Dona tucked in her dress. The radiator was working, and the credits she got from Jakob was keeping her life rather comfortable.
"I guess this is a blessing? I haven't been able to sleep with anyone who wasn't drunk, and a good thing that I never really did get myself pregnant."
She was able to afford this room by spending four years entertaining men. No one had taken her as their lover, and even she had started losing customers with how she cut her hair. She hated how they always pulled her hair during the deed.
"Huh?" She reacted to the notification on her device. "Another credit? Eighty-thousand!?"
It was strange to have money flowing in without her doing anything. Thinking this was probably Jakob's doing. She thought if she should treat him as a fool or a sad one. Four years after leaving Gharasu, she thought of him as nothing more than the part of the folks who would die hunting the belua. It took him two years to enter Aured, and he acts and sounds like a broken man.
Not that it mattered considering their relationship.
"Why me?" Dona asked. The amount of cash he brings in would allow him to find a better block for himself, and yet he spends it on someone like her.
The cash could allow him to rent a block. Hell, he could use it on a beautiful woman with no wounds or mental issues. But still, he was someone who did not look like he craves about sleeping together.
"Hmm?" Dona opened her device, switching to video mode, the screen showed a clip of 'Ghost of Gharasu,' butchering a horde of belua all by himself.
He fought like a ghost, appearing out of nowhere, butchering one belua after another. The footage came from the orb drones scouting the outskirts for potential hordes. Some gifted people got the ambrosia from the stars, and this was nothing new, but there was something about how he fought that made it look so practiced.
"He's alone as well," Dona noted. It was then that she heard the locks of her room opened. He sauntered inside the room while carrying his lightweight exosuit on his hand.
"Your home," she sulked at him.
"Hey," he answered slowly.
"Did you send those credits?"
"I did."
"Why? You don't have to give me that much, is this for an advance?"
"Yes."
"You could buy a new home for this money."
"Why would I need a house if there is a chance that I might not use it? I rather spend it on equipment and paying my rent here."
"I see," she looked at him for a minute or two. "I don't know if you are pitying me or playing the idiot. But I won't refuse hard cash, as long as you keep paying me."
"I will. We did have an agreement."
"For someone who offered credits to stay inside a courtesan's apartment, you don't take so many opportunities to sleep with me."
He eyed her. "I need to fight and conserve my strength."
"You know, you pay me enough for five rounds."
"Is that what you want?"
"Why are you wasting your money like this? Ah, is it because we came from the same village? Oh, brother, if you pity me then-"
She stopped herself from talking. Jakob was adjusting his lightweight exosuit instead of facing her. Biting her lip, she placed her hands on her hips.
"Well?"
"I don't care. You can think what you want."
She calmed after hearing that. Living with Jakob had been a strange experience, and yet even though a week had passed, she still has not found any nick on the wall he was keeping up.
"You are one sad motherfucker, do you know that?" She shook her head. "Not that I'd care. I'll make myself attractive and pleasant as long as you keep paying me.'
Jakob didn't answer again. Thinking that there was no way she could break that wall, she sat on the dining chair and looked at him. Her apartment was not that big, but it at least has a kitchen, a dining table, and a single bed where she can sleep.
Dona didn't mind this relationship. Instead of whoring herself out, she could finally take some time to sit all day and not fear about the coming days.
Dona wanted to take her aways, and yet she found herself playing the clip sent to her. She couldn't understand why someone that could do this would rather stay with someone like her.
Except for her wounds and her face, she was more confident than anyone. She was doing this to live. She didn't mind selling her body if it meant she could survive.
She wouldn't go back to Gharasu. She could not live a life there without fearing for food or an attack from the belua. She couldn't become an Outrider and had instead become someone like this.
She noticed that Jakob placed his equipment on the side. Following to the bed, she mounted Jakob, covered his ears, and went in for a kiss. His eyes stared back, and she felt his sturdy arms wrap around her waist.
Who cares if this was a relationship based on cash? If it means surviving, then she would allow it. And for someone to choose a piece of trash like her, this was something that she could accept.
"Ah," Dona thought, "it just doesn't feel right being treated like this. But I don't mind if it means that it would allow me to rest. I guess I don't need that rope for now."
Wrapping her arms around Jakob's neck, she discarded her thoughts and continued until he started to move. Spending the hour with Jakob, she tucked herself in his arms before turning her eyes on his face.
When she woke up, she found Jakob that had left. Sitting on the dining table, she opened her device and looked at the termination of her contract sent a week ago.
Placing her cheek on the dining table, she turned her eyes to the door. Wondering if he'll come back at the same time.