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When Ahkmenrah first looked at himself his face felt bare. He didn't have a desire to be seen as above his new friends but he was a pharaoh, and having his eyes so bare didn't seem right for a man of his status.
Many of the women and a few of the other men around the museum wore makeup, but being -most of them- made of wax made it all the easier. It was simply part of them. Ahkmenrah was not so lucky.
He had seen some authentic kohl in a display near his own. But three thousand year old makeup locked in a glass case was hardly of any use to him.
"Ahk? Are you okay, Buddy?"
Larry's voice made him jump. He took a step back from the display case.
"Guardian. I did not hear you approach." Ahkmenrah said.
"What're you staring at?" Larry followed his eye line to the display, "Oh, that's that makeup you guys would wear."
"It protects us from disease and evil." Ahkmenrah said, "It would indicate our rank among our people."
He frowned as his eyes refocussed to view his own reflection in the case. Larry's eyes fell on the young man's face. He gently patted the young man's shoulder.
"Don't stay back here too long. Sunrise is coming soon." Larry said.
Ahkmenrah nodded slightly, "I will return shortly."
***
It wasn't like Larry had never bought anything for any of the exhibits before, but this had proved to be difficult. He couldn't not get soemething for Ahkmenrah after seeing that look on his face. The kid was king, buying the cheap stuff didn't feel quite right.
He went about his evening tasks as he always did until Ahkmenrah awoke. He would have liked to be there when he woke up but he knew that the young man preferred his privacy, so long as the top of the sarcophagus was removed by that time.
"Hey, Ahk." Larry smiled as he entered Ahkmenrah's exhibit.
The young man was still unwrapping the bandages from around his body. He smiled to Larry.
"Hello, Larry. I need a few more moments to get ready." Ahkmenrah said.
"Yeah, of course. I just- I got you something." Larry said reaching into his pocket to pull out the eye liner he had found, "It just seemed important to you."
Ahkmenrah stood dumbstruck for a moment before he accepted the item from Larry's hand.
"I know it's not exactly the same but it's made from the same stuff." Larry said. Not totally the same but maybe it would be close enough.
Ahkmenrah looked the pencil and smiled, "Thank you, Guardian."
The smile on Ahkmenrah's face when came to join the others that night could not be missed. It had been four thousand years and the new method of application would take practice, but all the same he seemed to be more himself that night.