#toby vansten

The wonders of the desert could only be matched by the wonders of the night. Stars twinkled high overhead, pinpricks of light illuminating the velvet backdrop of the sky. Distant guardians, observing the small, intriguing planet spinning so far below them.

It was these celestial bodies that enticed people out at night, to grab their telescopes and seek a closer look at the mystery that lay above them each night. Tonight was no different; the sky was clear and the air was warm, the clean, rough scents of the desert carried along by a midnight breeze. The soft whisper of the wind was accompanied by the scrape of a shoe on gravel, a small shape making its way from a manor and wandering deep into the gardens surrounding it.

Walking with purpose, a boy slipped through the openings between the hedges, an oblong case clutched tight to his chest. Two large shapes loomed behind him: a pair of wings, their dusky feathers snagging on the occasional branch and drawing a faint grimace from the child. Moving quickly, it wasn’t long before young Toby Vansten was leaving the hedge maze and entering the garden’s center – a large open space filled with art and resting places. Grey eyes danced with excitement as he crossed the lawn, kneeling at one of the many benches to flip the container open; within it lay a handsome telescope, outer casing gleaming in the moonlight. Quick work was made removing the caps and setting the case aside, and soon the telescope was resting proudly on the marble seat, tripod carefully balanced and focus dialed in to perfection.

Toby laughed out loud, a cheerful sound illuminating the peaceful quiet. He’d waited all day for this! And now he had all night to watch the stars and find the constellations that he’d only read about: the Big Dipper and Little Dipper were easy enough to find, but then there was Orion and Cygnus and Draco and – just too many to count!!! Unable to wait any longer, he lowered his face to the eyepiece, brushing a few strands of dark hair away to clear his vision. Now where was it? Keeping a tight hold on the telescope, Toby fiddled with the dial until… There! The North Star, bright as could be! Elated at his discovery, Toby kept his eye firmly locked on the viewfinder, swinging the telescope in slow arcs and marveling at the sheer number of stars shining down on him.

"Damn it.." Marcus groaned out another whine of agitation, slumping over where he was seated at a large grand piano. The keys protested as they met his forehead, a clatter of notes piercing the evening air. "This is crazy. Fuckin' insane."

He hadn't thought he'd be able to take in a child, much less an Erika like himself, but there he was, now a father. He hadn't expected all of this...uncertainty. More often than not, he found himself lost on how to make the boy happy beyond a good book and a kiss goodnight. What else could he find to make an extremely intelligent nine year old happy?

Marcus raised his head, green-gold eyes locking on the keys. His fingers twitched for a moment before moving fluidly into a soft concerto. It had been years since he'd simply sat down and played, and nearly-forgotten glances of concert halls and the piano that once sat in his family's music room came drifting back to him.

The tune came to a close, and he rested his palms against the keys. A soft ruffling sound garnered his attention from the doorway, making its way over to him. "Dad..?" A small tug was felt on one of his feathers, and Marcus blinked down to see Toby smiling sleepily back at him. "What're y'doin'?"