The Pharaoh who Eloped with Death
Will was having a lot of fun, actually. Some would think presiding over the entire Ancient Egyptian civilisation as their Pharaoh would be something he'd avoid, but it was pretty amusing. He got burnt offerings daily, took a cleansing religious bath in his own honour, and then got to look hot in kohl eyeliner, a dress skirt and gold jewellery. The only problem he had was the royal butt-wiper constantly hovering around to… well, the name spoke for itself.
Will leaned back in his throne, thinking about fruit and which ones he might like today. Eating the real thing was so much better than getting high off its fumes.
You see, the current Pharaoh of Egypt wasn't really what everyone thought he was. Or, he was exactly what they thought he was. It was really confusing.
Egyptians believed that their Pharaoh was a manifestation of the god Horus, and so he was treated as such. Will could confirm however, that they were no such thing. The mortal men and women who'd preceded him were just that – mortal. Now Will, Will was the real deal. It wasn't every century that the god of the sun came down to earth for a spin in the chair of the privileged.
His people didn't know he was the one they called Ra, the deity who rode the sun across the sky every day. Will had decided on a jaunt to his old kingdom, keeping his name a secret and instead integrating himself into society by the name of Amenemsou, meaning Amen of the Sun. Fitting for a sun god in disguise.
"Pharaoh Amenemsou." One of the temple advisory guards rushed diligently in, his face stony and serious. "We have detained a man outside who claims he must have your presence for a time."
Will glanced up from the arm of his throne. Fun as ruling was, it was a sort of boring job. Any action was welcome.
"Alright then," Will said, "bring him in."
The guard bowed. Will could see the concerned frown on his face. As a god with the ability to be in many different times and places as he wanted, Will had been spending most of his immortal life in the far future, where he had a whole bunch of other deity's from all kinds of places to hang out with. His home of residence was in a city called New York, America. He'd pulled some strings and reconnected with his old consciousness in a nostalgic need for the past – among other things – and transported his main self to the Egypt of old. Becoming Pharaoh had been a pleasant surprise. But his speech was a problem, as it was so different and informal than what was used in the halls of Ancient Egypt. Will coughed.
"I mean, I shall have audience with this man."
The guard nodded and bowed again, backing out. Will wondered if he'd practised that so he didn't run into walls. Then he shook his head, discreetly straightened his eternally messy blond hair under the crown he had to wear, and stared impassively at the entrance. Thinking was for later – Pharaoh-ing was for now.
It wasn't very long until the figures of five or so guards appeared on the steps. Will tried to discreetly crane his neck to see over their tall selves to catch a glimpse of the person in their midst. But even when the group stopped right before him he couldn't see the person who'd demanded his time.
Then the guards stepped aside and Will almost slipped off his throne. An achingly familiar face that forced his stomach to plummet through the floor wasn't what he'd been expecting today.
Some would call him lanky and thin, but look closer and there was definite muscles rippling under the pale olive skin – an oddity in itself here in the desert. The newcomer wore no shoes, but a garment of soft black linen was wrapped around his waist and dark gems hung from it. Black bands decorated his wrists, and a single onyx earring dangled from between shadowy locks. A necklace of braided grey material with a smooth stone on it touched the man's chest in the shape of an imiut fetish. Around his deep black eyes were thick lines of kohl. There was a simple crown of woven obsidian metal resting on his forehead, with two bent pieces of it sticking straight up in the air, looking like the ears of a dog. Or a jackal.
The man did a graceful bow that Will could tell was absolutely bursting with sarcasm.
"Pharaoh Amenemsou," he greeted quietly. Will could hear the silent laughter in his voice. "My name is Sutekh."
"I bet it is," Will muttered to himself. The advisory guard who first came in sidled over to him.
"I was not in favour of allowing him in, Pharaoh," he said. "His very name is a link to Chaos."
Will had to really concentrate on not rolling his eyes. He'd forgotten how paranoid his people had been.
"I am sure it is just coincidence," he replied. Then, raising his voice, he addressed the so called Sutekh. He was sure to force his voice not to shake. "May I know your purpose of asking for my audience, Sutekh?"
The man gave Will the barest of smirks.
"I wish to have words with an old friend," he told the pseudo-Pharaoh. Will's eye twitched as the emphasis on old. "I have reason to know he resides here."
Will stood up, ignoring the disbelieving look on his advisory guards face, and approached Sutekh. He tried to stay composed as he had to be in the throne room, in front of his adviser and guards.
"Well," he said briskly, "I shall assist in any way I can. If you would follow me."
He waved to his guards, who'd moved to escort him and his guest.
"No need, my friends," he told them. "You may go back to your posts."
They left. Hesitantly. Very hesitantly.
Will rounded on 'Sutekh'.
"What the Hades are you doing here, Nico!" he hissed. Nico raised his eyebrows.
"Not in this world I'm not," he corrected. "Right here right now, to these people, I am Anubis, not Hades."
Will made a frustrated noise.
"My question still stands!" he whisper-yelled. Nico prodded the blond's arm, an unforgivable act. If he wasn't a god. If he wasn't a friend. If he wasn't… something more.
"Came to see you," Nico responded, his tone a little frustrated now. He levelled a glare at Will and the sun god felt a blush creep up his cheeks. Maybe it wasn't all nostalgia that had made him flee to old Egypt.
"Look, Nico-" he started, but the god of death across many religions held up his hand for silence.
"You're about to say you're sorry, aren't you?" he asked. Will looked away guiltily. Nico sighed in pent up annoyance.
"You worried me, you know," he said. "I had to wrangle your where-abouts out of the Fates. The Fates, Will. Do have any idea what they made me do?"
"A funny dance?" Will murmured. Nico made an angry noise in his throat.
"Me, Will! God of the dead, funeral rites, shadows and a ton of other things across a ton of other places, doing the chicken dance for a bunch of old ladies with yarn balls. Just to find you'd run away to Ancient Egypt!"
Will tried not to laugh. He could feel Nico glaring at him.
"Why'd you do it, Will?" he suddenly asked. "Why'd you run here?"
Will stopped giggling. He was avoiding Nico's eye again.
"You know why," he said quietly. Nico drew a deep breath.
"Will." He didn't look up. "It doesn't matter, you know." He stopped for a moment before saying, "It's not like I hated it."
A disturbing cracking noise came from the Pharaoh's neck as he whipped his head to stare at Nico.
"What?" he said dumbly. Nico blinked.
"I didn't hate it," he repeated. Then it was his turn to avoid eye-contact as he said, "I kind of liked it, actually." Then, even quieter, he added, "A lot."
Will's jaw hit the ground.
"But- but," he stuttered. "You didn't say anything."
Spreading his arms angrily, Nico argued, "You disappeared before I could!"
Will bit his lip, his face flushing again. "Sorry."
"You're an idiot," Nico said. Will almost looked up, but before he could there was an abnormally cold hand on the side of his neck, and then another on his cheek, and then a chillingly soft pair of lips was on his and Will gasped.
Running away to Ancient Egypt hadn't been about nostalgia at all. That's just what he'd told himself.
Running away to Ancient Egypt had been about avoiding having to face the unfairly pretty god of the many Underworlds after he'd impulsively kissed him. Will Solace, god of the sun for hundreds of civilisations, had been harbouring a crush on Nico di Angelo, and it had just all rushed out like a river in that one contact.
Unable to handle the rejection and in need of comforting, Will went back to the first people who worshipped him extravagantly. He could use some pampering. But then Nico had turned up and Will had wondered if he'd have to resort to going right to the dawn of time just to escape his embarrassment.
Except here was Nico now, reciprocating rather enthusiastically. Will's back hit the smooth temple wall and he sighed happily, threading his hands through the death god's glossy black hair, touching his crown. When they broke apart they weren't even out of breath. Will stared at Nico.
"You…"
Nico had the audacity to smirk.
"Me," he said. Will pouted and gripped the other's pale arms, leaning in again.
"You can be my Death Boy," he told Nico. Then he smiled nervously. "If you like."
Nico pretended to think about it, his mouth curling into a smirk.
"Are you asking me out?" he questioned. Will nodded. Nico's eyes flicked away, his cheeks tinting light pink.
"My eternity is yours," he said, so softly Will almost missed it. A wickedly stupid grin spread across Will's face and he launched himself at Nico, trailing kisses across his chin and jaw.
"Just no more time-zone crossing," the death god said grumpily, pretending to just endure the affection as if he wasn't enjoying it. "It's a pain trying to find you."
"Promise," Will said eagerly. Linking arms with the black haired man, they started off across the temple without any real destination.
"Where should we go?" Will asked, gazing at the horizon. Nico glanced up at him.
"Before we go anywhere, you're going to have to do something about that Pharaoh thing," he said. Will groaned.
"How about we just elope."
'Sounds okay to me."
Wriiiterrrrssss bloooooooooock takes responsibility for this. I thought I may as well post it.
Jasmine Out!