Author: Pirate Turner
Rating: G
Summary: Octavius and Jedediah decide that, whereas they may not be what they thought they were, they will grow to be more, and each hopes to do so with the other at his side.
Warnings: Slash, Drabble
Word Count: 500
Date Written: 14 February, 2011
Challenge/Prompt: LJ comm Slash The Drabble's weekly challenge
Disclaimer: Octavius, Jedediah, all other recognizable characters mentioned wtihin, and Night at the Museum are & TM their rightful owners, none of whom are the author; are used without permission; and may not be used without permission. The author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended.
Octavius blinked moisture which he refused to acknowledge from his dark eyes yet again. He forced his head to lift proudly and looked around him at the men he was responsible for as they went about their nightly tasks. It seemed completely impossible that what he had learned earlier tonight could ever be true. Yet the night guard's words still rang through his imperial ears, and Octavius had seen the truth for himself.
They were not real, or, at least, they were not truly who they had always believed themselves. They were mere statues of the men who had existed before them, living fragments of a history that had never once really been their own. That knowledge pained the Roman General to no end. It burdened him even more to realize that he was not truly a General, a leader, or even a real man, but he refused to acknowledge that for his men trusted, believed, and needed him. Their lives, such as they were, were in his hands, and he would rather die himself than let them down.
Loud whoops split the air, and Octavius glanced over to the neighboring diorama. Jedediah had his head down, his cowboy hat hiding his handsome face and, therefore, his true feelings also, from view. He wondered what thoughts were going through the blonde's head and if he was also bothered by what they had learned tonight.
Feeling eyes upon him, Jed lifted his head and pushed his hat back with a gloved finger. He met Octavius' eyes from across the distance and noted the reflecting glimmer in his opponent's eyes that told him he, too, was fighting against tears. Jed's lips curved upwards into a becoming smile. He didn't mind drowning his sorrows in imaginary whisky, but for some reason he did not dare to contemplate, he didn't like the proud yet obnoxious Octavius being sad. He whooped, hollered, and threw his hat into the air, convincingly feigning joy. "FERGET 'EM!" he declared. "WE ARE REAL!" He began to chase after his men.
Octavius' first smile since their learning experience curled his lips, and the Roman beamed in the truth of Jedediah's words. They were real, and he knew at that moment that they would make their own history - together. They would be their own legends in their own time, and they would do so eventually, side by side. Smiling, he embarked again upon his own crusade, his heart made far lighter by the charm of his opponent whom he looked forward to one day calling his ally and secretly longed to be able to call him much more. {One day,} he vowed, his toga swishing as he walked away.
Watching Octavius from the shadows of the saloon door, Jed grinned even wider. They would get through this together, or his name wasn't Jedediah! He began to whistle, the late night feeling young again and hope for a better future with Octie at his side bursting throughout the cowboy's rebellious heart.
The End