Toby Karofsky

‘Does that mean I’ll be able to convince you and your dashing Gunner to come spend some time with us in London?’ she asked, evidently excited at the prospect of future plans with her friends. ‘We’re actually due to go for a scan when we get back to confirm exactly that, but because we went with IVF, multiples are all the more likely. Although, I don’t care how many – as long as they come out healthy.’ She started them off walking through the courtyard and if she closed her eyes, she might have been twenty-one again. ‘How are you? How’s everything with the centre going?’

Toby chuckled at Marley’s offer to come visit them.  “Maybe.  I’d like to.  We’re always busy with the center, it can be tough for both of us to go away at the same time.  But I was already planning to convince Gunner we should go to Paris next fall, to visit Ollie and Noah.  And it wouldn’t be that hard to go from there to London for a few days, right?”  He nodded along as she explained about the pregnancy.  “Of course, that’s all any mom wants.  Happy, healthy babies.”  He sent her a smile.  “You’re gonna be such a good mom.”  He shrugged when she asked about him.  “I’m good.  The center is going really well.  I’m a little nervous about being away from it for a week, but we’ve got good people there, they can handle it.”

Gunner nodded. It wasn’t a surprise to him at all that Toby wasn’t loving being back here, and it was bringing out his protective nature a little. “Then we won’t do big, loud groups. We’ll check in with my brothers and Silas, get to see them all again, and then we can just take advantage of having a hotel room all to ourselves,” Gunner grinned, trying to get Toby to smile for him. “It can just me and you, enjoying a little alone time, if that’s what my boy wants.”

Toby smiled softly at Gunner’s lewd implication.  “I should have known being back here would make you horny,” he teased.  He leaned in again to kiss Gunner sweetly.  “Maybe later.  I wouldn’t mind some alone time with my Dom.  But I’m not feeling weird enough to need to go hide.  Not yet at least.”

Of course I do dork. I tell them about what a nerd you are and that there are still fairies living in your hair even though you’ve grown it out. You’re still very much Oby, although now it’s a choice rather than an inability to form the word. I’ll make sure to co-ordinate with you the next time we’re over; I’m sure it wouldn’t be difficult to talk my husband into a few days in San Antonio. Whenever you’re free, of course. I don’t know if you’re still in touch with the last kid you sent my way – Alice – but she’s fucking brilliant. She’s really flourishing; she’s just finished her internship with a permanent job offer. 

Aw, you know what, I’m okay with being Oby to them.  Oh, right, Noah’s parents are in Texas, right?  You should definitely hit us up next time you visit his family.  I would love to show you the center and everything.  God, that is so good to hear, about Alice.  I knew she’d do well, she’s fearsome when she wants something, but it’s so good to hear that you’re impressed with her.  We’re still in touch with her, I try to keep contact with as many of our past kids as I can, but of course she isn’t going to brag about how well she’s been doing.  She’s mostly just told us about how much she loves Paris.

Gunner chuckled at Silas’s group being called a conglomerate, and then nodded. “If you guys make more plans, just keep me updated, okay?” Gunner told him. He nodded. “Sure, I really want to just hang out with them, and you guys get to know each other all over again,” Gunner said, with a little sigh. It was well-known between them that Gunner didn’t like not having Archer nearby, but at least Hunter was in Texas. “Sure, I’ll make sure it’s just the four of us whenever we do it, or five of us if Silas can join.”

“Yeah, of course,” Toby said, nodding.  He smiled a little at Gunner’s assurances and leaned his head on his Dominant’s shoulder.  “Okay.  Thanks, Sir.  This whole place has me feeling off.  I never did like it here.  I’m excited to see everyone, I just don’t know if I can handle big loud groups right now.  Just your brothers would be fine though.  They won’t get too out of hand.”  Which was to say, the Clarington boys weren’t the type to get drunk and stupid.  And Gunner would keep everyone in line.  They’d banter and argue, but it wouldn’t be chaotic.

He couldn’t help himself, reaching out to give his old friend a hug, “I’m so glad to hear that! Things are…good,” he said with a smirk, trying his best to forget all the roughness that had been going on. “Oh!,” he said, pulling Logan’s hand out of his pocket and guiding him in front of him. “This, is Logan. Logan, say hi, this is Tobias,” he said and a small squeaked ‘hi’ came from the little boy in front of him. “So tell me what you’ve been up to?”

Toby grinned down at the shy little boy.  “Hi there, Logan.  Nice to meet you.  I used to go to school with your mom and dad.”  He looked back up at Ferdi as he answered his question.  “Gunner and I are in San Antonio these days.  He- well, we started a youth center there, for homeless and at risk kids, especially LGBTQ teenagers.  So most of my time is always there, doing programs with the kids and stuff.”

Gunner smiled as Toby turned around in his arms, and kissed his submissive back softly. “Okay, as long as you’re sure,” Gunner nodded. “It’s pretty awesome being back in the same town as Arch and Hunt, I’m not gonna lie,” he admitted, as his hand moved to stroke Toby’s back. “Have you met up with Silas yet? Maybe the five of us could get dinner tonight,” he suggested.

“No, Sir, not yet, but he just texted me.  I’m supposed to meet him in the courtyard.  That sounds like a good idea.  I’ll ask him if he can get away from his conglomerate for the evening.”  Hopefully Gunner’s brothers wouldn’t be weird about Gunner being the only Dom in the group.. He didn’t think it was likely, but that kind of thing worried Toby sometimes.  “If he can’t come, we should still hang out with your brothers, though.  ...Could we try to keep the group small?  I know everyone is going to want to bring Doms and kids and stuff....  I’d just rather it be a small group, if we can.”

‘Flattery will get you everywhere.’ she laughed. She was grateful to take his arm, and lean on him a little. ‘Thank you Tobes. You know I actually feel really good too.’ Her hand came to rest on her stomach; a place she’d found herself touching more and more often recently. ‘This has been a long time coming. Oh Morgan, she’s so cute isn’t she? She’s arguably more excited than I am, and has taken it upon herself to ensure I’m more well-looked after than anyone could possibly hope to be.’ She scrunched her nose up a little as she counted the weeks. ‘Sixteen weeks as of Friday.’

“That’s fantastic,” Toby agreed, beaming at Marley.  He knew it had taken her a lot of work to get to this point in her life, and he was beyond happy for her.  “I can’t wait for them to come out.  Do you know how many it is yet?”  Single births being so rare, after all, this was a question Marley must have been asked all the time lately.

Gunner nodded a little. It had been easy for him to see that tension in his submissive, having gotten, he liked to think, pretty good at reading Toby over the years. “You say the word, and we stay in town the whole time. We don’t need to be on campus. Hell, you say the word and we’re packing our bags and heading back to Texas,” Gunner reassured Toby quietly, stroking his arm. “We’re not doing anything that upsets you.”

Toby smiled softly, unsurprised by Gunner’s response.  He was very protective of Toby at times, especially when it came to anything emotional.  Toby had grown a lot in the last decade, and he was happy with his life now, but there were some scars that never truly went away, just faded into the background.  He shook his head and turned around in Gunner’s arms to face his Dom.  “I’m okay.  I want to stay.  But thank you, Sir.”  He dipped his head closer to kiss Gunner briefly.  “I’m not upset.  It’s just strange to be back.”

Of course they remember you; you think I don’t tell them stories about their Uncle Toby? It has been too long; so long that I had to bring myself all the way to Lima just to see you. When am I getting you out of Texas and back to Paris for a holiday?

Aw, you talk to them about me?  Can they pronounce my name now?  Last time I hung out with them I was Oby the whole time.  Which was insanely cute, actually.  Ugh, I want to, but the Centre takes up so much time.  It was tough for Gunner and I just to leave for a week.  But soon, I promise.  Maybe next fall, once tourist season is over, and the school year here is started and our programs are running, we could leave them in someone else’s hands for a week or two...

‘As I live and breath, if it isn’t one of my top two favourite members of the elusive Lima Heights gang ‘Swings Both Ways’.’ Marley chuckled, eyes landing on her friend. This was the reason she’d been so insistent they go on this trip; the opportunity to reunite with old friends was entirely too tempting. ‘Mind if I join you?’ she asked, coming to halt beside him and slipping her arm through his in a way that still felt so familiar.

Toby grinned at his old friend, but then his eyes got wide when they landed on her protruding belly.  It wasn’t big enough that she had the pregnant waddle yet, but on a girl as slim as Marley, it was a very noticeable baby bump.  “God, look at you!  You look incredible, Mar.”  He happily crooked his arm so she could hold onto it as they walked.  “I saw your sub threatening people on the dash.  I take it she’s excited.  How far along are you?”