Dennis Gen Rec List

These are my favorite Dennis gen fics I’ve ever read. Criteria for this list was that most of the fic focused on Dennis rather than Dennis + his friendships/relationships with other members of the gang in great detail.

basura by whatsupbitches (Larkin): Really great series of vignettes about the influence various women had on Dennis’s life when he was young. The characterization of Barbara and her relationship with Dennis in this fic feels very original and true – a striking feat, considering it was written in 2017. By the end of this fic, his hinted-at relationship with Ms.Klinsky seems like a foregone conclusion.

Dennis Reynolds, Sex God by Megalomaniacal: Dennis jerks off while looking in the mirror and contemplates how awesome he is in comparison to everyone else. It’s kind-of crack but also kind-of serious and it’s super hot.

Mommie Dearest by DollBones: Great series of vignettes about Dennis’s relationship with his mother when he was young. The Dennis and Dee relationship here is great, and I love DollBones’ portrayal of Dennis’ addiction to cocaine.

The Librarian Chapter by DollBones: As far as I can tell, this was the first interpretation of Dennis’ relationship with Ms. Klinsky. I love the characterization of young!Dennis in this fic, and how his narcissism plays into his victimization. I also love that DollBones doesn’t shy away from the fact that Dennis himself is a rapist, and probably has been since he was young.

It’s Your Job to Prove It by lazarov: My absolute favorite fic where Dennis is in college, bar none. It centers around the concept that he had an eating disorder in college, but it’s so much more than that. Dennis’s quest for perfection has him teetering on the edge of insanity and failure – yet from his perspective, he’s so close to achieving what he wants. This fic explores his misogyny, his narcissism, and his violence all through the lens of the dangerous control he exacts over his own body.

the first year of your life by singingtomysoul: This is a character study written just after season 12 aired, and it’s fantastic. It narrates Dennis’s journey in the second person from his breakdown in season 10 to his attempted redemption at the end of season 12. More complete and emotional than the actual arc on the show.

Dennis Day by singingtomysoul: This fic expands on the concept that Dennis spent his day making his friends tie knots. It’s an interesting look into what Dennis truly wants through the lens of exploring what he would want to do with his friends on a day devoted to him.

building nothing, laying bricks by singingtomysoul: This character study revolves around Dennis’s obsession with ratings. It takes the concept from The Gang Group Dates and expands it to his entire life. It flows so naturally, to the point that by the time he’s breaking up his video tapes, it feels like an inevitable conclusion

i didn’t write the book on fun by golden_goose: An exploration of the messed up stuff Dennis might get off to. Pretty dark, but really good. Considering the multiple references to Ted Bundy on the show, I appreciate the chapter that has him enjoying serial killer documentaries a little too much..

everybody loves a winner by haemophilus: I am probably a bit biased as this one is mine. So, rather than reviewing it myself, I will quote one of its comments to see if the fic piques your interest. “This is great, it's like a lifetime of bad trips. Dennis keeps trying to cover up the bad memories but somehow those are the most poignant. So much anger and confusion and denial and loneliness... It's also super rad to read Dennis' side of things in this series. Awesome work. (Also great banana tag)” – woollen_pharaohs

Misdiagnosis by ceralynn: I believe this is one of the earliest reaction fics to Dennis’ diagnosis with BPD. Short and poignant – I always love fics that focus on his denial.

really, truly making dennis reynolds a murderer by dirtgrubby: Dennis as a serial killer is such a vital element of the show, and yet it’s rarely taken to its logical conclusion in fic. I like that this author wasn’t afraid to go there.

find a place (where there’s room to grow) by iasipspec: Dennis going home from North Dakota is a cliché by now, but that doesn’t mean it has to be uninteresting. I like that the author sets up Dennis’ return as he is unhappy with his life rather than that he’s yearning for Mac. The call he places at the end of the fic is ambiguous rather than romantic, which is neat.

cheaply put together like a slasher film by orphan_account: Another “Dennis is a murderer” fic. What can I say? I’m a simple woman with simple needs.

The Letters by FightMilk: There aren’t many fics that deal with Dennis burning Mac’s letters, and this is the only one that makes it the main focus. This fic has a lot of emotions in very little space.

Den Bortkomne Sauen by orphan_account: This fic was jossed by season 13, but I still like it as a mood piece. This fic explores Dennis’ mental state by imagining what he did between the time he got off the plane in North Dakota in season ten to when he got back on the plane to fly home to Philadelphia.

Prelude to Disaster by DollBones: A very simple fic about Dennis prepping to get ready for a party. DollBones is great at writing teen!Dennis’ narcissism.

I’ve Become So Numb by orphan_account: This fic is a Dennis/Patrick Bateman fanfic supposedly from Dennis’ perspective. It’s so weird but it’s worth a read.