Miniature Miniatures

-Chapter Four-

Jedidiah was sent away five minutes after arriving. Larry may have called it hovering, but Jed scoffed at this. Hovering? No?? It was just... manly concern.

His guys didn't seem to agree with him.

He had immediately gone to the saloon after dropping Octavius off, and after complaining to the bartender, the whole bar (read: three others) took a moment to guffaw.

"'E ain't wrong, buckeroo, yer more attached ta' Octavius than I ever seen anyone attached to anyone! Ain't no way you wasn't hoverin'"

"'EY! I wasn't hoverin'! I'm sure if I was, Octy woulda said somethin', 'e's a man who 'preciates personal space."

"Octy..."

Jed's face lit up a bright pink. "YA KNOW WHAT I MEAN!"

"'Course we do..."

"...we know yer all addle-headed 'bout that there general,"

"WH- Why, I never..."

"C'mon, Jed, everyone in the west knows. Mosta them roman men're sayin' he's carryin' a torch fer you, too."

"...they're sayin' that?"

"HAH! We done knew it!"

Jed tipped his Stetson over his red face. "'S... wrong... ain't it?"

"Now what're ya' on about?"

"Men're ment'a be with ladies. Says so in the Bible, ain't it?"

"Oh, Buddy. Wait'll we tell ya' what we heard."

[]_[]_[]_[]_[]

Larry and Ahkmenrah began a private conversation the moment Octavius fell asleep.

"Larry. I am so sorry. I can't tell what's happening. All I know is that something is wrong. No one brought alive by the tablet should feel any ailment ever," the pharaoh was distraught, Larry could tell.

"It's okay. No pressure, you don't have to fix or know everything. It's alright to just exist," Larry reassures, "Besides, I think I have an idea." He pulls out his phone (a rare occurrence when he's at work) and opens Amazon. He quickly typed in "Polly Pocket Nurse Set"

"Polly pockets are three inches tall, which is the approximate height of the miniatures," Larry explains, "It's easiest to get stuff for them from Polly."

"Oh! You are very insightful, Guardian of Brooklyn."

Larry laughs, "Thank you, Ahk," he slips his phone back into his pocket, "She should be here next week. Until then maybe we should keep him here. That way he's safe, and others don't freak out if anything else happens. We'll tell his second in command. For now, I'll see if Nicky has any comfortable toy clothes that will fit Octavius."

Ahkmenrah looks down at the tablet and sighs. "Thank you, Larry. I apologize for not being of more assistance. The museum is lucky to have you," a small smile graced his face, "I am lucky to have you, as well."

[]_[]_[]_[]_[]

Oh, heaven help him.

Jedidiah Smith was head over heels in love with a Roman.

Not just any Roman, mind you. He was in love with "Augustus" Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus, Emperor and Praetor, who was such a big deal that (according to Nick Daley) the month of August was named after him.

Well, not exactly that version of him.

Jedidiah was in love with the version who loved fast car rides, and kitten videos, and reading, and swordfighting. The version who loved forget-me-not bundles, and the smell of the scentless candles ('Yes, Jedidiah,' he had insisted, 'they have a smell. They're called scentless because no scented oil has been added.').

The version that was still nowhere to be seen when he woke up the next morning. Or the next. Or the next.

(-TBC-)