Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

An ordinary day. The leaders were fighting each other in the american desert. They previously dismissed their troups for they had a score to settle with each other. Octavius was mentally exhausted : Jedediah took pleasure mocking his outfit, culture, fight's methods...

- What's these girly blows ? That's suppos" to be roman general victories... No wonder you empire ain't last..., the cow-boy shouted.

- I cannot bear it anymore ! Silence !

And the general, enraged by Jed's endless teasing, hit his upper body with his sword.

The latter felt immense pain. A trickle of blood flowed from his shoulder and stained his shirt.

- F*ck ! Jedediah cried. He should shake with rage and attack the roman to make him regret what he just did. But instead, he just shivered and became pale. He began to stumble.

And now the Far-west leader collapsed on the floor.

At first his roman opponent couldn't stop himself from smiling. But after some time, he started to feel worried that Jedediah wouldn't move . After all how would he spend his days if Jed wasn't there to fight him ?

He walked closer to the cow-boy and leaned over other man. He removed the red bandana and searched his jeans. He took a tissue out of a pocket and could improvise a pressure bandage with it and the bandana.

Rather satisfied of what he did, he and was surprised by the blond man leather scent. " A beautiful man... but so immature and stubborn" he thought . He brushed his lips against the cow-boy's makeshift bandage. After some minutes, he pressed a kiss against the red bandana.

- What are you doing ?

Octavius jumped

- Nothing at all, the general said. He didn't thought that Jedediah would "wake up" so fast. Minutes ago, he was livid and lying on the ground. He thanked the gods that his red cheeks were hide under the helmet.

- Nothing at all, the general blurted.

- You shittin' me, you just licked my shoulder ! And you wonderin' why we ain't allowing your skirt-wearin' army to control our land.

- Be careful with your language, poor barbarian. Without my intervention, your men would have find you in a rather embarassing situation. Maybe you should accept that as a lesson. You are not meant to conquer but to be dominat...

Unfortunately he could not end his sentence. Indeed the cow-boy had punched below the general's chin. Now it was the latter who fell to the ground and was out of breath.

Feeling satisfied, Jed got back on his feet. He smiled and then came near the roman.

- Thanks anyway.

Chapter Text

Jedediah had been having trouble concentrating for several minutes already.
After a nice walk in the roman garden, he and Octavius had decided to sit on the palace’s steps. Struck with affection, the general had taken Jed’s hands in his. He had started to enumerate all the important moments they had shared together. Then he had described each quality he thought the leader of the Americans embodied. Jedediah felt embarrassed, he didn’t know the reason.

"Is there something wrong ?" Octavius noticed.
"It’s just…sometimes you’re such a chatterbox. T'was starting to be hard to follow what you say."
"Chatterbox ?"
"You talk too much, I mean a lot and…"

Octavius opened his eyes wide. He thought he had misheard what Jedediah just said. Then the feeling of surprise was replaced by a sort of disgust. He removed his hands and looked at him with a harsh face.

"I’m explaining how much you mean to me."
"I know…"
"No you don’t ! You know nothing. I don’t think we should only be with each other for unserious activities."
"Oh stop it ! You know damn well I’m not a fan of big statements. I’m a man of action. And so are you. Here you’re like a little princess cravin’ for affection."
"Really ? Then I won’t bother you anymore with my prating."

Octavius stood up and called his men. He told them that it was time to resume military training. Jedediah watched the general walk away without knowing what to say or do. He wanted to keep him from leaving and apologize to him. However he could not find the right words.

Later, after some thinking, he headed towards the roman camp. He found Octavius in a familiar position : he stood straight and serious, back turned, and shouting orders to tens of men. Jedediah walked slowly towards the soldier. When he was finally close to him, he grabbed him carefully by the waist.

"M’sorry", he mumbled. "Everything you told me, it’s wonderful, but it’s just so new to me…"

Silence.

"Kiss me."

"What did you just say ?" Octavius shouted after turning to face him. He was trying to keep his general’s serious stare in some way.
"You want it, and I’m curious about it."
"But my men are right there…"
"So what ? They ain’t stupid. They damn well saw the way you looked at me when we were sitting on the steps."

Another silence.

"Is that so obvious ?" Octavius asked, his cheeks going red.
"Yeah really", Jedediah snorted. "Poor lads ain’t lucky, they don’t see you smile like you smile to me."

A few seconds later, they both began to laugh. Jedediah removed Octavius’ helmet to run his fingers in the black hair. Octavius stroked Jedediah’s soft lips, with a slight snarky smile.

"So since you are a man of action, it will be your duty to keep my hair in order while I’ll narrate our adventures."
"Oh please shut up !"

With a sudden docility, the roman placed a chaste kiss on the cowboy’s mouth. He gave him the promise to deliver him hundreds more once the military training was finished.

Chapter Text

Octavius was a bit bothered.

Back at his palace, he had gone to his room in order to rest. Once inside, he had replaced his general’s costume with a simple white toga. The garment was loose and it suited quite well the roman. He took a mirror and pointed it at his face. Now he was even more bothered.

Last night, the tablet had been a victim of a malfunction. The appearance of the museum’s residents had changed. Octavius didn’t really like his. First he had become smaller than his men. Gone were also his curly hair. Now he was wearing an unflattering bowl cut. But more importantly, his nose got way bigger. Huge even. No he definitely didn’t like this body. He hoped the situation would not last.

"Hey man, how you doin’ ?", a familiar voice cried after slamming the door

"Jedediah ? I already told you to knock before entering. I don’t know who’s supposed to be behind the door. It could be a stanger or an enemy."

“ ‘m not a stranger. How you talkin’ 'bout your best friend ?", the cow-boy shouted. He removed his hat and gloves, then slumped in one of the chairs of Octavius' room.

The general sighted and curiously looked at this friend. Jed also had changed : slimmer body, red hair … He also had felt difficulties being comfortable with his new body. But in Octavius’ mind, nothing could make Jedediah’s appearance or even soul ugly. He will always remain the same man : energetic, unpredictable, wild. But he’ll always be, first and foremost, his best friend. A thought so comforting yet so painful.

Jed tried to have a conversation with Octavius. However at the end, the roman often would turn his attention to the mirror’s reflection. A surprising image at best, worrying at worst. Jedediah understood that his friend would not be able to concentrate on their discussion. What he needed most was comfort. Therefore he came to sit next to Octavius, took the mirror from his hands, and gently placed it on top of a chest near the bed.

And all the sudden, he kissed the right side of Octavius’ nose. A simple and quick kiss. A friendship kiss, devoid of pretension.

"I like this big nose !"

"How lovely…"

Jed maked a light laugh and gave a kiss on the left side. He then pecked the roman’s nose several times until the latter bursted out laughing.

"I like everythin’ ‘bout you.", the cow-boy confessed.

At first, they both looked and smiled shyly at each other. But soon Jedediah realised the significance of the words he just uttered. And also that he was sitting on the bed of another man, who he kissed and who was smiling at him. Jed suddenly stood up, fastly got his hat and gloves back.

"Er…I…gotta go."

Octavius was surprised. “But you just…”

The sentence was not completely uttered from his mouth that the cow-boy had already left the room. He could be heard running inside the hall, boots banging on the floor. He had pulled his hat down his head and hid his face with one hand. Indeed he feared one could see the dark rose on his face.