"Are you afraid?"
Jedediah didn't see the point in lying.
"Yes. But I feel like I shouldn't be. It's not like we're dying." It was true - none of the exhibits were dying. They were only going back to the museum. Except, the next night, they wouldn't wake up.
"I know what you mean." Octavius sighed, and leaned onto the cowboy. "I'm not afraid of the not-waking up. I'm afraid that I'm not going to get a chance to do all the things I wanted to do."
"I know what you mean, partner." Jed sighed.
He then wrapped his arm around the Roman, pulling him in closer.
—
Larry left the pair on the bench in the Hall of Miniatures, the silence, due to the lack of life, almost deafening.
The blond took the Roman's hand, and stroked the back of it with his thumb.
"You mentioned being afraid of not getting a chance to do all the thinks you wanted to do, and, while there's so many things I will never get the chance to do, there is one thing I can do tonight, to check of my list."
"Really? So do I." Octavius had a light blush on his cheeks.
"Yes, I do." Jedediah took a deep breath. "Um… I've known for a while that you've been rather fond of me, but I didn't say anything, because I wanted you to admit it when you were ready. But, because we might never have another chance to speak to each other again, I'm gonna tell you something. I love you Octy, and I'm sad and scared because I don't want to live without you and I don't wanna die without you, but we're gonna have to end this night away from each other, in our own dioramas, and that's not the way I want it to end."
Tears were starting to leak from both mens' eyes.
"I regret not tell you about my feelings sooner." Octavius sighed, and wiped at his eyes. "I have loved you for a very long time now Jedediah. So much time we've missed, because I was so afraid, and now we're not going to have any time together. I don't want the sun to rise without you by my side, but, it'll be okay, because I'll know that you love me, and that'll put a smile on my face. You're with me in here." He touched the left of his chest.
"You're too cheesy, Oct." Jedediah grinned.
"And I want to kiss that grin off your face."
"Well do it, I dare you."
"I will."
The kiss was a mess - a clash of teeth and tongues and a tangle of limbs, which ended in the pair falling over.
It was still perfect for them though - it matched their relationship amazingly.
It was their first and last kiss though, because sun rise was only a few minutes away.
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
They made their way to their own dioramas, after parting from each other's arms.
As they took their positions, they simultaneously sighed.
As the sun rose, thoughts of each other flashed through their minds, and they managed to smile.
—
Three years later - but what seemed like seconds to them - the entire museum roared to life.
With one thought on their minds, Jedediah and Octavius raced to find one another, thinking; "We've been given more time."
And they didn't care much for the reason.