What Remains (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 33

"Don't be ridiculous!" Alyssa exclaimed. "You're going to break up with Josh when he needs you most? What kind of a dick move is that?!"

Carter watched the steam of his tea float up into the air. He did not know how to respond to that. He did not want to break up with Josh at all. He loved him. He loved him so much that it hurt. But it hurt him more to see him miserable like this.

"Don't you see...? I'm the cause of all his misfortune."

"No you are not! You want to know who is the cause of all his misfortune?! All those assholes who won't accept the love between you two, just because of the bullshit reason that you are both guys. Such as his father, such as anyone who looks down at queer people!" Alyssa said loudly.

Carter was a bit startled by the sudden volume of her voice and gave a few glances around him to see if anyone was hearing their entire conversation. "I know that, it's just... I really believe that Josh had been straight, if he hadn't fallen for me, his bond with his father would be so much better."

"But that isn't your fault," Alyssa said. "That's his father's problem. That's the problem of anyone who doesn't accept gay people. Tell you what, if anyone dares to insult or hurt you two, I will personally kick them in the balls. Or the vagina."

Alyssa's comment made Carter nearly snort out his tea. He wiped off his mouth while suppressing a chuckle and he looked at his friend. He was really happy that everything was okay between them again, and that she was so supportive of them as well. Carter really needed that right now. Especially with everything that was going on.

"Thanks," he said with a smile. "But you don't have to do that." Carter leaned back against his chair and looked out at the hospital cafeteria, which was getting emptier. "You know, when I moved back here, I thought that everything could go back to normal. I thought that Josh and I would rekindle our relationship without any problems, and that I would graduate happily while being open about being in a relationship with him. That didn't turn out to be the reality, but after I finally got through to him, and had him admit to his true feelings, I thought everything would finally be alright again, and that I would finally understand him. But I still don't. There's this part of Josh that is almost unreachable. I thought I had finally gotten a grip on it, but with how defensive he still was of his father just now, I began to realize that I hadn't gotten a grip on it at all. Not even a little bit. It's like there is this part of him that blinds him from the truth, and keeps him from coming to terms with what is really going on."

Carter saw Alyssa biting the inside of her cheek when he looked back at her.

"...I have noticed that part of him as well," she said. Alyssa looked back up at Carter. "This might be a crazy assumption, but I think that religion has something to do with it," she said. "When I was going out with Josh before you moved back, I had dinner with Josh and his father at their house one time. We had to say prayers before we were allowed to eat, and his father kept on saying that God is the only person who would never abandon them."

Carter furrowed his eyebrows slightly. He could not understand what that had to do with Josh's stubbornness. He was not exactly religious, after all. Or so Carter thought. The more he thought about it, the more he realized how he little he actually knew about Josh, which frustrated him beyond measure, since they were best friends since they were seven years old, and now were even dating.

Alyssa raised from her chair and swung her bag over her shoulder. "I need to go," she said. "I promised Sasha we'd go drink some coffee before she has to work."

Carter looked up at her and nodded his head in understandment. "Alright," he said. "Thanks for the talk. I'll see you later. Tomorrow we'll pick up Josh when he's allowed to go home and he'll stay at my house. You're welcome to visit."

Alyssa gave him a smile and ruffled his hair a bit. "I'd love to. See you later."

Carter watched as she left before he let out an audible sigh and leaned on the table. He had thought all the mystery revolving Josh had been solved by now, but it only seemed as if the questions were piling up.

+++

The next day, Carter and his parents arrived early at the hospital to come pick Josh up. The hospital had called them, and told that everything was okay with him and that he was allowed to leave.

Of course Josh still needed time to let his broken collarbone heal, but Carter was just extremely grateful that he was able to leave so soon.

He and his parents walked through the hallway with broken-white painted walls, with nurses and patients passing them every now and then. It wasn't particularly busy, but it wasn't quiet either. And as always, the hospital had the exact same smell as any other hospital Carter had ever visited.

When they walked into the room where Josh was staying, a nurse was just changing the bandage on Josh's forehead that covered the wound that was stitched. Carter was glad to see that there weren't any bandages wrapped around his head anymore, but instead just a piece covering only the stitched area.

"Ah, are you the Raymore family?" The nurse asked.

"We are," Carter's father responded to the question.

"I'm just doing some final touch-ups to his bandages. He'll be good to go in a bit," she said with a gentle smile before turning back to Josh again.

Carter watched as Josh got treated, and the blond looked back at him. He thought he looked a lot better than yesterday. He wasn't as pale anymore, and he seemed to be a lot more awake and bright. However, the bruises on his face and presumably the rest of his body had gained their colors more clearly now. The upper part of his right cheek was purple and swollen, and Carter knew that it must be even worse on the rest of his body.

When the nurse left, he walked up to the bed and placed his hand on top of Josh's. "Hey," he said. "How are you feeling?"

Josh gave a light shrug with the shoulder that wasn't supported by the sling. "A bit better. I'm not dizzy and lightheaded anymore, so that's a plus."

"That's good," Carter said. "You'll be able to leave soon. We prepared the guest room for you."

Josh gave a glance at Carter's parents, who were talking to the nurse at the door opening of the room, before pulling Carter a bit closer to him. "I'd rather sleep with you in your room," he said with a playful smirk.

Carter felt a blush creeping into his cheeks and gave Josh's hand a light smack. "Pervert," he said, though the fact that Josh seemed like his teasing self again made him smile.

"That really wasn't a secret anymore," Josh said.

"As long as you keep it down when my parents are around."

Footsteps were heard, and Carter turned around, assuming that it were his parents and the nurse returning to get Josh ready to go. However, he was surprised to instead see two police officers approaching them. He frowned at the sight and a great sense of worry took over. Josh sat up as well and was obviously surprised by the two policemen.

"Good morning," One of the officers said. "We wished to speak to Joshua Marson here for a bit."

"...Why?" Josh asked, holding onto the sleeve of Carter's sweater.

"Yesterday we received a call from someone called Carter Raymore, saying that you had been physically and verbally assaulted by your father, Steve Marson. When we went to investigate your house, Mr.Marson became aggressive towards one of our colleagues and we were forced to arrest him."

Carter's lips parted in shock and he turned to look at Josh, whose expression was just as shocked as his own.

"Arrested?!" the blond said. "What... What does this mean? Are you going to throw him into prison?"

The officers exchanged looks and one of them took a step forward. "That depends on the verdict bestowed upon him, and on what charges are made against him," he said. "Though if the accusations we were told about yesterday are correct, there is a big chance that he will be sent to prison for child abuse, or attempted manslaughter, and that he will lose all custody over you."