A/N: Written for a prompt on the kink meme.
Dori is fixing dinner when the front door slams open. He hears feet pounding before suddenly there are two small arms around his knees. Turning, he sees Ori, face flushed and hair a mess, trying to bury his tear streaked face in his pants leg.
"Ori?" he asked, concerned, stooping to pick up his brother. The stew could wait, he hadn't ever seen Ori this upset. "What is it? What's wrong?"
The little boy simply buried his head in Dori's chest, as though he could hide from all that was bothering him.
Dori shifted his brother so he could hold him more comfortably, humming the lullaby he had sang when Ori was a baby and wouldn't sleep. It took several minutes for Ori's tears to slow, although they showed no sign of stopping, and another several before he would look at Dori.
"They called you a bad name!" was the first thing Ori said, before Dori could ask. "They said you…they said you were bad!"
"Who said?" Dori asked, confused.
"Fili & Kili!" Ori said, nearly shouting by this point. "The teacher asked us who we look up to and I said you, and he looked sad. Then they said that you were a hooker!"
Dori's mouth dropped open. He wasn't proud of his job, but he needed a way to care for his family. Ori's father had died when Erebor fell, and their mother didn't survive the birth. His other brother, Nori, had turned to thievery to make ends meet, and hadn't contacted their family since before Ori's birth. Alone, with an infant to raise, Dori had several hard choices to make. His pride rebelled against the decision even as his logic considered how well he would do. Apparently, he could do well, well enough to support himself and Ori and set aside money for Ori's apprenticeship.
He hadn't planned on Ori finding out, at least not this young.
"And I asked what that is, and they said everybody from Erebor to the Blue Mountains has seen beneath your clothes and they laughed and said you're nothing but a cheap whore," Ori continued, clinging tighter. "I don't get it; what did they mean?"
Dori sighed. Apparently, whether he liked it or not, Ori would find out his job sooner rather than later. He sat down in a chair at the table, stew forgotten, and began to card his brother's hair as he tried to explain.
"Ori, the work I do…it's not very nice," Dori said. "People will come to me because they need…something I can give them…and in return they pay me. Most people don't like to talk about it, as what I…provide, isn't exactly…good for everyone."
"Do you hurt people?" Ori asked, confusion shining in his eyes.
"No," Dori said, before adding, "Never on purpose." He had his fair share of dwarves come to him who were already in a relationship, or worse married, but he couldn't turn them away. He deliberately did not think about the times he was hurt, or the pains he took to conceal that from his brother. He was strong, but if he fought every time someone got a little rough, he'd soon be out of business and where would he and Ori be? Out on the street as beggars, and he had vowed long ago that that would never happen.
"Then why don't they like it?"
"It's hard to explain," Dori sighed, hugging his brother and mentally cursing the young dwarf princes. Ironically, their uncle Thorin had been a customer of Dori's before. The man was unattached and in need of stress relief, which Dori provided. He didn't come often, nor did he say much, but apparently someone had informed his nephews of his occupation, which in turn led to them mocking his brother.
"I still want to be like you," Ori said stubbornly, leaning against Dori with a sigh. "You're the best brother ever."
Dori closed his eyes, repeating a vow that he had made when he had first started out, a vow that he had repeated a thousand times over since then.
You will never be like me Ori. I will do my best to protect you and ensure that you don't take after either of your brothers. You will get an apprenticeship and be respected. You will be able to hold your head up in public.
Instead of saying that to his brother, who he knew wouldn't understand, he simply said, "You should be yourself Ori and no one else. Go wash up for dinner."
Ori made a face before going to do as he was told, and Dori sighed as he watched him go. One day everything will make sense to him, and he will know. He knew that day would come, and worried about his brother's reaction.
Right now though, Ori was still a child who could be told half-truths and cuddled to avoid hard facts. Dori was determined to keep his brother an innocent for as long as possible, no matter the cost.