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When Kahmunrah puts Jedediah in the hourglass, Octavius forgets how to breathe.
It feels like his world is constructing around him, his vision tunneled onto that hourglass containing the one person who he truly cares about.
Jedediah sits, indignant, as sand begins to pour over him, pooling in his hat and falling to the glass floor. Octavius knows he’s probably plotting Kahmunrah’s death due to the amount of sand getting tangled in his soft blonde hair. However, that won’t be the least of his worries. If that sand reaches his head...
Octavius doesn’t even let himself think about it.
He makes a dash for the window.
When he returns, mounted on his squirrel, the sand is much closer to Jed’s airways than he’d like.
As Abe crashes through the window, he uses the distraction to ride his squirrel towards Kahmunrah’s throne, where his cowboy waits for him.
However, as the pharaoh realizes that he’s under attack, he drops the hourglass, preparing to summon his troops.
The glass holding Jedediah crashes to the floor, jostling the cowboy around. More sand trickles in. It’s now up to his mouth.
Octavius screams, both in rage and in terror, and charges to Jedediah as fast as his legs can carry him.
He dodges feet, both the monochrome ones of the gangsters, the talons of Kahmunrah’s army, and various types of boots and shoes. It takes him longer than expected, and with every passing second sand gathers in the bottom half of the hourglass.
The wooden sides of said glass become clearer as Octavius makes his way urgently through the crowd of giants fighting as if their lives depend on it. He can just make out the glass, and the sand pouring into it.
There isn’t much left.
There is still too much space between them.
And all he can do is watch in horror as the last grains fall into the bottom half, trapping his only true friend.
He bolts to the glass, now almost right in front of him. He can see the outline of Jedediah’s beloved hat, now covered in sand. A hand is pressed up against the side of the glass, trying to find air, someplace to breathe. It’s limp now, lifeless.
The realization hits Octavius like a chariot, knocking him to the ground and sending him desperately smashing his helmet into the side of the hourglass. The glass breaks, and sand slides out in a tsunami, and more and more of Jed’s body is revealed.
His head falls forward as the sand supporting it trickles out of the crack. His shoulders are covered with sand, his beautiful hair coated with it.
Octavius can’t take it anymore. He yanks his friend forward, dragging his body out of the crack in the glass. He pulls and pulls and pulls until finally, Jed’s legs slide out.
Octavius carries him to the side, praying to Jupiter that somehow, Jedediah is still alive. He presses two fingers to his neck. No pulse.
Frantically, the Roman pushes down on his chest, trying to restart his still heart. He presses rhythmically, hoping that Jedediah still has fight in him.
The cowboy’s head lolls to the side. Sand trickles from his nose and mouth. It seems the sand has taken up every inch of his body.
Octavius whispers quietly to him, pleading, “Please, Diah, don’t you dare leave me here. I cannot live without your light, please, don’t do this...”
But the gods have always been cruel to him, and he does not get an answer.
It isn’t until Kahmunrah is pushed into the gateway and everyone is cleared out that Larry notices them.
Octavius is holding Jedediah to his chest, cradling his head with the utmost care. He cannot bear to let him go.
Larry approaches them, but Octavius turns his head furiously. Tears are streaming down his usually stoic face.
“DO NOT COME ANY CLOSER,” Octavius bellows, anger forcing his words to come out snarled and loud.
Larry backs away.
When they lay Jedediah’s body to rest, it’s raining.
The pit-pat on the museum roof can be heard all the way down to the Western diorama. where Octavius sits beside Jed’s coffin. It is a few minutes before the service, no one else here, and everything is uncharacteristically quiet. Grief hangs in the air like some sort of smoke, and no one smiles.
When they return from the Smithsonian, the exhibits’ happiness turn to sorrow when they see Octavius holding Jedediah’s cold body.
He didn’t let go the whole plane ride home.
It’s a night later now, and Octavius feels nothing but anger and intense, overwhelming grief. He is angry at Kahmunrah for causing this. He is angry at Larry for not grabbing Jed. He blames everyone. He blames himself.
But mostly, he is angry at Jedediah.
Octavius took him into his bed one night long ago, and they both knew that it would end one day. They never thought about it, about their future, about their relationship.
Because when they were together, all else but the present was irrelevant.
They never discussed the things they did in Octavius’ quarters, and Jedediah never stayed the night, just put on his clothes and left.
Maybe Octavius should have asked him to stay.
Maybe he could’ve gotten closure.
The ceremony starts, everyone in their dark clothes, teary eyed, hearts heavy. Teddy serves as pastor. One by one, the people closest to Jedediah makes speeches. Octavius tunes them out, only listening to the roaring of blood in his ears.
He doesn’t need to hear any of this. He doesn’t want to know that the one he loved- no, loves- is dead.
Octavius and a few other miniatures lift Jed’s casket, adorned with flowers. It seems wrong to have such bright, happy flowers now, Octavius thinks.
How can anyone be happy when Jedediah is dead?
Octavius watches the railroad workers shovel dirt over the now-lowered coffin. He watches as they bury his heart. They bury his soul.
It’s gone, it’s all gone. Everything they had, everything they could’ve had together, it’s been ripped to pieces by that stupid wrathful pharaoh-
And he’s crying. He never cries. He has rarely cried since he was a child, and yet tears are flowing, stinging his face.
It hurts.
When it’s over, Larry stays behind to talk to Octavius.
“Look, I know what you two had... was special. There’s nothing that can change that.”
Octavius looks up, eyes red from crying.
“I know this is probably really stupid but he.. wouldn’t want you to be sad.” Larry pauses, letting the Roman process the words.
“He’d want you to have this.”
Very gently, Larry places Jedediah’s blue shirt onto the dusty ground of the Western diorama. Octavius grasps at the fabric, snatching it up immediately.
“Thank you.”
Larry nods, and holds out his hand.
“You need a ride home?”
“No. I want to spend some time with him.”
Octavius sits alone in his quarters. It’s the evening after the funeral, and business as usual has resumed.
At least, for everyone but him.
He crawls back into his bed, and pulls Jedediah’s shirt close to his chest. It still smells like him, and if Octavius concentrates hard enough, he could probably hear Jedediah laughing.
He just wants to feel him again. Feel his presence, his passion, his stubble rubbing on Octavius’ cheek as they kiss, his body pressed against his.
Octavius stands and walks to his desk. He finishes his note, signing it with the general’s signature, and leaves with his head high.
He brings Jed’s shirt with him.
It’s early morning outside. The cold, crisp feel of night has yet to budge. The sun hasn’t come up yet, but it will soon.
And Octavius will be there to greet it.
He cannot live in a world without the one person who he cares for. His people have his second in command. They will be fine.
Living on is just not an option.
Octavius never liked being resurrected. Too many people from his past life were missing. But then he met Jedediah, and everything changed. His existence became full of meaning.
It’s getting lighter now, the sky is turning bluer.
They fell into bed together again and again, the physical attraction shared between them became a well-kept secret. It was never an issue for either of them, and it was mutually pleasurable, so why stop?
The first bit of warmth slices through the air.
Both of them knew that their secret was at risk of turning into something more, but they just couldn’t give it up. It felt too good, despite the emotional consequences it wrought.
The clouds turn pinker as gentle light begins to flame in the sky.
And then Kahmunrah came along, and their world was shattered. They would never share anything ever again, and their love died as quickly as it began.
The sun pokes over the horizon. Octavius smiles.
“I’ll see you soon, my love.”