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The memory of last week's jealously-inducing encounter flashes through Jed's mind for the thousandth time as he scours the museum for Octavius.
"Do you think I should tell them?" he asks tentatively.
Octavius likes someone else, he thinks, and his world turns red. The words are out of his mouth before he can process what he's saying."No, you shouldn't tell them." Memory-Jed says while ignoring the hurt look on Octavius's face. "They probably don't even like you back."
Octavius mumbles, not meeting Jed's eyes, "Ah . . . all right, then. I suppose I'll take your advice."
They hadn't spoken much for the rest of the night; the painful silence continued on through the following week.
It was encroaching upon midnight when Jed eventually finds Octavius sitting by himself in some lonesome corner of the museum far from the other exhibits. The room is reserved especially for exhibitions and is currently empty. Octavius is seated with his back to a glass case. He has his helmet off, and his shoulders are hunched forward.
Jed approaches him cautiously. “Mind if I join you, partner?”
Octavius shrugs.
Jed takes a seat and after a moment of silence asks, “Are you still upset about that fella you like?”
Octavius murmurs his assent, and Jed’s temper flares. How dare this person make his best friend and secretly the man he was in love with so sad? It does occur to him the maybe, possibly, he's the cause of Octavius's distress, but he shoves that thought aside. He wouldn't ever do anything to hurt Octavius, not ever since they became friends.
Friends. Jed cringes at the word.
He looks to Octavius. “What do you like so much about them? They’ve gotta be one heck of a person to get your knickers in such a twist.”
Running his fingers along the fringe on his helmet, Octavius responds. “Oh, that they are. . . . They’re proud and courageous, not to mention cocky and impetuous.” Octavius stole a glance at Jed. “Yet they’ve got a heart of gold and a smile that could win the loyalty of Venus herself.”
Jed frowns. They sound like quite the person—and he doesn’t like that one bit. “Have I met them? It’s not Brutus, is it?” Jed asks, thinking of Octavius’s second-in-command.
Octavius allows himself a small smile. “No, it isn’t Brutus. You’re . . . well, you’re well-acquainted with them.”
“Am I?” he asks in surprise.
“Yes.”
“Are they from the Western diorama?”
“Indeed.”
Jed takes off his hat for a moment to run his hand through his hair. “You say I know them? Do you know their name?”
Octavius snorts. “Of course I know their name! We were enemies for decades before becoming friends.”
Jed cocked an eyebrow. "I was unaware that you considered yourself friends with any of the other Westerners."
"Well, this person is exceptional." An almost imperceptible smile graces Octavius's face before it returns to its melancholy state.
Jed ponders what he's been told. Octavius had disclosed to him previously that he’d learned slowly to love this person, and it was quite obvious that not telling them was only hurting him.
Maybe . . . maybe loving someone meant letting them love someone else, even if that removed you from the equation.
Hesitantly, Jed speaks up again, “Do you really think they like you?”
“Perhaps, however, I tried to gently bring up the topic a week ago, and I was sorely disappointed with the results.”
Jed bites his lip. “Maybe you should try again.”
Octavius perks up. “What?”
It’s Jed’s turn to shrug. “Maybe this person didn’t get the message the first time.”
“You don’t say?” he says looking Jed in the eye.
“What’d’ya have to lose?” he counters.
Octavius casts his gaze to the empty room before them in thought before replying. “Very well." He nods his head swiftly. "I shall try that.”
“Good!” Jed forces himself to sound cheerful.
Octavius turns slightly so he’s angled towards Jed. “So, Jed, we were enemies for a long time—“
“That’s behind us now, Ockie,” Jed interrupts.
Octavius raises an eyebrow. “I know. What I was going to say was that in the shorter time we’ve been friends, I’ve—“ Octavius takes a deep breath “—I’ve fallen in love with you.”
Jed is sure his jaw hit the floor. “You what?!”
Red is not only the color of anger. The flush spreading rapidly across Octavius’s face is a sight to behold.
“I understand if you don’t feel the same. I just thought you should know since we’re . . . friends.”
Jed stares at him. He had been jealous of himself. Without thinking, he lunges forward to wrap Octavius in a hug knocking his own hat off in the process. “Boy, am I stupid or what?” he murmurs into Octavius’s curls.
Jed feels Octavius chuckle. “I don’t think I should answer that.”
Oh, but he could have said yes; Jed is too elated to care about being called stupid. As sure as the moon shines on a mongoose, he is the happiest one in the museum at the moment . . . except for possibly Octavius.
Cautiously, Octavius pulls back from the hug. “So, then, Jed, I take it you feel the same way?”
Instead of answering, Jed places a kiss on Octavius’s lips. “I sure do, partner."