"I've seen the workings of curses before but never like this..."
"...They removed all the organs, except for the heart."
"Why?"
"Because they believed you needed your heart to be judged in the Underworld," Steven explained to the young museum visitor. "And only the worthiest would be allowed to pass through the Field of Reeds."
"But the brain, apparently you didn't need that in the afterlife, cause they'd stick a hook up there and pull it out through your nose!" came a lively voice behind them. Eva, head of the collection and leading tour guide.
The girl's face scrunched up in disgust.
"Sorry, just had to get in on the TMI facts of ancient history." She grinned. "Morning Steven."
"Oh, hi, morning-" He smiled and gave a little wave as he stumbled over his words.
"Get a room." The girl scrunched up her nose again and hurried off to rejoin her class group, leaving the two standing there together, sharing a good-hearted chuckle.
"Your passion really shines through," she told him, and this wasn't the first she had told him this. "I'm sorry we're not hiring more guides at the moment, you'd kill it. But as soon as a spot opens up you'll be the first to know. Glad we have you, though."
"Yeah, it's something, innit? I like my job-"
"Stevie!" Eva chuckled as he winced as Donna's voice echoed through the lobby. Their tender moment was interrupted by the strict head of the gift shop.
Eva held up her hands in surrender as Donna stormed over, her heels clicking on the polished flooring, emphasizing each step. "Sorry Donna, you can blame me."
"I will not! It's Stevie's tardiness that gets him in a lot of right trouble! You're not the bloody tour guide, Stevie!"
"I was just telling Steven what a fitting addition I think he'd be to the guides," Eva told her.
"Right, right. Well that's not your job. You have a job, remember, or had you forgotten?"
He turned back to Eva, pointing his thumb in the direction of the gift shop. "Duty calls."
"Mine too. I'll pop by to go over the details for tonight. Laters."
Details for tonight? Sounded interesting. He lifted his hand in a little wave. "Laters."
"A'right, you're adorable. Now chop chop!" Donna clapped her hands for emphasis.
"Be nice to him, Donna!" Eva called, Donna waving back over her shoulder.
"Tonight? I wonder what she wants to talk to me about," Steven said as he and Donna headed into the shop.
"Don't know, don't care, at least not now," fussed his boss. "Now, as you said, duty calls!"
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"Hello again." Eva appeared at the cash desk.
"Hello."
"How's the sugar trade going?" She nodded to the candy for sale on display.
"I don't know what this has to even do with Egypt, really. I mean they didn't have that back then, did they, nope. They liked figs and dates and such."
She chuckled. "My next tour's here but just checking: we're still good for tonight at seven?"
"Tonight? At seven?" he repeated.
"Yeah, 'Best steaks in town'," she quoted him, hoping to jog his memory.
"Oh yeah... Sorry, are you asking me out?"
"You beat me to it, remember?" She winked.
"I did?"
Again, she chuckled. "You're funny. See you then."
No, no he really didn't remember. But asking her out? He liked the sound of that. "Yeah - later gators."
She chuckled at this. "I like that - I'm gonna use that." With one last smile, she was off on her tour.
They had a date!
𓀀 𓀀 𓀀
Steven was late.
She checked her phone - again - but - once again - in vain. No messages, not a single word from him. In fact, no message from anyone.
The museum was always a bustling place so she was looking forward to some time to themselves - or she had been...
She had worn one of her favourite dresses: a sparkly, 1920's-style garment that looked brilliant with a string of pearls. I have a soft spot for the '20s...
Ignoring the long string of one-sided texts from her end, she decided to try him one more time. She pressed his number on the screen and let it dial. She tried not to focus on the sinking feeling when it went to voicemail. "Hi Steven, it's me, Eva. Just checking in, I'm at the restaurant, hope everything's all right. Please let me know-" A pause, as though she was expecting - and hoping - for him to answer mid-message. But no, nothing. Silence, just silence. "-All right, laters - uh, later gators," she quickly added, before ending the call, ending the message.
The waiter came by once more. "Are we still waiting for someone, Miss?"
She sighed, heavily. "No, thank you, not anymore. I think I'll order now."
(It finally begins! ;) I was so excited I watched the fist episode as soon as I got home from work yesterday! Can't wait to see where the show will go from here - I've always been super intrigued by Ancient Egypt, so this show has me so excited!
Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed this first part! :))
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Egyptology - Moon Knight
FanfictionA passionate Egyptologist find her work suddenly getting very up close and personal, even when she's harbouring secrets of her own... (MoonKnightXOC) (StevenGrantXOC)