Story ahead with mature content that could possible be triggering.

Porrim smiled cordially, trying to hide the repulsion she felt deep down. She hated what she was doing. She would gag if she thought too deeply about what was going on.

Slowly she let her clothes fall from her body, leaving her only in her undergarments. She hated this. She hated this. Her lips stayed in a smile, her eyes trying to entice the man before her. Here she was, in a motel room with a sleaze of a man that oogled at her body. He wasn't unattractive, but there were still things left to be desired, like changing the predatorial way he was looking at her. She let him touch her, have his way.

When it was all said and done she was free to go. She made her way back to her apartment in the slums, thinking only about the money in her bra. There wasn't any work for her here. There wasn't a clean way for her to make money. Hell, there was hardly a way for anyone to make money. People were poor; the economy was failing. She couldn't make clean money at a job when nobody could get a job. She was making money the only way she could, for the only person that was still with her. Sure, Kankri could act like a bastard, but he was still here. He was here in this god awful city, trying to preach the word of the lord to a city that believed god was dead. He was here, and that's all that really mattered to her. She wasn't alone in this careless city full of strangers.

Quietly, she opened the door to their apartment. It was dark and silent like it should be this time of night. She made her way to her room, the path memorized from walking it so many times. Her hands quickly put away the money in a drawstring pouch she kept in a drawer with a lock. Tiredly, she undressed, pulling on a sleeping gown. When her head touched the pillow she felt herself drift off to blissful nothingness.

The next night and the night after were the same. She would wait on a corner, asking if a man was interested when he stopped by her. It was repulsive, but if she was going to help Kankri keep a roof over his own head she needed to do this. It was all working well until she got busted.

It was painful having them call Kankri to bail her out. Most of the money she saved was gone now. Worst of all, she couldn't look him in the eye. She couldn't stand to see the way he would look at her now. He hadn't known. He was probably suspicious of where the money came from, but now he knew. He knew the shameful thing she had been doing. It had always made her feel dirty, but she could only imagine how much he would be appalled.

The air between them was tense and silent. It was suffocating.

"Why?" he finally asked.

She paused, unsure of how to start.

"I just wanted to help. You don't make much, barely enough to keep yourself with a roof over your head. Times are hard. I can't really get a job at a factory since there aren't positions, and there aren't many here anymore."

"We were fine without your help. You didn't have to... have to sell yourself," he gestured at her body, face both annoyed and flushed. "There wasn't a reason to."

She bowed her head.

"I want to make sure you stay okay. I'm fine so long as you stay okay in this place," she whispered, struggling to keep her voice steady.

He sighed, crossing his arms.

"We'll be fine. Don't go around devaluing yourself for my sake. You're worth more than that, Porrim."

The sun was just starting to rise as they made their way back. It illuminated the grey buildings that surrounded them. The air was cool and crisp, the morning sun just giving the barest hint of warmth.