#I WANT TO CHURN BUTTER i wish i had a butter churning. manifesting that soon i'll get a butter churning and make butter

[stinkrascal]

i fucking love orange juice and whole milk. my eyes and my bones are so strong

[thefilmsnob]

Glen Coco’s Top 10 films of 2019

2019 was one of the better movie years I’ve experienced. It was no 2007 or 2013--we all know that--but it was pretty damn good. People who say ‘they just make crap nowadays’ probably aren’t really into movies and are definitely out to lunch. Dammit, now I want lunch. Anyway, here are my picks for the ten best films of 2019 which, as always, follow my runners-up and the traditional bonus track...There’s always a bonus track. 

Runners-Up

-Bombshell

-Booksmart Full Review: https://thefilmsnob.tumblr.com/post/185427895290/booksmart-out-of-5

-Ford v Ferrari

-The Irishman

-Joker Full Review: https://thefilmsnob.tumblr.com/post/188571262775/joker-out-of-5

-Parasite

-The Peanut Butter Falcon

-The Two Popes

And here are my top 10!

#10b. (Bonus Track) Avengers: Endgame

Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, the rest of Hollywood

Maybe, like some people in the industry, you don’t consider Marvel films to be ‘cinema’. Well, that’s a legitimate and long debate for another time. But, you can’t say that weaving a narrative through 22 related films isn’t an impressive feat. That’s what Marvel Studios did and with the help of the Russo Brothers, and despite the countless moving pieces, they ended this chapter of the franchise almost perfectly with just the right balance of action, human drama, twists, turns and some surprisingly poignant moments. If you didn’t get goosebumps--and maybe even pee your pants a bit--when those portals opened up at the end, bringing to mind Gandolf’s triumphant entrance into the Battle of Helm’s Deep, then maybe movies just aren’t for you, my friend. 

Full Review: https://thefilmsnob.tumblr.com/post/184694412545/avengers-endgame-out-of-5

#10. Marriage Story

Director: Noah Baumbach

Starring: Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson

Ironically, Marriage Story is actually about a divorce. But, writer/director Noah Baumbach imbues this civil-turned-nasty separation with all the complexity and aggravation that come with being married with child. He treats the divorce like the grueling process you’d expect it to be, one which involves real, flawed people whose needs and desires don’t align, making the situation increasingly distressing for all parties involved. In turn, Driver and Johansson make this distress increasingly palpable for the audience until it feels like we’re in the room with them during one of their several heated arguments. Both actors give some of the best work of their careers, yet it still may be overshadowed by Laura Dern and Ray Liotta who shine as the two ruthless lawyers representing them. Baumbach has been churning out these gems for years, but his latest, which may be his most accessible, may also be his best so far. 

#9. Jojo Rabbit

Director: Taika Waititi

Starring: Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson

What do you get when you mix Nazi Germany, the ghost of Hitler and a poor Jewish girl trying to survive the second World War? You get one of the funniest and most touching movies of the year, of course. The surging writer/actor/director Taika Waititi, who specializes in quirky films filled with quirkier characters, hasn’t made the typically grim melodrama about Nazi Germany nor is he doing anything close to promoting Nazi culture. Instead, he uses the tale of a young boy who attends a Hitler Youth training camp to highlight the absurdity of this horrible movement while promoting tolerance. He delivers this powerful message by introducing a young Jewish girl who seeks refuge in the home of Jojo and his mother, played by Scarlett Johansson (who clearly had a good year). This leads to Jojo’s crisis of conscience which is complicated by his imaginary friend...who happens to be Adolf Hitler! Yes, the movie is different.

#8. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie

It’s no surprise that Quentin Tarantino would make a film about 1960s Hollywood starring one of the most prestigious celebrity trios in the business; the guy’s passion--obsession even--for film is unmatched. Here, he uses the medium to take a horrific moment in history like the murder of Sharon Tate at the hands of the Manson Family and gives it the stereotypical Hollywood happy ending. In doing so, he showcases the wish fulfillment of the movies and their power to comfort us with optimism while simultaneously warning of their ability to shelter us from our cruel reality. DiCaprio and Pitt give brilliant performances as characters who add to the perception-vs-reality theme, DiCaprio playing the huge movie star full of anxiety and doubt in real life who relies heavily on his stunt double, Pitt, who’s the actual confident hero. All this and much more takes place in a meticulously recreated Hollywood of the ‘60s that sweeps you up in nostalgia and immerses you in a world of make-believe.

#7. Knives Out

Director: Rian Johnson

Starring: Ana de Armas, Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Christopher Plummer 

Yes, there have been many murder mysteries. No, Knives Out isn’t just like the rest of them. Writer/director Rian Johnson does a masterful job at crafting a labyrinthine story that’s just complex enough without overwhelming and strikes a perfect balance of suspense and comedy. Featuring one of the greatest casts assembled in 2019 playing a dysfunctional family of despicable yet intriguing individuals of means, the story is full of truly surprising twists and turns and, more crucially, some well-integrated and astute social commentary. This isn’t a two-hour lecture, though; the film is undeniably entertaining. The stand-out here is detective Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig with a delightful southern drawl and an attention to detail that rivals Sherlock Holmes. Craig transcends his James Bond persona while the film itself transcends a genre. 

#6. 1917

Director: Sam Mendes

Starring: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman

If this were a few years ago 1917 would be, without question, my #1 pick. However, as the long, uncut tracking shot has become more common over the years, it’s also lost a bit of its luster; 2014′s Birdman, one of the best films of the decade, also had the appearance of a single take. Nonetheless, to make a war film, with all its tricky choreography and pyrotechnics, look like one long take is still a phenomenal achievement and an absolute marvel to behold. And, although it obviously couldn’t be filmed in one shot, Sam Mendes and master cinematographer Roger Deakins still had to shoot long takes and stitch them together digitally while stealthily hiding the seams. It all helps tell the story of two young soldiers tasked with traversing treacherous territory to warn a Battalion of British soldiers about an impending German ambush. We follow the pair in real time amidst a story of remarkable bravery, enhanced by the fact that we’re with them every step of the way, at once experiencing everything they do up close while being reminded of how removed we really are from the danger they face.

#5. Uncut Gems

Director: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie

Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin Garnett (hey, why not?), Julia Fox

There are several talented actors in Hollywood who’ve gained a bad reputation for poor career choices. Ben Affleck and Will Smith come to mind. Perhaps the king of this group is Adam Sandler. He’s excelled sporadically in movies like Punch-Drunk Love and The Meyerowitz Stories, but he gives a truly Oscar-worthy performance in this--ahem--gem. As Howard Ratner, he’s a gambling addict who runs a jewelry store in New York’s Diamond district when he gets his hands on a rare Ethiopian black opal which he hopes will help pay off his many debts. In fact, he owes so much to so many people that he struggles to keep track of it all and we cringe every time he does. The tension builds to an almost unbearable level as a host of dangerous men seek payment. If that’s not enough, he’s on the verge of a divorce as he continues seeing a mistress who’s also his employee while owing $100 000 to his own criminal brother-in-law. If you were stressed just reading that, try watching the movie...or being Howard himself. The Safdie brothers don’t let up either, filming it like a documentary to add to its realism and immediacy...as if it needed that extra boost.     

#4. The Lighthouse

Director: Robert Eggers

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe

The first thing you notice watching The Lighthouse is that half the screen is missing; Robert Eggers, who also wrote and directed The Witch, shot the film with a 1.19: 1 aspect ratio, making the picture square, like an old-timey photograph. It feels limiting at first until you fully appreciate the feelings of confinement and anxiety it evokes. That’s important in a film about two lighthouse keepers, or wickies, who are forced to live together in insanely grungy and cramped quarters of a lighthouse on a remote island off the coast of New England. Considering the harsh conditions and the fact it’s a horror film, they soon clash and seemingly lose their grip on reality which manifests in macabre images and supernatural occurrences. Or does it? Ha! This is one of the most unique and beautifully filmed movies of the year with the grainy black and white 35mm making it seem like it was made closer to the late 19th century, when the film takes place. Like many recent horror films, this one relies more on mood and imagery than jump scares and is buttressed by only two actors who give award-worthy performances. Alright? So, go to hell; Pattinson can act.

#3. Little Women

Director: Greta Gerwig

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, Timothee Chalamet, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern

You might assume that Little Women is a stuffy period piece and even unnecessary considering it’s the seventh adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s iconic 1868 novel, but the prodigious actor-turned-writer-turned-director Greta Gerwig is too adept in her craft to settle for conventional story-telling. She gives this classic story a fresh, modern take with a non-linear approach and a feminist angle that enhances without overwhelming. Like her work on Lady Bird, she keeps scenes brisk and to the point with decisive cuts. She also adds her unique wit and snappy dialogue. Every conversation, no matter how superficial, leaves you enraptured. So, too, do the characters; it’s a pleasure following these complex girls through the ups and downs of their lives as women of little means and even fewer rights. They’re portrayed by a stellar cast, particularly Jo March who’s played by Saoirse Ronan, perhaps our greatest sub-30 actress. This may be a little movie about little women, but the payoffs and sheer enjoyment are truly grand.   

Full Review: https://thefilmsnob.tumblr.com/post/190231754125/little-women-12-out-of-5

#2. Us

Director: Jordan Peele

Starring: Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke 

I know it’s blasphemous, but I might be the only person on Earth who not only thought Get Out was a tad overrated, but that Jordan Peele’s second feature, Us, is the superior picture. It’s easy to look at this film as merely a unique take on the slasher genre, but it’s so much more than that. Like any good horror, it’s creepy as hell, but it’s also brimming with foreshadowing, symbolism and metaphor. There are three or four ideas that Peele sets up at the beginning that seem disconnected to the story, yet they each have a specific purpose and when that becomes evident, it’s incredibly satisfying. Even more impressive is how Peele turns a movie about a vacationing family encountering their doppelgangers into a brilliant commentary on the current state of America, specifically in regards to class division and its relation to the Nature vs Nurture debate. And the movie’s neat twist at the end isn’t just added for shock value; it’s actually the final puzzle piece and essential in conveying the film’s message. I struggled with ranking Us at #1 or #2, but its over-reliance on slasher film action around the mid-point (a minor flaw) was the deciding factor. It’s near-perfect, nonetheless.

Full Film Interpretation: https://thefilmsnob.tumblr.com/post/184073868405/interpreting-jordan-peeles-film-us

#1. Midsommar

Director: Ari Aster

Starring: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Will Poulter

If there’s one thing for which the 2010s should be known, it’s great horror films, a refreshing development after decades of mediocrity. But, just like movies in general from the ‘New Hollywood’ ‘70s, horror films are more creative and ambitious than they’ve been in ages thanks to a handful of visionary filmmakers. Three out of the top five entries are horror movies and that’s saying something.

Midsommar is a mesmerizing horror film that hearkens back to the 1970s when the genre relied more heavily on atmosphere and pacing and sheer creepiness than on jump scares and gimmicks. It takes one hell of a talented writer/director to make a movie shot almost entirely in daylight feel so utterly sinister, but Ari Aster, who also made the acclaimed Hereditary, does just that with ease. What’s more, the film contains no monsters, nothing supernatural and an astonishingly minimal amount of violence, yet when we do see bits of blood and gore, it’s a complete shock to the system. What Aster does rely on is his mastery of lighting and framing to produce images that are unexpectedly eerie.

This is a movie that starts with a group of anthropology students looking to take part in a once-in-a-lifetime festival at a commune in the Swedish countryside and ends in an unspeakable nightmare. It’s a long and sometimes grueling experience that steadily snowballs into horror, but that slow burn is crucial for this delightfully nerve-wracking series of events. Oh, and it’s also a breakup story...possibly the scariest breakup story of all time. It’s certainly the best film of 2019.     

[themockingcrows]

Doors of Fate Ch. 8: Coming Undone

This chapter is NOT SFW! unrelated Striders, unrelated Bro/Dave

this chapter available on AO3!

With vacation turning out to be an all around success already, new clues come to light about what Dave's natural magical talent might be. Hot on the heels of that discovery, however, is a much delayed moment that Fate has promised them both for quite some time.

    The first day of vacation had gone by quickly, almost as if in a blur, and yet felt as if it took a good deal longer. Never a moment of rushing. They’d started with a fresh change of clothes each, Dave marveling at the shop while being measured and fitted into a comfortable set of trousers and a shirt that matched his eyes, boots that were soft enough they cradled his feet like doeskin, and a fashionable hat with a brim just wide enough to keep his face from burning during their time out in the sun. They’d eaten delicious foods for lunch, sweet treats for dessert, and visited different shops just to marvel at the many shining delicate things within. Barefoot they’d walked along the shore and chased the waves, cuffs of their pants wet even after being rolled up, and still smelling of salt air they’d dined on fine foods that left Dave dizzy with delight. The night had ended with Dave more than a little sauced thanks to the pitcher of wine they’d shared, perched on Ambrose’s lap back in their room astride his thighs, kissing at the side of his neck and gently scratching at his sides till sleep overtook him. Time had seemed slowest then, dragging along even at the best of times, till the day had truly been a full one.

    The second day was when the distortions truly became apparent, from the first hint of Dave slowly rising to wash, to the first bite of fluffy pancakes at the comfortable shop they went to. Ambrose was surprised he hadn’t noticed it at first, but with how subtle it was it had been an easy miss. Perhaps because of their close proximity to each other and their interactions he was being included in things.. but the alternative was concerning.

    “Dave,” Ambrose ventured as his husband added more syrup to his plate and he himself slid a bit more butter where he wanted it to melt, “have you been using magic consciously?”

    “Er. ...No, I thought it’d be safer not to,” he admitted. Then, grinning, he was quick to point out, “Remember last night? No fires! I’ve got this locked down. Should I be practicing while we’re doing normal things, you think? It’d be harder, but I think I could handle some simple things.”

    “I think you’ve been doing plenty already,” Ambrose said, eyes flicking to the side when he finally caught another one. “Have you noticed that we’re the only ones moving right now?”

    Almost as soon as Dave looked up, things had started to move again. Definitely subconscious then, he confirmed. The waiter Ambrose had been staring at finally finished taking his step, the person at the next table finally removed the fork from their mouth, and the breeze resumed moving the steam away at an angle instead of it rising straight up. It seemed less like individual targets then, and more like a bubble of activity and interaction.

    “I’m. Wait, I’m not doing that, I barely looked at anything to do with that before,” Dave insisted. “You need to believe me, I-”

    “I believe you,” Ambrose promised. “Relax, there’s no harm being done. It’s cute actually.”

    “Cute?”

    “I think that your magic is reaching out because you’re wanting to make things last as long as possible, as if we can’t just come and do this all over again any time we like,” he chuckled.

    “I don’t think that’s it, I mean. Why would I set fires with the other times, then?”

    “Why would you make things float when I was feeling you up?” Ambrose shrugged. “Sometimes things happen abstractly, such as the magic simply reaching out and causing mayhem however it can manifest, but you’re advanced enough it may be reacting in more focused ways now with your will. You’re not aroused, you’re trying to enjoy yourself as much as possible in an entirely new place. Who knows, this might be your specialty, even.”

    “My speciality? What, making things freeze in place?”

    “It can be useful, if you can harness it,” he said. “I’d be more surprised if it were anyone other than you, though.. This is quite advanced, it’s difficult even for me to do sometimes if I’m trying to do large scale. A lot of things have to be done just right to equal out and not have all your magic drained or expunged, and yet here you are making pancakes last twice as long as they would have just so you can savor them more.”

    It was innocent and sweet and while part of him wishes he hadn’t brought it up, it was still a lapse they needed to be cautious of should it become stronger or suddenly start to go awry. There had been more than enough uncontrolled magic and backlash from it recently for both of their tastes, the idea of it becoming an issue during a time as nice as this was not a pleasant one.

    Dave still seemed a bit flustered at the idea, overly cautious now, occasionally glancing around to make sure things were still moving. With the extra focus and attention, the lapses stopped occurring. ..For then at least.

    They started up again when they made their way to the shoreline once more with cloths to towel off with and a flask of sweet drink Ambrose was keeping chilled with a bit of magic. This time they stripped down like the other beach goers to hit the water, Dave paddling out to where he could no longer reach as fearlessly as an expert of the ocean, while Ambrose himself strode out to meet him. He paused when the sand licked at his feet unsteadily with the moving waves, not wanting to rely on magic just to swim with his spouse even if the swimming turned out to mostly be walking around in the water.

    Dave darted around him like a fish, slick as an eel as his limbs twined and then slipped free first left then right beneath the water, leaving Ambrose unable to catch him properly. He laughed, a bright sound like bells that made the mage’s chest hurt when it sank in for the hundredth time that this was entirely his in life, and squirmed around once more to slip onto his back instead. The waves slowed briefly, went quicker, then slowly went backwards. So isolated from others in their own little world he’d scarcely noticed once again, Dave filling his senses so fully that there was room for little else, let alone such a small sensation in the face of splashing and moving around beneath the water.

    “...Dave,” he breathed softly. “Shhh.. look. Don’t panic, it’s happening again. The water is pulling away from the shore each time.”

    It was subtle enough this time that Dave was able to keep calmer and witness it himself, eyes eventually rising to look around at the other people in the water, walking slowly backwards to their towels to sit down again, splashes returning to the hands that originated them. The water lent the entire scene a hypnotic quality, shimmering light through the crests and leaving every mirrored event to rewind itself uninterrupted. All was peaceful, nobody seeming to be bothered in the slightest when the magic finally broke and everything went back to business as usual.

    “...Can you teach me to do that on purpose? The stopping and the backwards thing?” Dave asked somewhat breathlessly. “Since I’m doing it already?”

    “In time, yes. Probably when we’re home, for the sake of privacy.. For now try to keep that in check still, okay? I know it’s a bit beyond your control but it seems to slow and stop when you focus on it.”

    “I wonder what kinds of things I could do while the world was stopped like that,” mused Dave, chin on the mage’s shoulder and legs occasionally kicking to drum up the water from beneath in low rumbled waves.

    “A good deal of things, both appropriate and not,” Ambrose promised. “I’m lucky you’re a good person on top of being such a prodigy, thieves have wet dreams about powers like that.”

    “So you say, but then you also say it’s innocent and sweet. Which is it! It can’t be both!” insisted Dave, squeezing above Ambrose’s hips with his knees so he could rise up and lean forward over his shoulder.

    Pursing his lips, Ambrose reached up and behind himself to snatch Dave beneath the armpits, pulling him forward into the water to dunk him. When he flailed and gurgled for a split second he just as quickly righted him out of the water as the gurgles turned to indignant squawks, toting him bridal style before turning this way and that with churning water.

    “It’s both. Many things are both. Excess is bad, yes? A moment of peace or reversing something to stop an incident are important and good.. But sometimes too much can be bad.”

    Dave struggled before going limp, allowing himself to be swished left and right, hand skating over the surface of the waves. “If you can do that, if others can do that, then why do bad things still happen? Why not just reverse time when I got hurt and stop it from happening?”

    “Because that’s too much responsibility sometimes,” Ambrose said. “If we simply reversed things or slowed things at a whim all the time we’d be playing God and asking for trouble. These should stop as your magic settles, don’t fret, but be cautious when we go forward with learning that you don’t try to shoulder the responsibility of the world. Accidents are meant to happen. It’s part of being human.”

    Dave frowned a little. Suddenly the concept of magic didn’t seem as fun as before. Usually when he studied it was out of fascination to control the uncontrollable, but this felt somewhat different. Automation and elements and summoning doors was far different from potentially controlling life and death. It felt heavy, unwelcoming, distinctly… unwanted. As fascinating as altering the flow of time was, he knew he’d need to tread cautiously for it to not blow up in his face in the future. Maybe with enough study it would stop seeming so intimidating.

    Judging the serious look on Dave’s face to be his spouse focusing too much on something too serious for a day meant to be full of fun, Ambrose kissed the side of his jaw and neck before squeezing him tightly.

    “Ease your mind love, we’re meant to be on vacation remember? There’s plenty of time to worry and fret when we’re not supposed to be having fun. I promise to let you brood later, but not right now,” he said, swishing him a bit quicker. While turning however, he kicked more sand out from beneath his feet and suddenly found himself kicking furiously to keep them both above water. He lifted Dave higher instinctively before having to drop him, panicking a bit. Dave, buoyant and comfortable in the water, simply floated and scooted back while Ambrose flailed to find his footing. When it seemed the mage wasn’t going to wind up finding it on his own, Dave grabbed one of his flailing wrists and hauled him back towards the shore a few feet till he was comfortably standing once more on a more solid surface.

    Ambrose cleared his throat, face warm.

    “That ah. ...That didn’t just happen.”

    “What didn’t just happen.”

    “I knew I loved you for a reason, Dave.”

    “Oh, is that the only reason? Not the multitudes of others I’ve heard you crooning at me so far?” he asked, splashing the mage playfully in the face. In retaliation Ambrose spread his arms wide and made a clapping gesture just beneath the water’s surface, sending up a massive wave of a splash augmented by magic. Dave sputtered and wiped his face, slicking his wet bangs back out of his eyes.

    “Hey! No fair!”

    “It’s entirely fair. I’ve no idea what you’re speaking of, Dave,” he said, taking a step and doing the same thing once again. This time the waves overtook Dave from either side, targeting him, tracking his movements to ensure he got hit with the full force of the bubbled water till he flailed and laughed. Holding his breath he ducked below the incoming waves and darted part his spouse’s legs, a hand reaching out to stroke the bare edge of his groin with his fingertips before just as quickly fleeing out of range like the slippery fish he was.

    Oh. So that’s how it was going to be, was it? Ambrose turned to try tracking where Dave was at, arms raised, prepared to strike again with water soon as he’d risen and taken a breath. Yet Dave didn’t seem to surface. He should have needed air by then, yet he was remaining down below long enough that slowly Ambrose lowered his arms and stepped forward again to check on him.

    “Dave?”

    It was the cue Dave had been waiting for, pushing off the sandy bottom to surge upwards partly out of the water, clapping his own hands. The reaction wasn’t as strong as Ambrose’s focused effort, but the effect was much the same: a rush of water crested on either side of the elder mage and splashed harshly against him, some of it covering his head and face to make him sputter. Instead of darting beneath the water again, Dave remained above it to surge forwards, clasping around Ambrose’s damp neck and shoulders so he could kiss him the second he stopped rubbing at his eyes.

    There was a sirens song in that kiss, a promise of more to come from the hungry edge to it, much like the sloppy kisses he’d received the night prior thanks to the wine. Ambrose couldn’t help but get lost in it for a moment, clasping the warm body of his spouse closer to his own for stability, wanting to keep him from slipping away soon as he was under his spell. As playful as the mood was, it was still a boon to be able to just kiss him like this, enjoy him in public where everyone could see and grow jealous of what a handsome couple they made.

    “You might want to put me down, or I’ll have to swim a while longer before I can get out of the water,” Dave murmured softly to him, nipping his lower lip with teeth just hard enough to sting.

    “You’re not making a very good argument, Dave. That just means you’d be in the water with me for longer..”

    “You know what I’m trying to say!” he laughed, nuzzling the side of Ambrose’s face before leaning back. “Are you going to release me?”

    “When I’ve only now finally gotten a hand back on you? I think not,” he chuckled, giving Dave’s hips a squeeze. “If you truly want it though..” he trailed off, loosening his sturdy grip to let Dave wiggle loose and paddle beside him instead.

    “Thank you. Much as I want to stay in the water with you all day, there’s still more I want to see today and do. The last thing I want to do is walk out of the water with my hands over my lap.”

    “I hardly think you’d be alone,” Ambrose chuckled. “Look around closely enough and you can spot the young lovers in the crowd. See how close they keep themselves? Anyone where even a single fellow is involved has that risk.”

    Dave sighed a bit. Well. At least he wouldn’t stand out as badly as he worried, it seemed. That was comforting for his mind.

    They carried on for a time as they had been, Dave darting around and both occasionally splashing between stolen touches and kisses, before it was time to return to the shore. Dave uncorked the drink Ambrose had brought, taking a swig as his shoulders were wrapped with a warm towel from behind and rubbed by larger hands.

    “Huh, this doesn’t taste very strong.”

    “It’s day drinking, there’s no need for it to be strong,” he chuckled. “Are you getting hungry? Or just tired?”

    “Restless,” Dave admitted as he sat down and rubbed his hair back from his face with the towels edge. “I keep feeling like there’s things we’re missing somehow.”

    “We can come back any season there’s time,” Ambrose reminded him as he wrapped his own towel around his waist and sat beside him to air dry for a while. When the drink was passed over he took a swig, holding the sweet liquid in his mouth before letting it run down his throat in small rivulets. Soothing. Delicious.

    “I know, you keep telling me,” Dave chuckled. “But there’s still the feeling. I expect I’ll feel this every time we visit till it feels familiar enough.”

    “I promise you, Dave. There’s no way to see every single thing in the world, but we’ll come very close in our time together,” Ambrose said with a sigh. He stretched his body and rested back in the sand to absorb more of the sunlight, peeking down when he felt something damp settle against his side, Dave tucking good and close as a little spoon could. “How about we go for another walk when we’ve changed again.”

    “That might be good. ..Though. I think I might be restless in multiple ways,” Dave admitted. “We’ve managed to kiss in the water, but I seem to recall you saying in the past that you wanted me to practice my magic so you could kiss me many places.”

    Ambrose huffed a soft laugh and ran his fingertips over the edge of Dave’s towel. “Are you subtly trying to say you want me to make out with you in different scenic locales, or is this a complaint that I’ve only kissed you in the water so far?”

    “Neither, this is me directly asking if you’d like to kiss me elsewhere.”

    “Hah. Fair enough, I suppose. The answer is yes by the way, I’d like to kiss you damn near everywhere in this town.”

    “That’s nice, but I’m asking if you’d like to kiss me elsewhere but my mouth.”

    “...Mmm.. Appealing as that is, I don’t think we’re quite at the level of control to manage that,” Ambrose chuckled. “We just realized you’re manipulating time  because you’re happy, I don’t want to think what kinds of things might happen while you’re distracted with me trying to get into your trousers.”

    “And if we were somewhere more controlled while you were trying to get into my trousers?” Dave asked, glancing up from Ambrose’s side.

    “Like, for instance, where we’re staying on vacation?” he asked, smiling a bit when he saw Dave nod his confirmation. “Oh, yes, I suppose that would be safe enough. Contained room, quiet space. Nobody would get caught up in any time shenanigans most likely, and any fires or lifting objects could be controlled with ease.”

    “Can we go back to our room then..?” Dave asked. “After this I mean. Would you like to, uh. Y’know.”

    “I do know. And I’d be honored.”

    Dave was sober this time, he was more in control of himself, and he was recovered from the incident in the hallway. There was nothing standing between them at this point.

    “However,” continued Ambrose, “I hope you don’t mind us taking the scenic route back to our room.”

    “Scenic route?”

    “I’d like to ravish you a bit before we reach our quarters,” he chuckled. “Warm you up a bit before there’s any trouser exploration.”

    Dave bit his lip and worried it between his teeth for a moment, gauging the pressure there with the intensity of what he was feeling, before he gave a nod of understanding. “Sure. I can handle that.”

    “If you reach a point where you can’t handle it just let me know and I’ll tote you to our quarters quicker to save you the walk.”

    They lay in the sun for a time, drying and gently baking in the warmth, skin turning red over the few shades of bronze they were gaining each. There was no rush, no sprint to hurry along. This was their vacation after all, there was more than enough time in the world to enjoy everything at their own pace, and Dave seemed up for the challenge. He didn’t move from Ambrose’s side but to change position, cooking himself evenly like a fish as he continued to dry out from tip to toe, only sitting up when the sand felt itchy on his skin and the heat was starting to get to him. Side by side they went to get dressed once more, dusting as much sand off as they could by hand before using a bit of magic to whisk the rest off, Dave groaning under his breath as the sensation of unseen hands and breeze dusted down his hips and ass, his back and stomach. Ambrose stored their belongings in the same bag and tucked it in the crook of his arm before placing his free one around Dave’s shoulders, leading him away from the inn and their comfortable room.

    The scenic route was a winding path, but with plenty to see and do. There were more shop windows to spectate at, some working with bits of magic at play to act out entire scenes with toys over and over, while others were all with mechanical pieces and candle glow. Ambrose stood behind Dave here with his palm flat on his abdomen, fingers minding their own business but breath warm behind his ear and against his nape as he spoke and explained different sights. Dave kept leaning backwards, trying to subtly rub himself against his spouse without being noticed by passerby.

    Another stopping point was a view of the ocean and some of the gaily painted buildings at the water’s edge, wind whipping up over the cliffside to ruffle their hair and clothes. Dave got a proper kiss here and then some, starting on his feet before being steadily dipped lower, unafraid of falling thanks to Ambrose’s support and the assistance of magic keeping him from the ground. His heart was in his throat and it was getting harder to think by the time they separated, sweet nothings on their lips.

    They skipped the third attraction, Dave unable to keep walking once Ambrose pressed him against a wall for a cheeky moment. Instead they remained there, Dave with both wrists pinned above his head in the alley, Ambrose at his throat with one fingertip teasing the bare skin of his hip beneath the top of his trousers. They kissed like Heaven would fall if they didn’t, only breaking apart long enough for Dave to beg.

    “Draw me a door,” he panted softly. “Quickly, draw me a door, I can’t handle this anymore.”

    “As you wish,” Ambrose murmured, kissing his temple as he lifted a hand to make the tracing motion around where Dave was pinned. Round topped, the door opened inwards when Ambrose grasped at Dave’s hip again and pushed, the pair staggering into the finely decorated room out of breath and glimmering at the eyes. Ambrose closed the door, removing the connection as he released Dave’s wrists.

    Free to move on his own, Dave stumbled backwards while kicking off his shoes and toeing off his socks, trying to strip himself down as quickly as possible. Ambrose was more methodical about it, watching his lover hurriedly get naked as he leisurely removed his shirt and undid his belt, toeing his own shoes off one at a time. He stopped, half dressed, when his knees hit the bed. Dave had already scooted back a ways on it, knees clenched tightly shut and feet backed up towards his ass to keep himself somewhat modestly covered now that he was being stared at. Slowly however he opened his legs, offering himself up for display.

    “You’re gorgeous like this, you know,” he murmured as he planted a knee and scooted forwards to cover Dave with his body, kissing at his neck once more as he pressed him down into the bedding with his own chest. He could feel the magic coming out of him, the glint of sharp edged, jagged, raw spells freely roaming to lift various things around the room.. and he couldn’t care less. He could afford damages if it came to something impossible to fix, this was too important of a moment to focus on anything but the shining love beneath him.

    “You’ve got too much clothes on,” Dave muttered. “Let me see you too,” he insisted as he reached down with both hands to yank and push at the mage’s trousers. It wasn’t a simple slipping gesture as anticipated, not with something blocking the smooth movement.

    ...Well. At least he wasn’t the only excited one, Dave reasoned.

    “Easy now, give me a moment,” Ambrose mumbled into Dave’s hair, bracing himself on his forearms and arching his lower body to peer down. “There. Try again, I’ll help get everything down,” he promised.

    With the extra space and better angle, Dave was able to grasp the trousers easier and tug them down, taking the underpants with them. He froze for a moment when his lover’s cock sprang free, hanging in full view for the first time, more than half erect and ruddy with blood beneath its nest of dark blonde curls. He swallowed dryly, unable to stop staring. The moment was just so intimate, the gesture so trusting. Ambrose remained arched carefully, allowing Dave to stare all he wished for a moment, before he ever so slowly sank down atop him once more, sandwiching his length between their torsos comfortably. He groaned softly under his breath at the sensation, the warmth of soft skin, and leisurely went back to kissing Dave’s face and throat.

    Two arms snaked up around his shoulders, blunt nails biting at his skin as Dave held on for dear life and shivered. Where to even start? Gods there was so much to explore, to try, even the basics were unfounded. Something gently drifted over the bed, lazily following its own current of magic, which reminded Ambrose that he needed something from their baggage. A lifted hand and a commanding gesture later, a small bottle with a fine cork was righting itself from beneath the clothing and coming towards his hand.

    “Are you alright?” Ambrose asked huskily, giving his hips a gentle rock to press himself against Dave again, smiling when he felt another eager shiver beneath him.

    “Yes, I’m. ….Fuck,” Dave said, grasping for words. “Can I move up a bit? I’m. It’s. ...The angle’s digging into my hip and mine’s bent down,” he tried to explain, shuffling his legs till Ambrose lifted his hips once more and glanced downwards. Standing at attention, Dave was leaking pre-come already and breathing in short pants.

    Pity. Seemed the teasing had been a bit rough for him, the poor thing.

    Shifting to his side with the bottle, Ambrose hummed softly.

    “Mind lifting your knees a bit for me, love? I’d like to make you feel good.”

    “I thought we were gonna-”

    “We will. I want you to be feeling good the entire time,” he chuckled. “This is going to be an only-fun zone, not any portion of this will hurt you if we take our time and do this right.”

    Dave, somehow, hadn’t assumed it was going to hurt at all, but gearing confirmation that it wasn’t going to was comforting all the same. He nodded and did as he was asked, face flushed as he parted his knees and carefully lifted them up. It was a ludicrous position to be in for very long, especially while erect, and he was grateful that the first place his lover touched was his cock with a warm slick hand. Whatever had been in that bottle smelled sweet and was plenty slippery, being applied liberally over his dick from tip to base, with enough leaking downwards to his testicles that it ran between his cheeks in a thin rivulet.

    Ambrose placed a kiss to his belly as he stroked him a few times, getting him used to the touches before introducing his other hand down below, stroking where the rivulet had spread to gather more of the material as he probed a bit further. He didn’t try to go past the tight ring of muscle he found with his fingertips. Instead he gently rubbed a few times, trying to get Dave used to being touched as much as he was trying to relax the muscle to accept him eventually. The stroking really seemed to help, leaving Dave arching in place and turning his head to occasionally gasp.

    “Ffffffuck that feels strange from that angle,” he mumbled. “I half expected you to stay up here by me again,” Dave admitted as he tried to refrain from dancing over the patiently rubbing hand beneath his body. “Or to be in front of you and held.”

    Ambrose slowed his movements curiously, cocking his head. “Would you prefer that?”

    “...Yeah. I think so,” Dave admitted. “It feels weird just laying back like this while you work.”

    Smiling softly, Ambrose removed his hands from what he’d been doing and sat upright, slowly scooting to the headboard to rest his back against the many cushions. “Come to my lap then. Keep your back to my chest and spread your legs again.”

    It didn’t take Dave more than a few seconds to hop  up and change position, straddling Ambrose’s cock for a moment with his thighs before sitting back and shifting his weight to ride less and be more open to intervening hands. The touches this time felt more familiar when he had the warm body behind him and the kisses to his neck, the rhythmic rise and fall of a sparsely furred chest moving him in place as slick hands worked his cock and against his entrance. His toes curled, body twitching harshly before his head fell back.

    “A-ah, fuck, yes, yes, yes… More of that, please,” he crooned, rocking his hips harder when Ambrose applied more of a squeezing pressure to his dick. It was something to rut up into, that slick fist that played over his length like a musician fingering an instrument, and rut he soon was with reckless abandon. After all, nobody had told him no. If anything, Ambrose seemed to be enjoying it, murmuring praise against the back of Dave’s neck as he spread his own legs to force his lover’s thighs further apart.

    A single finger finally pushed past the ring, stroking it wetly from the inside edge now to continue coaxing it to relaxation. Dave grimaced and bit his lip again, toes curling and the rocking of his hips slowing down. Fuck that felt weird. Not bad, just. ...Extremely weird. Like he needed to call it off and use the toilet, even though the urge hadn’t been there before. When he whined softly, the mage crooned against the side of his neck and worked his fist a bit faster to distract him.

    “You’re doing amazing, Dave. You’re gorgeous. So perfect like this.. Just relax for me, okay?” he murmured. “Let me know if anything hurts at all.”

    “Doesn’t hurt,” Dave promised. “Doesn’t hurt.. Just weird is all.”

    “It’ll pass,” Ambrose promised, probing a bit deeper, feeling around for the different texture he needed along the muscle. “It’ll pass very soon,” he added as he finally found what he was looking for.

    Dave arched his back as if he’d been electrified, then turned as much as he could in Ambrose’s lap while staying splayed out, wide eyed with surprise. He mouthed a question, unable to get the words to form as the mage stroked that space again. And again. And again.

    He could feel his heart hammering in his chest, his body spasming every time Ambrose moved his finger. His hips were rocking on their own again, trying to rut up into the slick fist that continued to hold him but now cautiously beginning to push against the reaching finger. Fingers. Two fingers were there now, rubbing at that delightful point deep inside his body that was making him lose his fucking mind. He knew that if fingers felt this good that his dick would no doubt feel even better, if it could actually fit. Intimidation or not though, Dave was hungry for more even as he panted and whined and squirmed on Ambrose’s lap. He could feel and see Ambrose’s length beneath him, waiting, warm and gently throbbing now and then when he made a particularly sweet sound to the air.

    “More,” Dave gasped, legs loosening their tension so he could sink more readily against the reaching fingers, satisfied to find that when he relaxed his husband could move easier. He turned his head to seek a kiss, grateful he could get it instantly on request instead of having to be alone with his sounds and his breaths. A third finger stretched him and he about died, arching again, feeling his balls tighten up in warning as his stomach warmed.

    “A-ah, Ambrose. Ambrose I’m. I’m gonna-”

    “Let it out,” Ambrose crooned beside his ear. “Come for me Dave. Just like before.. I’m here.”

    It didn’t take much coaxing. Between the fist continuing to milk him and three fingers working in and out of his body brushing against that bundle of nerves each time they moved he was a fucking goner. Dave came with a gasp, three spurts of white up towards his own stomach before he turned his upper body again to cling tight around his lover’s neck for a second, needing to kiss him for all he was worth. The three fingers gently slipped loose and let Ambrose’s hand switch to Dave’s hip, his other hand doing the same opposite, turning his husband on his lap so they were face to face in the kiss.

    “Do you want me to hold you during this as well?” he asked. “Or do you want some other way?” If prepping him had felt too exposed, he wasn’t sure which position would be best. Perhaps with his love astride, setting the pace and making his own movements. Instead, Dave kept his arms around Ambrose’s neck and tried to lean backwards, trying to drag him down with him as he leaned back against his cock.

    “I want you atop me,” Dave said breathlessly. “Cover me completely, I need your weight on me.”

    Well. Gentlemen didn’t leave their lovers waiting. If Dave wanted to be engulfed, he’d be engulfed.

    Something brushed against Ambrose’s back, fabric he thought before realizing it was another piece of solid decor come off the wall. Nothing shattered yet, not his problem. More important things to worry about, but now all the more reason to cover Dave with his own body in case something did come crashing down at an inopportune time.

    With his legs still splayed wide, Dave was guided onto his back and loomed over for a moment as Ambrose lined their bodies up, letting his lover relax on the cushion of the bedding for a moment as he glanced him over. Taut nipples and an abdomen still bearing his own mark, cock at half flag but still interested. Ruby red eyes glittered like fire beneath pale bangs, alluring and wild with magic. Ambrose could feel the heat building in his own chest just from watching him, taking in every blessed inch of his lover, his husband, his fated match.

    Fate wasn’t blind or faithless. Fate knew precisely what she was doing making him wait for this moment, and he couldn’t be happier with it.

    When Dave smiled shyly at him and lidded his eyes, reaching up for him as if asking for an embrace, Ambrose sank down to meet him and gently pushed forwards against his entrance. There was resistance despite Dave visibly doing his best to relax, knees splayed wide and breathing shallow, face screwed up in concentration against his lover’s shoulder. He managed to finally breach and sink in an inch or so before pulling back, giving them both a moment before repeating the shallow movement a few times, trying to judge if this was something Dave liked or not.

    From the panting and the red face, it seemed to be a dead ringer for what Dave wanted. He whimpered and tried to angle his hips a bit, wanting to get that pressure over the ridge within him once again as it had with the fingers, willing his lover deeper. It took a few more cautious rocks before Ambrose pressed deeper and finally brushed over it, striking the storm up within him once more. An object clunked against the side of the mage’s head before drifting lazily away, ignored. Better him than Dave.

    “Hold on tight,” Ambrose instructed him, kissing the column of his throat before seizing his lips with his own, swallowing his moans down like a fine wine, bearing the scratches and enthusiastic squeezes with no lack of aplomb. With Dave tangled close and angled just right, Ambrose pressed deeper with the next few gentle thrusts, trying to see just how much of the pressure Dave could handle without being uncomfortable. He wound up halfway before the shuddering gasp made him retreat and focus on that length instead.

    Short, leisurely thrusts at the shallow angle were what he focused on for a while. When his little lover grew more ready, he went deeper, quicker. By the time he heard his own name falling from Dave’s lips like a prayer, felt his cock stabbing him in the stomach from between them, Ambrose had fallen into a speedy rhythm of striking deep enough that he was pressing Dave back into the mattress and practically bouncing back up. Sweat rose on his brow, the strain of working his body apparent, but it was worth the burn. Everything in life had been worth it just for this perfect moment of being connected, this sweet moment where everything was coming undone and being remade over and over before their very eyes.

    They breathed in unison even after lifting up off the mattress and turning in the tangle of blankets that wafted like clouds around the room with the cushions and sheet, the stormy shapes of vases and paintings lurking here and there like sharks in the distance. Neither paid the surroundings any mind, Ambrose holding Dave’s hips tightly and continuing to work his body over with each thrust, Dave clinging tight as a koala and rocking himself hurriedly forward and back to meet each thrust as they moved upwards. This was so much more than earlier, so much more intense, much more than he could handle. There was no way to last, not through this, and oh fuck Dave could already feel his body trying to let loose once more.

    “Ambrose, please, please, please,” Dave jabbered, sounding on the edge of tears, out of breath and unable to think clearly. It was important. This was so important, why couldn’t he think of words anymore? All Dave could think of was colors, flashes of white and silver, red and gold, black blossoming into a neon blue like a slowly shattering glass orb. Abstract sensations and feelings matching with his raw nerves and exhausted body coming alive with firelight. He felt the magic now, knew it was running wild, and didn’t care.

    Dave directed his magic to Ambrose, felt it leave in a hard wave as he came, encircling them both like a serpent before it coiled into the loose end of the mage’s power and exploded. Sparks shone, some catching the sheets in small pinprick holes of fire that faded soon as they started, while others focused on the scratched shoulder blades Dave clung to so tightly, the brightness growing as the sparks condensed.

    Wings.

    Those were wings.

    Dark wings, large and delicate, were on Ambrose’s back for a split second, fully formed and perfect to behold, before Ambrose grit his teeth and forced the image away, redirecting the power to safely make them land back on the mattress in time, not wanting to drop if he lost control. He needed to keep control, needed to focus and not lose himself entirely. Just this once. Just for now.

    “Dave,” he finally cried, driving himself home once more and squeezing him tightly as he followed him over the peak, coming harder than he thought he had in his life. For a split second the wings flashes again, sparks alive, before they faded entirely from view once more under the mage’s proper control.

    Though caught up in the afterglow, Ambrose worked a hand loose to raise up to the side, spreading his fingers and lifting his hand upright before ever so slowly lowering it to the mattress, guiding the floating items down to the ground. They’d sort out the proper locations later. For now, so long as everything wasn’t breaking or free flying any more, that should be more than enough.

    Starry eyed, Dave looked up as Ambrose glanced down, lips parted and breaths ragged. He could still feel him twitching within him, could feel the shake of his thighs between his own parted ones, felt the shake of his arms on either side. This was the most disarmed Ambrose had ever been, according to Dave. Naked as the day he was born, connected at the hips, body pushed to its limits and magic alive in his golden eyes. He was handsome, he was beautiful, he was..

    Exhausted.

    Ambrose bowed his forehead down and gently removed himself from Dave before scooting further down his lover’s body, hugging him around the waist and nuzzling at his narrow chest affectionately once Dave stroked at his head and damp strands of his hair. Dave smiled and huffed a laugh.

    “You okay?”

    “Tired.. Plenty tired.. I’ve waited a long time to be able to do this with the one meant for me,” whispered Ambrose against Dave’s chest, pressing a kiss to the sweat slick skin before resting his cheek over his heart to hear and feel the beating.

    “Well. We’re together. We can do this any time we want now, right?” Dave said softly.

    “All the time,” Ambrose grunted, making Dave laugh.

    “Maybe not all the time yet, I’m. ...Heh, I’m a bit sore I think. Everything feels kind of weird.”

    “Not bad?”

    “No, not bad. No pain. Just weird. Weird and.. Wonderful,” he sighed. “What were those wings..?”

    “..We’ll discuss them soon.. But for now, just know they were a manifestation of a lot of magic. I don’t know what would have happened if that burst wasn’t aimed at me, but it came for me instead of rushing entirely free,” said Ambrose, eyes still closed and head heavy on Dave’s chest. “...Did you like them?”

    “They were lovely,” Dave admitted, though a part of his exhausted mind was remembering another pair of dark wings, sludgy and disturbing and a far cry from the beautiful set he’d witnessed minutes ago.

    “Maybe we’ll see about getting a set for you figured out someday,” he mumbled. “Ah.. let me get the blanket,” he said, lifting a hand up blindly as if feeling around for where it was in the room without looking.

    “I’ve got it,” Dave promised, guiding the mage’s hand the right direction before squeezing his fingers and drawing his hand back, focusing together. The blanket lifted and slithered up the bed like a snake, covering Ambrose’s legs before coming up over his head to cover Dave’s hips and waist as well.

    “Might I interest you in a brief rest, before we clean up? I think I need a moment,” chuckled Ambrose. “What have you done to me, love, it’s like I’ve run a race.”

    “Well. You kind of did, didn’t you?” Dave asked, playing a fingertip along Ambrose’s broad shoulders before trailing it down the line of his pulse, then back up to his cheek. “A rest sounds great though.”

    “I love you, Dave..”

    “I love you too, Ambrose.”