[art] X-men Reverse Bang 2012 Art Master Post
Written for xmenreversebang 2012
Alternate links: DW | Tumblr
Story (AO3, fic + art): The Boy with the Blue Eyes by nekosmuse
A/N: Neko is a wonderful, wonderful person, and I had so much fun working on this 'verse with her. When I first signed up for XMRB, I had no clue what to prompt. Then came the prompts post and her prompt instantly kicked some inspiration into me. The next thing I knew, I had five pieces mostly done and ready for claims (the prompt). After claims and a bumpy start, Neko came along to the rescue and became my pinch hit author. I was so excited to work with her and I loved the ideas we were tossing back and forth with each other. I've never collaborated with an author before, and it was just amazing. If it wasn't for Neko, and the fabulous story she created, I wouldn't have been able to create the staggering number of pieces I have here for everyone to see. So, thank you so much for being such a great person to work with and such an inspiration! (And thank you for putting up with all my squeeing and keysmashing ;])
Much thanks also to my go-to artist buddy a_systole and everyone in the xmrb_support chat for cheering me on and giving me additional pairs of eyes to check my work! Your encouragement definitely helped me finish all these pieces!
Without further ado, here are my offerings for XMRB! (Warning: spoilers ahead!)
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A group of children, flushed with the innocence of youth, sat rapt with attention, hanging on the words of the Eldest. A wide silk awning sheltered them from the sun, making their circle look as dark as night, while a sacred fire burned in their centre. The Eldest spoke with arms stretched wide, her voice carrying.
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Erik glanced up sharply, gaze drawn from where his hand now rested, pressed against a wall of white. He thought only to see the swirling mist, impenetrable, and instead found himself staring into a pair of startlingly blue eyes.
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At home, tucked inside his alcove, away from prying eyes, he drew those eyes, again and again; the outer wall now covered in the image, his mother's smiling face buried beneath bright, mysterious eyes and the endless expanse of the void.
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Erik's hand hovered over the last of his sketches, almost afraid to see them now. He thought back to the last time he'd gone--the last time he'd stared into those impossibly blue eyes.
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Erik's heart thundered in his chest.
He stood, a hair's breadth from the void, feeling its cool mist on his face, his hand still outstretched.
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He wanted then only to cross, to step through to the boy's side; to succumb to his siren pull. Erik took a step forward. The boy's expression fell.
He shook his head, eyes growing wide, hand coming up in a bid to stop Erik from crossing, but it was too late, the pull of the beyond no longer within his capacity to resist.
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(Click for a bigger image!)(Alternate Version)
When Urkanli came into view, it was as dim shapes in the distance, easily mistaken for a mirage. It wasn't until he drew close that he saw the pillars for what they were: great, towering things that dwarfed him in size. The entire city was grand, open and airy, meant to accommodate hundreds of thousands of people; far more than Tel Aeslah would ever hold. Urkanli sat in ruins now, broken columns and sand covered mosaic streets; the civilization that once called it home lost to legend.
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The man wore fierce determination like armour; his eyes alight with hope and anticipation. They faded the second he finished his crossing, his eyes growing wide as his left arm fell limp to his side. Charles moved without thinking, reaching the man's side just as his knees might have given way; catching the man then around the waist and holding him fast.
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The statement seemed to stop Erik short, because he froze, growing entirely too rigid, as though considering just what Charles meant by realm of possibilities. Charles took the opportunity presented, sliding himself along the bench until Erik's back was angled towards him, Erik practically in his lap. He reached out then, brow furrowed as his breath caught, awaiting Erik's reaction. It was somewhat surprising to set his hands on Erik's shoulders without incident.
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She came to meet him in the middle of the courtyard. Erik stayed back, moving to lean against one of the pillars that framed the complex. After a moment's hesitation, he sank to the ground, knees again coming to his chest. Despite the relaxed pose, Charles could tell he was poised and ready for action. He met Emma's eye.
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Erik made himself look then, breath catching when the void sprang into view. It shimmered in the distance like a curtain of mist, though more opaque than Erik remembered. Without instruction, he stepped towards it, the void drawing near, growing clearer with each step.
He stopped when he reached its side, familiar longing striking in his breast when he caught his first glimpse of the other side, towering mountains and golden grasslands sparking the nostalgia of having come home.
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It was easy then to lean forward; to press into Charles' space, Charles stretching up until their lips brushed together, the pendant around Erik's neck slipping free to dangle between them. The kiss was far more tentative than the ones they'd shared before, yet it somehow felt more solemn, a promise made so many years before, when he'd first seen Charles' eyes through the void.
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Lastly, a bonus! A clothing line up for Emma, Charles, Erik and Logan. (Click for a bigger image!)
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And that's all, folks! Keep an eye out on tumblr for some bonuses, and be sure to read the fic, because it's absolutely marvelous <333