eyes were stuck to the angel on stage while they were waiting for Louis' husband to join them.

"Wow... he's good." Louis whispered in awe and Joshua just nodded.

He had heard Egypt sing but never had he seen him. God, Egypt looked like a fully blossomed rose. His soft lips moved with his words and his fingers played the strings on his guitar expertly.

"Joshua-"

"Huh?" Joshua was lost in Egypt's melodies as their eyes met. Joshua saw the assumption flit across Egypt's eyes. The way his voice faltered and his eyes looked glassy in the spot light for only a few seconds.

Egypt went on to play another song and Joshua could not look away while Louis tried to get his attention by latching onto Joshua's arm.

"Go." Louis grabbed Joshua's arm and tried to pull him off his chair when Egypt practically ran off the stage.

Joshua didn't budge. He couldn't run after Egypt after all he said to the boy. God dammit he broke Egypt's heart just a few days ago.

"I-I can't." Joshua couldn't get his voice above a harsh whisper.

"I just can't. I... I'm not good for him." Joshua looked to Louis who had a confused expression.

"Why?" Joshua is that what you wanted to talk about?" Louis asked and Joshua nodded.

"We dated a few weeks back and I broke up with him. I could... Louis after what I did to Fin... I... not Egypt." Joshua was almost incoherent.

"Joshua we dated for over three years and you never hurt me in any way." Louis looked at Joshua as if trying to decipher the codes that Joshua built.

"Louis, we never spent much time together apart from a date here and there and regular car sex." Joshua said and as harsh as it sounded and as much as Joshua cared for Louis that's all they were.

"Egypt and I lived together and I'm not like how I was before Louis. I did things while I was in prison and I have so much anger inside me. I'm afraid that the next time my anger will be taken out on him." Joshua admitted and stared down at his hands.

"Joshua you can't possibly mean those things and believe those things?" Louis sounded as if Joshua's fears were uncalled for.

"Louis. I... I'm a high school drop out and Egypt has so much ahead of him. We'd never make it past a couple of years because there are better men out there that'll be educated and suave. Men that can stand equal with Egypt." Joshua said and Louis frowned hard. Joshua was afraid he'd break his face.

"That's not true Joshua. You're smart and a piece of paper isn't going to make any difference-

"I've killed somebody Louis. The hands I want to touch Egypt with, make love to him with was once covered in the blood and death of another." Joshua left. He couldn't stay a moment longer. He had never said it out loud before and now that he had the urge to vomit everything inside him was almost unstoppable. The need to get stoned drunk and forget his days of incarceration fueled Joshua. All he needed was to find a close bar and a bartender that won't cut him off after two hours of non-stop shots.

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