Chapter Text
The west is no stranger to the grueling labors of the manifest destiny, but this one seems to be eternally there, its the way the museum works and with the two respective leaders no longer in a war, theres no real reason for it? But what else can you do? Drinking and gambling, flirting and walks around the museum can only happen for so long before you start to get bored. Boredom, ah a cowboy’s worst nightmare.
So Jedediah went and said to work on the railroad night after night, maybe one day they’ll finish it (but with Mr. McPhee? Doubt it). But when the sun sets and the museum stirs, awake for another night, most of the cowboys spend their time on the railroad. Its something to do, something to look forward to, and they’ve been spending this much time on it already, so why just abandon it?
While Rome is mild and peaceful at times, the west never sleeps, the plucking tune of guitars, the clanging of spike mauls hitting the nails, the whistle of the train, the chaos that seems to go around in the museum would not be the same without the loud daily life of the Wild West.
They quickly fall into routine, Jedediah goes and helps his men with pushing up new crates of materials. All of them chatting or humming along to their own little tune, “Mornin’ Jedediah!” One of his men called, “Mornin’ Bill! How’s ya today?” Jedediah asks
“Oh just fine, how ‘bout yourself?” the shuffling of crates can still be heard, Jedediah usually finds himself working without meaning to. “Same ol’, same ol’” he chuckles, taking another crate from the cowboy beside him “good ta hear!” Billy smiles and leans over to fix a tilted crate, after a while, the cowboys turn to songs to help speed up the process.
“
Ohh, out where the handclasp’s a little stronger,
Out where the smiles dwell a little longer,
Thats where the west begins!”
The cowboy leader smiles to himself, occasionally singing along to a song or two, and then came that dreaded song, the one the boys always sing thinking about their wives or girlfriends, Jedediah couldn’t pin down just why he hated that song but he did!
“
Camptown ladies sing this song, Doo-dah, doo-dah,
Camptown race-track five miles long, Oh, doo-dah day!”
He’s spent many years hearing that song so it wasn't hard to tune any of his men out, what was hard to tune out was his own mumbling of the song himself,
“
I come down there with my hat caved in, Doo-dah, doo-dah,
I go back home with a pocket full of tin, Oh, doo-dah day…”
Jedediah almost felt embarrassed singing this song, it was one for people settling down with someone and he was as wild and free as the west itself! Right? And yet he kept singing along, word and after word. Smiling a little by the end of it, he shook it off and kept working but that song apparently is very popular, they sang it once again without the leader’s input.
But as the hours passed by it came up again, Jedediah didn’t resist the urge to sing it, but that's probably because he spaced out in the middle of working and didn't snap back just yet,
“
Camptown gents sing this song, Doo-dah, doo-dah,
Camptown race-track five miles long, Oh, doo-dah day,
I come down there with my hat caved in, Doo-dah, doo-dah,
I go back home with a pocket full of tin, Oh, doo-dah day”
A sudden cry of victory is heard, snapping Jedediah right back to reality “SEE, I TOLD YA! HE WAS!” another one of Jed’s boys said to the group, the three of them looking in astonishment “well color me shocked” Will mumbled loud enough for him to hear. “W-what?” Jed asks, unaware on why all the attention was on him “YOU WERE SINGING THE CAMPTOWN SONG!” he cries
Jedediah’s face turns red, he crosses his arms over his chest like he was trying to hide something “no, i- i wasnt! You need your ears checked Billy!” he defends only for the three others to tell him that "he definitely did"
"Who got ol' Jedediah Smith settlin'?" Will asks as the boys snicker, "no- nobody! I ain't settlin'!" Jedediah says, embarrassed. "What's this I hear 'bout Jed singin' camp town?" Lindsey announces
Bill, still smiling in victory, tugs off his hat and fiddles with it in his hands "hello, dear, I was just workin' when I heard Jed here singing camptown!" He says, Lindsey raises an eyebrow, looking at Jedediah with a smirk "where you now? You find someone to settle with?"
Jedediah raises his hands in frustration "No! Lin tell ya hubby he's fallin' off his rocker faster than a boozed up buckin' bronco rider!" Jedediah all but yells "hey! The boys heard it too!" Bill retaliates, the others nodding in agreement "Jed, just admit it, make it easier on ya self" sampson says
"I-i didn't! Y'all are all crazy!" A stifled laugh from the side makes Jedediah whip around to see Octavius conversing with Ella, but Octavius clearly trying (and failing) to not laugh at his outburst, Will obviously tugs off his hat but Jed just panics instead
He greets his friend in a barely contained embarrassment "Octy! Hey uh whatcha doin' 'ere?" He asks, flushed "I was going to ask if you would like to spend some time together, but are you okay? Your face is red, you didn't overwork yourself again, did you?" The Roman asks, concerned
Some giggles come from the folks around them "nah, nah I'm fine! You wanna hang out? Sure! Let's go! Like right now!" He says, gripping Octavius's wrist and pulling them away from the others, much to Octavius's confusion.
Ella heaves out a sigh, crossing her arms and looks toward to rest "so….who's gonna tell 'em?" All of them shout "NOT IT!" except for poor Sampson who said it a second later, causing him to shout "DAMN IT!"