Portrait of a Pharaoh • Ahkmenrah x Reader (NATM) ✔️

Chapter 4 | pining.

You weren't able to come into the museum today, you needed sleep and had to be up early for a class the next day. Most of the exhibits said 'oh well, next time!' And went on with their night. But the pharaoh was admittedly a little bummed you couldn't come. He'd enjoyed your little art class, and found your violin playing exquisite.

He knew you'd be back the next night, but he still wished you were here. It was surprising how quickly he'd warmed up to you, and he didn't know why. He just... felt like you were an easy person to hang out with. Not to mention very interesting, he liked your talent and the stories you had to tell. This night, he'd found himself in the museum gift shop, leaning against the bookshelves with one of the many books that was being sold. He'd never been able to shake the habit of reading anything and everything from when he was at Cambridge.

He'd read a lot to learn about modern life, but then 54 years passed locked in a sarcophagus. And in those 54 years a lot had changed, so he was back to reading everything he could get his hands on to learn more. This book he'd picked up was about art history, your influence of course.

It detailed art movements over the ages and notable artists in history. As well as the birth of each famous style and aesthetic over the years. It was rather interesting actually, how much art shaped the world and people didn't even seem to notice.

As Larry did his usual rounds making sure no one was breaking anything, he passed by the gift shop and back tracked when he caught a glimpse of Ahk reading on the floor by the bookshelves. Poking his head in to see if everything was ok, the pharaoh seemed fine, he was just invested in the book. When he noticed what the book was about he couldn't help but quietly laugh to himself.

Only a few days and you'd already gotten him hung up on you. Finding it amusing, he snapped a picture of Ahk invested in the book, and texted it to you. You were getting ready for bed when you got the message, and you picked up your phone to read it as you got into bed.

Larry museum guy: (1 attachment) the exhibits understand you gotta take breaks every so often but I think you've gotten Ahk in a trance.

You opened the attachment and smiled to yourself seeing the picture. He looked so invested, the book in his lap tilted slightly so you could see the title 'the history of art'. He leaned on one of his hands and his eyes were glued to the pages. You shot a message back.

You: he's pretty good for a beginner too, glad to see he likes my silly little drawings that much :)

In truth, something about that made you feel kind of honoured. I mean, a pharaoh approving of you art and then becoming interested in it himself? That's a pretty cool achievement.

Back at the museum, Larry could already tell Ahk was completely smitten with you. The moment he saw him staring at you during your art class he knew. He had his own son so he'd seen a fair share of teen crushes from him. And sure, Ahk may be a little older than that but his heart was still acting like a shy schoolboy in whatever jar it sat in all mummified.

Maybe it was his inner dad, but Larry wanted things to work out. So he figured hey, why not push things in the right direction?

"Hey Ahk, you're staying in here tonight?" He asked, approaching the Egyptian.

Ahk looked up, snapped out of his reading daze.

"Hm? Oh, yes! I figured I'd get back into reading more books tonight since there's nothing planned" he replied.

"Art history hey? (Y/n) got you hooked?"

"I'll admit I'm rather fascinated, yes"

Larry didn't doubt he was interested in art, he had always liked it. Art was a pretty big part of ancient Egypt after all, with all the carvings and statues. But he knew part of it was definitely because YOU were the artist that introduced him to modern forms of art.

"With the art or the artist?" Larry teased.

Ahk gave him a slightly confused look, the tease going over his head.

"(Y/n)" he elaborated.

"Oh... I do like them, yes. Their art has got me curious" Ahk replied.

The mummy might not even see it himself yet, but Larry could. That was one hell of a crush, he'd fallen hard and fast and not even realised yet.

"Well have fun reading, and don't worry they'll be back tomorrow night" Larry said, leaving Ahkmenrah to continue reading.

He had the feeling Larry knew something he didn't, but brushed it off to keep reading. He was up to the part about classical art, the kind you said you'd learnt from. And all the works shown in the book were just as detailed and beautiful as your sketches, actually he'd argue yours were more beautiful. Echo and Narcissus
by Nicolas Poussin caught his eye, he remembered this myth. Octavius had told him, it originally was from Ancient Greece, but the Roman's had a version of it too.

He could see how you'd taken your influence from the style and ones similar to it, the realism with the fluid, almost ethereal posing and natural lighting pulled it all together in a very satisfying way. It was no surprise you'd taken influence from such a beautiful style.

He wanted to see some of your paintings, he'd only seen your sketches so far. But he did know transporting a big canvas to the museum would probably be rather tricky and annoying to do, so maybe he could have you take a photo of one of your paintings instead?

It was then he suddenly realised just how much he'd been thinking about you. All night in fact, he was reading this book because of you.

What has come over him all of a sudden? Had Hathor cast a spell on him?

His brief moment of self awareness passed when he shrugged it off and continues to read, too enthralled by the book to ponder on the thought right now. While he was an incredibly smart man, he still failed to realise that he was pining over you, and pining hard.