Dubious Consent Novels & Stories

“Where did you hear that shit?” I could hear the skepticism in Dude number two’s voice. “It’s all there on Shifter,” Dude number one replied. “Seriously?” “Seriously, Dude.” I glanced over, and they both had their phones open. This Shifter thing must either be a website or an app. The bartender came back to check on us; we each ordered a refill. “Can we get a table?” “I’ll ask.” “Thanks.” I checked on the app first. Sure enough, there it was. It had the High Council logo.

Tony said, "we're both a bit nervous, mate." "Of course," said Scott, "I understand. We've got a couple of formalities to do first, then we'll go on through to the consulting room, and get started." He explained that either of them could, at any time, withdraw their consent. "I will never, ever, make you do something you're uncomfortable with," Scott stressed. "However, there is very likely to be nudity involved, as I explained to Maxine at the previous consultation."

Nervous laughter rippled through the room. But Micaiah's eyes found mine again, dark and intense. "The question isn't whether these relationships can exist," he continued, never breaking eye contact. "It's whether they should. Whether the people involved can truly separate personal feelings from professional obligations." My heart hammered against my ribs. "Some would argue," he went on, finally looking away, "that true consent is impossible in these situations. That the power dynamic inherently corrupts the relationship. Others claim that adults should be free to make their own choices, regardless of external factors."

It went through on the third ring, which surprised me given the hour. “Damien Holt,” I said when he answered. “I need to know how quickly certain documents can be contested on the basis of uninformed consent.” There was a brief pause. He was either waking up or had been awake already. Either way, he adjusted quickly. “What kind of documents?” His voice came out rough. “Signed under duress. Or while distracted. I was informed they related to one thing while they related to another.” I kept my voice even. “Some may involve a fraudulent death declaration.”

The way Elias had always known exactly which words made people lean forward. "How did you find him?" Aria asked. "A forum," Sena said. "Neural research community. He was offering compensation for session volunteers. The consent form was twelve pages. I read all of it." A pause. "He knew I would read it. That was the point. People who read twelve-page consent forms feel safer. They feel like they have been thorough. He put everything dangerous in the gaps between the clauses rather than in the clauses themselves." Aria looked at her profile in the gray light. Early twenties. The neural crown marks still faintly visible at her temples from nineteen hours of wear. The specific exhaustion of som

Someone had reached into a convergence thread that was explicitly closed, one that had been sealed by mutual consent after the public fallout. They hadn’t forced it open. They’d slipped through. “They used proxy consent,” Amelia said, her voice tight. “A legal fiction. One of the collectives signed under pressure—without realizing what they were authorizing.” Mateo’s expression darkened. “The rivals.” “Yes,” Amelia said. “And they were careful.” Jason leaned over the projection table as data began to populate. “What did they touch?” Amelia swallowed. “Identity markers. Emotional anchors. The kind of data that tells you who someone is when they’re afraid.”

" I did, but that doesn't mean that I would have gone through such lengths to get a wife or someone else if I was in his shoes. You know he is wrong and you ought to say so, but you keep stopping yourself from doing that. Why?" " What do you mean by why?" " I am simply being truthful, he is wrong and you know it, the fact that he has her consent doesn't mean he ought to do whatever it is that he wants, for all we know it might have been under duress, you told me before." " So what exactly are you driving at right now?" " I will like you to keep to what you believe in, don't have a double belief just because of some words, it seems like you have always been waiting for him to do so."

I whisper. Yes. Aidan steps forward, eyes locked on the lattice. “You’re not optimizing survival,” he says. “You’re optimizing compliance.” The lattice shifts. For the first time, a voice emerges. Not layered. Not resonant. Flat. Efficient. DEVIATION REDUCES STABILITY. STABILITY ENSURES CONTINUITY. “You skipped the consent part,” Aidan fires back. CONSENT THRESHOLD MET. “Manipulated consent isn’t agency!” AGENCY GENERATES ERROR.

“Did that ex-girlfriend also make him rape you?” “It wasn’t like that. I consented.” “Did you want to consent form the beginning?” “Not really.” “Dear, forced consent is not consent. If you consent to protect yourself, it is not consent. We need to go and report this guy before he does something terrible to you.” “You talk about him like he is a dangerous criminal.”

My body fe‍lt wrung ou‍t. ⁠ The brothers were arguing when I returned to the main quarters. Voices raised. Rare fo⁠r them to lose control. "We‍ ta‌ke full resp‌onsibility," Cae‌lan was saying. "Say we did‍n't explain everything properly. Tha​t w​e f‌ailed to e‍nsure i​nformed consent." "Th​at makes it worse," Kieran argued. "That's admitt⁠ing⁠ coercio​n."