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

Chapter 7 | portrait.

Another day, another assignment. A portrait this time, to be drawn with charcoal.

You stared down at the blank A2 paper in front of you, trying to decide on who to draw. You wanted someone unique, someone that would get you a good grade for your technique, someone that you'd enjoy drawing. The paper too big for your little desk in your apartment, you'd put it out on the floor over a scrap of cardboard to keep the charcoal off the floor. Your put your desk lamp on the floor by it too to light the page up. Next to your little set up was your pack of charcoal and an eraser.

Who to draw? Someone that was important to you? Someone that was pretty? You were lost for who to make this assignment on.

As you blankly stared down at the paper, your thoughts were derailed when your phone buzzed with a message, picking it up and unlocking it you found another image attachment from Larry. You couldn't be at the museum tonight because of this assignment, you hoped they were all having fun.

Larry Museum guy: (1 attachment) it's offical, he's obsessed.

Attached was another picture of Ahk off in his own world. This time he was in his exhibit, with an art theory book and the sketchbook you'd given him. Seemed like he was attempting to teach himself how to do a certain technique as he carefully examined one of his artefacts to copy down. You couldn't help but smile.

You: at least he's not crashing RC cars like Jed and Octavius :)

You joked a bit in the reply, happy to see Ahk getting so into art and genuinely trying to learn.

Thats when it hit you. Someone interesting, someone unique, someone pretty. Ahkmenrah, you should draw Ahkmenrah. And you had two pictures of him to reference as well. You immediately got to work, propping your phone up on your water bottle to keep the reference picture in your sight, and began mapping out the general shapes.

Before you knew it, you were a machine. Completely and utterly hyper focused, hands getting covered in charcoal from blending and shading with them. As the night progressed, slowly but surely it all began to come together.

The details on his beads, the slight fluff to his hair, the shine in his eyes and the smile on his lips. You hadn't noticed how soft his lips were until now... not a blemish on his skin or anything. Pretty amazing for a dead guy, a mummy to be exact.

There was something else you didn't notice until you zoomed in on the picture to get a better look. A scar, one right across his neck. It was faint, just above the rim of his beaded neck piece. You hadn't noticed it before, since it was rather thin and seemed to be hidden in the shadow that was usually cast over one's neck from their head. But in the photo, where the light fell a nearby display case shone on him, you could see it clearly.

That must have something to do with his death, and while you were curious you knew it probably wasn't best to ask. If he was killed via foul play, like someone trying to take the throne then you couldn't imagine it'd be pleasant to bring up that memory. Nonetheless, you used the eraser to make a faint lime across the neck where the scar was. Accuracy was important in this kind of art, even if that scar seemed like something he wouldn't want to talk about.

Also taking some artistic liberty, you added the detail of typical pharaoh makeup. The dramatic eyeliner to be exact. He didn't have it in his current form everyday, every so often he did have that dramatic liner on. But you knew he definitely would have back as a pharaoh every day.

You had completely lost track of the time, just like you did the night you accidentally stayed in the museum past closing and met the Pharaoh. So it was deep into the night by the time you'd finished and your hands were black with charcoal.

Looking up at the clock, you finally saw the time.

"1am?! Goddamn it's been 6 hours!" You muttered, getting up to wash the charcoal from your hands.

Stretching your limbs from the stiffness of being on the floor that long, you knew you needed to finish up and go to bed. You washed your hands, sealed your drawing and packed everything up. Propping up your finished drawing on your desk to take into class tomorrow, it faced your bed and when you climbed in it to go to sleep, you were eye to eye with your portrait.

You were actually pretty proud of it, it turned out a lot better than you expected. All that was left was to write your description for it, which you pondered on as you lay in bed to go to sleep.

Obviously you couldn't say 'this is my friend who's actually dead and a pharaoh' that'd give away he museums secret and no one would believe you probably. But instead you could say it was a depiction of the ancient figure based on descriptions, other art, historical information etc. that would probably pass as more believable.

And the title? You'd keep it simple and just name it the subject of the portrait. Although you wondered if you should do just 'Ahkmenrah' or 'Ahkmerah, fourth king of the fourth king' his full title. Either way you were pleased with it, and were rather exited to hand it in and see what grade you'd get. You had a good feeling about this one.

He was such a nice figure to draw. He had flawless skin, gorgeous eyes, a cheeky smile, the coolest and most elegant clothes.

He was such a nice person too, always kind and helpful. He had a streak of sass in him you find funny, and while his humour was a bit dark it still amused you. Even after all he'd been though, he still made the effort to smile and make others smile too. And it was just so cute to see him get so interested in art because of you, and watch him be amazed at the modern world when he learnt something new.

You liked his company. Really liked his company.

Oh gods... you couldn't have a crush on a mummy... could you?