Night life || Ahkmenrah

Sixteen

When the sun set the day, Ahkmanrah pushed back the lid of the sarcophagus. The relief of it moving under his hands making him sigh as he relaxed. The night before almost a dream he was half convinced he'd had. The sarcophagus lid clattered to the side and he blinked in the sudden light, taking a moment for his eyes to adjust. "Evening", a voice sounded. Ahk felt himself grin as he pulled down the bandages and turned to see Damien. The blonde haired man was standing above his coffin with one hand tucked lazily into the pocket of his trousers. A smirking grin on his face as he looked down at Ahkmanrah.

He extended a hand. Eyes bright blue and hair ruffled. "If you would arise my Pharaoh", he teased. If it were anyone else, Ahk might have taken the teasing the wrong way. But it was Damien and despite only knowing his face for one night, he had known the person for years.

"Good evening Damien", Ahk replied with a fond grin. He took the warm hand in his and let Damien pull him out of the coffin and steady him as he stepped down.

Damien's smirk faded to something soft and Ahk took a second to admire the man's gold hair and pale colouring. It was not colours he was familiar with when alive. People with gold hair in Egypt were rare. Ahk was fascinated that his archaeologist was one of the beings with such characteristics. "Do you need a minute to deal with your bandages?" Damien asked as he let go of his hand.

"A moment will do", Ahkmanrah replied easily. He stepped away and watched as Damien turned back to his photograph.

"I'll just be over here". He pointed and grinned as he hopped back through the frame. Ahk watched for a few seconds as the man took a seat at his desk. He thumbed through a few pages, the light in his tent a bright golden compared to the lowered lights of the exhibit. Ahkmanrah wanted to follow him inside again and immerse himself in Damien's world- just like Damien had spent his whole career doing with his. But that was for another time. He would only do so when welcomed.

It only took a few minutes before the bandages were once again rolled up in the sarcophagus and he was dressed in his finery. The crown a warm and familiar weight on his head, worn with years of practise. He strolled over to the frame and knocked on the outside. Damien turned to face him. "Done?" He stood and reassembled the papers again before hopping out.

"This was your tent during my excavation?" Ahkmanrah couldn't help but asking curiously. He peered at the information plaque on the wall next to it, lips moving as he read slowly. English still a struggle when it came to reading.

"Yes", Damien hummed. He grimaced at the plaque, nose wrinkling. "Don't read that. It's mostly hyped up and half the facts are incorrect".

"It says that you died in the war", Ahkmanrah stated in surprise. He shuddered to think of what sort of a death that was. The thought of Damien dying making him wince and his chest constrict. "I apologise", he added hastily as a dark look crossed over Damien's face. "That was dreadfully rude of me".

Damien turned his gaze to the floor, whole body shuddering at the memories. Ahkmanrah reached out unthinkingly and caught the man's hands in his. "Damien. I did not mean to cause you any distress". He reached up and brushed the backs of his knuckles against Damien's forehead, smoothing back the blonde hair. The action reminiscent of how he would brush the inside of the sarcophagus lid during those long nights when he was trapped. Damien's voice a cheerful but slightly muffled lifeline he could cling onto. Damien sagged slightly under the touch, head lolling back so that he could peer at Ahk through half lidded pale blue eyes.

"No need to apologise", he sighed. "It was death and war. I'm just glad I'm here now". He smiled and Ahk found himself smiling back.

"If it makes you feel any better", Ahk spoke as they linked arms. He gently turned Damien away from his photo and the plaque and towards the corridor out of the exhibit. "I was poisoned by my brother. Well, he had a snake smuggled into my bed at night and it bit me of course".

"That's horrible", Damien gasped. Both of them waving to the Jackal headed guards as they passed. "Was it painful?"

"Not really", Ahk shrugged with a small reassuring smile. "I was half asleep and the venom took me quickly".

"Still. Your own brother. It was not a fair way for you to go", Damien muttered. Then he grinned. "Although I had thought many times of doing the same to my older brother. Not that I would have actually done it of course. But bloody hell did he anger me sometimes".

Ahkmanrah laughed. "It's all the past now", he waved his free hand. "It doesn't bother me anymore".

"I'm still sorry about it". Damien frowned and Ahkmanrah tried not to let it show how happy that made him. Damien continued speaking as they walked leisurely towards the museum entrance hall. "I mean, my death wasn't personal. It was war. The man who killed me did nothing hold any grudges against me. Murder must have felt very personal. I am sorry you had to deal with that anguish".

Ahk had to think for a moment for the words to answer. What Damien had said hitting surprisingly deep. His eyes widened and he tightened his grip on the other's arm slightly. Damien turned worriedly. "Did I say too much?"

"No. No", Ahk amended hastily. "It's just that I have never really thought about it that way. I knew Khumanrah hated me. But the murder was still a surprise. I had only been ruling for seven years. For a while, back when I first woke. I hated him. But fifty years has allowed me to get over it".

Damien was quiet for a moment and they resumed walking, pace even slower than before. He reached up and placed his other hand on top of their intertwined fingers, both his hands clutching Ahkmanrah's. "I was killed by a shell", he admitted quietly. "Shells are types of bombs. The Germans were pelting the battlefield with them. I was unlucky enough to have one land practically at my feet. I remember this panic and a burst of bright hot pain". He shuddered again and Ahk wanted nothing more than to pull him into a hug.

Damien took a breath and kept talking, eyes distant. "My body was never recovered", he sighed. "So damaged that my family couldn't bury me".

"No burial or gifts for the afterlife?" Ahk asked, aghast at the prospect. He'd had a whole tomb of gold and days of ceremonial morning and burial. His culture placed a great store on burial and proper send off to the underworld. His heart ached at the knowledge that Damien had never gotten something similar. "You deserved whole pyramids dedicated to you in death", he stated  strongly. "Riches for your journey into the next world. You should have been mourned by hundreds. How could you not?"

Damien's lips quirked up in a wry smiled, trauma fading as a glimmer of amusement sparked in his eyes. "I guess I had a few pennies in my pockets at the time", he muttered thoughtfully. "And my remains are in the earth covered in poppies. I'm sure my family had some sort of memorial service. They still hold a memorial service in Britain every year, that I know. That should count ".

"You deserve far more", Ahk scowled. Damien chuckled as they turned the corner to the entrance hall.

"Thank you for thinking so", he grinned. "But I am satisfied with my burial. A lot of men got the same. I was not special".

"Of course you are", Ahk snapped, still frustrated at the thought of the wonderful person lying forgotten. "If we had known each other in life, I would have given you the world".

Damien coughed, eyes darting. He gazed at Ahkmanrah with a look of surprise. His moth slightly open as he took in the truth in Ahkmanrah's face. "You're making me blush", he complained. "It's too early in the night for such grand statements". He ran a hand through his hair and Ahk relaxed slightly. He smiled fondly at the other man as they descended the stairs. He would have to leave the grand statements for another time. Damien was obviously flustered. It was adorable.

"Alright", he smiled. "I shall continue this another time".

Damien exhaled shakily and giggled at him. "Definitely. There are only so many compliments from a pharaoh I can take in one night before I combust". Ahk chuckled.

"You shall have to get used to it dear one", he squeezed Damien's hand in promise. The blonde flushed again but smiled giddily at him. Ahkmanrah beamed back just as equally as giddy.

Unedited