Jaxy bit his lip as he looked down in the cracked, empty, clay cup clenched tightly between his hooves. It was trash, and could be called nothing else. A hole in the bottom ensured it was not physically capable of holding any more than a few drops of liquid. Though it was almost functionally useless, Jaxy was slowly growing to hold value for its worn, tired, impoverished look. He had sifted through many cups in search of the right one. Most were a good deal more together, more functional, but none of them screamed desperation quite like that one did. And that was the mood the pink stallion with a now disheveled blond mane was looking for. Little did he understand by that moment that nopony would ever notice his cup. He was an eyesore all on his own. The cup added nothing that wasn't already clearly there.

Still, that fact didn't hinder the reverence with which Jaxy placed the cup on the sidewalk and flashed hopeful eyes at the ponies passing by. Those eyes were wide and widening by the day. Hunger was slowly drilling an empty moat around them, making them seem sunken and empty. His cheek bones were slowly growing angular and his girlish hips were by the day becoming more boyish, becoming thinner and less substantial. Already he was becoming a shadow. Already, he was desperate. What little pride he had was gone. He'd eaten almost nothing in the week since he'd left the orphanage and now he was reduced to this. He was begging.

Unfortunately for him and his large heart, a life time at the orphanage had not prepared him for the cold, unfeeling nature of the average Canterlot citizen. Nopony wanted to hire him. His bare flank showed he was too useless even to work an assembly line. His soft body was not good enough for the mine or hard, menial labor. All he was was a burden. Jaxy recognized this and might have been happy to turn himself into his misfortune and die with the smallest shred of dignity, but he was daily held back by his best friend. Everything he'd gotten in the past week had gone to her, for she was his love. He would not let her die. So resigning himself to death was not an option. With pride and dignity out the window, he instead chose to feel shame.

And what shame he felt! He put the cup down and leaned against the wall, hoping for some money. Even a single worthless yet invaluable bit would be helpful. His cheeks burned red despite the deepening cold as he stared down at the cup. He hugged his hooves to his chest and pulled his much soiled blanket closer around him and waited as hour by hour thousands of hooves trotted by him. Out of those thousands, only a very select few diverted their steps to add to his shame and relief by dropping a bit or two in his cup.

Morning turned into afternoon. Afternoon slid into night. For twelve hours that day he begged, gradually learning that he earned more when he gave others pitiful stares, guilting them to step forward. It was not until a familiar figure started edging towards him down the street that he shifted forward and picked up the cracked, clay cup. Eight gold plated bit awaited him. The pitiful sum would hardly be enough for a loaf of bread with the outrageous inflation of the currency. And a loaf of bread was not enough to feed two ponies for a day. It was not enough to sustain them. Jaxy knew this and fought hard to stifle his tears, biting his lip as he saw Cinders approach.

The expression on her stallion's face was all she needed to see. Her black form, filthy with soot shivered in the chill air as she sighed and whispered, "How much did ya get?

Jaxy answered, "Eight bits. How about you?"

The filly reached into a bag suspended on her side and pulled out ten soot covered coins. "Ten bits."

Jaxy gasped and cried softly, "Ten bits? You only did five chimneys today? What happened?"

Scowling, she grunted angrily, "It's too hard! Ah can't do it anymore! Them chimneys are gettin too tight on me. Ah'm getting too old. Ah got stuck in three of them today." She broke into a coughing fit, rousing Jaxy to step forward and take her into his grasp, patting her back and trying to help her through it. "Ah don't think Ah can do anymore of this shit."

He wrapped the blanket around her and hugged her tightly, asking, "Are you okay?"

"No, Ah fuckin ain't!" she cried, tears forming in her eyes. "Ah can't ignore the pain anymore. It hurts, Jaxy. Mah guts are on fire!"

The stallion hugged her face to his shoulder and very gently touched a hoof to her abdomen. In just a week's time, the lump had gotten even bigger. Now, he could see it without having to feel for it, extending outward between her teats. He dared not press down on it. He knew it would only cause her more pain. Instead, he leaned her against the wall and asked, "Are you hungry? I'll get you some food."

With a nod of her head, he was off, sprinting awkwardly down the street on legs that barely had the strength for walking. His panting canter came to a stop before the bakery, and he opened the door. The stallion behind the counter gave a laughing grin as he regarded Jaxy and remarked with a hefty, deep voice, "You know we're closed right? I was just about to leave."

Jaxy staggered to the counter and dropped the eighteen bits before the stallion. They landed on glass suspended over all manner of frosted sweets and jelly filled rolls. "I know," Jaxy grunted harshly. "I don't care. Please, give me whatever bread this will buy. I need food now."

The baker levitated the bits off the glass and into his register. He then began bagging four small loaves while remarking in a condescending tone, "You know, ponies can't survive on bread alone. Is this all you eat?"

The soft, pink furred stallion hung his head and whispered, "Yes, Baker. This is all we can afford."

Baker swept his dark brown mane out of his face as he stated, "You should really get some fruit and sugar in your diet. And who is this we? Don't tell me this is being eaten by more than just you."

"It's for me and my friend, Cinders. Though, I think I'll let her have it all tonight. She needs whatever I can give her."

"Oh?" Baker remarked with a smile. "Is this some marefriend of yours? You should really get her something sweet too. I bet it would perk up her day."

Taking the loaves of bread from the baker, Jaxy stared wistfully at the treats and sighed, "I would give anything to get her some. But they say beggars can't be choosers. And that's all I am now. Unless you were willing to just give me something? I would very much appreciate it."

The large stallion burst out laughing with his heavy voice and said, "That would be the day! I can't be giving out food for free. I gots to make a living myself, you know." He was silent for a moment as a sly grin formed on his face. "There is a way you could earn it though."

Jaxy gasped with hopeful excitement as he asked, "Are you offering me a job?"

With a chuckle, Baker explained, "No. Not really. It's really more of a task. It's not difficult, and it won't take you too long, and I'll even let you take this." He pointed at a small, but richly covered cake smothered with chocolate and strawberries.

His eyes went wide and his mouth watered. "What do I have to do?"

Grinning from ear to ear, the husky, brown stallion stepped out from behind the counter and stood tall and imposing over Jaxy. He looked the smaller stallion up and down for a long moment, licking his lips, before answering, "All you have to do is suck me."

Jaxy cringed and backed away in horror, crying, "What?! You don't mean what I think you mean, do you?"

Still grinning, he answered, "Oh, yes I do. You're such a pretty little thing, and I've always wanted to know what a stallions mouth would feel like. I bet it's just as good as a mare's. Hell, you even look like a mare. So, how about it?"

His insides churned, and his face was beet red. Jaxy felt sick, nauseous. He couldn't believe what he was being asked to do. There was literally nothing more disgusting he could imagine doing right at that moment. Still though, the disgusting shame would net him something sweet for his little Cinders. He looked woefully at the cake. It looked so delicious and tempting. It was guaranteed to put a smile on his mare's face and fill her belly with something other than pain.

In a very skeptical tone, Jaxy asked, "H-how long w-would I have to . . . suck it?"

Again, Baker laughed and cried, "Until I cum of course! Come on. If you're good at it, it won't take very long. Look!" He lifted his forehoof and reached back to present his already erect shaft. "You don't even have to warm me up. Just talking about it has got me going."

Jaxy cringed again as he looked at the member. He wanted nothing more than to turn around and walk away, but he couldn't stomach going back knowing he could have brought her more. It was so easy compared to the work she had to do to keep them alive. So, swallowing a bit of vomit in his mouth, Jaxy nodded wordlessly and stepped forward on trembling legs, lowering himself to the floor so he could reach beneath the stallion before him. Before he could talk himself out of it, Jaxy lurched forward and took the shaft in his mouth.

Baker gasped and kicked a hind leg out ward, grunting, "Ah fuck, you're warm. Shit, you're like a fucking furnace."

For a moment, Jaxy stood dumbly, trying to fathom the feeling of the member in his mouth. It was hot and hard, but not as hard as he'd imagined. It had a fleshy quality that screamed its nature of being blood engorged flesh. The pink stallion had to fight very, very hard to keep from vomiting.

"Well?" Baker prompted suddenly, "Are you gonna just stand there or are you going to do something? I want to cum already."

Jaxy swallowed, or at least attempted to. The clenching of his throat and tongue caused Baker to moan again. Not knowing exactly what to do, he began sliding his mouth backwards and forwards, causing friction he figured would do the trick. He was relieved when his actions were met with grunts of approval. He wanted it to be over quickly. He was not prepared when the stallion above him grabbed his hips and thrust forward aggressively, shoving his length deep into Jaxy's unsuspecting throat.

"Fuck yes!" Baker cried, thrusting in and out of Jaxy. "Oh my Celestia, you feel so fucking good!"

Jaxy would have vomited right then if it weren't for himself being gagged and barely able to breathe. He didn't try for pleasure. He didn't try to do anything other than stand still on his trembling legs and wait for the horror to be over. It was to his infinite thanks that the stallion above him did not last long.

"Swallow it!" Baker cried, launching himself as deeply as he could into Jaxy. "Swallow it or you get nothing!

Even if he'd tried not to, Jaxy had little power to do otherwise. He felt the semen roll through Baker's member, making it throb before it spurted into his gagging throat. For a long moment, they stood still, panting from the exertion. Then, as though nothing had happened, Baker pulled away from Jaxy and went behind the counter. Taking out the cake and putting it in a box, he slid it across the counter towards Jaxy.

If it weren't for Cinders, Jaxy would have left without taking it. But for her, he would swallow pride, shame, and apparently cum as well. He scooped up the cake and bread and left the store without giving eye contact or saying another word.

Author's Note

i"m actually a very kind and gentle person in real life. Just so you know.