» Tue Jan 08, 2013 9:17 pm Charles pulled out his knife and began to carve away at his undercooked piece of brahmin steak. The meat smelled amazing and was fresh off the grill. He hadn't eaten anything fresh for months on account of most recent caravan to New Reno, with the exception of some charred gecko kabobs that really didn't taste like anything for ash. Although he knew this meat was anything but "fresh", it was probably 3-4 days old if not more. But at the time the meal seemed fit for a king and he washed it all down with a fresh bottle of scotch, this being a commodity he missed greatly since his days inside the city walls.
"How's that steak Rotgut? I hope it's still bloody enough for ya!" giggled Jess.
"Just perfect little miss, you know just how I like it!" he grinned at the pretty young bartender.
The truth of it was the steak was terrible, it was undercooked even for Charles's standards and still cold in the middle. Charlie couldn't complain though, not to Jess. She was the only one who was kind to him anymore. To think a pretty thing like that having a such a big heart for a drunkard, a loser, even a beggar at times. Rotgut pulled on his bottle hard, thinking about Jess in a way most would deem "dirty". The liquor didn't even burn as it went down anymore, it just flowed down his throat like water sending a numbing feelings throughout.
Jess hollered down the bar to Rotgut "You know that's why your my favorite customer Rotgut, you lie so much more enthusiastically than the rest of the rabble!"
"And to think I thought it was my good looks.."
That sent them both into a fit of laughter. Half of Charlies face was covered in severe burns from a still explosion years prior, when making his own booze seemed like the most reasonable thing a man could do. Before the accident Rotgut was no model of beauty, but he was by no means unpleasant to look at. Jess found herself tending to some recently off duty guards at the end of the bar, doing her best to charm them out of their hard earned caps. Charles sat and finished his meal in silence, chewing away at the cold fatty steak only stopping to take a pull off his bottle. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out more than enough caps and placed them upon the bar. Pulling on his hat and grabbing the bottle by the neck he made way for the door.
It had to be 100 degrees, the sun was pounding down on the sand under his worn leather boots. It was a poor sign for ol' Rotgut because it was barely 10:00a.m and it was only gonna get hotter. Wishing he could walk back into the bar and check out Jess some more he knew it was a bad idea. Those guards inside had roughed him up a few times after a few a couple drinks and he would do his best to avoid that again. So Charlie headed for his campsite on the edge of town. In the beginning he had on the best spots, he'd made a little lean-to on the side of an old body shop. But of course with his luck a young troop of travelers had come to town and set up right next to him. He wouldn't mind the company but they were a rough sort, it wouldn't be long before the realized how easy it would be to take advantage of the drunken fool. Rotgut was near finished with his bottle.
He knew there was another caravan leaving in a few days, headed for New Reno. Maybe he would just leave Vault City, the place where he spent almost the past 14 years. He wasn't actually allowed in the city anymore because of several counts of public drunkenness and public urination, but still this was the only real home he felt he knew. Where would he stay? New Reno? No, that city would eat an old man alive. The thought of leaving everything he had behind troubled Charles... or it would have if he wasn't drunker than ten barrels of monkey piss. Tucking his remaining bottle caps into his duffel bag he laid his head back and his world began to spin. The bottle of rotgut lay next to Rotgut, empty.
"Wake up!" screamed the bartender with angels wings.
"Uh.. wha-" Charles was starting to stir, noticing he was soaked.
"O Rotgut you drunk [censored]! You've gone and pissed yourself again!"
Charles stirred for a moment and sat up, having no idea the time or even the day at this point he sat in confusion. He head spun and he reeked of vomit and didn't know why... He question was soon answered when he looked down at his shirt. Puked himself as well as pissed himself, what a man he was. He stripped down and tried to wipe himself off but he was still a drunken mess.
"Give me your damn clothes and I'll see to em'. I brought you some pork 'n' beans and a nice cold Nuka-Cola. Now get your [censored] together we gotta talk."
Truth was Charlie had no idea why Jess took such good care of him, lord knows he hadn't done anything to deserve it. But every morning as sure as a deathclaw has talons Jess was there with something to eat weather he had the caps for it or not. Maybe it was pity, hell ol' Rotgut was twice her age, uglier than a feral ghoul and most brahmin smelled better than he did. He did defend Jess one night at the tavern, some city guards were giving her a hard time and he gave a piece of his mind. In other words they took to beating on him long enough to forget about hassling her. The beans were cold but they made him feel a bit better. The Nuka-Cola was perfect after he mixed it with enough rum make a fire gecko explode. Rotgut saw Jess making her way back with his wet yet just a bit cleaner clothes. She started to hang them whens he turned to him with a look of concern.
"Charles, we need to talk.. I-" She was cut off.
"Now, now Jess my drinking is perfe--" She cut him off right quick.
"No it's not that you [censored]in' fool! Though you do need to knock that [censored] off to! No... A man came into the saloon last night. He was.. He was looking for you?" She couldn't possibly think of any reason someone would look for a drunken old fool named Rotgut.
Charles heart skipped so many beats he should have died right then and there. It couldn't be... No one knew who he was. He was Rotgut now. They couldn't possibly have found him, there was no way they would still be looking. That was twenty years ago.. Every moment these questions racked his brain was a waste of time. How long till they found him? How close were they now? Minutes? An hour? He stood up so fast he fell right back down. He got back up to feet and started searching drastically for his duffel... Which he found under his own two feet. He ripped the cord off the top of the bag and started looking for his pistol...
To be continued...
Mind you all, this is my first RP, I have never written fan fiction before. So please comment but don't be to harsh lol. The story will only continue if some of you enjoyed the first bit.
