Fic: Sunset (April Fic Challenge)

[csi_sanders1129]

Title: Sunset
Chapters: 1/1
Author:csi_sanders1129
Ratings: K+
Word Count: 967
Pairings/Characters: Jedediah/Octavius
Synopsis: In which the sunset comes and Jed and Octavius learn that it was not goodbye, after all.
Comments: Written for my April Fic Challenge 2021, Prompt: Gift. Follows my other NatM fic, Sunrise. Like that, this is set at the end of NATM3, also before the post-credit scene. Comments and kudos would be awesome. Enjoy!

Waking up is different this time.

It comes slowly, as it always does, when the sun begins to set. It starts with a dim sort of awareness deep in their consciousness that something is happening, changing, developing as the magic of Ahkmenrah's tablet draws them to life. That power seeps into their bones, whether they be real ones or plastic ones or otherwise. Bones weave their way into muscle and then build steadily into flesh and blood. Sensation comes a few seconds later. This time, though, it comes with aches and pains, a sort of stiffness like they've been stood in the same spot for too long.

And they have.

When he finally gets control of his own body, Jed takes a single staggering step forward and his knees nearly buckle with the effort. He's got all the coordination of a clumsy, newborn colt. Around him, other cowboys and pioneers are similarly stirring, and a cacophony of hushed whispers and stunned confusion about what's changed builds around him as they all begin to wake.

Unlike the others, though, Jed knows exactly what changed. He knows that Ahkmenrah and his tablet both stayed in London, where they were truly meant to be, and that its powers stayed there, too. He'd known, that last morning, that there was a solid chance that none of them would ever wake up again. However long it's been since then, he knows they haven't come to life since.

But, now, they've been given that gift again.

Life, or whatever semblance of it the tablet grants them, has returned to the museum. The tablet must be back, there's no other explanation for this. Quite frankly, Jed doesn't care about the how, the why, or anything else at all. The only thing he cares about right now is Octavius.

He remembers their parting, their last bittersweet goodbye as sunrise drew ever nearer. A part of him wonders if that was even real, or some cruel sort of dream. He remembers it so clearly - the words they exchanged, desperate 'I love you's as they froze in place, a first and possibly last kiss, a long embrace, and…

He reaches for his bandana. It is not tied around his neck, as it always has been when he's woken, but then, this time, it shouldn't be.

He rolls up his shirtsleeve, finds one of Octavius' vambraces securely fastened to his arm.

With a relieved and eager grin he forces his stiff and uncooperative limbs to carry him towards the divide between the Western exhibit and the Roman exhibit. Much like Jed's own exhibit-mates, the Roman soldiers within Octavius' world are also having a rough time of their return to life. A soldier staggers and falls, and is clumsily helped up by others. There's a small group huddled close together, no doubt deep in discussion about what led to this strange situation. And then there's Octavius.

Jed spots the man from a considerable distance away and rushes forward as quickly as he can manage the task. When, at last, they meet again, Jed wraps Octavius in an all-encompassing embrace, holding tight with no plans to let go anytime soon. Which is fine, really, because Octavius doesn't seem to have any such plans, either.

"You sure are a sight for sore eyes, partner," Jed drawls, his voice rough from disuse.

"I've missed you, as well," Octavius counters. He pulls away from the embrace just enough to catch Jed's gaze, seems to lose himself in it as reality sinks in – that they're alive again, together again. "It seems that fate cannot keep us apart forever," he says, as it has failed to do so yet again. For all of the goodbyes they've shared over the course of their acquaintance, none of those goodbyes have managed to stick.

"Fate don't stand a chance," Jed agrees. Destiny can try its damnedest to separate them, but he's well aware that there's not much he wouldn't do to get himself back to Octavius. Still, he'd rather it give up trying – they've wasted enough time figuring out just how much they mean to each other. "I love you," Jed says the words again, the ones he didn't think he'd get the chance to say again.

Octavius says them back without hesitation.

As much as Jed would like to stay here, like this, for the rest of the night, for the rest of however many nights fate will allow them this time, it becomes apparent that something is happening outside of their reunion. "It sounds like we have a hell of a party to get to," he says, as he reluctantly moves away. Not far, though. He catches Octavius' hand in his own and leads him toward the sounds of music and merriment coming from the main lobby, no doubt in celebration of the tablet's unexpected return. Octavius trails after him and together they move through a sea of other miniatures, cowboys and Romans alike. They merge into the masses of larger exhibits as they move through the hallways, all of them ready to see their old friends again.

Soon enough they're swept up in the chaos of celebration. Ahkmenrah's there, and later they'll have to get an explanation for his return, but right now, there is only dancing and laughter and delight as the night goes on.

Even when the party begins to wind down as a new dawn approaches, they stay close, dancing together to some slow song playing over the museum's speaker system. Jed doesn't know how long it's been, doesn't know how long this will last, but he plans to take advantage of every singular second he and Octavius have together.

"C'mere, you," he says, reeling the other man in for a kiss that will, Jed is certain, not be the last.