Not our last night

Chapter 2

      "Alright guys, it's five minutes until sun up, get back to your places." Larry yelled over the crowd of overly excited museum exhibits.
      Octavius and Jedediah slumped. "Aww, but we were havin fun." The cowboy whined, wishing the sun wouldn't come up.
      "Well I can't just tell the sun to not come up so go back to little cowboy town before you freeze here instead." Larry said, making a shooing motion with his hand.
      "Guess you're right. C'mon Octavius." Jedediah gestured for his friend to follow him back towards their little homes. The Roman emperor walked by his side as they made their way to their places.
      Octavius let out a gentle sigh as he walked along, staring at his sandals as they clapped along the smooth stone floor.
      Jedediah gave a small glance towards his friend. "What's wrong Octy?" He asked, tilting his head sideways to look at Octavius in his eyes.
      "Nothing is wrong." The Roman lied, lacing his hands together behind his back, avoiding eye contact.
      "Yes there is, ya ain't lookin me in my eye. You do that when yer sad." Jedediah said, pointing to Octavius's brown eyes.
      "Wha- I do not. I am perfectly happy that we get to be alive for seven, well six now, more nights. What could I possibly be sad about?" Octavius huffed.
      Jedediah went quiet for a moment as he gazed over to the wall and thought of what to say. After a few moments of silence he turned to look back at Octavius again, stuffing his hands into his pockets.
      "I know yer glad we get six more nights, hell, everyone is. But we're also all sad bout it too cuz after this we ain't gonna get no more. Boy, we all just wanna keep livin but all we are is a buncha figurines and stuffed animals." Jedediah sighed, gaze turning to his own feet.
      "I just...wish Ahkmenrah wanted to stay with us. I know Larry has been missing him the most, and I know he missed us too but he is happier with his family." Octavius said matter of factly.
      "Yeah, I know. I don't get Egyptians, who'd wanna spend their whole existence livin with their parents?" Jedediah asked with a small laugh.
      "I certainly would not. Yet, that's all in perspective of how well his family treats him." Octavius said.
      The two mini men had arrived at their places and bid goodbye with somewhat of an awkward half handshake half hug. "I'll see ya tomorrow night Octy." Jedediah said.
"Yes, goodnight my friend." Octavius responded with a half hearted smile and small wave. He climbed back up to his exhibit, mind clouded with thoughts. It hadn't just been the thought of only six days left that was bothering the little Roman, it was much more than that.
      Octavius took his position as the sunbeams peered into the windows, and he froze in place. Being frozen and turned back un-alive was similar to a nap for all the museum exhibits.
      That's why they were never tired when night arrived and they came to life. Some might like to sleep during that time because they want to, but most run around and do whatever they feel like.
When the second night fell in an eruption of noise from the museum exhibits, Octavius left the noise to find somewhere silent.
He ventured off to the planetarium, sitting cross-legged on the floor under one of the visitors benches. He leaned against the wall and sighed. It was quite peaceful in here because the constellations were usually up way to high to bother anybody with their playful antics.
Octavius watched them in silence from below, shooting bows and arrows made of stars at each other for jokes, chasing each other around and having fun.
Then Octavius spotted two far off in the endless but fake star sky, and they were cuddling together and smiling, seemingly happier than any other exhibits he'd ever seen.
The Roman sighed and put his head in his hands. He envied the constellations who got to hold the one they loved tight in their grasp, never letting go.
He wished he could have someone like that. He knew who he wished this upon, but already had decided amongst himself that it wouldn't happen.
Octavius now turned himself over to lay flat on his back and gaze fully up at the stars. He found himself longing for Jedediah to be laying beside him, holding his hand like they had done on that roof three years ago when they thought they were about to die.
The very thought made Octavius's heart flutter, but he felt an even stronger emotion of despair. He knew that Jedediah's time hadn't been so...kind, to gays. They would get burnt at the stake and killed or imprisoned and tortured. He shivered at the thought of Jedediah aiming a gun at him to strike him down because of who he was.
That was the only thing that kept him back from confessing his love to the cowboy. He knew it wouldn't be returned, and he knew it would destroy their friendship, and he knew Jedediah would be disgusted with him. He was so sure of this that it made him want to cry.
Octavius felt a sudden hot stinging at the back of his eyes. No, he couldn't cry. He was an emperor for Jupiter's sake. He wasn't a coward who would cry, even by himself.
Yet he found it quite difficult to blink back his tears and gulp away his sobs. He tried thinking of anything else but his mind wanted to focus on his amazing friend instead.
      Octavius violently shook his head as if that would clear his mind of all his problems, but still he lay, facing the stars in a sad desperation and fear of Jedediah hating him for who he was.
      He heard sudden familiar footsteps, and didn't look towards them. He knew who it was and didn't know if he wanted to see them at the moment.
      "Hey partner, whatcha doin in here?" Jedediah asked, sitting down beside the Roman emperor. He propped up one of his knees to rest his arm on it, the other leg lay flat on the ground.
      Octavius sat up and gave a small smile to his cowboy friend. "It's quite peaceful in here." He responded to the question.
      "Yeah I guess. This really whatcha wanna spend one of your last nights doin?" Jedediah asked.
      Octavius almost forgot they'd only had six more nights. He was so focused on other problems he forgot to just enjoy his last days as they were. "I suppose not, but it is quite nice in here." The Roman said.
      "Wanna go slide down the handrail?" Jedediah asked, giving a curious glance to his friend. Octavius smiled.
      "That sounds like fun." He agreed. The two got up from the floor and started racing each other towards the top of the staircase in the main lobby.