
Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/6778906.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Choose_Not_To_Use_Archive_Warnings, Underage
  Category:
      F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Other
  Fandom:
      Snowpiercer_(2013)
  Relationship:
      Curtis_Everett/OMC, Curtis_Everett/Random_Male_Characters, Curtis_Everett
      &_Edgar, Curtis_Everett_&_Grey, Grey_&_Edgar, Grey/Wilford/Gilliam,
      Wilford/Gilliam
  Character:
      Curtis_Everett, Edgar, Grey_-_Character, Gilliam, Tanya, Wilford, OMC,
      OFC
  Additional Tags:
      aromantic_Curtis, Homosexual_Curtis, This_does_not_have_romance_between
      Curtis_and_anyone_else, Curtis_adopts_Grey_and_Edgar, AU_still_on_the
      train, But_they_all_work_in_a_brothel_of_sorts, Train_Brothel, brothel,
      Alternate_Universe_-_Prostitution, Prostitution, This_is_NOT_forced
      though, Its_explained_in_the_fic, NOT_a_one-Shot, This_is_mainly_about
      brothels, The_train_itself, And_Curtis_being_a_dad_to_Edgar_and_Grey,
      Bottom!Curtis, Sub!Curtis, The_Ice-Pocalypse_still_happens, Just_that_the
      train_is_a_bit_different_than_the_movies, It's_about_500_cars_long, Still
      shorter_than_in_the_novel, but_longer_than_in_the_movie, And_it_has_a
      VERY_different_class_system_than_before, this_is_actually_WAY_nicer_than
      the_movies_cause_its_less_death, but_more_sex
  Series:
      Part 1 of Stagnant_Movement
  Stats:
      Published: 2016-05-08 Chapters: 1/? Words: 7831
****** Your Salvation Is Dirtier Than You Thought ******
by Bam4Me
Summary
     Instead of being confined to the tail end of the train, the makers of
     the train thought it would be a better idea to make them work for
     their stay.
     This is the story of that section, and how they turned the train on
     it's end.
Notes
     Come see me at trashforsnow.tumblr.com
See the end of the work for more notes
 
“It’s probably the last hope of survival on this Earth, we should be thankful
we’re getting on at all. At least we won’t die.”
 
Curtis gave the man next to him a nervous look. He knew fully well that
something was up right now, but he had to admit, he was just as nervous to get
onto the train as everyone else in the line with him, and he just hoped it
would fit them all.
 
Actually, it’d be stupid if it couldn’t fit them all, it was over five hundred
cars long, and they were big cars too, it should fit them all.
 
It better fit them all, because Curtis doesn’t think he’s even been this
terrified in his life.
 
It was a long line, and they were checking people at the front entrance before
they got into the train. Some people were rejected, and Curtis couldn’t figure
out what their reasoning was, because as far as he could tell, they all looked
healthy.
 
People with babies were almost guaranteed to get in, unless the child and
parent both looked sick, but singles seemed to be just tossed out at a whim
when it was their turn.
 
Curtis really really hoped that they’d accept him.
 
See, none of them were paying passengers. They were going into the working
class right now. Curtis knew fully well that he might spend the rest of his
life working in the lower class here just for food and a place to stay.
 
It was worth it. Outside of the train, was sure to be certain death.
 
They were at the equator right now, probably the only reason any of them were
alive at all, Curtis had never felt so cold in his life.
 
Curtis hadn’t even owned a jacket heavier than a backpack before now.
 
He guesses, he doesn’t even really own this one, either. He had to steal it.
 
He pulled it tighter against the chill. His bones felt cold, he kind of wanted
to die… but not of the cold. He’s never felt so horrible before in his life.
 
When he got to the front of the line, they were terse and quick, telling him to
take off the coat and stand up straight. Curtis did, but it felt like his
entire body was trying to tell him not to, and he could barely stop shivering.
 
Someone grabbed his chin, and forced his head in either direction, gloves cold
against him, as soon as he let go, Curtis recoiled from them, not sure if there
were bruises on his face, but feeling like shit and trying to burrow into his
jacket.
 
One of the dark eyed men shoved a piece of paper at him, and Curtis took it. It
was bright yellow. “Go in the door to the left, give this to the officer there,
and do not cause a fuss. If you argue or make things difficult, you will be
booted off the train without warning. Next!”
 
Curtis had to be nudged into moving again, and leant down, grabbed the handles
of his bags, and stood back up with them, high tailing it towards the door they
had motioned to.
 
He could immediately feel a difference in the temperature here, and for the
first time in weeks, he could breathe again.
 
***
 
The first week was quiet.
 
Curtis could barely sleep. Everything was different now, he often found himself
sitting up all night until he couldn’t take it anymore, after several days like
this, he’d have to close his eyes and pass out before it was even time to eat.
 
The train was massive, in fact, it was so massive, that the four single cars
he’d been confined to with so many other people, even  with  so many others, he
felt small, and a little helpless.
 
He’d always been skinny. He just couldn’t help it, it was in his genes. He ate
just like every other teenager in the world, that is to say, he’d eat the
entire fridge in one sitting if he could get away with it, but his mama had
always bemoaned the fact that he couldn’t fucking keep the weight on his body.
She said his waifish figure was making her look bad.
 
He knew she’d said it in jest, because she always said it right before poking
him in his ticklish rib cage, making him laugh no matter how bad he’d been
feeling before, but thinking about it, alone that night in the darkened bunk
that was in the carriage he shared with five others, he couldn’t hold back the
tears that came out, and just  barely  restrained himself from letting out
racking sobs that would wake up the entire carriage.
 
He pulled in a shuddering breath, and heard a noise to the side, looking over
fast to see Mayah, a young girl barely two years behind him, giving him a
sympathetic look. It made sense since she had made the actual mistake of crying
everyone awake two nights before, and had gotten yelled at by Gerard, an angry
old man who felt like none of this was what he deserved.
 
He was wrong.  None  of them deserved this. Curtis just wanted his mama.
 
She sat up in the bed, swinging her legs over the side of it. She wore soft
sleeping pants and a tank top. She pulled out a pair of soft wool socks from
under her pillow, and pulled them on, no longer looking at the tears streaming
down his cheeks. She grabbed a sweater next, pulling it on, before sliding to
the floor with a soft thud.
 
She wasn’t very big, in fact, Curtis would say she was downright starved
looking, and Curtis thinks that she might have been homeless before the ice had
come, because everything that was in her bags was brand new, obviously stolen
from stores, and she looked around suspiciously while eating anything, like she
was afraid someone was going to come and take it away from her.
 
Curtis felt bad for crying over his mother -a woman he’d lost an entire  year
before any of this had happened- because this was probably the only thing
keeping some people fed and alive right now. He felt bad for crying over
something he couldn’t help, when this is possibly the first chance at good help
she’s gotten in years.
 
She walked the three feet over to the other side of the room, and tugged on his
blanket.
 
He didn’t know what she wanted, but he wasn’t stupid enough not to realize she
at least wanted him to get up. She barely spoke.
 
They weren’t in America when they’d gotten picked up, he’s not sure she speaks
a word of English.
 
He knew fluent Spanish, despite having lived in an area of mostly white people
who barely spoke the language at all, but you didn’t exactly live in Brazil
your whole life without knowing any. It was kind of impossible.
 
He should see if she speaks Spanish, because he could teach her.
 
His arms felt numb as he tugged them into his sleeves, but as he pulled his
feet out of the blankets, they already had socks on.
 
Her bed was directly across from his, and it might have been a terrifying
place, but it wasn’t the most horrible thing in the world to fall asleep with
those big brown eyes firmly fixed on his. Some nights, the way they looked at
each other like they finally had some help in all this, was the only thing that
kept him from screaming.
 
She wasn’t someone that he  liked  per-say, but he knew he’d probably cry if
she had to leave.
 
He knew that the quiet way they looked at each other until they could close
their eyes, was something no one else in this room would understand.
 
Everyone else here? Everyone else in this room was angry. They were so, so
very  angry.
 
Curtis and Mayah were scared. Curtis doesn’t think he’s ever been this scared
in his life.
 
She pulled him out the door, and Curtis finally decided to say something she
might understand.
 
“ Can you not sleep either? ”
 
She shook her head, and he let out a little sigh of relief that she could
understand Spanish. “ I… I think I could if I tried, but I keep going back to
the kitchens every night. I think I’m getting used to eating before I sleep. ”
 
Curtis made a questioning noise. “ The kitchens? We’re allowed there? ”
 
She nodded. “ We’re the only train system that hasn’t started working yet. ”
 
Well, that  was  news to him. “ How do you know that? ”
 
“ I speak with the cooks at night before sleeping. Since so many of us were
taken from Brazil, many are passable or fluent in Spanish. Our train system is
the only one not working right now. ”
 
Curtis couldn’t for the life of him, figure out why. “ Is… does that mean
they’re going to make us leave it? ”
 
She shook her head, “ No. They just figured that it’d been too fast after
trauma to make us start training yet. ”
 
Curtis followed her through another bulkhead door, frowning when he saw just
another car system. He’s been in this one before, but the one ahead of them,
he’s never been into. “ Training? For what? ”
 
She looked at him in shock, pausing in place before letting out a sigh. “ You
fell asleep before that meeting. I could not rouse you. We’re to be… not
everyone in this car system will stay here. Many will move on to work in other
places. Our own bunkmates will move on to work as farmers and Doctor Davis is a
scientist. He will go two train systems ahead to work there.”
 
“Train systems?”
 
“Each train system is a hundred cars. One hundred cars for workers, one hundred
cars for us, I believe it is one hundred and  fifty  for the scientists and
mechanics to work there, and another hundred and  fifty  for the paying
passengers, the first class of the cars. If you do not wish to stay in our car
system, all you must do is get a job in working class, or prove you’re smart
enough to be with the engineers and scientists. They will put you where you fit
in, and no one will make you stay.”
 
Curtis nodded, brows furrowed,  “What section of the train is this?”
 
She opened up the last bulkhead door, and the room past was brightly lit, with
a few people littering around, an industrial kitchen bigger than any he’d seen.
It seemed to take up the whole car, and it probably did.
 
There were some people still cooking though, possibly for night passengers like
them, or maybe for tomorrow’s meal. Curtis simply takes all his meals in the
meal room three cars back with everyone else they slept near. He didn’t know he
was allowed this far up.
 
“The brothels. We were put into the sex work class of the trains.”
 
Curtis just about brained himself on the floor when he slipped on his too soft
socks there.
 
***
 
So… sex work…
 
Curtis honestly isn’t sure what to think about that.
 
He kept going back to the kitchen car at night with Mayah. It seemed to be
helping.
 
That’s where he met Tanya, and Liah.
 
He immediately knew there was something wrong with Liah.
 
Liah had a baby, maybe a year old, at most. He was small, with big blue eyes
that followed people around everywhere.
 
He was so tiny.
 
Liah was tall, but she sat hunched over like straightening up might just be too
much effort for her at all.
 
Curtis wonders how she got past the guards, because there was no way in hell
she wasn’t sick.
 
“I don’t think for a second they  didn’t  notice I was sick. They ignored me,
started looking at Edgar instead. When they saw he was healthy, they let me
on.”
 
Curtis raised an eyebrow at that. He was sitting in front of the baby carrier
at one of the kitchen tables attached to the wall. Little Edgar was sleeping
there. Curtis was kind of happy about it, he’s heard rumor that some of the
other passengers on the train weren’t exactly taking the constant movement very
well.
 
Liah said that she’s hardly had to rock him any at all since they boarded.
Apparently, the constant movement was amazing for getting him to sleep.
 
Curtis spared a vague thought for wondering what their future would be like.
Would babies on this train later on get  still  sickness? Some people on this
train, might never know what it’s like, walking on land that doesn’t move.
 
He was scared, and worried, and felt just a little bit hopeless.
 
Little Edgar didn’t look scared. He wasn’t worried about anything but getting
his next meal and being entertained.
 
He was hopeless, but he’d grow, and become less and less as things went on.
 
Curtis couldn’t stop looking at his peaceful little smiling face, even in
sleep, the baby looked happier than he felt.
 
“There’s doctors on board. Have any of them looked at you?”
 
Liah gave a gentle smile to the teen, shaking her head. “They aren’t going to
tell me anything that I haven’t been hearing for the last five years. My days
are numbered, and that number is shrinking.”
 
Curtis looked up, worried, “How long do you have?”
 
She thought about that for a second. “Well, by the time the month is up, I
probably won’t be getting out of bed much. Two months would be a blessing, but
I don’t think I’ll last that long.”
 
“Oh…” Curtis trailed off, looking back down at the baby with wide eyes.
 
He wasn’t sure what would happen to Edgar.
 
***
 
Curtis wasn’t sure how this had happened, but he found himself taking care of
Edgar more and more often these days.
 
Liah was smiling at them from the bed, laid back against the pillows while she
watched Curtis pace with the baby. Edgar was easily gentled by being cradled in
someone’s arms, and seemed to be fussing a lot lately. Tanya thinks that he’s
cutting his last tooth.
 
Edgar rubbed his face up against Curtis’ shoulder as the teen sat down in a
chair next to Liah’s bed. She had her own room, and Curtis wasn’t sure if it
was because she was dying, or because she had a baby, but it was nice. The
cabin that Curtis had been staying in before now was mostly cleared out, and
Mayah was still staying with him, though she’d already applied to be reviewed
by the mechanics up in second class, to see if she qualified to work there.
Apparently, she more than knew her way around an engine, but Curtis hadn’t
asked why.
 
Second class was a whole two day walk from the back of the train, but it was
only a day’s walk from where they were towards the front of the brothel
section.
 
Curtis still couldn’t believe they were living in a train that had a fucking
brothel in it.
 
He guesses that it sort of makes sense though. It  was  supposed to be a train
for high class paying passengers before the ice came. So, they probably had
some interesting wants. Ew.
 
Liah was giving him a funny look, and Curtis raised an eyebrow at her. “What’s
wrong?”
 
Liah shrugged. “He… he’ll need a guardian after I’m gone.”
 
It took Curtis a minute to get that. “You… want me to do it?”
 
She nodded, “You’re already the one who helps me with him the most.”
 
Curtis thought about that for a minute. “Won’t I eventually have to start
working, here?”
 
She shook her head, “No, I’ve asked around. Curtis, this train is one of the
last places of humanity left in the world, and even then, it’s very small. They
need doctors, and workers, but I know they’ll also need caregivers for
children. This train has an entire  brothel , and as far as I know, the working
class here does long hours, depending on what they do. People are going to need
caregivers. No one would fault you for keeping to yourself and taking care of
him all day.”
 
Curtis was so fucking scared here. He couldn’t help it, that sounded amazing.
He already spent the majority of his time looking after Edgar since his mother
became unable to get out of bed.
 
He nodded a little, swallowing around the lump in his throat. “Alright. I’ll
watch him.”
 
***
 
When Liah died, a lot of people cried.
 
Edgar didn’t cry right away, too little to realize what was wrong, but the
longer he went without his mother, the more he knew something wasn’t okay.
 
Curtis cried even harder when he realized how lucky the baby would be. One day,
he’d just forget she was even there at all. He pitied and envied the boy in
both turns. He wished he could forget his own mother, but he also knew how much
he cherished the times he’d had with her.
 
Edgar would grow up with a longing for something that he couldn’t remember, but
a distance from it that never let the pain seep in like it did for Curtis.
 
He held the baby tighter as he watched the guards.
 
They were burning the body.
 
They said they could give him a small urn of her ashes, but the rest of it
would have to be scattered from the train.
 
He asked them to wait until they were over the ocean next to do it.
 
Liah had talked about being on a boat as a child. She said it was the best time
of her life, floating at sea.
 
He wanted to give her that again at least.
 
Less than a day later, he asks Mayah if she can make Edgar a locket or
something out of the ashes. She comes back to him a day later with a small
bronze locket that Curtis hangs from his mobile.
 
Curtis moves into Edgar and his mother’s room after that, knowing they need the
space, and it would be easier for him to move, than for the baby.
 
Edgar is still upset, but he’s latched onto Curtis with renewed vigor. Everyone
he knows is gone now too. Curtis will be damned if he disappears too.
 
***
 
Edgar was smiling, bubbly and excited while he cautiously moved along the
walls. Curtis had planned this out very well, and they had a few hours now of
no turns on the train, so the ground under their feet would be most steady at
this point.
 
Curtis knelt down on the floor, just a few feet in front of him, holding out
his hands to the baby. Edgar was just big enough to start toddling on his own.
He wouldn’t be very good at it for a while, but he was determined.
 
“Come on, Edgar, you can do it. Just come to me, now.”
 
Edgar looked down at his feet with determination, and took an unsteady step
forward. He almost immediately fell, but Curtis just winced once, before
getting an encouraging look. “That’s okay, Ed, you’re trying so so hard right
now! You can do it, just come on, try again.”
 
Edgar looked up at him with a smile. Curtis wasn’t stupid. If he acted like
Edgar falling was the end of the world, Edgar was going to think it was, but if
you just kept going, Edgar wouldn’t even bat an eye at the tumble.
 
Edgar moved, getting his little feet under him, and pushing up against the
ground. It was cute, so so damn cute.
 
When Edgar was finally up, he put a hand against the wall again, looking a
little nervous this time. Curtis made sure to smile real wide at him though.
That seemed to soothe the babe just enough to try again.
 
This time, he made it three whole steps before going down, but this time,
Curtis was close enough to pick him up before he landed, voice excited as he
held the baby aloft in his arms. “That was so  good , Ed! You did it, you did
that all on your own!”
 
He leaned up, pressing dry kisses to the baby’s cheeks, till he was a giggling
mess.
 
Curtis found, that he didn’t really mind being here with Edgar.
 
Not at all.
 
***
 
“He’s getting big.”
 
Curtis smiled, pulling the baby tighter to his chest. Since Mayah left for the
second class section the month before, Curtis finds himself spending more and
more time with Tanya in the kitchens closest to the end car section.
Apparently, having someone around who actually know how babies worked, was
pretty much invaluable.
 
Curtis nodded. Edgar was playing with a soft toys in his arms, completely
enraptured in his own world. Curtis tried not to let him wander much in the
kitchens, since he was so small, he could get hurt here easily. “Yeah, he’s
eating very well. Not too many solids that aren’t squishy yet, but he’s eating
good.”
 
Edgar didn’t seem to mind not being able to move about freely right now,
content to just be tucked against Curtis’ chest.
 
He seems healthy and happy, that’s enough for now.
 
***
 
Curtis was trying to stay out of any official talks between workers. Thing is,
he didn’t want to move to the working class cars. From what he’s heard, they
work longer hours there to keep everything running smoothly, and Curtis didn’t
like the idea of needing to hand Edgar off to a stranger every morning and only
seeing him at night. Besides that, he’s  been  to the working class quarters,
and none of them were child friendly.
 
The other morning, a woman moved two doors down from him with a baby of her
own. Apparently, he was right, the car he lived in right now was meant for
parents and children. That suited him just fine.
 
He didn’t know how long they’d be on this train, or if they’d ever get off, he
was going to claim as much space for them as he could, and as long as living
conditions stayed as well as they were, he wasn’t going to complain.
 
The little boy that had moved three doors down from them was older than Edgar,
at least three, and he had big dark eyes and darker hair. He was adorable, and
sweet, and barely said a word, but Edgar had latched onto him right away.
 
His mother called him ‘Grey’ and that’s what he responded to, but Curtis wasn’t
sure if that was his actual name, because she didn’t look at him like a mother
looked at a child. She looked at him like he was in the way of everything.
 
Curtis immediately offered to watch him for her when she needed him to. She’d
taken the help, but her relief was more ‘finally, some time alone’ than it was,
‘good, a nice person to watch him.’
 
Grey didn’t say much, but he watched everyone. He had the biggest eyes, and
Curtis had wondered if he’d been born with them already coloured in. That would
be a good reason to name him Grey.
 
He let Edgar climb all over him when they were together, and he never cried
when his mother left to go to work.
 
Curtis honestly isn’t sure why someone would  choose  to do sex work. The idea
was a bit odd to him.
 
He’s just not sure why you would let someone invasively touch you like that
when you didn’t have to.
 
Maybe that’s the point of it, because you didn’t  have  to.
 
His rooms were set, five cars away from the kitchens. That’s exactly five cars
away from the front of the brothel section -sex work section? Red Tail
District? Let’s call it that one, that one amuses Curtis.
 
They weren’t that far back, but Curtis could already tell, that things would
probably be more family friendly towards the front of the cars, because he
never saw any children past the tenth car back.
 
Already, people streamed in and out of the sections like clockwork. More of
them towards the end of the day. Sometimes, men and women left for a few days,
which probably means they were going towards the front of the train to work
there. Curtis was kind of glad that people just left him and the boys alone
though, because he really didn’t actually want to get involved in this.
 
He frowned when he heard sharp voices outside the car, and looked over at Edgar
and Grey. They were both playing with some toys that Curtis had gotten a hold
of from another passenger in exchange for fixing a bunk in her room the other
day. Grey looked up at the sharp voices, but seemed overall content to stay
put, wary of the voices, but Edgar just ignored it all and kept playing with
the single minded joy of a baby who just wants to enjoy the simple things in
life.
 
Curtis got off the bed, closing the book he’d been reading and setting it back
on the bed.
 
Nowadays, he seemed clawing at the walls for something to entertain himself. He
had his laptop and phone that he’d -probably stupidly, but he was seventeen,
give him a break- taken with him, but the train itself had minimal wifi
capabilities, and he could only really connect to the train’s main hard drive.
 
Though, it did have quite a few shows and movies, Curtis didn’t exactly feel
comfortable binge watching TV shows while he was supposed to be watching
children, so he had been bargaining for books that people had laying around.
 
A lot of people had novels on ebook though. One girl, over in working class,
she had every single published novel of the Doctor Who series so far… well, he
assumes, there’s probably not going to be any more of them…
 
He sighed, pushing off the bed, and looking over at the corner again. Edgar was
looking up now, ever in tune to his caregiver’s movements. Curtis smiled down
at them. “You two stay here and play. I just wanna see what’s going on
outside.”
 
Grey nodded, but Edgar’s brows furrowed. He didn’t do very well when Curtis
left him, probably worried that he’d leave forever like his mom had.
 
Curtis isn’t planning on going anywhere.
 
He stepped outside the cabin, and immediately found an argument going on.
 
“Keep your hands off of me!”
 
There was a man there, an officer, none the less, obviously trying to convince
the woman he was with to change her mind.
 
Curtis frowned when he didn’t let go of her arm, stepping over and grabbing his
wrist. “She  said , not to touch.”
 
The officer looked over at him and snorted, hand pulling back. “So they were
right. The boys whore themselves out back here too.”
 
Curtis let his features move into the most disapproving glare he could manage.
“You really should leave. Someone might mistake you for one of the  whores  and
touch you where you don’t want it. Because, obviously, consent isn’t an issue,
right?”
 
His well placed jab did seem to have an effect on the man, and he was at least
pleased to see him back up a bit. “Whatever. Not like I can’t find ten more of
you two further back.”
 
Curtis shrugged, leaning against the wall next to him. “Sweetie, you ain’t
gonna find another one of me  anywhere .”
 
The officer bristled, looking pissed now. “Why would I even care about you,
you’re just a slut like everyone else.”
 
Curtis contemplated saying that he wasn’t a working boy at all, but decided not
to even faster. “You should be  really  upset about that, you know. I’m a  slut
, I let people fuck me, touch me wherever to pleases them, all day long. And
yet, I still think I’m above you.  That  should make you upset.”
 
The officer looked like he might actually take a swing at him, and a glance
over at the woman he’d been hassling -a woman he knew worked just a few cars
down from him in the front of the Red Tail, he knew she worked with scheduling
most sessions with the workers, and she knew fully well that he wasn’t one of
the workers… at least, not yet- well, she looked amused, and pleased as pie
right now.
 
Curtis spared the smallest of smiles for her, before looking back at the
officer, who still wasn’t even sure how to reply to him, and gave him a once
over, up and down real slow. “You really don’t know how a red light district
works, do you? You know, if everyone in the back says you’re off limits, that’s
kind of it for you. You better hope you have some luck with people elsewhere,
because you piss off enough people back here, you’re not gonna touch  anyone .”
 
The officer paused, as if suddenly realizing that.
 
Curtis did know how this worked. The neighborhood he’d lived in hadn’t been the
best, and he knew more prostitutes than he did kids his own age. He knew how
red light districts worked.
 
Yeah, he’d been shocked as hell to hear about a  train  of all the fucking
places having one, but he felt more at home here than he’d felt in his actual
home before the ice had come, in years.
 
He knew how this place would run, and he knew if the girls -and boys- decided
this man was off limits, he was  off limits , bar none.
 
The officer took another step back, looking defeated, in an angry way. “Fine.
I’ll just leave then. I’m not in the mood anymore anyways.”
 
Curtis snorted at him as he left, turning back to look at the woman. “You
should get some kind of bouncer to stay at the front of the Red Tail section.
Keep riff raff like that from entering at all. If they wanna talk with you,
they get an escort back so shit like this doesn’t happen again. I’m happy to
help where I can, but you gotta remember, I take care of most of the kids in
this car when their moms aren’t around, I usually have a child with me. If
someone wants a fight, I can’t always protect them.”
 
The woman looked like she was considering it. “You know, that’s an amazing
idea. The children live in the front ten cars, and so none of them have reason
to be in the back, but that means people like that gotta go through them to get
to me. I’ll see about opening up the position to someone willing to do it. We
can see about moving the children one car back, and making the first station
after the kitchens one to set up appointments.”
 
He nodded, “That’s a great idea. Keep me updated of any changes so I can help
where needed.”
 
She nodded, and before he turned to go back into the cabin, she put a light
hand on his arm. “You should see if you think you could be one of the working
boys. There’s a severe lack of men working in the Red.”
 
Curtis thought about that for a second. Actually, this isn’t the first time
he’s been offered to have some help selling himself before. He’s never taken
them up on the offer, but the working girls around the corner of his house had
offered to help the year before when his mother had first died. He’d barely
been scraping by, till his grandfather -cooky old bat who didn’t want anything
to do with him- had been bullied by one of his aunts into sending him rent and
food money.
 
He worked his jaw a little, “I… I don’t see why I would do that. I have the
boys to look after. Edgar cries if I leave him sometimes. Sometimes he just
gives me this pathetic look like I’m ripping his little heart out. I don’t
think it’s the best idea to leave him right now.”
 
She nodded, “I know that. That’s something that can be worked around. At least
consider it, when he’s a bit older, a bit less stuck to your hip.”
 
He frowned, “I don’t… selling yourself like a common-”
 
“Mijo shut up before I have to make you. I know fully well you grew up in the
same kind of neighborhood that I did, so don’t talk like that. It’s bull, and
you know it. Just consider it. You eyes that make people want to fuck you, and
you’re prettier than half my girls. If you started working, you’d probably
immediately get bumped into working in first class. The rich bastards would pay
a lot for someone that looked like you.”
 
Curtis looked down, face red. “I… I’ve never even…”
 
She gave an almost wolfish grin. “Luckily for you, we’ve got a nice supply of
viagra, and many girls and boys who would  love  to teach you.”
 
Curtis wouldn’t help the fond eye roll at that. Actually, that did sound a bit
nice, to at least be able to work off some steam. Sleeping with a baby in your
bed -lack of cribs in this section of the train- really made it hard to get
some alone time, and he didn’t even use his in suit shower for anything other
than the toilet, since it was just easier to go to the bath car a few cars back
and take care of both of them there.
 
He shook his head, hand moving towards the door to the cabin again, “I’ll think
about it.”
 
“Good.”
 
***
 
Curtis found himself thinking about that offer way too often.
 
He still hadn’t taken it yet, but he seemed to be thinking about it way too
much.
 
He was further ahead in the train section right now. Past the kitchens, and in
a recreation car.
 
It was during the main working hours in the train, and so it wasn’t very
crowded, but it had a few children running around, which was Curtis’ main
concern. He had Grey and Edgar with him today. Edgar seemed to be moving non-
stop since he got his legs under him a few months back, but seems to have worn
himself out today already. Edgar was tucked up against his chest, having a
little snooze there while Curtis looked out the window.
 
Snow. Everything was fucking snow.
 
Every morning, he woke up and looked out the small window in their cabin, and
found snow. Every night, he stared out it before finally falling asleep, and it
was still snow.
 
He’d never seen snow in real life before the ice had come, and now it’s all he
saw.
 
It was heart wrenching how beautiful it was. It was even more heart wrenching,
how many lives it’d taken.
 
So beautiful, and yet, the most dangerous thing in the world.
 
He hated it, but he couldn’t help but think how beautiful it was, in a passing
train, so fast, everything was a blur.
 
One step outside, he’d die of the cold, but inside, was like a prison.
 
He gently ran one hand up and down little Edgar’s back while he watched it,
till he felt a nudge at his arm, looking down to see Grey climbing up onto the
seat next to him, not quite tired like the baby was, but clearly done with
playing for now.
 
Curtis raised his left arm to help him tuck up under, and Grey snuggled in,
looking out the window with him.
 
“Gonna watch the snow with me?”
 
Grey nodded, looking out the window, wary and curious in turn.
 
***
 
“I just don’t see why I should even sell myself at all. I’m fine where I am
now, aren’t I? They don’t require money to eat and live here, and even if they
did, I take care of just about all the kids here, I think that counts for
something, right?”
 
Hina -the woman who booked sessions with the girls and boys- frowned at Curtis,
pouring a shot of vodka in a glass for him, before pushing it his way. Curtis
took it and downed it without thinking too much about it. He watched her with
big eyes. “Curtis, this is a closed community. Even if we eventually get off
this train, most people here, are only ever going to know other people from
this train. Now, in bigger society, sex is easy to come by. In this closed off
community, sex is now a commodity. You’re smarter than just about anyone else
I’ve talked to here, you should know, that when one party wants something that
the other party has, they bargain, or pay for it.”
 
Curtis nodded, “Yeah, that’s how prostitution works, I’ve known that my whole
life.”
 
She nodded back, “Then you should know, that in a closed off community like
this one, things are going to become hard to come by. Books are going to be
harder to get, food will eventually become tighter the longer we stay here. One
day, they’re probably going to start restricting passage between the sections.”
 
Curtis nodded warily, “I… never thought of that. What’s this have to do with
things?”
 
“One day, sex will be the biggest weapon on this train. One day, when people
are tense and angry at being here, sex will calm them down. One day, when
things like access and food are starting to be restricted, sex will loosen
their hold on that. One day, when Edgar is older, people will be less likely to
let him around their children because he lives in the tail section, and sex
might be the only thing that allows you free travel to see other sections and
let him interact with others.”
 
Curtis looked at the empty glass for a good long while. When he spoke, it was
quiet. “One day, living conditions won’t be nearly as good here as we have them
now, and sex will get us the things we need, and the upper hand to negotiate
for better lives.”
 
She nodded, “Yes. One day, this will be the biggest weapon on the entire train
that’s not a full on rebellion, and we’ll need that.”
 
Curtis was quiet for another few minutes. “I… I guess I could at least try. For
the kids. I could try, just to make sure they get what they need. They won’t
ever know anything outside this train in a few years. They deserve for us to
try and make sure they get the best of what’s here.”
 
“Yes, they do.”
 
***
 
Curtis didn’t feel as though enough things in his life had changed.
 
It was cold, he didn’t go to school anymore, he had a baby, and he lived on a
train.
 
Though, some things were still the same. He was still living with working girls
who called him pretty and asked to train him, and he still barely talked with
people his own age, honestly preferring the company of the working girls to
most other people around.
 
It was amazing, how little changes he encountered.
 
The first time he ever said yes to the girls, it was terrifying.
 
He’d never been touched like this before, and he kept thinking about Edgar, who
was with Tanya for the day, and Grey, the little boy who’s eyes were so much
older than his mind.
 
He couldn’t relax.
 
“Baby boy, if you don’t calm down, none of this is gonna work.”
 
Curtis was skittish on the bed. It was a big, soft bed, with silky sheets. He
wasn’t wearing anything, and he had one girl behind him, gently guiding him
onto his stomach, before digging her small, soft hands and fingers into his
muscles. It felt amazing, and he started melting into a puddle against the
sheets. It was a lot nicer than he was expecting it to be.
 
Curtis sighed against his arm, melting further into the mattress. The girl
behind him smiled, looking over at the others in the room. There was one woman,
and one man. The man was kind of on the big side, and he had looked more than
happy to help train Curtis that day.
 
In fact, with his clothes off, he looked downright excitable to help him.
 
Curtis felt his own cock stir a little under him at the sight of the older man,
and buried his red face into the soft pillow.
 
The girl behind him made a soft noise. “Oh… Ave, I don’t think he likes girls.”
 
Ave looked curious at that, “Oh? He wants the big bad Daren to play with him
instead? I would quite like to see that.”
 
Curtis’ face was burning, but he quite liked these girls. They made him feel
better about being nervous, and though he didn’t exactly like the idea of them
touching him as much as much as he liked the idea of Daren doing it, he
couldn’t help but feel an odd stirring in his lower belly at the idea of them
watching him.
 
Fuck, that was dirty.
 
Curtis let out a little squeak when Daren took Anna’s place behind him, coaxing
him onto his back on the bed, now that he was more relaxed.
 
Curtis felt his face burning hot, cock hard and slapping up against his
stomach.
 
“Remember Daren, you’re a  lot  bigger than he is, be gentle or you’ll hurt
him.”
 
Curtis turned to hide his face in the pillow a little when he felt his cock
spit out pre-cum at the words.
 
Oh god, he hasn’t touched himself since getting on the train, he felt feverish
all over. They hadn’t even had to give him anything, he just wanted this giant
man to touch him all over. He felt the rough scratch of Daren’s beard against
his thigh and arched up. Daren was the exact definition of a bear. Big and
hairy all over, with a rough look about him that made you just a little bit
scared when he first looked at you, but also kind of nice, like you knew he
wouldn’t hurt you.
 
“Oh, I think he likes it when you two talk about him. Not sure if he just likes
me cause I’m a boy, or cause I’m big, but he feels hot and pliant all over. He
likes it when you both look.”
 
Curtis let out a soft moaning noise into his bicep, and Daren moved in between
his legs. His thighs were soft, and against the rough hair covered torso of the
big man, spread wide by how big the guy was, it just made him hotter.
 
Fuck, he was going to be a  horrible  prostitute if he couldn’t even last ten
minutes while someone barely touched him. He felt too hot, and like any graze
to his cock was electric.
 
He could hear the girls sighing at the sight of him. He felt like a slut, bent
upwards at the waist while the big bear of a man held on tight to his hips,
rocking up against him with gentle movements.
 
“He’s going to need a  lot  of training before he stops being a hair trigger.”
Daren leaned in, sucking the soft skin between his thigh and pelvis into his
mouth. It felt tingly and wet, and Curtis dug his toes into the soft sheets on
either side of the man at the feeling of the touch. “Oh yeah, lots and lots of
training. Would you like that, sweet boy? To get trained up by me and the
girls. They would be happy to watch if you don’t want them touching, watch you
fall apart like you’re doing right now.”
 
Curtis let out a high pitched noise in the back of his throat, close to the
edge, and not sure how to get over. Not sure if he should get over. Fuck, fuck,
he’d  love  to come back for more training.
 
If it’s this good every time, he’d  love  to do this job. It made him feel
floaty and desperate, like it was the best thing in the world.
 
Okay, yeah, he might not have been the biggest fan in the world of touching
himself before now, but he was probably a pretty big fan of begging others to
touch him.
 
Daren moved one big hand below him, squeezing tight around his cheek,
fingertips grazing the hole down there as he pulled Curtis up further.
 
Curtis gasped at the new position making it impossible to rub against the rough
texture of the man’s abs, but that quickly broke off into a small wail when he
felt Daren’s tongue coming out, and licking a long stripe up his cock, bucking
up against him.
 
Like Daren said, he was a hair trigger from coming, and he did, almost
painfully hard against the man while Daren mouthed against his sensitive dick,
nuzzling in with his rough beard.
 
It made Curtis shake against him, twitching and spurting out cum against the
older man.
 
When he finally came down, he saw Daren staring up at him with something akin
to awe. “You’re so  pretty  when you come. Your cock twitches so nicely, and
you even sound amazing.”
 
Curtis just blushed even more red, laying back against the soft bed.
 
When Daren sat up to grab a wipe from the girls to clean him up with, Curtis
saw his cock standing to attention, eager and red at the tip. He bit his lip,
wanting to touch.
 
“None of you…”
 
Ave came over to the bed, crawling up onto it and immediately attaching her
mouth to his. He sighed against her lips, feeling sensitive and relaxed all
over. “In this line of business, it’s all about the customer. It doesn’t matter
if you get off. But, luckily for the rest of us, it’s considered good manners
for us all to help each other out.”
 
Curtis looked curious at that. He hadn’t necessarily wanted Ave and Anna to
touch him before he’d come, but now that he was sated, he felt the urge to let
them use him as they pleased.
 
He  really  wanted to please right now.
 
Curtis gave her a wide eyed look. “I’d  love  to help out.”
 
Anna breathed out a soft sigh on the other side of him. “Good boy.”
 
Curtis didn’t think working here would be so bad. At the very least, he felt
relaxed on a deeper level that he hadn’t been in months.
 
This was progress.
 
***
 
Curtis was still in training a week later, when he was playing with the kids
back in their room. He found, he didn’t mind any of this nearly as much as he
thought he would.
 
Edgar was toddling over to him with a thick baby book, looking happier than he
had in a while, and Grey was laying on the bed for a nap right now, obviously
pooped.
 
Curtis pulled the baby into his arms with a smile.
 
Things were going to get better. He was sure of it.
End Notes
     Come see me at trashforsnow.tumblr.com
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