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It isnt hard to know when someone is feeling off in the museum, not only is the museum small after years of living there, but the exhibits are practically like a family, so when a certain cowboy felt off, Nicky and his best friend, CC, wanted to make sure he was okay. Nicky found Jedediah on a windowsill, watching the outside with a forlorn look on his face, the boy sent a quick text telling CC where he found the cowboy and walked up to him.
Jedediah didnt look up, he was too wrapped up in his own thoughts to, he didnt mean to get like this, but he was so tired. He, along with the rest of the museum, had adjusted to the feeling of being away from home, so he didnt bring it up that much, he knows that a few others got like this, but he felt frustrated at the thought of being like this, let alone feeling it. New york was his home, well, the person he was based on, the real Jedediah Smith had been born here, but it had been so different. As much as he was astounded at the buildings and liked the lights that radiated through the city day and night, he loathed it all the same. The New York he knew, the America he knew, hadnt been like this. He remembered the feeling of running through the prairie grass as a kid, chasing after fireflies or whatever he thought was worth chasing, the way the mountains towered over the lands, the people, the way the air smelt and the stars shined, this wasnt it.
In just 200 years, everything had changed, some good, some bad, he wasnt one to focus on the bad, but after 50 years, you feel it. “Hey, you okay?” the sound of someone’s voice snapped Jedediah back to reality, “huh? O-oh yeah…yeah ‘m fine Jr” Nicky hummed, unconvinced, the cowboy knew that hum and sighed, knowing he couldnt get out of this “its just im….homesick, i guess” Nicky nods “i get that, well not really, me and dad moved around so much i didnt really have one place to be homesick about but..i get it in a way” Jed nodded, and heard footsteps, he saw the curly hair of CC and sighed again
CC snickered as the put their arms on the windowsill “so, whats with mr.grumps?” the cowboy laughed a bit at that, which made the two smile “homesick, apparently” CC’s expression turned into something more calm, more of understanding than sympathy “yeah, i get that” CC said “like dont get me wrong, i love New York but not….not this New York” CC nodded, looking out “1800’s, geez, only what, 200 years and everything is covered in cement? Yeah, i…i get it, its loud, and bright, and crowded, and not very pretty, cant take a breath without breathing in car exhaust and cant see the stars other than polaris, New York back then would be like…..like the south” Nicky bumped their shoulder against CC’s who smiled and bumped him back
“Yeah, it was real pretty, i just, i know its silly cause ‘m a grown man but, i wish i could run in a field again, maybe show Ockie how the west really was other than the endless desert” the two nodded again, settling in a understanding silence until CC perked up “wait a minute…” Nicky and Jed looked over “Nicky! Larry talked about the Smithsonian, about how he could travel through paintings, do you think it would work here? Could the miniatures go through? Would they be normal sized or still miniature?” CC and Nicky talked about it, the cowboy listening intently, they made a plan, CC would paint a field (mostly because they are the best artist and had an art assignment already), bring it to the museum when they were finished, test the traveling thing, then if it worked, let Jed and Oct go through for the night…
…..
…A week is all it took for it to be finished, it was beautiful and just how Jedediah remembered his home, the field was painted with long grasses, wildflowers sprouted here and there, the whole thing was filled with sunlight, the sunset in the background casting a golden hue. CC had said that both full sized exhibits and miniatures could go through safely so they had placed it in a out-of-way place, telling him he could go through anytime he wanted.
Jedediah had practically ran over to Rome, dragging Octavius to the car and sped his way there, getting out impatiently, Octavius laughed “Jedediah, really, are you going to tell me whats gotten you so excited?” the cowboy just took the romans hand, a bright smile on his face as he ran to the painting “this!” he said, almost yelling with how excited he was “Nicky’s pal was talkin’ ‘bout how Gigantor said he traveled through paintin’s back in the Smithsonian and they painted this!” Jedediah bounced on his heels while he talked, accent thicker and more animated, the general found it extremely adorable “i see, is this a specific place in particular? It looks beautiful”
“Its how my home looked back in the day! They said they found a picture of the west and did the rest from memory but this is how i remember it, im glad ‘cause the reason im so excited is because ive been feelin’ mighty homesick” Jedediah rubbed the back of his neck, sheepishly, but Octavius stared at the painting in awe “ this is how the west looked?” he asked “some places! It werent always barren deserts and railroads y’know, c’mon, c’mon ill show ya!” the cowboy said, taking the romans hands in his and jumping through.
Jedediah looked up, he felt so happy he could cry, Octavius had spun around, they were apparently the size of normal humans in paintings, he stopped when he saw Jed “so, what do we do now?” the general asked, the cowboy looked at him, smiling while taking his hands “ this ” he whispered before taking off, laughing joyfully as Octavius stumbled but followed him, mimicking his smile and laughing slightly, Jedediah dropped his hand, running farther before spinning around, laughing and whooping like he did when he was a kid.
Octavius stopped, he looked at the man he loved so dearly act in this way, he felt his heart pound, not just because he ran but out of love for Jedediah, he looked beautiful, more beautiful than the landscape around him. His hat had fallen off while he ran so his scruffy hair that almost reached his shoulders by now truly looked like gold as the sun hit him softly, the general wished that he could make Jedediah that happy as this made him.
While Jed ran around, laughing and reliving everything he missed, Octavius took to picking flowers, sitting down he started to fashion crowns out of the bouquet he had picked. Jedediah laid down next to him, smiling and flushed, obviously out of breath, the general smiled and went back to weaving the flowers together “what are ya makin’?” Jedediah asked “they’re called flower crowns, i used to make them to pass the time, when i wasnt fighting, or training, or at a pointless meeting”
He finished shortly after, placing it on Jedediah’s head, his eyes opened, looking at the man in front of him “y’know, i dont think i would have been this happy if you werent here” the roman thought his heart stopped, surely he must had misheard “the west, New York, they are all places, sure their home but…i dont think its home without ya, Octavius” the general looked at him, fighting the urge to kiss him with just getting by with a hug “home isnt home without you either, Jedediah” pulling back, the cowboy cupped the others face
“Octavius?”
“Yes?”
“I think im in love with you”
“Hey, Jedediah?”
“Y-yeah?”
“I think im in love with you, too”