The Proposal

A/N – As I said at the start and also the previous chapter, the idea of this Courier was that he was going to be a little bit bisexual. And this is the first chapter where he will be with a man. The next two chapters will be following the same path, where he will enjoy the company of men.

*****

"I'm just going to take the robot as back-up," I told Cass, who was nursing a stonking great hangover, but still managed to lie back with a smile, her body now covered by the thin blankets. "Boone and Veronica can chill out here or wander Freeside. But we're going to need a lot of caps, and it's based on the individual, not the group. So if we all enter the Strip, we need eight thousand caps."

"You could just enter yourself?"

"I could, but we still don't have two thousand caps together anyway. Boone is basically broke, so is Veronica. And we're not exactly flush with caps either, considering we did spend quite a few in Novac."

Despite it being daytime, I still wasn't going to wander around Freeside without some sort of protection, revolver at my hip as always, shotgun in hand. If I needed to be intimidating, fair enough. Heading downstairs, I was just about to head out when I was stopped by the man behind the bar, James. He asked if I'd be willing to do another job for more caps. Considering I needed well over a thousand, and he was offering a percentage of that, I could only agree.

"Francine has you debt collecting, yeah?" I nodded. "Makes sense. She looks after the financial side of the business. Me? I'm all about entertainment. Now while we have a few whores working here, they are very much run of the mill. Guys and girls turn up, what, bam, thank you ma'am, and off they go. We do have some clients, though, who have… shall we say unique tastes. Our wealthiest client has a thing for ghouls, and a thing for cowboys. He wants an escort who can satisfy both fetishes."

"Er, male or female?"

"The only option I can think of is female. Client will be that excited, I doubt he'd notice the difference."

"Female ghouls can still… you know…"

"Sure. Lube yourself up and have a good time." I shuddered at the thought. "Suggestions?"

"Beatrix Russell. She's a guard at the Old Mormon Fort."

"Who is based there?"

"Ah, I'm guessing you've not been here before. Ever heard of the Followers of the Apocalypse?" I shook my head. "Good bunch of people. Probably the only proper humanitarian organisation in the Mojave. Anyway, you'll find Beatrix there. It's convincing her to do the job that might prove difficult."

"Okay, who or what else?"

"Plenty of customers have said they'd be willing to pay extra for a suave talker, someone who can fake the 'boyfriend experience' real good."

"Would they need to be bisexual?"

"Preferably. Just as many men want the company of a suave talker."

"Any ideas?"

"Yeah, a couple of Freeside locals would fit the bill. If you can convince both, even better. Names are Santiago and Old Ben. Ask around Freeside and you should be pointed in the right direction. I'd rather Old Ben, heard plenty of stories about him, but Santiago will definitely be a hit with the customers. Smooth talking son of a bitch."

"Any others?"

"Yeah… um… Have you ever run across a sexbot? Not that I'd ever want one within one hundred feet of me, but I gotta be a businessman about it."

"Sexbot? Shit, now I've heard of everything."

"I'm not entirely sure where you can get that, but heard a rumour of a robot at Cerulean Robotics that might be just what we need."

I sighed. "Right, I'll kill two birds with one stone then. Let your sister know I'll handle the debts at the same time."

Realising that Santiago was on both lists, I figured finding him first would be best, as I had an idea forming. I asked some locals and was eventually pointed in his direction, finding him sitting back, relaxing with a care in the world, wondering what he did to pass his days. Noticing me approaching, shotgun in hand, his eyes certainly widened in fear as I stopped just before him.

"Santiago?" He nodded immediately. "The Garretts have sent me."

"About?"

"Two things," I said, holding up a pair of fingers, "The first is that you have a debt at the Atomic Wrangler that needs to be paid. Now, I'd rather not have to threaten you to hand over your caps, because no doubt you'll say no, or deny you have enough, then I'd have to get physical, blood will be spilled, and that won't be good for either of us, agreed?" He nodded again. "So there is a way you can pay off the debt. Mister Garrett is looking for people to work in his casino as… escorts. You were mentioned by name. So instead of just handing over your caps, you can enjoy yourself but working it off at the casino."

"I assume by 'working', you mean 'fucking and being fucked'?"

"Yes."

He grinned. "Well, I can think of worse things in life. The Atomic Wrangler, you say?"

I chuckled. "You know what I said, Santiago."

"I'll head there immediately. Pay off my debt then I can start making some serious caps myself."

Asking around for Grecks, the first name on the list of debtors, I was pointed in the direction of the Old Mormon Fort. That caused a sense of relief, as I'd be able to solve another two issues at once. Grecks turned out to be a ghoul, and from the brief description from Francine, this wasn't the first time he'd run up debts at the Wrangler and not paid them off.

I didn't have to make a single threat. As soon as I told him I was representing the Garretts, he looked at the revolver at my hip, shotgun in my hand, and then he looked at my face. He noticeably gulped and gestured with his head to follow. He lived in an open campsite, but seemed to keep any valuables well hidden. He handed over a small bag full of caps. "Everything I owe is in there," he insisted.

"Why not just pay your bloody debts?"

"Because I'm an addict and would rather spend my caps on things that make me feel better."

I sighed. "Look, just don't do it again. Next time, the debt collector might not be as friendly as I am."

"Yeah, friendly he says," he muttered.

All I did was put the caps in my bag and head towards the gates of the Old Mormon Fort. Heading inside, there were tents, and quite a few people walking around in white coats, who I assumed were doctors and nurses. There were also a few people walking about in what I would call mercenary garb. There was only one ghoul inside the walls, dressed as a guard, and I wasted no time approaching her and getting down to business.

"Interested in working at the Atomic Wrangler?"

She scoffed. "They already have that pig McCaffery working for them. Do they need another guard?"

"That's not what I meant. Mister Garrett is looking for certain people to work as escorts."

"I've escorted my share of idiot tourists around Freeside. Too much trouble for what it pays."

Chuckling and shaking my head, I could see the confused look she returned. "No, that's not what I meant either. How can I put this nicely? You will be providing sexual services for paying customers."

"What, he wants me as a whore? I'm all boot knives and leather, friend, and a ghoul. Besides, what kind of weirdo wants what I've got?"

"Apparently there is one customer in particular who wants exactly what you are."

"Can I think about it?"

"Sure."

"What perks do I get?"

"Free booze, for starters. Add to that free room and board. They'll take their cut, of course, but as you'll be providing particular services, the price will be higher."

"Shit, that's almost enough to convince me right away. Followers don't let me drink. What about customers?"

"I discussed all this with him. You will control who you can be with and set the prices. What would you be interested in offering?"

"I'm an amateur dominatrix, my friend." I raised my eyebrows at that. "I'm a pre-war ghoul. Let's just say I enjoyed my life before the bombs dropped. Of course, very few people are interested in fucking a ghoul, let alone allow themselves to be tied up and have… other things done to them."

"I think you might end up enjoying yourself, Beatrix."

She looked away, remaining silent for a couple of minutes before she finally said, "Fuck it, I'll go talk to Julie, let her know I'm leaving. Let the Garretts know I'll be there tonight."

I figured focusing on Old Ben and Lady Jane would be good for a day's work, and I'd worry about the robot the next day. Old Ben took a little convincing, but much like Beatrix, I suggested he would live a somewhat comfortable life, free room and board, choosing his own customers, and any other benefits I could think of. He eventually agreed and headed to the Wrangler.

As for Lady Jane, she was probably the closest I came to getting physical with, simply because she lied through her teeth. But it was when she said her entire caravan had been destroyed further south, but she'd still managed to make her way all the way to New Vegas, any sympathy I might have had disappeared.

"Look, lady. I don't care about your problems. You own the Garretts money, and I'm certainly not stupid enough to wander all the way south to find a caravan, only to find it's likely been picked clean, or there certainly won't be the caps they are owed, and I doubt you would have left it behind without taking certain things of value. This sounds like a you problem, in that you need to solve it immediately."

"So it's a case of what? Pay up now or…"

"I know you're lying to me. Not sure if I look stupid or not, but I've been dealing with deadbeats ever since I woke up in Goodsprings…"

Her face fell. "You're the Courier?" she whispered, and I heard the fear in her voice. I simply smirked. Seems I had a reputation which I could use to my advantage, if I really wanted to do that. She took the bag from her shoulder and handed it over. "Inside are caps and other bits and pieces the Garretts can sell that'll make up for every cap I owe them. Reassure them that they won't be me again. I'm making my way home to California, and I definitely won't be returning."

I watched in amusement as she practically ran off towards the other end of Freeside. Though it wasn't too late, at least I'd completed one job entirely, so headed back to the Atomic Wrangler. Francine was pleased to have two of the debts paid, and knew I'd organised for Santiago to work off his, so I was given a couple of hundred caps as payment. "Hanging around?" she asked.

"Need plenty more caps before I can make it onto the Strip."

"I know you're doing work for my brother. The Followers are always looking for help, though they're not exactly flush with caps, mostly relying on charity. The other group you could approach is the Kings. Weird bunch, not entirely harmless, but they help keep things calm in Freeside for the most part. They've got respect, that's for sure. Work for them, it will definitely help your reputation with Freesiders."

"King have caps to give?"

"They do. Not sure what sort of work they'll have to offer though."

Heading upstairs, Cass was still in bed, looking as if she'd barely moved all day. She turned to face me as I stood by the bed, and at least she smiled. Helping her up, we enjoyed a shower together, washing each other down before we just cuddled under the cold water. Stating she felt a little more human after that, we headed downstairs for a drink and bite to eat. Neither of us was interested in gambling, so we sat at the bar, chatting with the twins behind the bar, or any other patrons. Veronica and Boone eventually headed down to join us for food, asking if I'd need help tomorrow.

"Veronica, why don't you join me tomorrow? You seem quite switched on, but what are you good at?"

"Not to toot my own horn, but I'm good at working with old technology. Love investigating what makes it tick. There's so much around us that no-one has managed to get working. Nothing more exciting than experimenting with all these old machines and perhaps getting working again, particularly if it's to the benefit of everyone in the wasteland."

"I'm sold," Cass said, "I'm happy remaining here for the time being, if you're wondering. It's been a long couple of weeks on the road since leaving the outpost."

Veronica and I were ready to leave the next morning, the robot flying above us like normal. Constantly forgot it was following behind me, but it rarely had a reason to make its presence known. I knew it would open fire if we were attacked, otherwise it didn't need to make its presence known. Before we left the Atomic Wrangler, we were stopped by James, who suggested we head to see Mick and Ralph, who was a trader that dealt with old technology.

Figuring it was to do with the sexbot he wanted, I headed off to see Ralph first. He seemed to know exactly what I was talking about once in conversation with him. "James Garrett asked for this, didn't he?" Ralph asked.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because he's been after a sexbot for months, if not years. I just can't figure out if it's for him or for a client with some very unique tastes. Anyway, you know where you're going?"

"Cerulean Robotics."

"Bingo. The worst you'll find inside is vermin." He handed me a holotape. "Slide that into the robot once you've got it booted up. The robot will follow you back to wherever you want, then James can program it to be whatever he wants."

Thanking him once he'd given us directions, we found the building, decrepit like nearly every other one still standing in Freeside, but considering the destruction I'd seen elsewhere around the Mojave, at least most of the buildings still seemed inhabitable. Needed a good clean, lick of paint, and the old technology working again. With electricity and running water provided, you could almost believe it was pre-war, not that anyone alive would know what life was actually like. Except a ghoul, I guess.

The place was full of giant rats, putting a bullet in all of them, before I stood aside as Veronica got to work with the robot. It took a little time getting the thing in working condition before it was woken up. With the holotape Ralph had given us inserted inside, the robot immediately asked if we were up for a good time. Veronica and I shared a glance and burst into laughter.

"No, just follow me, robot. Your new owner is elsewhere."

At least it understood the request, and it happily followed Veronica and I back to the Atomic Wrangler. James Garrett was delighted we'd managed to bring it back. There was no missing who the robot was for, Veronica giggling again, but he gave each of us some more caps and a small bonus, no doubt to ensure we kept our mouths shut. That still left me needing over at least a thousand caps before just myself could enter the Strip.

The next day, Boone suggested he would head to Camp McCarren. Though no longer officially part of the NCR, he'd kept plenty of contacts, and he might pick up a few jobs, whether for himself or for a few of us. Veronica wandered off, wanting to explore Freeside. Asking the Garrett's if that was safe, they assured us it was fine during the day, just return by the time it was dark, and try and avoid alleyways as they were notorious.

That left Cass, though he was up and dressed even before me. Before I could ask, she leaned down to kiss my cheek, telling me that she was heading to Crimson Caravans. Obviously my eyes showed immediate concern. All she did was sit down on the bed next to where I was lying down. "I'm not doing anything stupid. No-one from them has ever met me, so I'm going to go ask some questions, suggest I'm interested in working for them."

"Be safe."

"I will. And don't forget the Van Graff's. I know their reputation. We'll have to be careful approaching them."

Heading downstairs when I was feeling hungry, I took a seat at the bar, the place quite busy as normal. Francine suggested that Freeside could prove to be more popular at times, simply because the prices were cheaper and there wasn't the overbearing presence of the securitrons. I enjoyed a couple of drinks, no sign of my companions returning anytime soon, when James asked me to join him upstairs in their private quarters.

Heading upstairs with him, we passed rooms where the escorts were clearly at work, though we walked up another flight of stairs, eventually taking a seat on a battered old couch, offered a glass of vodka as James sat next to me.

"So I understand you still need quite a bit of cash?"

"Definitely. Not even halfway to the target yet."

"I'm going to cut to the chase. One of the best ways you'll be able to make money is working for me as… well, what you were recruiting for the other day. And there are two reasons why. One, you will prove to be incredibly popular regarding the whole cowboy and lawman shtick you have going. Two, I'm aware of the relationship you have with the woman you're with, Cass. No missing the fact you seem to enjoy sex."

"True."

"Ever had sex with a man?"

"Not that I can remember. I have amnesia. Don't remember my name or anything from before I woke in Goodsprings."

"If you worked for me, temporarily until you have the caps you need, I have a feeling you'd fit quite a niche interest, but that, through word of mouth, you could prove quite popular. But at the same moment, I think someone like you, the character you portray, would be popular with men more than women."

I sipped at the vodka in my glass, giving it some thought. It would be a way of earning caps and quickly. The idea of having sex with men was, surprisingly, not a problem. No idea if I'd slept with men before or not, but I wasn't sitting there horrified by the idea. I'd want to talk with Cass first, make sure she was okay with it.

"You don't seem put off by the idea at least," he suggested.

"I enjoy sex. Sex with men? I mean, give it a try. If I enjoy it, then I'll make caps quickly, at least." I sipped at my vodka. "What do you think they'd prefer from me?"

"Putting it bluntly, more will want to fuck you than be fucked, going from my experiences running places like this."

"Okay. Let me think about it. I'll talk with Cass. I'll let you know tonight or tomorrow."

She returned as the sun was setting. Waiting for her in our room, she was on the ball, realising I had something on my mind when she sat down on the bed with me. I didn't hesitate in explaining what James had told me. To say Cass found the idea amusing wouldn't be an understatement. Then she added, "If you're fine with it, so am I."

"You don't mind?"

"No. Long as you still fuck me from time to time."

"Definitely. I fuck you because I want to. But, being honest, if I can make some good caps basically selling my arse…" That made her chuckle. "And as I enjoy sex, guess I can just hope that I enjoy it that way too."

"I've heard of this, men who will sleep with men for caps but will otherwise only sleep with women. Gay for pay."

"I'll talk to James tomorrow. Think I should tell the others?"

"Well, maybe don't go into detail, but explain we'll be in Freeside for a longer time than perhaps thought. Boone might want to spend time at Camp McCarran. Not sure what Veronica will want to do."

The next morning, I spoke with Boone and Veronica before anyone else. Letting Boone know we'd be in Freeside until I had the caps necessary to get onto the Strip, he suggested that spending time at Camp McCarran around his fellow soldiers would help his state of mind, keep him busy and perhaps earn him a few caps. He packed up after breakfast and suggested he'd return in around a week to check on our progress. Aware the only reason I wanted to get onto the Strip was personal, he wasn't too worried about being able to access it.

As for Veronica, she waited until Boone departed before asking the real reason. I didn't think she'd react poorly, so I confessed as to what I would likely be doing. All she did was smile, hug me, and told me to enjoy myself while doing it. I obviously looked surprised by her reaction. "Life sometimes throws us a curveball, and sometimes it will throw us an opportunity."

Veronica disappeared, leaving me to talk with James. We discussed what would be involved, but more important, how many caps I'd earned each time. He told me that I had to be realistic, that none of the escorts could charge the same prices as those who worked on the Strip. As I would be a more niche partner, he suggested the same price as he agreed with Beatrix and the others of twenty-five caps. I could agree to that, but that I could charge more for specific things. Not that he went into it.

However, as I hadn't been with a man since I woke up, I would admit that I wouldn't mind some pointers on what to expect, so he suggested I speak to Santiago, and aware I hadn't been with a man, perhaps spend an hour or so with him. Figuring it was a good idea, I headed upstairs and found him in his room. He invited me in, sitting down on the couch, taking the offered glass of whiskey. It didn't take him long to figure out why I was there.

Letting him know I hadn't been with a man, plus had no real idea how to approach being an escort, he first sat beside me and went through the basics. Aware I wasn't going to want to offer what he did, that I'd rather just keep it physical, he gave me some pointers as to what to do and what to say. But once that was out of the way, he asked, "I'm assuming James sent you up here because you haven't done it before?"

"Not to memory."

"Willing to give it a go now?"

"Sure."

So he had me strip naked, and I noticed the eyes widen as I showed him my cock. He asked me to get myself hard, which didn't take much, before he stood up and stripped naked as well. First time I'd seen a naked man in such a manner. Asking me to get down onto my knees, something I expected, he stepped forward and told me how I should look up at a man in such a position. Managed to get that rather quickly, at least.

Aware that I'd obviously been blown, the best suggestion he had for me was to just apply what felt good with me and apply that to him. His cock wasn't as large as mine from that position, though I could be wrong. He gave me some pointers at what to do, but within a couple of minutes, I had at least part of his cock in my mouth, giving me further suggestions on what I should do with my hands. Still, there I was, sucking cock for the first time I could remember, and like usual, I was judging body language, reactions but also the noises being made. When I felt fingers curling through my hair, onto the back of my head, I looked up to see him smile.

"Good, baby, good. Sure this is the first blowjob you've given?"

It was a good question. I wouldn't say I was eagerly doing, but I wasn't sitting there thinking anything negative about him or myself. In fact, it was a little exciting, and the longer I sucked his cock, the more I wanted to make him cum. Maybe that was only because that was the whole point of giving a blowjob, but I figured that my job would be to provide pleasure anyway.

When he was getting close, he warned me. "Men will want to cum in your mouth and will enjoy watching you swallow. Willing to do that now?" I nodded, which made him grin. "Good, baby. Think you're going to be a quick learner."

Feeling the first spurt of his cum filling my mouth did catch me by surprise, but there was that part of me that was pleased I'd managed to make him cum, hearing him groan loudly, fingers tightening at the back of my head, as he certainly enjoyed quite the orgasm, or so I liked to believe. Once he seemed to be finished, I pulled back and just sat on my knees as he needed to take a seat.

He was very complimentary of my skills.

We sat together naked on the couch, enjoying another drink, before he asked me to get on the bed. Before he started, he asked if I was relaxed. I assured him I was, as I was going into this with eyes open and I would endeavour to enjoy the experience, as it was simply a means to an end. I think that answer surprised him, but he understood what I meant at the same time. I needed the caps, and to be honest, fucking or being fucked was probably better alternative to being shot at constantly.

Getting me into position, he applied some lube to my arse and I felt him use his fingers on me. I'll admit, it felt rather good, feeling him slide them all the way in. When I gasped almost involuntarily, I glanced back to see him grin. He let me get comfortable to the presence of something inside me before he lubed up his cock and started to tease me with it, feeling him press the head of his cock against me a few times.

"Tell me how much you want my cock," he instructed.

"Give me your cock, baby," I moaned.

That made him laugh. "Very convincing. That's what they'll want to hear. Try again."

"Give me that big cock, baby. Slide it in."

"Good. Good. Always let them know how big it feels, how thick it is, how much you want them to fuck you. They will want you to be verbal. Trust me on that. How much do you want me to fuck you?"

"Fuck my arse, baby. Give it to me."

"Exactly what they're going to want to hear. You're a quick learner."

He very gently slid his cock inside me, and I was amazed at how quickly it felt really good. Glancing back, he took his time before he gave me entire length, feeling him press inside me against something that made it feel wonderful, while it was thick at the same time, and it just felt… really fucking good. Slowly, he started to thrust into me and it wasn't long before we were both grunting and groaning as he leaned forward, upping his tempo.

"Like my cock?" he asked.

"Fuck yeah," I groaned, partly because it was what he would want to hear, partly because it was actually quite enjoyable.

He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the bed, lowering my arse down slightly so he could get better purchase and angle into me. That just made it feel even better. "Fuck yes," I groaned, and that was all about it feeling good.

I heard him chuckle, leaning down to my ear. "Like Santiago's big cock?"

"Fuck yeah. Fuck me, baby."

He upped the tempo, really starting to fuck me, reaching underneath to start stroking my cock. I couldn't believe how hard I was, and he was now really starting to pump into me. "You've definitely taken cock before," he grunted, "You're a natural."

I figured a first time wouldn't have been this easy, though maybe it was just because I was enjoying it far more than I thought I would. I adjusted my position again as he pressed down into my upper back, now really starting to fuck. "Oh god yes, baby," I groaned, "Fuck me. Keep fucking me."

I was now totally into it, little wonder I came all over the bed, though that just meant I could lie comfortably and he could focus on his own enjoyment. The last couple of minutes, he fucked me even harder, amazed at how much I was enjoying it. Didn't hurt at all. Nothing but good feelings spreading across my body.

When I felt him start to cum inside me, I actually felt myself start grinning, feeling him lean down on his forearms again, burying his cock with each spurt of cum that filled me. Once he was done, he remained inside me, leaving his cock buried, feeling his hot breath on my neck. "Okay, that was enjoyable," I admitted.

"Good. I think you're going to have quite a bit of fun." Then he paused before asking, "Want to fuck again?"

"Sure."

He didn't actually start for a couple of hours, so we ended up fucking twice more before I needed to leave. Next position he had me in was my back, and I proved more flexible than I thought, bending my legs in various positions while he fucked me, and that second time, he fucked me even harder, really testing how much I could tolerate. Never came close to asking him to stop, simply because, even if there was a dull ache, the pleasure I felt was far better.

Once he came again and we rested for fa few minutes, he had me on my knees again, though this time asked me to be more submissive than before. That was a lot of fun, and we ended up laughing more than anything else. When we were done, we sat back on the couch, sipping at our drinks, he just grinned at me. "To be honest, this was definitely not your first time with a man," he said, "I'm aware you are with Cass, yes?" I nodded. "Then you sleep with both men and women, or so it seems." He took a sip of his drink. "Sure you want to do this? The whole escort thing?"

"Honestly, yes. Since leaving Goodsprings, life has been mostly about violence, while I've enjoyed plenty of nights with Cass along the way. Now that the Strip is so close, I'm sure I could take jobs that would involve more fighting, but there is a moment when luck will run out, even mine. I've already survived two bullets to the head. Not sure I'll survive a third."

"Well, you're going in with the right attitude of trying to enjoy it, at least. I certainly have already. Beatrix really gets into it. Old Ben… I think he just likes the company, and if they end up having sex, that's just a nice way to end an hour or two. You're just going the physical route, though, so as long as you enjoy that, you'll be fine."

Dressing afterwards, he walked me to the door and wished me luck. Heading to the room I shared with Cass, she looked up as I wandered through the door. When I smiled at her, she returned the grin. "So… I kind of liked it. A lot," I said.

"Good. At least you'll enjoy it when you start then. When do you plan on it?"

"I'll talk with James now. I have a feeling he has plans for me anyway. With any luck, I'll make the caps I need quickly and just go from there."

James asked if I'd be willing to start the very next day. I said that would be absolutely fine with me.