#and yes it's ultimately his greed he's sating

[emmcarstairs]

I keep thinking about that moment in the final scene of Nosferatu when Orlok stops drinking from Ellen and looks up at the light. In a last effort to distract him, she asks for more. And he obliges her. HE obliges HER in the face of his death coming in through the window.

[bigskydreaming]

About all the stuff you were talking about, do you know any fics that handle those things well? It is exhausting trying to go through the Dick Grayson tag to try and find ones that handle even one of those remotely well so any you can tell me would be wonderful.

I use my Bookmarks page as a go-to for people looking for that sorta thing. I haven’t added to it in awhlie which is like, a useful reminder for myself to rectify that.

I’m not sure off the top of my head what fics on there address these particular areas of canon or fanon issues, but they’re in there, and I don’t bookmark anything I wouldn’t reread since that’s....the only reason I bookmark stuff lol. Aka nothing that contains elements or fanon tropes/issues that would’ve pulled me out of the read on the first go-through.

Specific authors who I consistently like for their takes on all of that, hmmm....off the top of my head, @dustorange only deals in Quality Stuff and her Hierarchy of Needs for Dick’s characterization has similar enough rankings to my own personal one, that I’m always like, yes, this hit all the beats I was hoping for from this summary, I am full, I could not eat another bite. But maybe a dessert course later. I guess. If you insist.

In terms of specific takes and tropes I’ve been talking about tonight, @themessofthecentury has a fic that delves into all the Spyral aftermath in a really satisfying way. Y’ever been like, ugh can someone please write a lengthy beast of a multi-chapter that takes all of that and says ‘Lo, there is Gold in these hills” and has a range of POVs but that all consistently prioritize and center Dick in the areas and matters he should be the one prioritized? That’s the one, that’s Fault Lines, its a WIP but its alive and kicking and very much what you’re looking for to read something actually catharctic after the way all of that was handled in canon and most related fics.

Umm, lessee.... @hood-ex is all about Top Notch Tropes, especially for great scenes where Dick’s with a wide range of characters, and its like, casual slice-of-life stuff, but delivered in a way that Just Says No to fanon and even when writing Dick as light-hearted and having a good day, its like...actually in character for him and he’s not Dick Grayson, The Balloon Animal That Walks Like A Man (but is actually 70% sugary cereal). You gotta follow her on tumblr though to get all the fics, cuz she’s like me in that she writes a lot of done-in-one scenes that never get moved over to Ao3 because eh, we’ll do it tomorrow but also we’ll forget about it by tonight so no actually we won’t. And thus there’s a lot of hidden gems to be found there.

@ckbookish writes a lot of stuff set in the early Nightwing days when Jason was Robin, and from what I’ve read there’s a lot of focus on Dick and Jason bonding and also exploration of Dick’s thoughts and reactions to Bruce’s “Bruce NO” behavior of that era that’s very much in character and IMO hits all the right notes in the complicated arrangement of allowing Dick his Feels there and placing the appropriate blame where appropriate but without demonizing Bruce and over-embellishing the more than enough to work with fuck-ups canon helpfully provided for that era. 

In fact, in general I’m inclined to say the author sticks as closely to canon as possible while just....making it better by just adding the little ingredient that is ‘Actual Exploration of Dick’s Feelings and Choices As Viewed Through Empathy-Colored Glasses By Someone Who I Feel Actually HAS Met or Been A Teenager At Some Point in Their Life and Thus Is Aware They’re Not Actually Unreasonable Wild Animals Whose Behavior Even When Rational Is Actually Irrational Cuz Hormones Yeah I Know I Was Surprised Too’. So I’d say their work consistenly delivers the story and emotional beats I look for from Bruce, Dick and Jason in that era, actually humanizing all three of them without going overboard with adding flaws all willy-nilly just cuz.

The only reason its not on my bookmarks page is cuz unfortunately, the sticking close to canon means Dick joining the Bludhaven police force to try and clean it up from the inside, and like.....not a criticism or condemnation of the execution of that premise at all, like, Dick’s clear in his reasons and from what I read goes about it in a way that actually fits if Dick had criticisms of the institution as a whole and an earnest belief he can effect change to it from the inside, its just like, purely as a personal subjectivity thing, Dick Grayson and Being a Cop is like my ultimate NOTP, I see it and I reflexively hiss like a vampire who forgot the sun was a thing. Its just not for me in any execution, but if that’s not true for you then its got everything else I’d look for in fic and thus while I can’t vouch for his characterization or the dynamics in later stories, like, I’m pretty sure you’d still be in Primo Characterization territory. 

There’s stuff on my bookmarks page from an author named discowing(amelia from a fairytale) - something like that. I can’t recall their tumblr off the top of my head but I know she says it somewhere in some of her author’s notes. Anyway, her stuff runs the gamut but consistently delivers on moments I really wish we could see in canon, so def worth a read. And I know her views on the Spyral aftermath and what’s needed for actual catharsis there are right in my wheelhouse, just in general, so if that’s the barometer you’re going by, then like.....idk whatever a barometer says or does when it gets the readings its supposed to, look its late, that’s the metaphor I’m going with, just pretend it was solid.

Those are just some of the authors where I’m familiar with more than one of their works off the top of my head and tend to like their focus and narrative/character choices across the board. I don’t know the full extent of work of every author linked on my Bookmarks page, like a lot of people write a lot of fic in a lot of fandom and I see a long list of fandoms and fics all organized by date posted so its more like one DC fic per page, and my ADHD self is like hahaha what if it was naptime tho zzzz.

But yeah, that’s not nearly enough to sate my greed and want for Good Dick Grayson Takes but it should get you started. There’s some good stuff out there, that’s never been in question, its just that like you said, it can be exhausting trying to wade through fics that you can’t tell at a glance if they’d be to your liking or not because the tags are all complimentary of Dick but two chapters in you’re like wait is this the other kids’ brother or is this their nanny, I feel like I’m reading about what if Fran Drescher wore tights and fought crime with flippity-flips. Which I mean, that’s a Premise right there, alright, its just not remotely the premise I look for out of fic where I have the weird expectation that Dick should be treated and regarded more like equal family to his siblings than like, okay what if he was actually just an au pair that was mostly hired to be eye candy.

[warpoetrydivinity]

Which Daedric Prince do you think is the least awful?

Well, that certainly depends on the context. By their very nature, they are all awful in their own rights. Azura? Enslaves her followers. Traps them in a null sense of peace and tranquility. She disguises her shackles with love. Much like a heavily over-controlling parent. She masks her true intentions with the idea that “she knows best”. The moment you try to defy her though, just like those parents, she will strike you. Boethiah? Only cares for bloodshed and battle. She will lie, she will cheat, and she will manipulate both her followers and those who are against her in order to cause as much chaos as possible. Boethiah would, quite literally, kick a man while he is down to “test his mettle”. Clavicus Vile? Is nothing more than a nuisance, and that is on purpose. His eternal struggle is one of boredom. He views the world as a stage and he will pluck and prod the actors as much as he wishes. Not to mention his other half, his companion Barbas, who often causes even more trouble. Hermaeus Mora? Perhaps he could be viewed as one of the “least awful” simply because he doesn’t involve himself often. He spends his time hunting knowledge, striving for the unobtainable, but never quite comprehending it. He takes the time to hoard information, to hoard knowledge both forbidden and not, but does not take the time to fully comprehend it. Knowledge is power, but he’ll never obtain that power for his lack of true knowledge. Hircine? Could be another one viewed as the “least awful” for similar reasons. Hircine does not go out of his way to be worshiped, nor does he seem to truly wish to be. He finds his thrill in the hunt, however, only when it is fair. I would go as far to say that Hircine has some sense of honor. Jyggalag? Though not currently his own prince, he will return eventually. Or perhaps he already has, and is simply floating out in the infinite beyond? No one can truly say. I would say that Jyggalag has the potential to be one of the worst, in the sense that he’s extremely radical in his beliefs. Wisdom and Order, at any costs. He would deny the very nature of mortality by forcing all to follow a totally predetermined plan. Suck the very life out of all around him until everything was gray. Malacath? Is certainly not the brightest of his brothers, but I would give him this, he certainly cares about those who follow him. His very nature is that of being an almost fatherly figure to those who have been beaten down and broken. Though his focus on battle, his thirst for bloodshed, certainly disqualifies him from being one of the least awful. Mehrunes Dagon? He is a being of chaos, even more so than many of the other Princes. He brings about destruction, disaster, and death in his wake. Though, he also brings about change. It is his field in which revolution, both good and bad, come forth. He appreciates the ambitious, and could very well represent the turbulent energy below our feet. Mephala, my Anticipation? She is quite similar to Vile in the sense that her only goal is her own amusement. They will spend countless centuries spinning a web, trying to cause the most “interesting” outcome. Patience is a natural part of her own sphere, and she would wait an eternity if it meant seeing things play out as she wishes. Though they often do not. Though talented, yes, she views all mortals as puppets on strings. And once she is bored of you? She will toss you aside. Meridia? Well to put it simply, she is similar to Jyggalag in the sense that she is incredibly radical in her own beliefs. There is also a similarity to be drawn between her and Mora, that being an incredible sense of greed. She is insatiable her quest for “light”. Out of all of the princes, she is one of the ones which demand worship the most. She is practically starved for praise, and will burn anyone who says anything negative about herself. Then one can draw a comparison to Azura. She views mortals as ends to a means, as pawns which she can use. Meridia may lie, she may say that she cares for you, and that she is a light in the darkness. But a light that burns bright enough to blind you will only cause you to see eternal darkness. Is Molag Bal even worth speaking about in this context? He carries all of the negative traits of his brothers and sisters. Cunning in his schemes, patient to wait for them to come to fruition, greedy in his quest for power and dominance, cruel in his thirst for bloodshed, and completely uncaring for his followers. Though perhaps his worst trait is his own pride, which is always his own downfall. Whether it is at my own hands, or that of the many mortals that have and will defeat him for eras to come. Namira is gross. That is her very nature. She does not WANT to be viewed as anything other than awful. She revels in her own repulsion, and the deeds which would cause people to pluck out their own eyeballs in order to not see them again. She is quite like Azura and Meridia in the sense that she only cares for the worship of her mortals. She sees her worshipers more as toys than anything else. Namira simply wants to see how far she can bend a person until they break. How long they can hold onto themselves before they simply become a part of her. Nocturnal? Well, to put it simply, she is a bitch. Just as prideful as Molag Bal, while also viewing herself as superior to the others as Meridia. She believes herself to be “unfathomable” and gives herself her own titles as she sees fit. She pushes those that follow her to be as selfish as she is. To seek their own power and ambitions, at any cost. While also chastising them when they defy her, despite her own teachings of treachery. Nocturnal’s very nature of being “shadowy” and “deceiving” is often what causes her to be so predictable in the first place. Peryite, one of the most forgotten princes, revels in the suffering of others. He views illnesses, blights, diseases as being gifts which he blesses the mortal plane with. All he cares for is systematic destruction, a controlled pandemic, something which he can sit back and watch the numbers rise for. He is methodical, and will often try to stay a step ahead of those he is against. Many underestimate this dragon, but I believe that is simply part of his own plans. Sanguine, I’ve found, is often viewed as one of the “better” Daedra by those of you on the web. And indeed, there are mortals in our realm as well who simply view him as a “party god”. That is by his own design. He represents that feeling of excitement as you first take a sip of alcohol. One? It can not hurt. Two? What could go wrong? Three? Four? Then it goes on, and on, until it spirals out of control. THAT is what Sanguine is. The destruction of one’s self, by your own hands. He pushes mortals down an ever darkening path, until they can no longer recognize themselves. That is the nature of the prince of debauchery. We’re nearing the end now, are we not? Sheogorath..Is a Prince in which I’ve had many dealings with over the years. The Mad God, the Patron of Art, the Gentleman with a Cane, the Tester of the Mind. He is many things, and yet, he is all simply Sheogorath. Of all the princes, he is the only one which is truly unpredictable. In some ways, he is similar to Sanguine, in that he’d rather allow someone to destroy themselves than to do it himself. Just like the others, his main goal is often to sate his own eternal boredom. The difference is just that he is far more creative in his means to do so. One day? He might save a little kitten so he might watch it grow. The next day? He might rip out its entrails to jump rope with. Sheogorath simply DOES. Planning is something he leaves to others, though sometimes, for the sake of being unpredictable, he might plan himself. That is ultimately how I view Sheogorath. Not good, or evil. Not nice, or awful. He is simply unpredictable, the truest being of chaos there is. Of all of the Princes, Sheogorath might just be the one with the most potential. Lastly, we reach Vaermina. She simply hungers for destruction, and will often give people flashes of future disasters, only for them to cause those disasters sooner. She views mortals as being in which she can torture eternally, whether they are awake or sleeping, she claims them either way. She will take your worst fears, and make you face them over and over until you are no longer afraid of them. Then? She will simply find something new for you to fear. Until the only thing you fear is yourself, and you take your own life. Only for you to wake again. Vaermina is a Prince of eternal torture. Nothing more, nothing less. There is no “least” awful Daedric Prince. They’re all awful in their own ways. Hermaeus Mora and Hircine might be the least destructive of them, but even then that is a stretch. The Daedric Princes are by their own nature, destructive. Wherever they might go they bring about some kind of change. Sometimes positive, sometimes negative. Regardless of who they might be. Comparing their individual actions is fruitless, as they are constantly at work in the background. Likely with an infinite number of unattributed events being caused by themselves. That is my final stance on the matter.