ART: Ocean of Secrets (NSFW)
Sep. 13th, 2012 08:29 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
amphigouryPrompt: Titanic (1997)
Rating: Explicit, NSFW
Pairings: Merlin/Arthur
Spoilers/Warnings: As per the film and setting, depictions of: smoking, drinking, a suicide attempt and hypothermia resulting in major character death
Artist's note: Many thanks to my long-suffering betas
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altocello and reni_m. It was hard to pick just these few scenes, when the whole movie translated so well to Merthur. I'd also like to thank slantedknitting for volunteering to write some accompanying blurbs. She ended up writing, like, a whole friggin' fic, but that's another story. And of course, thanks to colacube for organising this challenge again! 
In case you've forgotten how it goes, here is a Titanic primer:
Okay, here we go!
I Know What You're Thinking. "Poor Little Rich Boy"
"I'll let go!" Arthur shouted hysterically.
The man raised his eyebrows and stilled.
Satisfied, Arthur started to turn back around so he could focus. The moment was quickly losing intensity.
"No, you won't," he said, a smile tugging at his lips.
Arthur had to stop and replay his words in his head to remember what the man was disagreeing with him about. The pause brought fury to the surface again. He didn't have time to deal with this.
"Who the hell are you?" he snapped. "Don't presume to tell me what I will and will not do. You don't know me!"
"You let go and I'm going to have to jump in there after you." He took off his coat in a surprisingly business-like manner before lifting each of his feet to untie his boot laces.
"You're crazy," he said, stumbling over the words.
"Crazy?" the man asked, lips quirking in a lop-sided smile. "With all due respect, sir... I'm not the one hanging off the back of a ship, here. Come on... give me your hand. You don't want to do this."
First Class
"Just the other night, I was sleeping in a barn," Merlin continued, his gaze returning to Uther. "And now here I am on the grandest ship in the world having champagne in excellent company."
He lifted his glass as a waiter passed and had it refilled. Arthur smirked and almost wished that Merlin would get drunk and make a scene, just so he could see the look on his father's face.
"I've learned that life's a gift and I don't intend on wasting it. I've learned to take life as it comes at me... to make each day count."
Merlin nodded, satisfied with his speech, and the table grew silent. Arthur watched, slightly breathless, as Merlin continued smiling, apparently unconcerned with the awkward tension.
"Well said, Merlin." Mithian broke the silence.
Spurred on by her kind acceptance of Merlin's life, Arthur lifted his champagne glass. "To making it count," he said loudly, keeping his eyes on Merlin.
The rest of the table lifted their glasses and repeated the toast before drinking. Merlin grinned, looking immensely pleased with himself, and locked eyes with Arthur as he tilted his glasses toward Arthur and sipped at the champagne.
Wearing Only This
Merlin couldn't keep his eyes off it. He was sure it was made with real gold and he knew that the diamonds covering the base were probably worth more than anything anyone in his entire extended family had ever owned.
"It's..." Merlin had no words as he held it in his hands. It was so beautiful and worth so much money, but he couldn't help but think of who had designed it and who had actually crafted it. They must have been the best to have been hired to make something so intricate.
"Merlin," Arthur said, his voice low and close to Merlin's ear, "I want you to draw me wearing this."
Merlin nodded, still taking in the details of the crown. "All right."
"Wearing... only this."
Merlin turned in surprise, almost dropping the crown. Arthur looked determined and nervous but so open and ready that all Merlin could do was nod.
Do Me This Honour
"No," Merlin said and Arthur grounded himself in that voice. "This is not how you die. This is not what's meant for you. You have so much ahead of you. You have so much greatness inside of you that you have yet to shown the world."
Arthur closed his eyes, his body fighting to break down and sob. He wasn't the great one; Merlin was the one with so much talent and vivacity and love. Merlin was the one who should be floating on the bed board, fighting for a chance of survival.
Arthur turned on his side, ready to plunge back into the water and trade places, but Merlin reached out and gripped his shoulder with a surprising strength.
"Listen to me," he growled. "I have no regrets. I thought winning that ticket was the best thing that's ever happened to me, but I was wrong. It was you - it was meeting you."
Arthur gasped for air and held Merlin's hands tightly in front of him. He pressed a trembling, numb kiss to Merlin's fingers.
"You must do me this honor," Merlin went on, resting his chin on their hands. "Promise me that you'll survive. Promise me now and never let go of that promise."
Arthur shook his head. He didn't want to go on without Merlin. The way his life had been before Merlin was unbearable and if he had to go back to that on his own, he might as well die here. Merlin's sacrifice was too much and he wasn't sure he could promise that it wouldn't be in vain.
"Promise me, Arthur," Merlin demanded, his voice shaking with the effort of talking.
"I promise," Arthur said, clutching Merlin's hands. "I promise."
He Saved Me In Every Way A Person Can Be Saved
Arthur reached the bottom of the staircase and looked up.
There, at the top, staring at the clock, was Merlin.
It wasn't the Merlin who was dressed in a borrowed suit to impress his father, or the Merlin who was blue and covered in ice as Arthur watched him sink. It was the Merlin who had saved him, the Merlin who had drawn him, the Merlin who had burrowed so quickly and so far into Arthur's heart that he had never quite been able to recover from the loss.
Arthur approached weightlessly, ascending the stairs with ease. Sensing something, Merlin looked over his shoulder, and Arthur was flooded with relief at the familiar sight.
Merlin was smiling as if no time had passed. He held out his hand and Arthur took it, letting Merlin pull him up the last few steps.
The kiss itself was a new kind of life all over again, and Arthur lost himself in it completely.
Additional Artist's Notes: Drawing wet, frosty characters is hard! And nothing makes you appreciate the opulence of the Grand Staircase than having to draw it! Holy smokes! I think I just pretty much did a second BigBang here....
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no subject
Date: 2012-09-13 04:00 pm (UTC)Now if you'll excuse me I'll be in my bunk angsting over the loveliness of it all.
(gross sobbing)
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Date: 2012-09-18 04:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-13 04:03 pm (UTC)Bravo!!
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Date: 2012-09-18 04:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-13 04:17 pm (UTC)Anyway, I love it all and I love you. Thanks for letting me be a part of it :D
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Date: 2012-09-18 04:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-13 04:19 pm (UTC)Stacey
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Date: 2012-09-18 04:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-13 04:23 pm (UTC)You not only did this film justice but you made the Merlin/Arthur pairing and interactions perfect ♥
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Date: 2012-09-18 04:37 pm (UTC)Thanks for the comment!
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Date: 2012-09-13 05:05 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2012-09-13 06:27 pm (UTC)Where's the tat version?
Hee
CONGRATS YOU POSTED!!! \o/ \o/ \o/
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Date: 2012-09-15 05:40 am (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2012-09-13 09:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-18 04:40 pm (UTC)Thank you!!
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Date: 2012-09-13 10:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-18 04:41 pm (UTC)Thanks for commenting!
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Date: 2012-09-14 12:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-18 04:43 pm (UTC)I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for the comment!
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Date: 2012-09-14 03:10 pm (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2012-09-18 04:44 pm (UTC)Thanks for commenting!!
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Date: 2012-09-19 07:59 pm (UTC)I need a moment to absorb this properly.
*flails*
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Date: 2012-09-19 08:05 pm (UTC)(no subject)
From:no subject
Date: 2012-09-25 06:48 am (UTC)I watched Titanic again when it came out in 3D, thinking since I didn't cry then I wouldn't cry now... but I did!!
So heartbreaking and wonderful at the same time!
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Date: 2012-09-25 10:12 am (UTC)Thanks for commenting! I'm glad you like it!
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Date: 2012-09-29 09:38 pm (UTC)Why am I only seeing this now
*beats LJ*
FYI -- frosty!Merlin is gorgeous! And that image of Crowned!Arthur? OMG. So full of freaking arrogance and self-assurance I could explode.
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