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”No no no - no horror movies, Attila! You know how scared the neanderthals were last time. Dexter, no! We are not watching Planet of the Apes again. It’s my choice tonight, and we are watching My Big Fat Greek Wedding.”
Larry pressed play on the remote before anyone could object. Most of the exhibits had gathered for the weekly movie night Larry had arranged for them. It had quickly become everyone’s favorite night. It was cozy, to gather around the screen together and munch on popcorn and candy as they watched the pick of the week. In the beginning Larry would include movies depicting their own eras of history, but then there had been so much yelling about inaccuracies as to make everyone agree that it was best to avoid historical films altogether.
Larry settled down in his usual seat next to Ahk and grabbed some popcorn. He glanced around the room with a pleased smile, taking in everyone’s happy expressions. Teddy and Sacajawea looked adorably cuddly together in their corner, and so did Jed and Octavius, snuggled up on the little dollhouse couch Larry had bought for them.
”Hey, Gigantor! How about sendin’ some of them white fluffy things our way?” Jed called out to him.
”Sorry, guys. I forgot.”
Larry picked up a bag of mini marshmallows and set it down next to their couch. Jed grabbed one, pulled it two and gave one piece to Octavius and sat back down on the couch, taking a big bite of his own piece.
”I look forward to these all week,” Jed said with a happy sigh, licking sugar from his lips.
”As do I,” Octavius said, eyes fixed on Jed’s mouth. Jed grinned and winked at him, and settled back, resting his head against Octavius’s shoulder as they watched the movie. As the main character received a marriage proposal from her boyfriend, Octavius suddenly felt Jed sniffing into his shoulder.
”What’s this?” Octavius said with an amused smile. ”You never used to weep over these matters before.”
”I know,” Jed gruffly replied. ”S’pose I’ve become sentimental, lately. It’s just… everyone says they’re too different, but she knows they’re wrong and she follows her heart. That’s love, partner.”
”Indeed,” Octavius said softly, slipping an arm around Jed, pulling him closer.
”Psst! Larry!”
Larry, making his rounds, stopped at the sound of the voice.
”Down here!”
He looked down, spotting Octavius at the base of a rack of brochures.
”Octavius?”
Larry bent down and carefully picked him up.
”Where’s Jed? I hardly ever see you apart these days.”
”I had the monkey create a diversion. I have an important matter to discuss with you, and it had to be done in private.”
”Okay. What’s up?”
”Well… I have a favor to request.”
Larry’s eyes widened in surprise as Octavius told him what he wanted, then his mouth split into a grin.
”Well?” Octavius asked anxiously. Can it be done?”
”Absolutely,” Larry smiled. ”This is a special case. Hang on, let my check my weather app…” Larry pulled out his phone. ”Let’s see… night after tomorrow looks good. Let’s do it then.”
Octavius nodded happily.
”Thank you, Larry. You’re a good man.”
Larry made a fist with his other hand, and held it out for Octavius to bump with own tiny hand.
”Good luck, buddy.” He gently placed Octavius in his shirt pocket. ”Come on. I’ll carry you back.”
The night after next, Jed awoke to find Larry waiting by his diorama.
”Gigantor?”
”Jed… come with me.”
Larry held out his palm, and a confused Jed climbed on. Holding him carefully, Larry walked over to the romans, and held out his hand for Octavius to climb on.
”Okay. Off we go!” Larry said cheerfully and began walking.
”Go where?” Jed asked Octavius. ”What’s going on?”
”You’ll see,” Octavius smiled.
Jed waited in silence as Larry carried them, then realized Larry was heading up towards the roof of the museum. He looked at Octavius, who only smiled. Once they were out on the roof, Larry set them down on the ground, then pulled their little couch out of his pocket and set it down next to them.
”Okay. I’ll be right on the other side of that door. I want to guys to give me a shout if there’s any sign of danger. I don’t want to risk you getting carried off by crows or anything.”
”You have my word, Larry. Now, if you’ll kindly…” Octavius made a ’shoo’ motion with his hands.
”Okay, I’m going.”
Larry winked at Octavius, then went back inside, leaving the door open a crack.
”Alright, what’s going on?” Jed asked, turning towards Octavius. ”Why are we outside?”
”I received special permission from Larry. To do this, I wished it to be special. I wished to be outside, under a clear night sky with the moon shining down upon us.”
Octavius gestured towards the nearly full moon above them. Jed grinned.
”’To do this’? Do what, exactly?”
Jed slipped an arm around Octavius’s waist and pulled him close.
”Not that,” Octavius blushed. ”I… please, sit down.”
Jed sat down on the couch, while Octavius remained standing, trembling with nervousness.
”Octy, you okay?” Jed asked, concerned. ”You look a little green around the gills.”
”I’m quite alright.” Octavius replied. He pulled off his helmet and smoothed out his hair. Then, clearing his throat, he straightened his back and placed his hand over his heart.
”My beloved Jedediah… For so long now, perhaps even back when we were enemies, I have held you in my heart. Every night when I awaken, my first thought is of you, and that I have been granted another night to spend with you, to touch you, kiss you, to look into your lovely blue eyes. I believe the magic brought me to life for a reason, and that is so we could meet.”
Octavius paused to take a deep breath. He met Jed’s eyes, which looked extremely shiny.
”My love… will you consent to be my husband?”
Jed sniffed, and two fat tears escaped his eyes and rolled down his cheeks.
”Aw, Octy…” He sniffed again, and wiped the tears away. ”I will. You bet I will!”
He rose and pulled Octavius into a crushing hug.
”Octy… I love you. I love you so damned much.”
”And I love you,” Octavius whispered, wiping away tears of his own.
Jed pulled back to cup his face, and kissed him, soft and deep. Smiling blissfully, Octavius put his helmet back on.
”Larry!” he called out. ”It is done!”
Larry opened the door and peered down at them, grinning.
”Everything go okay?”
”He said yes!” Octavius shouted happily.
”I knew he would. Congratulations, guys. Come on…” He bent down to pick them up. ”Let’s go tell the others. They’ve been on pins and needles since yesterday.”
Larry carried them downstairs to the hall where everyone was waiting.
”Well?” Sacajawea asked excitedly as soon as they entered.
”We’re getting married!” Jed shouted, and the whole room erupted in cheers. Ahk put on Celebration by Kool & the Gang, Dexter shrieked and gave them a thumbs up, and Teddy smiled and gave them a loud ”Bully!”
”Aw, Octy… look how happy they are for us,” Jed smiled and put his arm around his fiancé’s shoulder.
”We could not have asked for a better family,” Octavius whispered.
”Yeah… but by the way… Larry!” Jed called out. ”How we gonna get hitched when we ain’t got no preacher here?”
”Don’t worry,” Larry replied. ”Teddy and Ahk both want to officiate your wedding together. How’s that sound?”
”Yeah…” Jed mused. ”If a president and a pharaoh marries us, that’s gotta count for sumthin’!”
”It would sure count around here, at least.” Larry smiled.
”That’s all that matters,” Octavius said.
”Now…” Larry scratched his head with an awkward smile. ”I thought about getting you guys rings but it’s impossible to find anything small enough. However, if you want some nice clothes to wear I’m sure I could put in a custom order on Etsy or something…”
”Do not concern yourself, Larry,” Octavius said, holding up a hand to silence him. ”I require neither finery nor rings. All I want is to be married to this man, as soon as possible.” He smiled softly at Jed.
”Same here, Gigantor,” Jed said. ”That’s all I want.”
”Okay. But I think a small party would be in order at least, so what do you say we do this on Saturday? That’s enough time for me to prepare food and stuff, and Nick will be able to be here then. I know he wouldn’t want to miss this.”
Jed looked at Octavius.
”Saturday?”
Octavius nodded.
”Done. Saturday, it is, Larry.”
Saturday night finally came. It had only been two nights, but to Jed and Octavius it seemed as if they’d waited forever. Jed was practically bouncing with excitement in Larry’s hand as he carried them to the hall where everyone was waiting. He placed them on a table in the middle of the room, where Ahk and Teddy were standing, smiling broadly. Larry stepped back to join the rest, and passed a packet of tissues to Attila, who was already blubbering.
”Dearly beloved!” Teddy began in a loud voice. ”We are gathered here today to join this cowboy and this Roman in holy matrimony!”
”By all that is sacred!” Ahk continued. ”May their love be eternal, and let nothing ever part them!” He smiled down at them. ”You may recite your vows.”
”Octavius…” Jed began, taking his hand. ”You’re the best thing that ever happened to me. For every minute, every second of life that I am given, I swear I’ll love you, and always be there for you.”
”I vow to do the same, Jedediah, my beloved. My heart belongs to you, now and forever.”
Teddy grinned and cleared his throat.
”By the power vested in me as President of these United States…!”
”As Pharaoh, holy ruler of Egypt…!” Ahk continued.
”We now declare you married!” they finished together. Ahk winked down at the pair, and Jed leapt at Octavius to kiss him deeply. Octavius threw his arms around Jed and kissed him back eagerly, heart pounding in his chest and only vaguely aware of the thundering applause and cheers in the room.
As soon as they were able to separate, Nick put on music, and everyone took their turn approaching the table to congratulate the newlyweds. Larry came last, gingerly holding a minuscule wedding cake on a little plastic cake stand he’d found in a toy store. He’d had to buy a whole Barbie tea room play set to get it.
”Surprise! There’s a big cake for everyone else, but I had to get you guys your own wedding cake.”
Jed grinned up at Larry as he put the cake down on the table.
”Thanks, Gigantor. That’s mighty decent of you.”
Octavius used his sword to cut out pieces, and they ate happily, feeding each other as everyone else got started on the big wedding cake. When Jed and Octavius were done eating, Larry set them down on the floor so they could get in their little car. Nick had put a ’just married’ sign on it and tied thimbles on strings to the back. Everyone cheered again as they drove away towards the diorama room, Larry quietly following. Once they arrived, Larry lifted them up to Jed’s diorama and set them down by a tent.
”Okay… everyone agreed to stay away from this room for the rest of the night to give you guys some privacy. Just make sure you’re ready to take your regular places by dawn, okay?”
”I give you my word, Larry,” Octavius said. ”Thank you for everything.”
”No problem. Oh, I figured you guys might need some, uh…”
Larry colored slightly as he pulled a tube of lube out of his shirt pocket. He scratched the back of his head.
”Where the hell should I put… I need something… ah.”
Larry reached down and pulled off one of the thimbles from Jed and Octavius’s car. He squeezed some lube into it and set it down by the tent.
”There. Go nuts.”
Jed snorted.
”We will put it to good use, Larry, thank you,” Octavius smirked.
”I’ll bet. Hey listen… you guys have a great wedding night. You deserve it. And we’re all very happy for you.”
”We know. Good night, Larry,” Jed smiled.
Larry raised his fingers to his forehead to give them a little salute, then walked back towards the hall to rejoin the party.
”Well, darlin’… seems we’re finally alone,” Jed whispered, turning to Octavius. ”Shall we?” he nodded towards the tent.
”We shall indeed, my love. Let’s make the most of what’s left of the night.”
Jed caressed Octavius’s face, running his thumb against his lower lip, then leaned in to kiss him.
”Come on, then,” he said as they pulled apart, taking Octavius’s hand and leading him towards the tent.
Hours later, as Octavius had returned to his own diorama, much more reluctantly than usual, Jed cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted:
”Until tomorrow night… husband!”
”Tomorrow night, and every night, my husband!” Octavius shouted back. ”I love you!”
”I love you, too!”
Tears of happiness in his eyes, Jed assumed his regular position. Dawn broke, and he froze, a joyful smile still on his face.