#the chairmen fnv

[dykedvonte]

Ok so we know you love Benny (rightfully so, I mean look at the man) but do you have any thoughts on the other Chairmen? Swank and Tommy specifically?

I have so many thoughts on the Vegas families but even more on the Chairmen just because of how unique their position is.

Like to start off, I have mentioned and still fully believe the Chairmen are the most paranoid and distrusting of all of the Vegas families. You can get sucked into many personal dramas and plights when it comes to the other Vegas Families; Quest-lines that get you super involved with their inner workings and pasts, ergo, quest-lines like Beyond the Beef and How Little We Know. Other than the very little side quest we get from Tommy, where you don’t even out in a good word for the Aces Theater for the talent recruits, your very boxed out with the Chairmen.

While the other families are more curious and intrigued by the NCR and Legion tensions rising, House being killed and other things, the Chairmen are always paranoid, concerned and negative. They mention wanting to leave like in the old days but can’t drop the act. They don’t mention anything that isn’t in a way that relates back to them and it tells how little they wish to or do interact with those outside the family. Swank mentions how he doesn’t trust the other families and the sentiments are shared with Tommy who discourages you from seeing the other sights. They are probably not purposely isolating themselves but they keep to their own. I only think this is extrapolated by House favoring Benny as a successor and possibly more restrictions on them. They were the first family and likely the prototype of whatever is detailed in their contracts. House was not as lenient as he is now, taking Swank referring to House’s rules into account.

Specifically about Tommy and Swank is interesting. Tommy feels like he’s older to me, not like more mature but he’s been around to see how far the Boot-Riders changed into the Chairmen. He’s not like an old guy either but older than Swank and Benny. I like to think he’s a middle ground to Swank and Benny, where Benny is the idealist, Swank is the nihilist and he’s there realist. You gotta real with people when you work in entertainment. He has a keen eye and can tell when things aren’t right but doesn’t jump out of his lane, not without provocation that is. In relation to Benny, I think Tommy’s like a snide older brother type guy. He rips on Benny cause the guy is so obsessed with not being seen as a tribal anymore but Tommy of all people can see when someone is playing too much into a bit. Benny keeps him close cause he keeps him real.

Swank is described in universe by House as being dependable but unimaginative. I don’t think that’s fully the case but he isn’t the person to push things in my eyes either. He has complaints but he does what he’s asked of and is loyal. More of a “Are you sure” Man than a “Yes” Man. I don’t think he sees the best in the people around him but prefers to see them as static. I take this with how hard it is to convince him that Benny is a traitor and how he seems shocked you are so ready to kill him. Things run a certain why and it’s why he likes that. It’s why he’s so good a managing The Tops. He wants things to run smooth and easy and everyone to be having a time. He’s the type to struggle with a shift in change at first but then forget why when the new song and dance start to come naturally. He plays the part just like Benny but also reminds him of what they came from. He’s his most trusted advisor and friend keeps him in focus.

This is all personal opinion and just a quick run down of it. But I hope I answered at least some of what you asked:p

[couriernix]

Fancast:

Arturo Castro as Benny Gecko

I just watched The Menu and my immediate thought was that he looked like Benny

[jumbledbee]

Benny and Swank

[witch-off]

We’re the Tops, babe. Simply the coolest cats in the block.

•Drawing my Courier with some of the Chairmen. Reference below

[n00b-vegas]

I guess I only draw bowling now

Anyway

Some of The Chairmen bowling team

[cathartic-crypt]

doodled the three chairmen. wanted to draw benny and his weird gold tooth.gave him two for the funsies.and then drew the rest of the gang just because

[ghoulfuckersincorporated]

anything for benny gecko? im quite curious!

(If it hasn't become clear, headcanon requests are presumed to be for NSFW content unless otherwise stated. Feel free to submit again if I missed the mark, Anon!)

Benny Gecko (Fallout: New Vegas) NSFW Headcanons

Benny is NOT good in bed off bat, but he's trainable. If there's one thing the man has in spades, it's self-confidence; because of that, he thinks he's a sex god with universally applicable technique that, in reality, works on about 1/10 partners. He's the poster child for "you told me 'right there' so I'm both changing angles and speeding up". You may have to slap him around a little to get what you're trying to teach him to sink in (3 INT and also he's just a dog who enjoys a little punishment), or maybe park yourself on his face until the lack of oxygen forces him to figure out how to eat you properly, but he's more than capable of learning. Be generous with the praise when he does things right and he'll never forget what you like.

Sex with him can be pretty goofy (rough/passionate, but still goofy) and littered with moments that make you both giggle, but on a bad day he can be quite punitive. Laugh at the wrong moment for any reason on a day like that and he'll turn your ass beet red before you can blink.

Benny's pretty strong according to his stats, and he definitely enjoys flexing that strength. He likes to fuck standing up against the wall for that reason; it's a cumbersome position that doesn't really feel ideal for anyone, but he can't resist the look on a partner's face when he hoists them up around his waist.

The man tries hard to keep up his "slick and reformed nomad" image, but beneath all the pomade and the Bugsy Siegel suit, he's dirty, rough around the edges. Primal. He prefers his sexual encounters to be filthy in all ways; unwashed, sweaty, pheromone-saturated filth. Likes when you're just a little overripe. Wants both of you to be completely covered in one another's bodily fluids when you're done. Spit in his mouth and he might propose right then and there (do not take this proposal seriously).

I adore the headcanon that, under the suit, Benny is covered in gang/tribe tattoos from his Boot Rider days (as well as a bevvy of scars). He's a bit self-conscious about how they make him appear at times, but he's thrilled if you're really into them.

He's a switch, but a mean dom and a petulant, bratty sub. Not every day is a BDSM-type day with Benny (you wouldn't have, for example, a long-term dom/sub dynamic with him; too many rules involved for his taste), but those days are always...trying in their own way.

HAS to have a cigarette after he fucks, preferably lying butt-ass naked in bed near an open window with a nice breeze blowing through. Will settle for a cigar, but you're gonna have to listen to him bitch about how he'd rather have a regular smoke while his soft cock is flopping everywhere. Distracting. Annoying. Very Benny Gecko.

Hard 15 minute timer from "cumming his brains out" to "so deep asleep you can't rouse him for shit". Make sure you get yours before he gets his, and don't fuck him in your bed if you don't want him to spend the night. You won't be able to get him to leave once he's snoring.

[irradiatedrosegarden]

Benny Gecko headcanons

disclaimer: these are all my personal headcanons for him, no worries if they don't align with yours! everyone's interpretation of this guy is different, and that's pretty cool imo :3

5'7" and wishes he was taller.

Bisexual (I mean, look at him)

Trans man

Changed a lot (maybe the most, out of all the Boot Riders) after becoming the Chairmen, both mentally and physically. "Ciao to the old ways, baby - time to swing in style. If the shoes fit, you wear 'em." He adjusted the fastest out of all of the Boot Riders/Chairmen, as well, adopting his new persona flawlessly - from the wardrobe, to the vocabulary, to his new dreams of one day running the city himself. He molded perfectly with the Vegas lifestyle, gained weight once he wasn't walking through the desert for days on end and had every meal already secured, and thanks to the New Vegas Medical Clinic, was able to medically transition. He thrives off of the luxury, but has to pretend he doesn't miss the old Boot Rider days sometimes.

Mostly, what he regrets about transforming the Boot Riders into the Chairmen is the loss of some of their camaraderie. There's a different kind of companionship, of ride-or-die bonding that comes with being one of a band of nomads, relying only on themselves and each other to survive the harshness of the desert. The Chairmen are still incredibly loyal to one another; the sole reason no one other than Bingo opposed Benny's choice to move into the Tops once he was the leader - not enough to physically do anything about it, anyway. But some of that closeness they used to have was lost. Benny grew distant from the rest of his tribe, rising to great heights as the leader of the Tops, the one in charge - even being adopted as House's protégé - and leaving the others in his dust.

(this is pretty much canon but) he never had a second thought about agreeing to House's offer. He never thought for a second that the Boot Riders shouldn't become the Chairmen.

Trust Issues™

Terrible at controlling his facial expressions, often pulls involuntary faces (grimaces, scrunching his face/nose, pouting, grinning humorously, etc.) (all very briefly, just a split-second reaction to something or nothing) - often there's nothing going on that would elicit such an expression; it just happens involuntarily.

Gets random muscle spasms throughout the day, mostly in his hands or feet/legs. He'll accidentally hit/kick stuff, knock stuff over, or drop anything he's carrying.

Likes to sit on the floor while he eats, but doesn't like other people to know that. He'll sometimes lock himself in a bedroom or bathroom just to eat on the floor without being given funny looks.

Gets along best with Arcade, out of all the companions/roommates living in the Lucky 38. Has semi-frequent spitting matches with Cass that start out genuinely spiteful, but eventually transform into the one way they really bond: sibling-esque bickering. They get into a fistfight pretty early on, though, after Benny makes the mistake of calling Cass "Whiskey Rose" after learning that she hates it (dick move on his part, to be fair, but did he deserve his nose broken?).

Struggles with mental illness, has hallucinations and delusions that he takes medication for (which he gets from the New Vegas Medical Clinic), but has a very low alcohol tolerance as a side effect; he tends to avoid drinking.

One of his delusions is that the city of Vegas is somehow actually, truly alive, and it chose him specifically to rule it, to lead it to a new glory - a new independence. He believes he, and he alone, can run the city the way it was meant to be run - the way it needs to be run.

Maria was given to him as a gift from House, along with the checkered suit, the wingtip shoes, and the keys to his new home: the Tops Hotel and Casino.

Even before becoming the Chairmen, living the rich man's life in Vegas, Benny had a liking for the finer things in life. Especially nowadays, he appreciates spending the extra caps for the finest of the fine, smoking a distinctive, expensive brand of cigarettes, wearing his nice suit even on a trek through the desert, etc. His favorite food is oranges, another notably expensive thing to regularly eat (they aren't exactly common in the wasteland), part of the reason why he loves them so much.

One of his favorite ways to show affection toward someone is by peeling an orange for them, handing them slices one by one.

Speaking of affection, Benny is very showy, often cheesy, in how he shows it. The grander the gesture, and more importantly, the bigger the reaction it garners, the better. He loves surprising his partner, with anything from gifts to kisses.

His breath usually smells like cigarettes and oranges, very occasionally with a hint of alcohol.

Drinks water out of wine and champagne glasses, partly for the expensive aesthetic, partly to hide the fact that it's only water that he's drinking.

Very intelligent and cunning, but tends to be short-sighted. He has these big, great plans, but overlooks the finer details, and ultimately ends up failing more often than not. (See: plotting out the courier's ambush and murder, but neglecting to ensure they were actually dead; figuring out how to (with help) reprogram an entire Securitron, but then double crossing the person who helped him; successfully sneaking all the way into the Fort, with the Platinum Chip in hand(!!!), but getting caught because he didn't wear a helmet so as to not mess up his hair, etc.).

Sleeps around; canonically a pretty boy, very much plays into the persona of the smooth-talking, sensual, gorgeous casino-owner. Either intentionally or not, his good looks can't be denied as part of the reason the Tops is as popular as it is. Who doesn't want to patronize a casino with a charming, handsome owner - who can often be found hanging out on the ground floor, overlooking the tables, talking up whoever will listen? There are some rumors, shared in a hush underneath the rolling of the roulette wheels, the overhead swing music, that Benny is the town bicycle; rumors of people he's supposedly had a fling with. He's a regular Casanova.

Paranoia™

this man is doomed by the narrative and it's making me insane

His hair is curly, but he styles it with so much gel (gotta look like a 1950s gentleman, y'know) you can't tell, save for the single curl that always seems to fail to remain smoothed back. Living with Daisy (my courier six!), especially during the recovery after Benny is rescued from the Fort, he wears his hair loose, which Daisy particularly appreciates (she loves when he lays his head on her lap/chest and she plays with his hair; much nicer when it's not all crusty or greasy with hair gel or spray).

Small feet

Canonically disappears for days - sometimes weeks - at a time, deciding on a whim to wander who-knows-where around the Mojave and be alone for a while. Brushed off by the others back in Vegas, namely by Swank, as "a cat needing some time to swing," but they get worried when the days turn into weeks. No one really knows where he goes. All they know is that in seven years, he hadn't ever failed to return - the Fort changed that (in my game, he was held captive there for several months).

Loves physical contact as a way to show affection, loves hugs, hand-holding, massages, and people playing with his hair. So does Daisy, which makes for a pair of absolute lovebirds once they're living together; they're inseparable, pretty much always touching one another, even if it's just a hand resting on the other's shoulder or waist, an arm around their shoulders, hand in hand and side by side. They're practically glued at the hip.

Bottom™

Runs his hands through his hair as an anxious habit (maybe the reason for the aforementioned loose curl), taps his feet, and bites his lip, often to the point of bleeding. He tries to be subtle in his anxious stimming, but if you know him, and know how he acts, you'll always be able to tell when he's nervous.

Used to be married to Swank, but after too much changed - after Benny changed too much - when the Boot Riders became the Chairmen, they divorced. It was Swank's idea, coming to Benny's suite one night and explaining honestly how he felt, how he felt things would continue to change moving forward, and how he realized that, in order for things to continue going smoothly, the nature of their relationship needed to change. Swank wasn't going anywhere - he had Benny's back, and nothing would change that - but he couldn't, in good conscience, continue to be Benny's husband. Too much had changed; he felt like Benny was trying to hide their relationship, treating him differently in front of others, even the other Chairmen. It didn't feel right.

Still calls Swank by the name he had before they became the Chairmen.

Never stopped wearing the wedding ring Swank gave him; switches it to his right hand after he marries Daisy.

Writes little letters, (like "Thanks, baby") and attempts to write little poems, for his partner. His . . . unique vocabulary comes across in writing, but the romance of said writing is . . . debatable.

Good leader. Like it or not, he earned his place as chief of the Boot Riders, and kept up that leadership position after the transition to the Chairmen, for seven years and still going strong when the courier comes and messes everything up.

Has big dreams, big, big ideas and hopes and ambitions. Sometimes, they're too big. Sometimes, they end up with him falling flat on his face when he tries to reach too high, to admittedly dangerous unattainable heights. Does that stop him from trying? Fuck no.

Terrible nightmares and night terrors, goes on long walks outside (usually staying within the city limits) when he's scared at night.

[caelan0d]

Updated her Ref sheet :)

[infestedguest]

A favorite Benny Gecko headcanon of mine is that before House “civilized” the Chairmen/Boot Riders his name was literally just Gecko.

The name Benny is a double reference to both the most powerful trump card in the card game Euchre, and to Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, the real life mobster who owned the Flamingo Hotel and Casino and who drove a lot of the development of the Las Vegas Strip in the 1940s. Benny’s entire brand is pretty clearly influenced by Bugsy Siegel, both out of universe by the devs as well as in universe by House and possibly Benny himself, especially considering the buffalo plaid suit. (Bugsy Siegel almost definitely also existed in the Fallout universe and played a similar role as he did irl because the Fallout timeline branches off from ours in 1945, only two years before he was assassinated).

It’d be one hell of a coincidence if that was the name he had as a tribal, and since we know that House’s reinvention of the strip families was specifically in the image of the old world, it only makes sense that that would include names. Swank probably wasn’t called Swank before the Boot Riders became the Chairmen either (I mean, his name is literally Swank).

Gecko doesn’t seem like a particularly unusual name for a tribal to have. It’s the name of a fairly common hostile creature in the Mojave Wasteland that the Boot Riders probably encountered regularly. Geckos were likely at least associated with combat or ferocity in their culture, which given Benny’s description of them when you talk to him at the fort were probably traits that the Boot Riders valued. Thus it isn’t that hard to believe that a Boot Rider would name their kid Gecko. Alternatively he may have earned the name after some kind of encounter involving one or more Geckos, if earning names was a thing in their culture a la the Khans.

We can assume that the usage of Gecko as a sort of surname for Benny could’ve been started by other members of the Chairmen while they were still getting used to the name transition. Like, imagine every single person you know suddenly has a completely different name. Informally tagging a person’s Boot Rider name onto the end of their Chairman name could’ve been a way to prevent confusion in the early days of them being Chairmen. (The implication of this subheadcanon being that every Chairman has a “surname” like this, which I personally think is really cool). People outside of the Chairmen probably just assumed those were their full names, so now they basically are, at least in the public consciousness of the city.

Another possible contributing factor to it’s usage as a surname is the general usage of surnames by other groups the Chairmen interact or associate with, especially the NCR. If House didn’t give the Chairmen last names, or if last names just weren’t a thing for the Boot Riders, it doesn’t seem unreasonable for them to just put their Boot Rider name as their last name when signing paperwork or whatever, or whenever else other people expect them to have one, especially if my subheadcanon from the last paragraph is true and they were already kind of using them that way anyway. Also I like to think there were at least a few Chairmen who, when asked what their last name was, assumed the asker meant the last name that they had.

[dykedvonte]

I love that the Chairmen are like the lameos of The Strip. Like it just says so much about how the Boot Riders were that they are just so fine being like Vegas cool guys.

Everyone at The Tops sans Benny is content, happy and fine with how things play out. They just like having food, women and something to do. Like occasionally they have to use some of their tribal warrior skills when threats like the Courier pop up but they are like if you took mountain lions and gave them a kitty spa day and now they refuse to leave.

Of course, the other families think they’re boring like one of them is literally eating bitches and The Tops just has the worst Wasteland’s Got Talent contestants as premiere acts.

[wtftaylr]

quick gully and jerry icons bc i was itching to post them to toyhouse

[spooky-donut-ghost-house]

I know we all love Benny as a cringefail loser but does anyone else kinda wish his ingame counterpart was more like his All Roads counterpart? Like the way everyone describes him before you actually meet him is more on par with his All Roads counterpart like yeah he ambushes you in your suite and leaves after you sleep with him and was intended to come back and try to kill you after you free him from The Legion but he's honestly a cringefail loser about it all and every NPC describes him as if he was the spawn of Satan when he's actually so pathetic you can't even consider him a threat when in All Roads he was a slimey sneaky evil bastard like there's times where I forget ingame Benny and All Roads Benny are the same character given how widely different they are from each other

[jijiwiggu]

[Portrait of 5 Chairmen members relaxing on the balcony of the Tops](left to right: Dingo, Benny, Swank, Tommy, AJ) [c 2274]

Better late than never but R.I.P Matthew Perry.

[deadwifemanpain]

I had a fun little idea to combine the works i did of these handsome sons of bitches and then i regretted it immediately.  so here you go a bigger drawing it’s filled with my regret, agony and tears <3

[matchbet-allofthetime]

Random Fallout HC:

The King, Pacer, Benny, Swank, Butch, and Zeke are all dandies.