Night at the Museum Imagines

Jedediah x Octavius: Of Car Wrecks and Cowboys

" You're going to be fine," Octavius muttered, though it was more to himself than the prone figure in his arms. "You're going to be fine." Jedediah didn't answer him, which alarmed the Roman. Jedediah always had a sarcastic quip ready.

Always. Octavius sped up, taking care not to jostle the man in his arms. He broke into a run. "Larry!" He shouted. "Larry!" He heard footsteps approach and he began to slow down. Larry came around the corner moments later.

"Whoa, what's the problem?" He asked. His eyes fell to Jedediah's bloody form. "What happened?" He knelt down and held out a hand. Octavius clambered on.

"We were driving. We-we weren't watching and we drove off the stairs. He's not waking up, and he won't stop bleeding, and—"

"Whoa, Octavius. Calm down." Larry told him. "Everything's going to be fine. We're going to see Ahk and we'll see what he can do." Octavius nodded and set Jedediah down on Larry's palm, sitting down next to him. "Ahk?" Ahkmenrah came out of his exhibit and his eyes were immediately drawn to Larry's palm, and his face hardened.

"Come with me." He motioned for them to follow him. He immediately went to the back wall and grabbed the tablet. He set it on top of his sarcophagus and returned to Larry. He held out his hand and Octavius carefully lifted up Jedediah and put him on Ahkmenrah's palm. He made to follow, but Ahkmenrah stepped away. Octavius lost his balance and toppled off of Larry's hand, but he was quickly caught. "Wait outside." Ahkmenrah said to the pair before turning back to his tablet.

"I can't stay?" Octavius asked.

"No."

"Why not?" Ahkmenrah looked at Octavius with a face that said don't test me. He sighed. "Fine." Larry patted Octavius' back with a sympathetic finger and turned to go. He walked to the information booth and sat down at the desk, setting Octavius down on the surface. He opened a water bottle, poured some into the cap, and slid it to Octavius.

"Want some?" Octavius hesitated before cupping his hands and taking some water.

"Thank you." They sat there in silence. "It's my fault."

"Don'tstart that."

"It is."

"Octavius—"

"We were arguing." Octavius said softly. "I said something I shouldn't have and it freaked him out. He turned to look at me, and—and—" He couldn't finish. Larry sighed.

"He won't blame you."

"How do you know?" Larry thought for a moment.

"What if it was you?"

"What?"

"What if you were the one in there?" Larry pointed at the exhibit. A yellow glow emitted from the door, and they could only assume that Ahkmenrah was using yet another of the tablet's hidden features. "Would you blame him?"

"No, of course not—"

"So why would he blame you?" Octavius didn't answer, and Ahkmenrah walked out. They turned to the Pharaoh.

"He's going to be fine." The men sighed in relief. "He's asking for Octavius." He held out his hand and Octavius instantly hopped on. Ahkmenrah took him to his sarcophagus, where Jedediah was sitting in the middle of the tablet. Octavius hopped down at the edge of the tablet. "I'll be outside," Ahkmenrah walked away.

"Are you okay?" Octavius asked. Jedediah nodded. Octavius cleared his throat awkwardly. "I just wanted to apologize. I caught you off guard, and I distracted you. It won't happen again."

"What are you talking about?" Jedediah asked.

"It's my fault we crashed, and it's my fault you got so injured. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I'm sorry." He turned to go.

"Where do you think you're going?" Jedediah asked.

"What?" Octavius turned around.

"You say something that makes us crash and you don't even want to hear my answer?" Octavius laughed humourlessly.

"You made you answer clear." He turned to go again.

"Oh I did, did I?" Octavius kept walking. "Well it looks to me that you came to the wrong conclusion. A hand clamped down on his shoulder, wrenching him around.

And then he was kissing a cowboy.