actually terrified that one day, someone in tumblr will know how short i am.

Lex Evans

Continuing my compulsive catalogue of fictional lives that I didn't come up with.

After the wedding, Ayla took Lex golfing and admitted that she had created distance with Lex ever since she'd made a move on her. They became besties again. At the age of 31, Lex sold her town home, so she could focus on renovations on her and Ariana's equestrian ranch home.

Throwing party after party, Lex realized she wasn't just hilariously addicted to Bahama Mamas, but simply addicted to alcohol. She went to AA, but got nothing from it.

While long boarding and drinking Mai Tais Ayla admitted to Lex that she'd been offered opium and seriously considered using it. Lex said she was glad Ayla didn't go down that path.

At the age of 34, Lex became a Sr. Environmental Scientist, but her real job was dumping hundreds of thousands of dollars into Arian and Lex's mansion.

The days all started to bleed together, and Lex drove all the way to work before realizing it was Saturday. Lex suspected that the drinking was getting in way of her memory. Remembering her luck with spiritualism in the past, Lex found a Witch Doctor to help her with her alcoholism. She ate a raw Komodo Dragon Egg. After purging most of her stomach, the thought of liquor made her sick.

Ayla's continued drinking pulled Lex and her apart, and Clive became Lex's new bestie.

While at the record store with Ayla, she talked about opium again, saying that her new bestie was smoking it around her. Lex told Ayla she was glad she wasn't using it, but Ayla got quiet instead. Lex was pretty sure she was going to try it.

At the age of 39, Lex accidentally scored on her own goal while playing soccer. Everyone laughed for ten minutes. She sold her old BMW and bought a used Suburu. Ariana renewed their vows and adopted Carter, 3 year old whose father couldn't afford to pay for his medical bills. Lex bonded with Carter by doing yoga with goats.

Carter called out "mama" and Lex and Ariana laughed when they realized they didn't know who he was asking for. While buying new clothes, Lex tried on a stranger's coat. She was caught and left the store in humiliation.

Carter had his first day of school and Lex's niece Kylie was old enough to get a job as a receptionist. Lex reflected on how awesome human beings actually are. After playing laser tag with Carter and Archie's family, Lex and Archie became best friends. Lex's friend Eleanor talked her into crashing a wedding. She didn't remember how it ended, only that she was back at home puking in the garden bathroom so Ariana wouldn't know she was drinking. Lex went to a hypnotist to overcome Alcoholism and it worked. Picking up a bottle of champagne only made her think of maple syrup.

At the age of 42, Lex's niece Hazel graduated secondary school. At the graduation party, someone told Lex to shake her money making, so she shook Ariana. Lex gave her nieces $10,000 each. (Kylie getting money for the graduation she'd been too drunk to attend!) While playing bingo with Ayla, she admitted that she'd been cheating on her boyfriend. Lex told Ayla that she'd always be there for her.

Hazel became a Jr. Flight attendant and moved out of the house. Lex housed a celebration at the mansion and she was offered ritalin. Lex turned them down. Lex wrote up a will that named Ariana and Carter as the sole inheritors.

At the age of 44, Lex was sexually harassed at work. Her coworker Michael pulled her shirt off in front of everyone. The supervisor fired Michael. The Evans family started going house shopping.

At the age of 46, Lex's mother got very sick. She took her mom to Dr. Cooper and he treated her diarrhea, caused from contaminated lettuce. The lettuce outbreak had originated in Indonesia. This got Lex thinking about social responsibility, and she decided to run for School Board Director. She ran against Angus White and lead a clean campaign. After knocking on 1000 doors, Lex lost the election. Ariana took the family to Thailand to help Lex get past the sting.

At the age of 47, Lex had another brush with death! While hiking off trail, she slipped into quicksand! Lex remembered her swim team days and swam out of the pit. She was in there for 8 minutes. Contemplating life, she read her step brother Kobe's journal. Kobe found her and Lex apologized. Lex decided that she needed to downsize her life. She needed to get out of that mansion.

At the age of 49, Lex's mother passed away of natural causes. Lex and Kobe both inherited $2,618,526. Lex finally found a buyer for the manision, and sold the property for 4.3 million. They moved into a midcentury home with 3 beds and 2 baths. Carter was starting secondary school, and Lex gave him $10,000 to spend how he wished.

At the age of 50, Lex celebrated her 20th anniversary with Ariana. They laughed about the prenup. Ariana encouraged Lex to keep running for office and Lex realized she could do anything she set her mind to. Lex caught the flu, but recovered after a trip to the doctor.

Lex's niece Kylie married her college boyfriend. Though neither were unemployed, Kobe had the funds to pay for the wedding. Lex's friend Eleanor convinced her to start drinking again. Lex spent a lot of time with wannabe sommeliers, and dealt with a very real relapse. Lex went to AA and found the strength to throw out thousands of dollars of premier wine. Lex and Elanor got into a fight about the perfect crotch shape, but they both knew it was about drinking.

At the age of 52, Lex lost her step father. He had a stroke in the closet and Lex found him dead. The thought of dying alone in a closet haunted her, making her uneasy about staying in windowless rooms. Ariana talked to Lex about the future at a local park, and Lex decided to run for School Board Director again. She ran a clean campaign against Sophia Johnson, but someone called Ariana a biznatch! Lex called the man a troll and won the election. Lex held energetic rallies about education and the environment.

At the age of 53, a provocative intern tried to hook up with Lex while they were working late. Lex turned him down, but she had been turned on. She talked to her wife about the pros and cons of becoming swingers. That following morning, she planted a cucumber garden.

Carter graduated secondary school and Kobe retired. teen pregnancies were becoming an issue in Lex's school district, so she mandated contraceptives be available. Lex held a rally to dispel the myths about contraceptive encouraging pregnancies.

A friend of Lex's wanted Lex to put her on the payroll without having her do any work. Lex offered her a job as a lead janitor instead and she stopped talking to Lex. Carter asked his mothers if he could study finance at a university, and they encouraged him to live his life how he wanted. Lex went to a bar with Ariana, and was able to stop after one drink.

Kobe's daughter, Hazel, married Jayden Roberts, a restaurant worker. While dancing at the celebration, Ariana fell to the floor. After taking Ariana to the hospital, she was diagnosed with cancer of the buttocks! Lex renewed her vows to Ariana. Lex read Kant's "Critique of Pure Reason," and found little reason for cancer to exist.

While at a masquerade ball, Lex flirted with a politician to grease the gears of government. Ariana was furious, but no amount of trying to explain the situation helped.

At the age of 58, Lex fell out of bed and hit her eye. She could see for 6 days. Lex's term as School Board Director ended. Ariana's cancer went into remission. Lex and Ariana went to Osaka, Japan to celebrate. Ariana forgave Lex for flirting and encouraged her to run for a second term. After another clean campaign against Hugo Miller, Lex won re-election!

Carter graduated uni and became a Jr. Stockbrocker. After a trip to the gym, Lex was diagnosed with a staph infection.

At the age of 60, Lex and Ariana celebrated their 30th anniversary. Ariana vowed to make more time for their marriage, by finally retiring. During the party Lex caught Kobe sneaking around in her room and the two got into an argument. Lex was the first to apologize even though she wasn't at fault.

Carter got promoted to Stockbroker. Lex was diagnosed with hemorrhoids and cherished naps above all other activities.

Kobe's daughter, Kylie came out as gay. Lex was offered a $3 million bribe and turned it down.

Lex finished her second term in office with a 100% approval rating. As School Board Director, Lex Evans was known for her energetic rallies. She tried to run a clean campaign for Mayor of Sydney. When she didn't deny the truth of her past with alcoholism, the public sided with 79 year old, Eli Epping. Lex went on a vacation to Machu Picchu with Ariana.

Lex spent $754,000 on an unsuccessful campaign, and then at the age of 65, retired.

Ariana and Lex moved to France to get away from the public eye. They bought an art deco home! They adopted a cat named Zorro from the animal shelter. Lex bought a used tesla.

At the age of 68, Lex lost her step brother Kobe after a stroke. He had refused to seak medical treatment, even though his hearing was going out.

Lex's life was dominated by renovating the art deco home. She missed her friends in Australia. Lex and Ariana argued about the nature of reality. Ariana thought it was a waste of time to talk about things like that.

Lex got into a car accident on the way home from her 40th anniversary, her butt got cut. She visited her friend Ruby in prison. Ariana started withholding sex. They both opened up about their fantasies on a trip to Venice, Italy, and things seemed to be back to normal.

Shortly after Lex's 71st birthday, her cat Zorro passed away. Lex and Ariana moved back to Australia, moving into an adorable cottage with 2 beds and 1 bath. Lex sold her tesla and art deco home in France, and bought another used Suburu. Though the move back to Australia helped Lex's mood, it had done nothing to help her relationship with Ariana. They were getting into fights about everything from video games to fishing laws.

Forty-two years into their marriage, Ariana asked for a divorce. Lex begged Ariana to stay. Even though she agreed, she refused to go to marriage counseling.

The next year, Lex and Ariana went sky diving and slowly things started to improve. It seemed like Ariana was simply bored with life, so Lex would try to be more spontaneous.

Lex and Ariana renewed their wedding vows after volunteering at a retirement home, something they both hoped they would never be in. Lex gave 0.74 carat diamond earrings to Ariana. She said the gift was an insult.

The day after Lex's 78th birthday, she witnessed a bank robbery! Within a year, her best friend and first crush, Ayla passed away. The doctor's said it was, "her time," but Lex felt strong and happy. Lex lost two more friends that year, and wondered if she was fooling herself and started to think about her bucket list.

Lex and Ariana's 50th anniversary was a solemn affair, as Ariana was suffering from bronchitis. Someone hacked into Lex's instagram account, so she deleted all her social media.

The 82 year old millionaire, Lex, wanted to run for office again. Ariana thought it was a waste of time and money. Lex ran despite Ariana's objections and lost. Ariana was back to withholding sex and it was like their life in France had been forgotten.

Lex sold their cottage for a modern home. The change in scenery helped Lex and Ariana move on from the drama of the past, but their marriage had become a sexless one. Lex brought up having a threesome or an open marriage to try and bring some excitement back into their life and Ariana was furious. She moved all of her stuff into a spare room.

58 years into their marriage, Ariana said Lex was too old to be attractive, despite being named Sydney's most attractive woman over fifty a year prior. Lex confronted Ariana about her being faithful, and Ariana admitted that she was seeing someone else. The two got a divorce. Lex Evans was now Alexandra Miller.

Chronicles of the Impossible (Miz Cracker x Brooke Lynn Hytes [Miz Crooke?]) - fandomfeministe

A/N: Well, courtesy of Saiph I had enough ideas for my rare pair that they said I might as well keep going. So I did. XD

Chronicles of the impossible; or, five small realisations (Part 1 - Cracker)

Realisation the first - Brooke’s domesticity

Cracker had never anticipated being here. Not the literal here - in the small apartment in Nashville that Brooke called home - although that was kind of a mindfuck, considering they were now here together, alone. No, the strangeness he was contemplating was instead more about how they were here.

The last guy Brooke had brought home, he knew, was a one night stand - one of the quick hookups he’d had post-Vanjie - and their time here had started in a similar way. Invited to Brooke’s homecoming gig back at Play, the first time he’d been on stage there in months, Cracker had been able to truly relax and just enjoy watching his lover perform. And oh, could Brooke Lynn Hytes perform.

They’d barely made it inside the door, pulling at each other’s clothes the second it shut, and would have ended up with Brooke attempting to fuck Cracker up against the wall were it not for a pair of inquisitive cats appearing and nearly tripping up the pair of them.

“Shit,” Brooke cursed, pulling up his loose jogging pants and trying to shoo Henry and Apollo towards the living room, ignoring Cracker’s giggling fit as he talked to the felines like they were his babies. “No, you’re staying out of the bedroom… you can meet him tomorrow, but right now, he’s busy…”

By the time he’d turned back, there’d been a trail of clothes leading towards the bedroom, and Brooke followed it with anticipation. The night that came after? Well, the triumphant feeling Brooke had on stage had followed him home, and the energy he still had made Cracker wonder if his wobbling knees were going to let him walk in the morning. Worth it, though, he thought. This man gave him everything - hands down the best sex he’d ever had - and the energy it took from him left him with the distinct need to sleep late the day after.

When Cracker eventually awoke, it was to the sound of a cheerful, laughing Brooke clearly in conversation with someone. The voice sounded female, but wasn’t one he recognised, so he decided to pull a change of clothes from his bag and slipped into something fresh, leaving the Canadian to his conversation while he went in search of coffee. He smiled at Brooke on his way to the kitchen, and Brooke smiled back, wishing him good morning before returning to his FaceTime. He’d taken no more than a few steps towards the coffee pot before the woman spoke again, and Cracker’s jaw dropped as he realised who he’d just been kind-of introduced to.

Brooke’s mom.

Oh shit.

“Who was that, honey?” he heard her voice ask, so sweet and genuine he could tell from the other room. “A… a friend? A boyfriend?” she asked, an undeniable note of curiosity and, dare he say it, hope creeping into her voice.

Oh, shit.

Padding silently to the doorway in his bare feet, he watched his lover respond as he wrapped his hands around the freshly poured cup.

Brooke’s face, mostly its usual self, still had one or two of its tells that all was not quite what it seemed. His nose wrinkled slightly as he flinched, almost as if trying to shrink back from the question, and his hand reached up towards his throat, subconsciously trying to cover the flush to his skin that was slowly creeping up his neck. “Aww, mom, no,” he replied, determinedly trying to avoid looking at Cracker before he went to pieces. “He’s a friend. A good friend,” he added, a little too quickly to be truthful. His mother, however, didn’t seem to buy it.

“Really? One who’s at your place at this time in the morning?” she asked more pointedly, causing Brooke to lower his head to hide the smile that was beginning to grow on his face, lest it give the game away. The game being, Cracker thought, that things this was still just sex between them. That all they were was a pair of fuck buddies. “I know you better than that, baby.”

Cracker grinned. Mama Hytes was just too cute. She reminded him of his own mom, actually. And the fact that Brooke clearly cared about her and her opinion so much? He loved that - loved the fact that he was starting to see what the softer side of the Ice Queen looked like when he melted, as it were. And the look still on Brooke’s face when he turned to smile back at him? He was glowing with affection, for both people he was around right now. Indeed, the bitch was fucking radiant.

He was absolutely done for.

Realisation the second - Brooke’s smile

Cracker had touched down in LA a mere hour and a half ago, and already he was in a cab heading for a hotel with a suitcase at his side and a growing desire to retch burning at his throat. Was this the stupidest idea he’d ever had? Probably not, but it certainly ranked somewhere in the top ten. Its position in the chart depended on one thing - the reaction his lover had when he turned up to surprise him after his gig. Oh, fuck. That wasn’t something you did for somebody who was just a friend, was it? Letting that thought run in circles around his mind as the LA landscape flew by in the cab window, Cracker’s mind turned to the last time they’d been together - both making an appearance at a charity event somewhere out in the midwest, the pair of them so busy that the cities had begun to merge together. It wasn’t like London, Paris, or any of the gigs on their earlier tour where their contact was limited to the few minutes they could grab together - rushed blowjobs in the dressing room; quick, breathy fucks in whatever space they could manage, even once exchanging handjobs immediately after coming off stage, literally unable to keep their hands off each other.

No, their last time had been very different.

It had been slow. Soft.

They’d made more of an effort to control their longing, carefully de-dragging and heading back to their hotel in separate cabs, affording them the opportunity to shower and shed the fog around their minds as well as the grime from their bodies. When Brooke had finally knocked on Cracker’s door, they hadn’t immediately torn at each other’s clothes or gone straight for a release. Instead, they’d lain together on the slightly too-small bed, arms wrapped around each other, the warm kisses making both men feel like they were blushing teenagers again and not grown men in their thirties.

When the intimacies had finally become more intense, and the clothing began to come off, it wasn’t the pressured, driven act of frantic lust that it had usually been. Rather, as soon as one of them had removed something, the other took their own sweet time, exploring the exposed skin with alternating touches from lips and hands. Taking it in turns, both men had found themselves under the covers as naked in their emotions as with their bodies, unashamedly enjoying the slow burn and the build up to the crescendo that they’d never yet allowed themselves to develop.

It had been a night to fuel his fantasies and imagination ever since.

A few hours later, and still thinking he must have been nuts to do this, Cracker had arrived back at the hotel, showered and changed, and was on his way into WeHo. Mickey’s was not a venue he’d frequented as often as some of his friends, being very much an NYC queen as well as a regular touring girl. However, he was still recognised enough by the staff and performing queens - as relatively anonymous as he was in his casual boy clothes - that he was allowed into the backstage area to go hang out with the girls who’d already been on, and those who hadn’t yet. A PA knocked on the dressing room door for him, and a wonderfully familiar voice told his visitor to enter. His lover’s back was turned to him, and their eyes met when the younger queen looked up in the mirror, in the middle of putting on an earring.

“Cracker?!”

Brooke’s face, fully done already, had stilled. Coral painted lips gaped and eyes that opened wide were framed by their usual lashes, the man who owned them touching his mouth, a picture of serenity.

The object of his affection watched him fondly, waiting, and mere moments later was rewarded with what he’d been looking for as Brooke turned around, almost painfully slowly. His eyes trailed over him, climbing up his small but muscular form - still tired from the long flight, with bags under the eyes and skin dull from lack of rest, when the blonde’s eyes found his, a smile spread across his face that seemingly put him at the centre of his universe.

Deliberately, measuredly, Brooke rose from his chair, the long yellow dress he wore making him look like a gorgeous statue made from sunshine. That statuesque figure drifted towards him, the enamoured expression reaching all the way to his eyes.

“I can’t believe you’re here,” he whispered, putting his hands on either side of Cracker’s face. “You came all the way to LA?”

“From New York,” Cracker confirmed, his voice cracking a little in disbelief that this was going well, and that his plan hadn’t been a total disaster. “I wanted to surprise you.”

“Well, that definitely worked,” Brooke replied dryly, leaning down. If he’d been shorter, or Cracker had been taller, this would have been the moment for an embrace. Another moment of intimacy, perhaps, touching foreheads or noses for a moment as each contemplated the fact that the other was finally there, somewhere he could touch.

When their lips met, Cracker could have sworn he’d felt the fireworks enough for both of them.

Realisation the third - Brooke’s performance

They’d had to tear themselves apart after that, given that it was time for Brooke to go onstage. Allowed to watch from close by, but not so close that he’d be a distraction, Cracker slid into a booth and watched the next queen perform, before it was time for his own guy to come on.

It was definitely worth the wait.

He was lipsyncing to a mashup of Ariana Grande songs tonight - right in his wheelhouse - and it was clear from his body language how much he was enjoying it. The first number, a slow and sensual buildup, saw his body move languidly around the stage as his legs and dress flowed like water. Then, as the music changed to something more fast-paced, the fabric was torn away to reveal a bandage-style costume that glowed under the club’s lights, and if Cracker was honest, barely covered all of the important parts. He crossed his legs without thinking.

Watching Brooke Lynn perform was always revelatory, but tonight, there was an energy to his presentation that was nothing short of glorious. From the moment he’d walked out there playing a naive young woman in love, to the highly-sexed writhing around the stage he was doing after dropping into the splits right into his line of vision, the whole thing was mesmerising. And to tell the truth, when he looked right at him, trailing a finger seductively over his lips and right down over his chest, he couldn’t help but return a wry smile. Brooke was clearly returning the favour he’d been paid all those months ago in London, and the reference did not escape him.

The smile on Brooke’s face as he circled the stage was infectious and beautiful - it was as if he was sharing a particular secret moment of laughter with whoever he made eye contact with. The sheer joy of the performance, its exuberant display of his talent, made Cracker lean forward, unable to take his eyes from Brooke and his spirit. The silent sigh that escaped him then was a signal - a signal that the game the two of them were playing was changing, even though neither of them had noticed.

The desire he felt wasn’t purely carnal anymore.

Realisation the fourth - Brooke’s friends

It occurred to Cracker, as he arrived at the party, that for someone with such a very particular reputation, Brooke had one of the widest variety of friend types of anyone he’d ever met.

There were your Nina West types - the old friends from way back, the ones who provided the emotional support and the kick up the ass that his lover so sorely needed from time to time, without getting too much of a rise out of him. The queens who were the campy, mama bear types, loved by everybody, who you’d never peg as picking out people like Brooke to be their best friend.

There were your Gia Gunn types. The young, stunningly gorgeous queens who had the sharp tongues and sharper reputations - almost the complete antithesis of the Ninas of this world. The types that would have driven Cracker absolutely bat shit crazy and want to slap somebody if there had been too many of them on his season of Drag Race (and the types that made him respect Bianca del Rio all the more for not doing so). Still, Brooke liked her, and that had to be good enough for him.

There were your Vanjies, too, of course. That one Cracker had to be able to understand, because he himself was a friend of the outgoing Puerto Rican queen. It was, of course, a weird subject between the two of them now, what with Vanjie being Brooke’s ex and Cracker still feeling guilty about messing around with Brooke in the first place. And while it was true that Vanjie hadn’t given them his blessing, so to speak (there was nothing between them yet that needed it, nope), at least he wasn’t hostile. As long as the two of them didn’t rub things in his face, they were at a stage where things would be OK. And to have Vanjie’s loyal, boisterous energy in their lives was certainly better than not having it at all.

Cracker entered the apartment - waving happily at a passing Kameron in greeting - and reflected on what all of this said about the man he’d chosen to spend so much of his time with. Each one of the people here thought Brooke was a likeable, fun person and above all, a loyal friend, hence the crowd of invitees in this little place he called home. It showed a kindness that belied his Ice Queen image, open-mindedness that did him credit and a generosity of spirit that made his heart swell three sizes whenever he looked at the younger man.

“Hey, boo,” he heard behind him, the familiar Torontonian twang making Cracker smile before he even turned around. Brooke’s hug - full of warmth, that smelled of his shirt’s fabric softener and the cigarette he’d smoked earlier - was a heartfelt embrace. It was a simple, everyday gesture that still, somehow, felt reckless, new and brilliant. It was quite the step for two overthinkers such as themselves.

Realisation the fifth - Brooke’s panic attack

One in another series of firsts, this definitely unwelcome event was one that had completely sideswiped Cracker. He hadn’t seen it coming.

Their evening in NYC had been coming to a close in perfectly lovely fashion; for once, an evening that had absolutely nothing to do with drag or either of their circles of friends. Cracker had been reflecting on just how good for them it was to just spend an evening at dinner, not just shooting the breeze but really talking - although it was suspiciously like an actual date - when they’d decided to call it a night and get an Uber back to Cracker’s place.

Waiting outside for the car had given them a bit of time, and a slightly tipsy Cracker wanted to use it for all it was worth. He’d stood up on tiptoes to kiss his guy senseless, and there they were, making out in the streets like horny teenagers, when he was shaken out of his reverie by the man in his arms suddenly tensing, and talking over the top of his head.

“Fuck…”

“What?”

Cracker turned his head to follow Brooke’s line of vision when he saw what the taller man was worried about - a couple of guys exiting the bar down the street, one of whom who was definitely using their drag names in excited conversation, flailing arms gesticulating in a drunken manner, pointing towards them both.

“Oh, fuck…”

Letting go of each other and separating before either of the other men could get out their phones in the manner of amateur paparazzi, Cracker could practically sense his lover getting twitchy. Thank heaven that, in what was a blessed coincidence, their car pulled up at that point and the pair of them were whisked away before the accidental voyeurs had too much time to process. It was more of a relief, Cracker realised, when he saw the look on Brooke’s face as the car whisked them through the NYC streets.

Back at his tiny apartment in Harlem, Cracker was practically carrying the Canadian through the door, supporting him as his breathing became more erratic and his body less stable. Cracker knew that Brooke had his difficulties - just like him, had a tendency to get in his head and let the negativity take over - but they’d never yet really been close enough for long enough to experience it in each other. He just about managed to lead him towards the couch, sitting him down and taking his face in his hands.

“Stay with me, OK?”

Brooke nodded, but could do little else.

“I’m going to help you breathe through it.” He took one of Brooke’s strong hands, holding it gently between his own. “First, five things you can see, OK?”

It was an old technique, hardly innovative, but it almost literally brought a sufferer back down to earth in the middle of an attack - something Cracker had to use on himself more than once. Brooke, however, definitely seemed like he’d needed the help, if his heavy breathing and partially closed eyes were anything to go by. Cracker didn’t push it, though. He knew time was not a luxury, but a necessity, in this case.

“Um… OK… the blue of your shirt. The brown of your eyes, and hair,” Brooke began, apparently one to go by colours. Funny, Cracker thought. So was he. “Um, the grey of the couch. The red of that painting on the wall… and your lips, they’re pink, I guess…”

Not too far there, yet, but better than nothing, he supposed. Brooke was talking, now, and able to look at him if he mentioned his face. Cracker reached up, slid off Brooke’s jacket and his own, so they could both get more comfortable, and continued. “Four things you can touch… go on…”

Brooke’s breathing, still heavy, was at least a little slower now, and he took fewer pauses. “Your shirt… it’s soft. The couch… we’re sinking in… your jeans… they’re rougher… and your skin… you’ve gone cold…”

It was no surprise, really, Cracker told himself. He’d felt like his blood was running colder as soon as he’d realised Brooke’s predicament… but there they were. “OK, good, you’re doing well,” he said soothingly, reaching over to rub Brooke’s back. “When you’re ready, three things you can hear.”

Brooke’s breathing was longer and slower now, and Cracker instinctively reached up to cradle the back of his head as his lover clutched the back of his shirt in his fist, head resting on his shoulder. “The traffic outside. There’s a lot of car horns,” he said, the feeling of his breath tickling Cracker’s neck. “The sound of your breathing. And your heartbeat.” Cracker wasn’t sure that the last one counted, but he didn’t have the heart to point that out.

“Two things you can smell, then. Go on.”

“Your cologne. And your sweat.”

Cracker couldn’t help but chuckle then, cradling the taller man in his arms. The bluntness of the reply was pretty funny, and he couldn’t hold it against him… especially as he’d definitely felt the cool sweat running down the back of his neck as he’d wrestled Brooke to the couch. Poor thing.

“And the last one, babe. C’mon…”

“Taste…” Brooke paused, tilting his face down a little, licking his tongue across Cracker’s bottom lip, ever so gently, as the smaller queen held his wrist to feel the heartbeat coming in at a more normal pace. A smile drew itself across Cracker’s face as he stayed there, letting Brooke use him for his own comfort, which was good for both of them, really.

They stayed with limbs entwined on the couch for god knows how long after that, Cracker lying back on the couch with Brooke curled into him. It was peaceful, being like this, and it gave both men time to think. If tonight had proved anything, it was that they understood each other on a level that even they didn’t quite understand. He’d been willing to take the relationship a little further than they’d been enjoying for a while now, but tonight had meant that the pair of them were forced to reflect on how much they trusted each other. Cracker thought back to how they’d started, out of something stupid at first, then been drawn to each other regardless. Now, he knew that they saw the true beauty of each other, far beyond the surface he could see.

He was in love.

Her Heart on its Knees

AU thing I thought of… Cause y’know lmao

Sooo basically Arian and Cullen exist in a variety of different universes, one where she meets him in Kirkwall, one where she joins the Inquisition as a member of the inner circle, one where she stays with her clan, one where she becomes Inquisitor, etc. etc. etc. This takes place in the second one. Evelyn Trevelyan is Inquisitor, and Arian, curious about human society, joins the organization in hopes that her clan will warm up to the idea of becoming its ally. 

Over the months, Arian falls for Cullen, and the two become very close - though she’s convinced he’s involved with the Inquisitor. When Perseverance rolls around, Evelyn does what she believes is best, and Arian takes immediate action.

“How could you!?”

Evelyn glanced up from her stack of reports to find Arian, the young Dalish woman who had joined them in Haven, standing in front of her desk, looking angrier than the Herald had ever seen her. 

“How could I what, Arian?” she asked, genuinely confused.

The elf just inched her way toward the Inquisitor, her crystalline eyes sparking like flint on steel upon closer inspection.

“You said you would look out for him; you told me outright that you would help him in anyway you could. How does telling Cullen to go back on lyrium accomplish any of that!?” she barked, her bared teeth only adding to the effect.

Evelyn just blinked, setting down the quill she’d been writing with. “Arian. The man was visibly troubled, and he wanted to continue leading the Inquisition’s army. I did what I believed best. We will figure out a better solution once-”

“No!” Arian interrupted, slamming her hands down on the desk’s surface. “You don’t get it, do you? Cullen has one chance to be rid of everything he’s faced, and it needs to happen now. I don’t care if lyrium is easing the hardships of his position - it’s the one thing still leashing him to his past. If you cared about him you would believe in his capability to overcome this. Instead you’ve given up on him, and for what? Your army?” She rose from where she’d been hunched over, flinging her arms outward. “I hope you’re happy with the choice you’ve made." 

"Do not question my means of solving matters, Arian.” Evelyn seethed, standing from her desk and towering over the elf. “Cullen could very well die if he continues abstaining from lyrium. Would you rather that happen?”

“You don’t know that. Cullen isn’t like the other templars who have quit. He’s proven himself time and time again.” Arian argued, her voice tight.

Evelyn really didn’t have time to be lectured by the girl - instead pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration.

“The decision has been made, Arian. Now I suggest you leave me be. I have a multitude of reports to finish up.”

The elf, her expression completely wounded, slowly shook her head. “Fen'Harel ma ghilana,” she whispered, then turned on her heel and stormed out of the room.

Evelyn plopped back down into her seat the moment the door to her quarters slammed shut, a tired breath passing through her lips as she stared up at the rafters of the ceiling.

It took everything to will the angry tears in her eyes from sliding down her cheeks, but the more Arian pondered the situation the harder they fell.

This wasn’t fair. Cullen didn’t deserve this, especially from the woman who was supposed to have his love and support no matter what. How she wished she had been there the day they came to the Commander’s ultimatum; she would’ve done anything to prevent the current outcome from happening.

Perhaps she could still make an impact, she thought as she marched through the main hall of the castle, cutting through Solas’ veranda to cross the bridge to Cullen’s office. As expected, the man was present, hunched over his desk with a determined look on his face. Although Arian was quiet in her entry, that didn’t stop him from glancing up once she had shut the door behind her.

“Arian,” he acknowledged, rising upward. “Is there something you need?” He must’ve noticed the tears on her cheeks, for a second later he came right up to her, his expression concerned.

“I’m sorry, I just-” she wept, scrubbing at her face, “Cullen, why did you listen to her? You had come so far and…” she lowered her head, hugging herself. Cullen looked as though he wanted to comfort her, but his hands just hovered at his sides.

“Is… Is this about the lyrium?” he asked, and she nodded helplessly. 

“I know she’s the Inquisitor, but you’re so much stronger than you realize, Cullen,” she breathed, looking up at him. “Maybe it’s too late to convince you otherwise, but…”

Cullen appeared to be visibly touched, and finally he reached out and placed a shaky hand on her shoulder.

“Arian, I…” he started, but was interrupted by the door to his office swinging open. Both the Commander and elf turned to eye the interloper, who ended up being Evelyn.

“Inquisitor-” Cullen began, but went silent once the woman held up her hand.

“I should’ve known you were going to come here after our spat,” Evelyn directed to Arian, displeasure lacing her tone. Cullen seemed surprised at the comment, his eyes flickering between the two women.

Arian regarded the Herald with a blank expression, her breathing steady. “I couldn’t abide by your decision, Inquisitor. Dismiss me if you must, but at the very least reconsider your choice.”

To the elf’s shock, Evelyn’s face shifted; a small, respectful smile appearing on her lips.

“You needn’t worry about being dismissed,” she said, crossing her arms. “I’m… impressed that you stood up to me on your own accord, all for the sake of someone else.” Her eyes shifted to Cullen. “Commander, you have my permission to continue abstaining from lyrium use, if that is your wish.”

Cullen looked dumbstruck initially, but he quickly collected his bearings, clearing his throat. “Inquisitor. That day when you came here after my…outburst, I never actually went through with your orders. I almost did, held a vial to my lips, even. But… I couldn’t.”

Arian’s face brightened, a gasp of breath escaping her lungs as she quickly turned to face the man. 

“You haven’t taken it again?” she beamed. Cullen shook his head.

“I… I actually wanted to ask you how you felt about it first, Arian.” he explained, rubbing at his neck. “I probably should have done so sooner, seeing as you found out elsewhere.”

The elf felt her mouth part slightly. “You wanted my opinion?” she questioned in disbelief, and the man nodded.

“You are genuine in your observations. And, well… you have always had my best interest in mind. It seemed appropriate.”

Arian felt her cheeks heat, a gentle smile rising on her lips as his words nestled their way into her heart. 

“Well, I think we’re all quite aware of how Arian feels,” Evelyn said, a smirk tugging at her lips. “Now if all’s settled, I have more reports to tend to. Commander. Arian.” She gave a halfhearted salute to them both, then proceeded to exit Cullen’s office. 

“You… you were really so concerned for me that you stood up to the Inquisitor?” Cullen asked once Evelyn had left, his voice quiet.

Arian chewed at her lip, knowing she was likely in for a lecture on obedience. “I couldn’t watch you suffer, Cullen. I know the Inquisition is important, but, so are you. I respect Evelyn, but I couldn’t stand by her decision. You… you mean too much to me.”

Cullen was silent, likely contemplating a proper response. All the while, Arian stared down at her feet, knowing she had overstepped and hoping he wouldn’t be too harsh on her. She was, after all, simply looking out for her best friend.

And the man who held her heart.

“Thank you,” he finally said, and Arian’s eyes flew upward. The Commander was regarding her with a tender expression, his tawny eyes more compelling than they had ever been.

“Thank you?” Arian repeated, confused.

Cullen offered her a smile. “It’d do me well to remember that even if Evelyn is Inquisitor, I do not always have to abide by her commands. After everything that happened that day, I suppose I was simply inclined to agree.”

“You’re your own person, Cullen,” Arian murmured, stepping closer. “Not everything needs to be order and formality.”

The Commander chuckled at that. “Something I am slowly learning every day,” he admitted, resting his hands on the pommel of his sword.

Arian found herself regarding him for a moment, watching the gentle rise and fall of his shoulders as he took in a deep breath. His eyes were fixed on the far wall of his office, giving the elf an opportunity to study the sharp angles of his profile, the sculpted slope of his nose.

She found herself smiling. Even now, he looked to be at peace.

“Hopefully Evelyn won’t be too angry,” Arian uttered, twiddling her fingers. “I wouldn’t want to put a rift between you.”

“Colleagues disagree sometimes. I am sure she won’t take the objection to heart, Arian.” the man replied, turning to look at her properly.

The elven woman blinked, then shook her head. “No, that’s not… I mean, I meant, I wouldn’t want this to tarnish your… personal relationship with her.”

Cullen raised a brow. “Personal?” he inquired.

Arian sighed, her shoulders sinking. “You and Evelyn are seeing each other, right?”

“H-what?” Cullen chuckled in disbelief. “If we are I haven’t been made aware. What would make you think such?”

Arian herself was stunned, just now realizing her hunch had been wrong. “You... well, you’re always working together and… well…” she stuttered.

Cullen shook his head, but a gentle smile graced his cheeks. “I do not have feelings for Evelyn, Arian. Our relationship is strictly professional. Besides, last I heard she was weasling her way into getting information about Krem from Bull.”

Arian attempted a response, but failed; the elf too busy processing all that he had revealed to her.

“Oh.” she finally spoke, feeling foolish. “Forgive me, I didn’t mean-”

“Arian,” Cullen nearly whispered, resting his hand on her arm. “Is there a reason you considered such?”

The elf looked up into his gentle eyes, and instantly she was lost. Something within screamed at her to take advantage of this moment, but the slightest bit of doubt still held her back.

“I…” she breathed, swallowing thickly. “Yes, but… I-I don’t want to ruin things. You’re a dear friend to me and I couldn’t bear the thought of…” she lowered her head, refusing to speak further.

She wouldn’t have to.

Before she knew it, Cullen’s hand had risen from her arm, instead cupping her cheek. Carefully he turned her face upward until she was gazing right at him, and only then did she realize just how close he was.

“You could never ruin things, Arian,” he reassured her, his words sweet and slightly timid. “For months now I’ve wondered… Arian, do you… have you ever thought about this? About us?”

Surely this couldn’t be happening. There was no way Cullen was asking if she had ever thought of being with him.

“I…” she swallowed, “Yes. But I-I don’t want to jeopardize what we have now. We could just stay friends and it’d be perfectly oka-”

Cullen didn’t allow her to finish. Instead, he had bent forward and slanted his mouth over hers; the tender movement of his lips drawing a soft whine from the elf’s throat.

There wasn’t a single word to describe how Arian felt in those precious seconds. Surprised. Relieved. Grateful. Warm.

The two eventually parted, both looking flushed as they simply gazed into one another’s eyes; both contemplating what this meant for them.

“That was…” Cullen breathed, all at once looking shy.

“Uh-huh,” Arian followed dumbly, offering him an affectionate smile. Cullen reciprocated it, the hand he still had on her cheek moving to tuck a strand of hair behind her pointed ear.

“I… I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned just how lovely you are,” he murmured, his eyes carefully studying her face. Arian giggled girlishly, her head gently falling into the crook of his neck.

“And now you can do so as much as you’d like,” she nearly sang, sighing happily when Cullen pressed his smiling lips into her hair. 

Likes and reblogs are always soooo appreciated!! <3

Hi, I've been seeing a lot of stuff about this year's mischief and mistletoe thing. I'm a bit curious. Can you rec some stories I should start with from this year's lot?

Sorry it took me so long to get to this ask! Real life has been hectic recently, thank you for being patient with me!

I’m so pleased to hear you’re interested in Mischief and Mistletoe! If you’re totally unfamiliar, it’s an annual Loki/Sif fanworks exchange and this was our 5th year! There were 20 works completed this year, and tons of variety so it’s a little difficult to pick just a couple. How about I categorize and you can pick the ones that fit your interest?

Alternate Universe Fics

The Tale of the Forgotten by Lizardbeth (8k words, T rating)

Angels vs Demons theology AU. Sif meets a stranger while fighting against the Apocalypse. Stunning and atmospheric!

Last Chance Gulch by murdur (5k words, T rating)

Western AU. Loki is a bandit and Sif has been chasing him down.

Marvel at perfection, for it is fleeting by TheLadySif (18k words, M rating)

Avengers Academy AU. College aged Loki and Sif try to figure out a mystery on campus. Things are not what they seem!

love isn’t rapid heartbeats by rories (4k words, M rating)

Modern AU. Domestic fluff about all the ways they say “I love you”. My heart grew three sizes reading it.

A Wild Winter Roadtrip by Seyary_Minamoto (24k words, M rating)

Modern AU. Sif and Loki reconnect after years apart when they have to drive to bail Thor out of trouble. Sexy and sweet.

Pre-Canon Fics

Lay Here With Me by Ariane (5k words, T rating)

Loki takes Sif to safety and tends to her wounds. So much pining and comfort, I died of joy.

sharing secrets by joyyjpg (2k words, T rating)

Loki and Sif recall a childhood secret. Cute!

Inseparable by eternal_love_song (5k words, T rating)

Loki and Sif help each other in their studies of magic and weapons as children and beyond. 

Have Mercy by marvelsamwilson (art + 1k words, G rating)

Pretend married art and fic yessss!

Caught in the Reality of a Dream by silverducks (2k, T rating)

Sif contemplates her budding relationship with the prince.

Troll Rasa by Keenir (2k words, T rating)

Loki and Sif work together to rescue their friends.

Post-Canon Fics

True Love’s Kiss by ladylaufeyson1 (2k words, T rating)

Loki recounts a story to his daughter about saving her mother’s life. My emotionssss

The Hunt by supermagpie (2k words, no rating)

Loki and Sif’s children have stayed up to try to catch the Yule Father. Domestic wonderful fluff.

Take It Slow by nayanroo (9k words, T rating)

Sif and Thor travel to Earth to confront Loki and ask for his help

of red, green and silver by escailyy (3k words, G rating)

Amora has plans to set Loki and Sif up

Canon Divergence/In-Universe timelines

Interworld by summerof16 (6k words, T rating)

Details what happens during Loki’s fall from the Bifrost and how things could have been different. Lovely.

Like Hand in Glove by ConvietAlias (4k words, G rating)

Everyone in Asgard is born with their soulmate’s name on their hand. Totally charming, one of my favorites!

It has to be elves by Ceema (5k words, M rating)

Loki and Sif share an apartment while on a mission.

Capture the Destroyer by keenir (2k words, G rating)

Sif is the one to bring havoc to Earth

Hopefully you find something enjoyable! Thank you for the message!

Nikos Deja Vu - Ο Μέγας Βασίλειος (Basilius Magnus - Saint Basil of Caesarea - Vasileios The Great (The Greek Santa Claus)

Basil of Caesarea (Πατήστε ΕΔΩ για Ελληνικά) Βασίλειος ο Μέγας Αγιος Βασίλειος Vasileios The Great - Saint Basil (The Greek Santa Claus)

Saint Basil of Caesarea, also called Basil the Great (between 329 and 333 - January 1, 379) (Greek: Άγιος Βασίλειος ο Μέγας; Latin: Basilius), was the Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia, and an influential 4th century Christian theologian. Theologically, Basil was a supporter of the Nicene faction of the church, in opposition to the Arians on one side and the Appollanarians on the other. His ability to balance his theological convictions with his political connections - especially with the Arian Emperor Valens - made Basil a powerful advocate for the Nicene position. In addition to his work as a theologian, Basil was known for his care of the poor and underpriveleged. He is considered a saint by the traditions of both Eastern and Western Christianity. Basil, Gregory Nazianzus, and Basil's brother Gregory of Nyssa are collectively referred to as the Cappadocian Fathers. The Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches have given him, together with Gregory Nazianzus and John Chrysostom, the title of the Three Great Hierarchs, while the Roman Catholic Church has named him a Doctor of the Church. He is also referred to as "the revealer of heavenly mysteries" (Ouranophantor). Basil established guidelines for monastic life which focus on community life, liturgical prayer and manual labor. Together with Saint Pachomius he is remembered as a father of communal monasticism in Eastern Christianity.

Life and education

Basil was born into the wealthy Greek family of Basil the Elder and Emelia around 330 in Caesarea Mazaca in Cappadocia (now known as Kayseri in Turkey). It was a large household, consisting of nine (or ten) children, the parents, and Basil's grandmother, Macrina the Elder. His parents were known for their piety, and his maternal grandfather was a Christian martyr, executed in the years prior to Constantine's conversion. Four of Basil's siblings are known by name, and considered to be saints by various Christian traditions. His older sister Macrina the Younger was a well-known nun. His older brother Peter served as bishop of Sebaste in Armenia, and wrote a few well-known tehological treatises. His brother Naucratius was an anchorite, and inspired much of Basil's theological work. Perhaps the most influential of Basil's siblings was his younger brother Gregory. Gregory was appointed by Basil to be the bishop of Nyssa, and he produced a number of writings defending Nicene theology and describing the life of early Christian monastics. Some church historians presumed Theosebia was also Basil's youngest sister, although this identification is not certain. Shortly after Basil's birth, the family moved to the estate of his grandmother Macrina, in the region of Pontus. There, Basil was educated in the home by his father and grandmother. He was greatly influenced by the elder Macrina, who herself was a student of Gregory Thaumaturgus. Following the death of his father during his teenage years, Basil returned to Caesarea in Cappadocia around 350-51 to begin his formal education. There he met Gregory of Nazianzus, who would become a lifetime friend. Together, Basil and Gregory went on to study in Constantinople, where they would have listened to the lectures of Libanius. Finally, the two spent almost six years in Athens starting around 349, where they met a fellow student who would become the unfortunate emperor Julian the Apostate. It was at Athens that he seriously began to think of religion, and resolved to seek out the most famous hermit saints in Syria and Arabia in order to learn from them how to attain enthusiastic piety and how to keep his body under submission by asceticism, what he called the "philosophical life." Prior to his decision to become a monk, he opened an oratory and practiced law in Ceasarea. He also taught rhetoric, which at the time was a very respectable place in university curricula.

Arnesi

After this, we find him as spiritual director of a convent near Arnesi in Pontus, in which his mother Emelia, then widowed, his sister Macrina and several other women, gave themselves to a pious life of prayer and charitable works. Eustathius of Sebaste had already labored in Pontus in behalf of the anchoretic life, and Basil revered him on that account, although they differed over dogmatic points, which gradually separated these two men. Basil himself gathered several disciples around him, including his own brother Peter, and these men gathered together to found the first monastery in Asia Minor. He remained there for only five years. It was here, however, that Basil wrote his works regarding monastic communal life, which are accounted as being pivotal in the development of the monastic tradition of the Eastern Church and have led to his being called the "father of Eastern communal monasticism". In 358, he left that monastery with Gregory and they became hermits, dividing their time between prayer, writing, and contemplation. It was at this time that he wrote his Philocalia, a collection of texts drawn from Origen. Siding from the beginning and at the Council of Constantinople in 360 with the Homoousians, Basil went especially with those who overcame the aversion to homoousios in common opposition to Arianism, thus drawing nearer to Athanasius of Alexandria. Like Athanasius, he was also opposed to the Macedonianism. He also became a stranger to his bishop, Dianius of Caesarea, who had subscribed only to the earlier Nicene form of agreement, and became reconciled to him only when the latter was about to die.

Caesarea

In 362 he was ordained a deacon by Bishop Meletius of Antioch. He was summoned by Eusebius of Caesarea to his city, and was ordained presbyter of the Church there in 365. His ordination was probably the result of the entreaties of his ecclesiastical superiors, who wished to use his talents against the Arians, who were numerous in that part of the country and were favoured by the Arian emperor, Valens, who then reigned in Constantinople. Basil and Gregory Nazianzus spent the next few years combating the Arian heresy, which threatened to divide the region of Cappadocia. The two friends then entered a period of close fraternal cooperation as they participated in a great rhetorical contest of the Caesarean church precipitated by the arrival of accomplished Arian theologians and rhetors. In the subsequent public debates, presided over by agents of Valens, Gregory and Basil emerged triumphant. This success confirmed for both Gregory and Basil that their futures lay in administration of the church. Basil next took on functional administration of the Diocese of Caesarea.Eusebius is reported as becoming jealous of the reputation and influence which Basil quickly developed, and allowed Basil to return to his earlier solitude. Later, however, Gregory persuaded Basil to return. Basil did so, and became the effective manager of the diocese for several years, while giving all the credit to Eusebius. In 370, Eusebius died, and Basil was chosen to succeed him. His new post as bishop of Caesarea also gave him the powers of exarch of Pontus and metropolitan of five suffragan bishops, many of whom had opposed him in the election for Eusebius's successor. It was then that his great powers were called into action. Hot-blooded and somewhat imperious, Basil was also generous and sympathetic. He personally organized a soup kitchen and distributed food to the poor during a famine following a drought. He gave away his personal family inheritance to benefit the poor of his diocese. His letters show that he actively worked to reform thieves and prostitutes. They also show him encouraging his clergy not to be tempted by wealth or the comparatively easy life of a priest, and that he personally took care in selecting worthy candidates for holy orders. He also had the courage to criticize public officials who failed in their duty of administering justice. At the same time, he preached every morning and evening in his own church to large congregations. In addition to all the above, he built a large complex just outside Caesarea, called the Basiliad, which included a poorhouse, hospice, and hospital, and was regarded at the time as one of the wonders of the world. His zeal for orthodoxy did not blind him to what was good in an opponent; and for the sake of peace and charity he was content to waive the use of orthodox terminology when it could be surrendered without a sacrifice of truth. The Emperor Valens, who was an adherent of the Arian philosophy, sent his prefect Modestus to at least agree to a compromise with the Arian faction. Basil's adamant response in the negative prompted Modestus to say that no one had ever spoken to him in that way before. Basil replied, "Perhaps you have never yet had to deal with a bishop." Modestus reported back to Valens that he believed nothing short of violence would avail against Basil. Valens was apparently unwilling to engage in violence. He did however issue orders banishing Basil repeatedly, none of which succeeded. Valens came himself to attend when Basil celebrated the Divine Liturgy on the Feast of the Theophany (Epiphany), and at that time was so impressed by Basil that he donated to him some land for the building of the Basiliad. This interaction helped to define the limits of governmental power over the church.

Basil then had to face the growing spread of Arianism. This belief system, which denied that Christ was consubstantial with the Father, was quickly gaining adherents and was seen by many, particularly those in Alexandria most familiar with it, as posing a threat to the unity of the church. Basil entered into connections with the West, and with the help of Athanasius, he tried to overcome its distrustful attitude toward the Homoiousians. The difficulties had been enhanced by bringing in the question as to the essence of the Holy Spirit. Although Basil advocated objectively the consubstantiality of the Holy Spirit with the Father and the Son, he belonged to those, who, faithful to Eastern tradition, would not allow the predicate homoousios to the former; for this he was reproached as early as 371 by the Orthodox zealots among the monks, and Athanasius defended him. He maintained a relationship with Eustathius despite dogmatic differences. On the other hand, Basil was grievously offended by the extreme adherents of Homoousianism, who seemed to him to be reviving the Sabellian heresy. Basil corresponded with Pope Damasus in the hope of having the Roman bishop condemn heresy wherever found, both East and West. The Pope's apparent indifference upset Basil's zeal and he turned around in distress and sadness. It is still a point of controversy over how much he believed the Roman See could do for the Churches in the East, as many Roman Catholic theologians claim the primacy of the Roman bishopric over the rest of the Churches, both in doctrine and in authoritative strength. He did not live to see the end of the unhappy factional disturbances and the complete success of his continued exertions in behalf of the Church. He suffered from liver illness and his excessive asceticism seems to have hastened him to an early death. A lasting monument of his episcopal care for the poor was the great institute before the gates of Caesarea, which was used as poorhouse, hospital, and hospice. The 5th century church historian Sozomen records a meeting between Basil and Ephraim the Syrian, though many modern scholars dismiss the account as legendary.

Writings

The principal theological writings of Basil are his On the Holy Spirit, a lucid and edifying appeal to Scripture and early Christian tradition (to prove the divinity of the Holy Spirit), and his Refutation of the Apology of the Impious Eunomius, written in 363 or 364, three books against Eunomius of Cyzicus, the chief exponent of Anomoian Arianism. The first three books of the Refutation are his work; the fourth and fifth books that are usually included do not belong to Basil, or to Apollinaris of Laodicea, but probably to Didymus "the Blind" of Alexandria. He was a famous preacher, and many of his homilies, including a series of Lenten lectures on the Hexaemeron (the Six Days of Creation), and an exposition of the psalter, have been preserved. Some, like that against usury and that on the famine in 368, are valuable for the history of morals; others illustrate the honor paid to martyrs and relics; the address to young men on the study of classical literature shows that Basil was lastingly influenced by his own education, which taught him to appreciate the propaedeutic importance of the classics. In his exegesis Basil tended to interpret Scripture literally—following more the Antiochian school—rather than allegorically as Origen and the Alexandrian school had done. Concerning this, he wrote: "I know the laws of allegory, though less by myself than from the works of others. There are those, truly, who do not admit the common sense of the Scriptures, for whom water is not water, but some other nature, who see in a plant, in a fish, what their fancy wishes, who change the nature of reptiles and of wild beasts to suit their allegories, like the interpreters of dreams who explain visions in sleep to make them serve their own end." His ascetic tendencies are exhibited in the Moralia and Asketika (sometimes mistranslated as Rules of St. Basil), ethical manuals for use in the world and the cloister, respectively. Of the two works known as the Greater Asketikon and the Lesser Asketikon, the shorter is the one most probably his work. It is in the ethical manuals and moral sermons that the practical aspects of his theoretical theology are illustrated. So, for example, it is in his Sermon to the Lazicans that we find St. Basil explaining how it is our common nature that obliges us to treat our neighbor's natural needs (e.g., hunger, thirst) as our own, even though he is a separate individual. Later theologians explicitly explain this as an example of how the saints become an image of the one common nature of the persons of the Trinity. His three hundred letters reveal a rich and observant nature, which, despite the troubles of ill-health and ecclesiastical unrest, remained optimistic, tender and even playful. His principal efforts as a reformer were directed towards the improvement of the liturgy, and the reformation of the monastic institutions of the East. Most of the liturgies bearing the name of Basil are not entirely his work in their present form, but they nevertheless preserve a recollection of Basil's activity in this field in formularizing liturgical prayers and promoting church-song. One liturgy that can be attributed to him is The Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great, a liturgy that is somewhat longer than the more commonly used Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. The difference between the two is primarily in the silent prayers said by the priest, and in the use of the hymn to the Theotokos, All of Creation, instead of the Axion Estin of Saint John Chrysostom's Liturgy. Chrysostom's Liturgy has come to replace Saint Basil's on most days in the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic liturgical traditions. However, they still use Saint Basil's Liturgy on certain feast days: the first five Sundays of Great Lent; the Eves of Nativity and Theophany; and on Maundy Thursday and Holy Saturday; and the Feast of Saint Basil, January 1 (for those churches which follow the Julian Calendar, their January 1 falls on January 14 of the Gregorian Calendar). The Eastern Churches preserve numerous other prayers attributed to Saint Basil, including three Prayers of Exorcism, several Morning and Evening Prayers, the "Prayer of the Hours" which is read at each service of the Daily Office, and the long and moving "Kneeling Prayers" which are recited by the priest at Vespers on Pentecost in the Byzantine Rite. Most of his extant works, and a few spuriously attributed to him, are available in the Patrologia Graecae, which includes Latin translations of varying quality. Several of St. Basil's works have appeared in the late twentieth century in the Sources Chretiennes collection. No critical edition is yet available.

Legacy

Basil was given the title Doctor of the Church for his contributions to the debate initiated by the Arian controversy regarding the nature of the Trinity, and especially the question of the divinity of the Holy Spirit. Basil was responsible for defining the terms ousia (nature) and hypostasis (being or person), and for defining the classic formulation of three Persons in one Nature. His single greatest contribution was his insistence on the divinity and consubstantiality of the Holy Spirit with the Father and the Son. Basil of Caesarea holds a very important place in the history of Christian liturgy, coming as he did at the end of the age of persecution. At this time, liturgical prayers were transitioning from being extemporaneous or memorized into written formulas, and liturgy began to be influenced by court ritual. Basil's liturgical influence is well attested in early sources. Though it is difficult at this time to know exactly which parts of the Divine Liturgies which bear his name are actually his work, a vast corpus of prayers attributed to him has survived in the various Eastern Christian churches. Tradition also credits Basil with the elevation of the iconostasis to its present height. The Basilian Fathers, also known as The Congregation of St. Basil, an international order of Roman Catholic priests and students studying for the priesthood, is named after him. It is a common misconception that Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow is named after Basil the Great; however, it is in fact named after Saint Basil the Fool for Christ (Yurodivy). In Greek tradition, his name was given to Father Christmas and is supposed to visit children and give presents every January 1 (when Basil's memory is celebrated)—unlike other traditions where this person is Saint Nicholas and comes either on December 6 (St. Nicholas' Day) or on Christmas Eve. It is traditional on St. Basil's Day to serve Vasilopita, a rich bread baked with a coin inside, in commemoration of St. Basil's charity. It is customary on his feast day to visit the homes of friends and relatives, to sing carols, and to set an extra place at the table for Saint Basil.

Feast day

Basil died on January 1, and this continues to be the day on which his feast day is celebrated, in conjunction with with the Feast of the Circumcision, throughout Eastern Christianity (for those churches which follow the traditional Julian Calendar, January 1 falls on January 14 of the modern Gregorian Calendar). However, in the calendar of saints of the Roman Catholic Church Saint Basil is commemorated on January 2. Prior to the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, his feast day was celebrated on June 14 in the West. The Church of England celebrates him on January 2, while the Episcopal Church continues to commemorate him on June 14. The Lutheran calendar commemorates Basil the Great on January 10 and June 14, in both cases he is remembered together with Gregory Nazianzus and Gregory of Nyssa. An additional feast day is celebrated on January 30 (February 12) by the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches on which Saint Basil is celebrated together with Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom, a feast which is known as the Synaxis of the Three Holy Hierarchs. The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria celebrates the feast day of Saint Basil on the 6th of Tobi (6th of Terr on the Ethiopian calendar of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church). This corresponds with either January 15 or January 16 of the Gregorian Calendar, depending upon the year.

Relics

Although numerous relics of Saint Basil are found throughout the world, one of the most important is his head, which is preserved to this day at the monastery of the Great Lavra on Mount Athos in Greece.

An interesting Metamorphosis of Santa in Demre (Antalya - Turkey)

The metamorphosis of the humble Santa Claus (the Greek Saint Nicholas in reality) into the commercially more interesting "Santa Claus", which took several centuries in Europe and America, has recently been re-enacted in the Saint's home town, the city of Demre. This modern Turkish town is built near the ruins of ancient Myra. As St. Nicholas is a very popular Orthodox saint, the city attracts many Russian tourists. A solemn bronze statue of the Saint by the Russian sculptor Gregory Pototsky, donated by the Russian government in 2000, was given a prominent place on the square in front of the medieval church of St. Nicholas. In 2005, mayor Suleyman Topcu had the statue replaced by a red-suited plastic Santa Claus statue, because he wanted the central statue to be more recognizable to visitors from all over the world. Protests from the Russian government against this action were successful only to the extent that the Russian statue was returned, without its original high pedestal, to a corner near the church.

Nikos Deja Vu n1999k.blogspot.com

Pythagoras, of whom a modern savant [Roger Bacon], otherwise most estimable, has rather thoughtlessly reproached with being a fanatical and superstitious man, begins his teaching, nevertheless, by laying down a principle of universal tolerance. He commands his disciples to follow the cult established by the laws, whatever this cult may be, and to adore the gods of their country, what ever these gods may be; enjoining them only, to guard afterwards their faith—that is, to remain inwardly faithful to his doctrine, and never to divulge the mysteries. Lysis, in writing these opening lines, adroitly conceals herein a double meaning. By the first he commended, as I have said, tolerance and reserve for the Pythagorean, and, following the example of the Egyptian priests, established two doctrines, the one apparent and vulgar, conformable to the law; the other mysterious and secret, analogous to the faith; by the second meaning, he reassures the suspicious people of Greece, who, according to the slanders which were in circulation might have feared that the new sect would attack the sanctity of their gods. This tolerance on the one hand, and this reserve on the other, were no more than what they would be today. The Christian Religion, exclusive and severe, has changed all our ideas in this respect: by admitting only one sole doctrine in one unique church, this religion has necessarily confused tolerance with indifference or coldness, and reserve with heresy or hypocrisy; but in the spirit of polytheism these same things take on another colour. A Christian philosopher could not, without perjuring himself and committing a frightful impiety, bend the knee in China before Kong-Tse, nor offer incense to Chang-Ty nor to Tien; he could neither render, in India, homage to Krishna, nor present himself at Benares as a worshipper of Vishnu; he could not even, although recognizing the same God as the Jews and Mussulmans, take part in their ceremonies, or what is still more, worship this God with the Arians, the Lutherans, or Calvinists, if he were a Catholic. This belongs to the very essence of his cult. A Pythagorean philosopher did not recognize in the least these formidable barriers, which hem in the nations, as it were, isolate them, and make them worse than enemies. The gods of the people were in his eyes the same gods, and his cosmopolitan dogmas condemned no one to eternal damnation. From one end of the earth to the other he could cause incense to rise from the altar of the Divinity, under whatever name, under whatever form it might be worshipped, and render to it the public cult established by the law. And this is the reason. Polytheism was not in their opinion what it has become in ours, an impious and gross idolatry, a cult inspired by the infernal adversary to seduce men and to claim for itself the honours which are due only to the Divinity; it was a particularization of the Universal Being, a personification of its attributes and its faculties. Before Moses, none of the theocratic legislators had thought it well to present for the adoration of the people, the Supreme God, unique and uncreated in His unfathomable universality. The Indian Brahmans, who can be considered as the living types of all the sages and of all the pontiffs of the world, never permit themselves, even in this day when their great age has effaced the traces of their ancient science, to utter the name of God, principle of All. They are content to meditate upon its essence in silence and to offer sacrifices to its sublimest emanations. The Chinese sages act the same with regard to the Primal Cause, that must be neither named nor defined b; the followers of Zoroaster, who believe that the two universal principles of good and evil, Ormuzd and Ahriman, emanate from this ineffable Cause, are content to designate it under the name of Eternity. The Egyptians, so celebrated for their wisdom, the extent of their learning, and the multitude of their divine symbols, honoured with silence the God, principle and source of all things; they never spoke of it, regarding it as inaccessible to all the researches of man; and Orpheus, their disciple, first author of the brilliant mythology of the Greeks, Orpheus, who seemed to announce the soul of the World as creator of this same God from which it emanated, said plainly: "I never see this Being surrounded with a cloud." Moses, as I have said, was the first who made a public dogma of the unity of God, and who divulged what, up to that time had been buried in the seclusion of the sanctuaries; for the principal tenets of the mysteries, those upon which reposed all others, were the Unity of God and the homogeneity of Nature. It is true that Moses, in making this disclosure, permitted no definition, no reflection, either upon the essence or upon the nature of this unique Being; this is very remarkable. Before him, in all the known world, and after him (save in Judea [...]), the Divinity was considered by the theosophists of all nations, under two relations: primarily as unique, secondarily as infinite; as unique, preserved under the seal of silence to the contemplation and meditation of the sages; as infinite, delivered to the veneration and invocation of the people. Now the unity of God resides in His essence so that the vulgar can never in any way either conceive or understand. His infinity consists in His perfections, His faculties, His attributes, of which the vulgar can, according to the measure of their understanding, grasp some feeble emanations, and draw nearer to Him by detaching them from the universality—that is, by particularizing and personifying them. This is the particularization and the personification which constitutes, as I have said, polytheism. The mass of gods which result from it, is as infinite as the Divinity itself whence it had birth. Each nation, each people, each city adopts at its liking, those of the divine faculties which are best suited to its character and its requirements. These faculties, represented by simulacra, become so many particular gods whose variety of names augments the number still further. Nothing can limit this immense theogony, since the Primal Cause whence it emanates has not done so. The vulgar, lured by the objects which strike the senses, can become idolatrous, and he does ordinarily; he can even distinguish these objects of his adoration, one from another, and believe that there really exist as many gods as statues; but the sage, the philosopher, the most ordinary man of letters does not fall into this error. He knows, with Plutarch, that different places and names do not make different gods; that the Greeks and Barbarians, the nations of the North and those of the South, adore the same Divinity a; he restores easily that infinity of attributes to the unity of the essence, and as the honoured remnants of the ancient Sramanas, the priests of the Burmans, still do today, he worships God, whatever may be the altar, the temple, and the place where he finds himself! This is what was done by the disciples of Pythagoras, according to the commandment of their master; they saw in the gods of the nations, the attributes of the Ineffable Being which were forbidden them to name; they augmented ostensibly and without the slightest reluctance, the number of these attributes of which they recognized the Infinite Cause; they gave homage to the cult consecrated by the law and brought them all back secretly to the Unity which was the object of their faith.

Fabre D’Olivet in his commentaries on The Golden Verses of Pythagorus.

Sci-fi landscape illustrations accompany winning story in architectural fairytale competition

Gravity-defying megastructures are inserted into landscapes in artworks by Ukranian architect Mykhailo Ponomarenko, who claimed first place in a competition to create an architectural fairytale.

Ponomarenko was announced as the winner of the Fairy Tales 2017 competition during a ceremony at Washington DC's National Building Museum earlier this week.

Now in its fourth year, the competition is organised by the museum, the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) and New York architecture platform Blank Space.

Ponomarenko's story features gravity-defying infrastructure depicted among painted landscapes

Entrants submit a series of images to support a short story, based on an architectural theme.

"The proposals put forth in the Fairy Tales competition create entire worlds of the imagination – they build their immersive stories as much by what they don't say, as by what they do," said the organisers.

First prize was given to Ponomarenko for his story Last Day, which describes a cylindrical town and floating-ring farms created after the discovery of the Great Gravity Anomaly in Russia.

Carved into a mountain and circling hilltops, these sci-fi infrastructures work in harmony with nature. They are depicted in Ponomarenko's images as elements within classical landscape paintings.

Terrence Hector won second prize for his City Walkers story

"Landscapes have always inspired me to put something weird, unreal and out of human scale into them," he said, "something not feasible and not practical that contrasts with the natural surroundings, but also exists at the same scale."

"These satirical interventions lead to new ideas and feelings about nature – they make the viewer more aware about the environment and our harmful impact on it," Ponomarenko added.

The City Walkers are a sentient species of architecture that moves slower than humans can perceive

Second place in the competition was awarded to Chicago architect Terrence Hector. His entry, City Walkers, tells a story of a sentient species of architecture that moves slower than humans can perceive.

"The city in this story was an exploration of civilisation and urbanism as humanity's relationship with natural and biological systems that exist on a vastly longer timescale than the human lifespan," said Hector.

"Creating a closer relationship time-wise between human and natural timeframes let me derive a new urban typology, which also acts as a parable of overexploitation."

Third-prize winners Ariane Merle d’Aubigné and Jean Maleyrat based their story on refugees

French duo Ariane Merle d'Aubigné and Jean Maleyrat's tale Up Above came in third. In their story, refugees have created shanty towns in the sky, building homes on tall thin stilts to escape oppression and regulations on the ground.

"Migration, the accumulation of wealth, overpopulation, the terrorist threat and pollution are some of the issues with which we live every day," said the pair. "We highlighted these concerns and our love of art through this poetic tale."

The duo imagined the refugees building houses in the sky to escape oppression on the ground

The AIAS Prize for the highest-scoring entry from an AIAS member was awarded to Maria Syed and Adriana Davis, who met while studying in New Jersey.

Their Memphis-influenced architectural drawings of a modest dwelling provide the setting for a narrative in which each room causes its occupant to behave differently.

"Playing House embodies the idea that architecture can eclipse the personality of its occupants, where the character and style of the architecture dictate the mood of the inhabitants," they said.

Playing House by Maria Syed and Adriana Davis received the AIAS prize

"The loud textures and discordant angles of the home sparked the idea for the story: transitioning from room to room manifests itself in drastic physical and psychological change."

The Jury also awarded 10 honourable mentions, which can be found along with the full stories by the winners on Blank Space's website.

Their Memphis-influenced drawings provide the setting for a narrative in which each room causes its occupant to behave differently

Last year's Fairy Tales competition was won by Seattle firm Olson Kundig, for a story about a dead architect who is resurrected and dropped into a futuristic urban landscape, while Alice in Wonderland became the backdrop for a dystopian world filled with fantastical structures in the 2014 winning entry.

Related story

Eerie sci-fi story by Olson Kundig wins architecture fairytale competition

Read Ponomarenko's winning fairytale in full below:

Last Day by Mykhailo Ponomarenko

They were on the edge, facing the gorgeous mountain view and majestic ring of the Saturn A6, hovering around one of the pinnacles.

Saturn A6 was a huge artificial platform, which used anti-gravity engines to fool the laws of nature and to prove to the creator of the universe that we can control the game. In places, where it was hard to make a living because of a lack of flat surfaces and picturesque landscapes, Saturn technology brought a new range of emotions and experiences to its citizens. Saturn A6 was an agricultural platform. The people were extremely happy to work in their "fields of opportunities", and, at the same time, contemplate the stunning views around them.

Martina and Sefora were visiting Martina's grandfather, who had a potato field in Sector 3. Life was good on the farm, but at times the people would lose access to satellite signals, interrupting their internet and other network connections for weeks at a time in some cases.

Ponomarenko's winning entry describes floating rings called Saturns, which support agriculture

Since it was agricultural platform, nobody rushed right away to fix it, like they would do with at the resort platform, for instance.

Anyway, it was one of those interrupted weeks and the girls went to the stationary phone on the opposite mountain. Sefora wanted to call her "mami" and a couple of friends to share her experiences on Saturn A6, and to vent a bit about the "hijos de putas" on the maintenance crew. While she was on a call, Marti tried to catch the signal. Who knows, maybe she can check her Facebook from here, but Fate wanted them to stay tuned with reality during that week.

After cities were built all over the land and the oceans, the only place to move was the sky – and we conquered it. Now we thrive and are in a harmony with nature. We opened ourselves to its beauty and we embraced it – we live above it and we live with it. Saturns were all over the world now. Totally safe and clean, they provide us with fantastic views which make us conscious about surrounding world. They changed our collective mindset, and led us to rethink our place in the world and our impact on it. Any person who worked on flat land, a farmer for instance, now was capable to keep working on their land – suddenly you could better the feel scale of the sky and the depth of space. In addition, people grew accustomed to the higher altitudes, helping them grow more stamina and richer imaginations for future generations. Most of us had way too narrow of a world view. With Saturns, we started suddenly seeing the bigger picture. This helped us become more aware of our impacts on Earth's landscapes and ecologies.

Saturn technology was introduced to the world in Vnutrigorsk (Внутригорск in Russian, meaning "inside the mountain"). This first occurred in the USSR in 1967, and was discovered by pure accident. Nikodim, a shepherd on the mountains in the Altai region, noticed a missing member of his flock. Martha, one of his most precious sheep, was nowhere to be found. After a brief search, Nikodim found Martha in a crack in the mountain's surface. Bent on protecting his flock, Nikodim went into the crevice after her.

The Saturns also provide views of the landscape, helping people to become more aware of human impact on Earth

After a while of exploring the flesh of the mountain, Nikodim finally found himself and Martha inside a huge cave on the opposite side of the mountain's surface. The laws of physics did not work in a conventional way here, but he didn't notice out of fear and a shroud of darkness. He later reported the mysterious cave to the Village Council, who sent geologists to investigate. This is how the Great Gravity Anomaly – GGA, was discovered.

After discovering the GGA, the area become overpopulated with all types of people, intellectuals and undesirables alike, including scientists, laborers, and military. The GGA was such an extravaganza, they decided to build a scientific research institution and a new town to accommodate all the people. That's how Vnutrigorsk was established.

Research on the GGA conducted in Vnutrigorsk helped the scientists develop an anti-gravity engine. These findings led to the building of the first Saturn. They were called "Saturns" because of the rings, platforms hovering around the mountaintops, resemblance to the planet.

My father had heard rumors about a "weird town in the mountains" and the first Saturn being built. So, in summer 1978, he and a friend went to see it. A day-long trek to the mountains in the Altai region would lead them to Vnutrigorsk. When they arrived in the region, on their way through the mountains they saw a very picturesque road. From a distance it looked like a DNA strand and spiraled above and through the mountains. This spiral thrilled them for 15 kilometers and in the end got them down into the valley. Dad concluded that it was some sort of symbolic entrance to Vnutrigorsk – and then they saw the town. It was unbelievable. A huge cylindrical hole was made in the mountain and the town was wrapped on the inner side of it. Apparently, there is zero gravity in the center, because on the poles there were two big research facilities, and on the sides were typical Soviet residential areas, so the guys went to explore it.

It was a small Soviet town with straight rows of five-story houses, typically among the people called "Khrushchevka", with lush yards in between them. I grew up in similar house and yard on other side of the country, so I got the feeling of "urban design" instantly. Also there was a school and a kindergarten. All other necessities were provided within the research facility.

When you were standing there in one of the yards, you could look up and see people on the opposite side! It was remarkable! Kids there had very peculiar games, all related to throwing stuff from one yard to another on the opposite one above you, without hitting the research towers. Some people would use slingshots.

Other infrastructures in Ponomarenko's story include a "DNA" road that snakes through the mountains

On every house entrance there were seniors, mostly grannies, sitting and talking. My dad noticed they were discussing them, probably because they looked like tourists. One boy came up and asked where they had come from. Dad said who they were and what they were doing. The boy seemed excited, and after an exchange of a chocolate bar and a charcoal black pencil, the boy guided them to the roof of one of the houses. The view was absolutely surreal. Mountains and valley were tilted 90 degrees. Around one of the pinnacles they saw a Saturn – the very first one! The scale was enormous, but at the same time it was harmonious with the surrounding landscape – it was the whole town looped in a circle. Its horizontal line contrasted with the verticality of the mountain. It was serene, high and absolutely inaccessible from land.

My dad and his friend saw numerous objects flying around it, probably carriers of people and goods. While looking at Saturn and Vnutrigorsk from the roof, the boy offered to them to throw a piece of a brick to the opposite side where some bullies lived. Dad laughed, but refused.

At the end of the day they started the drive back. Mountains, Vnutrigorsk, Saturn and the "DNA" highway were way behind them. Coming around the last corner of the highway, they were floored to see two more rings hovering over the flat fields. Dad never saw Saturn that close. On top of it were Khrushchevkas again, and lush greenery in between, and big institutions and light poles, all covered with the warm light of the setting sun. They came to a stop under the center of one of the rings. They felt like they had saw the future. It was as if the whole city could fit it in your hand, and it could. It was the end of an era for my dad, but he knew that tomorrow a new one would begin, holding untold opportunities. Silently the rings hovered in the sky – waiting.

The post Sci-fi landscape illustrations accompany winning story in architectural fairytale competition appeared first on Dezeen.

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Sci-fi landscape illustrations accompany winning story in architectural fairytale competition

Gravity-defying megastructures are inserted into landscapes in artworks by Ukranian architect Mykhailo Ponomarenko, who claimed first place in a competition to create an architectural fairytale.

Ponomarenko was announced as the winner of the Fairy Tales 2017 competition during a ceremony at Washington DC's National Building Museum earlier this week.

Now in its fourth year, the competition is organised by the museum, the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) and New York architecture platform Blank Space.

Ponomarenko's story features gravity-defying infrastructure depicted among painted landscapes

Entrants submit a series of images to support a short story, based on an architectural theme.

"The proposals put forth in the Fairy Tales competition create entire worlds of the imagination – they build their immersive stories as much by what they don't say, as by what they do," said the organisers.

First prize was given to Ponomarenko for his story Last Day, which describes a cylindrical town and floating-ring farms created after the discovery of the Great Gravity Anomaly in Russia.

Carved into a mountain and circling hilltops, these sci-fi infrastructures work in harmony with nature. They are depicted in Ponomarenko's images as elements within classical landscape paintings.

Terrence Hector won second prize for his City Walkers story

"Landscapes have always inspired me to put something weird, unreal and out of human scale into them," he said, "something not feasible and not practical that contrasts with the natural surroundings, but also exists at the same scale."

"These satirical interventions lead to new ideas and feelings about nature – they make the viewer more aware about the environment and our harmful impact on it," Ponomarenko added.

The City Walkers are a sentient species of architecture that moves slower than humans can perceive

Second place in the competition was awarded to Chicago architect Terrence Hector. His entry, City Walkers, tells a story of a sentient species of architecture that moves slower than humans can perceive.

"The city in this story was an exploration of civilisation and urbanism as humanity's relationship with natural and biological systems that exist on a vastly longer timescale than the human lifespan," said Hector.

"Creating a closer relationship time-wise between human and natural timeframes let me derive a new urban typology, which also acts as a parable of overexploitation."

Third-prize winners Ariane Merle d’Aubigné and Jean Maleyrat based their story on refugees

French duo Ariane Merle d'Aubigné and Jean Maleyrat's tale Up Above came in third. In their story, refugees have created shanty towns in the sky, building homes on tall thin stilts to escape oppression and regulations on the ground.

"Migration, the accumulation of wealth, overpopulation, the terrorist threat and pollution are some of the issues with which we live every day," said the pair. "We highlighted these concerns and our love of art through this poetic tale."

The duo imagined the refugees building houses in the sky to escape oppression on the ground

The AIAS Prize for the highest-scoring entry from an AIAS member was awarded to Maria Syed and Adriana Davis, who met while studying in New Jersey.

Their Memphis-influenced architectural drawings of a modest dwelling provide the setting for a narrative in which each room causes its occupant to behave differently.

"Playing House embodies the idea that architecture can eclipse the personality of its occupants, where the character and style of the architecture dictate the mood of the inhabitants," they said.

Playing House by Maria Syed and Adriana Davis received the AIAS prize

"The loud textures and discordant angles of the home sparked the idea for the story: transitioning from room to room manifests itself in drastic physical and psychological change."

The Jury also awarded 10 honourable mentions, which can be found along with the full stories by the winners on Blank Space's website.

Their Memphis-influenced drawings provide the setting for a narrative in which each room causes its occupant to behave differently

Last year's Fairy Tales competition was won by Seattle firm Olson Kundig, for a story about a dead architect who is resurrected and dropped into a futuristic urban landscape, while Alice in Wonderland became the backdrop for a dystopian world filled with fantastical structures in the 2014 winning entry.

Related story

Eerie sci-fi story by Olson Kundig wins architecture fairytale competition

Read Ponomarenko's winning fairytale in full below:

Last Day by Mykhailo Ponomarenko

They were on the edge, facing the gorgeous mountain view and majestic ring of the Saturn A6, hovering around one of the pinnacles.

Saturn A6 was a huge artificial platform, which used anti-gravity engines to fool the laws of nature and to prove to the creator of the universe that we can control the game. In places, where it was hard to make a living because of a lack of flat surfaces and picturesque landscapes, Saturn technology brought a new range of emotions and experiences to its citizens. Saturn A6 was an agricultural platform. The people were extremely happy to work in their "fields of opportunities", and, at the same time, contemplate the stunning views around them.

Martina and Sefora were visiting Martina's grandfather, who had a potato field in Sector 3. Life was good on the farm, but at times the people would lose access to satellite signals, interrupting their internet and other network connections for weeks at a time in some cases.

Ponomarenko's winning entry describes floating rings called Saturns, which support agriculture

Since it was agricultural platform, nobody rushed right away to fix it, like they would do with at the resort platform, for instance.

Anyway, it was one of those interrupted weeks and the girls went to the stationary phone on the opposite mountain. Sefora wanted to call her "mami" and a couple of friends to share her experiences on Saturn A6, and to vent a bit about the "hijos de putas" on the maintenance crew. While she was on a call, Marti tried to catch the signal. Who knows, maybe she can check her Facebook from here, but Fate wanted them to stay tuned with reality during that week.

After cities were built all over the land and the oceans, the only place to move was the sky – and we conquered it. Now we thrive and are in a harmony with nature. We opened ourselves to its beauty and we embraced it – we live above it and we live with it. Saturns were all over the world now. Totally safe and clean, they provide us with fantastic views which make us conscious about surrounding world. They changed our collective mindset, and led us to rethink our place in the world and our impact on it. Any person who worked on flat land, a farmer for instance, now was capable to keep working on their land – suddenly you could better the feel scale of the sky and the depth of space. In addition, people grew accustomed to the higher altitudes, helping them grow more stamina and richer imaginations for future generations. Most of us had way too narrow of a world view. With Saturns, we started suddenly seeing the bigger picture. This helped us become more aware of our impacts on Earth's landscapes and ecologies.

Saturn technology was introduced to the world in Vnutrigorsk (Внутригорск in Russian, meaning "inside the mountain"). This first occurred in the USSR in 1967, and was discovered by pure accident. Nikodim, a shepherd on the mountains in the Altai region, noticed a missing member of his flock. Martha, one of his most precious sheep, was nowhere to be found. After a brief search, Nikodim found Martha in a crack in the mountain's surface. Bent on protecting his flock, Nikodim went into the crevice after her.

The Saturns also provide views of the landscape, helping people to become more aware of human impact on Earth

After a while of exploring the flesh of the mountain, Nikodim finally found himself and Martha inside a huge cave on the opposite side of the mountain's surface. The laws of physics did not work in a conventional way here, but he didn't notice out of fear and a shroud of darkness. He later reported the mysterious cave to the Village Council, who sent geologists to investigate. This is how the Great Gravity Anomaly – GGA, was discovered.

After discovering the GGA, the area become overpopulated with all types of people, intellectuals and undesirables alike, including scientists, laborers, and military. The GGA was such an extravaganza, they decided to build a scientific research institution and a new town to accommodate all the people. That's how Vnutrigorsk was established.

Research on the GGA conducted in Vnutrigorsk helped the scientists develop an anti-gravity engine. These findings led to the building of the first Saturn. They were called "Saturns" because of the rings, platforms hovering around the mountaintops, resemblance to the planet.

My father had heard rumors about a "weird town in the mountains" and the first Saturn being built. So, in summer 1978, he and a friend went to see it. A day-long trek to the mountains in the Altai region would lead them to Vnutrigorsk. When they arrived in the region, on their way through the mountains they saw a very picturesque road. From a distance it looked like a DNA strand and spiraled above and through the mountains. This spiral thrilled them for 15 kilometers and in the end got them down into the valley. Dad concluded that it was some sort of symbolic entrance to Vnutrigorsk – and then they saw the town. It was unbelievable. A huge cylindrical hole was made in the mountain and the town was wrapped on the inner side of it. Apparently, there is zero gravity in the center, because on the poles there were two big research facilities, and on the sides were typical Soviet residential areas, so the guys went to explore it.

It was a small Soviet town with straight rows of five-story houses, typically among the people called "Khrushchevka", with lush yards in between them. I grew up in similar house and yard on other side of the country, so I got the feeling of "urban design" instantly. Also there was a school and a kindergarten. All other necessities were provided within the research facility.

When you were standing there in one of the yards, you could look up and see people on the opposite side! It was remarkable! Kids there had very peculiar games, all related to throwing stuff from one yard to another on the opposite one above you, without hitting the research towers. Some people would use slingshots.

Other infrastructures in Ponomarenko's story include a "DNA" road that snakes through the mountains

On every house entrance there were seniors, mostly grannies, sitting and talking. My dad noticed they were discussing them, probably because they looked like tourists. One boy came up and asked where they had come from. Dad said who they were and what they were doing. The boy seemed excited, and after an exchange of a chocolate bar and a charcoal black pencil, the boy guided them to the roof of one of the houses. The view was absolutely surreal. Mountains and valley were tilted 90 degrees. Around one of the pinnacles they saw a Saturn – the very first one! The scale was enormous, but at the same time it was harmonious with the surrounding landscape – it was the whole town looped in a circle. Its horizontal line contrasted with the verticality of the mountain. It was serene, high and absolutely inaccessible from land.

My dad and his friend saw numerous objects flying around it, probably carriers of people and goods. While looking at Saturn and Vnutrigorsk from the roof, the boy offered to them to throw a piece of a brick to the opposite side where some bullies lived. Dad laughed, but refused.

At the end of the day they started the drive back. Mountains, Vnutrigorsk, Saturn and the "DNA" highway were way behind them. Coming around the last corner of the highway, they were floored to see two more rings hovering over the flat fields. Dad never saw Saturn that close. On top of it were Khrushchevkas again, and lush greenery in between, and big institutions and light poles, all covered with the warm light of the setting sun. They came to a stop under the center of one of the rings. They felt like they had saw the future. It was as if the whole city could fit it in your hand, and it could. It was the end of an era for my dad, but he knew that tomorrow a new one would begin, holding untold opportunities. Silently the rings hovered in the sky – waiting.

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i hate that the solar eclipse just now serves as a reminder that nobody loves me.

guys, so so excited :)) !! if you don't know, i have got a friend and we have this tradition where we will explain the plots of books in huge detail to each other. we can't do it as often anymore because i moved and we both agreed that it just isn't the same over the phone but ! after relentless convicing and picking and prodding and bribing and generally just annoying her, she finally is letting me explain the entirety of the plot of the magnus archives !! our first session is tomorrow morning, over whatsapp video call and we are starting with episode one, anglerfish obviously. i can barely wait like oh my god what is she going to think of everyone and the little plots and the fucked up thingies like i can barely waittt

people will find any excuse to hold each other's hand.

don't really like the fact nowadays, everyone will only talk about transwoman, always always ignore transmen and transgender people outside the gender binary, posts about transwoman are always tagged with transgender and not added with transwoman or something like that as if that is what all transgender people are. don't really like the fact that people are so quick to villainize other trans people 'oh i have had one bad experience with xyz group of people, they are all racist/misogynist !' but they do not talk like this about other people. don't really like the fact that people forget the fact that women can be misogynist. don't really like the fact that only the experiences of white queers are highlighed: they are the main characters, all the 'inspirational #loveislove heartwarming stories' are about them, their experiences are treated as the norm while the circumstances of poc queers are never considered. don't really like the fact that aromantism and asexuality are still not widely accepted and that allos are still so weird about it.

i really do love how i will fall in love with sunshiny people who are so easy to love and it's so cutesy and straight out of a fluffy romance novel with the occasional angst maybe but then there will be a Fucked Up crush i have had at some point that is honestly Upsetting.

oh my god, i miss bangladesh so much

when you are dramatic and also love your friend more than anything in this world: