#would seriously highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good fic

[madrewrites]

just finished reading manacled for the first time and.

holy fuck.

y'all weren't kidding. this shit absolutely slaps.

[teddywesworl]

write what you want forever censorship is an insidious evil kill the cop in your head and so on but also. frankly. get comfortable with the idea that if you write about (a life experience) without any knowledge, insight, or research done into that thing, people with that experience irl won’t like what you’ve made and may even talk to their friends about how they don’t like it

putting this under a read more bc I don’t want it reblogged bc people on twt got mad at me for saying basically this but like listen. I’m not gonna harass individual authors bc they didn’t bother looking up an Indiana harvest calendar before writing a stranger things farm au. Or they clearly didn’t bother asking literally anyone with horse experience to beta their cowboy au. Obviously. Like who gives a shit, really. Do what you want. Your factually nonsensical farm/cowboy au doesn’t really affect my life. But I AM going to be annoyed if a fic is super popular or comes highly recommended and it gets a million details wrong that would have been easily caught by 10 minutes of googling, and that’s my right, too!!!! And also it’s your right!!! Kvetch in your friends’ DMs, it’s good for you

I’ve seen a few versions of the sentiment “I’m a hater because I love this thing and I want it to be better” floating around recently and that’s what it comes down to in the end. Fic can be really good. it doesn’t have to be “just fanfic.” I really really like when someone has obviously put in the extra effort and gone the extra mile to make a genuine art object. There are some big name fics I disproportionately dislike bc they have not bothered at all. One day I’ll be able to put all my thoughts together cohesively about this paradox of “do what you want forever but also take your audience seriously or so help me” but tbh I think it really comes down to the fact that I love the medium of fanfic and I want it to be good and when it’s not good in lazy ways it feels like disrespect to the audience, to me.

[altschmerzes]

You’re such an amazing writer, I love how well you weave long drawn out character thoughts or observations with dialogue it’s so seemless. I feel like when I try to do that it gets so clunky and hard to read

Do you have any training? Because your stuff reads like a professional

And tips or recommendations? Ie books you’ve learnt from etc etc

Thank you 🙏

ahhhh gosh thank you so much!! i'm so glad you think so. that's something i've really had to work on balancing tbh - the long introspective parts with the dialogue. i can get distracted with the narrative and forget that nobody's spoken in a while and have to go back and fix it lmao. i wouldn't say i have any training! i took a creative writing course in university but it was a very surface level 101 class for one term and we didn't really dig into much. i think it's just time, probably, time and effort doubling down on what i think works for me and what doesn't. i've been writing and posting fic online for... fourteen years? going on fifteen? i was very young when i started, lmao, i think i was twelve, and i'm about twenty-six and a half now, and i've made a lot of progress since then.

a lot of how i handle it now is considering context!! i skim a scene and my notes/draft for it and i try to see if it feels like it passes too quick, or if it misses the point i'm trying to drive home in the mind/heart of the character whose point of view i'm in. if it does, i go back over and try and beef up the narration/introspection. if it feels like it lingers too much or isn't getting to the point quick enough or it just feels like a boring section, i try and clip from dialogue to dialogue faster. if i want it to feel disorienting or detached, i'll keep the paragraphs shorter. if i want the pov character to feel like they're spacing out or dissociating or caught up in their own feelings even if they aren't expressing them, i'll spend longer in their head. if you feel like it's getting clunky, take a step back. look at the clunky piece and go why? does it feel clunky because it's repetitive? is the dialogue not anchored to the internal thought enough when it should be? is it moving too much from thought to thought without spending time on what those thoughts mean, how they feel? those kind of questions can help you get to what needs fixing!

ultimately, it's mostly practice, like most things with writing, i think. take notice of what you like and what you don't like, how you think it fits together. i think in terms of books i've read that made me want to write more, my most recent picks would be the last unicorn by peter s beagle and the locked tomb series by tamsin muir - though tlt is like... probably not what i'd go to for a standard balancing of dialogue and introspection. those books are very stylistic so if that is not the specific style you're going for, it could be difficult to take cues from. in terms of just flat out good, mesmerizing writing, though? yeah. hot damn. highly recommend. and the last unicorn is some of the just, straight up best writing i've ever read.

this is seriously so flattering thank you so much <3 i'm beyond thrilled to hear anyone might like my writing enough to ask for advice from me!

[revlischarm]

what are some of your favourite one piece hc's :?

Sorry this took so long I was jotting them down as I went. I’m sure I missed some of them because a few weren’t coming to mind but uhhhh. The list turned out way longer than I thought it would be!!

• All of the ones you listed because they’re great

• Transman Crocodile

• Transman Ace

• Sabo has a tattoo like Ace’s except on his right arm, and it says “SABO” but with the “A” crossed out. heheheheh ‘SBO’ lmao

• Sharp teeth Zoro supremacy

• Ace has narcolepsy

• Luffy has a tattoo of the dawn that doubles as a Strawhat on his forearm!! I saw that idea somewhere and I’ve just. Amassed it into my horde.

• Zoro getting the Strawhat Jolly Roger tattooed on his back after Luffy is King of the Pirates,,,my beloved,,,

• Luffy has a bracelet of beads like Ace’s after Marineford!!! So does Sabo :)

• Zoro instinctively likes doing things in sets of three’s. Has a thing when it comes to numbers and counting. I’m inflicting him with a very specific brand of OCD/Autism. I saw this stuff with him counting certain things in this one Lawzo fic?? Fucking amazing, highly recommend. I’m gonna link it here just for how incredible it portrays Zoro.

Seriously, even if Lawzo isn’t your thing, I recommend it alone just based on that particular Zoro trait.

• Robin can do an impeccable horror girl scream. You know the one.

• Zoro can do math in his head insanely quickly

• Zoro knows how to garden a bit after time on Kuraigana

• Luffy is super knowledgeable about bugs, actually! His favorite kind of insects are Atlas Beetles

• Sabo is fucking unhinged. Good for him. Would crush the skull of anyone who so much as looks at Luffy the wrong way.

• I’m partial to the idea that Luffy has a super high metabolism

• Zoro’s got an oral fixation (Luffy might too, actually)

• Colorblind Crocodile

• Zoro is agender!!! Mostly uses they/he, but honestly, I don’t think Zoro would fucking care what pronouns you use for them

• Luffy has a bad habit of gnawing on things, especially fingernails, when he’s hungry. Which begs the question, are his fingernails rubber as well? When they fall to the ground like rubbings from an eraser, do they too retain their elastic properties? Who can say. Do Luffy’s teeth fluctuate between solid and rubber. Is Luffy capable of breaking any bones at all. I have so many questions about the physics of devil fruits sometimes you have no idea

• Sanji smokes because it can stave off hunger; he’s also always the last to eat, waiting until everyone else has their meal before eating himself

• Law is a fucking nerd and I’ll say it. He’s absolutely the type to try and act/look cooler than he actually is and I think most of the fandom has fallen for that ruse. I love him still, tho. Pathetic wet meow meow. You are sad and depressing and a genuine freak. Good for you.

• I like thinking that Doflamingo is partially blind in one eye from getting hit by an arrow during his whole backstory as a kid, that’s why he’s always wearing the glasses. Yes I know he’s also wearing glasses as a kid, leave me alone, it’s between that and the idea that maybe he and Rosinante have some sort of light sensitivity, since they both have their eyes covered when they’re younger.

• Crocodile’s eyes are the most gorgeous shade of lavender I’ve ever fucking seen, I swear to god

• Goth family. Goth family. Goth family!!!! I don’t care how unlikely it is I FIRMLY believe that all three of them keep avid tabs on each other, and would 100% do frequent calls on den den if they weren’t affronted by the idea that it would seem needy(Idk if that’s the right word but. You know what I mean. They’re embarrassed to admit they care.)

• Zoro picked up a mishmash of behavioral traits from both Perona and Mihawk after the two years. Man knows how to do hair and paint nails now. Picked up a smidge of fashion sense from them both, too (and by that I mean goth)

• Law and Robin get along insanely well, they have the same sense of humor.

• Law loves anything even slightly bear-shaped. He has so many items that go along with the theme. Fucking loser nerd.

• Law also gets super moody on winter islands; I read a fic once where he tends to go to the local church whenever he visits one and. Yeah idk that felt right to me. Law’s got an overall SOMETHING of a relationship with religion (just based off some of what we saw with his childhood I think) that I’m not complex or knowledgeable enough to do a justified analysis of

• Sanji makes recipe books, and labels them with notes on what’s easiest vs more hard to make in case the crew ever needs that. Dude also absolutely has a notebook somewhere on how to prepare human meat should it ever come to that. The ideal way to mourn his passing. Consume the flesh of the fallen. Become feast.

• Sanji’s hands don’t have a single blemish on them, and he moistures them frequently, actually.

• Luffy gives platonic kisses to all of his crew mates!!! All of the love

• Franky sacrificed a lot of the feeling left in his body during the two year skip in order to get stronger for everyone :(

• Law has golden eyes, Zoro’s is silver, Luffy’s are an abyss of darkness. Like a bug!!!! Bug-eye luffy. He’s a creature to me.

• Luffy likes to walk up stairs on all fours

• I think another reason that Luffy’s built up such an immunity to poison is because he puts his mouth on literally EVERYTHING. Consumes so much that should be inedible and takes it in stride.

• On that note, I think that Zoro would deliberately ask Sanji to poison his meals sometimes just to build up his own resistance. Because that’s also the safest way to go about it honestly.

• Sanji burns really easily in the sun actually I think lmao. And he always has one part of his face that’s perfectly off-color

• The arm that Shanks lost was his dominant one :) that’s part of the reason Mihawk was so disappointed he lost it. He would sword fight with that hand. Any letters he tried to write to people came off as shaky and uneven for the longest time

• Zoro is ambidextrous. He can also write shockingly well with his mouth and his feet if need be. Fucker is absolutely planning to go multiple different sword styles one day. Cut off his legs, replace them with blades.

• Luffy will bite Zoro a lot just because. It’s Zoro. Why would he mind. Captain is just releasing pent up energy cause he got excited.

• Luffy is immune to getting acne—as well as most other skin conditions—since he’s made of rubber. Lucky bastard.

• Kidd has a ton of piercings that he can and will use as projectiles. He’s also 100% had tetanus and rabies as a child. It just fits.

• I think that—Zolu or not—Zoro was Luffy’s first kiss. Just based on principle. A captain and his first mate, sitting in a cramped dinghy for who knows how long together?? Listen, all I know is they must have talked about some weird shit. And Luffy probably mentioned that he’d never kissed anyone before if it was brought up, before going suddenly silent and then asking if he could kiss Zoro. Just because. And who’s Zoro to say no to his new captain?

• Sometimes Sabo will sit and just. Let himself be on fire. Just to see if he can feel Ace.

• I firmly believe one of the reasons Zoro and Sanji don’t get along is because of their differing views on woman—or more specifically, how Sanji acts with them that pisses Zoro off to an extent. And that’s due to the whole Kuina thing. The fact that Sanji would not only treat women like they’re glass, so capable of breaking and delicate, to the point where he refuses to so much as lay a finger (or toe in this case??) on them—it really fucking grates Zoro. If a person is demanding you to fight them on equal grounds, regardless of their gender, you shouldn’t disrespect them just because they’re female. Just feels like an insult. Cant fucking believe I gotta argue in defense of hitting women here because of you, Sanji

• Usopp has the second best observation haki on the crew—and I say second only because of the whole Luffy and Katakuri thing. Yeah. Third best would be either Zoro or Sanji, because we see Zoro specifically training with haki during the timeskip, and after losing an eye I refuse to believe that Mihawk wouldn’t give Zoro a pretty decent training in observation haki to make up for that. And Sanji just. Idk man he gives me the vibes, plus he always seems adept at being able to know when someone’s in danger (even if that’s only catering specifically to the female sex)

• I think that Zoro postures a lot whenever Luffy compliments Sanji or talks about how cool someone else is because he doubts his place on the crew a lot. Like. He’s just the swordsman, right? He’s a lot more replaceable than the other members of the crew, a swordsman isn’t totally needed to survive in the New World. Y’know. Stuff like that :)

• Zoro has a super high alcohol tolerance, so it takes a lot to get him drunk. He’s also got a high tolerance to most heavy sedatives.

• Zoro does the boob-grab thing to himself sometimes when he’s thinking. You know the one. I sure do. Hold the titty for comfort and serotonin.

• Law is an EXTREME control freak. Just in general.

• Zoro and Usopp are part of girls nights. Just because. They are.

• Transmac Usopp my beloved also—this is UNRELATED TO THE PREVIOUS HC. Usopp is part of girls nights because of his chill vibes!!!! Don’t get it twisted. I’ll bite you.

• Everyone is autistic. Not just the Strawhats, but like. Everyone in the One Piece universe. Luffy is the most autistic. He’s going to be King of the Autistics. His hyperfixation is pirates and he’s collecting crew mates like plushies at the end of his bed

Idk if I have more, I probably do just stirring around in my brain somewhere

[annas-hair-donut]

Fanfic ask game: F and/or N!

F: Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

Ok, I would copy/paste all of Boom, Clap! and Overheard here. But I'll go with this little bit from Knock on Wood. I'm really proud of this fic in general. It's one of my best in terms of quality and it's also kind of personal. But I love this bit of dialogue because Kristoff is so cocky and I love that. I love how easily they flirt with each other, and I got the pacing just right an it flows well. I also think I did a good job of describing their feelings from Anna's POV. It's a stretch from canon, but I also love that. Like, it's smoother because it's a more subtle nod to canon.

"I was just signing CDs," he shrugged. "I'm a musician; that's how I make money." Then a shit-eating grin took over. “Wait… were you jealous?” “You’re so cocky!” He blushed and said, “That’s a yes.” She pursed her lips and he laughed modestly. “I mean, you basically admitted you’re attracted to me.” Her cheeks heated up and she huffed. Her refolded arms definitely weren't fooling him, though. “It’s not one of the many reasons you turned me down.” Then he looked across the room and said, “I thought you didn’t like being anyone’s second choice?” Anna's face dropped when she saw Hans dancing with a woman in a hot pink chiffon dress who didn’t know where to put her espadrilled feet. She knew where to put her lips, though. "That who you're here with?" he asked with stifled laughter. Anna rolled her eyes and looked back at him. “Whatever.” He chuckled before asking, “Hey, what’s your name?” “Anna.” He tipped his burnt orange baseball hat with a white longhorn embroidered on the front at her. Then he held out his hand. “Nice to meet you, Anna. I’m Kristoff.” Anna took his hand reluctantly and waited for him to lead her to the dance floor. But he sat down next to her and ordered a Lone Star instead. She followed his bobbing Adam’s apple as he tipped his beer back. “I thought you were going to ask me to dance,” she teased before casually sipping some water. “Song’s halfway over," he shrugged. "I want a whole dance with you.” Anna felt a fever come on; even the icy water didn't help. “Plus, I like to get to know a person before jumping into anything.” “That’s the cockiest thing you’ve said all night." He grinned. “Maybe. It’s working, though, isn’t it?” Anna took another sip of her water to hide her blush. She was about ready to take him home with her. “Yeah, it’s working,” he teased. She hated that he was right, but she smiled anyway. "So, I'm going to Little Longhorn Saloon tomorrow." Anna's body tingled but she finally asked, "Chicken shit bingo?" He smiled and felt his pockets until he produced the Sharpie he used to sign his CDs before writing his number on a slightly damp napkin. He tented his fingers on the napkin before sliding it over. “So, here’s the thing; I’m no one’s second choice either.” Anna peered over the napkin at him and didn’t blink. “Well, ok, then,” he said with a million-dollar smile. Then he took off his ratty hat with curved, tattered bill and set it on top of the napkin. He knocked three times on the wooden bar and held his hand out. “Do you wanna dance, Anna?”

N: Is there a fic you wish someone else would write (or finish) for you?

This is such an easy question. There's 2.

One is the fic that made me want to write fanfic in the first place. It's still one of my favorite fics and I reread it every 6 months of so. The Ice Sculptor by feistypants. Seriously, everyone go read it.

The other is All I Really Want by @anywhozits. This is the other fic that has been most influential on me. Even though it's not finished, it's still well worth the read and I highly recommend it.

[ceterisparibus116]

How would you go about writing a character who has a profession you’re unfamiliar with? For example, I’d love to write and see more of Lawyer Matt in fanfiction, but I never studied law and I don’t know where to start, the terminology, what cases could actually look like, etc. Do you do a lot of research beforehand? (Also, since you’re a lawyer, perhaps you could give me some legal advice per fanfiction writing? 😊) Also a huge fan of your work 😃

Hiii! This is such an awesome ask, tysm. (Because I too want to see more Lawyer!Matt in fanfiction, lol.)

This is going to be an incredibly long answer because I basically want to give you as much information as possible, and just share as much information as possible for anyone else who’s interested. Some of this is pretty technical; others are just facts I share in the hopes that you can get a sense of a "day in the life" or a lawyer or law student, or even maybe get a plot bunny based on something.

Also, for the record, if anyone wants some of my law school notes on a given topic, I’m happy to share. And feel free to shoot me asks/dms if you have specific questions! (And please do NOT feel the need to read the whole document before you send me asks. The document is just in case it helps you; you can ask me about anything and I won’t be like “Hey read the document first.”)

[That said, I legally can’t give you legal advice. Please don’t ask me about actual legal problems. This is just for fics.]

[Fellow law blogs, please feel free to suggest edits/corrections.]

Anyway, here’s the index, so to speak. I recommend using ctrl + f to navigate to different sections.

Websites

Vocabulary/terminology

Civil procedure

Trial

Criminal procedure: investigation

Criminal procedure: adjudication

Evidence (trust me this stuff is cool and will make you seem super smart)

Tricks for making trial scenes cool

Law school stuff (for those sweet, sweet law school fics)

*NEW SECTION* Day in the life (for figuring out what Matt and Foggy are up to on normal days at the office)

WEBSITES:

So first off, here’s a site that has TONS of legal information presented in a really accessible way, since it’s designed for non-lawyers. It also goes beyond just saying “here’s what X is” to sometimes saying “here’s what X looks like in real life.” Anyway, the cite is findlaw.com, and you can google “what is an arraignment findlaw.com” for example to get some great insight. Seriously, I highly recommend just poking around the site. You’re sure to learn stuff.

This is also a good cite for general legal information: Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute.

I’ve also straight-up bookmarked this site: penal code. It’s all the crimes in New York, including not only what the crimes involve but what the penalties are. THAT SAID, be sure to also check out what Findlaw.com has to say about the crimes, because the site ALSO includes defenses to crimes. Just – always go to Findlaw.com at some point in your research. That’s my advice. :P

Another thing you can do is just google a question and look for search results from law firms. ESPECIALLY if you google the question and add “New York” and then look at results from New York law firms, as they’ll speak more to what New York law is like. (However, very few people will care if your legal elements are specific to New York, so that’s not a biggie unless you, like, wanna show off.)

Oh, and here’s a guide to New York’s rules of evidence in case you wanna get fancy and start throwing rule numbers around(WHICH IS LITERALLY SO COOL PLEASE WRITE MATT DOING THIS I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER). What I’m talking about is how an attorney at trial can object to something by saying, for example, “Objection, irrelevant,” but they can ALSO object by saying “Objection, [rule number e.g. 4.01]” and it’s just so fun and smart and makes you feel like a wizard casting spells. Also it’s a good trial tactic if you don’t want the jury to know what you’re upset about. Like, if you say “Objection, more prejudicial than probative” than all jurors who know what “prejudicial” means are gonna sit up like “Oh??? This hurts your case? Oh???” and you def don’t want that.

VOCABULARY:

I’m now gonna take a sec to walk through some, like, Law 101, since it’s hard to google stuff like “arraignment” if you don’t even know that’s a thing. I’ll bold words as I go through so they stand out in case you or anyone else wants to make note of them to research more later. And I’ll start with some important vocabulary.

[Interjection: as you explore legal concepts, you can also google “[concept] jury instructions” and find an explanation of the legal issue designed for jurors. Again, it’s ideal to search for New York jury instructions specifically, but if that doesn’t work, don’t sweat it.]

In general, lawyers can be referred to as “Counsel” or “Counselor.” (As in, “Are you ready to proceed, Counselor?”) Lawyers on the same side are co-counsel. Lawyers against each other are opposing counsel. Lawyers also refer to each other by their “side” (e.g. “the prosecution says X,” “the plaintiff misstates the fact,” and “the defense is clueless.”)

In the United States, the legal world is basically split into two categories: criminal and civil. Criminal is a narrower area of law; civil includes everything from property transactions to immigration to family law (although immigration and family law often have their own “courts” like “family court” and usually have some unique rules). It gets a little confusing in that there’s some overlap between criminal and civil; “assault” and “battery,” for example, are both torts (civil offenses) and a criminal offenses.

In a criminal case, you have the prosecutor/prosecution against the defendant/defense. The prosecutor is a government-employed attorney who represents the state (in state crimes, where the prosecutor might also be simply referred to as “the State”) or the US government (in federal crimes); the defense attorney can be either a private defense attorney paid for by the defendant (the person accused of a crime) or a public defender(paid for by the government). Defendants are guaranteed the right to an attorney, which is why public defenders are so important. That being said, even private defense attorneys can be “conflict” attorneys, which is where there’s a conflict of interest between the public defender and the defendant; in such instances, the court will instruct a private defense attorney to act as a public defender.

[This is cool because it means Matt and Foggy, despite being private defense attorneys, can still take a public defender role, which is something I’m really excited for in a future fic. Anyway.]

In a civil case, you have the plaintiff against the defendant. The plaintiff is just an ordinary person (or group or entity) who was allegedly harmed by the defendant. In the civil world, plaintiff and defense attorneys are private (e.g. paid for by the client rather than by the government).

There are two key parts to any case: legal issues and factual issues. Factual issues are questions like “Who did what?” and “Why did they do that?” and “Was that reasonable?” whereas legal issues are those like, “Was the contract valid?” or “What was the standard of care?” (which is specific concept from negligence that you can google if you want). The judge rules on issues of law (also including the admissibility of evidence) whereas the jury rules on issues of fact (basically asking, “What do we believe happened?”). However, the judge can also be a fact-finder if it’s a bench trial.

[This is important to keep in mind because the way you present a case is very different if you’re speaking to a judge who (presumably!!! But definitely not always!) knows the law at least as well as you do, vs if you’re speaking to jurors who sometimes neither understand nor care about legal nuances of a case.]

Also: evidence is broad: anything from physical evidence (like a gun) to digital evidence (like pictures or footage) to witness testimony is evidence. All evidence must be admissible to be presented before a jury. And speaking of evidence: if one party objects to evidence (because they want the evidence excluded) and the judge overrules, that means the judge DISAGREED with the objection and the evidence can be admitted. If the judge sustains, that means the judge AGREED with the objection, and the evidence is excluded. (Idk why Matt, in S3, “sustains” his own objection. I think they meant to say “overruled,” since that would be more in line with Matt’s self-deprecating humor (and Charlie Cox’s sort of sheepish delivery) to disagree with his own objection? Idk.)

Every case, whether civil or criminal, is made up of counts(also in criminal cases called charges). Counts are basically “things for which a person is liable” or “things that are illegal.” For example: battery and assault are both counts/charges. Every count is made up of elements. For example, the elements of assault (in both civil and criminal law) are: 1) intent; 2) reasonable apprehension of harmful contact; and 3) causation. The plaintiff/prosecutor has to prove ALL THREE ELEMENTS to win their case. If the defense pokes a hole in just one element, the plaintiff/prosecution loses. (Sometimes elements are also called prongs, but this is usually when “elements” are used in another context besides referring to counts. So, like, in Constitutional law, there are tons of “tests” for things, and the elements of a test is called a prong. If you have satisfy a prong, you can also be said to have met a prong. E.g. “Only three out of four prongs were met.”)

By the way, the counts come from statutes. Civil and criminal statutes explain what the law is. Statutes are passed by the legislature. It is NOT appropriate for a judge to ignore or change statutes (no matter how much they may dislike them). Judges merely INTERPRET statutes.

Besides the attorneys, the parties/clients, and the judge and jury, other cool people to take note of are: the judge’s clerk (this is the person who swears in witnesses and handles the judge’s calendar – do NOT offend the clerk as they will certainly let the judge know if you’re a jerk) and the bailiff (security in the courtroom). Some judges also have law clerks who are very, very special (jk – just, I’m currently a law clerk) who are lawyers fresh out of law school who basically help the judge research, decide issues, and write opinions (which are written documents announcing a holding (e.g. whether the judge is granting or denying someone’s request) and the reasoning behind it).

If a proceeding (like a hearing or a trial) is on record, you have to have a court reporter to write down the transcript. Traditionally, the court reporter sits in the courtroom and types everything on a special computer. Some modern courtrooms do remote court reporting where the court reporter is somewhere else and transcribes as they listen.

If anyone important to the trial speaks a different language, you have to have an interpreter. Some interpreters have a device that lets them speak directly into the other person’s ear and translate simultaneous to whatever’s being said. Other times, the court interpreter talks like everyone else: this means other people have to pause to let the interpreter speak. (Example: the judge says, “We are here for a hearing in the matter of State v. Jones.” Pause. The interpreter then interprets. Then the judge keeps going.) The interpreter repeats exactly what is said without any personal commentary. If the interpreter needs to speak on their own behalf, they indicate this by referring to themselves. (E.g. “The interpreter requests the attorneys slow down.” This happens a lot.)

A case can be referred to as a case, a matter, an action, and a suit (if it’s civil), distinguished by the name of the client. “Case” is the broadest term and it’ll probably never sound weird if you use it (anything from a casual “I’m working on Smith’s case” to a formal “We’re here concerning the case of Smith v [whatever]”). “Matter” is a phrase most often used by judges, I think. When they call the case, they might say “We’re here for a hearing on the matter of Smith v. [whatever]”). “Action” and “suit” usually refer to what type of case it is (“The Smith case is a civil action” or “The Smith case is a civil suit” but it would sound weird to say “the Smith action” or “The Smith suit”).

Cases are named according to the parties. The plaintiff or prosecution is named first. (So in “Smith v. Jones,” Smith is the plaintiff and Jones is the defense; in “State v. Jones,” the prosecutor is the State and Jones is the defendant.) However, in appellate cases, the appellant who files the case is named first; the other party is the respondent. So if in the civil case of “Smith v. Jones,” Jones loses and then appeals, the appellate case would be “Jones v. Smith.” Also, cases are usually italicized (sometimes underlined). So the proper way to write it would be Smith v. Jones and Jones v. Smith. When attorneys are familiar with a case, either because it’s famous in their field of law or because they’ve been relying on it during a particular case, they’ll refer to it either by the first name (“Smith” or by the defendant in a criminal case (“Jones”) since otherwise every criminal case would just be “State”).

Jurors have a little room called the jury room where they go to deliberate. Normally, jurors can go home each day (like at 5pm), but if the trial is particularly important and/or there’s high publicity, jurors may be sequestered, which means they’re put somewhere like a hotel where no one from the public can reach them. The goal is to prevent them from hearing things about the trial that might be legally inadmissible. Juries are provided lunch, usually pizza or sandwiches.

The judge is said to be “on the bench.” Attorneys might “approach the bench” to talk to the judge, or the judge could be said to “take the bench” when they start being a judge.

A mistrial is when something goes so wrong that you have to have the trial all over again. Some examples of things that could cause a mistrial: one of the attorneys saying something they shouldn’t or one of the jurors doing independent investigation and sharing what they learn with the other jurors.

Evidence that a lawyer intends to use at trial is called an exhibit. Every exhibit is marked for identification purposes, usually something like “Plaintiff’s Exhibit 1,” which is what it will be referred to at trial. More on evidence below.

Each case can only be brought within the statute of limitations. If the statute of limitations “runs,” it’s too late to bring the case. This is true of both civil and criminal cases. The statute of limitations for some civil issues might be only 2 years; the statute of limitations for some criminal offenses might be 10 years, or there might be no statute of limitation at all. (The rationale is twofold: justice and efficiency. Justice because it’s unjust to make people to live the rest of their lives with small infractions hanging over their heads; efficiency because it’s inefficient to try to bring a case through the system years after the infraction occurred, when witnesses may have moved or died or evidence is gone. Statutes of limitations can also be “tolled” (basically, the countdown doesn’t start) for various reasons. Please hit me up if you have questions; I am PASSIONATE about this topic.)

Another piece of vocabulary that’s small but comes up a lot and is nice to get right is: motion. In this context, a motion is a noun: attorneys file a motion asking the court to do something. The verb is “move,” as in, “I move for a continuance.” I bring this up because Matt in Season 2 suggests that they “motion for a continuance” which is just…not quite right. (But I get why the writers did that; “motion for continuance” sounds more professional than “move for a continuance” – it’s just wrong, lol.) (Continuance, by the way, is just a delay. Like pushing the date of a hearing or a trial back.)

Attorneys file briefs in support of motions (and arguments, like appellate arguments, which is when one side appeals a judge or jury’s decision). Briefs usually include a statement of the facts of the case and an analysis of how the relevant law applies to the facts. The law is case law (aka rules found from other opinions). Precedent is case law that is binding on a judge (for example, U.S. Supreme Court case law is binding on every judge), whereas case law that is not binding is just persuasive. (Like, Pennsylvania case law is not binding on a New York judge, but it’s probably more persuasive than, say, California case law, just because Pennsylvania is closer and as such has more in common with New York.) A LOT of an attorney’s time is spent researching case law on legal databases. The two most common databases are Westlaw and Lexis. (Westlaw fans and Lexis fans are bitter rivals. Lexis is better. Fight me.)

Payment from a client (so not prosecutors or public defenders who are paid by the government) is either by retainer or as a contingency fee. This is where a lawyer receives a percentage of the money the client wins at trial or in a settlement. It is unethical for private criminal defense attorneys (like Matt and Foggy) to be paid on a contingency fee. Private criminal defense attorneys are paid on a retainer, which means the client gives the lawyer a certain amount of money up front, and the lawyer uses that money to fund the case (pay for their own time in research and preparation and pay for other expenses, like hiring investigators or expert witnesses). This is why it is said that a client has retained a lawyer or that a lawyer is on retainer.

Let’s zoom out again to civil and criminal law. There are two main differences between civil and criminal law. One is the outcome. A guilty verdict in criminal law results in imprisonment and/or a fine to the court, and potentially the revocation of other privileges and rights. However, a verdict of “liable” in civil court can result in an injunction (the court ordering someone to do something or stop doing something) and/or fines paid directly to the victim. (Criminal offenses sometimes result in restitution to victims, but not always. Mostly that’s just if the victim had to pay for hospital bills, or if the criminal stole something from them.) [Please note that it’s super important to remember that civil suits aren’t JUST about money; injunctions are very powerful, and although defense attorneys like to act like civil plaintiffs are only interested in money, that’s not necessarily true.]

The other main difference is the “burden of proof.” The burden of proof is the amount of evidence needed to prosecution or plaintiff needs to prove their case. Most civil cases must be proven by a preponderance of the evidence, which just means the jury (or judge in a fact-finding role – but I’m just gonna talk about juries for simplicities’ sake) needs to be convinced that the plaintiff’s version of events is “more likely than not” true. [Note: some civil issues actually have to be proven by clear and convincing evidence, which is higher than a preponderance but no one really knows how exactly to quantify it.] Criminal cases need to be proven by “beyond a reasonable doubt.” [Note: it’s beyond a REASONABLE doubt, not beyond any doubt someone could possibly come up with.] “Beyond a reasonable doubt” is the HIGHEST burden of proof in the United States, which is because the consequences of a criminal conviction can include the deprivation of the defendant’s liberty, and the United States (…uh, theoretically, anyway) prioritizes liberty so highly. [Don’t get me started, then, on why it’s so absurdly stupid that immigration cases don’t need to be proven by beyond a reasonable doubt, even though the consequences could be deprivation of liberty or worse. It’s horrible.]

One more thing that I know will come up in fics: attorney-client privilege is NOT the same as attorney-client confidentiality. However, both apply not only when a client actually is a lawyer’s client, but even when the client is merely a prospective client. (No, Karen did not have to pay Foggy to secure either privilege or confidentiality. But it was a sweet gesture.) The difference is: Confidentiality is much broader; privilege is only evidentiary (which means it relates to admissibility). Confidentiality prevents a lawyer from sharing client details with anyone who’s not on the case (including the lawyer’s friends, family, etc.); privilege only prevents a lawyer from sharing client details in a legal proceeding. Both confidentiality and privilege can only be waived by the client.

With that said, on to how trials (and cases) actually work.

CIVIL PROCEDURE

Broadly speaking, the progression of a civil case is as follows:

- The plaintiff’s attorney files a complaint with the court which explains how they believe they were wronged by the defendant (this involves counts [aka bad acts, like “breach of contract” or “theft” or whatever] and the factual allegations supporting each count, and ends with a plea for relief [asking for injunctions or money or in some cases declaratory judgment which is basically where the judge just rules on what something is, like “This is a valid contract”])

- The plaintiff’s attorney files someone to serve the complaint on the defendant (so the defendant has “notice” of the allegations against them)

- The defendant files an answer in which they can do several things, such as admit/deny allegations contained in the complaint and/or raise certain defenses and objections commonly known as 12bdefenses and objections (such as “improper service” aka “dude I never got notice of the allegations” or my favorite “failure to state a claim for which relief can be granted” aka, basically, “I don’t know what you’re talking about??? That’s not a law???”)

- The defendant can also file a counterclaim (saying “actually, Plaintiff, YOU hurt ME”) with their answer and raise any affirmative defenses they think are available to them (such as, for example, “consent” which is a defense to battery; so for example if I take a karate class and get hit in the face and then I sue the instructor, they can claim that I consented to the physical contact)

- Note: if the defendant fails to answer within a certain amount of days, the plaintiff is awarded a default judgment in their favor. Yay for them

- Okay but assuming we get past the initial pleadings stage (the complaint, answer, counterclaim, etc. are all “pleadings”), we get to the fun part: discovery! Discovery is where the attorneys try to collect facts. They can do this through requests for admissions(basically you just send a document saying “admit you did X” and the other side either admits or denies), interrogatories (you send a list of questions like “How old were you when you signed the contract” or “list what you believe you consented to” and the other side has to answer), depositions(sitting a witness down and examining them under oath), requests for physical/mental evaluations, “requests for documents and things” (like, “give me all the emails between X date and Y date” or “give me a copy of the security footage”), and subpoenas (which is how you get discovery from non-parties aka people outside the case).

- Note: the other side can also object to your discovery requests, e.g. saying you’re seeking privileged information (such as information protected under doctor-patient or attorney-client privilege) or saying your discovery is too broad or something. But if the judge (who, again, handles legal/evidentiary questions and so handles discovery disputes) says “No you gotta answer the discovery requests” and the other side fails to do so, you (the requesting party) can file a motion to compel discovery where you ask the judge to order the other side to answer your requests.

- Also note: some discovery HAS to be provided; these are mandatory disclosures. One thing that is mandatory to disclose is the name and contact info of everyone you expect to call as a witness. In real life, surprise witnesses should not be happening, and if you fail to disclose a witness to the other side, the judge might not let you call the witness at trial.

- As you collect evidence, at some point you might file a motion for summary judgment. This is where you say there are no factual disputes left, and so the only question is whether one side wins as a matter of law. This means the judge can decide the issue on legal grounds without sending the case to the jury. Summary judgments are disfavored in US courts because, frankly, there’s almost always a question of fact, which means the case needs to go before a jury.

- Okay, if we get this far and summary judgment isn’t granted (and neither party settles which is where they reach their own agreement outside of court, which can be the result of just negotiation between the parties or of formal mediation and/or arbitration), we get to the fun stuff: TRIAL!

- Trial starts with jury selection aka voir dire. Jury selection is such an underrated part of the case (although I really appreciate that Daredevil gave us a hint of that with the Frank Castle trial). First the judge weeds out jurors by asking about issues that’d be true in all cases (like scheduling conflicts). Then the plaintiff’s attorney followed by the defense attorney each get to briefly introduce themselves and explain their perspective on the case, and ask questions designed to a) find jurors they think will agree with them, and b) find jurors they think WON’T agree with them. They can also use their questions to try to frame the case a certain way and signal what they want jurors to look for during the trial. After the questions are done, the attorneys can make an unlimited number of challenges for cause (asking to exclude certain jurors for articulable reasons like “This person’s obviously biased against my client’s gender”) and a limited number (usually 3) of peremptory challenges (excluding certain jurors for no apparent reason – although the other side can object if they think it’s motivated by racism or sexism).

- Note: in New York, civil trials only have 6 jurors (and one or more alternate jurors in case something goes wrong).

Trial:

Tbh I'm continuing my explanation of the civil process, but most of this also applies to criminal trials as well (just substitute "prosecution" for "plaintiff"):

At various points prior to the jury being seated, attorneys can file motions in limine basically asking to admit or exclude evidence ahead of time. This saves time during trial. The judge may decide they need to have an evidentiary hearing to determine whether it should be admissible.

Once the jury is seated, the judge will go over some rules with them (tbh you can google scripts for this if you want, or you can just skip that part), and then the plaintiff gets to give their opening statement in which they lay out what they intend to prove. What’s important about an opening statement is that the attorney can’t argue the case; all they can do is spell out what they will prove. So instead of the plaintiff saying “This is totally wrong!” they’ll say something like, “The evidence will show that this behavior was illegal.” See the difference? (Foggy, uh, doesn’t do a great job at the don’t-be-argumentative-in-opening-statement thing, tbh.)

The defense attorney gives their opening statement next.

After opening statements, the plaintiff gets to call their witnesses. No matter how many witnesses are called, it goes like this: plaintiff direct examines the witness, defense cross examines the witness, and then plaintiff can re-direct and defense can re-cross(repeat ad nauseum until the judge gets annoyed). Same story with each subsequent witness.

Direct examination means the attorney who calls the witness must ask open-ended questions (basically what, where, why, when, how questions). During cross-examination, the attorney who did not call the witness can ask leading questions which imply an answer (e.g. “You like chocolate, don’t you?” and “Isn’t it true you love cats?”). The attorney who calls a witness can ask leading questions of their own witness only if a) it’s foundational (e.g. “Your name is Karen, isn’t it?”); b) the witness is a child and the judge gives you permission; and c) the witness is hostile and the judge gives you permission. THE FACT THAT A WITNESS BECOMES A HOSTILE WITNESS DOES NOT MEAN YOU GET TO TURN AROUND AND GIVE A SPEECH TO THE JURY, MATT. It only means you get to ask leading questions of the witness.

Also: if each side has two attorneys (co-counsel, like Matt and Foggy) only the lawyer who direct-examines the witness can respond to objections, and only the lawyer for the other side who crosses the witness can make objections. So if Matt direct-examines Frank Castle, and Reyes cross-examines him, then Reyes can object and Matt can respond; Tower CAN’T object, and if Reyes objects, Foggy CAN’T respond.

Once the plaintiff has called all their witnesses, they rest their case (or, more technically, rest their case in chief).

At this point, the defense can motion for a “judgment notwithstanding the verdict” more commonly known as a “directed verdict” in which the defense basically says, “Look, the plaintiff had their chance to put on their case, and they failed to prove the elements. We don’t even need to call any witnesses; the plaintiff has the burden of proof, and they failed to meet that proof.” The judge then considers all the plaintiff’s evidence (“in the light most favorable to the plaintiff” since the plaintiff is the non-moving party, which basically means if there’s a slight uncertainty the judge should resolve it in the plaintiff’s favor) and decides whether the trial should continue. If the judge grants the directed verdict, defense wins; if not, they go on to the defense’s case in chief.

For the defense’s case in chief, the defense calls their witnesses, and the cycle is inverted: defense direct-examines, plaintiff cross-examines, and then defense re-directs and plaintiff re-crosses, etc. etc. Then the defense rests their case in chief.

Once all the witnesses have been called, the judge will give the jury their jury instructions, which explain the law the jury needs to understand so they can apply it to the facts. For example, the jury instructions will include explanations of every element of every count.

Then the plaintiff gives their closing argument. This is where the plaintiff explains why they think they proved their case. A good closing argument carefully walks the jury through the elements of the counts and shows why each has been proven by a preponderance of the evidence (or, if you’re the defense, why any given element has NOT been proven). Then the defense gives their closing argument, and then the plaintiff gives their rebuttal (a shorter argument countering the defense’s main points).

After this, the jurors are separated from the alternates by lot, and the jurors are dismissed to deliberate. During deliberation, they can review the evidence to their hearts’ content and even send out questions to ask the judge.

After deliberation is over, the jurors are brought back to give their verdict. The foreman (or foreperson) is the juror who announces the verdict.

Note: some trials may be bifurcated. For example, in a breach of contract action (action is another word for lawsuit, basically, and “cause of action” is the reason why you’re suing; e.g. “breach of contract” is a cause of action), the first half of the trial will be to decide whether there was a contract that was breached, and only after that trial and only if that trial decided “yep the contract was breach” do you move on to the second half, where you prove damages (what harm the plaintiff experienced as a result of the defendant’s breach of contract).

Whichever side loses might file an appeal, which sends the case up to the appellate court to determine if the trial judge got something wrong. An appellate case does not involve calling witnesses; instead, the only things the appellate judges can consider is whatever has been preserved in the record (a written transcript of what happened at trial + admitted evidence). The appellate court might affirm the trial court (basically “Yeah you got it right”) or overturn it, or even affirm in part and overturn in part.

(Note: in a criminal case, the prosecution can't appeal a loss due to double jeopardy; see below on that. But the defense can file an appeal.)

So that’s basically your standard civil case, from start to finish!

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE: INVESTIGATION

There are two categories of note: pre-trial and trial. Trial is basically the same as in the civil case (jury selection, opening statements, examination of witnesses, closing arguments), so I’ll focus on pre-trial.

Please be aware: in light of the current state of the US, some of this might be saddening, angering, or otherwise triggering to read. I fully acknowledge that not all police actually follow the rules as outlined here. However, reading this might help you be more aware of your own rights. That said, please do not read if you would find this section upsetting. This is why I split the “investigation” section from the “adjudication” section.

Pre-trial criminal procedure is ruled primarily by the 4th Amendment of the US Constitution, which guarantees US citizens the right from unreasonable searches and seizures by police. The teeth of the 4th Amendment (and the 5th, 6th, and 14th Amendments) comes from the exclusionary rule. The exclusionary rule holds that any evidence collected in violation of these amendments is “excluded” and cannot be used to prosecute a defendant.

What is reasonable for police depends largely how much information they have that you are engaged in criminal activity. The lowest recognized level is reasonable suspicion. Reasonable suspicion is more than just a hunch or a guess – it requires specific and articulable facts that you (or your things) are involved in a crime. Facts that could give rise to reasonable suspicion are: evading the police, nervous behavior or furtive movements, association with criminal organizations, matching a description of a recent 911 tip, and traffic violations. (Note: being in a “high crime” area is a factor that’s not enough by itself, and could be enough with other factors. Yes, that’s racist.) The next level up is probable cause: a fair probability under the totality of the circumstances that a crime is afoot and this this person or thing is involved.

Now, what can a police officer with reasonable suspicion actually do? They can stop and frisk you and they can do an inventory or administrative search. What can a police officer with probable cause do? They can arrest you and do a full search. (Note: if they have probable cause + “overall reasonableness” they can intrude by “extraordinary means.” Examples of extraordinary intrusions are: unannounced entry into home, entry into a home or office without a warrant, physical penetration of the body, and deadly force.)

However, despite all this, the 4th Amendment does not apply unless the police actually searched or seized you or your things. So it’s crucial to be able to define and identify searches and seizures. A search is when a government agent uses a sense to get information. Yes, all the senses. The lowest level of search is the stop (a “seizure” of a person). A stop occurs when a reasonable person would not feel free to terminate the encounter. If a reasonable person would feel free to leave, then it’s just an encounter, not a stop. Note, however, that if police take advantage of a confining situation (like cornering people on a bus), that’s not a stop unless the police created the confining situation. However, ways that police CAN stop you are: show of authority to which you as the citizen submit, intentional touch (no matter how slight), and taking and withholding an item you need (like your wallet or a transportation ticket).

Other information to know about stops: officers are NOT required to inform you when you’re free to leave. They MAY ask about immigration. (Yeah. Yikes.)

How do you know when a stop has become an arrest? Consider these factors:

Duration of the stop

Level of intrusiveness (including dog sniffs that add to the time of the stop)

Drawing a weapon

Handcuffing

Placing you in a squad car

Moving you

Next level up: frisk. A frisk occurs when an officer has already stopped you and now pats down the outer clothing (and may include groping). A frisk requires, first, that the stop preceding the frisk is legitimate, and, second, reasonable suspicion that the suspect is armed with a weapon. Anything the officer can tell by plain feel is contraband may be seized. If the officer has to manipulate the thing they’re touching to figure out what it is, then they’ve gone beyond the scope of a frisk and they can’t admit whatever they find against you.

If the search reveals contraband, then there’s probable cause to seize the contraband. And to seize the person.

Which brings us to: arrest. An arrest is the ultimate seizure of a person. It requires probable cause. Arrest also allows an officer to do a full search incident to arrest, which means the officer can search your person to make sure you aren’t armed. This includes going into your pockets, which is why it’s more intrusive than a frisk. An officer can also search the area around you; however, the search can’t extend beyond your wingspan: the area you can reach with your hands. (In a car, your wingspan includes the area of the car you’re in, e.g. the driver’s area or the passenger area. Except they can’t search your car after they’ve removed you from it UNLESS they are searching for evidence of the crime for which you were arrested in the first place – so, like, if you’re arrested for a traffic violation, there’s no point in searching the car, but if you’re arrested for suspicion of drug use, they can search the car because you might have drugs or paraphernalia in the car. A search of the trunk requires separate probable cause.) Note: if an officer issues a citation, the interaction is terminated, and they can’t then do a full search.

Really, really, really bad news: if an officer has probable cause, the officer is allowed to use pretext to make an arrest. So for example, a racist cop might arrest a Black man purely because of racism, not because this particular officer actually cared about probable cause that the Black man was engaged in crime. But as long as the probable cause exists, it can be used as a pretext for the arrest.

Okay, but what about search of a place? A search of a place is not subject to the 4th Amendment at all unless there is both: 1) a subjective expectation of privacy and 2) an objective expectation of privacy. Subjective means the property owner actually expects privacy (as indicated by taking steps to make something private; leaving your windows open shows you don’t have a subjective expectation of privacy with regard to anything that can be seen through it). Objective means we as society recognize this as a valid thing to keep private (so, like, even if you subjectively feel that anything on your roof should be private, there’s no objective privacy because we as society recognize that it’s perfectly normal for people to see things on your roof). Also, if you knowingly turn something over to a third party, you have legally demonstrated that you don’t have a subjective expectation of privacy. This is why, for example, the information contained on an envelope is not private, whereas the things inside the envelope are. Also, note: police don’t have to avert their eyes from something the public can see. There’s a twist with technology, though. The general rule is, police can’t use technology that a regular citizen can’t. So police can use, for example, binoculars, but they can’t use, like, thermal imaging searches (without a warrant) since most of us don’t walk around with thermal imaging devices.

A more modern twist is the mosaic rule. What if police can collect enough disparate data about you to form a mosaic? Like by looking at cell site data, tracking your GPS, etc.? Is that okay? Not if: a) the data was collected individually and then added together; b) you surrendered it passively; and c) the data collection is so pervasive that it can’t be said that you knowingly assumed the risk of its collection. So no, police can’t look at your GPS data, even if it all goes through third parties at some point, because each blip is separate, you didn’t intentionally give anyone your GPS data, and almost everyone has GPS such that it’s not reasonable to say people sit down and think “Hmm, how can this data be used against me?”

Another important thing to keep in mind is the importance of warrants. The 4th Amendment includes the warrant requirement. A valid warrant for search or seizure (including arrest) must be issued by a neutral and detached magistrate and describe with particularity the place, person, or thing to be searched/seized. Also, it’s important to note that warrants can’t be stale, which happens if too much time has passed between the alleged criminal activity and the issuance of a warrant.

In practice, prosecutors submit an affidavit of probable cause in which the cop explains why they think a warrant should be issued. Based on that, and that alone, the judge determines whether the warrant should be issued. However, defendants can challenge a warrant that they think is insufficient (or that they think was issued by a biased magistrate) at a Franks hearing. HOWEVER, even if you can prove that cops lied in an affidavit, the warrant might still be valid unless the lies were necessary to the issuance of the warrant. Nowadays, there are apps that let prosecutors send warrants straight to a judge’s phone to be signed, which means prosecutors can get a warrant signed, like, at midnight or something as long as a judge is awake, instead of waiting for business hours. These are called telephonic warrants.

Note: even with a warrant, officers can’t just break into your home or office. They have to announce themselves first – UNLESS: 1) you’re seeking a person and there’s a high likelihood the person will run; 2) you’re seeking evidence and the evidence is evanescent; or 3) there’s a danger to either the officers or the public.

Also: if officers have a valid warrant to search your home or office, they can usually go ahead and detain you, since a detainment is considered a lesser intrusion then the search.

Now, once the officers are in the home or office, what can they do? They can search only in paces where the thing (or person) they’re seeking could reasonably be. So if they’re searching for, like, drugs, they can search basically anywhere. If they’re searching for, like, a giant gun, they can’t go poking through tiny little drawers. But they can also seize anything in plain view: anything they can see (without having to move anything else) and immediately recognize as contraband.

Can officers ever intrude in your home or office without a warrant? Yes, if there’s an exigency. Valid exigencies are: Risk of fleeing felon (gotta go in here to catch the guy about to run away); Hot pursuit of felon (guy we’re already chasing runs into a house); Safety (there’s a bomb in there); Evanescent evidence (like, we’re looking for tiny little papers and we just heard someone flush the toilet three times in a row), and a catch-all category of any other type of emergency.

If there’s no exigency, and no warrant yet, officers might “freeze” the situation by staying outside the building or walking alongside a person until they get a warrant.

Now let’s transition from search and seizure to interrogation. This is where more of your rights as a suspect/defendant kick in, starting with your rights regarding confession.

Probably the most famous rights are your Miranda rights. The trick is, Miranda rights only apply if there is custodial interrogation. This means you have to be both 1) in custody, and 2) being interrogated. The test for whether you’re in custody is: would a reasonable person in your position feel they were not free to terminate the encounter? This is an objective test, so it doesn’t matter what you actually feel; what matters is what a reasonable person would feel. (That said, your age does matter, as does difficulty with the English language. But other things that I think should matter, like prior bad experience with police, don’t necessarily matter.) Factors that suggest custody are: whether the atmosphere is “police-dominated,” the location of interrogation (home suggests not custody; police car or station says probably custody); whether you transported yourself to the interrogation or if police brought you; whether you are allowed friends/family/“allies” in the room with you; your age; whether you were threatened with prosecution; the time (generally, 2 hours suggests custody); whether the questioning is aggressive/deceptive/accusatory; and whether you are arrested immediately after interrogation.

The test for whether you’re being interrogated is: did the police use words or actions (other than those normally attendant to arrest/custody) that OFFICERS should have known were reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response? So this is a subjective test from the officer’s point of view. However, if an officer confronts you with potential evidence of a crime, even without speaking, that can sometimes count as interrogation.

Now let’s say you are in custody and you are being interrogated. What do your Miranda rights mean? If you are being custodially interrogated, you must be advised of your right to silence and your right to counsel during interrogation. If you invoke silence, the outcome is: police must immediately cease questioning you, but can resume questioning you after a “significant pause,” and can also question you on a different matter. If you invoke your right to counsel, police must immediately cease questioning you and can’t resume questioning until either your attorney arrives or you reinitiate conversation. Note: just staying silent is not enough to invoke silence. Also note: saying vaguely “Should I get a lawyer?” or even “I think I want a lawyer” is not enough to invoke counsel. To avoid confusion, your statement must be clear and unambiguous; best to clearly say: “I am invoking my right to silence and I am invoking my right to counsel.” You can, however, waive your Miranda rights as long as the waiver is knowing, intelligent, and voluntary. Meaning you must have been given your Miranda rights, understood them, and then waive your rights clearly (by talking) without having been coerced. The burden (or responsibility) is on the government to demonstrate that you waived your rights.

In addition to Miranda, you can also challenge the admissibility of a statement under the Due Process clause of the Constitution if you can demonstrate that coercive conduct overwhelmed you, leading you to make a coerced statement. (Note: this applies even if you’re not in custody.)

And then, of course, there’s the 5th Amendment. The Fifth Amendment holds that you can’t be made to incriminate yourself. But you can only assert the Fifth Amendment if: 1) you are subject to government questioning; 2) you have a real and substantial fear that the testimony will incriminate you; and 3) you actually assert the privilege by refusing to testify. (If you testify, you’ve waived the right.)

Police might off you immunity in exchange for your waiver of the Fifth Amendment. Use/testimonial immunity prohibits the use of your testimony (or any evidence derived from that testimony, like if the police use your statement to inform their investigation) against you; however, the government can still prosecute you based on other evidence as long as that other evidence has no connection to the testimony you gave under use immunity. Transactional immunity is much stronger because means police can’t prosecute you at all on the subject of the testimony. (So Ray Nadeem testified under use immunity, meaning if police found evidence unconnected to his testimony showing his work with Fisk, they could still prosecute him for conspiracy and other things. But if he’d been given transactional immunity, all his interactions with Fisk would be shielded.)

And then we get the 6th Amendment. Not to be confused with your right to counsel under Miranda, which kicks in with custodial interrogation, the 6th Amendment right to counsel only kicks in once the formal adversarial process has been initiated by formal charges, an indictment, arraignment, or a preliminary hearing. However, the 6th Amendment does allow you to kinda look back in time to see whether you had an attorney at all “critical stages,” potentially including custodial interrogation.

Now, if evidence is collected in violation of the above rights, that evidence is considered “fruit of the poisonous tree” and must be excluded, unless the police can show inevitable discovery: that the evidence would inevitably have been discovered even without using unconstitutionally-obtained testimony.

But let’s say the police have enough evidence (or think they do) to formally charge you. They will then book or process you. This is where police get certain information out of you, take mug shots, etc.

Now what?

CRIMINAL PROCEDURE: ADJUDICATION

If the case is federal, not state (like, the crime occurred across state lines or on federal land), you’ll get a grand jury. The prosecution presents their case to the grand jury, and if the grand jury is convinced there’s enough evidence to go forward, the “target” of the grand jury (who doesn’t even know it’s happening) will be indicted. Note: the prosecution has no obligation to submit exculpatory evidence (evidence that suggests the defendant’s innocence), and the defendant has no right to counsel at the grand jury, or even the right to be present.

If it’s a state crime, you’ll be arraigned, usually within 24 hours of being charged. At the arraignment, the judge reads the charges against you and informs you of the maximum potential penalties, and you announce whether to plea guilty or not guilty. A guilty plea waives your right to a trial as you admit to guilt. (Note: an Alford plea means you admit that the prosecution could prove your guilt, but doesn’t admit that you actually are guilt.) A not guilty plea preserves all your rights and means your case will continue through discovery to trial, similar to in a civil case. If you plea guilty, a date will be set for sentencing, when you will receive your actual sentence.

Regardless of whether you plea guilty or not guilty, depending on the severity of the crime, you might be taken into custody in jail. You can try to bail out of jail by giving the court a certain amount of money in exchange for your temporary freedom. Bail hearings consider whether you are a “flight risk” (meaning you’re not likely to return for other hearings or for trial) or whether you are a danger to the community. If you’re a flight risk or a danger, you probably won’t get bail, or it’ll be incredibly high.

Discovery is mostly similar to what you see in civil trials, except certain evidence is required to be turned over to you by the prosecution: this is Brady material. Brady material is evidence that is favorable (to you as a defendant) and material to the case (evidence that creates a reasonable probability of a different outcome at trial). Unfortunately, Brady evidence by the government only violates Due Process if the government acted in bad faith.

At any point even up to during trial, you can take a plea deal. A plea deal is an offer by the prosecution to potentially dismiss certain charges (or enhancements, which increase the underlying sentence because you’re a repeat offender or you used a deadly weapon or for various other reasons) and argue for certain lower penalties in exchange for your plea of guilt.

The Sixth Amendment also offers you another right: the right to a speedy trial. In New York, you must have a trial for a felony within six months of your not guilty plea, or else your right to a speedy trial has been violated – unless delays are your fault. (Like if hearings keep getting delayed because you fail to show up.)

When you’re at trial, you again have the Sixth Amendment right to counsel. Your counsel must be effective; otherwise, you have a claim for ineffective assistance of counsel. To prove ineffective assistance of counsel, you must prove both that: 1) your lawyer was ineffective (fell below reasonable standards); and 2) you were prejudiced (the outcome would’ve been different otherwise). Note that courts assume attorneys are effective.

Another key part of a criminal trial is the Confrontation Clause of the U.S. Constitution. This clause gives you the right to “confront” witnesses who present testimonial evidence against you – not testimonial broadly in that it’s “testimony,” but specifically in that it’s a statement made in a situation where a witness would expect it to be used as evidence in a criminal trial. So, like, a 911 call is not testimonial, but a statement made to a police tip line is testimonial.

If you go to trail and win, then you can’t be tried again for the same offense (by the same “sovereign”) under the double jeopardy rule. Sovereign in this context refers to the government. So if you commit a crime that’s both a state and a federal crime, the state prosecutor and the federal prosecutor can both prosecute you without violating double jeopardy.

If you go to trial and lose, you’ll go to sentencing. At sentencing, the prosecutor will argue for a certain sentence, and the defense attorney will argue for a certain sentence, and you’ll have the right to make a statement as well. Also, any victims (who have the right to be present) also have the right to make a victim’s impact statement. Then the judge imposes the sentence within the maximum confines of the law. A sentence will usually include, at minimum, a certain amount of time to be spent in jail or prison, as well as a fine. However, both the time incarcerated and the fine can be suspended. If the jail/prison time is suspended, you’ll be put on probation, where you can basically live normal life, except that any violation (any violation) of your probation will result in the imposition of your sentence. Your sentence might also include other fees to the court, restitution paid to your victim, certain limitations (like not being able to drive a vehicle) and certain mandates (like having to get a job).

If you go to trial and lose, you can appeal your sentence, which triggers the appeals process, but I honestly don’t know much more about the appellate process other than what was mentioned elsewhere in this document.

And I think that’s good enough for now on criminal procedure!

EVIDENCE

The rules of evidence are HARD, but knowing this stuff at just a basic level will absolutely set your story apart from others. In my opinion, evidence issues are where you get to have a lot of fun and add more conflict and twists to your story, instead of just mechanically marching through trial procedure. So here goes!

Again, evidence can be, basically, things (objects, documents, recordings, etc.) and testimony. Evidence can also be direct(like footage of someone doing an act) or circumstantial (like bank statements showing the defendant deposited a large amount of cash the day after the alleged robbery). CIRCUMSTANCIAL EVIDENCE IS TOTALLY VALID AND YOU CAN TOTALLY WIN A CASE, EVEN A CRIMINAL CASE, ON CIRCUMSTANCIAL EVIDENCE. PLEASE DON’T HAVE A CHARACTER SAY “OH NO IT’S ONLY CIRCUMSTANCIAL EVIDENCE” OR I WILL CRY.

Evidence must be admissible in order to be considered by the jury. Inadmissible evidence may not be considered by the jury. If the evidence is inadmissible for ANY REASON, it’s out. That’s it, the end.

First, let’s talk briefly about things. Say you’re the defense attorney and you want to admit into evidence security footage that shows your client was nowhere at the scene of the alleged crime. Say you didn’t admit it prior to trial in a motion in limine, and want to admit it at trial instead. You gotta go through some steps:

Show the evidence to the opposing party (the prosecutor) before the trial

At trial, call a witness to the stand who can talk about the footage (ideally someone responsible for the evidence, aka a custodian, but anyone who can speak to the footage’s authenticity will do)

Ask permission to show a short clip of the video so the witness knows what you’re talking about

Ask, “Do you recognize this video?” (the witness should say “yes”)

Ask, “How do you recognize this video?” (the witness will explain they’ve seen it before)

Ask, “Is this a true and correct copy of this video?” (the witness should say yes)

Ask the judge to admit the evidence

[the judge will ask the other side if they have any objections, which you’ll have to deal with it]

If it’s admitted, ask for permission to publish the evidence to the jury (until you do this, the jury will not be allowed to see the evidence)

And ta-da!

Now I will focus on witness testimony because that’s the easiest example for applying all the crazy rules. At trial, a witness is calledby one side. The witness then takes the stand (sits in a special chair) and is sworn in (“do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?” “I do”), and then proceeds to testify under oath. Note: the witness can’t just start talking; they have to answer the questions posed by the attorneys.

Now let’s explore the admissibility of a given “piece” of testimony (a statement). Let’s say you’re the prosecution, and you call a witness who testifies: “On June 16, I heard the defendant say, ‘I am going to the store’.”

The threshold question is relevance: is the statement relevant? (“Objection, relevance” or “Objection, 4.01.”) Relevant evidence is that which makes a fact in consequence more likely than not. (Facts in consequence are ones that relate to either a) the legal/factual issues of the case, or b) the credibility of witnesses.) Irrelevant evidence is always inadmissible. This statement may be highly relevant if the store in question was robbed on June 16 and the case is about a robbery at the store; it may be completely irrelevant if the case is about an assault on a totally different day.

But just because evidence is relevant doesn’t mean it’s admissible. For example, the evidence is excluded if its probative value (aka relevance) is outweighed by prejudice, confusion, delay, or unfair surprise. (e.g. “Objection, more [prejudicial than probative]” or “Objection, 4.07.”) This is a balancing test which means the simple fact that either probative value or prejudicial effect may exist doesn’t resolve the issue; the judge has to ask whether the probative value is OUTWEIGHED by the prejudice. For example, “On June 16, I heard the defendant say, ‘I am going to the store’” may be a little prejudicial to the defendant, but the probative value is quite high, so it would be admissible. (But if the statement is something like, “Three years ago, I heard the defendant say he kicks puppies for fun” – that’s highly prejudicial and has zero probative value to the case, so it would be inadmissible.)

But what if our witness has a really sketchy past? Introducing the terrifying world of character evidence (rule 4.11), perhaps the only set of rules that rivals hearsay rules in terms of complexity. Briefly put: evidence that your witness did something bad in the past is NOT admissible to prove propensity (e.g. that they have a “propensity” for bad stuff). This actually comes up most often with defendants (like, if this defendant is charged with bank robber I can’t admit evidence that he was convicted of bank robbery before just to show that “Hey guys c’mon this dude is obviously a bank robber”). But prior bad acts ARE admissible to prove…literally anything other than propensity. Like knowledge. (For example, I can’t say the defendant robbed a bank before and must therefore be a bank robber, but I can say he robbed a bank with super high-tech security, so he has the knowledge required to rob this OTHER bank with the same or similar super high-tech security.)

Note: a fun way to write evidentiary sparring is as follows: Attorney A brings up the prior bad act (“Isn’t it true you robbed a bank before?”) to which Attorney B shouts “Objection! Rule 4.11!” to which Attorney A fires back with, “This isn’t propensity, this is for knowledge,” and after explaining why, Attorney B insists, “This is still inadmissible under 4.07!” and now we jump back to the more-probative-than-___ balancing test. It’s super fun. (Seriously. Fun.)

Now, our statement may be probative, and its probative value might outweigh the risk of prejudice or other problems, but it’s still not automatically admissible. There are several other categories of rules, all of which could exclude it:

- Privileges (like, again, attorney-client or doctor-patient) – but PLEASE NOTE that privileges are not absolute. This means privileged evidence is not guaranteed to be inadmissible; it can be admitted if it is important enough, like if there’s no other way this issue can be explored at trial. So without getting into spousal vs marital privilege (hmu if you want to know the difference but it’s deathly technical), let me just say that: sure, Matt and Foggy can totally get married and that makes it HARDER for anyone to ask Foggy to testify against Matt, but it doesn’t guarantee that Foggy would NEVER be made to testify against Matt. Their spousal/marital privilege is not absolute. Sorry to crush your dreams.

- Witnesses (which I’ll explain in more detail below)

- And the infamous hearsay (which I’ll explain in more detail below).

So, witness rules. Rule 6.07 is a good one to know: lay witnesses (who aren’t experts) can only testify to FACTS about which they have personal knowledge. If they start giving opinions, their opinions are inadmissible (“Objection, speculation” or “Objection, 6.07”) – unless their opinion is 1) rationally based on their perception; 2) within the limit of their common experiences; and 3) would help the finder of fact to either understand the witness’ testimony or determine a fact in issue. (So if you’re trying to admit the lay witness’ opinion, you’d ask the question to elicit the testimony, and the other side would object under 6.07, and you’d fire back with 7.03). However, remember that expert witnesses ARE allowed to speak outside their personal knowledge and give opinions – as long as the expert is properly qualified as an expert (under 7.01). This qualification usually happens in a motion in limine outside the presence of the jury. Also note: New York has special extra opinion rules for certain topics like abuse and sexual assault.

Anyway, because “On June 16, I heard the defendant say, ‘I am going to the store’” is not an opinion, your witness can make the statement even if the witness is a lay witness as long as foundation is laid/established to show that the witness was in fact within earshot when the defendant made this statement.

Moving on. What if your witness gave a statement to police a few weeks before trial, in which your witness said “On June 16, I heard the defendant say he was going to do nothing but play video games”? Oh no. This is a prior inconsistent statement (rule 6.15) because it’s a statement made prior to trial that is inconsistent with the statement made at trial. Inconsistent statements can be used to impeach a witness. (Impeachment is basically anything that questions the witness’ credibility.) Once your witness says “On June 16, I heard the defendant say, ‘I am going to the store’” you have “opened the door” to the defense using the inconsistent statement. Note: in a civil case, the inconsistent statement can be used for the truth asserted in the inconsistent statement (e.g. that the defendant said he was going to do nothing but play video games), but in a criminal case, the inconsistent statement can ONLY be used to say “Hey this witness said two contradictory things, maybe you should not trust them.”

What if there are no inconsistent statements, but about your witness’ sketchy past? Well, whatever is sketchy in the witness’ past is only admissible if it relates to TRUTHFULNESS. Crimes of dishonesty (like fraud or perjury) are good for that; other stuff like theft is not. (Rule 6.17). Note: this is similar to 4.11, but not the same, because this is only about truthfulness, not knowledge or propensity or other stuff.

Okay, moving on. Let’s talk hearsay, the thing that terrifies law students everywhere! Hearsay is an “out-of-court statement given for the truth of the matter asserted.” Out-of-court means it’s a statement that was made by someone who wasn’t on the witness stand at the time; “given for the truth of the matter asserted” means you (the person introducing the statement) is using the statement to prove what the statement says. The general rule is that you CANNOT admit an out-of-court statement given for the truth of the matter asserted (Rule 8.01). Also keep in mind: the person who said the out-of-court statement is the declarant.

So if your witness says, “On June 16, I heard the defendant say, ‘I am going to the store’” note that not all of that statement is hearsay. The hearsay is “I am going to the store.” See why? Your witness is on the stand, so what your witness says is not out-of-court until the witness quotes (or references) a DIFFERENT statement made outside of court. Your witness can say all sorts of stuff about what your witness saw the defendant do on June 16 – the only thing your witness can’t do is repeat what the defendant SAID. At least…not if you, the attorney, are using the statement to prove the truth asserted in the statement. For example, you can admit “On June 16, I heard the defendant say, ‘I am going to the store’” to show that your witness was around the defendant on June 16 or that the defendant had plans on June 16 or…anything else you can think of, really. The only thing you CAN’T do is admit “On June 16, I heard the defendant say, ‘I am going to the store’” to prove that the defendant actually went to the store on June 16. Also: in the example of your witness saying “On June 16, I heard the defendant say, ‘I am going to the store’” the declarant is the defendant.

Or…can you? And here we get to tackle all the exceptions to the hearsay rule. Check them out on the above-mentioned guide-to-evidence website; I’ll just pull out a few fun ones.

Co-conspirator’s statement! (Rule 8.09.) Say this robbery at the store is actually a conspiracy (meaning multiple people agreed to commit the crime of robbery). Say you call your witness to say “On June 16, I heard Joe [not the defendant] say, ‘I am going to the store with [the defendant].” Now you can admit Joe’s hearsay statement (“I am going to the store with [the defendant]”) as long as: 1) Joe (the declarant) is a co-conspirator of the defendant; 2) Joe made the statement in furtherance of the conspiracy (e.g. to help the conspiracy); and 3) Joe made the statement in the course of the conspiracy (e.g. not after the fact when the conspiracy was over). Ta-da.

Statement against interest! (Rule 8.11) Broadly speaking, this is pretty simple: you just argue that the statement is “against the interest” of the declarant such that the declarant would not make the statement if it weren’t true because…well, it’s dumb to lie against your own interest. (Silly examples are, “Yesterday I stole money” or “I would love to kill someone.”) However, in a criminal trial, there are some fun twists to the rule in 8.11.2.

Dying declaration! (Rule 8.15) In New York, this exception ONLY applies in a homicide case. An out-of-court statement is admissible under this exception if: 1) the declarant genuinely believed they were imminently about to die, and 2) the statement concerns the cause/circumstances of death. (Note: it’s not required that the declarant ACTUALLY dies, as long as the declarant THINKS they’ll die.) (So is Ray Nadeem’s “dying declaration” admissible? Um, not all of it. Yes, he genuinely believes he’s imminently about to die, but a lot of what he says goes beyond the cause/circumstances of death.)

Excited utterance! (Rule 8.17) Hearsay is admissible if the statement: 1) was made while the declarant was “excited” (scared, thrilled, surprised, angry, etc.) and 2) is about the exciting event. Like if your witness says, “On June 16, I heard the shop attendant scream ‘That guy’s got a gun!’”

Forfeiture by wrongdoing! (Rule 8.19) Hearsay is admissible against a certain party if: 1) that party tried to prevent the declarant from testifying, and 2) the party’s actions were a significant cause of the witness’ decision not to testify. You see this a lot in domestic violence cases, where a defendant threatens the victim to scare the victim out of testifying. If this happens, you can use the victim’s statements even if the statements are “out-of-court” because the victim never takes the stand.

Present sense impression! (Rule 8.29) Basically, hearsay is admissible if the statement was made either describing something or shortly afterwards. Like if your witness says, “On June 16, I heard Joe say, ‘Look, [the defendant] is going to the store.’” The idea is that the declarant is basically narrating something as it happens, without enough time between the event and the statement for the declarant to think about lying.

Prompt outcry! (Rule 8.37) As far as I know, this rule is unique to New York, and I love it. It’s a specific exception carved out for out-of-court statements showing that a victim of sexual assault promptly reported, to be used to show: 1) that the victim is credible; and/or 2) to explain the investigative process.

State of mind! (Rule 8.41) Hearsay is admissible if the statement is made by the declarant showing how they are thinking or feeling at the time. Also includes physical state. For example, “On June 16, I heard the defendant say, ‘my stomach hurts.’” Also includes stuff like intent or plan (e.g. “On June 16, I heard the defendant say ‘I will go to the store’”) but you can’t use it to prove that he actually DID go to the store; only that he planned to or wanted to.

And, again, there are so many other exceptions. These are just some of my favorites

And that’s probably more than you ever need to know about evidence. Now you can have fun throwing the rules around to admit/exclude stuff.

TRICKS FOR MAKING TRIAL SCENES COOL

Here are some random tidbits to make your trial scenes stand out (in the right ways, and not stand out in bad ways):

Even when lawyers are arguing with each other, if they’re in court, they argue to the judge. Instead of saying “No, you’re wrong,” they say, “Your Honor, opposing counsel is wrong.”

Lawyers generally can’t approach the judge or a witness on the witness stand without permission. They should ask, “May I approach?” to approach the judge or “May I approach the witness?” to approach the witness.

In court, lawyers should refer to the judge as “Your Honor.” Some lawyers just call the judge “Judge” but in my opinion, that comes off as too familiar and potentially disrespectful.

A case should have a theme that the jury can easily understand.

Lawyers can totally use powerpoint presentations in their opening statements and closing arguments.

One mistake that will stand out if you include it in a fic is having either side in a criminal trial talk about penalties. Penalties for a criminal conviction are decided at sentencing. Mentioning penalties at trial can lead to a mistrial.

Another mistake that will stand out is having lawyers debate the admissibility of evidence in front of the jury. It’s improper for the jury to be exposed in any way to evidence that may not be legally admissible, and it’s improper for the jury to consider legal arguments. So if one side objects to evidence, they should simply say “Objection, [brief reason or rule].” Launching into their argument is called giving a “speaking objection” and it can get you in trouble. Sometimes just the brief rule or reason (like “Objection, relevance”) is enough if the problem is obvious. But if a lawyer wants to signal to the judge that they have an argument they want to give, they should say, “Objection, [brief reason or rule]. May I proffer?” Only when the judge says “Yes” can they make their argument. Before they do so, either the jury will be dismissed, or the attorneys will be invited to stand in front of the judge, and the clerk will hit a button that fills the rest of the room with a buzzing sound so no one else can hear what’s going on. (Again: if the judge AGREES with your objection, your objection is sustained. If the judge DISAGREES with your objection, your objection is overruled.)

A good objection argument has the following format: “[evidence to be proffered], [conclusion], [rule], [application of the rule to the evidence].” (Example is: “Your Honor, if permitted to testify, this witness will say she heard the defendant say, ‘I will go to the store’ on June 16. This evidence is admissible under Rule 4.01. Rule 4.01 states that relevant evidence, which is evidence with a tendency to make a fact in consequence more or less likely, is admissible. This statement is relevant because it makes it more likely that the defendant did in fact go to the store on June 16, which is a fact in consequence because the store was robbed on June 16, and this case alleges that the defendant participated in the robbery.” See how easy that is to follow? (I hope, lol.) However, most attorneys don’t argue so clearly, so it’s not necessarily realistic to write it that way. Unless you want to point out that your attorney is particularly precise/experienced.)

LAW SCHOOL STUFF

In the US, law school is usually 3 years long, though some people graduate faster by taking classes over the summer and others graduate later by going part-time.

Law school requires an undergraduate degree. So you’ve got usually four years getting an undergrad degree (like English or political science – probably the most common degrees for lawyers, but please note that “pre-law” is NOT an actual degree).

At some point prior to admission to law school, you have to take the LSAT (the entrance exam for law school). You don’t study for the LSAT; you practice for the LSAT. That’s because the LSAT is skills-based, not knowledge-based. It tests reading comprehension, logical reasoning, and analytical reasoning. Reading comprehension asks you to read a passage and identify main points, styles of argumentation, types of evidence, etc. Verbal reasoning basically does the same thing, just with shorter passages. Analytical reasoning tests your ability to problem-solve with the infamous logic games. Google them and you’ll see why they’re scary for most people.

With your undergrad transcripts, GPA, LSAT score, and personal statement, you can now apply for law school. If you’re a desirable candidate, you can expect to get scholarships, which is awesome.

Now, let’s say you get into law school. What’s that like? Stressful for sure. Also a lot like high school. You’ve got a relatively small group of people all taking the same classes together. Cliques and rivalries form. Study groups appear and then dissipate. Some schools get vicious (there are infamous stories of people stealing books from the library right before finals), but most schools these days try to encourage a more cooperative experience. That said, there will always be “gunners” which are the people who can be counted on to always want to answer questions in class. They usually sit in the front row. They are usually incredibly obnoxious. (I maintain that I was not a gunner because although I always wanted to answer questions and usually at in the front row, I wasn’t actually obnoxious? I hope???) Often, everyone thinks gunners will be top of the class, but almost invariably the top of the class is some person in the back who never says a word all year unless directly called on.

When you start law school, you are known as a 1L or “one-L” because it’s your first year. During your first year, you have little choice in what classes you take. Classes are usually those that will be tested on the bar exam (the licensing exam; more on that later). Check out this website for a roadmap of the Columbia 1L (and 2L and 3L) experience: https://www.law.columbia.edu/community-life/student-life/roadmaps.

Traditionally and generally speaking, the only law school classes that involve “papers” are your LP classes (Legal Practice Workshop classes) which teach legal writing. Students in these classes might have to write briefs or memos (short analyses of a case, written as if to a supervising attorney). Additionally, law school classes traditionally and generally only have one exam: the final exam. Yes, this means that aside from any points you get from attendance/participation, your ENTIRE grade rests on one (1) exam, which is usually closed-book and can last about 3 hours, comprised of one or two essay questions. You’re lucky if you get a midterm to give your GPA a buffer. (So no matter how much angst Matt and Foggy go through in law school, they CANNOT MISS A FINAL OR THEY WILL FAIL THE CLASS AND HAVE TO RETAKE IT.) That said, more modern-thinking professors recognize the issues with this approach, and may offer other tests, quizzes, and projects. In which case sure, let the angst get in the way of finals.

The bulk of your work in law school is reading textbooks full primarily of cases with little helpful explanations. It’s up to you to pull the important things out of cases (“important things” being relevant facts, the holding, and the reasoning behind the holding, and sometimes interesting bits from the dissent). Good luck doing that when the case is from the 1800s.

Whatever you pull out of textbooks is helpful for two reasons: prep for class, and prep for exams. Prep for class means knowing as much as you can about the cases so if you get called on, you can answer without everyone making fun of you. If the professor “cold calls,” that means they call on students in random order. Other professors might go alphabetically or have some other system. Professors in law school generally use the Socratic method of teaching, which means they teach through conversation. The questions are supposedly designed to make you think critically, rather than to make you look dumb. That’s up for debate.

Prep for exam means building an outline. An outline is your synthesis of all the most important cases. Though you usually can’t have your outline with you during the exam, the process of making it helps you not only review information but figure out how it all fits together (since law is notorious for having weird exceptions and stuff that only applies in specific circumstances). You can also possibly borrow outlines from other students, and usually there are a few outlines floating around that some student four or five years ahead of you created—but the fact is, you probably won’t learn as well if you just copy someone else’s outline rather than building your own.

The week prior to finals is usually called “dead week” ostensibly because there are no classes but really because everyone is dead. Or in the library. Or dead in the library.

Also, you get spring break (a week), Thanksgiving break (a week in November for my non-US followers), and winter break (usually about three weeks from mid December to mid January), as well as summer break off.

After exams, rankings are posted. Everyone is ranked. Rankings are crucial in getting good externships during law school, and good jobs after law school. Top 10-15 are pretty much set to get clerkships if they want them (clerkships are, again, where you work for a judge for a year or so after law school). (Disclaimer: I wasn’t actually in the top 15% but idk my judge liked me.)

Note: applying for externships and jobs both pretty much involve submitting your transcript, résumé, letters of recommendation, and the big one: a writing sample. (Also: the importance of letters of recommendation is a great reason to visit office hours and befriend professors.)

While in law school, you might engage in extracurricular activities. Here’s what Columbia offers: https://www.law.columbia.edu/academics/experiential.

Note: technically, I think Columbia only offers “moot court” programs, rather than “mock trial” (or “trial team”). Moot court is appellate advocacy (where each side writes a brief and then gives an oral argument before a judge) whereas mock trial is trial advocacy (where each side gives opening statements, calls witnesses, and gives closing arguments). Appellate advocacy is great practice for appeals (obviously) and oral arguments at hearings, but mock trial is better practice for, well…trials. And in my humble opinion, having done both, mock trial is WAY more fun. So I personally choose to ignore reality and imagine that Matt and Foggy did mock trial instead of or in addition to moot court.

In a mock trial, you’re given a case file (sometimes just called a “packet”) which includes the civil or criminal complaint, witness statements or affidavits, and exhibits. Each team is responsible for knowing the packet inside and out and building their cases based on what’s contained inside. You’re not allowed to bring in extra information from the real world unless it’s common knowledge.

You’re also on a team, usually with just three other people. You must be prepared to present both sides of a case. For each side, two of you play attorneys and two of you play witnesses; you switch roles when you switch sides. (So Matt might be a prosecutor and a defense witness whereas Foggy would be a prosecution’s witness and a defense attorney.) There are two ways an individual can partner with a teammate: by being co-counsel or by being an attorney-witness pair. (So if Matt is a prosecutor and he calls Foggy as his witness [in that he direct-examines Foggy], Matt and Foggy would be an attorney-witness pair [and probably Foggy would be Matt’s defense attorney when the team switches to play defense]; alternatively, Matt and Foggy could both be prosecutors or both be defense attorneys, in which case they’d be co-counsel.)

Note: some mock trial competitions only have two competitors. Both teammates are co-counsel for both sides of the case, and the witnesses are played by volunteers. In this kind of competition, you only get about 15 minutes to “prep” your witness (whom you’ve never met) before the competition actually starts, unlike in the other version of mock trial, where your witness is a classmate with whom you’ve practiced for months. This version of mock trial is honestly a lot closer to real life, and could be a fun twist if you’re writing a mock trial fic.

Which , listen, academically speaking, mock trial was the highlight of my law school career. I absolutely love it. If you want to do a mock trial fic, PLEASE hit me up. I will gush about it.

While in law school, you can also get practical experience at clinics by helping real people in different areas. Here are Columbia’s clinics: https://www.law.columbia.edu/academics/experiential/clinics.

You can also do externships! Sadly, these are almost never paid. Here are Columbia’s externships: https://www.law.columbia.edu/academics/experiential/externships. Also, you don’t usually do internships or externships AFTER law school. So I choose to believe Matt and Foggy interned at L&Z in their 3L year.

Lots of law schools have something called “bar review” which just means everyone goes to a bar together and gets drunk. Clever, right? Yeah, law school is notorious for alcoholism. Actually, the whole legal profession is notorious for alcoholism.

At some point during or immediately after law school, you have to pass the MPRE, aka the ethics exam for lawyers. It’s a joke.

After completing 3 years of law school, next begins the worst month and a half of your life: studying for the bar exam. The bar exam allegedly tests minimum competence but that’s just dumb. The problem is, the bar tests many different areas of law even though you as a lawyer will certainly not practice in all of those areas in your life, and will certainly not practice all of them at once. Also, it’s dumb because most of the bar exam tests memorization, and although memorization is important, it’s far from the most important thing in the real practice of law. Unless you’re literally at trial or at a hearing, you can always look up a statute or cases; you don’t have to have it memorized. Here’s a breakdown of the components of the bar exam, including a fun (and by “fun” I mean “horrible”) schedule: https://www.newyorkbarexam.com/new-york-bar-exam-format/.

Anyway. The New York bar exam is widely known as one of the most difficult in the nation. It’s two days long. Oh, and results aren’t posted until 3-4 months afterwards (November if you take the July exam; May if you take the February exam). The waiting is torture. And the pass list is public, so everyone who knows you took the bar can see immediately whether you passed or not. Which obviously is not fun. If you fail, you can take it again. Downside: the bar exam is ridiculously expensive, both to take the test itself and to buy all the test prep materials because guess what, law school didn’t actually teach you all the absurdly technical things you’ll be tested on.

Actually, okay, look. If I’m being honest, I found the bar exam super fun, but that’s because I prepared well and don’t get test anxiety. It’s not impossible to have fun on the bar exam. Just…most people don’t. And the bar itself is still mostly stupid. Plus, you have to start applying like four months before you take it and the application process is huge and frustrating and made me cry.

Once you pass the bar, you are officially licensed to practice law in that state (or in any states with whom licensing is reciprocal). If you aren’t licensed to practice law…you can’t practice law. This includes giving legal advice of any kind to anyone.

Any kind of ethical infraction can be reported to the bar association in your state. For Matt and Foggy, that’s the New York Bar Association. If your misconduct is bad enough, you might lose your license and have to wait a while to try to get it back. Matt should totally have lost his license by now. So should Foggy, since ethical rules require Foggy to report known ethical violations of another lawyer (Matt). But anyone else could file a bar complaint against Matt and Foggy too, even including their own clients.

Even after law school, lawyers are required to take a certain number of credits of continuing education (referred to as CLEs). CLEs can be hyper legal-specific (“Here’s the breaking news in the world of patents and intellectual property law!”) or more about social issues (implicit biases, trauma-informed interviews, etc.). I haven’t done this yet, but a CLE could be a cool plot device for informing Matt and Foggy (and the readers) about some issue you happen to care about.

Day in the Life

If you’re wondering what our characters are up to on a normal day at the office, wonder no more!

A ton of legal work is reading. You have to read police reports, witness statements, depositions, affidavits, and motions and briefs filed by the opposing party. You also have to do legal research, which means reading statutes and case law.

Not technically reading, but lawyers also spend time reviewing other types of evidence, like pictures, video files, and audio files. (Sometimes this can be a hassle if technology decides not to cooperate.)

Generally, if you’re not reading, you’re probably writing. You might be busy writing questions for witnesses or an outline of an opening statement or closing argument, but the bulk of pre-trial work will be writing motions, replies, and responses.

Motions are documents filed with the court asking the court to do something. Replies respond to the other side’s motions. Responses reply to the other side’s reply. (I know that’s confusing.)

Three important motions to be aware of in a Daredevil fic are motions to: suppress, strike, and compel.

A motion to suppress is a motion asking the court to exclude evidence for Constitutional reasons: usually because the evidence was obtained in violation of the Fourth, Fifth, or Sixth Amendments.

A motion to strike is a motion asking the court to exclude evidence because the evidence violates a rule of evidence. For example, if the prosecution calls an expert to talk about the results of a test that was run (maybe a test to determine if the substance found with the defendant is an illicit substance), the defense will move to strike the testimony if the testimony violates Rule 702 (the standard for experts).

A motion to compel is a motion asking the court to force the other side to provide evidence. For example, the defense might move to compel the prosecution to provide statements made by the defendant.

Each motion will include a “fact” section (that lists the relevant facts of the case), a “standards” section (that sets forth the standard of review by an appellate court), and an “analysis” section that usually begins by outlining the law (statutes and case law) and then applies the law to the facts.

A lot of time spent in the office is spent outlining, researching, and drafting motions, replies, and responses.

Other time is spent discussing the case with colleagues. Other perspectives are always helpful for identifying holes in the case and more persuasive ways to argue the case.

Lawyers also will bring witnesses into the office to prep them (which basically means discussing with them the strengths and weaknesses of their testimony and running them through practice questions, particularly practice cross-examination questions). It’s important to note that prepping is not the same as coaching, which is unethical. Coaching is when a lawyer tells a witness what to say or what not to say.

CONCLUSION

Oh my gosh. I think that’s everything. Actually, I’m sure it’s not. I’ll be back to add stuff as I think of it. But for now, I hope this is helpful. Again, let me know if you have questions or want to know more about specific things, and I'll try to keep updating this as I think of other tidbits.

[sweetmotherof]

Haikyuu Fics: The Classics™️

EDIT: pt 2!!

I wanted to make a post to archive what I would call “The Classics” as far as Haikyuu fanfic on ao3 goes. For anyone new to the daunting world of Haikyuu fanfiction, these works are probably the most popular, talked-about works throughout the fandom, so they are a good place to start! I haven’t read some of these, but the reason I included them is that I’ve seen so much hype around them. Comment the ones I missed, and I’m definitely going to be doing a part 2. Enjoy <3 :D

*contains nsfw fics* READ TAGS BEFORE U READ

⭑=my faves

BOKUAKA

Rules by ConesOfDunshire⭑

E, 120 k words

Accountant Akaashi. Pianist Bokuto. WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT??? This fic is seriously novel-worthy, and Bokuto having Asperger’s is a beautiful component to the story. I found that the characterization and the attention to detail the author put into the story is what made it a truly distinguishable and unique fic that allowed it to rise to the top. It is worth every kudos, comment, bookmark, and more. Highly recommend.

Behind Bricks by DeathBelle⭑

E, 60 k words, cw: prostitution, choking, and heavy content so READ THE TAGS

This darker fic follows Akaashi as he deals with his life as a prostitute, and how Bokuto comes in and is able to change it for the better. I feel sometimes that heavy topics such as the trauma from sex work are really misrepresenting in fanfiction, but the author does a great job of portraying it in a real way and not romanticizing it at all. I loved to watch love bloom for Akaashi in the cracks of his tumultuous life, because he deserves everything <333

In Another Life by LittleLuxray⭑

T, 22 k words, cw: terminal illness, hospitals, major character death

As the highest-rated Haikyuu fanfic on ao3, this work is a monument and will go down in Haikyuu history. That being said, it honestly did such a number on me that I think it deserves the hype. This hospital au revolving around Akaashi and Bokuto’s budding relationship is truly heartbreaking, to say the least. Read it at your own risk, and oh, you can find references to it under almost any Bokuaka related post.

IWAOI

Conquering the Great King by SuggestiveScribe

105 k words, E

This rollercoaster of a fic, set in a universe where Oikawa and Iwaizumi meet in a bar, is funny, profound, and awe-inspiring all in one. The relationship dynamic between the two is very cute and well-done. I highly recommend this one if you are a sucker for some good, old Iwaoi, and I also love the side pairings. Just, overall, a really nice and satisfying read.

the courtship ritual of the hercules beetle by kittebasu(chanyeol)

T, 66.3k words, cw: injury, homophobia

This fic is a favorite on tik tok, from what I’ve observed. I haven’t read it yet, but when people discuss it, they always commend the writing and the non-linear narrative. I have personally not read this one yet, but I have seen people rave about this one because of the emotional impact it had on them. It seems to me that the writing and emotions on this one are its claims to fame, so definitely check it out.

Desperado by Verbrennung

M, 82k words

Talk about raved about fics, I have seen this one mentioned countless times on various platforms. This Iwaoi fic is set in a Vegas/Japan fusion setting, which immediately caught my eye. The premise of a heist fic also is probably what caught people's attention the most, because what is better than an Iwaoi heist fic (nothing. nothing is better.) I recommend this if you want a bit of a longer fic that had a tumultuous plot and a wild romance.

SAKUATSU

Burden of Blame by DeathBelle⭑

E, 91k words, cw: graphic violence, guns, ptsd, panic attacks, murder, death, injury and more so READ TAGS

Burden of Blame is THE mafia au fic of the Haikyuu ao3 universe. I love this fic soooo much. From it’s wild plot to the flawless writing, I was constantly on my feet. I definitely recommend if you want something that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Also, the enemies to lovers is CHEFS FUCKING KISS.

A Liar’s Truth by internetpistol⭑

E, 49.6k words, cw: HOMOPHOBIA!! read tags pls

Oh. My. God. I simply cannot with this fic. It turned me inside out, upside down, and threw me into the void. Please, if you have one singular brain cell, you will read this fic. This narrative about Sakusa’s life and his relationship with his sexuality is a masterpiece. I cannot recommend this one enough. You do not want to miss out on this genuine piece of art. 

Stick With You by lettersinpetals

E, 99k words

This fic follows Sakusa and Atsumu as they get stuck in the Philippines over quarantine. Honestly, if you want an enemies to lovers that really goes in depth into the trope, this is the one for you. One of my favorite things about this fic is the inclusion of the Filipino language, and I found myself reading all of the translations at the end. I would recommend this if you want a longer, feel good Sakuatsu fic. Also, lettersinpetals is a Sakuatsu classic author.

the Terminal Curiosity series by favspacetwink and moonlumie

E, total 112k words, not finished, 8 works, READ TAGS

This fic is probably the notorious BDSM fic, which I’m glad because it portrays it in a very consensual and safe way. I’m personally not into that stuff, but I still was able to enjoy it for the plot and the amazing writing. I definitely recommend it if you are looking for something with BDSM components with some focus on their relationship dynamics too. I actually did really enjoy this fic, and I think the way their relationship kind of progressed backward was really, really good. Even if BDSM isn’t your cup of tea, I still recommend checking this one out and reading the tags to see if it is something you’re willing to give a chance too, because, for me, it paid off.  

KUROKEN

the galaxy is endless (i thought we were, too) by cosmogony

T, 30.9k words, cw: illness, DEATH

I have yet to read this fic. I am genuinely too afraid. Similarly to In Another Life, I constantly see people discussing to the degree in which this fic destroyed them, and honestly after In Another Life, I don’t think I could handle another one. This soulmates au has crushed so many people throughout the fandom that if you want someone to give you more detail on why it’s the saddest thing ever, you probably wouldn’t have to look very far.

Of Monsters and Men by shions_heart

M, 220k words, cw: violence, temporary character death

This longer fic follows Kuroo, Kenma, and many others through a demon hunter/buffy the vampire-style universe, with magic, drama, and much more. If you are looking for a fantasy, action-packed, beautifully written fic, this is definitely one you should check out. The romance and action combination will always be chefs kiss, superb. 

[amorgansgal]

Hi! I'm new to the rdr2 fandom and I was wondering if you have any recommendations on who to follow if I want to follow more writers in the fandom (besides yourself of course), both reader-insert stuff but also just non-reader-insert fics?

I love your blog btw!

Hello and welcome to the fandom! :) There are so many great, talented creators to follow on here that I honestly feel a bit bad about not including more people. I would definitely recommend following these folks and then seeing who they are following/posting from/etc because there's some amazing writers, artists and creators in the RDR2 fandom and I don't doubt that I've missed people off.

(Also, anyone who sees the post, feel free to promote yourself or other people in the fandom. Sorry again if I have missed you)!

@verai-marcel - They have some wonderful fics. I highly recommend their RDR2 modern AU fics and their Neighbourly Affection series is wonderful.

@mistermxrgan - A RP blog run by @f--hawk. They absolutely nail Arthur's characterisation and they're an all round sweet, amazing person.

@kitty-the-outlaw - Fantastic fics and if Micah is more your cup of tea this is definitely the person to go to! They are also really lovely and kind and were super welcoming when I turned up! :D

@its-deputy-caleb - They've got some gorgeous headcanons and wonderful fanfictions. If you're looking for Morbell then their blog is definitely one to check out.

@norafike - Ngl I have no clue who Lemuel Fike is. I still read all their fics because they're just that good. Making me enjoy a ship so much, even when I don't know who one of the characters is, is a remarkable skill!

@daily-escuella - This person annoys me, because not only are they an immensely talented artist, but they also write gorgeous stuff too! Like that's not fair, be skilled at one thing like the rest of us! But in all seriousness they have some brilliant fics and they're super lovely.

@htyhtiasmmsibijt - Great writer and has done some beautiful one shots about Arthur's younger days. Highly recommend. Also they wrote me an amazing smutty fic and I was blushing like a tomato, it's so good!

@12timetraveler - They're a big fan of Hosea, so if you like soft, Papa Hosea I would definitely recommend. Loved their Bound For You fic about Hosea and Bessie Matthews, it was so sweet. Be prepared to cry though!

@ttuesday - I respect this person so much and I am so envious of their headcanons. They're so fucking good and they put in so much effort. Like if mine can ever be as good as theirs, I will cry!

@outlaw-scribble - They have some incredible fics inspired by prompts. I don't think there's ever been anything I didn't enjoy reading by them.

@coldmorte - For all your Dutch Van Der Linde and VanderMorgan needs! I wasn't the biggest Dutch fan when I got here, but they definitely helped change my mind!

@reddeaddesolation - Very apt name, they keep coming up with headcanons and fics that make me cry! Their John Marston one where he has night terrors just destroyed me.

[astersofthesky]

Dekubaku/Bakudeku fic recommendations

@glittergit Hi, I'm sorry it took this long! I hope you don't mind me making a post rather than messaging you. I just figured it'd be easier so that I can immediately include the links.

Also, to anyone who might see this, please feel free to read it too ☺️✨

To start, I highly suggest you look up the tags. Some fics contain mature, explicit and possible triggering stuff. With that said, here are some of my rec fics. Also those with "💚" or "🧡" are my absolute fave 😁

Rescue Me by Kae_Karo 🧡

Canon-divergent, Same events but Katsuki and Izuku remained friends || Haven't you wondered what would have happened if bkdk remained friends in the series? Well, this is the perfect fic to satisfy that curiosity. THIS IS SERIOUSLY UNDERRATED Y'ALL. This is literally just MHA minus the bullying. You know what makes this so good and interesting? It is how the author manages to write Katsuki so in-character despite creating some changes in his attitude and their childhood. Katsuki's approach to quirkless Izuku is amazingly well-written and it really just makes perfect sense canonwise. The similarities of this Katsuki to current manga Katsuki is doing things to my heart.

Sink to Swim by Cinnabee

Canonverse, Bkdk tries to survive a death game (it's like the Saw movies) || This is the first bkdk whump I've read and it's really thrilling. I was so nervous all the time everytime they enter a new trial 😩 Also, protective Katsuki/Izuku is such a delicious treat.

Memory Trace by Cinnabee 💚

Pro heroes, Izuku gets accused of murder and Katsuki tries to find the truth behind the incident || from the same author, it's basically a whodunit story. The author definitely has a way in their words and their Izuku-centric chapters still gives me chills everytime I read it. Sero and Shinsou also plays a significant role and Katsuki flexes his sexy brain lmao. The artwork every chapter are amazing too! There's not a lot of romance and their relationship is also open-ended but hey, ambiguity is what makes Bkdk appealing to me 😆

I still do by Raeryn 🧡

Married bkdk, Katsuki has anterograde amnesia || This is the perfect amount of angst and fluff. The characterizations are chefs kiss. I also loved how realistic the author portrayed the day to day life struggles of Bkdk and how they managed to overcome it all. It's so good really.

Message Delivered by Dekusneakers 💚

Canon compliant, Post Chapter 306, Epistolary || Tbh, I'm not that fond of epistolaries cause I can't get the vibe lmaoo. This is an exception though. The author managed to perfectly convey Katsuki's emotions with text messages only. The angst, pining, and hurt are perfect.

A Study in Kacchan by Dekusneakers

Canonverse, Izuku creates a thesis project about Katsuki, ongoing || I am definitely going to use their words as reference when I finally start my thesis project lmao. Anyways, Izuku observing the little changes in Katsuki's demeanor and social interactions are fascinating to read. This fic also gives you the perfect opportunity to see how Katsuki interacts with not just his circle of friends but even their classmates that they're not that close too. I absolutely adore the Hagakure chapter, like that girl deserves better tbh.

Starfall by MellowWrites 🧡

Canonverse, Star Tears AU || I absolutely adore this one! The premise is very interesting and I also love Katsuki's characterization and his slow acceptance in the story. I swear it's a crime that this trope is literally underrated 😩

The few things Midoriya Izuku knows by Ladyofsnails

Canonverse, Izuku has temporary amnesia || It's good to have Soft!Katsuki and Sassy/Swearing!Izuku once in a while. The author also uses unique metaphors and the amnesia also feels realistic.

Penny for your thoughts by Ladyofsnails

Canonverse, Izuku and Katsuki uses a penny to communicate their thoughts || Tooth-rotting fluff, cute bkdk, Izuku is a simp, Katsuki lowkey wants to get lifted, and just a whole shenanigans of pining -- once again did I already say fluff?

Clutch by Varoom 💚

Canon-compliant, Post Deku Retrieval Arc || This is the comfort chapter we never got in canon lmao. Seriously, this is very well-written and Izuku's trauma also was more explored in this fic. His interactions and moments with his classmates are absolutely touching. Honestly, the romance(?) is just a bonus and imo, this can pass as a LN chapter.

In your dreams, nerd! by Sapphicflower🧡

Canonverse, Izuku and Katsuki don't know they're sharing dreams || This is like the fluffiest, cutest, face-splitting smile fic I have ever read. It's so amazing and so so fluffy, also did I already mention fluff? The author's prose felt like a cup of warm cocoa during the winter, or the sweet smell of flowers on the first day of spring. It's super sweet.

Gardenias all Over by MinervaHope 💚

Canonverse, Hanahaki AU, ongoing || This fic has a unique take to the Hanahaki AU. They're both stupid oblivious pining idiots, it hurts. It also perfectly balances the angst and fluff. Although it only happened once, I also really liked that the author chose to touch on platonic bkdk.

Take to the Sky, but Be Ready to Fall by EquinoxSolstice

Canon-divergent, Izuku unlocks the Float quirk || Another fluff to add to the list! If you're into sweet sweet fluff with the right amount of shoujo-esque tropes then this is the perfect fic for you! Seriously, the author's right! Float quirk are indeed freaking romantic

The Night we Met by Majjale 🧡

Take me Back (Epilogue)

AU, Katsuki is an immortal and Izuku is a reincarnating being || This one's popular so you may have heard/read it but *excuse my language* effin fuck! THIS FIC JUST FREAKING BROKE MY HEART INTO PIECES AND PUNCHED IT REPEATEDLY UNTIL ALL WAS LEFT WAS DUST AND SMOKE. Even just writing this is legit making my heart ache wtf. This is some traumatizing good shit and I absolutely adore and despise it at the same time. I don't read bkdk MCD angst because I can't and this just solidified my resolve to never go through that gut-wrenching pain ever again ☺️ I hate this fic so much *affectionate* and I also do not regret reading this masterpiece. Anyways, all you need to know is this is angst with an open ending (personally I see it as a happy ending) and you better prepare boxes of tissues cause you're in for an emotional ride.

Mirror Image by Eleke 💚

Canonverse and AU, Katsuki time travels to different universes and everytime, Izuku is always there || This is such a great read! It's like a multiple bkdk fanfic AUs. Katsuki's reaction to every single universe is a delight to see. Other than that, the author's AU's are well-written despite being one chapter only and I even wished that they should have expanded on some of them. One my fave things while reading this is Izuku himself and what role would he play in that AU.

Baby Face by VersaceThong

Canonverse, Izuku gets a scar to his face and Katsuki is determined to find how he got it || This fic makes absolute use of the "Katsuki knows Izuku best" trope. Despite being a single chapter, the author managed to build the suspense behind Izuku's scar well and the romance is also greatly developed. I actually didn't read the tags so imagine my surprise when it has an explicit scene in the end. I was sure it'd end SFW lmao. It's top!deku btw 😌

Like the Moon by Osakakitty 🧡

Canonverse, Katsuki keeps having wet dreams about Izuku || This has got to be the most angstiest smut I have ever read. Seriously, the wet dreams hurts so much because you can feel Katsuki's desperation, hurt, longing, fear, confusion, greed, all of it. The story progression is smooth and natural. I never expected to cry so much while reading smut 😭🤚

Make Every Moment Last by Osakakitty

Canonverse and AU, Izuku time travels to different universes || Yes, same concept with Mirror Image, but this time it's Izuku's POV. And no, both fics have different authors. And yes, it is indeed a nice coincidence. Also yes, it contains explicit content.

Deuteranopia / 緑 by Dollcewrites 💚

Canonverse, Soulmate AU, Katsuki can not see the color green || Something about colors and the emotion that comes with it just seems so appealing, to me atleast. Not being able to see a certain color makes you be able to see the world differently, because every color is a perspective. It is able to show you the deepness and wonders of life as color is life itself. The author, with their beautiful poetic prose, manages to bring that deep introspection.

Kacchan vs. The Universe by LNoGame44

Canonverse, Soulmate AU, Katsuki's different attempts to defy the universe because no, I don't have a soulmate fuck you || This one's pretty light-hearted. The story is done in Izuku's POV. It's fun watching Katsuki struggle and find various ways to hide their "soulmateness" lmao.

When the Night is Over by Katyastark

Zombie Apocalypse AU, No quirks || Great world building (if there is a world to build to begin with lmao), bkdk is still their complicated angsty selves, Toga is a bitch, Izuku is a badass sweetheart, Kacchan sucks at feelings, Momo is a doctor, and yeah, a whole lot of stinking zombies.

The Way you Used to Do by Edema_ruh 🧡

Canonverse, Katsuki and Izuku are soul bound || Do I even have to put any descriptions on this one 😆 It's like THE ultimate Bkdk fic lmao. Anyways it's long, like reaaally long. Even I was wary at reading it at first cause of it's length but once you start, you won't even notice the word count. That's how good it is, imo. I also live for the inside jokes about how TWYUTD predicted some of the manga scenes in canon

That ends my rec list 😆This has gotten long omhajdkfjfks Hope y'all enjoy these fic stories just like I did ☺️💞

[get-shiggy-with-it]

*°:⋆ₓₒCollab Masterlistₓₒ⋆:°*

Pairing: All Might x Gn!Dom!Reader (Theme for this month was sex work au!)

Word Count: 6.2k

Warnings: 18+ this is a dark fic, both dubcon/noncon, straight up, forced submission, bit of mind break, dom/sub dynamics, sub!All Might, dominant All Might later in, dark All Might, violence against reader, bodily harm, face fucking, spanking (for Toshi), thigh riding (for Toshi), blackmail, minor mentions of blood, bondage/rope play, reader is gender neutral, no pronouns used

Summary: You work as a popular dominant for pro heroes who need to give up control once in awhile and Yagi Toshinori is one of your best clients. But when word gets out to the media about your involvement with pros, you decide to take matters into your own hands. Though you quickly discover All Might does not take kindly to anyone who threatens his reputation. 

It was all about the exchanging of power. 

About the relinquishing of control—about letting go and the freedom that came with it.  

And you?

You were just there to facilitate, to take over, to release all those bottled up years of stress that the camera’s weren’t supposed to see. 

But you did. 

You saw all of it. 

It was about trust too. Trust in you to give them what they need and trust in them to do exactly as you instructed. And most of all, trust that everything stayed confidential. That the things said through tears and whimpers and sighs were kept quiet. Trust that they would show you the same respect and privacy you showed them. 

You took these rules very seriously. They were the foundation your business was built on and it had earned you quite a lot of credibility. You prided yourself on it, as you should. Professionalism was key in your line of work. It made the clients feel a bit more comfortable—counteracted the sense of taboo that was usually associated with people like you. 

People in “your line of work,” was the common way of referencing it. But you preferred to be clear and upfront, not skirt around the edges as though your job was something shameful.

Language was important too. 

“Client,” “session,” etc...all added a buffering degree of separation for those you serviced. It was a crucial part of the balance which has allowed you to be so successful. They needed to be able to remove themselves from who they became once you were alone together. You’d learned that some amount of plausible deniability was key to achieving the complete relinquishing of authority. They had to be able to convince themselves after they’d walked away, that the crying, begging mess they’d become wasn’t who they really were—wasn’t actually a part of them, just something you’d done.

And by them, of course, you meant the heroes you served so dutifully. 

And by serve, you meant completely and utterly dominate. 

Contradictory to most common misconceptions, your job wasn’t always about sex—though it could be and was at time—but truly, it was about release. 

And above all, it was about power and who got to hold it. 

When that structure was broken—when the rules were strayed from—that’s when things got murky. But you were good at what you did, so luckily, that hadn’t been much of an issue. 

What more could one expect from someone whose services are sought out by the Symbol of Peace himself?

Hm. 

You really ought to get that put on your business cards. 

***

It was late when he came to you, though that wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. Occasional hero work coupled with a teaching schedule and numerous media appearances left one very little free time. Fortunately, you conducted most of your business during the small hours of the morning, so Yagi Toshinori showing up at your door as the clock ticked its way past two wasn’t a shock. 

You fell into the usual rhythm of things easily. 

Toshi was one of your newest, but most favorite clients. You came highly recommended from many of his coworkers, and after an initial meeting over drinks to discuss his needs, you struck up a routine that worked for the both of you. 

Of course he paid you handsomely for your time. 

Constantly being in the public eye, acting as an unwavering representation of hope for the future was tiring. You were more than happy to take the weight off his very broad shoulders for once. 

And bend him over your knee instead. 

“Five,” he panted, whimpers of thanks and your name spilling out around his loose tongue as your hand connected sharply with the meat of his ass again. 

You always asked to be called by name, no frilly titles to get in the way and complicate the dynamic. When they walked into your space, they set aside their hero personas and you afforded them the same intimacy. 

Names meant something. Names were power and so they mattered, particularly in this game you played together. Equality had to be achieved before domination. 

“Good boy Toshi, you’re doing so well,” you cooed and brought your palm down twice, watching the skin on the backs of his thighs bloom pink like sakura in the spring. 

“S-six, seven,” there was a wet spot forming under his mouth on the sheets and on your lap where his cock was bare and leaking. “Ah, please—harder!” 

You raised your brow as he turned his head to look at you with those teary, dark eyes and you could never resist a look like that. 

“You want it harder, why’s that?” you wound back and smacked roughly over the raised welts that made him hiss and sob. “Is this what you deserve for being so weak?”

He may have been thin now, skeletal compared to the face he showed the public, but you didn’t mind. He trusted you enough to let his guard down, and his weight was still thick and full across your legs. It was invigorating to see a man like All Might, reduced to this. Whatever pent up guilt he carried inside, you were here to help let it all out in the best way you knew how. 

“Yes!” Toshi cried and buried his face into the plush fabric of your comforter as you delivered the last three harsh blows of the punishment he paid you for. “Fuck yes, I’m weak and I’m a failure and I deserve this—!”

“That’s right, you’re a piss poor excuse for a hero and you haven’t earned your title,” you wrapped two thick locks of his hair around your hand and yanked hard till he craned his neck to face you. “What would the world say if they could see what a sobbing mess you are when no one’s looking?”

He opened his mouth to speak, hips twitching and grinding uselessly against your thigh. The second that plush pink tongue dipped past his lips, you were rearing back to spit straight between his teeth. 

Toshi’s face was always priceless in these moments. You’d almost be willing to do it for free if you only got to see the way his brows shot up and those red rimmed eyes blew so wide as you steeled yourself and looked him dead on. 

“Now, swallow like the little bitch I know you are.” 

And he did, of course he does, because behind your bedroom door Yagi Toshinori was your good boy. So you got to watch his throat bob as your spit slid down and he moaned so pretty at the awful things you said to him. 

Your palm kneaded against the red, raw flesh of his ass and you watched how he squirmed at the sting. The room was filled with the scent of sweat and expensive cologne. Your head was spinning from the smell alone and the high of the control you wielded over this man. His hands fisted hard in your bed sheets and you let him helplessly rut against you a few times before running your free hand up the graceful curve of his spine. 

“Oh, you really are so disgusting Toshi,” you mused as your nails dig into the planes of muscles to drag angry red lines over the skin. “Did you really get that hard from me slapping this tight little ass of yours?”

He groaned pathetically and nodded, not bothering to hide how his dick had been oozing obscene amounts of precum every time you etched a new welt on his skin. The blush that crept up his chest and painted his cheeks had spread between his legs too. The unfairly massive cock that Toshi sported was flushed a dark angry red at the tip and you couldn’t help but have mercy on him. 

Well, only a little bit. 

You weren’t here to be nice tonight, even if a part of you might have liked to be. 

“Do you want to cum, Toshi?” you asked, lacing your voice with the false sweetness you knew he loved. “Have you been aching for it all night?”

He keened, crying your name and rutting his hips harder against you. It sent a rush of warmth between your legs despite your better efforts to remain unaffected. This wasn’t about you, this was about ownership and his pleasure. 

“Mhmm,” his voice was little more than a rasp, “wanna cum so bad, please!”   

You laughed, but it was a cruel thing and you knew he could feel the rumble of it in his scarred chest. 

“You did so perfectly taking your punishment,” you raked your nails over the raised handprints again just to hear him cry out. “I suppose I’ll let you cum, but you’ll have to work for it.” 

Toshi’s breathing was ragged as you helped him up to straddle one of your legs. His swollen cock rested on the plushest part of your thigh, the tip nudging your hip and drawing choked gasps from the man towering above you. 

He stared down at you, confused when you didn’t move to stroke him. 

“Go on, then,” you smiled up at him, resting your weight on your palms so you could lean back and watch the show. “I said you’d have to work for it, didn’t I?”

You punctuated your question with a bounce of your knee that rocked his length against the fabric of your pants. It didn’t take long for him to catch on, eyes squeezing shut against the waves of shame and embarrassment that just made it so much hotter as he slowly began to ride your thigh. 

He might be paying you to be ruthless, but Toshi was kind to a fault from what you’ve learned of him and he ke[t most of his massive weight held on the balls of his feet so you weren’t crushed below him. Under any other circumstances, you might have actually enjoyed that quite a bit, but his face—cherry red with spit-slicked lips held parted with the force of his pants—was enough for now. 

His cock was so heavy you almost couldn’t believe it was real. You nearly didn’t the first time he’d stripped for you, but even just the drag of it through your clothes was delectable. It was so long and thick you needed both hands to wrap fully around it, and he gushed like a fucking gieser when you got him under your metaphorical boot. 

With every rock of his bony hips, his length was forced up against the curve of your stomach and he whined at the glistening strands of slick that connected his tip to you.   

“Come on, Toshi,” you clicked your tongue disappointedly at him, letting a hand fall to the puckered skin at his waist, squeezing harshly. “I know you can do better than that.”

He was beyond words now, you could tell by the way his jaw was loose and his teeth clacked with every thrust, but he did gasp out a long, high pitched moan that made up for it. The speed of his humping increased, becoming erratic as he hunched on the bed, hands beside yours. He loomed over you but anyone could tell just by the composed, serene smile playing at your lips—and the absolutely wrecked noises spilling from Toshi—just which one of you was really in control. 

“You’re so close, aren’t you?” 

You knew he liked it when you spewed filth to him right before he boiled over and you were more than willing to oblige. 

“You’re gonna cum like a fucking teenager humping his pillow, isn’t that right?” you snarled the words up at him and he really did cry then, big fat tears dripping down onto your shirt. “All Might, the number one hero is gonna cum all over my lap like the slut he is.”

He nods frantically. You know his balls were tensing up as he sobbed and spluttered—completely ruined. Just the way he needed to be. 

“Then cum.” 

You finally wrapped your fist just around his aching tip and he exploded into your palm. Rope after rope of sticky, white release coated your arm and dripped onto the bed. He kept grinding his hips, working himself through the climax, cock still pulsing and leaking in your grip. You didn’t mind the mess. 

He always tipped a bit extra if he left stains anyway. 

Such a gentleman.

When the last wave of his orgasm had petered out, Toshi collapsed to the side with his face buried in your pillow and his long legs still strewn across your lap. He didn’t usually ask for much in the realm of aftercare, preferring that you cleaned him and let him rest for a bit before he suited up and rushed off into the night. 

You gave him a minute before you got up to wet a warm cloth in the sink. He looked so destroyed, you couldn’t help but admire your handiwork. As you palm his ass once more, fingers spreading him so his pink hole was on display, you slipped your phone silently from your pocket, and snapped a few shots of the nasty red hand marks and smears of cum as he groaned deeply at the touch. 

His voice was lower as he grunted and you could tell he’s coming out of the subspace you’d thrust him into hours before. Quickly you slid the device smoothly away before lifting his legs from you and settling them gently on the bed to work on tidying up your mess. 

You didn’t feel particularly good about keeping this kind of collateral, but as much power as you hold in the four walls of your bedroom, you were frustratingly weak once you left them. These men you worked with, while generally professional, were also top heroes. Top heroes who really didn’t want their embarrassing private lives getting out. Top heroes who thrived off reputation and who would willingly throw you under the bus in a second to protect that. 

You liked Yagi Toshinori. 

But you didn’t know him. 

Smacking someone’s ass or stroking their cock every few weeks didn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things. 

So you kept your personal insurance that would be there should one of your clientele decide to forsake you in favor of their public image. And you would never use it unless you absolutely had too. 

After all, this was about trust and power and the exchange of those two things. Or at least it was supposed to be. Trust was quite a subjective thing. 

The general citizenry trusted All Might to protect them against the growing evil in Japan’s underground. But behind the scenes, you knew his failing health had caused him to seek you out as the intense guilt of his lie came crashing down on him.

Toshi trusted you to relieve his pain and indulge in his degrading fantasies, and you hadn’t failed him yet. 

But your trust was not easily bought, and none of your customers ever paid much mind to whether your perceived belief in them was genuine. 

After so many glimpses into the messes of pro-heroes personal lives, you knew you’d have to be your own protector. Hence, the photos remained in a locked folder hidden away as you sat yourself down next to the dozing hero and wiped away as much evidence of your meeting as you could. 

“How are you feeling?” you asked quietly, lathing the warm cloth between his legs and softening length. 

“Good, all things considered,” he responded, voice returned to it’s normal, deep baritone. 

“I sincerely hope you won’t have to do much sitting tomorrow,” you quipped and it earned you a chuckle. 

“I’ll manage.” 

You rolled him gently and finished clearing the rest of his spend from the flat expanse of his stomach. Toshi mumbled his thanks and you gave his thigh a friendly squeeze before retreating from the room to shower and change yourself. 

He’d be gone by the time you got out, notification of payment on your phone and a sizable tip left on your dresser as a parting gift. 

And as long as Yagi Toshinori was just as good a boy on the outside as he was here, then the world would never need to know what their Symbol of Peace got up behind your closed doors. 

***

“All Might! Mister All Might, sir!” 

The grating voice of that shithead reporter echoed through the speakers of your headphones over and over again. Your hand shook as the train stuttered to a halt and a wave of passengers burst out onto the platform. 

“All Might, are the rumors true!?” 

Your stomach sank as the reporter shouted your name above the ruckus of microphones and camera flashes and roaring bodies. Their voice was like chalk on your tongue, dry and cracked and clamoring to know whether the Symbol of Peace was involved with the recently revealed ‘seedy’ and ‘scandalous’ sex ring between yourself and multiple top ranking heroes. 

You’d been out having a relaxing lunch with friends in the city when everyone’s phones blew up. It wasn’t that you hid the general details of your job, but by the looks on their faces were enough to make your face burn. The judgement was clear—what you did was abhorrent, disgusting and by extension, so were you. Reporters had caught you on camera with a certain second ranking pro and very quickly deduced exactly who you were and what services you offered. 

The tabloids took it and ran, dragging your reputation behind them. 

Call after call and text, dms on your social media pages, all from news outlets requesting interviews or quotes or hero fans calling you a ‘shameless whore’ for going after pros—hell death threats had even begun to fill your inboxes. 

Hero fans really were ride or die, you supposed, although the ‘die’ in that scenario seemed to refer more to you than themselves. They would never believe their precious big boy crush had ever associated with the likes of you, had ever willingly kneeled for you—had ever enjoyed it. 

They couldn’t understand the things you did, all they saw was some false emasculation.   

And if it came out that Toshinori had any contact with you, his career would be ruined. 

You had hoped from the little you’d learned about him in your sessions, that he’d simply deny knowing you existed at all. That he’d have mercy on you, treat you like the thousand helpless civilians he pulled from burning buildings or whatever the hell heroes did these days. 

But you’d been right before to say that you didn’t know Toshi. 

And now you certainly didn’t like him either. 

“Are you one of the pros involved?” the reporter hounded again as All Might’s massive form panned into frame. 

“As your Symbol of Peace, I certainly do not partake in such degenerate behavior,” his words rang out, deep and resonating. “I would never associate with someone who’s actions border on criminal.” 

The dark, soulless pits he called eyes stared mockingly from your tiny screen as his signature laugh reverberated through your ears along with the train’s clacking breaks. You ripped the headphones from your ears and closed out of the app, ducking your head and pushing towards the door. Everyone’s eyes were drilling into you, worming deep under your skin and making you squirm like so many of those heroes had done on your silk sheets. 

Rationally, you were aware not many people would have seen the story yet. Tabloid trash took a day or two to disseminate into the general social media outlets and for people to take notice. Your friends only knew because your name stuck out to them, but you were hardly recognizable in your typical citizen attire. Even still. 

Your life, your work, all of it was on display. 

And he’d called you a degenerate. 

The infallible All Might had taken your name and tossed it in the guttered, likened you to a villain and single handedly destroyed everything you’d built in the process. 

Years of effort and crawling your way up the ranks of society all for nothing.  

All so some washed up hero could keep his fantasy of success going for just a little longer. Toshi trusted you with his secrets, his weakness, his body, and you’d defended that at every turn. The only thing he had to do was pay a small fee for your time and discretion. 

But no amount of money could fix your toppled character. Nothing could reverse your place as a disgusting slut in the eyes of literal millions of people. 

Bold of Yagi Toshinori to underestimate you so thoroughly, to think that you’d sit back in the rubble as he rescued cats and little kids and lived his delusion of perfection.

This was about trust and power. 

When those lines were crossed, that’s when things got messy. 

And you’d make sure to leave so big a mess, Toshi would never dream of coming back from it. 

***

Your apartment building was thankfully free of any press when you arrived home. It had been a few days since All Might instigated your public slander, but the mass media hadn’t managed to track you down after you went into a short period of hiding. 

You needed time to let all your other clients involved in the scandal play their cards. 

There would be no use in condemning one just to have them warn the rest of their equally impending doom. That way you could be assured they’d all come crashing down with you. Especially the blonde poster boy of hero society himself. 

His would be the sweetest fall. 

It had been long enough now that you could start compiling. You locked the door behind you, shrugging off your coat and settling on the couch. The plush cushions sank as you fell back, pulling out your phone and scrolling through your contacts. Toshi was there, two red and blue hearts on either side of his name. You pulled up his text thread. 

You’d thought about going public of course. 

Of course you had.

Your entire career had been trashed, you’d been shamed by the number one hero himself and your personal life was blasted over social media. 

But you were human, so you were weak. 

And you had liked Toshi. 

Well, you hated him now—a deeply dark, burning resentment—but before that, he’d been so sweet to you in a way that most were not. Respectful and nice and you were unused to it. So, you couldn’t quite bring yourself to eradicate his credibility in the same outright manner. 

No, you had decided you’d give him a chance.

Because you were better than him. 

A chance to atone, come clean, apologize the way you’re sure he would if his public image wasn’t so goddamn important to him. So you didn’t reach out to any of the media outlets that had been hounding your socials for the past week, and didn't offer them the inside scoop quite yet. Instead, you stared at the handsome contact photo of your hero client and slowly typed him up a message he couldn’t ignore. 

It was short and sweet, polite but firm. You acknowledged he most certainly did not want to speak with you—in fact, you weren’t very inclined to speak with him ever again either—but you happened to be in possession of some fairly compromising photographic evidence of your time together. And if that evidence were ever to, say, end up in the pocket of the exact scandal rag that sent voice clips of All Might all but denouncing you as a whore to the nation, well. Things would certainly not end well for him. 

But, you were nothing if not professional. 

He knew that. 

You never wanted to use these, but he had forced your hand. Of course you were more than willing to work out a deal with him. 

He was your favorite client after all. 

In any case, he knew how to reach you, and he had a generous 48 hours to give you an answer to your proposition. 

Oh and you were kind enough to provide a little snapshot of just exactly the type of evidence you meant. 

Your thumb hovered over the little blue arrow to send. The phone clacked against your nails as it shook in your grip, slick from sweat and frayed nerves. You couldn’t quite tell if you were anxious or angry or some awful combination of the two, but your heart was in your throat as you shut your eyes and pressed send. 

There was no going back, and if this all came tumbling to the ground, you promised yourself that you would shatter gracefully. 

Letting the screen go dim, you stared in silence at the small check mark confirming the message had been delivered and your fate sealed. You pulled yourself to your feet and made your way to the bedroom. 

He’d get back to you soon, or maybe he wouldn’t. You couldn’t know for sure whether or not Toshi would simply ignore your texts and be blindsided when the deadline passed and you destroyed him all over again in a far less enjoyable manner than you used to. But whatever the case, it was out of your hands for now. 

With aching feet and tired eyes, you stripped slowly and stumbled towards the bathroom. Turning the water to just below scalding, you did your best to scrub away any pesky remaining guilt that clung to you in a thin, suffocating film. 

You told yourself that there was no other choice. That you would have found another way if there was one. That this was how business often went. You had seen it before when you first entered in the field of sex work and you’d see it again. So you scrubbed yourself raw and let all your doubts trickle down the drain. 

Tonight, you would sleep restlessly, but it was a fair enough burden to carry for your honor. 

You were foolish to believe the cost of revenge wouldn’t bear a heftier price. 

***

You woke slowly, trapped momentarily in the strange limbo between sleep and consciousness that fooled you into thinking the strange tightness at your wrists was nothing more than a leftover side effect of a dream. 

The reality was so much worse.

It wasn’t until you felt the blunt, radiating sting of knuckles backhanded against your cheek that the haze of sleep fell away, and you could truly appreciate the scene before you. 

Which was to say, you could take the opportunity to scream before Yagi Toshinori’s fingers were shoved down your throat to muffle the noise. He was large, shirt seams full to bursting, and sporting an expression you’d never seen before. His eyes, while always dark, were like holes now and they filled you with an unfamiliar sense of dread. 

He’d called you a villain before, and now he was looking at you like one too. 

“Oh no,” Toshi hissed. His voice was impossibly deep, reverberating against your ribs painfully, “I don’t want to hear anything out of you.” 

One quick bout of struggling made it very apparent he didn’t want you moving either as your wrists had been bound behind your back and your ankles were similarly immobilized. The fingers in your mouth pressed hard on your tongue, his thumb pushing below your chin to make you choke and splutter. 

“You really let all that power get to your head, didn’t you?” Toshi’s voice was buzzing in your ears and mingling with the pain in your jaw. He put one massive knee on the mattress and hooked his fingers behind your teeth, forcing you to sit up from the bed.

You could feel your face burn as he looked down at you, drool slipping passed your lips and coating his fingers. The straining bulge in his pants looked even bigger than you remembered now that he was no longer the slip of a man you’d come to know as Yagi Toshinori. 

No this was All Might, the Symbol of Peace. 

And you got the feeling that whatever was about to happen, it was not going to be peaceful for you.  

He had you tied and trussed like a piece of meat, and he would treat you like one. You’d seen this before, you’d tied these knots—he’d been where you were now, but he’d asked for it. The loss of control was never something you’d delighted in on a good day, and now the rising pressure in your chest and the sensation of walls closing had panic coursing through you.  

“Did you really think that I’d come back here willing to grovel at your feet?” he jeered, the trademark smile on his face more snarl than grin. 

He shook your jaw violently in his grasp, listening to the joints pop as they tried to stretch around his thick fingers. Your name left his mouth in a mock coo, just as you had done to him so many nights before. “Remember, you might get to call me a bitch but it’s only because I let you.”

Your hands trembled violently against the bonds which tore the delicate skin and rubbed it raw. Toshi’s free hand traveled along his thigh to rub himself through his pants, his knuckles brushing your nose as he bucked into his palm. 

“But now you’ve stepped out of line,” he mused and clicked his tongue as though you were a student who’d done poorly on his latest exam. “And I’m going to make sure that whore mouth of yours never utters my fucking name again.” 

Eyes wide with horror, you watched as Toshi’s fingers fumbled with the button and zipper of his slacks until his cock had sprung free, monstrous in length and girth, dripping onto your forehead. 

You’d seen it before, but it seemed bigger now. So big that you’d never been able to take it, and Toshi had been staunchly against you ever trying lest he quite literally split you in two. But any kindness he’d shown you before was clearly off the table. His fingers pumped in and out of your throat as if preparing you somehow to take the stretch. It wouldn’t help. You knew that. He knew that. 

Toshinori smiled as he removed his fingers in favor of digging the spit slicked digits into the joints of your jaw, ensuring you wouldn’t bite down on him as he pressed the spongy tip to your lips. The panic that had set in—making your blood rush and your limbs shake—was constricting your chest and the pressure of Toshi’s dick pushing past your teeth made your breathing even more erratic. 

You whimpered loudly, trying to wrench your head away as the strong salt and musk flavor of his pre cum spread across your tongue, but that only made him thrust forward harder. His length quickly hit resistance back of your throat as you gagged and tears burned at the corners of your eyes. 

The ache in your jaw was already unbearable and your bottom lip was being rubbed raw by warm spit and the friction of Toshi roughly fighting to sink his dick fully into your mouth. 

“Mm, that’s it,” he groaned as you inadvertently licked over his tip, trying to force him away. “You look so much better like this.” 

He ran a falsely sweet hand across your cheek, collecting the stream of tears and using the moisture to slick the rest of his length. Your chest heaved in a mixture of gags and increasingly violent sobbing. You were stretched painfully wide as he rolled his hips again, pushing the thickest bit of his cock into your mouth and forcing your teeth to dig painfully into your upper lip. With the next thrust, he was able to sink another excruciating inch deep into your throat. Blood rushed from where you bit yourself and caused crimson streaks to form as Toshi fucked slowly into your mouth. 

Your mind was slipping. 

You’d had so little time to process the encounter, so instead your brain had secluded most of your consciousness into a precious little box, away from the intense burning in your throat as Toshi finally sank all of his innumerable inches completely into you. Your throat bulged and protested, tightening in an attempt to force him out. 

It only made him moan loudly and dig his fingers into your hair. 

“See?” he huffed, pulling out at an agonizing pace only to ram his length in roughly to the hilt. “I’d never lie to my public, you really are just as much of a slut as they say you are.” 

You shrieked around his cock, though it was muffled so badly by the lack of air and the wet slap of his constant thrusting that no one but you could hear the screaming in your own head. The pain was unbearable, this awful friction burning sensation that had your stomach churning and your chest wracked with stifled cries. Your bound legs kicked and your fingers grasped useless at the sheets as Toshi fucked your mouth reckless abandon. 

Time blurred along with your vision, whether from the lack of oxygen or the tears you weren’t sure. 

And most horrifyingly of all, was the pleasure that grew as your mind drowned the pain in darkness. You felt as though you were floating, disgusted but euphoric and the slide of him against your lips became delicious. Heat rose in you and built between your legs accompanied by a distant and unfamiliar ache to please, to be touched, to taste him, to obey.

You wondered if this was how he felt when you forced his mouth on you. If he slid into this strange space where your mind was a separate entity and the only thing that mattered was the pain and the pleasure and the release. 

Because somehow, in the midst of your struggle and revulsion, he’d made this strange, incorporeal part of you enjoy this. 

All the fight had drained out of you, letting your jaw hang slack and your tongue flick up to catch his tip on every backstroke. Your eyes flitted up to look at him through the haze of tears and sweat, hoping strangely that he’d be pleased with you. And the groan you earned yourself was delectable. 

You gave in, then. Let yourself be swept away by the rushing of blood in your ears and the rhythm of Toshi tearing you apart.  

At some point, you could distantly feel his thrusts becoming more erratic, turning into a rough grinding in your mouth. 

You couldn’t even taste it when he came, his cock was too obscenely deep in your neck, but the warmth of it burned your bleeding throat and filled your belly with a hot finality. 

You weren’t even afforded the dignity of spitting his seed onto the floor where it belonged, ignoring the searing voice in your head that revealed in being rewarded with his essence. 

When Toshi finally pulled out and tucked himself away, your head fell limply to your chest. A series of violent coughs erupted from you as a thick, viscous mixture of blood and spit and cum dripped from your tongue. 

Those impossibly large hands gripped your chin once again, forcing you to look up into those piercing black eyes. 

“Now, you’re never going to speak about me again,” he wasn’t asking but you glared up at him as his hand fumbled in his pocket, pulling out his phone. 

The device was comically small in those hands of his as he aimed it at your ruined face and snapped a picture—the flash blinding you while he reached around and roughly undid the knotted rope keeping you in place. 

“Because if you do, I’ll make sure those reporters know everything I said about you was nothing but the truth.” 

The loudest part of you wanted to scream, to punch and bite and tell him it wasn’t. That you were a professional, with self-respect and dignity and you were good and your job, but— 

But when you opened your sore and aching jaw to shout, nothing came out. 

No sound, no yell, no words. 

Just this awful rasp that made your throat feel like pins were sticking into the abused flesh. 

“Well, looks like I might not need this after all,” Toshi dangled the phone in front of your face before pocketing it once again. “Looks like you won’t be saying much of anything for a good long while.”

And then Yagi Toshinori left. 

He turned on his heel and walked out as you toppled off the bed behind him, trying so hard to scream despite the pain and the ripping in your chest—whether they were curses or cries for him to stay, you weren’t sure.  

But there was nothing either way. 

So you sat and screamed in silent agony at his retreating form until the sound of a door slamming rang out through your home. 

It seemed that in all your years of playing this game, you’d finally been toppled off your tightrope. 

Because you were good at your job, so you knew. It was all about the exchange of power, and yours had just been thoroughly stripped away. 

[marveloussupernerd]

Truth or Dare in Gym 3 - Gym 3 Squad

The (big) gym 3 squad plays truth or dare. That’s literally it. BokuAka. Mentions of Tsukiyama. Implied YakuLev, KuroKen, Kagehina, but they’re not actually together in this fic so

They were absolutely wiped out from their three-on-three, slumped against the wall of the gym as they tried to catch their breath.

“You guys wanna do something fun?” Bokuto asked, still working on catching his breath from the intense game.

“Like?” Tsukishima asked.

“Truth or dare~” Kuroo suggested, pushing some of his sweaty hair out of his face. “We can do it while we cool down.”

“No.” Tsukishima stood up. “I’m good-“

“But Tsukishima! It would be fun!” Hinata whined, grabbing onto the middle blocker’s arm and attempting to pull the much taller boy back onto the floor of the gym.

Tsukki wasn’t budging. “This isn’t working, you know,” he said simply.

“I guess if you don’t play I’ll have to reveal the blackmail Kenna’s been collecting of you,” Kuroo shrugged.

“The what?”

“You can believe me or you can take that chance, up to you.”

Tsukishima sat back down in the circle. “Fine. But we can’t play for long—we have to get to bed soon.”

“Yay!” Lev cheered, lifting his arms up in triumph, as though he had done anything to convince the boy to stay in the first place.

“But you know how there’s always that person that only does truth,” Bokuto complained, glancing slightly at Akaashi, trying to make it discreet (and failing). “I don’t wanna have that happen.”

Akaashi rolled his eyes playfully. “Okay. How about everyone does two rounds - you have to do one truth and one dare. Your choice when you’re asked is mainly if you trust the person asking to give you a dare or not.”

“You’re a genius ‘Kaashi!”

“Oo!” Hinata squirmed in his seat. “I’ll go first!! Bokuto! Truth or dare?”

“Hmm, let’s start out easy with a truth!”

Hinata puffed out some air—he was obviously hoping for a dare—and took a minute to think. “Okay! Who’s your best friend in this group?”

Silence. Bokuto glanced between Kuroo and Akaashi, the two boys to the side of him. Then he looked back at Hinata. “Can you give me another one?” He pouted. “I can’t answer that.”

Tsukki rolled his eyes and grumbled something, but the other boys ignored it, trying to come up with another truth so Bokuto wouldn’t be sad by having to choose a favorite friend.

“Got it! Who on Karasuno do you think is the most intimidating?” Classic Hinata always thinking of volleyball.

“Oh, your captain, for sure!”

Kuroo nodded solemnly in agreement. “Dude freaks me out sometimes.”

“...Daichi does?” Hinata asked, tilting his head in confusion. Daichi was such an encouraging leader, he never even thought of him as intimidating.

“Definitely. When his gaze gets all cold...” Bokuto shivered. “He’s scary, dude.”

Hinata laughed, as did Tsukishima shockingly. “Guess I never thought about it that way,” the ginger said, shrugging.

“Anyways! My turn to ask now. Tsukki! Truth or dare?” Bokuto asked, pointing his finger at the blonde.

“Still Tsukishima, and truth. I don’t trust a dare from you.”

“Booo,” Bokuto pouted. “But okay. If my team were to play Kuroo’s in an actual match, who do you think would win?”

Tsukishima paused, glancing between the two captains, trying to assess what he had seen of their teams the past few days before coming up with his answer. “Fukurodani.”

“Ughhh, why?” Kuroo grumbled.

Tsukishima pointed to Kuroo. “You’d spend the whole match trying to outsmart Bokuto. But he’d catch onto it immediately and shut it down,” he pointed to Akaashi. “Kenma might be able to outsmart Akaashi, but you’re too proud to ask for help.”

“You’re scary Tsukishima.” Lev blurted out. Tsukishima just glanced his way, a blank look on his face.

“Anyways. Kuroo. Truth or dare?”

“I’m gonna trust you to start out the night with the first dare!” Kuroo said excitedly. “Don’t make me regret it.”

He regretted it immediately once he saw the widening grin on Tsukishima’s face. “Go ask one of the coaches for a condom.”

Kuroo buried his face in his hands, embarrassed. “What’s the aftermath for backing out of a dare?”

“Death.” Tsukishima replied seriously.

Kuroo groaned, then got up, walking out of the gym to find the coaches with the other boys in tow, excited to watch this play out.

There they were, drinking in one of the rooms. He knocked quietly, making his way in. “Uhh, could I steal Karasuno’s coach away for just a second?” He asked awkwardly, unable to look any of the coaches in the eye. Coach Ukai smiled and followed him outside the room to the hall, where the other boys were eavesdropping around the corner.

“Uh, sorry to bother you!” Kuroo blurted out.

“It’s fine kid. What’s up?”

“Uhm,” Kuroo pulled on the collar of his shirt. It was getting hot in there, probably from all the nerves. “Do you have a c-condom?”

Absolute silence for a second. Kuroo could feel himself dying on this inside and the boys had to fight to hold back their snickers.

“Sure.” Coach Ukai pulled out his wallet, pulling out a condom and handing it to the captain. “Is that all you need?”

“Uh, yup.” Kuroo gulped. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” the coach waved to the student then walked back in to join his fellow coaches.

The other boys rounded the corner, laughing their asses off.

“That was awful!” Kuroo whined, his face bright red. “I highly recommend nobody accept a dare from Tsukishima ever again.”

“Wah, wah.” Tsukishima rolled his eyes. The boys started walking back towards the gym. “Anyways, you get to ask next.”

“Chibi-Chan, truth or dare?”

Hinata’s back straightened as he finally got picked to go. “Dare!!” He exclaimed. Kuroo stopped in his tracks.

“Okay. While we’re still in the dorm area, I dare you to go in, ask Kenma for his PSP, then just leave with it.” Truth be told, Kenma always played the game long into the night. If Kuroo tried to take it away, there’d be hell to pay. But maybe Kenma would give in for Hinata.

“Alright! That’s not too bad.” Hinata started to skip towards the Nekoma dorm where the students were saying. The light was still on, signaling that all the players were still awake.

Hinata opened the door shyly, sneaking in but leaving the door open a crack so the boys could eavesdrop.

“Hey Kenma!” Hinata exclaimed as he walked over to the boy, his face still buried in the game.

“Oh, hey Shoyo. I thought you were practicing late?” Kenma asked, glancing up from his game to look at him.

“Oh yeah, but I got bored. Hey, I’m trying to figure out what games to get on my PSP. Can I borrow yours and see what all’s on it?”

“Sure thing,” Kenma handed him the gaming console.

“Thanks!” Hinata cheered, making a quick exit out the door with the device. He shut the door behind him and held it up triumphantly, handing it to Kuroo.

“Easy one.”

“Well, it’s never easy for me,” Kuroo chuckled. “He may actually be able to get some sleep tonight, thanks.”

“So it’s my turn?” Hinata asked as the group made their way back to the gym.

“Yup!” Kuroo answered.

“Kuroo. Truth or dare? Remember...”

Tsukishima grinned. “It has to be truth.”

“Okay, okay. I don’t like the feeling I’m getting but... truth it is.”

Hinata stopped, pulling the guys closer to him so he could keep his voice low. “Have you ever asked Kenma on a date?”

“What!?” Kuroo’s face turned bright red. “No! We’ve been friends for forever.”

“Yeah and? Same for the Great King and Iwaizumi but that didn’t stop them,” Hinata said simply, shrugging. A majority of the boys had no clue who he was talking about, but just figured it was one of the many people Hinata had befriended.

“He doesn’t like me like that!”

“You never know Bro!” Bokuto encouraged him, patting his back. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

Silence.

“He doesn’t like him back and things get awkward,” Tsukishima answered truthfully.

“That! Exactly!” Kuroo exclaimed.

“I think you’d be fine. Kenma isn’t the type who’d hold a grudge over something like that if he doesn’t feel the same,” Akaashi explained, shrugging.

The group make it back to the gym, sitting against the wall. “Well, let’s put a pin in that for now. Lev, truth or dare?”

“Dare! Dare!”

Kuroo had an evil grin on his face. “Bad choice.”

“I take it-“

“Nope.” Kuroo got up and glanced out the door of the gym. “Perfect timing. Go out there, pretend to be sad, and ask Yaku for a hug.”

Lev’s mouth dropped open. “Do you want me to die?” He whined. “Yaku San will MURDER me!”

“A dare’s a dare,” Bokuto shrugged, pushing Lev to stand up and stumble towards the door. The boys all followed, standing in the doorway to watch the scene take place.

Lev forced tears to form in his eyes, biting his lip hard to get his eyes to water from pain. There was no way this would work. “Yaku San,” he whimpered, making his way over to his elder. Yaku was walking back to the dorms to call it a night.

Yaku turned to face him. “Lev? I thought you were practicing?”

“I was but...” he frowned. “Yaku San... can I have a hug?”

“What? Why?” Yaku’s eyes scanned the taller boy’s face, trying to find a smirk or anything to prove that Lev was pulling his leg, but nothing was there. He just looked... sad.

Lev flopped down onto his knees. “I’ve been practicing so hard and I just... can’t get it.” He ran a hand through his hair. Was this even acting anymore? What he’s saying felt true. “It’s frustrating. I feel like I’m not getting any better.”

Yaku rolled his eyes, wrapping his arms around the now-shorter-than-him Lev. “Don’t tell anyone about this,” he grumbled. “But you are getting better. I can tell. I promise.”

“You mean it Yaku San?” Lev asked, his eyes shining as he looked up at the boy. “Thank you!”

“Yeah yeah, whatever.” Yaku pulled Lev’s collar, pulling him close. “If you tell anyone, I’ll kill you.”

“You’re the best Yaku San!” Lev exclaimed, running back to the gym to tell the boys about his successful dare.

Lev entered the gym, but was cut off before he could even open his mouth. “We saw. Please don’t talk about it. I never want to talk about it again,” Kuroo looked pale, shocked to see his teammate showing his soft side.

Lev rolled his eyes. “Fine. Bokuto, truth or dare?”

“I love that nobody’s asked Akaashi yet,” Tsukishima pointed out.

Kuroo shook his head. “Akaashi’s dares are probably even worse than yours. We couldn’t give him that power.”

“You’ll have to eventually,” Akaashi shrugged.

“Anywaus! I already did a truth, so dare!” Bokuto said excitedly, pulling the attention back to him.

“Okay, okay.” Lev smiled to himself. “I’ve seen this around online. So I dare you to play the pocky game with Akaashi!”

“The pocky game?” Hinata asked, turning his head in confusion.

“Yeah!” Lev felt around in his pocket, pulling out a pack of pocky. “You put one side of the pocky in you mouth and the other in someone else’s, then you see who eats the most.”

Hinata’s eyebrows raised. He didn’t really get it, but he figured he would once they played it.

“Akaashi?” Bokuto asked, looking over at the setter. “We don’t have to if you’re not comfortable.”

“It’s fine, but it should count as a dare for me too.”

“That’s fair,” Kuroo nodded. “Go on ahead then.”

Lev pulled out a pocky stick, handing it to Bokuto. Bokuto gently held out the stick towards Akaashi, who opened his mouth and let Bokuto put the end between his teeth. Then Bokuto followed suit, cheeks bright red, trying not to get too close to Akaashi quite yet.

But then the game begun, and they had to get closer to one another. Bokuto hates losing, but Akaashi hates it even more. Akaashi didn’t give in, letting his lips press against Bokuto’s as he took the last bite to win. He bit the piece off then pulled away, a bright grin on his face. “That’s a win for me, Bo.”

“Trust me, that was a win for him too,” Tsukishima teased, picking up on the dazed dreamy look in Bokuto’s eyes. “Akaashi, maybe you should go, since he’s in another dimension right now.”

“Okay. I’ll even be nice. Lev, truth or dare?”

“It has to be truth, right?”

Akaashi nodded. “Who at this training camp, not including your team or those of us right here, do you think you’d get along with best?”

Lev paused, taking a minute to think. “Hinata and Tsukishima’s little blonde manager! She seems so sweet.”

Tsukishima shook his head. “She’d be terrified of you.”

“She gets nervous around tall people,” Hinata explained. “But I think you two would get along well once she got over that!”

“Oo! You should introduce us at some point then. I need a new best friend!”

The room fell silent once again.

“...Bokuto? I think you have to go now, since I already told two dares,” Lev said awkwardly.

“Oh yeah! Kaashi counted as a dare too. Well then... I have the perfect question.” Bokuto’s eyes lit up as he turned to his setter. “Akaashi, truth or truth?”

Akaashi rolled his eyes playfully. “Hmm... I’ll have to go with truth.”

“Perfect! Did you want to play the pocky game with me?”

“What?” Akaashi’s ears turned a very light shade of pink.

“You know, did you want to?”

“Yeah. It wasn’t a bad dare at all.”

Bokuto frowned. “You know that’s not what I meant.”

“Okay... yes, Bokuto San, I wanted to play the pocky game with you,” Akaashi admitted, refusing to meet Bokuto’s eyes.

“Akaashi!” Bokuto squealed, pulling him into a hug, swinging him back and forth. “You’re so cute!”

“Okay, okay, but... I need to ask a question now, Bo...”

Bokuto let him out of his tight embrace, but scooted closer so that he could rest his hand on top of Akaashi’s. Akaaahi’s face had still not calmed down from the bright red flush that had risen on his cheeks from Bokuto.

“I’m not taking this alone. Tsukishima. Truth or dare?”

“You’re screwed,” Kuroo whispered under his breath.

Tsukishima frowned. “Dare.”

Akaashi turned to Hinata. “What’s the name of the boy with the freckles on your team?”

“Yamaguchi?”

“Him.” Akaashi turned to Tsukishima. “Ask him on a date,” he dared, a small smirk on his face.

“I-“

“Tsukki!? You like Yams?” Hinata gasped.

“I knew you weren’t the brightest...” Tsukishima muttered. He pulled out his phone. “Can I just call him? He’s probably ready for bed by now.”

“You two know each other’s schedules. How sweet,” Kuroo gushed.

Tsukishima called Yamaguchi, putting it on speaker.

“Tsukki?” Yamaguchi asked. “You still practicing?”

“Yeah, sorry, I’ll be back soon. But I had something to ask you...”

Lev started laughing, and Kuroo clasped a hand over his mouth to conceal the sound.

“Okay? You’re freaking me out.”

“Will you go on a date with me? Once we get back home?”

The line went silent. Then Yamaguchi started laughing. “You called to ask that? Of course I will.”

“Great. I’ll be back soon.”

“Okay! See you then! Love you!”

Tsukishima sighed deeply, glaring at the boys around him who stared at him in disbelief. “...Love you too Yams.”

He hung up, pressing his face into the palm of his hands. “Don’t talk.”

The boys burst out laughing. “Love you too Yams,” Hinata cooed.

“You guys are dating!?” Bokuto exclaimed. “You never told me.”

“We never told anyone. It was pretty obvious though,” he shrugged. “Anyways, Yams is waiting for me. Last one. Hinata, truth or dare?”

“Truth, I guess, but go easy on me.”

Tsukishima scoffed. “Oh, no way. Not now that you know about Yamaguchi and I. So? Do you like the King?”

“The King...?” Kuroo asked.

“Kageyama? Of course I like him! Wait- do you mean like, I like him like he’s a good setter, or I like him like we hang out and watch tv on the weekends, or I like him like sometimes I can’t focus when we play because his hair sticks to his forehead and frames his face so pretty and his skin just glows and he makes eye contact with me before he spikes but his eyes are just so pretty and that’s why I’ve had to close my eyes when I spike-“

“No. Nevermind. You don’t have to answer.” Tsukishima got up, walking to the door. “That was disgusting. Good night everyone.”

“You sure are leaving quickly,” Kuroo teased. “Got a date?”

“Yeah, I’ve gotta go cuddle with Yamaguchi. At least I had the nerves to ask out my childhood friend,” he winked, leaving the room.

Continuation:

Tsukiyama cuddling fic

Kuroken confession

[tennessoui]

Hi there! Your Obi-Wan/Anakin fics, especially your sith Obi-Wan and Pretty Bird, are some of my favorite fics for that ship ever for some of the reasons that were mentioned over the past couple days. Namely I find it refreshing for Obi-Wan to be the one mostly doing the perusing and doing what it takes to be with Anakin. You mentioned you have read some good fics with a similar dynamic that were AU and Cannon. I’m wondering if you have any fic recs??? Even if they are outside of that dynamic I’d love recs but since you mentioned you read a few good ones I thought I would ask 🙂

Hey!!! I am about ten days late, but I'm finally getting around to really answering this. These are fics I can remember off the top of my head where Obi-Wan pursues Anakin/does what it takes to be with Anakin.

There's only 8 here which I'm bitter about because I know I'm forgetting so many good ones I've read and genuinely enjoyed but my AO3 history is literally 640 pages so. So. If anyone has any good recs that fall under this category, please send them in!!

Also if you haven't already read these stories and you like them, remember to leave kudos and comments!!

1. Open Circle (rated M) by Calyss. Oh god, this fic? I absolutely love it and it's on my To Rerereread List immediiately. It features a Sith!Obi-Wan who will stop at nothing to have Anakin by his side again. I love Anakin's POV in this as well, because he swings so believably from wanting to be with Obi-Wan to feeling guilty because clearly everything Obi-Wan is dong is because of the Dark Side and he should try to save him. A scene that still makes me laugh is the scene where Obi-Wan is massaging Anakin's shoulders and Anakin to himself is like, 'wow the Dark Side is getting very inventive/really taking this seduction thing seriously'. Also I do like what the author does with the Jedi Council and Padmé's character, because the main narrators are Obi-Wan and Anakin here, and both are biased to extreme ends which very, very comes through at different parts of the fic. I would say it's not a kind story to the Jedi, the Republic, or Padmé, but it is a great story for obikin if you like reading them just absolutely obsessed with each other.

2. The World Undone (rated M) by lilyconrad. Also on my Rerereread List and has been for weeks now. I am low-key obsessed with this story. It's a Sith!Obi-Wan (again), who pursues and eventually wins over a Jedi Anakin. There's so much intricate plot weaving and world building here that I don't actually want to say anything else in case you haven't read it? But you should. You. Should. Everything about it just pulled me in, and I love Obi-Wan's genuine love and affection for Anakin in this fic. It's also. Not super kind to the Jedi, but it has Ahsoka in it!!! And I love Ahsoka. So.

3. Burning Down The House (rated M) by goretier. This is only about 13k, but I absolutely love what they have so far. If we're talking Canon AUs, I think I love Senator!Obi-Wan almost as much as Sith!Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan here is much more confident in his sexuality (ok he's a bit of a whore) and Anakin is at turns blushing and lustful.

4. Speak Easy (rated E) by @unpheenix. Okay, I am so excited for this fic that I'm including it now. It's got 2 chapters and you better enjoy the hell out of them because they're absolutely amazing. It's a possessive!Obi-Wan, set in a modern AU but historical modern? They're not aliens, they're bootleggers, basically. Anyway. Please. It's great.

5. Negotiation (rated E) by Glare. I am not going to pretend this fic is for everyone, it's definitely not so please decide for yourself because this is definitely dark stuff. It's a modern AU, where Obi-Wan is a serial killer who is obsessed with Anakin and kidnaps him to a cabin in the woods. There's absolutely no rape/non-con, but there's definitely a lot of stockholm syndrome going on, so I really advise looking at the tags and the summary and maybe even scrolling down a bit to see if that's something you're comfy with!

6. Parrots, Parkour, Pirates, Punk, and Perfect Strangers (rated T) by Ghost_Owl. This is a one-shot that's very light-hearted and cute, which means I loved it! I'm not sure how well it fits the theme of this list, except that Obi-Wan decides Anakin is cute enough to try and impress with some casual parkour. Super cute modern AU!

7. My Anankē (rated E) by @intermundia. OOF. I'm including this here because I think it kind of fits, as Obi-Wan in this is very much interested in keeping Anakin with him (in a healthy way, which is a first for this list maybe?). I absolutely love everything in this story and would wait on more with my dying breath of course, but every chapter is pretty stand-alone. It's a modern!AU, with Obi-Wan as a professor and Anakin as a student--but they wait to get together until the very last moment, which is just torture to the audience (me) to read because the author does so well building up the tension and anticipation.

8. to touch the light, darkest (rated E) by @treescape. This series is so new and absolutely amazing and dirty and great. Highly recommended. Definitely mostly porn. Obi-Wan fucks Vader back to the light. Yeah. Yeah. It's great. I think it falls under this category because Obi-Wan is pretty possessive here, even though he is technically Vader's captive. It's just. Damn!!

[deathbidean]

my destiel fic recs pt.3

no one asked for this but I am determined to force my favourite fics on y’all

And This, Your Living Kiss - opal_bullets : Only a very few people in the world know that the celebrated and reclusive poet Jack Allen is just Kansas mechanic Dean Winchester, a high school dropout with a few bucks to his name. Not that it matters anymore; life has left him so wrung out he never wants to pick up another pen.Until, that is, a string of coincidences leads Dean to auditing a poetry course with one Dr. Castiel Novak. The professor is wildly intelligent, devastatingly handsome...and just so happens to be academia's foremost expert on the poetry of Jack Allen. holy shit. this. THIS. it’s amazing. it’s so beautiful. your heart will break for poor Dean. this is definetly a favourite of mine!!

Andrew Lloyd Webber Gets a Pass - delicious-irony, opal_bullets : In which Castiel's manner is vague and aloof, Dean Winchester doesn't care for a cuddle, and there's no doing anything about it.Or, Dean and Castiel attempt to survive rehearsals for a new production of Cats, and each other. I’M TELLING YOU NOW. IF YOU FAINT FOR ENEMIES TO LOVERS,,, THIS WILL KILL YOU. y’all,, honestly this fic ended me it’s so goddamn good

15x14 coda : it’s a date - contemplativepancakes : “So… How was your date?” “Really, Dean? That’s what you're concerned about? After we all almost died?” Dean waggles his eyebrows. “Well, yeah. Just looking out for my little brother.” The bunker door clangs open, and Sam shoves Dean towards it. “Maybe worry about yourself.”Sam and Eileen had a date, so it's only fair that Dean and Cas do, too, right? so so sweet. just pure tooth-rotting fluff that will make your heart ache

Starstruck - peanutbutterjelly-pie (Aleakim) : From the outside Castiel Novak looks like a regular guy: a good job, two teenage kids, a nice house and a crappy car he’s way too attached to.But there’s one thing no one knows about him: that, over twenty years ago, he used to live next to none other than Dean Winchester – back then a brash and loud-mouthed boy and nowadays a huge movie star and Hollywood’s sweetheart.Castiel never bothered to tell anyone about his childhood friend because frankly, who would believe him? Probably even Dean himself already forgot about his former awkward and weird neighbor, so Castiel seriously doesn’t see any point in mentioning the whole thing ever.But then an interview on national TV happens where Dean reveals way more about his past than ever before … and Castiel - as well as the rest of the world - suddenly realizes that he left a much bigger impact on Dean’s life than he originally thought. y’all,,,,, this is still being updated and when I tell you i’m living for each one,,,,,,,, it’s so goddamn good!!! and sweet!!! and just ughhhhh!!! highly recommend!!

Shot Through The Heart - peanutbutterjelly-pie (Aleakim) : Dean is a hunter. Castiel is a Man of Letters. And even though they have to work together on a regular basis, there is not much sympathy between them. Castiel thinks Dean too brash and reckless while Dean in return sees nothing more in the other man than a rude asshole with an obsessive love for books and a truly terrible fashion sense. But fate clearly has a funny way of throwing those two together over and over again. And somewhere along the way feelings change into something neither of them would have expected.  nah nah, y’all don’t understand,,, this fic is amazing!! again; ENEMIES TO LOVERS!!!! it doesn’t get better than that, am i right?

ours is the fire, all the warmth we can find - xylodemon : Sam brings it up as they're driving back from the steakhouse in Mankato.Dean cuts him a sharp, sideways glance. "You think I should what?""I think you should try journaling.""Why the hell would I wanna do that?" very sad and very beautifully written grieving Dean. just exactly what i needed after the finale and very much patched up the hole in my heart

Be My Boyfriend : Dean and Cas keep having to pretend to be dating to discourage other potential suitors. Things get a little out of hand. i actually read this first on tumblr and loved it so much i had to find it on ao3!! it’s such sweet and silly fluff!!!!

Holiday Homies - tricia_16 : Best friends Dean and Cas are sick and tired of the stress the holidays put on anybody not already in a relationship. The endless plus one invitations to fill for New Year's Eve and Valentine's Day (and this year, Sam and Jess's wedding on top of everything else) never freaking stop. So on Halloween night, Dean and Cas come up with a plan to be each other's plus ones from Thanksgiving to the 4th Of July. They'll fake a relationship, get their parents off of their backs, actually enjoy the holidays for once... and maybe wring a few orgasms out of each other while they’re at it.What could go wrong? you want two dumbasses in love?? you want friends with benefits who are very much in love with each other?? you want to cry in frustration over their idiocy?? this is the fic for you

fifteen flares - microcomets : When Dean finally comes home, the knots in his shoulders aching and his skin still layered in dust, he finds Cas waiting up for him at the kitchen table. Without a word, Cas nudges the vacant chair out with his foot, sliding an unopened beer across the counter in a silent invitation. (post-13.06 coda.) y’all this is so sweet and cute and just wholesome. i absolutely adore confession pre-canon and this is no exceptiion

Wanna Bet? - bendingsignpost : “I bet you... that I can get laid tonight before you can get a single kiss. We pick each other’s targets.”Dean bites his lip in the vain attempt to not burst out laughing. “Uh-huh,” he says. “Sure, Sammy. Someone single and actually attractive, sure.”“Deal?” Sam says. “A kiss on the mouth, no cheating.”Still pushing down a laugh, Dean offers his hand across the table. They shake. “Deal. Okay, who am I going for?”Sam smiles wider than the devil that once possessed him, and answers: “Cas.”  pure Dean dumbassery and intervening Sam AND IT’S SO SO GOOD!! my heart aches

Four Letter Word for Intercourse - bendingsignpost : As a grease monkey turned college freshman, Dean's constantly three seconds away from being stressed out of his mind. It hardly helps that he's finally figuring out his sexuality in his thirties. What might help with that stress is a little phone number (and a big credit card bill). If he can't figure out how to be bisexual in person, he can at least give it a go over the phone, right? (It's probably a bad idea, but he really can't help himself.) okay,,, so,,, this fic may have awakened certain things in me,,,,,,, but GOD DAMN!!!! genuinely,,,, one of the best fics i’ve read; it’s just so goddamn good! i don’t think i can adequately express how much i love this fic!!

and on that note, i shall end your suffering for the time being. but seriously, these fics are genuinely well written, well thought out and executed!! they deserve to be read by everyone who will enjoy them!!

pt.1 , pt.2

[andorerso]

For rebelcaptain.

What’s your favorite au idea that you’ve never seen done? Whats you favorite au that you’ve considered writing? Could be something you’ve written or something you haven’t.

What’s your favorite “extra relationship” (platonic or romantic) in rebelcaptain fics?

Which fic made you laugh the most?

Which scene that you wrote is your favorite and why?

Thanks for all the fascinating and wonderful answers and sorry for asking so many questions. *reminder* You can answer as many or as few as you want too.

oh it's okay, talking about fics and Rebelcaptain are two of my favorite things!

What’s your favorite au idea that you’ve never seen done? there’s so many aus in this fandom, it’d be hard to choose, I feel like my absolute favorites have actually been done. but I’ll give you two AUs I’d love to see anyway: firstly an Outlander AU. I don’t even like Outlander to be perfectly honest, but I love the concept. Jyn travels back in time and meets sexy brooding and long dead (at least in her own time) Cassian. they slowly fall in love while she hunts for a way to go home and the dilemma arises, does she stay or does she go back?

secondly, a Good Behavior AU which I contemplated doing myself a couple of times. if you don’t know the show, I highly recommend it because I think anyone who likes Rebelcaptain would have a blast with it. it’s about a thief/con artist and an assassin, and I mean that’s already canon for Jyn and Cassian right there so it’d be the perfect AU. honestly the actors in the show even look like they could be alternate fancasts for Jyn and Cassian. so I just always wanted to see an AU like that for them.

What’s you favorite au that you’ve considered writing? Could be something you’ve written or something you haven’t. for something I’ve written, definitely the vampire au (and I honestly never expected to write it, it’s been on my mind since 2018) and the not quite supernatural au aka shadow preachers because monster hunters might just actually be my favorite genre ever and I had a blast writing it.

something I haven’t written but considered writing: there’s so many lmao. I have tons of ideas that don’t get done either because I don’t have the time or I don’t have the skills. right now, the king of the underworld Cassian AU is living in my brain rent free but a week later, it might be something else.

What’s your favorite “extra relationship” (platonic or romantic) in rebelcaptain fics? I don’t know if I have a favorite - actually no, I really don’t have a preference, but I do have many that I love. for romantic Chirrut/Baze obviously, and I also really like Bodhi/Luke. for platonic, Cassian & Kay is my ultimate favorite but Jyn & Bodhi is a very close second. I’m also super fond of Cassian & Leia. I feel like fics tend to pair Leia more often with Jyn (which I also love) but my heart just prefers Cassian & Leia, especially if it’s a situation where they don’t already know each other, I love it if it’s paired up like Cassian & Leia and Jyn & Han (aka what I did in the vampire au) lastly, special shutout to Cassian & Draven. such a complex and fascinating dynamic, personally I’m really fond of fics where Draven actually cares about Cassian, even if he doesn’t really show it or know how to show it.

Which fic made you laugh the most? the one where Jyn gets rickrolled but doesn’t realize it and thinks the song is actually good and takes it very seriously? an absolute GEM and it had me clutching my chest laughing. you can read it here if you wanna check it out and YOU SHOULD.

I’m also gonna plug Jordan @moonprincess92 here because I feel like her fics in general are just very funny, like if I’m thinking humor and Rebelcaptain, I always think of her

Which scene that you wrote is your favorite and why? honestly, I don’t really have a favorite, I’ve written so many things, it’d be hard to choose. one scene that came to my mind though is from shadow preachers aka the not quite supernatural au when the doubles who look like Jyn and Cassian make out in front of Jyn and Cassian and Jyn’s like.... yikes, why am I turned on, they’re about to murder us. it was so self-indulgent (the whole fic was) and I’m honestly very happy that I got to do that.

[dai-nana-han-agenda]

HIIIII!! I really realllly love reading your tags on your retweets! It's one of my favorite things to see while scrolling down my TL. I was wondering if you have any of your fave TEAM 7 gen fics you could recommend? 💖💕 preferably no ships and just something that focuses on their dynamic and growing solidarity with each other!

HELLO! thank you so much omfg 💖 i’m so so sorry it took me so long to respond, i had the answer all drafted out and ready to go and then my dumb ass CLOSED THE TAB and i lost everything 😭 i had to rewrite the post which took a while FJDFSJ but it’s here now!! i really hope these are fics you haven’t seen/read before (omfg could you imagine if you’ve read every fic on this list i’d feel so bad 😭) but yeah!! i hope this helps!! 💖

(also side note, your icon is SO cute, i always see it in my notifs but i never got the chance to tell you until now LOLOL)

MULTI-CHAPTER

komorebi by tomorrowsrain ─ okay, i know you said preferably no ships (we’re already off to a rocky start FDJFKSJ) but this is literally my favorite team 7 fic ever, it’s impossible for me not to include it. it’s kakaobi, and team 7 doesn’t come in until ch. 3 of the first part, but i highly HIGHLY recommend it. seriously, this is my absolute favorite characterization of the members of team 7 & their dynamic, the author does such a good job of building their relationship from teammates to family. i will say the first chapter is a little disorienting (it’s in first person POV, which i usually tend to avoid when it comes to fanfiction, but the author does it so well and it does shift straight back to third person POV for the rest of the chapters). the author is currently writing the chuunin exams arc and it’s literally everything i wanted. 

tides by edenfalling ─ omg, this was one of the first team 7 fics i ever read waaay back on ff.net when i was like, 12 years old. unlike most of the fics on this list, this is set in shippuden, but it’s very much AU/canon-divergent. good character dynamics with team 7 learning how to work together again<3

how to make a team by Pleasedial123 ─ basically, kakashi gets his head out of his ass and actually invests time into strengthening the bonds between the members of team 7. don’t get me wrong, i absolutely LOVE canon!kakashi & i know he did his best (he was traumatized + not ready to be a teacher, i get it)... plus, if he was a good teacher in canon, there literally wouldn’t have been a plot. basically this is me saying fuck kishimoto because LOOK at what we could’ve had!! 

and so, the sensei supports his students by ihopethelightwillshineupon ─ this is really more kakashi-centric and it focuses more on his relationship with each of his students than on the dynamic between naruto, sasuke, and sakura (but kakashi is technically part of team 7 so it still counts!!)

ONE-SHOTS

for warmth by magnificentbirb ─ a scene i wish we would’ve gotten in canon.... like you’re telling me there are literally HOURS of filler episodes and we couldn’t get ONE soft, genin team 7 moment?? kishimoto & studio pierrot, you’ll be hearing from my lawyers. 

believing in heroes by guycecil ─ another moment i wish we got in canon because like... can we talk about how, in their genin days, these kids are 12 years old. are you fucking kidding me. also, now that i’m skimming over the fic, this may be more sakura-centric than team 7 centric, but i’d still highly recommend!

the pretty one by theformerone ─ it’s tagged as ot3, but i promise there are no ships! like maaaybe if you squint? but i honestly read it as platonic. one of my favorite fics ever tbh. answers the question that i’ve been thinking about since the manga was released all those years ago: what could have happened if kakashi was too late?

take the fight from the kid by theformerone ─ someone tell me why these 12 year old kids aren’t allowed to process anything on screen.... like, right after the wave arc, everything just went back to normal. like okay, yes, naruto had that moment to grieve for zabuza + haku, but i really just wanted to see a shift in the team 7 dynamics and we never really got it. so take this beautifully written fic instead!! god bless fanfiction. 

pray my name by Chancy_Lurking ─ ok so this is a fic that i found today and i’m OBSESSED. i do want to warn you, since you asked for no ships: it’s not tagged as ot3, but it could be if you squint. or, you could argue that team 7 is just very affectionate/very codependent. either way, right after i finished reading it, all i wanted to do was curl up in my bed and cry (but like, in a good way). 

just killing time by edenfalling ─ a very short but cute little one-shot that i also just found today! same author as tides, so if you read that first and you like their work, you should check this one out! (or vice versa)

did you inherit a sickness? did you blame god? by hotgirl ─ i literally recommend this fic to anyone and everyone because like?? it doesn’t exactly match what you’re looking for but it does have team 7 moments (heads up: it’s implied sns). this is honestly one of the best sasuke characterizations i’ve ever read. 10/10 would recommend.

of bruised brains and dog baths by sweetpotatopie ─ okay so these last three fics might not be exactly what you’re looking for but i’m adding them if/when you’re in the mood for cute, feel-good team 7 one-shots. this one is just a happy, post-canon piece where they actually get along<3

another day in paradise by ohthelinsanity ─ modern au where sakura and naruto bully sasuke, sakura and sasuke bully naruto, and kakashi is weird as shit. the friendship between naruto/sasuke/sakura that i wish i got in canon. hints of past itasaku and implied inosaku, but it’s very much a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment.

gotta see! finally know! kakashi-sensei’s true face! by Lolistar92 ─ my FAVORITE face reveal fic EVER. episode 101 from naruto is the only filler that deserves rights (and maybe the curry arc because i love team gai, the ramen episode, and all the episodes with konoha 11. but mostly ep 101.)

[wtfevenismypage]

Velvet

request: Hey, can I request a fic where the team are on a night out for readers birthday, at a club where they get drunk and high? Spencer declares his love for reader, after a chat with Morgan, Rossi & Hotch outside whilst the girls are all dancing. Everyone knows his feelings for Y/N, but she keeps her feelings hidden until Spencer says something. They end up spending the night at Spencer's apartment, and go to work the next day in the same clothes they wore the day before. (idc if it's smutty or not)

Warnings: cursing

A/N: This request was very similar to another request I’ve received, so I decided to make this the “part 2″ of Maroon! Also I am 100% going to start writing for haikyuu, if you haven’t watched it, I highly recommend it! It’s a volleyball anime that’s pretty easy going but still very intense, Go watch it!

Read part one, Maroon, Here

Spencer had woken up at six a.m, Confused and slightly hungover, but all in all, he remembered last night to a T. 

How Emily pressured him into telling you, clinging to the lower half of your body and told you about his love, and then how he proceeded to kiss you. 

And you kissed back. Oh god you kissed him back. You brought him back to his apartment and helped him to bed.

He heard a quiet snore from his left side, turning to see you laying there in peace. A small chuckle escaped his lips as he continued to stare at you in disbelief.

“Hey Spencer?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you too.”

The words played in his mind repeatedly as the minutes went by, and eventually, you began to slowly wake up as well. 

Your entire face scrunching up in slight discomfort as you woke up. When you remember where you are though, you shoot up like a bullet, looking around frantically before your eyes land on a shirtless, laid back Spencer with one hand behind his head and the other resting on your bare clad thigh.

“Shit, I forgot we went home together.”

You chuckle a bit before plopping back down, laying your head against his chest and letting your fingers trace little patterns on his tummy. It was shockingly warm considering it was the middle of the night. 

“Do you remember last night?”

“Of course I do Spence, I only had a cup of wine once we got here.”

Your mind spiraled, what if he didn’t mean what he said? Did he regret kissing you? Did he regret taking you home?

“You meant it then right? When you said you love me? Because I meant it.”

A smile easily glides its way onto your face, burying your face in his chest as he raises the hand resting on your thigh to rub circles on your velvet clothed back.

“I did in fact mean it. I meant every word. I love you so much Spencer Reid.”

He smiles wide,  Hugging you tightly with joy, the words he’s always wanted to hear finally flow out of your lips like a stream of water cutting through the earth so smoothly.

“Really?” With your nod of assurance, he giggles like a little schoolboy and peppers you with kisses across your face, finally landing on your lips with pure passion.

They weren’t quite soft, but they weren’t too chapped either. Just kind of dry from just now waking up.

“Hmmmm, I could stay like this all day.”

You say, a slight morning rasp in your voice as your’s and Spencer’s phones suddenly ring.

“Ugh. Way to ruin the mood.”

He says, grabbing his phone and pulling it to his ear as you do the same, Talking to Hotch and Emily.

“A case!? In twenty minutes!? Seriously can kidnappers just take a collective off day?”

You complain after hanging up, Standing slowly and straightening out the velvet red dress which rode up during the night, revealing your lace panties and strapless lace bra.

“Well you look good.”

“Yeah, and I will continue to look this good until we get on the jet, because I have no time to go change! Ugh.”

He laughs, standing up aswell, his suit coat thrown on the floor. 

“Well, you won’t be alone at least.”

“How much you wanna bet Morgan teases us the second he sees us?”

“Oh you bet he will.”

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Which is how you and Spencer walked down the runway of the plane for Penelope to take photos. because according to her you were “a power couple who needed a private jet runway photo-shoot”.

Meanwhile Morgan and Emily couldn’t stop laughing at the situation. 

“Kid! You did it! You finally got a girl!”

“I’ve had a girl before.”

“Yeah but you haven’t had a woman.”

Emily corrected the two boys, nudging your side while laughing. Hotch and Rossi only watched with JJ as the others swarmed the two of you.

“You know, If they were criminals instead of agents, I doubt anyone would ever catch them.”

“Yeah let’s try and keep them as agents. M’kay Rossi?” 

“Yeah okay.”

PERMANENT TAGLIST(OPEN) @pinkdiamond1016 @spencer-reids-snow-white @sheepfather @eusuntgroot @libradolan @dr-reid-ismyspiritanimal @zhangyixingxing1 @secretpickleprofessordean @aquarius-pisces-rose @hopebaker @law-nerd105 @roses-and-grasses @damonwhitlock