#〚he drifts with the current and that is enough. (pre-timeskip)〛

[progenitorheart]

dichromatic butterfly

They hadn’t really gotten to speak much, during the first day or so of being in this new reality. He’d been focused on doing what he could to help others adjust, joined efforts to procure supplies and gather information on their surroundings—things that feel almost natural to the younger twin at this stage. Perhaps it came off as cold, that he’d not spared any time to be with his sister after she’d finally returned, but their relationship is stronger than that. It’s with something near absolute confidence that Byleth believes this—there would be a chance to talk later, when the alarm and unease of waking up in unfamiliar territory permeated the atmosphere less.

And then they’d been rounded up in the middle of the night and taken to the Alliance encampment. He had remained silent throughout the entire procedure, watching—stare lingering on the man claiming to be Claude von Riegan and the rider with purple hair in particular until he grew tired of doing so. That turned into observing the camp as they were led into it, which only lasted until everyone was separated into tents.

He doesn’t fail to notice how they keep Claude, his sister, and himself together, along with a pair of Alliance soldiers.

Morning comes, and though privacy is impossible as things are, Byleth supposes none of the things he wants to say are so sensitive that their wardens can’t be allowed to listen. Dressed in the new set of clothes so generously provided to them, he approaches his older twin while mindful of the assigned Alliance soldier hovering nearby. “...Can we talk?”

@swordbecomesdestiny

[fe-semi-decent-scenarios]

Could I ask headcanons of Black Eagles flirting and crushing on Byleth (professor?)?

[Ask and you shall receive lol. Lately I’ve been busying myself with long reports, so I needed something cutsey to recharge.(Sorry if it’s complete rubbish lol) It’s not much but I hope you like it!]

Edelgard: 

Ehh. She won’t be a student much longer anyways. 

Byleth will always be her professor...but maybe another title can be ticked onto that list? She hopes so. 

However, she doesn’t go too overboard. Just a few teasing gestures and quips every once in a while to sedate the budding sentiment in her heart 

With more pressing issues over love, Edelgard can’t afford to play the role of lovesick schoolgirl 

She sets side her personal feelings for the professor when around others. Instead they are treated as a good friend and adored instructor. Alongside the present given on Byleth’s birthday are a few other trinkets Edelgard picked up herself, you know, because she’s extra 

When alone her thoughts often drift. There are many occasions where work ends up procrastinated 

She keeps everything bottled up inside and doesn’t even hint at the idea of a crush to anyone. To love is to be compromised, to be compromised is to be weak, and to be weak is to fail

This is something she firmly believes until the support of her peers and affection from her professor begin to challenge it 

Perhaps there is room for love in her future 

“My teacher, you are an important companion to everyone here and to myself. You must never forget that”  

Hubert: 

Oh he is smooooth. 

Yet subtle 

He knows that he shouldn’t become too attached considering what’s to come in the future. His mind and body are her highness’ to command

....well, all good things come in moderation anyways. What’s a little meaningless flirting?

His flirting methods follow the ‘attack of opportunity’ plan. Meaning that he tosses in his quips when the time seems fitting 

He knows what he is doing. Never assume otherwise 

Obviously such conduct towards a teacher is unrefined. Does he care? The guy couldn’t give less of a sh*t 

He has 100% commented on their dancing attire at least once

People should mind their own business lest they want to lose their tongue. Can’t gossip when you can’t speak, right?  

If the professor doesn’t seem to mind then why should he stop? If they recuperate then that’s even better

It’s no fun when prey doesn’t fight back once in a while. 

“Oh do go on. The droll behind your ever so taunting tone is intoxicating. It almost makes this insufferable lecture mildly entertaining” -shots fired. Professor or not, ‘love interest’ or enemy, Hubert does not tone down the sarcasm 

No one even suspects that he has an interest in Byleth. He downright makes it appear that they are his sworn enemy (whether this is intentional or not? You decide) 

Caspar:

‘Flirt’? ‘Caspar’? That’s funny

It’s not that he can’t do it. Caspar can be very charming when he wants to be, but why bother? 

They’re his professor. If he starts kissing up to them then the others might start to think he’s pegging for special treatment 

He also doesn’t want them to like a facade. He wants them to like him

Not that he would turn said special treatment down if offered. He d o e s want to get stronger, and the extra time with his “favorite”*wink* professor is a lucky bonus 

He tends to have a ‘lingering eye’ that’s easy to pick up on if you catch my drift

he is not pure hearted, just a dunce. There is a difference

The boy blushes at every little action without even noticing

He loves to watch them train, both to better his own moves and to admire them without it seeming weird 

Literally everyone knows that Caspar has a thing for Byleth before he knows it himself. He’s the kind that mistakes a crush for admiration 

He’s also a big baby when it comes to them giving other people attention. 

He justifies his interruptions as: “The professor doesn’t have time to do __ for __! They have enough to do as it is!” 

Now what does that translate to in Caspar language?: “The time the professor spends doing __ is time they could spend with our class me” 

Someone help him. He’s so thick headed it’s actually sad 

Petra: 

“My apologies. I will be returning after the clearing of my head” 

She’s unfamiliar with the courting methods in Fodlan. Are they the same as in Bridgid? 

Thoughts of the professor occasionally will interfere with her study time

Also her appetite. Normally she eats plenty at meals since she hates waste, but the professor makes her nervous about her etiquette 

let’s just ignore that Byleth eats like a ravenous boar

She wants to take them to see Bridgid. It’s only natural to want to share the things you love with those you care about 

She embraces the affection she feels. Byleth is a truly wonderful person and the royal family would gladly accept them if Petra expressed her feelings 

When she returns she wants to ask them to accompany her 

For now she will remain at their side both in battle, in leisure, and in spirit 

Petra also isn’t one to approach with caution. The way she flirts is through honesty 

If they do something she likes then she says so. If they look nice or are trying something new then she’ll comment on it. If she sees something in the shop that they might like, then she buys it 

Petra is simple. She does for Byleth what she thinks will make them happy and doesn’t overthink it in the slightest 

Dorothea: 

The newfound feelings aren’t discouraged nor appreciated. It is a battle between practicality and love for her 

Not because of them being a professor, but everything else 

Mercenary, teacher, reincarnate, solider, tactician, etc. 

Such a dangerous profession with so much blood on their hands. Are those the ones she wants to hold for the rest of their days? 

Will they even live long enough to grow old with her? 

She wants a reliable partner to take care of her and not give her a heart attack on a daily basis. So far only one box is checked 

She will not be a widow at such a young age. She refuses 

When these thoughts emerge Dorothea retracts from Byleth. There’s still the open friendliness that was there before, but now an extra barrier has been put up 

She won’t go out of her way to give Byleth special treatment. Her search for a partner other than them will continue on 

Maybe she’ll find someone else to smash these feelings so that there will be no need to confront them 

Only after they ‘die’ will she stop suppressing them. 

“To think that it took such a disaster for me to see the light. Why do people realize such things when it’s too late?” - she focuses on personal growth until the reunion. Relying on another person to prevent the past from reappearing is not what she wants. 

Ferdinand: 

The best way that Ferdinand can communicate his feelings is through words

He tries. He really tries to come across as a potential life partner for the professor. He can only be a student for so long, and they’re close in age. Logically there is nothing wrong with the possibility of a courtship 

but because speaking ‘frilly’ is a normality the effect is not like how he hoped 

When Ferdinand falls, he falls hard. Yes, he is a flirt. Yes, he stretches himself thin trying to please everyone. Yes, he has his quirks that make him extremely confrontational 

So when he finds someone with the ability to make him both strengthen his morals, question the bigger picture, and grow as an individual (after the whole ‘noble’ mine-bomb) it’s a big deal 

Therefore he will not relent in his pursuit of Byleth unless they explicitly tell him to stop. If words don’t work then he instantly pegs for quality time and acts of affirmation 

Greets them every morning, carries their supplies, invites them to tea, delivers lost items, etc. People really do peg him as a kiss ass. 

He doesn’t get the ‘heart flutters’ that people talk about. When he’s beside the professor he just feels energized. Like he could actually beat Edelgard ‘could’ is the key word in that scentence

“Good morning Professor! If your schedule allows it, would you care to join me for tea later this afternoon? Your company would make it the perfect level of sweetness” 

Linhardt: 

A firm believer of “age is but a number”

It’s more of his personal beliefs that tone down any pursuit of the professor. They are currently in a position of power over him that halts any relationship progression at a professional level. 

So as any healthy person does: he vents any growing affection into his studies

He h a t e s how they make him restless.He’ll be feeling drowsy one moment but then their face will pop into his mind 

He can’t even sleep through class. Not with them there 

Actually works in the class’ favor since he starts contributing to the lectures. If you can’t beat them then might as well join them 

This is how it is during pre-timeskip for the most part. Occasionally he will let his thoughts slip but never any action

He has crests to research and Byleth has students that seemingly want to die by the hour. There is literally no time to flirt 

Now AFTER the timeskip, things are different. Linhardt is a blunt person which sometimes works in his favor. Just so happens that flirting comes naturally to him  

most of the time it doesn’t though

“Could you refrain from doing that? It’s distracting”                                      “Linhardt, i’m stretching. How is that distracting?”                                         “You are an attractive individual. Need I say more?” 

Life is short. He has no filter 

Bernadetta: 

“HI PROFESSOR!”                                                                                       “Afternoon Bernadetta. I see you’re out of your room today”                       “W-what? OH! Yes. Y-y-yEs i aM IM SORRY I’LL GO BACK PLEASE DON’T PATRONIZE MEEEEE” 

She’s scared. What’s new? 

The girl never expected to have these feelings. One night she was painting when what was supposed to be a cloud began to resemble her professor 

It was downhill from there.

Her behavior is exactly the same as prior to her feelings. Being a naturally jittery person works to her advantage, no one suspects a thing! 

Compared to simply being friends it will take longer for her to be comfortable 

She will avoid Byleth at all times outside of lessons. It’s just too hard to communicate anymore 

Eventually her outer shell will crack. The once new feelings will begin to feel normal and the old bernie will be back. Jittery, hyperactive, kind, lovable bernie 

[blue-lions-baby]

“D” is for...? (Dimitri x Reader)

hi!! here’s another pre-timeskip dimitri x reader fanfic! as much as i love post-timeskip dimi, sometimes my heart just needs a break from all the soul-crushing angst :’)

this is my first time writing all of the Lions at once, so please forgive me if they’re a bit ooc! regardless, i hope you enjoy my fic~

all fluff and no spoilers!!

~*~

No... No no no...

You cradled your head in your palms and rammed your head against the hard, stone floor. Your ears perked at the tiny scratching echoing from the opposite side of your sorry, hunched-over frame and your eyes zeroed in on any sign of movement in the dark crevices between a bookshelf and the wall.

This is bad... This is really, really bad...

“(F/N)...? Is, uh, everything all right?”

“D-Dimitri!” Without much warning (or thought) you shot up to greet the royal, but the ebony side table you were under kept you on your knees. A sharp, throbbing pain blossomed from the point of impact and the recoiling force was enough to propel you face first onto the floor. Dimitri just barely caught the wobbling vase in time and set it cautiously back in place.

“(F/N), are you okay?! D-Do you want me to take you to the infirmary?! I can fetch Professor Byleth or even Mercedes to take a look--”

“No!”

“N-No?”

“I have to get him back!”

“Get who? (F/N), what are you--”

“My duck!”

Your... Your what?

Dumbfounded was not a strong enough word to describe what this man was feeling. All he could do was watch in silent confusion as you desperately clawed at an invisible being lurking in the dark. He stepped away and around the table you unceremoniously slammed your head on and peered into the darkness.

“Come here, darling,” you cooed gently, a tinge of anxiety tainting your sing-song plea, “c’mere, baby...”

“Um... Please come out, little one.” Dimitri commanded? Can you even call that commanding? What in Goddess’ name am I even doing He rubbed the back of his neck and looked around anxiously. Judging by the proximity of the bookcase against the wall, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to surmise that the duckling was stuck, or trapped in some way. Dimitri coaxed his chin in deep thought, assessing the situation like a tactician trying to sneak their captured comrade out of enemy territory.

“Boar. (F/N). The hell are you two doing?”

Both your heads whipped to face the steely voice by the entrance (you especially careful with your still aching head) and saw a frowning Felix glowering at the... activity, he walked in on. A glowing Sylvain followed shortly.

“W-Woah! Hey there, Your Highness! (F/N).” He purred your name sweetly and shot you a wink. “Is this really what you call flirting, Your Highness? Honestly... I know you don’t know much in the ways of love, but seriously--”

“Shhh!!!”

Sylvain’s mouth flew shut as Felix stalked over to the both of you cautiously. He planted his feet behind the side table and squinted into the dark. Sylvain took position under Dimitri just in time for him to hear faint scratching and weak chirps. A flurry of excitement and shock surged through the redhead’s amber eyes; Dimitri slapped a hand over the redhead’s piehole before a gurgle of surprise could leave him.

“(F/N),” Felix growled lowly, “what is that?”

“I-It’s--”

“Coming closer...!” Dimitri scream-whispered. Everyone instantly shut up and focused their attention down the dark trail. Soon a small, white puff with two beady eyes shimmied out of the corner and closer, closer, so close to your shaky outstretched hand. You all held your breath; the corners of your lips slowly turned up. You felt a tickling sensation at the tip of your middle finger. Almost...!

“Hey everyone! What’cha doin’?”

The spooked duckling let out a distressed cry and scurried back into its dark corner. Your insides twisted themselves into a knot as your heart ignited into pure rage. The air around you suddenly grew chillingly biting and murderous; everyone (even stone-cold Felix) shivered slightly. Your head whipped around so fast Sylvain could’ve sworn he heard a crack.

“Who,” you spat, pure venom dripping from your tone, “said that?”

Poor Ashe-- sweet, sweet Ashe. He was a dead man walking.

Your body coiled out from under the table like a snake snapping out of its hidden lair and you immediately pounced at the silverhead who scared away your baby. Ashe let out a small yelp and stumbled backwards, petrified in fear by the bloodthirsty glint in his classmate’s eyes. The three men who were with you scrambled to get you under control; it took Sylvain, Felix, and Dimitri’s beastly strength to keep you from separating Ashe’s head from the rest of him.

After that fiasco (and Dimitri hastily explaining the situation to the trembling archer), you finally calmed down and dutifully went back to your post, futilely calling and cooing to your lovely little duckling-- a direct contrast to the wild beast that everyone had just witnessed. Ashe, still understandably shaken up, kept to the door and informed anyone coming into the classroom to enter in a calm and peaceful manner (a ghastly glare from a certain (H/C) individual sent prickling chills down his spine every so often).

Before long, everyone in the Blue Lions was aware of the fuzzy little occupant wedged between the bookshelf and wall.

“Everyone, listen up.” Professor Byleth’s voice rang softly throughout the classroom. They paused, despite having everyone’s full attention. They looked at the spot where all their students were congregating and then the empty desks in front of them. With a slight sigh and a small nod, they continued.

“No lesson for today. Our top priority is getting Ms. (F/N)’s duck out of its... current location.” 

Your features lit up and tears pricked the corner of your eyes. You bowed gratefully to your teacher and whispered sweetly to your darling duck.

“Please come out, sweetie... No one’s going to hurt you...”

. . .

“Ugh, Mercie... I can’t see...”

“Oh dear, I’m sorry... Is this better now?”

“Your Highness, are you feeling all right? You’ve been hunched over like that for awhile now...”

“I am fine Dedue, thank you.”

“I read somewhere that ducks like to eat plants and small creatures... Maybe we can--”

“Ow! ... Felix, stop shoving me!”

“Shut up, you idiot. If you can’t handle a little push like that, then you should probably spend more time training than chasing girls.”

“Ugh, I swear you two don’t ever change...”

“Everyone, I am going to try and say this as politely as possible,” you inhaled sharply, “but please shut the hell up.”

Several “sorry’s” resounded around you and you internally groaned. Byleth scooted over to you and tapped you on your shoulder, motioning for you to come closer.

“Have you considered moving the bookcase?”

“We did, but... Seeing how close the bookcase is to the wall, we might squish my lil’ duckling...”

Byleth hummed thoughtfully and took a quick glance around the classroom. “Perhaps... All these people crowding around it is making it hesitant to come out?”

You lightly gasped and looked at the smirking professor with wide eyes. Dimitri’s hypersensitive ears picked up the tiny sound you made and instinctively listened in. He eventually got the general idea and (alongside Byleth) informed the rest of your schoolmates to slowly back away.

Your back cricked and ached from being hunched over all day; your vision began to blur-- possibly a consequence from staring into the dark for too long. Your limbs shook slightly and you could feel a painful knot in your calves slowly tying itself into existence. You blinked away the pain and reconstituted your mental fortitude for the umpteenth time that day. You wanted to give up, to give in to your exhaustion, but--

Chirp! ... Chirp, chirp...!

Your foggy eyes drifted to the source of the noise and every muscle in your quivering frame clenched. Dimitri began to unconsciously float to your side but was quickly stopped by the firm grip Byleth placed on his arm. This was something you had to do alone, his professor’s eyes read. Dimitri bit his lip and tightened his palms into paling fists, praying to the Goddess to grant you strength.

Yes... Yes...! Almost there!

The prickly sensation of budding claws clambering onto your palm shot sparks through your body. Slowly shimmying out from under the table, you patted and held the little duckling close to your heart. You cooed sweet assurances into its ear as you sent the brightest, most triumphant smile to your classmates. Everyone cheered (silently, of course) and each one of the Lions took turns to pet and fawn over your fluffy companion. A look of surprise reflected in your professor’s eyes when your duckling took a particular interest in them, inciting a quiet giggle from you.

At last, the house leader sauntered up to you slowly, eyes trained on the minuscule bundle of fluff awkwardly waddling on your palms. He curved around the side of your frame and took the back of your hands in his gloved ones gingerly. Your classmates held their breath (and a few giggles from the more... knowing individuals) for an entirely different reason altogether. 

“May I...?” Dimitri mouthed, unconsciously rubbing shallow circles into your hands. You nodded quickly, pushing your darling pet slightly away from your heart lest it get spooked by its quickening pace. The corners of the prince’s lips turned upward slightly as the tips of your fingers connected with his, forming a bridge between your hands and his much larger ones. 

As soon as the duck crossed over, he slowly pulled the creature close to his heart and lovingly rocked it, akin to the tenderness of a mother cradling her newborn babe. It took everything in your power to hold in a squeal. You mentally engraved this heartwarming scene into your mind, tucking it away to cherish forever. 

Dimitri’s azure eyes flashed to yours briefly before returning it to the duckling who has long become acclimated to everyone in the room. The longer he held the baby fowl, the bigger his smile grew; everyone felt at ease watching the scene before them. Believing that he has separated you from your darling duck for long enough, he began to extend his arms to hand it back to you--

Soft gasps filled the room and you stood there, absolutely dumbstruck. Your duckling was snuggling closer to Dimitri’s chest, black eyes on the verge of closing. A full day of hiding and scurrying must’ve tuckered the poor baby bird out, and it now laid sleeping comfortably on the palm of the prince.

A look of pure panic was seared onto the royal’s face as he looked at you worriedly and apologetically. A sizable lump formed in his throat while he tried looking to his other classmates for help. Students and professor alike shot him an equally baffled look, though the streak of resignation on their faces contrasted the anxious energy that exuded from Dimitri.

You gently cleared your throat, catching the attention of the frantic teen instantly. You held up a note to him that read,

“It seems to like you a lot. I really don’t want to disturb it... If you want, you can keep it for the rest of the day; just give it back to me tomorrow.”

“Are you certain?” He whispered, overly-cautious in rousing the duckling to consciousness. You smiled happily and scribbled down your response.

“Yup! I don’t mind. I know you’re pretty fond of it too. You look super happy holding it! Just please take good care of it.”

He would’ve bowed, but a curt nod would suffice in this situation. The serious look in his eyes softened instantly when the ultra-adorable bundle of love in his hands pressed further into him. He looked up at you and beamed.

“Have you come up with a name for it yet?”

You leaned back on a desk and mulled it over, letting your head roll back slightly in your deep contemplation. You traced the curve of your chin, mentally eliminating name after name in your head. What could you possibly--?

Aha!

The somewhat frazzled man almost leaped from how fast your head whipped back into place, and the throbbing in his heart swiftly escalated to rocketing levels at the sight of your breathtakingly gorgeous smile. You excitedly bounced over to him and stood on your tiptoes; despite your best efforts to allay the obvious height difference, Dimitri still had to bend over slightly to hear what you had to say. Your answer to his query almost sent him to the Goddess above.

“D-Dimi? ... Hah... If I may be so bold, I would think that you named it after me, using a name like that.”  

“Good, because I did.” You whispered teasingly in his reddening ears. You stifled in a laugh at how absolutely red your classmate has gotten, and that lovely hue of crimson didn’t go unnoticed by the rest of your peers. For now, however, Dimitri’s social standing among the members of his house would last one more day all thanks to Duckling Dimi.

*bonus: Dimitri did not let go of the little duckling for the rest of the day, cradling and (when no one was present) humming to it every now and then. Despite already having a name, he couldn’t help calling it (Your Nickname)-- named after the cutest and sweetest person he knew.

[shadowsong26fic]

Coming Attractions

Yes, I know it’s technically not the first Monday of the month, but the first Monday is the seventh and that just feels weirdly late to do this, haha.

So, a few more general announcements, if you don’t want to go through my rambly notes beneath the cut!

First, as always, my writing discord is open--it’s a pretty quiet place, and more or less designed to be a slightly-more-interactive extension of this blog.

Second, I’ll be around for another Open Question Night tonight because why not! Anything I’ve posted about here or on AO3 is open for questioning--fic projects, original fiction, general writing, whatever’s on your mind!

Third, I’ve been promising a Precipice announcement for a while, and here it is!

The current plan is to post one Preludes segment (i.e., seven short stories that will take place during the timeskip between Precipice and Protectors) every month for the remainder of the year. So, the first one, featuring Kallus, Lavinia, and Mara Jade and set just before Kallus gets reassigned to the Lothal system, will be out sometime this month!

As for the main body of Protectors, my plan is to get at least the first chapter out this month as well, ideally before or around the same time as the first Preludes story, and then post between one and three chapters a month. I haven’t yet finalized an official posting date or schedule, but I will make an Official Announcement post in the next couple of weeks.

Okay! That all out of the way, keep on reading behind the cut if you’re interested in a more detailed ramble/updates on other projects!

SWBB

I was right down to the wire but I did manage to finish posting by the deadline, go me! Even if the update schedule Did Not Happen. Part of that was because the first chapter that was due to go up was Bo-Katan III, aka her duel with Viszla, which I think I rewrote a bunch of times, even through the weeks when I was delaying posting it. It was. Difficult.

It’s not quite what I wanted to be--I think the last section feels a little bit rushed, and there was more detail about the different backstories/etc. For example, what went down with Shmi. I wanted to get out, but I think it turned out pretty good in the end. I might return to this AU at some point to flesh some of those bits out.

One thing that surprised me, though, was that it ended up being mostly about Padme and Bo-Katan, and how they relate to one another? I was expecting Anakin to be a bit more of a focus, in part because he has the most interesting and complicated relationship to being a dragon, and in part because by the time I figured out what the Actual Story was going to be, I knew it was going to end with the confrontation with Palpatine. Instead, Anakin was basically there to push the plot forward and uncover the necessary information, and the real meat of the story was Bo and Padme learning about each other and coming to an understanding/becoming friends; and Bo in particular softening a little bit. Which was kind of cool, if not what I expected.

(Also, the last Padme POV chapter before the Coda was subtitled ‘But Brutus Is An Honorable Man’ XD Which may or may not mean much to anyone, but I amuse myself.)

Anyway, I’ve already started thinking through what I might want to do for next year--hopefully, if I start early enough, I won’t end up in quite as much Crunch Time and will actually be able to keep to some kind of update schedule once I start. One option is to use our faces like a mirror; there are a couple miscellaneous AU prompts I have floating around in my head, such as a Bail time-travel AU, a couple of crossovers, one where ROTS happens with Anakin presumed dead (though I haven’t quite ironed out where that one would go, and it’s kind of similar to my project from last year...) We’ll see. I’ve got some time to sort through it, but that’s in the back of my head already lol.

AtLA Fics:

Later this summer (though I don’t have a specific date yet), I’ll start posting the still-untitled Avatar Zuko AU fic. I’m still working on how I want to structure it, and exactly how much of the first two years of the altered timeline I want to show directly (the first year is basically him and my OC Kirana hanging out at the Western Air Temple while he tries to figure out how the hell airbending works from. Like. Mosaics and stuff. And on the one hand, that’s important world- and character-building stuff, and while he starts that year sort of intending to come back with the comet and Prove Himself to his father/etc., he’s definitely less sure of that after spending a year in the temple. And then the second year, the two of them go up to the North Pole and he starts on waterbending, which also involves a lot of OCs since he doesn’t learn directly from Pakku. But, on the other hand, more worldbuilding/character stuff, so...who knows. ...the third year, they’re hanging out with Toph).

I’m also sort of...poking in my brain how to handle the endgame in terms of the Fire Nation throne. Zuko can’t be both Avatar and Fire Lord, obviously; Iroh might work, but there are some other issues with that; Azula taking it immediately post-war has its own set of problems, depending on exactly where she ends up going over the course of the story. So, I need to turn elsewhere.

I’ve got a couple options I’m thinking through? The first few involve resurrecting/rebuilding some old OCs of mine--one of Azulon’s bastards or if Ozai had a bastard child; the third one involves completely ignoring The Search, and giving Zuko and Azula a full sister (Ursa was pregnant when she left but not yet aware. ...funnily enough, this OC was named Izumi XD).

The other option would be for Iroh to step in as regent for Zuko or Azula’s future children, or Azula herself, or some kind of weird setup like that. Most other alternate heirs I have floating around in the back of my head involve much more significant changes to the timeline, and/or are the subject of another unrelated fic.

...anyway, the point is, once I figure out some of those questionable bits, that story should debut sometime this summer! I’ll make an official announcement when I have more details.

(The other main fic I have planned is...may more back-burnered, lol. Lu Ten and an Earth Kingdom Princess who snuck out of the palace; canon-compliant; fun times with Long Feng and figuring out what kind of man he is; Iroh has an unknown granddaughter; etc. I do plan to write it at some point, but who knows when that’ll actually happen XD)

Other Fanfic Projects:

I do have a BSG/SG-1 crossover outline in the works. I’ve written...all of the BSG backstory and the first chunk of the first connection between the two worlds/cultures. But I have a lot more to go before I can post it. I might actually end up doing it in two or three chunks, since there’s a couple natural arcs (the initial connection and dealing with the ~2k people left behind on New Caprica when the Fleet and the Cylons leave; reconnecting on the algae planet and figuring out how the Fleet and Earth and the Haven settlement are going to relate to one another; and then sneaking onto a Resurrection ship because the Cylons have encountered at least one goa’uld and it. Did Not Go Well. side note i really should figure out if i’m supposed to capitalize that or not XD

Anyway, goals is to post at least the first chunk of that this month, and maybe more.

I don’t have anything else specific planned at the moment, but I might drift into more BSG content, because that’s one of my forever fandoms (a couple possible crossovers with SW are in fact among my potential plots for next year’s SWBB...but we’ll see how it goes.)

Original Projects:

I didn’t get anything done last month/in May, but I’m hoping to write at least one short story this month. Maybe return to my Regency/Bridgerton AU, because that was a lot of fun. But we’ll see.

I also want/plan to do some work on non-RF stuff. Even if it’s just plunging into the bonkersness that is Arthuriana so I can start actively working on the Lady Mordred story that wants to be written?

Also a couple of old stories I’d like to return to, and a culture I’ve done most of the worldbuilding for that has yet to find a storyline to exist in it. Anyway, I’m hoping/planning to get at least a little bit of non-fanfic writing done this month. And/or research/pre-writing/etc.

...I think that about covers it, for the next month! We’ll see how much I actually accomplish. But I’m looking forward to trying!

[progenitorheart]

A quick step on the edge of a pie tin. It flies up and then she swings the broom, hitting the back of the pie with it. She yells, as it makes contact, "How about some extra credit, Professor!"

Result: Barely hit! Roll again to determine your fate.

Result: Failure! Use saving throw?

Result: Success!

It clips Byleth’s shoulder—thankfully he’d left his overcoat in his room and thus spared it a fate of pie crust and filling—and bounces off to hit the ground with a clatter. She gets points for creativity, if nothing else. “I’ll consider the extra credit... provided a student is the last one standing in all of this.”

Never hurts to give them a little incentive, right?

[progenitorheart]

sent by @herrings:

“professor, don’t you find the appeal of alphabet pasta quite fascinating?” slipping into the bench across from byleth, linhardt takes a moment to glance down at his soup and survey its contents (tomato, with a special of alphabet letters that were undoubtedly a byproduct of bored chefs). he takes his spoon and prods about the surface for a moment, humming before he continues to speak: “people can use the pasta to code whatever they want. i know it’s in bad manners to play with your food but… look.” the young noble turns his bowl and pushes it towards byleth and, in the center of his soup, a singular demand is spelled out: 'let me study your crest.'

It is a rarity that Byleth eats his meals in solitude, seemingly always graced with the company of at least one other person each time he takes a seat in the dining hall. Even before the monastery it had been like that, the mercenary band whiling the hour away with friendly banter and stories from the past as he ate his food in silence among them, soaking in every word with subdued interest.

This time ends up being no different; Linhardt claims the seat across from him in a manner he’s come to expect of the student, which is to say without asking—though it’s not as if Byleth actually cares either way. Brow is raised ever so slightly as periwinkle hues watch the spoon’s movements, tongue remains still even when the bowl is pushed in his direction with a very specific arrangement of words made from alphabet pasta resting in the center of it. Considers commending the effort it must have taken to find enough letters to form a full sentence, even if he thinks Linhardt could have just asked him outright.

“...If you can stay awake in class, I’ll consider it.” The bowl is carefully nudged back toward its owner, and the professor returns to eating his own food without further comment.

[progenitorheart]

"Sorry Professor, but you know I had to do it to 'em." Mae holds her head down and her hands pressed together in a praying motion before picking up a pie and throwing it his direction.

Result: Critical miss!

He’d only wanted to have a quiet breakfast before attending to the stack of papers on his desk in need of grading. Hadn’t expected to walk right into the wreckage of a battle in the dining hall, with the remains of various baked goods splattered every which way. Byleth steps around the mess, hoping to simply take his tray and bring it back to his quarters before he hears The Voice.

“Sorry Professor, but you know I had to do it to ‘em.” The pie sails through the air in a clean arc, which hits nothing save the already-ruined floor as Byleth casually sidesteps it.

“...If you hadn’t said anything, that might have worked,” he offers simply.

[progenitorheart]

My the professors at this institution looked as though they hadn't a single thought rattling in their heads at times. Mitama cleared her throat. "You've seen the game running through the sands, I imagine?" She held out her palm, quill resting in it. "Should you aid my efforts at victory, I will attempt to cease my tendency to not submit my assignments."

“...You should be turning them in to begin with, but... alright.” Byleth pens his name along her inner wrist without missing a beat. “Good luck to you.”

[progenitorheart]

"Yo, Professor! What's this I hear about extra credit?" The pie is already sailing his way even before he speaks. It's a basic cream pie, but something about the mint-green frosting makes it a most fitting thing to fling.

Result: Miss!

Sidesteps that one too—amazing how only the one pie had managed to find its mark of all those who’d tried. Glances down where it’s splattered against the floor, the mess coming dangerously close to his boots. “Ask again in a few hours.”

[progenitorheart]

"INCOMING!" Mist tosses a pie up into the air, and just as it starts to fall back towards the ground, she slows its momentum with a burst of wind magic. Laughing gleefully, she brandishes her staff like a bat, and swings it against the airborne pastry, sending the mass of chocolate and cream flying in a random direction.

Result: Miss!

He’s already been eliminated, but that doesn’t stop others from attempting to get more shots in anyway. Faintly amusing that most of those aimed at him thus far have so much variety to them—even if they don’t necessarily land, as Byleth steps out of the way without so much as a yelp of surprise.

A thumbs up for effort, and a mental note to tally down everyone he might give extra credit to later before he walks away.

[progenitorheart]

Yet another pretty man that surely would look nice even with a dab of red and blue there, but would be a total shame if they get hurt in the process. Did he even throw a pie? She doesn't recall, but he doesn't' seem to show any signs of leaving the premises, that can only mean he's a part of this... Tethys looks at the cherry pie on her hands and hesitates for a moment before deciding to just close her eyes and throw it at his general direction.

Result: Critical hit! Byleth perishes.

Whap! He’d turned around just in time for an explosion of cherry pie filling to hit him square in the chest, the culprit none other than his fellow faculty. Blinks once. Twice. Ah, that meant he’d been eliminated.

“Nice throw,” he offers, watching as the tin with most of its contents still inside fall to the ground with equal parts clatter and splatter.

[progenitorheart]

She doesn't know -this- one. But that worked out; after all, there wasn't even a bridge there to burn yet. Perched up in the rafters, a whole pie was too unwieldy to carry, so instead, Camilla procured a pair of fruit tarts. What were tarts but smaller pies, honestly. And off the pair went, slung at the back of his head.

Result: Total miss!

Ah, more ammunition for him to take. Byleth bends over to retrieve a half-loaf of stale bread from the dining hall’s floor, which ends up saving him as a pair of fruit tarts sail over his head to bounce against the stone twice before laying motionless. He picks those up as well, then glances toward the ceiling to see a woman with long purple tresses hiding among the rafters; merely offers a wave of his hand before he goes off to resume throwing things at people.

[progenitorheart]

step on fire

starter for @l-bloomed-overachiever-l | [Grants +1 Reason]

Byleth wakes to a cacophony of muffled noises and an orange-red glow cast upon the walls by something outside the window. Alertness returns to the professor almost immediately; it’s fortunate he’d only bothered to shed his coat, boots, and armor prior to turning in for the night, takes little time to pull them back on and rush outside--

Until now, he’d never seen fire burn so wildly—so utterly indiscriminate in what it consumes as people flee from their homes, panicked screams joining the roaring blaze to create a scene nothing short of disaster. But there’s no time to stand around and do nothing—action is what’s needed right now, so he focuses on helping the villagers move to safety and administers makeshift first aid to those who’d suffered burns in the process of running. ( though he is grateful for  the knowledge thanks to his father’s instruction, byleth finds himself wishing this wasn’t how he’d end up putting it into practice. )

"Oi, you’re with the knights aren’t you?” a man calls out to him, urgency in his tone and expression as he jogs over. “Can’t ya do something about the masked guy that just took off into the woods?”

Must be a dark mage, and likely also the cause of the ongoing fire in the village, which is reason enough for him to take interest. “Which direction?” Byleth asks—he should be able to catch up if the arsonist only recently chose to flee the scene.

“That way,” the villager points to the east, not far from where some buildings have already become burnt husks. “The knights’re busy trying to keep the fire from spreading further. Water ain’t dousing it, so that’s all they can do ‘til it goes out on its own. ...If it does, anyway.”

A nod, and Byleth nearly takes off in pursuit of the arsonist right then and there—until he thinks better of doing so alone, gaze sweeping the area for an ally to go with him. The professor spots a familiar head of orange hair amidst the evacuated civilians, doing her best to treat the injured. “Annette,” he raises his voice enough for the student to hear, gestures for her to follow him once he’s gotten her attention. “I’ll explain on the way. ...If that’s alright.” He’d like to catch up to that dark mage as quickly as possible, lest they lose the trail altogether.