synopsis: A new exhibit has been unveiled at the museum, and it brings out Ahkmenrah's clingy and possessive side.
The museum had always been busy around your exhibit. Children pressed their palms to the glass, breath fogging the surface as they stared in awe. Adults lingered longer than they intended, reading the placard twice, craning their necks as if expecting you to move even before nightfall. You were part of a royal lineage, after all. An artifact that felt alive, even with your coffin sealed tight.
Ahkmenrah always joked about it.
“They adore you,” he’d said one evening as you walked the halls together, hands loosely entwined. His tone had been amused, fond rather than bitter. “If I were a lesser king, I might feel threatened.”
You laughed, bumping your shoulder into his. “You? Threatened? Please.”
Your pharaoh was beloved. Not just because he possessed the tablet that brought the museum to life, but because he ruled with kindness rather than fear. He listened. He compromised. He laughed easily and treated emperors and cowboys alike as equals.
That was why no one expected what came next.
The museum acquired a new exhibit. Larry kept the details vague. Something about a recently recovered piece, closely tied to your dynasty. Another royal, though of a lesser branch. Younger. Preserved impeccably.
You didn’t think much of it until night fell.
You and Ahkmenrah were walking together when Teddy appeared on his horse, beaming as he escorted a new figure through the hall. They looked around with open wonder, eyes wide, posture tentative but eager.
“And here we are, the royal wing. And these—” he gestured with a flourish, “—are Y/N and King Ahkmenrah. His tablet is the very thing that brings us all to life.”
You felt Ahkmenrah straighten beside you, pride evident in the lift of his chin. Where you expected questions, reverence, curiosity, directed toward your lover, the newcomer’s gaze bypassed him entirely.
They looked at you.
Their expression softened, something bright and unmistakably smitten flickering across their face. “I see.” they murmured, breathless.
You felt Ahkmenrah lean closer, his shoulder brushing yours, his body subtly positioning itself between you and the newcomer. His other hand came up to rest against your lower back, thumb tracing a slow, grounding circle.
“They are my partner.” Ahkmenrah's tone was polite yet unmistakably final.
“Oh. I—my apologies.”
Ahkmenrah smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. “No harm done, but do be mindful. Some things in this museum are not meant to be admired too closely.”
Teddy cleared his throat and ushered the newcomer onward. “Plenty more to see, my friend.” As they walked away, the newcomer glanced back at you, only to find Ahkmenrah already watching them, his arm still around you.
From then on, Ahkmenrah was rarely more than a step away. If you stopped to speak with anyone, he stood at your side, hand resting openly on your hip. When you walked, his fingers laced through yours. When you laughed, he leaned in, murmuring something only you could hear.
The newcomer tried to approach you again, smile hopeful, but Ahkmenrah beat them to it. He reached for you first, pulling you gently against his chest, chin dipping to rest atop your head. “Is there something you require?”
The newcomer flushed. “I only wished to talk.”
“You may speak,” Ahkmenrah said. “From there.”
The newcomer nodded a little too eagerly, clearly taking that as a challenge rather than a boundary. “Well—uh,” they began, smiling at you with hopeful sincerity, “I just wanted to say I admire so much about your exhibit. The craftsmanship, the history, the—”
“They mean you as a whole.” Ahkmenrah interjected calmly.
The newcomer laughed awkwardly. “Yes, well, everything, really.”
You smiled politely, ever gracious despite the situation. “That’s very kind of you. I hope you’re settling in well. Waking up in the museum can be overwhelming at first." Ahkmenrah made a quiet, displeased sound in his throat.
“It has been overwhelming, but seeing you has helped tremendously. I was hoping perhaps you could tell me more about your lineage? Maybe sometime later tonight?”
Ahkmenrah’s head tilted. You could practically feel him pouting behind you. “Telling stories is very tiring,” he said mildly. “They require energy. And time. And attention.”
“Oh! I wouldn’t take much, I promise.”
Ahkmenrah stared at them. Long. Unblinking.
You sighed softly, already sensing where this was going, and lifted a hand to gently stroke through Ahkmenrah’s hair, fingers brushing over his crown in slow, soothing motions. “There, there,” you murmured fondly, just loud enough for him to hear. “I’m just being polite.”
The effect was immediate.
His shoulders relaxed. His sulk dissolved into something smug and satisfied as he leaned fully into your touch, eyes half-lidding like a pampered cat. The newcomer watched this unfold in real time, expression slowly shifting from hopeful to devastated.
“So, about that conversation?”
Ahkmenrah glanced at them again, this time looking far more relaxed, dangerously so. “Ah,” he said, bright. “You may continue.”
The newcomer brightened. “Wonderful! I was just saying—" Ahkmenrah leaned down and kissed the top of your head. “—that your presence here is truly—” Ahkmenrah kissed your temple. Then your cheek. Then murmured, far too sweetly:
“I love you.”
The newcomer stopped talking altogether. “I think,” they said weakly, “I will return to my display.”
“A wise decision.”
As the newcomer retreated, you laughed softly, fingers still combing through Ahkmenrah’s hair. “You didn’t have to intimidate them.”
“I didn’t intimidate anyone,” Ahkmenrah replied, settling more comfortably against you. “I simply existed affectionately.”
You raised an eyebrow. “You practically hissed.”
“I did not,” he said, affronted, then paused. “…Perhaps internally.”
nahep (ancient egyptian language): awake from sleep or repose from death
word count: 4.1k
warnings: soft!dark NONCON/dubcon smut (THIS IS FOR ADULTS WHO UNDERSTAND FICTION IS NOT REAL AND WHO KNOW HOW TO SCROLL PAST TRIGGERING CONTENT), character death?? (they're both dead so... it's not described though), yandere stalking obsession all that kind of stuff, possessiveness, some violence including a slap, biting, multiple orgasms/overstimulation, a hint of dacryphilia kind of?, fucking around with the night at the museum canon (as if that's what's wrong with this absolute abomination of a fic), presumably lots of historical/egyptological inaccuracies (I did some research especially about the language but this is not meant to be particularly educational lol), technically not inclusive since it makes the most sense for reader to be ethnically egyptian but if you want to be really specific there was actually racial diversity in ancient egypt so basically just don't overthink it it's porn
“Pharaoh Ahkmenrah’s tomb was unique in more ways than one. The most famous would be his mystical golden tablet, said by legend to be able to bring back the dead; but a lesser-known detail was that he was buried alongside the mummy of a close servant. The practice of killing servants to be mummified with the Pharaoh upon his death was generally abandoned generations before Ahkmenrah’s rule, however an exception was made for this unidentified female servant. Historians believe she may have been a close friend, spiritual advisor, or concubine; regardless, her importance to merit entombment beside the young Pharaoh cannot be overstated. Her clay sarcophagus was only recently rediscovered in a small Egyptian museum and is being reunited for the first time here as a new addition to our permanent collection.” — Inscription from the plaque outside the Egyptian wing of the American Museum of Natural History
The darkness didn’t bother you; the abyssal, limitless non-existence that you had come to understand as death (or at least, the closest thing to death you’d ever be able to experience)— it was your escape. While some still feared death, you’d been taught all your life you’d been taught to revere and respect it, as it was only a natural step in the journey of humanity.
Unfortunately, you’d been robbed of your right to a dignified, natural death by him.
You’d spent your life serving the royal family, and for a while it was a peaceful existence— even a privileged one by a certain standard, living among such decadence. Everything changed when he began to favor you, requesting you to serve him at meals, randomly trying to talk to you when you were trying to complete your chores. He seemed to see you as a confidant at first, but his emotional needs were… not exactly relatable. Diatribes about being bored with royal life, the pressure to rule a kingdom, all the annoying things about being a godly descendant of Ra; not really the sort of thing you want to hear someone complain about when you’ve spent the day scrubbing floors or chasing vermin out of the kitchens. Still, you humored him… you didn’t really have a choice.
What started as just a one-sided sort of friendship turned into something more; he became more obsessed with keeping you to himself, he had you ‘promoted’ into a role that kept you serving his chambers most of the day. He touched you: gently, even tenderly, but with a look in his eyes that made you shudder.
It wasn’t with violence or threats that he claimed you; it was with an unspoken but sinister ownership. Soft caresses and sweet words poisoned by the shared awareness that your only purpose now was to serve him. You co-operated, both out of exhaustion and self-preservation, and sometimes you couldn’t tell if he truly believed you loved him or if he was thrilled by the knowledge that it didn’t really matter.
Of course, things worsened tenfold when he took the throne. Though tradition kept him trying to name you as queen (something he often mused about during pillow-talk rambles), he no longer had anything to stop him from keeping you perpetually by his side. And while you never would’ve admitted to wishing something horrible upon him, his failing health gave you some hope that you would have your freedom once again.
You could’ve never imagined how desperate he was; that he would do anything to keep you by his side, even in death…
Yes, there were those who protested his wish to have you entombed with him (most of all you who was not excited about the part where somebody was going to kill you), but none could oppose the decrees of the Pharaoh Akmunrah, fourth king of the fourth king. He swore that nothing would separate you: no living thing, no force of nature, neither life nor death. Neither of you would’ve predicted that, actually, one thing could… grave robbers. The pillaging of his tomb was a desecration by all accounts and yet, it granted your long-forgotten wish.
Without the tablet, your remains were finally just a relic, rather than a tireless vessel for your imprisoned soul; left in your homeland, they were of minor historical significance and kept more out of respect than spectacle.
The state of servitude that had once bound you to him now freed you, simply because you weren’t important enough to keep track of. Well, you weren’t until now…
“Nahep…” you heard a distant voice calling to you. It seemed closer when you heard it again: “Nahep, myr…”
Awaken… awaken, my beloved…
He looked elated as he stared down at you, but he must’ve seen the look you were sure you were wearing: horror, that is. If he did, he didn’t react much to it. “I can’t believe it,” he beamed. He tugged more cloth away from your face to cradle it in his hands. “I can’t believe we’re together again.”
You gasped and sat up quickly, looking around: first to the rest of your body wrapped tightly, then the front half of your sarcophagus on the floor, then up to the walls, the ceiling… “This place,” you breathed, “how— how am I back here?”
“Actually, we’re not home,” he clarified, though you weren’t actually listening. “It’s just a recreation— we’re in our new home.”
You struggled against the bindings, and he laughed a little as he helped you remove some near your hands.
“Calm down, there’s no rush,” he assured, “we have all the time in the world…”
Once you were free enough to get out, you all but shoved him to the side and walked around the room; pressing the walls, tracing their carvings, as if you would find some way to escape. But no, the only way in or out was conspicuously barred… it was almost too on-the-nose, your metaphorical prison actually starting to look like a real one.
“Don’t you have anything to say to me?” he asked, and finally you turned back to look at him; he had a slightly expectant, almost pouting expression. He wasn’t wearing his crown or the beaded usekh that would typically cover most of his chest, just his tunic draped down from his waist. The fabric of it rippled slightly as he stepped, hesitantly, closer to you— his face shifted into a cautious kind of smile.
You shrunk in on yourself a bit, struggling to meet his stare, just looking down at yourself and the wrappings that were slowly unraveling around you.
“Didn’t you miss me too?” he continued, but his voice was a little softer now. “I’m sure you did.”
He always did that— he decided for himself, when the real answer didn’t suit him. Soon enough he was standing in front of you, and he gently lifted your chin with his knuckle.
“I waited so long to be with you again,” he breathed, brushing the back of his fingers over your cheek. “I knew you’d come back to me.”
You shivered slightly, shutting your eyes, and a tear finally fell.
“What’s wrong?” he cooed sweetly— as oblivious as ever. As oblivious as he wanted to be.
“I was free,” you whispered shakily. “I was finally free…”
But he already lost focus as he began to remove the rest of the linen that encircled your body; soon you were bare before him once again, and he hummed to himself as he looked over you. “My lovely pet,” he mumbled, apparently to himself.
You’d never wanted to be his pet, you certainly never wanted to be tied to him for eternity, but it was something you had found familiarity with before. In your time you’d found some form of acceptance of being his property, or at least you’d learned not to resist it as it only brought more suffering. But that taste of freedom, of any separation from him— even if it was a separation you spent without as much real consciousness— made it even harder to fall back into his clutches.
You swallowed, trying to fight back not only your fear but your anger, but it defiantly rose up in the back of your throat again.
“We can have our life together once more,” he told you happily.
“This is no life,” you whispered harshly, stepping back. “This curse…”
“This gift!” he corrected, trying to comfort you in the worst possible way.
“You stole my life, but even that wasn’t enough,” you breathed, still somehow in disbelief at his cosmically cruel torture. “You had to steal my afterlife, too; I’ll never cross the duat, never wander in the field of reeds—”
“This is better,” he assured. “We have each other, and we have a whole new world to explore together.”
You tried to turn away, but he reached for your hand, grabbing your wrist and pulling you back into him.
“You’re hurting me,” you whimpered, but his grip only tightened when you tried to twist your arm out of it.
“I don’t want to,” he insisted. “I don’t have to, you just— you make things so difficult! Why can’t you understand?”
He softened a little when tears striped your face again. He released your wrist, which you mindlessly rubbed with your other hand to ease the soreness, as he took hold of your shoulders instead.
“What's happened to you?” he asked softly.
He was clutching you, looking at you pleadingly, waiting for your explanation; you couldn’t look at him as you responded. “I don’t want to belong to you anymore,” you whimpered. He let go of you instantly, and a moment later, the back of his hand collided with your face, causing you to clutch your cheek as you stumbled to the ground.
“You’ve always belonged to me,” he hissed. His eyes flashed with something dark as he glared down at you; not just disbelief but rage. “There is nothing else for you to be, but mine.”
He knelt down beside you on the ground, and you sheepishly met his gaze, knowing he would order you to if you didn’t do it on your own. His rage had already cooled to something more controlled, still stern but not as hateful.
“Don’t resist me anymore,” he commanded, “or I’ll bind you with your shenet to keep you still.”
He grabbed off the floor a handful of the linen strips that had wrapped you before to emphasize his warning.
“Tell me that you understand,” he growled. You nodded, but he wasn’t satisfied. “Say it.”
“I-I understand,” you mumbled, “I’m sorry…”
He sighed and looked to the side for a moment. “So am I,” he responded, relaxing slightly. “I don’t like to see you so scared of me. But I didn’t think it would be so difficult… I was so excited to see you again, to touch you again…”
He reached forward and gently ran his fingers down your side, tracing along your hip, then your thigh; you shivered, closing your eyes for a moment.
“I can be kind to you, I know you remember,” he purred. “I'm not so terrible, you don't need to make such a fuss…”
Moving a little closer to you, he guided you to sit up on the floor.
“Let me remind you, my beloved,” he offered, pulling you into an embrace; you limply obeyed, laying your head on his shoulder, blinking until the tears blurring your vision fell onto his chest.
One hand held the back of your head as another stroked slowly down your back— first with his palm, then the tips of his fingers which traced your spine. You lifted your head, finding him looking down at you in that way you knew meant he was going to kiss you next.
You examined his face for just a moment— his tanned skin, the smile that curled his lips, his piercing eyes and the thin line of kohl that surrounded them— before closing your eyes and letting him close in on you. Sometimes you hated that your captor wore such a beautiful face, that your torment could bring so much pleasure with it…
Your hands shakily reached up to hold him, by the shoulders first and then slipping down to his chest.
It was easier than you’d expected to fall back into it, to let your body relax and your mind go blank. He seemed to notice it, too, to somehow perceive the moment you relented, because he immediately deepened the kiss; he held onto the back of your neck, keeping you close, starting to slowly lay you down.
The floor was cold at first, but his tightening embrace kept you warm. “I’ll remind you,” he promised again, just a whisper against your lips, though it felt like it had been so long since he’d said that before. “I’ll remind you until you never forget again.”
His lips moved lower then, down your jaw to latch to your neck. Your back arched off the floor slightly while he buried his face in the curve of your shoulder, his teeth teasing at first before sinking in a bit deeper. He’d always liked to leave marks on you, to trace his thumb over them the next day proudly, though he seemed more desperate than usual— thankfully not so much that it was truly painful, but you did hiss in a breath from the sharp sensation.
A hand guided your legs to part farther, his body slotting between them, but he didn’t stop there— he gently moved you until your legs wrapped around his hips.
After he had your legs where he wanted them, apparently your arms were next: he gently took your wrists and held them above your head as his kiss returned to your mouth— even more intense and dominating than before.
He moaned softly against your mouth, the hands around your wrists squeezing them slightly; your own hands tightened into fists and you heard your own whimper in return. “Stay,” he ordered in a whisper as he broke away and let go of your hands. He sat up and looked down at you… perhaps with pride, if that was the word? He was smiling, anyway, and he only had to sweep the fabric around his waist out of the way— and then there was truly nothing keeping him from you any longer. You whimpered slightly, your face falling to the side, as he pulled you closer by your hips. His cock brushed against you, and the chill that ran up your spine could’ve been fear, or arousal, or both… you weren’t really sure you knew how to tell the difference. The effect between your legs was the same, regardless.
“Mm, see?” he hummed proudly. “So eager to take me again.”
He rubbed himself against your opening for a moment, and your hands clenched again for a moment where you kept them dutifully above your head.
“Look at me,” he demanded, though his voice was a bit pleading. He held your jaw and turned your face towards his.
Staring into your eyes intensely, he kept your gaze trapped by his own as he entered you; you saw his lip twitch slightly, his teeth clenched— though a small whimper escaped from between them.
You pressed your lips together to try to hold in your own wince of pain from the stretch, but you couldn’t keep a straight face for long. Eyes watering, you heard a shaky whine from your throat as he pressed his hips into the back of your thighs. “I know,” he soothed, “I know— but you’ll get used to it again. I’ll try to be gentle with you, I just…” he trailed off as his other hand took a painfully tight grip of your thigh, “it’s been so long… I don’t know how well I can control myself.”
He smiled a little as he pulled back just enough to thrust forward into you again— much harder than before, and you gasped and winced.
“Not that I ever could, with you,” he admitted.
You’d tried to keep your hands where he asked you to, but then he moved again and one suddenly shot down to grab at his hip, trying to keep him from going too deep into you.
“It’s okay,” he assured sweetly, but he did nothing to stop himself from hurting you. You whined again when he pressed forward, and you caught a slight smirk on his face as he started to set his pace. Though, it fell a moment later into a gasp, his eyes fluttering shut while his hands kept squeezing your thighs as he moved. “Ah, y-you can take it, I know…”
His voice seemed to get a little deeper just then, and though it was obvious he was just trying to placate you as he took his pleasure, he wasn’t entirely wrong. The sting was already beginning to fade— though he was still stirring something just a little too far inside you to be comfortable.
“Just… take it,” he repeated, more an order this time than an assurance, but his own composure was crumbling already. He picked up his pace and the expression on his face tightened up a bit as he whined quietly.
He let go of your thighs and leaned over you more, once again speeding up his movements within you. His hands rested at either side of your shoulders, and his head hung down as he panted.
“So perfect,” he praised between heavy breaths.
It went on that way for a little while, with him occasionally lifting his head to look down at your body or tilt his head back and shut his eyes in pleasure. You mostly just laid under him, not reacting outwardly much, but you were far from unaffected. The way his cock curved up into you, it sent shivers all over your body and made the ends of your fingers and toes tingle with numbness (for some reason); and the sight of him so wrecked by being inside you, it made your heart twist in the strangest way.
When it suddenly came too much for him to bear, he laid down over you, but maintained the pace of his thrusts. “I know you love me,” he breathed against your ear. “Even when you're too shy to say it, I know that you love me. I can see it in your eyes…”
He stroked his thumb over your cheek, smiling encouragingly, even though you weren’t looking back at him.
“I can feel it, in the way your body accepts me…”
He started to move just a bit faster once again, only barely pulling back each time to keep himself as deep in you as he could, and you gasped shakily.
“I can hear it,” he continued, his voice getting rougher, “and your pleasure is the most beautiful sound, my beloved.”
His next thrust was rougher, so hard he bared his teeth for just a moment as he collided his hips with you, and you choked out a louder, yet somehow weaker, moan.
“I could fill you now,” he growled. “Actually, I could’ve done that from the moment I entered you—” he let out a small laugh as he admitted that— “but, I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop until your body has submitted completely… you need to remember this is what you want, too. You need to remember how you need me.”
To make it clear what he meant by complete submission, he slid his hand down over your stomach until his thumb rubbed up against your bud— gentle and exploratory at first, then suddenly much harder and faster. He seemed to remember so naturally exactly how to push you to the edge as fast as possible. You whined and felt your hands grab onto his shoulders without even realizing you had lifted them. “Ahkmen!” you shouted, feeling sudden bursts of intense sensation alongside the steady, euphoric ache that had been building since the beginning.
“Yes,” he agreed with a hiss of excitement, “yes, it’s your king giving you all this pleasure— and it all belongs to me, just as you do.”
He only stopped staring so intently at your face to occasionally kiss your neck again, his heavy breaths tickling your skin and cooling the places his mouth had covered. He sank his teeth into you again, on the other side this time and much higher on your neck. You were pretty sure it was harder than before, but his longer and faster strokes distracted you from it.
You didn’t even realize how close you were until he suddenly moved his thumb away. “N-no, please,” you begged instantly, your hips trying to shift up to chase his touch, and his laugh in response was soft but condescending, almost cold.
“From fighting me to begging for it, and so quickly,” he noticed. “You know what you need to say.”
Yes, just as he remembered how to touch you to get what he wanted from you, you knew what words to use to get what you needed from him. Your hands held his face, kept it close as you looked into his eyes; you were completely giving away your desperation, but you never had a chance to hide it from him anyway.
“I'm yours,” you pleaded under your breath, “I'm yours, forever, my king—”
“I know, I know,” he whispered, nodding eagerly, “it's alright— everything's right now.”
He moved his thumb again— even faster and rougher, but no less precise— and your legs began to shake where they wrapped around him. Your head fell back with a low groan, but he kept watching you with wide eyes.
“Like that,” he encouraged, speaking louder to be heard over the sounds of your desperate cries. “Just like that, let it all go, my love. Give everything to me.”
You should’ve seen it coming— when Akmenrah asked you to give everything, he didn’t mean everything you had… he meant everything that he wanted. That meant, sometimes, he pushed you past what you thought you could take.
As you began to reach the peak of your ecstasy, he didn’t slow down any of his movements. He kept them steady and consistent, watching your face carefully as you cried out, and he just kept going.
“N-no, I— I can’t, I—” you gasped out, barely audible since you felt like you couldn’t take in enough air to even speak properly.
Sometimes he would encourage you, sometimes he would threaten you, but this time he stayed quiet: it didn’t even need to be said, you didn’t need to be reminded that you would come again whether you wanted to or not. Your protests, even your hands weakly pushing back against his chest and arm to try to get a break… he ignored it without even trying.
“Please!” you sobbed, but even you weren’t sure if you were asking for mercy or for more.
The feeling that hit you was… raw, unrestrained, so intense that you felt like it was tearing through you. Your eyes were open, so was your mouth, and yet your eyes were sightless and your voice was (for a moment) completely silent.
It only seemed to all come out when he finally stopped: his hand relaxed and his hips stilled, and you released such a ridiculous, guttural kind of noise. He moaned at the same time, higher-pitched and more desperate that you’d heard from him all night, and you were almost too numb inside to feel it— but you still did feel it, the flexing of him within you.
You were still shaking a little, and you had to blink quickly to disperse the spots from your vision. He kissed feverishly along your neck and shoulder, whispering praises to you that you were still a bit too disoriented to process.
He held you tightly and laid on the floor beside you with a groan— but he brought you with him, keeping himself within you as he guided your head to rest on his shoulder. Even if it hadn’t separated you from each other, the shifting around still made some come leak out of you; you shuddered slightly as you felt it, but he continued to stroke your back soothingly.
“Even after however-many-thousands of years, you still amaze me,” he breathed against the top of your head. “Our love has outlived kingdoms, religions, entire civilizations… and we’ll still belong to each other until the end of time.”
The hand that was petting your back drifted lower until it found a handful of your ass, and he groaned proudly as he kneaded it for a moment.
“I bet you’ll be able to please me again before sunrise,” he decided suddenly.
I bet I won’t be able to do anything else, you thought to yourself, but all you did was close your eyes and enjoy the moment of rest before it ended.
How Characters Would React: If you told them that you have a headache
Masterlist
Hey guys! Just trying out something new to get back in my groove I suppose :) I have been busy with school and uploading on my AO3 actually LOLL I have a nice project going on over there at the moment that I'm kind of proud of ^w^
Characters:
~ Michael Thane ~ Enderman ~ Hermes ~ Tron ~ Ahkmenrah ~ V1 ~ Silent Salt Cookie ~
Multifandom ~ Headcanons ~ Fluff
Words: 881
Published: 11/29/2025
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Michael “Mike” Thane - Fallen Aces
“You have a headache? I have the perfect solution.”
The man would give his own mixture of alcohols and assorted medicine
You should probably refuse the drink
He has dealt with headaches enough through both of his careers, so he wouldn’t try to push you to work or force you to get better quick
Mike would actually be helpful, insisting you stay in his apartment if you guys live separate
He would take any work that you needed to finish, like another detective case or tending a bar or any career you have
Mike may be an ambitious and driven man, but he isn’t stupid
Enderman - Minecraft
Brother can’t speak any human languages, so they wouldn’t understand when you tell them what’s wrong
Enderman would probably be confused and worried about you when you get dizzy or irritated at the pain
They can’t understand your words, but they do recognize pain, a universal feeling
Prepare for multiple grass blocks to appear next to your bed
They would hover nearby your bed, if you have a tall enough roof, or outside your base
Confused but doing their best
Hermes - EPIC: The Musical
“A headache? Dahling, you mortals are so fragile…”
Hermes would offer to get Apollo to fix you right up immediately, making up some random excuse about owing a favor
If you’re on Apollo’s good side, you’ll be right as rain immediately
If not, or if the sun god is busy (or just mad at his half-brother), then I suppose you’re on your own with the other deity
Hermes would spend his time with you, offering ways to cure boredom without increasing the headache
Most likely rambles on about random stories to help you sleep and stop all thinking to lessen your headache
With his luck and favor, the headache should leave quick… unless he keeps talking /j
Tron - Tron
“A… headache? Like… buffering?”
This stoic program of strength of diligence… oh he is so amazing
Having a headache would assume that you are a User, or maybe just a faulty program
Tron wouldn’t understand the feeling, being a literal program
But goodness, he would try his best
He’s not obliviously idiotic with it, but rather curious and questioning
Before Legacy, Uprising, and Betrayal, Tron is more a gentle and protective program that isn’t fully briefed on the anatomy of Users
After being around Flynn for ages, though, he was given basic understanding of Users
Tron would follow your advice mostly, but would also urge you to take it easy and relax
He is a security program; of course he’ll make sure you are fully healthy and operational
Ahkmenrah - Night At The Museum
“A headache? Let’s get you some rest; I can arrange for anything you’ll need.”
He is so kind and careful with you, knowing that modern humans can’t be revitalized with ancient spells
Ahkmenrah makes sure that you have somewhere to lay down comfortably, already having the other exhibits sent out to get blankets, water, pillows, medicine, etcetera
Teddy can manage the museum dwellers for one night surely
He’ll lay next to you the whole night, humming quiet lullabies he remembered from eons ago, or whispering stories that he would never forget
Ahk will even take it upon himself to order the exhibits to return to their areas, with the help of the tablet, of course
By morning, he knows you’ll both have to go back to where you belong, with you returning home and him sitting back in the sarcophagus
But for the night, he could at least help you recover from cognitive pains
V1 - Ultrakill
He’ll give a whirl of beeps and code, not exactly understanding what you mean
Are you hurt? He can get you some blood!
Yeaahhh, expect a lot of blood and gore to be honest
You can’t blame the machine, though; he is programmed to rely on blood as fuel and a healing source
You can try to explain that you don’t need blood, but the insistent bot might not care or even attempt to comprehend your point
Well, it’s the thought that counts, right?
Silent Salt Cookie - Cookie Run Kingdom
“A headache? What caused this?”
Pre-corruption
Salt is protective; he cares for literally everyone
But with you, he indulges in just a little more favoritism
As much as he denounced the idea of playing favorites, the commander has always given you a little more care, subtly, of course
While he does help you lay down and relax, he also wants to know the cause too
What’s the use of a solution if you don’t know the origin?
If you have a genuine answer, he’ll solve it as quickly as possible
Too bright? You can pull tapestries over the windows of the upper rooms
Too loud? He’ll walk you to a quiet room deep in the keep and away from any bright lights
Stressed? You can leave training early just this once to take a walk and a breather
If you don’t have an answer immediately or you just don’t know, that’s alright too
Salt will do what he can to help you out while not being overbearing or becoming the cause to a second headache
He truly cares for you; it’s just difficult to prove it sometimes
A/N: very short and sweet, just something to get me back on my feet in writing <3
~xXx~
His eyes, a beautiful golden brown, were narrowed with distaste as he held your hand with close examination. You could not help the light giggle at Ahk's most adorably scrunched expression.
"Ahk, what are you doing?", you asked curiously at his antics.
Ahkmenrah and you had been sitting peacefully together in an off hallway of the museum, idly chatting about anything and everything as you chipped away at some craft project. In complete randomness the ancient Pharaoh had reached out for your hand, something you were quite used to at this point in your relationship. He held you with such delicacy in his own palm, beautiful fingers rubbing over the many contrasting textures of your own hand. Textures that had built up over time from use, something that Ahk could not help but to feel ever so slightly agitated about.
"Were we in my time, you would never know a callus or cut. Your hands would be soft like the shore of the Nile, and only the finest lotions would grace your finger tips."
A deep blush colored your cheeks, your eyes looking down shyly as you maneuvered the hand being held to instead hold Ahk's hand in turn.
"That's really sweet Ahk, but I hope you know that I enjoy making things. I don't care how my hands look when I can make something amazing with them you know?"
A hum of understanding echoed from Ahk, his mind recalling memories of the many craftsmen from his dynasty and the beautiful creations they could make. Your hands worked tirelessly not because they had to, but because you wanted to, and that Ahk found truly admirable. Still, he could not help but wish to spoil you as he would if you'd been his Queen when he ruled.
With delicate kisses to each of your finger tips, your inner palm, and then your wrist, Ahk smiled adoringly.
"I simply wish for you to never have to lift a finger, but I am happy that you have found something in your life to make you so joyous. You are very amazing your craft, that I can see without doubt."
You giggled once more, leaning forward to an eager Ahk, the absolute smitten of a man meeting you half way to receive and return your sweet kiss. After a tender moment, you both gingerly pulled away, Ahk reaching forward to carefully admired your art as you rested against his side.
"I'm glad I found that joyous thing, too.", you mumbled, eyes admiring not your project, but the beautiful man beside you.
Omega!Akhmenrah remembering his past life and mourning his Alpha twice over when he realizes that they were never found, their body likely destroyed, and their name was purposely erased from his history.
Omega!Ahkmenrah being disgusted that his, and his brother's, Omega statuses were erased. Entire chunks of his life rewritten, unable to be corrected, leaves him feeling bitter.
Omega!Ahkmenrah finding his Alpha's spirit again in a body that looks remarkably like the one he remembers them in and begging Larry for an introduction, his eyes shiny as he watches them interact with Teddy.
Omega!Ahkmenrah giving himself pep talks every night when the museum awakens, hyping himself up to talk to them while also trying to figure out how to jog their memory. He is not letting Alpha go. He lost them once. He will not again.
Omega!Ahkmenrah sobbing in his coffin after a conversation about children. His Alpha tells him that they always imagined naming their child a specific name that "came to me once when I was little and it stuck with me." It was the name Akhmenrah and Alpha had chosen for their first baby all those years ago.
Omega!Ahkmenrah subtly removing your scent patch and almost sending himself into a heat because it was so familar and wonderful.
Omega!Ahkmenrah feeling shy when you compliment him. He remembers how sweet your courtship was, how gentle you were with him. He is glad to see that you are still soft with him, even if you don't really remember why.
Omega!Ahkmenrah who looks at you with stars in his eyes so obviously that he is constantly getting heckled about it. Even Larry has made a comment or two about how he sinks into his Omegahood when you walk into a room. But he takes it all in stride because he knows that his friends are happy for him being reunited with the one he loved most.
Omega!Ahkmenrah who speaks and sings quietly in Egyptian in places he knows you'll walk by, hoping you'll respond to it in whatever way you can. He just needs to know that your soul recognizes the familiarity of it.
Omega!Ahkmenrah who faints when you kiss him for the first time after all these years. Its just as he remembers. Slow and sweet and patient and his heart stops and he can't breathe he's so happy.
Soulmate AU! Ahkmenrah never met his soulmate when he was alive, and then he was trapped in his sarcophagus for many years. Currently, he lay in the American Museum of Natural History, trapped in his sarcophagus. Wishing to see the stars once more, to be able to breathe without struggle and to see his soulmark on his right arm glow gold in the dark as it always had despite never meeting his soulmate. Why his soulmark glowed? He never knew the answer to that question for he died at only 18 years old.
The daughter of Nyx was born in the year 1988 and grew up under her mother, the Goddess Nyx and father, the human Freddie. (Y/N) was a brilliant child with a love for Ancient Egyptian History and her parents couldn't figure out what drew her to the culture. She had a long soulmark on her right arm. It was long, intricate, golden lines forming the sun and glittery stars surrounding it. This soulmark glowed in the dark like the rest of her skin, but it glowed gold when her skin glowed silver.
Let's see these two unique individuals, from two very different worlds, meet.
Requests: Closed.
Requested: no.
Warning(s): Follows the movie. Reader insert. Female Reader. Very long fic.
Note: None.
Word Count: 9,919 (roughly)
[First Person Perspective]
It was early in the morning when I woke up. 'Why?' I squinted my eyes and looked outside my window at the moon hanging low in the sky. 'The sun hasn't even risen yet.' I thought as I looked down at my glowing body and the strands of hair that had fallen out of my ponytail. I found this glow very comforting. It wasn't bright enough to be a disturbance, but it was bright enough for me to easily be seen in the darkest of rooms.
Being the daughter of Nyx had many benefits aside from immortality - unless I choose a 'mortal life'. These benefits were both physical and magical. I was born with special powers that grow stronger when the sun sets and these powers can sometimes change depending on the moon's phases. During a full moon I gained the ability to fly, but during a new moon I gained the ability to teleport via the shadows. No matter the phase of the moon, I retained the ability to see perfectly in the darkness.
Physically? I glow like the moon, the night sky and the stars that decorate the darkness. My pupils changed every night to match the current phase of the moon and my eyes glowed in the dark like a cat's eyes. My skin glowed a soft silver colour, as I mentioned before, and my hair was like shadows - floating around me whilst small stars littered my strands of hair like glitter. These changes, I shall reiterate, only occur from sunset to sunrise. During the day I appear as ordinary as any other eighteen-year-old.
Despite all this, however, my soulmark was the only thing that really stood out to me at all times. It was gold with intricate designs that ran across my arm and formed the sun surrounded by stars. Connected by wavy lines like a dot-to-dot. It was truly beautiful. It was a spectacular sight and I would love nothing more than to take photos of it every night just to capture its' beauty forever.
But I won't sit in bed all morning messing around with my magic powers. An old neighbour I used to live near when I was a child was moving into an apartment near my father and I! And I was very excited to see him once again. I grew up in Brooklyn and he became a sort of uncle figure for me. He was so nice to babysit me for my dad when I was younger and only fainted once when my appearance changed in the early evening.
He asked so many questions that eventful evening, but I made sure to answer them all with 100% honesty:
"Why does your skin and hair glow?"
"My mother is the Goddess of the night, Nyx. Her skin glows like moonlight at night and her hair turns into shadows with glowing, tiny stars all through it. So being her daughter, the same thing happens to me every night." I told him, eating a marshmallow he gave me. (Probably a bribe to not use my powers on him).
"Okay...so...why does your soulmark glow?"
"I don't know. My mother didn't tell my why either. I guess it's the same reason as my skin and hair?"
"Right...okay..uhm..well." He stuttered, trying to wrap his head around this weird new discovery. "I'm neighbours with a god..." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"I'm a demi-god, Uncle Larry." I corrected quite proudly.
"That's...uhm...yep, okay. Yes. You are a demi..god..." He attempted to smile and awkwardly ruffled my hair. The shadows swished around and some of the glittery stars clung to his hand when he withdrew it. "Okay. Now my hand is glowing. Hah...I guess we're not so different now." Larry chuckled. He tried brushing the stars off but they just stuck to his pants and the furniture.
"Don't worry, Uncle. The stars disappear when the sun rises and they don't reappear on furniture or clothes the next night. They're not glitter."
"Oh, like they...evaporate?"
"What's evahpporhrate?"
"Nevermind."
~~
Zoning back into the present moment; I finally swung the blankets off and allowed the cold air to overtake my body before I could doze back to sleep. The cold made it easier for me to get out of bed and rush to the bathroom to shower and dress for the day.
By the time I was dressed and ready for work and to greet Larry, the sun had risen and my dad was awake and getting himself ready for work as well. It was 8 o'clock when we finished our breakfast and were out the door. Larry was right across from us, moving boxes into the small apartment. "Larry!" My father called and walked over with me not far behind.
"Oh, hey! It's been a while, Freddie. Wow, (Y/N) look how much you've grown up!"
"It's nice to see you again too, Larry." I grinned and gave him the biggest hug I could.
"Yeah, gosh it's been so long. Y'know my son's actually in school now."
"Yes, we heard he was doing quite well. He's also on the hockey team over there, isn't he?" My dad grinned. Dad's favourite sport was hockey and he kept up with every hockey team in the area. He also joined a hockey club himself not too long ago.
"Yeah, yeah! He's great at hockey. Great kid...good grades too." Larry smiled with a slight sadness to his eyes. It wasn't my place to ask, so I didn't, but I knew he'd been having a rough time with holding a job and staying in one place long enough. Apparently his divorce had hit him pretty hard. We kept in contact every holiday via the phone and through texts, but with that you don't really see how someone has changed until you see them in person.
"How've you been doing, Larry?" Dad asked seriously, but gently.
"Yeah, well. I've been okay. Really. Work's been a bit hard to get, but I managed to get a night shift job at that museum nearby. Hence the small move." He shrugged, pointing off in the wrong direction to where he thought the museum was.
"Hey! That's great! I hope it goes well for you!"
"Sounds like a pretty chill job!" I pitched in. Night shifts are apparently boring from what my dad told me. But I didn't want to bring up the obvious negative facts about it.
"Actually, it is! A few tasks here and there, but overall it's going to be good. I think I'll really like it there, I actually start my first shift tonight." He chuckled.
"Oh, good! I'd like to visit you at some point once you've settled into the job." Dad gave him a pat on the shoulder. "I love learning about history, probably where (Y/N) gets it from and I've always wanted to have a quiet walk around my favourite exhibits at night. I can't help but imagine how peaceful it must be."
"But, dad. The museum has practically no visitors aside from the occasional tourist. You could go at anytime." I pointed out.
"Haha, true. But I want to see the museum in absolute silence. No children running about...uh, no offense, my dear." He chuckled and ruffled my hair.
"None taken. I'm an adult now, remember?"
"Oh, wow, let's not remind me." Larry jokingly clutched his heart with a laugh. "I'm still young. But, uh...heh, I'll probably fall asleep on the job." He meant it to be a lighthearted jest. But we all knew he would one hundred percent fall asleep on this job.
"Well, better not fall asleep too often, because I'd like to visit during the day to continue my drawings and I don't want to find the Egyptian exhibit vandalized." I joked with a slight grimace.
"You still draw? That's good, I'd love to see some of your drawings! Don't worry, though, I won't let any vandals get into the museum and especially the Egyptian exhibit." Larry promised.
"Heh, thanks for that, Larry." Dad swung an arm around my shoulder and gave me a side hug. "Little (Y/N) here loves Egyptian history and probably has a hundred books on it. Both for learning and drawing."
"Dad..." I groaned, pulling out of his hold, "A couple dozen is not a hundred. And I don't have any books specifically for drawing, I just use my history books for references." I explained as best as I could.
"Sure, sure..." He agreed before turning to Larry and whispering, "..it's a hundred books.." He finished. I lightly punched his arm, barely brushing against his sleeve but he doubled over in fake pain. "Ohhh, my daughter is beating me up...ohhh what has this world come to??" He cried out. "Larry...tell my hockey team they suck ass.." He then 'fell' to the ground and let out a "blahh" sound to fake his last breath.
"Noooo! What have I done??" I joined him, rushing over to his side and holding his hand. "Nooooooo!" Our small enactment of, probably the worst musical you've ever seen, was interrupted by Larry's laughing. Dad and I joined him with our own laughter for a moment, but we eventually trailed off into a surprisingly awkward silence and stood up off the ground.
"Look, um...I've got to get to work. It's nice seeing you again though, Larry!" I spoke up after a minute.
"Right! Yeah, good seeing you again too, (Y/N)!" He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck before opening his arms and stepping forward for a hug. I grinned and met his hug halfway, giving him a soft squeeze and a pat on the back before letting go.
"Hey, tell the kid I said 'hi'! Yeah?" I grinned and started jogging away from my dad and Larry so they could catch up a little while longer.
"I will! No worries!" Larry gave a thumbs up.
"Have a good day at work, dear!" Dad waved me off.
"Always do!" I laughed and jogged down the flight of stairs until I reached the main floor. I then weaved through traffic, jay-walked across the road and finally made it down a few blocks to my work. A convenient workplace if it wasn't for all the crosswalks across the traffic that caused the walk to take twenty minutes. 'Oh, well. At least I made it a minute before my shift starts.' I thought. I put away my bag and looked towards the customers, ready to work.
♡ ~ ~ ~ ♡
About two days passed and Larry dropped into the apartment to say 'hi'. I, of course, welcomed him and gave him tea and snacks. We talked a bit and ate, but he seemed upset about something, so I eventually got annoyed and told him to just tell me if something was wrong.
"Okay. Here goes nothing. The museum comes to life every night." Larry admitted, dead serious. I dropped my popcorn and met his gaze in disbelief.
"What?"
"I'm serious, (Y/N), the museum...the wax figures - Dexter - they all come to life!" He explained a bit more frantically now.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa...wait 'Dexter'?" I tried slowing him down for a moment. Unsurprisingly, I couldn't think of any historical figures in the world named 'Dexter'.
"The devious, evil, devil-spawn of a monkey that always takes my keys. But that's not the problem here." He continued.
"That sounds like a problem to me." I interjected, but he ignored me and continued to talk about the museum and his experiences the previous two nights.
"Look, I'm going to get Nicky, to come visit and I'm going to show him that all I'm saying? Is the truth. And I want you to come too. I need you to know...I'm not crazy." Larry explained.
"Right, yup, okay. Not crazy. Got it." I nodded vigorously as he got closer with a definite 'crazy' glint in his eyes.
"(Y/N). Just one night. Just tonight. If it doesn't work out and you still don't believe? I'll drop this whole thing. I won't speak about it ever again. But you love history, right? Believe me. I know. You're going to love it there." He grinned.
And that's how I got roped into leaving the house just before sundown even though I was supposed to be keeping my secret identity...well...a secret. I let dad know when he got back that I'd be at the museum with Larry that night and dad got really pouty and upset he wasn't invited. He would've absolutely adored the free tour.
"Larry will probably invite you next time, dad!" I promised. "Maybe he thought with Nicky and I, it'd be too many people for him to get away with having. It's after hours, after all."
"Maybe." He muttered in agreement. "Either way, please take your warmest hoodie so you can walk back without catching a cold." He reminded me.
"Will do, dad." I kissed his cheek and grabbed my hoodie - putting it on before leaving. "See ya later, alligator!" I waved, walking out the door.
"In a while, crocodile." He chuckled back, turning on his favourite hockey team on t.v. It was already getting a bit cold with fresh snowfall, but I didn't mind today. I loved the snow and the chilly breeze that'd occasionally move the snowflakes across the sky and scatter them onto the ground. Today I was wearing my warmest heeled boots, pants and hoodie. But under my hoodie I was in a crop-top because I remembered Larry saying the museum is warm inside. Thank the Gods for indoor heating.
Once I made it to the museum it was still daylight and people were leaving as I walked in. Larry greeted me and ushered me to the security office where Nicky was waiting. And man was Larry right. The museum was very warm despite the cold temperatures outside.
"Nicky, this is (Y/N). (Y/N) this is Nicky." Larry introduced us. "Oh! And uh...I've already told Nicky about you...uhm..well..y'know."
"Being a demi-god?" I finished for him with a chuckle.
"Yeah, well. I hope that's okay."
"Fine by me. It's nice to finally meet you, Nicky." I shook his hand. "Don't mind your father too much, he's not lying about that."
"Cool! Do you have powers? Or are you just a performer my dad hired to cheer me up?" He asked in a brutally honest way.
"Hah! No, no. When the sunsets, you'll see I'm not lying." I turned to Larry. "Speaking of sunset, that'll be soon. You might want to make sure everyone's gone and...y'know...not let us distract you from your job."
"Right!" Larry exclaimed and clapped his hands together nervously. "Don't go anywhere! I'll be right back for you two!" He pointed and quickly left the office to clear the building. I just shook my head.
"Sounds like Larry's got something cooked up. Or at least, really wants to hype up his job." I sighed and leaned against the security desk. I took off my hoodie and tossed it onto a small coffee table in the room, near Nicky's winter coat. "So, kid...tell me about your day."
♡ ~ ~ ~ ♡
Nicky and I had just finished talking about our days, fun facts about ourselves, our soulmarks, etc when Larry re-entered the room with great enthusiasm. "Okay! Come on, you don't want to miss it!" He giddily dragged us out of the room and into the main lobby of the museum. He sat Nicky up on the front desk, so I hopped up beside him and waited for Larry to show us his big surprise.
"What?" Nicky huffed, watching his dad a bit dejectedly.
"You'll see in about 20 seconds.." Larry told us, checking his watch. "Okay! You like Tyrannosaurs Rex?" He asked Nicky.
"Yeah." Nicky nodded.
"Yeah? Well I call him 'Rexy'." He shrugged and paused for dramatic affect. "And he's about to come to. Life. Nicholas..." We both watched at the delusional man with subtle glances to each other. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was feeling the second hand embarrassment strongly. "IN! 5...4...3...2..." He dramatically walked away, towards the bones of 'Rexy' and pointed like a circus ringmaster as if expecting the dinosaur bones to do a backflip on cue.
When the bones did nothing - as Nicky and I expected - we exchanged glances again and his mouth gaped open at my sudden change of appearance. I grinned and gave him a small thumbs up, noticing my own glowing skin. "Told ya so, kid." I whispered with a chuckle and shoulder-bumped him. I was too distracted by Larry to notice my skin was glowing silver but my soulmark wasn't glowing at all.
"Cool." He muttered, playing with the shadows my hair had turned into and watching as the stars clung onto his hand like stickers. He giggled and tried to shake them off like his father had many years ago, but they stuck to his hand and pants.
"Haha, sorry Nicky. They'll evaporate once the sun rises. Promise." I explained and gave him a tissue to wipe them off onto as best as he could.
"What? No. Come on guys." Larry tried again. Once he had our attention back, he pointed back at Rexy with just as much enthusiasm as he previously had, "Say 'hello' to Rexy!!" He tried again. But once again, the dinosaur bones did not do the 'Mamushka' dance of brotherly love to entertain us on that evening. "Okay." He stood up and looked around. "This is weird."
"You just now see that?" I tilted my head in amusement.
"Hush." Larry shushed me.
"Wha--?"
"Shhh! Guys? Come on! It's sundown!" Larry loudly called to the building and I half expected an early 2000s radio song to start playing and performers to appear from the walls. But nope. Nothing. It's like he didn't have anything planned. He gave us a 'wait just a moment' finger and rushed over to the wax statue of Theodore Roosevelt. He then tapped his thigh and whispered, "Theodore, come on, I need you to wake up. Please, my kid is here."
He then proceeded to smack the horse statue's ass and do a bunch of odd hill-billy, southern calls as if the horse would take off for him. "Come on, Texas! Get up! Come on! WOOO!" Finally Nicky came to the rescue and jumped down.
"Just stop, okay??" He pleaded.
"I should've brought my camera!" I laughed from the corner.
"No, Nicky. Hey, I'm telling you. There's this tablet. It's called the tablet of Ahkmenrah? And every night at sundown--"
"Now there's a tablet??" Nicky asked getting more annoyed by the minute. And probably disappointed. The poor kid. I hopped off the front desk to stand beside them. Not that I had to say much for him.
"Yeah there is."
"Cmon, dad."
"Come on." Larry grabbed Nicky's and my arm and dragged us along with him. I groaned, but let him pull me along - reluctantly following. We walked past lots of different exhibits, passed through many different halls. I wished I had longer to admire the artwork along the Egyptian exhibit hallway, because they had a couple new paintings since I last visited over 6 months ago. Once we entered the room where the Pharaoh's sarcophagus lay, Larry grabbed his flashlight and shone it onto the wall. "It's gone."
"What's gone?" I asked after completely forgetting why we were even there.
"The tablet of Ahkmenrah." Larry explained. "It's gone!"
"Oh, right. That's why we're here." I immediately trailed off again and looked around the room - admiring the walls and pillars of beautiful designs and artwork.
"I think somebody stole it!" Larry exclaimed, rushing up to the back wall.
"Yeah, right." Nicky sighed. If I had been paying attention, I would've noticed Nicky leaving my side and exiting out of the exhibit. But I was too busy trying to understand the stories the paintings and hieroglyphs were telling. Unfortunately, Larry grabbed me by the arm again so he could drag me out of the exhibit to look for his son. So, I couldn't piece together the stories I was attempting to 'read'.
After we caught up to Nicky a loud door opening caught our attention and we decided to investigate who broke in. "Whoa," Nicky gasped once we entered a backroom. He had found a golden tablet in a basket and pulled it out.
"Incredible." The tablet was a gorgeous golden...well..tablet. It was decorated with hieroglyphs that looked almost like buttons you'd press down to activate some sort of mechanism. But on something so thin, yet heavy, and old, I highly doubted it could actually do something. Unless this was the 'magic tablet' that Larry kept telling us about.
A new voice cropped up, "You guys shouldn't be here." I recognized him! White hair and a very familiar velvet winter coat. He was the old security guard that worked there before Larry! Now if only I was good at remembering names...
"Give us the tablet, son." Another of the old security guards walked in. He had darker skin, his hair was grey and he had a well kept beard. I had liked him most during my past visits.
"Wait a minute, (Y/N), Nicky." Larry walked in front of us and blocked the three security guards from getting to us and the tablet. Oh, yeah. Three.
"We're not gonna hurt ya. Give us the tablet." Now this security guard was just an asshole. But for future knowledge: he is short, mean and weird.
"I'm sorry to tell you this, son...and weird circus performer...but your dad doesn't work here anymore." The first security guard spoke up.
"Bloody hell, do I look like a circus performer?" I huffed and looked down to my appearance and outfit. I had to admit I sort of did look like a circus performer.
"He got fired this morning, he couldn't hack it." The white-haired man spoke again.
"Dad...I thought you said you weren't fired.." Nicky frowned up at his father.
"I did, Nicky. They're lying." Larry told us firmly. "They want to steal the tablet. Just turn the middle piece and you'll see what I was talking about."
"That is museum property, son. Now give it back."
"Nicky, (Y/N). Trust me. Just turn it." Larry encouraged.
"GIVE US THE TABLET" The asshole spoke up again.
"Nicky, let's see what it does!" I quickly rushed to his side and we turned the middle piece to face upright. Suddenly the tablet began to glow gold and spread all across the grooves of the designs. At this same time my soulmark began to glow. Up until now I hadn't even noticed it wasn't glowing. I was so distracted talking with Nicky that I never even thought to look for the golden glow I was so familiar with.
But how could my soulmark's glow be connected to this tablet?
I didn't have much time to think about this as the three security guards got in a quick stretch before approaching us. A loud screech of a bird, the sound of an elephant trumpeting and loud voices began to echo all through the museum all at once in one sudden instance. And in that moment I realized.
'Holy shit. Larry wasn't lying.'
Nicky and I began backing away from the tougher, older men. "Nicky. Stars." (my unfortunate childhood nickname from Larry), "Run. Now!" We didn't hesitate. I didn't even stop to cringe at my terrible childhood nickname. I just took off with Nicky into the museum with the tablet in his hands. We ran off in a hurry, but I quickly grabbed Nicky and pulled him into the Egyptian exhibit hallways. The pillars blocked light from reaching the back corners of the exhibit and the room was practically perfect to hide in. I only hoped that didn't mean it'd be the first place they'd look.
Much to my dismay, the criminal guards were somehow already waiting for us around the corner, just before we could even reach the main room of the exhibit. I ran directly into my previously favourite security guard and he grabbed me and very quickly flipped me over his shoulder and onto the floor I fell with a loud, painful thud straight to my spine.
"Sorry, (Y/N). I really do mean it." He said in a tone I didn't at all believe.
"Yeah...right. Sure you do." I grimaced. The leader of the group (if I was good at remembering names I would know he was called 'Cecil') pulled the tablet out of Nicky's hands with almost no effort and pushed him to the side. I quickly summoned a clump of shadows and flung them at the security guards, but two of them jumped out of the way with incredible reflexes and I only managed to hit the short asshole who was then sent flying into the back wall.
The shadows slammed him against it with a loud crash and then dissipated once the light shone through them. "Well aren't you full of surprises?" The leader sneered, walking over. I stood up as fast as I could, using the shadows as support. But before a fight could occur, Larry came dashing around the corner like the Wily Coyote from Road Runner and was immediately slammed into the ground by the stronger men. The guards then charged us all and were much stronger than I realized. They easily tossed us all into the Egyptian exhibit.
"Ow.." Larry gasped in pain.
"I'm gonna feel that in the morning." I grimaced, rubbing my back again as I sat up.
"Just in time, Larry, we were just locking up." The man (Cecil) laughed as he walked into the hallway with the security keys and closed the door to the exhibit. He had locked us all in.
"Sleep tight, hotshot. Bitch." The asshole of a man walked up to the gate and spat out with an evil laugh. Whilst they walked away I could hear the rest of the museum coming to life and the last of their conversation.
"Let's grab all the stuff we can fence. I don't know about you gents, but I want a long~ retirement." (Cecil) cheered in the distance. 'Damn it's kind of a shame they have to do this just to retire without stressing about money. Didn't they have thriving military careers or something?' I wondered to myself.
"TEDDY!!!" Larry got up and began shaking the gates of the exhibit in panic. "TEDDY if you're out there, I need you, pal!!" A distant neigh could be heard before a horse's hooves clopped on over.
"Did someone call my name?" The Theodore Roosevelt came trotting up on his horse, Texas.
"Whoa." Nicky and I gaped in shock. He was real. Probably still wax. But real! I had so many questions and not just about his many stories, but also about how life was back in his day. Was it as tough as teachers make it out to be? Or was it actually quieter and simpler in those times? Well, aside from the obvious racism and other problematic issues that occurred back in the day.
"Theodore Roosevelt, at your service." 'Teddy' tipped his hat in greeting towards us like a proper gentlemen, effectively breaking me out of my thoughts as I gave a small wave back.
"TEDDY! Can you get us out of here?" Larry begged him from behind the bars.
"Can't do it man. This is your moment!" He grinned down at us, but mostly focusing his attention on Larry.
"Will you save the lectures? Please!" Larry groaned. "I'm not you, okay? I didn't...build the panama canal! I wasn't the president of the United States! I need some help! Cmon!!" He pleaded the poor wax figure.
"Actually!" Teddy took off his glasses for a moment. "I never did any of those things. Teddy Roosevelt did...I was made in a mannequin factory in Poughkeepsie. I never...shot a wild beast." He told us with shame and disappointment evident in his voice. "I'm not even brave enough to tell that beautiful woman I love her." His voice cracked as he admitted this.
"Aw.." I placed my hand to my chest at this sad love-story coming together in front of me. 'A strangers to friends to lovers. How sweet.' I smiled at the thought of this sweet, shy man...mannequin? Confessing his love to his longtime crush.
"But you?" Teddy met Larry's gaze with more certainty than before. "You gotta finish the job this time." He encouraged the young security guard. "You can't quit."
"Wha..?" Larry mouthed, but no sound came out in surprise of Teddy's heartfelt confessions.
"I'm made of wax, Larry. What are you made of?" Teddy asked.
"Whoa...that was heavy and deep..." I looked up in awe.
"Take care of him." Teddy saluted Nicky and I. We quickly saluted back as he rode off on Texas - rounding the corner and disappearing fast.
"Whoa, whoa, wait! That's it? That's all you've got to tell me?" Larry called out with disbelief at the advice given.
"Yup! That's it!" Teddy laughed from down the hallway, now out of our line of sight. At this moment, the statues of Anubis behind us, that were at least nine feet tall, came to life and started moving from all our commotion in the Pharaoh's exhibit. They started to aim their spears at us as they came closer to the gates we were standing at.
"Well, that makes sense." I shrugged when Larry looked at me expecting me to know what was happening. "I mean, they're meant to protect the Pharaoh after all. And we're basically trespassing in his area." I explained. I was going to continue but I was cut off by the Pharaoh's heart-wrenching, sudden screaming from his sarcophagus. "Jesus Christ is he okay?"
"(Y/N) can't you like? Shadow teleport us out of here or something?" Larry begged.
"I can only do that during new moons!" I huffed.
"Oh my God, you've got to be kidding me." He groaned and looked between us, the sarcophagus and the giant statues.
"Don't blame me! Blame the damn moon!" I complained. "Shit it's actually so hard to concentrate with that screaming...is he okay?" I turned to Larry. I felt more concerned for the poor Pharaoh than ourselves. He sounded like he was suffocating or something, the poor fellow.
"That's it. Come on." Larry grabbed my arm once more, so I quickly grabbed Nicky's arm as Larry charged forwards and past the slower moving giants. "Duck!" He cried out when they swung their large, golden spears down and just narrowly missed us. We ran up the steps to the platform the Pharaoh was being displayed on and we quickly ran behind the display, leaning against the back wall of the exhibit with nowhere else to run.
Larry then ran forwards and began pushing the heavy stone top off the sarcophagus. I saw how much he struggled and quickly joined him. Together, we were able to push the heavy stone off and onto the ground where it landed with a heavy thud. It didn't take a Science major to tell we wouldn't be picking that stone back up anytime soon. Larry quickly began undoing the locks that kept the lid of the sarcophagus closed and I stepped back to Nicky's side.
Finally, the last hook was pulled out and Larry must have been thankful to have not been in the way because the lid was flung into the wall with tremendous strength and vigor. The Pharaoh's wrapped arms stayed in the air for a moment...almost hesitant and in disbelief. Nicky slowly moved behind a pillar as the Anubis statues approached faster and Larry moved back beside me, against the wall and decided to speak first to the Pharaoh as he sat up in his sarcophagus - frozen in surprise, I suppose.
"Hey...hi. How're you doing?" Larry awkwardly tried starting the conversation. The Pharaoh slowly turned towards the sound of his voice. He was wrapped in bandages from head to toe and I almost thought it looked sort of comfortable. Like a weighted blanket? Keyword being 'almost'. His bandages looked so tight, he probably was suffocating under them.
"Um...sorry to bother you.." I quickly spoke up when Larry couldn't think of what to say next. Manners first before asking for a favour. Larry mouthed a quick 'thank-you' and the Pharaoh turned more to his left to 'look at me' despite his bandages preventing him from actually seeing anything.
"But, uh...." Larry continued, "Your guys there? Your jackal guys?"
"Jackal? Really?" I groaned in shame. He wasn't wrong, I admit. But they're statues of the Anubis. THE Anubis.
"Whatever! I don't know!" Larry huffed and turned back to the Pharaoh. "Do you think you could just ask them to uh, back off please?" They got ready to strike their spears so Larry spoke a bit faster, "Because we're not trying to hurt you and I think that they think that we are.." The Pharaoh seemed to be listening intently, but it was hard to tell "..but could you like possibly do that, like, NOW!?"
Just in the nick of time the Pharaoh quickly turned back to the statues and shouted out an order in Egyptian just as they shoved their spears forwards a bit. They stopped and quickly moved into a kneeling/bowing position before their Pharaoh's orders. (I couldn't understand what he said as it was very muffled by the bandages. But I was so glad the statues had better hearing than us.)
"Thank-you..." Larry and I breathed a sigh of relief and he even doubled forwards and leaned against his knees as the adrenaline rush left him. I looked towards Nicky worriedly but he simply gave me a thumbs up from his spot behind a pillar. He was definitely braver than me. I had definitely felt my soul leave my body. "Nicky..." Larry called him over to us.
"Thank-you.." I sighed again to the Pharaoh and he turned back towards us. But this time he decided to stand up and climb out of his sarcophagus. He groaned in strain as if very sore and like he couldn't breathe. Larry and I backed further away and Nicky ran out to our sides.
"Dad..." Nicky whispered in fear and clung to my arm, unable to get to Larry as I was closer. "...(Y/N)..." He looked up at me. I pulled him closer to my side and we all watched as the Pharaoh undid his bandages with great struggle before finally getting them off his head. He coughed out a lot of sand and dust at Larry and continued to cough for a moment before finally taking a deep breath and speaking.
"You will not believe how stuffy it is in there." He gasped. I swear my jaw dropped to the floor in shock at the sight of this man. For a Pharaoh he was very young and beautiful with the most gorgeous blue eyes I've ever seen. His skin looked soft and smooth for a man hailing from a time before skincare. The Pharaoh began to walk around and observe the room that surrounded him.
"How can you speak English?" Nicky asked, clinging to me a little less and feeling a bit more confident. 'Oh, yeah. That's actually a great question to ask.' I noted. I was too distracted by his surprisingly good looks to even register it was English which he spoke. 'Oh, wow,' I was once again distracted. His hair was also very well kept, slightly messy and curly, but other than that it was a gorgeous brunet colour.
"I went to Cambridge University." The Pharaoh spoke confidently.
"You went to Cambridge?" I asked, surprised.
"I was on display in the Egyptology department." He explained.
"Ohhh." That made sense. Must've been a pain to learn though.
"I am Ahkmenrah." He turned to face us with pride. "Fourth King of the Fourth King. Ruler of the land of my Fathers." He introduced himself - his head held a little higher with great confidence.
"Right...uh...formal introductions...then the Demi-God should go first." I squeaked with surprise when Larry pushed me to the front like a human shield - completely ignoring my social anxiety to save his own skin. If my face wasn't red with embarrassment before, it definitely was now. My body quaked with anxiety and I gulped nervously, glaring back at Larry for a moment before quickly introducing myself to the patient, young Pharaoh.
"I'm (Y/N), Daughter of the Greek Goddess of the Night, Nyx. Ruler of the stars and constellations. I hail from...New York." I nervously bowed. An introduction I only ever had to do in front of the Greek Gods at very important feasts my mother took me to. Those feasts, after all, discussed matters concerning demi-gods hence we all had to attend. They were incredibly boring, I would not recommend.
"Ah, see that's a better first impression than mine would've been." Larry chuckled in an attempt to lighten the mood as I quickly moved back beside the two traitors. I failed to notice Ahkmenrah's surprise as he admired, not just my appearance, but also my soulmark.
"Don't thank me yet, Daley. I'm not bringing you home cupcakes from work anymore." I quietly huffed.
"Yeah...I expected as much." Larry sighed sadly before introducing himself. "I'm, uh, Larry. Son of...Milton and uh, this is my son...Nick." Nicky gave a small wave. "And we uh, hail from Brooklyn." Larry nodded before correcting himself. "Well, I do...or did. He uhm, comes and stays with me every other weekend." Ahkmenrah was now starting to look a little confused as he followed along with Larry's confusing explanation. "Or, well...he did, before I moved down here in New York right next to (Y/N).." He pointed to me. I winced but gave him an encouraging thumbs up. "But uh, Nicky staying with me on every other weekend...that was uh, the...custody...agreement...that we had." Larry cleared his throat with an awkward cough and quiet clasp of his hands.
"Larry, Nick, (Y/N). Guardians of Brooklyn and New York. I am forever in your debt." Ahkmenrah thanked us once Larry was done waffling. "Now. Bestow the tablet upon me so that I may assume command of my kingdom." He asked as politely, but powerfully, as he could, holding his hand out expectantly towards us. Sort of moving it from Larry to me, wondering who had the tablet.
"Ah...about that actually--oof!" I began to explain before Larry elbowed me in the abdomen and I instead doubled over from the sudden pain.
"Oh, yes! Okay the tablet." Larry tried to find a better way of explaining ourselves as if we were dodging a possible public execution for losing the thing. "I would...love to bestow it upon you, but we don't...have it at this moment." He pointed to the wall where it was supposed to be and emphasized the 'this' as he spoke. Ahkmenrah looked mildly annoyed by this news. "But we shall, retrieve it from the night guards who took it and uh...we shall then return it to you and uhm...bestow it upon you." Larry finished speaking with a self-reassuring nod of his head.
Eventually, Larry was able to convince the young Pharaoh to just change out of the uncomfortable bandages and follow us out of the exhibit. I obviously turned away with Nicky as he changed out of his bandages and into his clothes.
"I have finished." He told us, so we turned back around and this time it was my turn to stare with disbelief. He had the same glowing soulmark on his right arm as I did.
"Whoa." My jaw dropped. I had to admit...he was gorgeous. I couldn't stop looking at his pretty face and hair before, but now that he was dressed properly in stunning Egyptian clothing, expensive gold jewelry with a noble Pharaoh's crown adorning his head, he looked even more regal and beautiful than just minutes ago. His eyes met mine and we stood staring at each other like two shy teenagers meeting in a high school hallway between classes. His intense, but soft, blue eyes made my knees weak. He had the kind of eyes you'd get lost in for hours. A blue like a sapphire, or the sky. Shimmering with the reflection of the lights in the room.
Larry clearing his throat and shuffling in place quite uncomfortably was what snapped us out of our trance. We turned our attention to the night guard as he clapped his hands together like a dad preparing to meet his daughter's new boyfriend. "So...uh...got something to share with the class?" He moved his attention from Ahkmenrah, to me, and then back again.
"Uhm..." I chuckled, looking anywhere but him. "We...seem to have the same soulmark..."
"Indeed...it seems so." Ahkmenrah stepped closer, a soft smile gracing his lips. His gaze was as intense as before Larry interrupted our moment together. After another moment, he held his right hand out. I hesitated. Finally, I placed my hand in his and watched our soulmarks glow and shine in perfect harmony. "How strange...how our soulmarks glow." He looked up from our marks. "How you glow. As beautiful and bright as moonlight." He brought his other hand up to caress my right cheek.
"Strange?" I ask softly.
"Strange, but not unwelcome." He answered without hesitation.
"Well.." Larry once again ruined our sweet moment. He coughed awkwardly, looking to Nicky for help. Nicky's smile was bright as he watched us in awe. "I hate to ruin such a sweet, romantic moment....uhhh, reunion? Meeting? But uh, we really have to move and get the tablet back from those bad night guards."
"Right." I agreed. Bringing my left hand up to hold Ahk's left hand. "We can get to know each other more, later?" I suggested.
"I look forward to our date." Ahkmenrah agreed. He held me for a moment longer before ordering his Anubis protectors to throw the stone from his sarcophagus into the gate. Which they did with a very loud crash and ground shaking thud.
The gate broke open from the intense force and we all scrambled out after. Larry and Nicky first, then Ahkmenrah and I. "Thanks guys!" Larry thanked the statues whilst the rest of us continued to run down the hallway. "Don't worry I'll watch out for him." He reassured them and I heard them salute him as he left. He must've saluted back as he left with a "Thank-you." He then ran and caught up with us.
We ran out to the main lobby of the museum. From the top floors we could see all the chaos and hear all the screaming, yelling, fighting and warcrys. To say the lobby was a battlefield would be understating. It was a total warzone. The kind of fighting that usually ends with both sides losing. Some distance yelling stood out from the rest. Surprisingly clear yelling. We looked up from the battle before us and met the gaze of the Huns who just turned the corner on the other side of the top floor.
Oh.
Oh no.
Larry and Attila locked eyes like two exes who haven't moved on yet and then immediately started glaring each other down. "What is that?" Ahkmenrah asked, looking over to the new voices shouting.
"Huns." Larry answered with dread in his gaze. "I gotta deal with this guy." Larry huffs. The Huns began to move quickly around the balcony that separated us. Larry started briskly walking in the same direction, rolling his shoulders back and squaring up. Attila and Larry maintained intense eye contact as the two speed walked around the balcony. Finally we came to the point where the two would cross paths and they charged towards each other yelling. Attila shouting in what I can only assume was some older form of Mandarin and Larry in what could only be deciphered as complete nonsense.
"Pardon me, Larry." Ahkmenrah interjected, "I speak Hun." He then turned to Attila, speaking a greeting with a polite bow. He then must've asked Attila a question, but I have no idea what they were saying. I also wasn't paying attention. Is it strange to find someone speaking another language, incredibly attractive? "He says he wants to rip you apart." Ahkmenrah translated Attila's reply.
"Alright, alright..." Larry sighed, shuffling in place before responding. "Again with the ripping...listen I understand. Okay? I get it." He gestured with his hands. "Ripping for you...you want to rip things. And-and I think that's because someone had ripped you. A long time ago...in here." He stuttered, gesturing to his heart and then to Attila's. "Someone...someone ripped little--little baby Attila a long time ago, right? Right here?" Surprisngly, Attila looked almost emotional on his usual stoic face. "They ripped something out, didn't they? They ripped the love...right out of you...didn't they?" Larry continued. "Little baby...all alone in a tent. His daddy went off to pillage...some town, or village, or..or to go plunder somewhere just--just doing his job...but who was left all alone?" We all waited. Watching Larry and Attila. "You." Larry finished and Attila broke down. That seemed to be the final straw.
Attila sobbed his poor heart out, allowing himself to be held in Larry's arms. I couldn't stop the tears in my eyes for the two of them. Coming past their differences, and reconciling their connection with one another like old exes finally communicating after the divorce shattered their worlds apart. Unfortunately for all of us, Larry then began to hum a little nursery lullaby as he comforted Attila. The awkwardness settled back in once they parted. Still staring intensely into each other's eyes.
We all turned our attention back to the fighting that was still ongoing just a floor below us. Looking over the balcony, Larry started shouting for the exhibits' attention. However, his voice couldn't be heard over the yelling and clashing of weapons and fists. The Easter Island head was able to get everyone's attention focused on Larry.
"QUIETTTT!!!!!!!! My dum dum want to speak."
"Thank you." Larry clasped his hands together and looks back to the exhibits below us. "Now this here, is King Ahkmenrah." He introduced, putting a hand on his shoulder. "His tablet is what brings you all to life every night. And those old night watchmen? They stole it. Now we need to find those guards and get that tablet back...and we need to do it before morning." When he saw everyone was listening, he began to give out orders. "Civil War guys. Head over to the Planetarium Wing." They saluted in response. Larry looked over to Christopher Columbus. "My explorer friend whose name escapes me..." He winced.
"Christopher Columbus." Nicky and I whispered to Larry.
"Right, Christopher Columbus. There--there's no nameplate...so uh, sorry. But uhm, please take the Neanderthals and do a sweep from the Invertebrates all the way through Reptiles. Thank-you...Jed and Octavius, their van's parked out front. Go take care of it."
"Whoa whoa whoa," Jed immediately denied. "I ain't working with toga boy, over there." He crossed his arms.
"Romans work alone." Octavius lifted his head in a very snobbish fashion. Jed's response was to hit his foot with the butt of his rifle. "OW!" Octavius cried, jumping back in surprise.
"Oh, that didn't hurt. Don't be such a baby." Jed huffed. Octavius responded by hitting Jed with the butt of his sword. "OW! That's not fair! You did it much harder!!" Jed complained like an old married couple.
"Guys, guys, come on..." Larry sighed exasperatedly. "Jed...Octavius...take away the fact that you two were born 2,000 years apart. You two aren't that different." He reasoned. My eyes discreetly shifted from Larry and the exhibits to Ahkmenrah, who I was standing beside. His arm was slowly moving to wrap around my waist. Once he carefully placed his arm, I moved a step closer to his side and continued listening to Larry's motivational speech. I had totally missed the rest of what Larry said to the cowboy and roman. "Civil War dudes...you're brothers for God's sake. You gotta stop fighting. North wins! Slavery is bad...sorry I was the one to tell you, but it's true. Look...this tablet...without it, all of this. This...coming to life at night thing? It all goes away. And I don't want to let that happen, but I-I need your help."
We nod. Everyone, every creature, all listening very intently.
"If we want to get this done, we have to do it together. So who's with me?" Larry anxiously asks. Some small agreements can be heard. "WHO'S WITH ME?" Larry asks again with more confidence. This time, the whole lobby cheers in agreement, lifting their weapons in the air. "Alright!! Then let's do this!!" Larry grins. We all set off in different directions to find the old night watch guards. After running around the museum, giving out different directions and orders, we finally round a corner to see both Gus and Reginald tied up and surrounded by a couple different exhibits. "That's what I'm talking about! Good teamwork, guys!!" Larry cheers.
We eventually deduce that Cecil must've gone outside, but once we arrive, the van is missing. Larry decides to take us back to Sacajawea's exhibit. Larry spreads Nicky and I out to find a cannonball. Eventually we spot one, lying under a carriage and hand it to him. He signals for Sacajawea to get out of the way as he throws the cannonball with all his might, shattering the glass exhibit and freeing her. He quickly explains the situation to the surprised woman, before taking her to where the van was so she could help us track Cecil's location.
"He went east...but he lost control and crashed." Sacajawea deduced after studying the tracks in the snow for a moment. My body shook from the cold. I'd forgotten my hoodie inside.
"Amazing...how'd you get all that?" Larry asked. Sacajawea pointed to the van that had spun and crashed into the side of the building that had been just out of sight. "Oh." We all winced.
"He left the wagon..." She noticed, walking forwards to track the footprints. "And went back."
"Went back?" I asked, walking closer to Sacajawea and rubbing my arms. "Went back for what?" I wasn't asking her, I was merely speaking to myself at that point. The sudden sound of horses' hooves and whinnying could be heard. The crunching of snow and roll of wooden, coach wheels was soon heard after. We all turned to see the horse and stagecoach charging at Sacajawea and I at a speed of at least sixty kilometers an hour (roughly thirty-seven miles for you Americans <3).
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Cecil called, waving his hand in a gesture for us to move. We were too stunned to move. I felt arms grab me from behind and pull me to the ground as I watched Teddy tackle Sacajawea. He jumped in front of the horse and stagecoach, risking himself to save her. I realized I couldn't feel the cold snow. Turning to look down, I noticed Ahkmenrah had pulled me onto him so I wouldn't be run over.
"Thank you..." I finally breathed out, still laying on top of him. His eyes seemed to scan me for injury before briefly dropping to my lips and then back up to my eyes.
"You're most welcome." He smiled softly. We both sat up and our attention turned to Sacajawea and Teddy who were also having their moment together.
"You saved me." She stared in shock.
"You're worth saving, my dear." Teddy smiled. She smiled softly, cradling his head in her arms. His body had been separated by the carriage. It looked quite painful. She helped him sit up and he seemed to finally notice his predicament. "Oh. That's problematic."
"Teddy! Oh, man...Teddy..." Larry stressed, running his hand through his hair.
"Larry, relax." Teddy huffed, silencing Larry's worries. "I'm wax. Larry, you must do something. Dawn's approaching and half the museum's running amuck outside." He noted.
"He's got my tablet." Ahkmenrah reminded Larry and Teddy, still protectively holding me in his arms. Not like I was willingly going to move though. He was surprisingly warm. A sudden small car engine was heard as a little Jeep appeared from the snow above us with a bone on a string tied to the bumper. Rexy followed out after the Jeep. Jed and Octavius poked their heads out from the windows.
"At your service, Gigantor!" Jed tipped his hat.
"How can we be of assistance, my liege?" Octavius readjusted his little roman helmet.
"Give me a second guys." Larry then paused in realization and Rexy stopped in front of us. "Rexy...come here." Rexy trotted closer to our little group. "Teddy...I'm going to need a horse." He grinned.
"Do it." Teddy agreed with a Proud Dadtm grin. Larry mounted Teddy's stallion, waiting for us to mount Rexy. With Ahkmenrah's help, I was seated just behind Nicky on Rexy, Ahkmenrah sat behind us. Before we took off, I noticed as he placed his cloak, or cape, around me. It acted as an immediate ward to the cold snowy air.
"Thank you..." I breathed, clutching it closer. He smiled and nodded to Larry, signalling we were all good. Larry nodded with a knowing smirk and took off first. Jed and Octavius, and then us, all following. We tracked Cecil's horses' hooves and the coach wheel prints that were left behind in the snow. The chase went on for a good five, maybe ten minutes before we finally caught up enough to see the coach ahead of us. We took the side road and started charging forwards faster. Larry stayed behind the stagecoach.
"Pull the stagecoach over!!!" Larry yelled over the sound of the wind and roar of horses' hooves. Cecil merely ignored him. Setting his gaze on us and Rexy. We got ahead of him and took the turn in front of him. We charged forwards, but he turned the coach quicker. Narrowly missing the little Jeep with the cowboy and roman in side and darting straight past us on Rexy.
"Hm." Ahkmenrah and I watched him go past as Rexy came to a halt and the Jeep was flung up a hill on snow and then crashed into another with a tiny explosion. I winced. Hopefully Jed and Octavius were fine. Larry pushed forwards, chasing down Cecil. We did our best to direct Rexy to follow, but Rexy was still sniffing for the bone that seemingly disappeared into the snow. He started digging like a dog which earned a chuckle from Nicky and Ahkmenrah.
Finally he dug out his bone and pranced around with us still on his back, wagging his tail happily and finally heading back for the stagecoach. But not at a very fast pace. Eventually a distant cry of "DAKOTA" could be heard up ahead. When we came up to the top of the road, we saw the stagecoach and horses halted, Larry dismounted and Cecil stuck in the snow. Larry grabbed the tablet and heaved Cecil up from the snow; passing him to the Huns. We dismounted Rexy and met up with the group.
"Tell the Attila to have his boys take him back to the museum and put him with the other guards." Larry huffed out, clearly winded from the chase. Ahkmenrah nodded and immediately translated for Attila. Attila nodded, but Larry interrupted, "Oh and uh, no limb ripping." Attila met his gaze with disappointment evident in his eyes. He looked back and forth from Larry to Cecil and back again. Attila seemed to ask, in his own language, "a little bit?" and Larry looked to Cecil before he turned back to Attila. "Just a little bit." He agreed. The Huns cheered.
"Wait, what? What? Wait, hold on, what did you agree on?" Cecil cried out in a panicked voice as the Huns took him back to the museum.
"Ahkmenrah...I'm going to need your help." He handed the tablet over to the young Pharaoh. "This is your tablet, you know the instructions. I need you to bring everyone back to the museum." He begged. Ahkmenrah nodded and began turning some pieces and reading the words, changing the glow of the tablet and our soulmarks. All the museum exhibits and animals seemed to wander back to the museum as if being drawn in by the tablet's presence.
We all walked the long journey back to the museum in time to see a fixed Teddy and blushing Sacajawea. Larry and Nicky got the clipboard and began tracking all the exhibits, making sure everyone returned safely. Ahkmenrah and I stood by their sides, his arm wrapped around my waist as I leaned into side, his cloak still wrapped around my shoulders. We almost closed the doors, as dawn could be seen appearing before us, when Jed and Octavius suddenly appeared, climbing the steps up to us.
They saluted and mogged, walking towards the doors like runway models debuting. I couldn't help but smile. The tears in my eyes trickling down at the sight of the brave little men before us. Larry grinned and welcomed them back, letting them pass with a throw of "Gigantor" and "Tiny" jabs to each other. Everyone returned to their places for the night although there was still a bit of a mess left after everything. I didn't envy Larry's conversation with his boss later that morning. I stayed by Ahkmenrah's side as he redid his bandages and settled back into the sarcophagus. With a soft smile, I kneeled down beside him and waited. Merely staring into his eyes before he did the final wrapping. I didn't close him in until the dawn fully rose and he was settled.
The next day, Larry told me how he wasn't fired and the older night guards were put on as janitors, cleaning the mess they had caused in the museum. We went back to the museum that night to celebrate. It was a massive party. Nicky was cheering and dancing, I was up beside the DJ, Ahkmenrah who was taking his job very seriously.
The tiny cowboy and roman seemed to be having a moment in the corner of the room before rejoining our party. Attila dragged Larry into a waltz and then a traditional Hun dance the Larry struggled to follow. It was the best party I'd ever been apart of. I looked over to Ahk to see he was already looking at me. His eyes dropped to my lips and then back up to my eyes as if asking for permission. I nodded. He leaned closer and for a moment it was as if the world stopped, before I closed the distance. Our lips meeting and the music drowning out around us. In that moment it was just the two of us. But we pulled apart and everyone seemed to cheer louder. The exhibits all watching our moment and whooping and hollering with excitement.
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~ The End ~
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(Sorry if the ending is all rushed...I got sick of writing this </3)
(This fanfic tested my patience is still testing my patience, but I still love it and wanted to finish it and share it with all of you.)
(I hope at least some of it made you chuckle a little huff or cringe and die inside <3)
A Midnight Waltz With The Pharaoh - Ahkmenrah X Female Reader
Title: A Midnight Waltz With The Pharaoh
Ahkmenrah X Female Reader
Additional Characters: Larry, Teddy, Sacagawea (Mentioned), Dexter, Rexy, Octavius, Jed, Reader's friends, Nick (Mentioned), Christopher Columbus (Mentioned), Eastern Island Head (Mentioned), and The Huns (Mentioned)
WC: 4,154
Warnings: Halloween fic, italics, teasing, banter, flirting?, nicknames, confession, friends to lovers, and it's just a lot of fluff
The golden leaves of Autumn gently blew in the October breeze, making their way to the ground. Sidewalks and nearby parks were practically covered in fallen, dead leaves; in hues of gold, yellow, red, and brown. Street lamps were on bright, lighting the way for those few who passed by in the dark of night. It was the middle of the month, on a weekday. You were helping Larry decorate for the upcoming spooky holiday; Halloween - with some additional help from a few of the other exhibits.
Teddy and Sacagawea were helping set up the little plastic, glow-in-the-dark pumpkins; placing them on the front desk with the fake battery candles that they had placed earlier. Dexter - who had always had a soft spot for you, and never misbehaved with you - helped with sticking the paper black bats, ghosts, and pumpkins to the walls. And, with the help of Rexy - and Octavius and Jed leading the dino - you were able to hang up the many paper banners, and fairy lights.
Halloween was a couple of days away, and you were super excited. Halloween was probably your favorite holiday. You loved the costumes, the food, the candy, parties, movies; just having fun. It was a time that made you feel like a kid again. You loved Halloween, so much so, that the day after Halloween, you were back to planning the next one. You always ended up with a plan for your Halloween costume months before the actual date.
Finishing the many banners and fairy lights, you thanked Rexy for helping you, giving him a few rubs on the nose. "Thanks, Rexy." You cooed, before looking down at the remote-controlled car, "And thank you, Oct and Jed. You both were a great help."
"It was our pleasure to assist you, dear friend," Octavius spoke, his head popping out the window.
"Yeah," Jed, popped his own head out the driver's side window, "Let us know if ya need any more help!" He tipped his hat.
Nodding, you waved them goodbye for the time being, watching as Rexy followed after his bone, down the hall.
"What an enchanting transformation," You heard a voice, making your smile instantly brighten. Turning around, you watched as Ahkmenrah entered the main room. His golden attire reflected beautifully against the museum lights as his eyes surveyed the Halloween decorations for a moment, before turning back to look at you. "Are these apparitions and pumpkins a part of your more modern festivities?"
Walking over, you felt butterflies instantly erupt in your stomach, you clasped your hands together in front of you. "Yeah, we use ghosts, bats, pumpkins, witches, and more for Halloween. Anything creepy and spooky is used." You shrugged, "Fun, right?"
He nodded, his head tilting slightly to the side as he looked at all of the decorations. "Indeed. The holiday does sound quite enjoyable." You had actually explained Halloween to Ahkmenrah a while ago. He knew the history, the traditions, and whatnot. Overall, you were really excited for Ahkmenrah to experience his first-ever Halloween. Well, with you, at least.
You couldn't help the way your heart raced whenever Ahkmenrah was near. His radiant, gentle smile, deep blue eyes that seemed to hold centuries of wisdom, and the way he carried himself with such effortless grace had captivated you from the moment you met him.
It was unlike anything you'd ever experienced. This soft, flowy feeling that seemed to wash over you whenever he was near, or even when just his image crossed your mind. It wasn’t just his undeniable good looks; it was the way he spoke, gentle yet commanding, and the kindness that radiated from him like the sun. And oh, how easy it would be to worship that sun, to bask in his warmth forever, if only you had the chance.
The thought made your cheeks flush, and you mentally shook your head, embarrassed by how hopelessly smitten you sounded, even in your own mind.
Quickly snapping out of your thoughts, you cleared your throat. "So, are you planning to dress up for the Halloween party tomorrow night?"
He looked at you curiously, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Dress up?"
"Yeah, like in a costume," You explained, "If you want, I can go out and find something for you in the morning. We could make you a wizard or... I don’t know, anything you want!" You laughed softly, your excitement bubbling over.
Ahkmenrah chuckled, a sound that made your heart instantly flutter. "I appreciate the offer, but I think being a Pharaoh will suffice."
You grinned, rolling your eyes playfully. "Fair enough. You’re kind of a natural at it."
"Perhaps it's the centuries of practice,” His smile widened, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes, "And what about you?" He then asked, his expression turning curious. "What will you be for this celebration?"
"Oh, uh, it’s a surprise," You replied, fidgeting slightly with your hands in front of you. "It’s part of a group costume with my friends. We planned it months ago."
"Your friends?" He tilted his head. "You were planning to spend the holiday with them?"
"Yeah, we usually go to a party together every year," You admitted, a small smile on your lips. "But this year, I decided I’d stay here and celebrate with you, Larry, Rexy, Dexter, and everyone else."
"Have you considered asking Larry if your friends could join us here?" Ahkmenrah suggested, and his question made you pause.
You shrugged, the idea hadn’t really crossed your mind. "I don’t know if that’s allowed. You know, with the whole secret about the exhibits being alive and all." You gestured vaguely. "It’s not like the special night program we do sometimes where everything’s staged. This would be... Different."
Ahkmenrah nodded thoughtfully. "I see. That is quite understandable. Still, if it’s something you’d like, perhaps Larry could make an exception."
You shook your head, waving your hand in the air dismissively. "Nah, it’s okay. My friends don’t mind, and honestly, neither do I. I’d rather be here with yo- everyone. It feels more special this way. Our first Halloween all together."
His expression softened, his warm smile making your heart skip a beat. "Then I look forward to celebrating this holiday with you. It will be... A night to remember."
"Yeah," You murmured, returning his smile as warmth spread through your chest. "It definitely will be."
~~~
Later that night, a few hours before dawn, as you were busy playing hide-and-seek with Dexter, Ahkmenrah made his way through the museum with determination. His footsteps echoed through the quiet halls as he searched room to room, finally finding Larry and Teddy; spotting them from the balcony near the stairs.
He approached them, his usual calm demeanor replaced with a subtle urgency. He had been thinking about it for a good thirty minutes now, and he felt that it was important.
“Larry,” He began, his voice steady but with an edge of sincerity, Larry turned, raising an eyebrow, but his face softened when he saw the seriousness in the Pharaoh's expression. He glanced at Teddy and back, “I apologize for interrupting.”
“Nonsense,” Teddy grinned, “We were just finishing up away. Besides, I should go check on Sacagawea before the night ends.” He bowed curtly to both of the men, “Ahkmenrah. Lawrence.” With a final nod, Teddy turned and exited the room, his footsteps echoing down the hallway as he left.
Once Teddy was out of earshot, Larry turned his attention to Ahkmenrah, a curious glint in his eye. "So," He began, a half-smile forming, “What’s up, Ahk?”
The Pharaoh hesitated for a moment, then spoke clearly, “I have something I must ask of you.”
~~~
The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement as you scrambled through the museum, making sure everything was set for the Halloween party. The walls were lined with banners, paper ghosts hung from the ceiling, and soft fairy lights flickered in the dark corners, casting a warm glow over everything. The punch bowl sat on the table, the bright orange liquid inside reflecting the light from the nearby jack-o'-lanterns. You made sure it was filled and had enough cups around it, then turned to double-check the party games.
The board game stack was neatly arranged, and the pin-the-broom-on-the-witch poster was ready to be hung. You had planned this party carefully, wanting it to be perfect - it only made sense why you were the one to organize the party, you were the museum’s event coordinator after all - and now, it was finally coming together.
The music from an old Halloween playlist drifted through the air - classic spooky tracks mixed with upbeat songs like “Thriller” and “Ghostbusters.” The eerie melodies provided the perfect backdrop as you hummed along, adding the final touches to the decorations you had helped set up the day before. Your eyes flickered to the clock on the wall. It wasn’t quite time for everyone to arrive, but you were ready for them. The sun was just beginning to set…
“Everything ready?” You heard Larry from beside you.
Turning, you nodded your head and let out a sigh, “Yeah, all ready, and almost time for our guests to arrive.” It was only then that you realized Larry wasn’t dressed up at all. He was still dressed in his usual night guard uniform. “You’re not dressing up?” You asked, raising an eyebrow.
He shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m in my costume. I’m a night guard.”
You huffed, rolling your eyes. "Really, Larry? That's your idea of a costume?"
He shot you a grin. "It’s a classic."
You only huffed in reply.
Soon enough, the party was in full swing, and you found yourself standing by the punch bowl, watching the chaos unfold. Laughter and chatter filled the air, and the energy in the room was infectious.
Teddy and Sacagawea were sitting together on Teddy’s platform, chatting; just being a couple of love birds. Meanwhile, Rexy was running around like a playful puppy, chasing after Nick, who was dressed in an inflatable dinosaur costume. The two were having a hilarious race around the room.
On the front desk, Jed and Oct danced together, trying to outdo each other with moves that ranged from unexpectedly graceful to downright goofy; drawing a small crowd of other miniatures who cheered them on. Dexter was also dancing on the front desk, wearing a little cowboy hat you’d given him. It was a perfect fit.
Everyone was having an amazing time, most, if not all, of the exhibits dancing on the large dance floor. Even the Eastern Island Head was humming along to the music from the hallway.
And then you looked up, your attention on Ahkmenrah, who stood on the balcony. His hands flew over the DJ controls, but it was his body - how he moved - that caught your eye. His movements were mesmerizing, you couldn’t help but stare as a smile graced your lips. Suddenly, he met your gaze, grinning widely when he caught sight of you. He waved and continued to shimmy, his hips moving to the beat of "Monster Mash". You smiled in return and waved back, a warm feeling filling your chest, and embarrassment for getting caught staring.
"Hey, kid," Larry's voice broke through your thoughts, pulling your attention away from the balcony. You tried to act nonchalant, despite your face burning from getting caught.
"Yeah, Larry?" You asked, forcing a casual grin as he gave you a knowing look.
He gestured to the museum's front doors with a lazy jab of his thumb. "I think someone is here to see you."
You blinked in surprise, confusion creeping onto your face as you glanced at the doors. "Huh?"
Larry feigned ignorance, before turning you toward the entrance. "Better go answer the door."
He gave you a gentle push in the direction of the doors, and you sighed, rolling your eyes. Looking back at him, you saw him busying himself with another cup of punch. You shook your head, then turned and approached the doors. Tugging the handle, you pushed them open, surprised when you came face to face with two of your best friends.
"Hey, girl!" Your first friend greeted you, pulling you into a tight hug. "Thought you could party without us?"
You stood there, stunned, your mouth hanging open for a moment before you burst into laughter. "What- what are you guys doing here?" You asked, still in shock, but excited all the same.
Your second friend grinned, "Your friend Larry called us," They said with a wink. “A Halloween party at midnight? Amazing! Why didn't you invite us?” They pouted jokingly, making you huff.
“I wasn't sure my boss would let me. But he called you so…” You shrugged as your first friend peered over your shoulder.
“It looks like everyone from the night program is here.” They spoke and you let out a nervous chuckle.
“Yeah, we’re all really close. They are practically family.” You tried to sound as convincing as possible, but it was true, and your friends seemed to buy it. "How did Larry get their numbers?" You then thought, but that didn't matter. Grinning, you pulled your two friends inside, feeling the warmth of the museum flood over you as you laughed excitedly. "Nevermind all that though! I can't believe you’re here! This is going to be so much fun!"
You looked back at Larry, hoping for some explanation as to why your friends were here, but he only nodded toward the balcony, gesturing to Ahkmenrah with a subtle nudge of his head. You looked up just in time to see Ahkmenrah glance down at you. The moment his eyes met yours, he grinned, and as if on cue, your favorite Halloween song started playing. It filled the room, the familiar beat echoing in your chest. His smile turned playful, and with a quick wink, he pointed down at you from the balcony; dedicating the song to you.
Your first friend wiggled their eyebrows at you, a teasing smile on their lips. "Is that your boyfriend?" They teased, voice filled with mischief as they nudged you in the side.
"No, uh, he’s just-" But the words got lost as your excitement overtook you. Trying to ignore your warm cheeks, you grabbed both of your friends’ hands, pulling them toward the dancefloor with a grin that stretched from ear to ear. "Let’s dance! We’ve got a Halloween tradition to keep alive!"
The three of you joined the crowd, dancing, laughing, and enjoying the night. And in that moment, surrounded by friends, music, and the warmth of the museum, you felt like everything was perfect.
You made sure to thank Ahkmenrah later.
~~~
As the night continued, you found yourself in front of the museum’s front desk, laughing as you held Dexter’s tiny furry hands. The capuchin monkey stood on the desk, chittering excitedly, his head nodding to the beat of the Halloween song playing softly in the background.
“You’re quite the dancer, Dexter,” You teased, swaying back and forth, exaggerating your movements to match his jerky little hops. His mischievous chatter filled the air, and you couldn’t help but grin. You spun him gently, his tiny paws grasping your hand as you twirled him like a ballroom dancer. “A regular Fred Astaire, aren’t you?” Dexter responded with a dramatic squeak, hopping up and down in excitement, clearly enjoying the attention, his cowboy hat having fallen off a while ago. “Thanks for being my dance partner tonight, buddy,” You said softly, your voice affectionate.
From the corner of your eye, you noticed Ahkmenrah walking towards the both of you, watching with an amused smile on his face. He stopped beside you - a few mere feet away - leaning against the front desk, arms crossed.
"You two make quite the dancing pair," He remarked, his voice carrying easily over the low music.
You glanced up at him, cheeks flushing slightly as you rolled your eyes playfully. “Jealous, your Highness?” You quipped as Dexter jumped up on your shoulder, “He’s a great dancer.”
Dexter, seemingly satisfied with his performance, hopped down from your shoulder and scampered toward the punch bowl, leaving you and Ahkmenrah alone.
The Pharaoh stepped closer, his hands now clasped behind his back as he regarded you with an expression that was equal parts gentle and intent. Then, with a graceful motion, he extended his hand toward you, palm up, his golden bracelets catching the soft light.
“Would you do me the honor of a dance?” He asked, his eyes locking onto yours, and without hesitation, you placed your hand in his.
“I’d love to,” You replied before he gently guided you toward the center of the makeshift dance floor.
As if on cue, the music transitioned seamlessly into a slow, romantic melody that seemed almost too perfect for the moment; though a bit odd since it wasn’t very Halloweeny, but you didn’t mind. You glanced up at him in surprise, a grin tugging at your lips. “Did you plan this?”
Ahkmenrah smiled down at you as he placed his free hand lightly at your waist, the other still holding yours. “Perhaps,” He teased, “Or perhaps the universe simply wanted this moment to be ours.”
You couldn’t help but laugh softly as you looked up at the DJ booth on the balcony, spotting Larry manning the console. As he led you in the slow dance, it struck you how effortlessly he made you feel as if you belonged right there, in his arms.
“You look beautiful tonight,” He murmured after a moment, his voice so soft you almost missed it. “I had planned to tell you earlier.”
You looked up at him, surprised by the quiet confession. “Thank you,” You replied. “You’re not too bad yourself.”
Your fingers brushed against the intricate beads on his shoulder, adorning his wesekh, tracing their smooth texture absently as you lowered your eyes, suddenly overwhelmed by the weight of his gaze. Nervously, you glanced around the room, seeking distraction.
One of your friends was animatedly chatting with Christopher Columbus - your friend was fluent in Italian - their laughter carried faintly over the music, while your other friend was enthusiastically teaching the rules to Monopoly to the Huns, who were listening with rapt attention.
The sight brought a small smile to your lips, and your nerves settled slightly as you looked back up at Ahkmenrah. The question lingered on your mind until it tumbled out. “Did you ask Larry to invite my friends?” You asked, your voice tinged with curiosity. “I mean… I only ever told you about that tradition with them.”
Ahkmenrah’s smile grew softer, almost bashful, as he nodded. “I did,” He admitted, “You spoke of them with such fondness, and it was clear how important they are to you. I wanted you to have them here tonight - to share in something that brings you joy.”
His words left you momentarily speechless, your heart swelling in your chest. “That’s incredibly thoughtful. Thank you.”
He looked at you, almost shyly, and after a beat, his lips curled into that familiar smile, “I must admit, seeing you smile as brightly as you did when your friends arrived… It reminded me of something… The way the sun catches on the Nile, early in the morning, reflecting off the water…”
The way his words tumbled out with such tenderness made your heart skip. You felt your cheeks flush, warmth spreading across your face as you glanced away, trying to suppress the giggle bubbling up in your chest. You bit your lip, trying to steady yourself, but you couldn’t hide the shy, giddy smile tugging at your lips.
Ahkmenrah leaned in slightly, and your breath hitched as his hand left your waist to gently cup your chin, guiding your face upward so you couldn’t look away. He then gently brushed his thumb across your bottom lip, releasing it from your teeth, his touch tender and slow.
“You have the most captivating eyes,” He murmured, his voice low and smooth, “They remind me of the rarest gems - eyes that could belong to a goddess. They gleam with the light of ancient stars, timeless and beautiful. It’s impossible not to be drawn to them… To you.” You stared up at him in awe, unable to form words. His words wrapped around your heart, making your pulse quicken. "You are truly breathtaking," He muttered, his voice soft but filled with an undeniable intensity, as if each word was a vow.
You didn’t know when the dancing had stopped, nor did you care. Everything felt suspended in time, as if the world had momentarily stopped spinning just for the two of you. His touch, the warmth of his hands on your skin, and the magnetic pull between you both was undeniable.
You could feel your pulse hammering in your chest as his blue eyes drifted from your eyes to your lips and back again. You could almost hear his heart matching the rhythm of yours, each beat drawing you closer. His gaze was filled with such quiet intensity, as though he was memorizing every little detail of you - your expressions, the way your chest rose and fell, the softness of your skin beneath his fingers.
His free hand - once clasped in yours - slowly slipped from yours to cup your other cheek. You leaned into his touch instinctively, your own hands finding their way to rest on his broad shoulders. The heat of his hands against your skin, his nearness, made you sigh.
You breathed his name softly, breathlessly. “Ahk…”
At the sound of your voice, he leaned closer, his nose brushing against yours, sending a shiver throughout your body. You could feel the warmth of his breath against your lips, each passing second stretching out like eternity. His hands gently cradled your face, tilting it just so, as if asking for permission - permission to bridge the space between you.
Your heart was racing, your mind a whirlwind of thoughts, yet there was only one thing that mattered in that moment: him.
He paused for a beat, his eyes searching yours, reading the quiet desire in your gaze. Then, without a word, he closed the distance between you. His lips brushed against yours at first, a feather-light touch that sent a thrill through your body. And then, sensing the soft sigh that escaped your lips, he deepened the kiss, pulling you closer.
Every inch of you seemed to melt into him, your entire being consumed by the softness, the heat, the intensity of the moment. His lips were warm, gentle, and yet there was an underlying passion in every movement. The world outside of him ceased to exist.
In his arms, you felt infinite, as if nothing could ever break this perfect moment. His kiss was everything you had dreamed of and more. When you finally pulled away, you both stood there, forehead to forehead, eyes still closed, breathing deeply. The softness of his touch still lingered on your skin, and the weight of his gaze, the truth in it, was more than enough to make your heart soar.
And in that moment, as you stood there in the quiet after the kiss, you both knew there was no going back. You were his, and he was yours. Mind, body, and soul.
But then, from behind you, a teasing wolf-whistle broke the stillness, making your cheeks flush with heat. You instantly pulled away from him, embarrassed, your heart pounding in your chest. Ahkmenrah’s grip on you tightened instinctively as you ducked your head, leaning into his chest to hide your burning face.
"Yeah! Get it, girl!" Your friend called out, their voice playful and loud enough for everyone to hear.
You could feel the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he held you, his warmth enveloping you like a comforting shield.
You sighed against him, a soft laugh escaping your lips despite the heat flooding your face. "I wasn’t expecting that."
"Don’t worry," He murmured softly, "They mean no harm." You then looked back up at him, your heart fluttering in your chest. His eyes softened when they met yours. He leaned down slightly, his lips brushing against your forehead in the most gentle of kisses. “Now, my lotus… Let us dance."
You smiled up at him, heart full, the weight of the moment lingering as the soft melody of the slow song faded into the background. The upbeat rhythm of “Heads Will Roll” suddenly blasted through the speakers, and your excitement reignited. You felt a rush of energy surge through you once more, and without missing a beat, you grinned at Ahkmenrah.
With a laugh, you took his hand, tugging him into the rhythm of the song. He gave you a surprised but delighted grin, before he twirled you out and back into his arms. You couldn't stop smiling, knowing that the night, and this moment, would stay with you for as long as you lived.
Description: The young Prince invites you on a boat ride, and your father, jumping at a chance to move through the ranks, quickly accepts for you. You, on the other hand, dread the idea of having to spend any time alone with the talkative Prince.
Notes: Wanted this to be smaller but as per usual ancient Egypt whisks me away into pleasure. it's getting colder here in Egypt so that reflects a little in the story... anyway i hope you enjoy (:
WC: 3.7k
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Even though diplomatic meetings in orders of governance always either bored or depressed you, you would do your best each time to admire the architecture of the fancier meeting halls and preceding rooms, thinking of each limestone brick hauled from Tura and the men who laboured. These thoughts, though repetitive, were some respite from the droning voices of your father and his fellow overseers in conversation with the Vizier.
Why your father brought you along on these tedious meetings you didn't know exactly; but you surmised it had something to do with the Pharaoh's young son, who at times shadowed the Vizier. Knowing your father, he likely wanted to set the two of you up––his way of moving up the ladder of social standing. Not that he needed to; your family was perfectly comfortable. But your father was a bit of an over-achiever.
You crossed your arms. Today's meeting was planned to take place in front of a construction site, and accordingly you spent some time watching the sweat-covered backs of farmers-turned-builders hauling and cutting stone. To the left, your father and the other overseers bent themselves over some newly-revised plans for the temple outside the Pharaoh's tomb. Further, on the other side of the table, the young prince Ahkmen stood with his hands behind his back, stealing glances at you between watching the workers.
You sighed curtly, and kept your gaze fixated on the carving men as your attention strayed. Whether you met the Prince's eye or not, he would look at you, only the slightest shame whenever you would return his stare. For a moment you debated what was more uncomfortable; returning the gaze or pretending like you didn't notice his eyes.
The latter was remarkably more difficult. You squeezed your hands behind your back, pinching your fingers, and wondered when you could finally leave and retreat to the comfort of your cooled home.
Eventually––some time before midday––the overseers either approved or dismissed the new plans. Whichever it was didn't concern you greatly; all that mattered was that it was finished. Your father bid good-bye to his associates and placed his arm around your shoulders, guiding you down from the shaded platform. You sniffled, and with feet weary from standing, followed his lead.
A hand tugged your arm from behind. You nearly stumbled and tripped backwards on the steps, but you quickly regained balance with your father's help. Whirling around with indignation and a crass proclamation on your tongue, you found yourself facing the sheepish, wide-eyed face of the Prince.
Your words died quickly, and your mouth faltered shut.
"I'm... uh, sorry," he said, a breathy, awkward chuckle escaping him. "I was just wondering if..." his eyes darted to your father, then back to you, "... if your father would allow you to accompany me on a boat ride."
Beside you, your father beamed.
"It is a pleasure and an honour to be invited by you, my Prince," your father said with a bow of his head. "Ra'inet would be happy to join you."
You pursed your lips into a tight smile. You were not happy to join the Prince. Through his facade of awkwardness he was incredibly self-centered and egoistic, traits both understandable and reprehensible in your mind. The two of you rarely spoke to one another, but even in those scant conversations those traits pulled through. Some part of you feared imagining what would happen if you were left alone with the Prince for an extended period of time.
But in front of you, the Prince smiled and his tension eased. Your father patted your shoulder and was quickly gone, caught up in another conversation with an overseer, and leaving you alone with the Prince.
A quiet blush filled up your cheeks as the Prince continued smiling at you, and offered his arm for you to take. Hesitantly, you hooked your arm around his, and with that he led you down the stone steps and towards the distant riverbank.
In the season of Peret, the air grew cooler, and the waters of the Nile were less inviting with their cold waves and murky depths. But the sun shone all the same, glistening rays painting the world a shade of gold, and reflecting off the rustling palm fronds like gems falling from one bowl into another. Many workers migrated from their jobs at the construction site to tend to their fields, resuming their work as farmers as they did with every season.
Ahkmen led you down the dirt paths winding through farmland and low houses, landmarked by local shrines drowning in lotus flowers and garlands of fresh camellias. You wondered, rather absently, where Ahkmen was leading you––the royal docks were much further down the river. Even to a blind man, the braying of donkeys and the rough sounds of plows digging into the black soil would give away the farming nature of the area. But it was no place of yours to question, and so you quietly allowed Ahkmen to lead you in a tempered walk, his smile brightly offered to anyone who happened to catch his eye.
He sighed, a deep, satisfied sigh that rested easy in his chest, and turned to you.
"Do you enjoy the season?" He asked, his words as spiritually invigorated as his steps.
"Peret?" You asked. You looked ahead. "I suppose so. The smell of fresh silt... fresh flowers. And the absence of the noise of constant stoneworking." You turned to him. "It is nice."
"Indeed," he said, and smiled down at you. "Though at times, I do long for the warmth of Shemu. It is as though Ra Himself encloses you in His arms."
"- and all the children go running for Hapi," you said with a chuckle.
He practically beamed at you. Maybe it was deserved––you rarely ever reciprocated his conversation. Loathing to admit it, some of your reluctance was due to nervousness in the presence of one both prestigious and beautiful. You blushed again and looked away. Ahkmen, while exceedingly beautiful, would take any compliment of yours and run fifty cubits with it.
The receding floodwaters left swaths of black silt fields stretching from the farmland to the riverbank, trodden daily by both birds and farmers alike gathering for their respective needs. Some boats had been left in the same spots as they had been during the flooding season, and for those, their hulls were settled in the soft, wet earth, muddied and blackened. Further down the muddy shores, tightly bound reed skiffs bobbed at the edge of the water. One in particular had its' binding reeds painted in banded colours of red, gold, and blue, and its' ends curved, ending in wooden lotus caps. It was a nobleman's skiff––perhaps for a son, as the size was enough for, at maximum, only three people. And, of course, it was the one Ahkmen led you to.
By the time you reached it, your sandals were already covered in black silt. Still, Ahkmen offered his hand to help ease you onto the boat, and when you had sat down to lift your legs up and under you, he halted you by a hand on your ankle.
He knelt, one knee in the mud, smiling up at you, and proceeded to slip your sandals off of you.
"I'm sure you don't want mud all over your linens," he said.
He had a point. But the image of him on his knees taking your sandals off was doing you no favours.
In response to your silence, he proceeded with his work, took your shoes off, and washed them in the river. After setting them down beside you, he leased the skiff from its tie to the shore, and pushed off into the water. The waves rushed over your dangling feet, quickly washing away any remnants of dirt. Ahk ran, pushed, jumped aboard, and grabbed hold of the steering stick in one smooth motion. Your hands rushed to steady your weight as the boat rocked, but it soon eased into stillness.
On the other end of the boat with his back to you, Ahk shifted to his knees and looked over his shoulder, throwing you a bright grin. You gave a terse smile in return.
"Do you take boat rides often?" He asked, returning his attention to steering.
You watched the muscles in his arms and shoulder flex and curve, their shadows and glistenings building and diminishing in the sunlight with each strike of the oar against the riverbed.
"No," you said after a moment. "It's not an activity my father especially enjoys."
"Your father?" Ahkmen repeated. "Are you only allowed on the Nile if your father says so?"
"Something like that. Only if he wants to... in which case he'll take me, whether I want to or not," you said, redirecting your gaze from his tanned skin to the rippling water echoing from the skiff's belly.
Across from you, Ahkmen scrunched his nose dissatisfactorally.
"Only when he wants to?" He scoffed. "How ridiculous. My father allows me much more freedom."
You snorted some vague agreement, and kept your eyes on the water.
"You know," he began, "your father seemed very willing to let me borrow you. Perhaps, in the future, if you ever want for something, you can tell him I've invited you someplace. Whatever it is you want to do, I shall accompany you."
"How kind," you said with little emotion.
"Oh, it's nothing," he said. Apparently he had some difficulty picking up on your cues. "After all, I have been wanting to spend time with you. You just always seem to disappear whenever I have time to spare."
You cleared your throat, straightening your posture.
"Yes, um... I apologize," you said quickly. "To be honest, I..."
You sighed roughly. This was not something you wanted to admit, but you had already started the confession, and you had no lie to fill the space of this truth. To save yourself some embarrassment, you looked firmly away from Ahkmen.
"... your presence makes me a little nervous," you finished in a mumble.
"Nervous?" He repeated, then laughed. "There's no need to be nervous. I am just as human as you are. Closer to the Gods, perhaps, but still human."
You held back an irritated growl. Fortunately, that passed under his ears, and he continued talking in blissful ignorance.
"I suppose you don't go swimming much, then, if you don't go out on boats often. You know, if strikes me as strange––the poor go to the river every day to bathe, and yet when a noble goes to the river, it is considered leisure; a break from their duties. Don't you think it's odd, that difference?"
"I suppose," you said quietly. "I always just summed it up that our lives are very different. Chores to some are pleasure to others, and the other way around."
You weren't sure if he even heard you or processed your response. He simply hummed affirmatively and continued rambling, rowing downstream all the while. Between his statements and rhetorical questions, you nodded in vague agreement, adding in sparse verbal responses to assure him you were still listening––even if you weren't. Most of your attention was instead consumed by the passing water, the growing abundance of green reeds, the occasional passing grove of blue lotus and lily pads, and the cold winds blowing in from the north. In fact, you hardly noticed when Ahkmen stopped talking, and were quite surprised to turn your head and find him on his hands and knees in front of you, eyes wide as he studied you meticulously.
You jumped back, rocking the skiff slightly––but the motion was minute, halted by the growing bundles of reeds on either side.
"I hope this is better," he said.
"Wh - what's better?" You asked, attempting to slow your breathing to normal.
"The reeds. They should keep the wind out, at least a little bit," he said, gesturing to the surrounding flora with his head.
"Oh." You lowered your defensive hand. "Um... thank you. I - I think it is helping."
While the wind did still rustle and blow through the reeds and nearby bushes onshore, Ahkmen had steered you into a thick and tall patch. None of the reeds surrounding you were moved by the breeze.
Ahkmen smiled.
"Good," he said. "I am glad to hear it."
You glanced to the side, waiting for him to back away, but he did not. He stayed on his hands and knees, so close you could mistake him for a dog attempting to sniff your face. Fortunately, Ahkmen was much more pleasing to the eye––and to the nose––than a hound. On the unfortunate side, you had no idea what he wanted with you, and you were beginning to sweat from the proximity.
After several minutes, you were unable to hold back the dam of words in your throat.
"Is something wrong?" You finally asked.
"No, not really," he said, but he didn't move away. He didn't even blink. "I'm just trying to figure something out. Or a couple of things, I suppose. My mind wanders."
You raised an eyebrow.
"What are you trying to figure out?"
"At first I was trying to figure out why you don't like me," he said. Still his eyes darted across your face––from each eye to lips, from jawline to cheekbone.
"I like you," you lied, feeling rather offended for no reason.
Perhaps it was that he had been able to see through what you deemed a perfectly good disguise of manners and politeness. Or maybe––and you liked this option least––it was that he didn't seem bothered by you not liking him.
"No... you don't," he said.
This time his voice gave way to a softer, yielding tone; one that stretched thin and revealed some hint of sadness.
"Why don't you like me, Ra'inet?" He asked, quirking his head to the side.
It was almost adorable, the way his brow creased and his lips pouted ever so slightly.
"I - I don't... not like you," you stammered, backing up into the curved end of the skiff. He followed, hands as delicate as cat paws upon the boat's floor. "I just –"
You laughed bitterly––half nervousness and half fear––and looked away, biting at your lips.
"My father wants me to get close to you. I think it's a horrible way for a friendship to start, so I –" you looked down, anywhere but Ahk's eyes, "- I'm not exactly jumping at the opportunity to give him what he wants. And besides, all you do is talk about yourself, you're not exactly hard company to not want to be around."
Your face heated to the point of feeling like a sunburn, and you pointedly kept away from Ahkmen's gaze. But he, in all his strange mannerisms and ideas, began to laugh, and that caught your attention. You looked up incredulously, eyes wide as you watched his face split into a wide grin, and laughter rang like bells past his blushing lips. His inexplicable glee did nothing for your heated face, which only grew warmer at the sight.
"Wh - what?" You stammered, your tongue thick and numb in your mouth. "What's so funny?!"
"Nothing, it's just –" he interrupted himself with his own laughter, "- it's hard not to laugh when nearly all my friends have the same problem. Everyone wants their child to be friends with me and somehow, every friend I've managed to pick has despised their parent's pushiness on the matter." He breathed, the laughter having dissipated, but the grin remaining. "You, however, are the first to admit you dislike me."
You spluttered again, shaking your head.
"I never said I dislike you!"
"Ah," he held up a finger, "but you didn't say you like me, either."
"I just – I don't know you very well," you hurried out, running a hand over your hair.
"You haven't given me a chance. And I think you want to... if that blush is anything to go on," he said, and finally, at long last, moved back and out of your space, a smile still curving his perfect lips.
A deep and intense grimace overtook you, eyes wide as your resolve crumbled into embarrassment. If he had continued you either would've started crying or yelling, and for that you were grateful he had the good mind to back off before you exploded. You remained mortified regardless, and your senses, aching to be somewhere else, turned to the world around.
The shifting shade of the willow tree, and its' branching, green tendons; the ducks on the opposite shore, and the white heron wading through the reeds nearby. The tiny fish with their scales glittering like diamonds on the riverbed weaving between shadow and sunlight, reed forests and mud flats. Ahkmen sitting across from you, one knee pulled to his chest, and a self-satisfied smirk on his face.
You quickly looked away.
"Is this what you wanted to do?" You asked, staring at your bare feet.
"No, I, um... had something else in mind," he said cryptically. "I don't think you're in the mood for it, though."
"Really?" You chuckled weakly. "What was it?"
His smile slowly grew, and you immediately regretted asking. It was too late––he was crawling back over, practically jumping out of his skin with how quickly he made it to you.
"I was hoping to break through that hard exterior of yours. I know there's something golden in that eggshell of yours," he said, placing a hand on your foot. "Something lusting for freedom. Adventure, even. A kindred spirit of mine. I, too, dream of escaping the confines of our life... setting sail up the Nile and discovering the Ta-Seti cities in the south. Or, perhaps, travelling into the desert and joining the Wawat, or the Medjay."
The fantasies were not exactly your own; yours more often concerned themselves with going north and exploring the cities across the distant sea, or hiding in the marshes of the delta, far from prying eyes. The spirit, however, was just as yours was, and the sincerity both humoured and surprised you.
"Well... I wouldn't... say no," you said slowly.
Ahkmen beamed.
"I knew it!" He jumped up, rocking the boat. Your hands shot out to grab the sides. "I knew I could see -"
He was abruptly cut off by his own yelp as he lost balance on the wobbling boat, and was promptly plunged into the cold, shallow waters of the Nile. By the time you reached a hand out to help, he was already soaked, and had splashed you in the process.
You slowly opened your tightly shut eyes, and found him looking rather shocked, his white linen shendyt turned a splattered shade of brown. The two of you sat still as the event slowly processed. A smile crept across your face.
His gaze fluttered and turned to you as you began to laugh, covering your mouth as laughter as bright and wondrous as Hathor's sistrums sang through the papyrus reeds and willow leaves. He stared, mouth open in wonder, before laughing with you, slowly and shyly at first but with growing humour. Shifting upwards, he walked over to you on his knees, placing his hands on the skiff's edge.
"I knew I could see something shining in those eyes," he said, chuckling breathily. "You try so very hard to dull it, but I can see."
"You pride yourself as perceptive, don't you?"
"I have to pride myself on something," he replied.
"You have lots of things to pride yourself on," you said, furrowing your brow.
"Really?" He said with a smirk, leaning in. "Why don't you enlighten me?"
"No, I don't think I want to bolster your ego any more than it already has been," you said, and despite yourself, you leaned in as well.
"Actually, I think it's hit the firmament. I'm as bolstered as they come, you might as well indulge me," he said, shrugging. "Come now. Consider it your apology for lying when you said you don't like me."
You shook your head, laughing.
"I never said I don't like you."
"Fine," he said. "An apology for lying to yourself."
You raised a bemused eyebrow.
"Fine," you said, raising your chin. "Above your insightfulness, you are... energetic... joyous... and rather beautiful."
"You would put beauty above the ability to see clearly? A grave mistake, my dear," he said.
"Well, maybe you're just that beautiful," you said before you could stop yourself.
A blush appeared on his cheeks, but it did nothing to diminish his smile.
"I could say the same about you," he said in a murmur, his gaze flickering down to your lips and back up to your eyes. "But there are far more interesting things in your mind."
"How kind of you to say," you murmured in reply.
"Nothing but the truth," he said with a grin.
He was close now, the both of you having leaned in in small intervals, till it would take no more than swift movement of your lips forward to kiss him. This time it was your gaze that faltered and fell to his lips––but he did not acquiesce to the quiet desire. Instead, he backed away and stood, his skirt dripping with water.
"I suppose I ought to take you home soon. Your father will wonder where you are," he said, wringing the linen in such a way that revealed his upper thighs.
You tried your best not to stare. The tanned skin blending into pale tempted you deeply, but you kept your eyes on his face, only watching out of your peripheral vision.
"I think I can stay for a little longer," you said with a small shrug. "I'm sure my father won't mind, considering I'm with the Prince."
Ahkmen looked up from his skirt, a mischievous smile on his face.
"See?" He said. "I knew I liked you."
The heat of midday was passed on the river in the shade of the arching willow tree, and when the winds became too much, Ahkmen dutifully rowed you back towards the main city. He obtained for you, to eat near the fires of the public bakeries, a bowl of sunbaked dates still fresh from the hot season. The sun quickly set, as it often did in the season of Peret, and the two of you watched the light disappear behind mudbrick buildings and distant palaces. Ahkmen walked you home, and from the riverside plucked a lotus for you to keep.
"We will see each other again before this lotus wilts," he said, earnesty in his eyes gleaming with sunset. "Yes?"
You swallowed thickly, and with a racing heart, found with starting clarity that you liked the Prince much, much more than you ever thought you hated him.
"Yes," you said after a moment's silence. "Of course."
