CW: Dubious consent, non consent

Note: The prompt for today is dub-con, short for dubious consent. This chapter is about financially motivated dubious consent/non consent.

…..

"Pierre's closed early? Oh, come on! Now I have to walk all the way to Joja Mart." Jodi grumbled as she hurried away from the locked grocery store's doors.

Curious. The store is closed, yet I sense two presences within.

I crept carefully down the chimney, thanking Yoba and all his helpers that the souls I detected seemed not to be in the room.

I must remember to study the effects fire may have on an astral projection before it becomes a problem for me. There's so much energy in fire…so much potential danger…

Now, where are they?

I flew out of the fireplace and into the main storefront. Pierre stood behind his cash register with his arms crossed over his chest. Morris was a half step in front of him, his fists on his hips. His short, squat body blocked the only exit Pierre could have taken without jumping the counter. I landed on the ceiling nearby and stretched a spiritual feeler out to Morris. He swatted at his neck as I connected, as if trying to shoo away a housefly.

Morris was looking up at Pierre, his own gaze cool and collected. Pierre's face was as red as the sun-ripened tomatoes in his produce section, and his glasses flashed as he jutted his chin out towards the smaller man. He opened his mouth to speak, but Morris cut him off.

"You will pay your dues to Joja Corp just like every other business does. It's a fair trade. We handle nearly all groundskeeping, manage the roads in and out of town, and do our best to bring tourists to see your humble valley. In return we only ask that you pay your share into the Stardew Valley Agricultural Fund."

"There's no way Mayor Lewis approved this. That fund is transparently controlled by Joja Corp. It probably won't even go towards the town at all!"

"It's already started improving the lives of the people here, starting with the mayor himself."

"No."

"Yes~."

Morris bounced on his heels as he continued.

"We at Joja Corp are constructing him a fabulous new home in the southern forest as you speak. It's much more spacious."

Morris reached into his inner coat pocket and pulled out a neatly typed contract with Mayor Lewis's signature scrawled across the bottom. Pierre snatched it from his hands and read it, a look of disgust twisting across his face.

"This is unfair. I'm not paying you."

He tore the contract in half and dropped it on the ground between them. Morris sighed, rolling his eyes as he deadpanned,

"Oh no, that was my only copy. Anyway-"

Morris reached into his pocket and pulled out a second copy of the contract.

"If you look here, you'll see that your store owes Joja Corp, sorry, I meant the Stardew Valley Agricultural Fund managed by Joja Corp, a paltry 10,000G."

Pierre's mouth fell open and closed several times, much like a dying fish. A wave of satisfaction passed from Morris into me as he watched his adversary struggle to respond.

"Now now, it's only once a month. Joja Corp makes that much in a matter of days. Surely our top competitor can handle that mere pittance."

"This is extortion! That's more than we make in a…"

Pierre swallowed. Morris smirked as he watched Pierre crumple.

"Oh come now, Pierre. It's only a single paycheck for me personally."

"We can't…afford…"

"I suppose there's nothing to be done about it then. I'll let Mayor Lewis know to proceed with this clause here."

He pointed to a line near the bottom. Pierre snatched the paper and read the indicated line out loud. Morris straightened his shoulders and smiled as Pierre fell against the counter, desperately clutching the paper. Pierre's eyes skimmed the lines several times before he finally read it out loud.

"In the event that a business as defined above is unable or unwilling to provide the predetermined sum as listed in the chart in section A, that business will be immediately required to…forfeit the rights to that business to the Stardew Valley Agricultural Fund for management under the Joja Corp Stardew Valley branch."

Pierre opened his hand and let the paper flutter to the ground. Morris reached into his vest and pulled out a third copy of the contract.

"So, will you be paying in cash or by check?"

Pierre leaned heavily against the counter, unable to right himself. He swallowed several times then looked over at the man, his eyes glossy and wide.

"I can't pay that. That's more than is in Abby's college fund."

"Well, let's just see if a deal can be made, hm? Joja Corp is nothing if not understanding. I'm sure we can set you up with a new credit line. Open the register, Pierre."

He stepped aside and pushed a single button on the register. The drawer popped open. I saw Morris's beady eyes moving hungrily as he counted out the drawer, Pierre's shadow wavering above his greedy hands.

"Only 2,340G?" Is that just for today?"

"This week."

Morris let the currency fall back into the drawer.

"That's it? That's not even worth taking."

"I'll give you all we can, but I just can't pay that much."

"Then I should really let Lewis know."
"If our store closes we definitely won't be able to pay you. Isn't taking some better than getting nothing at all?"

Morris shivered. The feeling of power, of absolute control, over his rival vibrated through him.

"We might agree about that…but that's not even pocket change."

Both men stared down into the register for another moment before Pierre reached out and pushed the drawer closed. Morris continued staring down between them. He slowly slid his gaze up Pierre's body. His neatly pressed pants, mended once near the pocket…his chocolate-brown jacket, which matched the eyes that were desperately darting around behind his glasses…that soft looking, bouncy hair…Morris's pants started feeling tighter. He licked his lips before speaking again.

"We could, perhaps, work out another deal."

"What do you mean?"

"I see you sell everlasting bouquets here. What else do you stock in that section?"

"I…"

Pierre looked down at the area below his register where he stored the 'adults only' selections. Stocked alongside several everlasting bouquets and dirty magazines were a few bottles of lube.

"I don't think…"

"Clearly. If you did you'd just give up your business to Joja Corp. I could use a man like you there."

Pierre narrowed his eyes. I could hear Morris's heartbeat pounding through our spiritual link. It was a wonder that it wasn't loud enough for Pierre to notice too. Morris's hand twitched at his side before he brought his arms behind himself, clasping his own wrist. Pierre held his glare for several deafening beats before hissing a response.

"What are you proposing, exactly?"

"All I need you to do is face away from me about once a month. I'll do the rest. And in return I could see that meager sum of 10,000G just…falling out of my coin purse and into the agricultural fund under your name."

"You're disgusting. You're a dirty, pathetic little man, and I can't even believe you would suggest such a thing to me."

"I didn't agree to pay extra for dirty talk, but if you keep going like that..."

Pierre pinched the bridge of his nose, accidentally knocking his glasses askew. He took them off and cleaned them on his shirt before settling them carefully back onto his nose.

"This is more than just a store, Morris. It's our home. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

Morris reached out for a handshake.

"So, do we have a deal, or..?"

Pierre glared down at him, stuck his hands in his pockets, and sighed.

"Fine. Until I can convince Lewis that this is a terrible idea. And I'm not shaking your hand."

Morris withdrew his hand and grinned. The expression moved only the lower half of his face, the top remained frozen in the same greedy stare as always.

Pierre asked, in a voice devoid of emotion, "Where and when?"

"My, so eager~. We can start now."

"N-now?"

"You might want to mark one of those bottles as 'store use'. I'll give you a moment to get ready."

"My bedroom is…"

Pierre nodded towards the hallway. Morris didn't even give it a glance.

"That shouldn't be necessary. The door is locked, yes?"

"Here!?"

"Is that a problem?"

Pierre grabbed a bottle of lube and pressed his lips together. After a long, pregnant pause, he sighed. He squirted a drop of lube on two of his fingers, dropped his eyes to the ground, and reached behind himself. Morris began to rub his own crotch through his pants as he waited and watched Pierre's arm move. He had almost matched its pace with his hand when Pierre stopped, dropping his hand to his side. He swallowed dryly.

"I'm ready."

"Good boy~"

Pierre spat on the ground between them. Morris smirked.

"You know I'm not going to be the one that has to clean that later, right?"

Pierre offered no response. Morris stepped towards him, undid the taller man's pants, and let them drop around his ankles.

"Bend over the counter."

Pierre turned his body, keeping his eyes on Morris. Morris stepped behind him and grabbed his underwear, pushing the garment down to the floor. He put his hand on Pierre's ass cheek and squeezed. Pierre winced and turned his head away. Morris unzipped his own pants and took out his cock. He squeezed some of the lube into his hand and pumped himself, coating his own meager length easily. He guided Pierre's hips back a step, and the man's upper body lowered towards the counter. He held himself up with his palms, which he planted firmly beneath him, one on the glass of his display case and one on the tile of his countertop. Heat began to outline his hand against the glass with condensation as he waited. Morris lined himself up, gritted his teeth, and sank into his rival with a groan. I felt a wave of satisfaction flow through him as he began to move, rutting shamelessly against the body beneath him. Pierre's eyes clenched shut and his mouth was wrenched wide in a silent moan as he adjusted to the prick pushing into him. Morris moved until he could bring their hips flush together then paused, already gasping for air.

"How does it feel? To have your ass violated by the man you hate the most? And in your own store, no less?"

Pierre opened his eyes and glared back at the man.

"Oh, it's in? I hadn't noticed."

"You-! You'll regret that."

Morris grabbed a fistful of Pierre's hair and pushed his head down against the counter. Pierre's hands moved to grip the far edge, preparing to steady himself against any further jolting motions. Morris used his other hand to reach around Pierre and grab his dangling length. He began moving his hips again, pushing into his rival as harshly as he could. Anger and arousal fought for dominance within him, neither emotion willing to give an inch to the other. He matched the speed of his hand to his hips. The friction squeezed a shuddering moan from the straining body beneath him. Pierre collapsed entirely into the counter, allowing his arms to rest uselessly beside him as body bounced forwards with every thrust. The closer edge of the counter began to dig into him, knocking the air from his lungs over and over again. Morris shifted and readjusting himself searching until…

"Hnn…~"

Pierre twitched beneath him, biting his lip to suppress a moan. Morris thrust in again, brushing against Pierre's prostate. Pierre's cock began to throb in the smaller man's hand. Morris repeated the motion, driving into the same spot with growing intensity until Pierre's resolve shattered. He let out an incoherent string of lewd noises as Morris's onslaught continued, each one cut off by the counter pressing into his gut. Morris felt Pierre start to tighten around him and buried himself inside the man completely before pausing to focus on moving his hands. He pointed Pierre's cock down just before he came. A stream of Pierre's seed splurted out and down his own leg. After a few more thrusts Morris felt himself getting close. He pulled out, aimed himself, and shot his load down Pierre's thigh and into his boxers. He zipped himself up and stepped back, satisfied.

"This is…this is extortion…" Pierre repeated, still sprawled across the counter in a daze.

Morris chuckled.

"The Joja Corp appreciates your contributions. I'll see you next month."

He began to walk towards the store's front exit, then called back, "Oh, and I'm leaving the door unlocked on my way out. You really can't stand to lose any more customers, can you?"

With that, he departed. My spiritual tendrils withdrew from him as he moved further away. Pierre stood shakily and pulled his pants up, nausea spreading through him as their fluids mixed and smeared against his skin. He suppressed it just as the door opened and a customer walked in.