Chapter Text
The past clings to skin like brands on a cow’s back from a hot iron.
Dennis’ past was just the same. In his curly hair, the way he never quite learned correct grammar due to spelling way too late in childhood, or in the way his face always looked sad. He was born sad, he supposes.
But getting into college, transferring to PTMC, and making something out of his life was set to change the past. As much as one can.
In his tiny town of Broken Bow, Nebraska there was no point in trying to keep the past in the past. Everyone already knew what a fucked up start to life he had. There were whispers, teachers asking to switch him out of their class, and jokes. Awful, relentless jokes.
Sometimes they were about him being feral, and other times it was just about him being downright unhinged.
Dennis tried to not believe them… but then again, he was always the one to volunteer to help clean up the rabbit his dad caught or put an animal out of its misery. He was never scared of the things typical people were.
His older brothers tried their best. They stuck up for him, punched a kid or two who made a joke. Until Dennis learned it was easier not to tell anyone what was going on. That it was easier to just push through.
The morning before his first shift in the Pitt, he vowed not to let anyone know his history. All they would know was that he was from Broken Bow, and he came from a farming family. All true… just not the whole truth.
A year and a half later, Dennis was able to stick to the rigid truth he had made. No one knew. Not even Trinity. Sure, she was his best friend, but that would all change if she learned the truth. That he was feral and unhinged. That Dennis had been born some proposed God. What a bunch of bullshit. It would send anyone running for the hills.
Dennis’ past was his and his alone. And it would stay that way.