PapySanzo

Dennis's family has always made him feel like he wasn't good enough.

His relationship with Robby is helping him change his mind.

The deep snow, the cold that seeps into your bones despite layer upon layer of clothes, the nose that never stops running, and the inevitable colds.

But, to be perfectly honest, Dennis has always been a little envious of his classmates.

It snowed every year in Broken Bow; it has always snowed there, and it probably always will. Centimeters upon centimeters of snow piled up on top of each other until they formed nearly impassable walls.

Perfect for making snow angels, building snowmen, and having snowball fights- and then retreating to the warmth of home with a cup of hot chocolate in hand.

Not so perfect if you were part of the Whitaker family and, after school, had to help out on the farm -there was no time to waste playing with your friends.

And then you’d feel the weight of the snow that just wouldn’t stop falling. You’d feel your ankles sink into drifts of snow so deep that you’d find yourself knee-deep in it. And it didn’t matter what clothes you wore, what boots you put on, or what gloves you wore. There would always be parts of your body you wouldn’t feel until after dinner, chills that no hot bath could ever take away, and in the morning you had to shovel the snow from the driveway before going to school to make his father’s job easier, since he was now struggling with that kind of work.

For Dennis, snow was never fun. The cold was never something to savor before he could get back to the warmth in front of the fireplace. He much preferred summer. Sure, it was hot, but he could walk around in shorts, take shelter in the shade of the big trees, and drink an icy soda because his mom made lemonade in the summer.

There were never any Christmas holidays – the farm didn’t run itself – or Christmas markets to visit or carnival rides, at least not for them.

They could consider themselves lucky if their father didn’t make them work when they had a fever (but they never skipped school!), but he, like all his brothers, didn’t look forward to winter, and for years it was one of Dennis’s least favorite times of year.

Not anymore, though.

In Pittsburgh, too, the snow is falling heavily and the air is cold, and in Pittsburgh, too, Dennis’s fingers and toes freeze even though he no longer has to work for hours on end in the fields.

But now, when his hands and feet are frozen, Michael hands him a cup of hot chocolate as they curl up on the couch, and massages his feet, telling him that it feels like he’s caressing an ice pop rather than a body where blood should be flowing.

Now he spends his winters in bed in his boyfriend’s arms, tucking his icy feet between his calves, and Michael mumbles something in annoyance but never pushes him away, sighing and stroking his back in concentric circles, trying to warm him up even more.

Now he has fleece pajamas (even though Michael still sleeps in a T-shirt and boxers -but that man is a living furnace, so Dennis isn’t surprised by anything anymore) with horrible patterns printed on them, but he loves them with all his heart because Michael gave them to him and because he’s never felt such a soothing warmth during a winter.

Now Michael comes over with layer upon layer of blankets when they’re on the couch together and buries him under them, then pulls him close with one arm and lets him rest his head on his shoulder while they watch a movie (where Dennis falls asleep 9 times out of 10 shortly after it starts because he feels safe and cuddled)

Now he goes ice skating (and when Michael found out that Dennis had never worn a pair of skates in his life, he got him dressed and they went straight to a store to buy both rollerblades and ice skates. This seemed excessive to Dennis because he had no idea if he’d ever use them, but Michael wouldn’t hear any excuses) and snowball fights with friends after his shift at the hospital.

my mom is in fact aware that dandelions exist. she temporarily forgot the name and there was some miscommunication.

the truth is actually weirder

she’s aware dandelions look like this

she is familiar with this flower. she knows the name of this flower. she declines to believe, however, that these are also dandelions

she does not believe these are the same plant. I tried to explain, and she thought I was either misinformed or lying. so I asked her what exactly did she think the yellow ones were called?

gosh I enjoy this website

Merlin actually watched Mordred trying to escape with Kara but, somehow, doesn't get that the kid has deeply feeling for the girl. How would anyone react on seeing a loved one being executed without even a second chance???

Dennis is loud in bed -too loud, according to his previous partners. He doesn’t have much experience (a few BJ in bathrooms and things like that), but for what little experience he has, he’s aware that he’s too loud because his flings haven’t failed to point it out to him. And Dennis has always been dumped before things went all the way for this very reason. “You’re cute, I really like you, but your voice... is annoying, sorry” So when things with Robby get serious, Dennis tries to hold back -he bites his lip, shoves his fist in his mouth and bites down hard, anything to keep from making too much noise.

But it’s getting harder and harder, and Robby makes him feel so good…

So the first night they go all the way, Dennis is on the verge of tears because it’s all so beautiful, he feels so good, and he can’t hold back -but he tries, and the more he tries, the more it gets into his head, until at a certain point Robby stops and asks him what’s wrong.

And Dennis collapses, because he’s so tired.

When he finishes explaining, Robby doesn’t say a word. He lifts him off the mattress, presses his back against his chest, and starts fucking him harder.

Dennis, at that point, screams.

We are thrilled to unveil the creators who are lending their talents to the anthology. 📜

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In a world where Omegas are forced to marry and have children by the age of 25 (obviously for their own safety, of course, to prevent some crazy Alpha from harming them, to let them work freely without Alphas bothering them, etc.), or the government will choose an Alpha for you (usually an older one, possibly a widower or someone with issues like anger management, etc., because all the good matches have already been taken), Dennis hasn’t been able to find anyone and now finds himself in a courtroom, waiting to be assigned to some random Alpha.

The judge was magnanimous; seeing that Dennis had studied medicine, he assigned him an Alpha doctor so he could also be looked after at work.

Michael Robinavitch isn’t the Alpha Dennis had expected.

Not only is he an absolutely handsome and charming man, but he also seems incredibly kind?

But Robby hates this situation. He hates that a handsome, cheerful kid like Dennis has to be tied to a lone wolf like him -to someone who’s depressed, tired, and on the brink of the abyss.

On the other hand, Dennis doesn’t know how to interpret Robby’s behavior. It’s clear that Robby cares, but he keeps his distance -one day he strokes his cheek and looks at him with eyes full of something, and the next day he avoids him like the plague.

Then there’s the issue of sex. Because the law also requires them to have offspring (unless they have some kind of illness), and Dennis can’t get the way Robby touches him when they’re together out of his head, the stolen kisses in the dark, and Robby’s scent as he comes inside Dennis.

But then came the complete estrangement. The coldness. And Dennis really doesn't know what to think.

Dennis is at least happy that things are going well at work, that he's made new friends, and also that Robby is his boss because he's a wonderful boss. And Dennis is head over heels in love.

And, it seems, pregnant.

Dennis isn’t quite sure how to handle it all. He’s happy. He’s absolutely happy. And Robby is wonderful. He makes sure Dennis has everything he needs, helps him, and comforts him when Dennis feels down and his hormones start to kick in; he never loses his patience, and whenever possible, he stays by his side.

They’ve even started sleeping in the same bed -Robby’s too anxious to leave Dennis alone in case he needs something- but Dennis’s happiness is overshadowed by sadness every time he remembers why Robby is doing this.

Not out of love, but out of obligation. And sometimes Dennis just can’t take it anymore; sometimes Dennis feels incredibly lonely and sad.

It’s on one of those days -with his due date just under two months away- that Robby goes to work and stays longer than usual (Dennis hasn’t worked since he found out he was pregnant; working in the ER is too stressful for his condition), and Dennis finds himself spending 15 hours of his day alone, at home, with his hormones running wild and tears coming easily, as he spirals into thoughts of Robby doesn’t want me.

And when Robby gets home, he can already tell that something’s wrong.

Dennis isn’t on the couch watching TV and complaining about his back; he isn’t eating ice cream straight from the tub on the kitchen table; he isn’t belting out a song that Michael doesn’t know a single word of.

The house is silent, but an aura of despair hangs in the air, and Robby runs up the stairs and opens the bedroom door.

Dennis is lying in bed, his back to the door, and he’s shaking uncontrollably.

Robby kneels down in front of him, his heart in his throat, and asks what’s wrong. Dennis looks at him with teary eyes and shakes his head, saying it’s nothing, that there’s no reason to worry, but Robby insists.

And Dennis tells a half-truth.

“I was feeling lonely,” he says, and then -because he just can’t hold it back- “I missed you.”

Robby climbs onto the bed and pulls Dennis close, murmuring nonsense as he strokes his hair and kisses his temples.

And Robby makes a decision, too- there’s no way he’s going to leave Dennis alone for all those hours, not when he’s in such a state.

He pulls out his phone and calls the hospital to tell them he’s taking a vacation, effective immediately.

Dennis’s eyes widen as he looks up at him, shaking his head, but Robby kisses his forehead and wipes a tear from his cheek with his thumb while listening to the person on the other end of the line respond, until something makes his face contort- Dennis has never seen him this angry.

“I don’t care, I will not leave my mate alone, find a way,” and with that, he hangs up and tosses the phone somewhere behind him.

Dennis looks at him, his eyes wide.

“Your mate?”

And Robby has never called him “mate.” He’s never called him anything other than Dennis. And mate is a big word. It’s more than “my omega,” and Dennis looks at him with hopeful eyes, and Robby has just realized what he said.

And Robby wishes he could take it back. He’d like to give Dennis a better life than this, but Dennis grabs his shirt with both hands and repeats, “Your mate?” and he looks so hopeful that Robby’s heart is in his throat.

“Only if you want to.”

Never.

Not even when his brothers teased him, shoved him, or punched him.

Not even when they called him the f-word for years afterward, after he came out to his family, and his mother cried and his father didn’t speak to him for months.

Dennis has put up with a lot from his family. It took him some time to realize this, to see that these things weren’t right, but in the end he came to terms with it, accepted it, and although he hasn’t forgiven them, he has continued to maintain a civil relationship with his family.

He told his family that he would be spending Christmas with his boyfriend and wouldn’t be returning to Broken Bow. His family -his mother- insisted on at least coming to visit him, to see where he works, the house he’s living in, and how things were going.

Dennis didn’t even ask himself why they wanted to know after almost two years -he could still be living in a hospital room on the eighth floor, if it were up to them.

And Dennis kept saying no, and would have kept doing so if his saint of a boyfriend hadn’t insisted on inviting them over and showing them around.

“Maybe they’ll change their minds,” Robby told him, “maybe we can finally show them what a fucking miracle you are!”

And so Dennis agreed.

And, deep down, he knew he shouldn’t have.

His brothers are loud, his father doesn’t say a word as he looks around, and his mother feels uncomfortable at Robby’s house (their house), and of course his brothers say the wrong things, ask the wrong questions; at one point, his father implies that Dennis is where he is only because of Robby, only because of the favors he does for Robby.

And Dennis sees Robby’s temple throbbing; he sees him open his mouth and stand up, but Dennis stops him, placing a hand on his arm while shaking his head.

That’s how it is with his family.

It’s always been this way, and it always will be. But now Dennis is tougher and can take more than he ever could have imagined. He has Robby by his side, and Trin’s promise to come to his rescue -just a phone call away- if anyone in his family even dared to say anything against him.

And he sees that Robby is making a Herculean effort to sit back up and try to make it clear that Dennis did it all on his own, that Dennis is brilliant, intelligent, a model student.

And Dennis knows that Robby truly believes those things, and it warms his heart; it’s enough for him that Robby thinks this of him -he cares little about his family.

And as mentioned above, Dennis has never laid a hand on a single member of his family, but when his older brother says the wrong thing, when he drags Robby into it, when he insults Robby -well, no, that’s something he just can’t stand.

Shane is the #1 person Ilya gossips with. Since Shane isn’t the best on picking up subtext, all of the drama Ilya has to share is a complete surprise to him. Which makes him both the most entertained by the gossip and the most entertaining gossip partner.

Shane has an extremely dry sense of humor, and in public he’ll whisper deadpan commentary into Ilya’s ear while Ilya tries not to cry laughing.

Ilya has a very dark sense of humor that makes most people who hear it uncomfortable, but not Shane. Shane thinks it’s absolutely hilarious every time.

Ilya and Shane love to sit in the same room, do separate activities, and barely speak to each other. Shane will read a book while Ilya plays a video game, and one of them will have their feet in the other’s lap.

While everyone in the league thinks Ilya is a huge asshole, Shane thinks he’s hilarious. In fact, Shane usually agrees with Ilya’s chirps and will not defend anyone against them.