Bella slammed her head back on the pillow and closed her eyes.

She was too keyed up for sleep but she was going to do her best job. She had just finished reading a section of a book series that Madison had recommended for her and had learned the origins of the nickname that she wore with pride.

“Sweetling”

The rush of joy was enough to flip the little switch in her head that turned her from a pragmatic and collected woman into an overly expressive cutie.

It was the pragmatic and collected portion of her that held her back, though. She was ready to type it. It felt right and the emotion was there.

“I love you, Madison.”

It was true, of course. Something which she felt growing for the past few weeks and had more than enough reason to believe was a welcome sentiment. But it didn’t seem fair to blurt it out in the early hours of the morning on a whim.

Especially when there were others to consult before committing to the confession.

Especially when she had experienced the ramifications of impulsivity in her past.

Such thoughts and conversations would have to wait until morning, though. It was past time for sleep.Calming down was the hard part, but at least there was no blur or static in her head giving her a headache.

Soon enough she was asleep.

-

“I’ve been thinking!”

“Oh…?” Madison responded slowly, eyebrow raised, “Have you now?”

Bella shivered in delight, vibrating with eagerness, “Mhmm! I know! I do that sometimes!”

“When you’re allowed to.” Madison teased.

Bella thrust her hands over her mouth to guard her deepening blush, “Yes, Miss!”

“But you were having a thought? What was it?”

“The ‘Share Your Desires’ trigger? I was thinking about how it felt and why I liked it so much.”

Madison’s flirtatious grin did not fade but she did settle in to listen, this seemed like vital information to understand her sweetling’s desires more plainly.

“See… when I was super young. Like, pre-puberty young, I used to want to be hypnotized to tell the truth. Like y’know how in movies and stuff they interview a person to like speak about what happened and they like reveal the truth and it was all big and dramatic?”

Madison shook her head, “Can’t say that I do, but I follow what you’re saying. Go on?”

Bella nodded firmly, a lady on a mission, “Well there were a lot of things where I was torn about things and wanted a big strong hypnotist to come in and make me pick a truth. Like the answer was black and white and I’d not be able to lie, even to me.”

Madison nodded, “That seems an important tool for you, given circumstances.”

Bella giggled brightly, “I mean I didn’t know about any of that stuff back then! I only worked things out with my mood swings a couple years back.” she paused a moment before barreling on, “Anyway! It always just seemed so alluring. That fantasy of just having things pour out without filter. I think it’s why I liked that trigger so much and I wanted you to know what.”

Madison looked thoughtful a moment, Bella just blinked merrily at the camera, “Sweetling, I want to be careful when it comes to things like that. The desires trigger works because you can be a good girl for me and make sure you don’t say anything that may not be yours to share or could lead to you regretting having said anything later on.”

Bella practically jingled with the ferocity of her nod in return, “Mhmm! I know! I am a good girl!”

“Yes.” Madison said in a suddenly low voice. “You. Are.”

Bella whimpered and shrunk, mumbling a gentle “Yes, Miss.” into the air.

“Good. Girl.” Madison watched with delight as the words landed before continuing, “But it’s not just that. I have complicated feelings with that kind of truth suggestion. It could lead to an abreaction of sorts. I’ve even seen it in the way Bell sometimes gets concerned when you or Donna aren’t careful about how you act.”

Bella let out a pout, “But I try to be careful, I promise.”

“I know, sweetling. But Bell deserves to have her secrets honored and respected too, doesn’t she?”

“Yes Miss…”

“Good girl. Notice me pat you on the head gently.” she waited for Bella to coo into her invisible touch before continuing, “I’m not saying I’m unwilling to work with suggestions like that. l just want to be deliberate about how to approach it, to be safe.”

Bella’s eyes did her flicker that indicated an internal IM window, Madison paused a beat to let her communicate before speaking up, “May I ask what was said? You’re allowed to have private thoughts, but I’m interested.”

“Bell is reminding me what happened last time I let something slip.” Bella remarked, giddily, “It worked out really good but she’s reminding me that things don’t always go well when you dump the truth out without a filter.”

“She’s wise, then.” Madison confirmed, “Did you tell me this story? I don’t think I know it.”

“Well it-”

“And is it yours to tell, sweetling?” Madison quickly added, cutting Bella off before she could say more than she may have been allowed to.

“Mhmm! It was me and I wanna tell you.”

Madison gestured smoothly, satisfied, “Then go ahead.”

Bella broke out in a fit of giggles, shaking her head through the blush before composing herself enough to continue, “So… Kayleigh and I? Did you know we were flirting for like a whole year before we started dating?” her eyes shifted from side to side before she added, conspiratorially, “Like we had kissed and played and were sharing a bed and everything– but like– didn’t know we were dating!”

Madison just chuckled fondly, she knew no other appropriate response other than to mutter “Oh, sweetling…”

“It’s just how these things go! But she asked me in a trance once if there was anything I needed to tell her and I guess I blurted out that I was in love with her!” her cheeks puffed out as she stared at the camera, punctuating her story with a pouty glare.

“Of course you did, sweetling.” she chuckled to herself, “That’s adorable and I’m really glad it went well”

“Mhmm!” Bella chimed in response, “But it might not have, y’know? It was silly of me to just let that slip out without thinking!”

Madison considered this a moment, perhaps it may have been safe to say to someone with that level of rapport, but she could see the downsides plainly. “I hope she took it well and didn't feel too put on the spot by it? But that's a good reminder that suggestions of the sort can go unexpected places."

Bella nodded, brushing away a swell of guilt that she could not place to be her own or impressed from elsewhere in her eclectic mind. “I know, I know. I shouldn’t have. I didn’t want to. But it worked out and it was kind of cute. But I wanted you to know so maybe you could make it so I wouldn’t do anything silly and impulsive like that again.”

Madison smiled and nodded, “If that’s really something you’re worried about, we can work and make sure it’s safe.” her tone reflected the gravity of the conversation.

“I’m less worried and more trying to be careful and respectful. Especially when you’re always so good about making sure I don’t say things Bell or Donna wouldn’t want me saying.”

“That’s because you’re a good girl, sweetling.” Madison insisted.

“Plus, you said we were going to stick to the term smitten for now, didn’t you?”

“I did. I think we’re a little past the point of caution we used, but we did say it was going to be a rule for the start of this.”

“I didn’t know if we were past it yet. I mean it’s only been a couple of months.”

“Sweetling. How many of those books have you read for me so far?” Madison spoke, eyebrow raised.

Bella shrunk back, “Uh, about 6 or 7? But that’s not a big deal, I like sharing fiction with people I like.”

“It’s a big deal to me.” Madison said, flatly, “Just like you’re always so surprised by how I See you, but to me I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

Bella pressed her hands together, shoulders stiffly drawn back, and considered a moment. The emotion shaped like the words ‘Calm down and think this through’ echoed at her in the vague authoritative tone she recognized as Bell.

“Next time we do some trance work, can you make sure I don’t blurt anything out, please? I like the ‘Share your Desires’ trigger a lot but when I’m ready to use the L-Word, I want it to be because I am ready to say it— I don’t wanna be a coward this time!”

“Sweetling, you’re not a coward.” Madison lightly scolded.

“I should have said something to Kayleigh sooner!” Bella protested.

“You got carried away, and you’ve learned not to let that happen again.” she leaned forward and looked down at her camera, sharpening her tone a little. “Haven’t you, sweetling?”

Bella recoiled back as if struck by the shift in tone, “Y-Yes Miss!”

“Good. Girl.”

Bella shrunk down looking pleadingly at her monitor and the woman on it, “Please Miss, please may I be taught how to tell the truth but know when not to share. Please, Miss? Please make me helplessly pour out my word for you, make me powerless to do anything but say what I should say without worrying I’ll overstep. Please Miss? Please guide me?”

Madison chuckled, how could she refuse such adorable pleading, “Okay, sweetling. Okay. Just tell me when you’re ready.”

Bella sprang to life and propped herself up, squeezing her hands together and beaming brightly, in an instant she was full of life and optimism. A complete contrast from the pleading from before, “I’m ready, Miss!”

“Then notice me take your chin and tilt it up, sweetling.” Madison began, her voice sliding into the firm tone she used for hypnosis, “You’ve been such a good girl and asked for what you want and I know you can keep being a good girl and listen, can’t you, sweetling?”

With a sharp gasp Bella tilted up, her chin grabbed by a phantom touch that fixed her gaze on the screen, her expressive demeanor melted into a gentle whimper within an instant, “Y-yes Miss…”

“Good. Girl.” Madison growled forcefully, eyes fixed on her partner as she trembled so delightfully for her. “You know what happens when I use this voice don’t you?”

Shuddering, Bella rapidly shifted her head up and down, fighting the force of Madison’s invisible grasp to do so, “Yes Miss, please Miss, please…”

“Please what, sweetling?”

“Please, please let me drop for you, Miss.”

Madison grinned, her precious sweetling was already becoming so accustomed to this little back and forth. Soon enough she would be able to drop her with intent alone.

“Oh?” She asked, her voice slow and teasing, “Is that what you want? Look at me.”

Bella tried to nod her head again but found the grasp too powerful to resist now. Madison was too powerful to resist. She knew that truth in her heart.

“That’s it, sweetling. Focused. Eager. Willing. Ready to—” she paused, watching Bella’s desperate eyes and enjoying the moment far too much, “Drop.”

Bella’s eyes rolled back as her arms sagged and she dipped into a gentle trance.

“Oh you do that so well!” Madison chuckled, invigorated by the visual splendor of that delicious eye roll. “Good girl. You can notice me removing my hand now and petting your hair.”

Bella cooed as she nuzzled into the invisible touch, her muscles loosening all the more with every passing moment.

"Now, sweetling, we discussed the use of truth spells and you understand perfectly what was said, don’t you? How you’ll be careful not to share anything which may not be good for you or your beautiful facets to have said. This is just as important as any other safety, because you’re being trusted to only say what is safe to say, aren’t you sweetling?”

A gentle bob of the head was the only reply Madison received.

“Sweetling? Are you still with me?” Madison asked, a little concerned, “Use your words.”

“‘s miss…” was the faint reply, Bella’s passive face looking serene and open the whole while.

“Good girl. Just let that sink in… and we can test that out quick.” Madison watched to make sure her partner was calm and accepting of the programming before continuing, “Then keeping this new safety in mind, I’d like for you to listen carefully, because when you wake up you'll feel a powerful truth spell take a hold of your mind, body and soul. You won't be able to resist telling the truth, during this conversation and only this conversation. Truth will spill unbidden from your lips and you will not want to resist it, will you, cutie?"

Madison's voice was gentle and careful as she spoke each word, always watching her partner's face for those little micro-expressions that betrayed abreactions or concerns that weren't immediately voiced.

"No, Miss." Bella cooed, her voice soft and sweet; flooded with affection, even in her deeply hypnotized state.

"And if it's a truth you feel will not be safe, enjoyable or pleasant to share at this time, you can say 'I'd rather not talk about it' because that would be true in that moment, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, Miss."

"And if there are any things which take your attention and draw you away, then this suggestion can fade away. It's only while you and I talk in this moment, isn't it, sweetling?"

"Yes, Miss."

"Good girl. Then back to me in 3. 2 and 1."

Bella's eyes flickered open and she pulled herself up cursing gravity and discovering her thoughts still felt a thousand miles away. It hardly felt any different from being in trance.

Her head was full of fluff. Everything soft around the edges. But through the mist and haze of her disoriented state, Madison's warm smile on the monitor was completely in focus.

"You look so cute when you're staring at me with that big ole' grin on your face! It's like I feel your joy beaming out of you and into me." Bella adorably babbled, dosed not only by a truth spell, but by the power of fractionation.

Madison couldn't help herself but to allow that beaming smile to grow in response to hearing the truth that her hypnotic suggestion had wrenched from Bella's eager and willing lips.

"YES! YES! Exactly!! Like that! You just GLOW. Like a battery. ---wait. Do batteries glow? I don't think they do... but it's warm. Like a battery pack. So I guess it's a kind of glow but with warm instead of bright, because you're not really like a light bulb or anything, you're more like a warm and cozy. Like a safe blanket. I just feel at home with you, because the warm is a glow and that’s why you glow because you’re warm and cozy and make me so so so very happy!"

Bella was vaguely aware of her words, though she knew well enough from experience that when she was this far gone that nothing would be saved to memory. The only reason she even knew this state existed was because people would tell her fond stories of all the Bellaisms she spouted while compromised.

As Bella babbled on affectionately, Madison became all the more delighted to just experience her in this state. Not just the fractionation. But the way she didn't pause to think about things. The ideas just plucked straight out without filter; except for the safety filter that Madison had installed. Lying seemed like too much effort anyway.

"Oh sweetling," Madison whispered in a gentle tone while the fractionated submissive nuzzled into the air like a touch-starved kitten, "you're so adorable."

"Mhmm!" Bella agreed feeling a twinge of surprise from the fact that she did seem to find truth in Madison's statement, though it's easy to agree with anything Miss said, everything she said made so much sense, "But I'm not always adorable. Sometimes I'm like really stressy and serious or I'm all flirty and seductive. But that's not like me-me. That's more like me-when-I'm-like-that. Does that make sense, Miss? I hope that makes sense."

"It makes sense, cutie." Madison responded eagerly, "What you do as Miss Donna is not the same as what you do as my sweetling. I could never imagine wanting to kiss your forehead or call you sweetling when you're in Top Space."

"That's really kind and sweet of you, Miss, you're really good to me and I hope I do enough to appreciate you. I feel like I should work harder to show you appreciation, because I do appreciate you, I promise I do, it's just I dunno always the best way to show it." Bella rambled, swaying on the spot and blinking heavily enough to indicate she was still entranced.

"Oh? I thought you were under a truth spell, sweetling." Madison playfully shot back, "Do you really think I don't see just how much you adore me, precious?"

WIthout a filter Bella simply responded, "No, Miss. I tell you a lot and you tell me I do enough and I need to believe that, but I don't always believe that, so I guess I need to believe it, Miss, because I can't lie to you right now and I don't want to lie, because I adore you and I know you adore me and this feels really nice and sweet and I don't want to ruin it by being a silly doubty-girl."

Madison chuckled and reached to the screen, pantomiming the act of petting Bella's hair, "Oh sweetling, I am so smitten and you tell me and show me just fine, I promise. You believe me, don't you?"

Bella's shoulders hunched in and she blushed sweetly, swaying on the spot. "Yes, Miss!" she chirped.

"And you know that's true because you can't lie, can you?"

"No, Miss!"

"That's a good girl! Was there anything else you wanted to say before I took away this truth spell? I remember you said just how much you loved the idea of truths hidden coming out in hypnosis. And you know you can check-in any time. But are there any other things you wanted to say now?"

Bella's eyes shot upwards and her expression froze. For as fractionated and punchy as she was, her clever brain did have a way of keeping some scripts running in the background. Madison was used to seeing these pauses where she checked in with herself.

Bella looked quizzical and curious in a way Madison was oh so familiar with. Her cheeks puffed as she continued rocking back and forth, swishing her lips as if the words were mouthwash, ready for the words to spit out.

She shook her head thoroughly and nodded while squeezing her eyes tightly before opening them and performing a beaming grin.

"You said I can only tell the truth right now... is that right?" the words spoken had changed their tone ever so slightly. They were far slower than the bright and happy unfiltered squee of the past few moments and carried a low growl of flirtatious fervor. Like an audible smirk that laced every word with mischievous intent.

Madison watched her partner's face, the swaying had stopped and the eyes which were once pointed either downwards in submissive shyness or at her in fluffy affection were now fiercely locked. Until now Bella's motions were kinetic, flowing, free. Now she was focused and engaged, still like a predator preparing to pounce.

Even if there had not been a change in the tone of her voice, the shift in body language was a dead give away.

Madison raised her eyebrows and tilted her head, suspecting what was going to happen next and wanting to ensure there was a green flag raised, "I don't know, perhaps you could try lying and see if you can."

She was a little worried about the consent issues that were raised when a suggestion bleeded from one facet to another. They would need to have a conversation about that at another point, but she was willing to humor Donna’s whim and see where she was going with this.

"As you wish..." eyes remained focused and lucid, all signs of fractionation melted. Her shoulders relaxed and she raised up to full height, hands flourishing as the energy of the moment shifted, "Because I think you are absolutely and utterly helpless to my charms, my dear. I think you cannot possibly think of resisting me as my words wrap firmly around your mind and hold your attention. That's right, just like that, focused on me and only me. Knowing there is nothing you can do to stop me from lulling you into a soft, sweet trance. Isn't that right, lass?"

The words barreled out with firm intention and gripped Madison just as tightly as described, her eyes widened and her posture became rigid as she starred into Donna’s eyes. Her smile drifted into vacant expression of surprise.

"Yes, Miss Donna." she replied.

Miss Donna smirked, triumphantly, "And you know your truth spell is still quite in place, isn't it, my sweet?"

"Yes, Miss Donna." Madison repeated, her arms sliding helplessly to her side, her breathing already slowing down.

"Which means you know every word I say right now is the complete and utter truth. You know it is inevitable that you will fall under my spell. You know that you are helpless. You are becoming more and more hypnotized with every word. You're already becoming so focused, so relaxed, so enthralled, and it's easy to let go, you do let go, you are letting go, now." Madison whimpered as Donna's words reflected her reality. Every true statement becoming more powerful than the one before.

"My words are taking you deeper. My words are so easy to follow and obey. You must follow and obey. You will follow and obey."

"...yes... Miss Donna..." Madison whispered gently as she stared off through the camera, her eyes starting to flutter gently, head being pulled towards her collar bone.

"You want to drop. You know it is the truth. You want to surrender. You want to submit. You want to let go completely."

"...yes...Miss Donna..." Madison repeated.

"Then you have permission. Sink for me, darling."

On her side of the screen Madison’s chin surrendered to gravity and with a bounce of hair flopped down low, jaw slack. "That's right. That's right... that's my sweet lass."

“Notice me gently tilt up your chin as you notice me treasure our time together. I trust you completely. Never doubt that. I could never lie about just how much you mean to me."

Madison’s head raised up, eyes were barely visible slits of white and mouth hanging open, absolutely gone.

“Hypnosis isn’t lying after all, my dear. It speaks truth to your vulnerabilities. You can open up and trust me in return, as much as is safe and appropriate for you to do so.”

“...trust you…” Madison’s hollow voice assured.

“I know, lass. I believe you and I am glad you believe me because in this moment you are dominated and I have you.”

A rumbling murmur of desire rumbled from Madison’s throat, her eyes still looking beyond the camera.

Donna paused and sized up her options. A ravenous hunger longed to have her imagine the sensation of teeth on skin, but knew that was not negotiated and she did not wish to break the trust she was hypnotically compelling, nor get ejected from the scene as she had the last time she had an opportunity to satiate her desires.

“Notice me stroke your hair, my dear. Notice me adore you… notice me desire you.”

That final line struck with force as Madison shuddered in delight, caught in a spotlight. The weight of Donna’s tone and the truth of it mingled into one overwhelming fire of emotion.

“That’s my sweet, just like that…” Donna husked towards her microphone, intent in her focus. “Notice me run my hands down your sides and then hold you closely. Notice me completely at ease with you. Trusting beyond all words.”

Madison leaned into the imaginary touch and let out a soft purr of bliss.

“Good girl… you make me so happy.” she paused as a hypnotically intoxicated grin bubbled to Madison’s lips, “And you should come back to me, rising all the way on 1-2-3 and up.”

Madison breathed in sharply and looked at Donna.

“Oh wow…” she gasped, “That moment you hit me with your desire? Just… wow.”

Donna raised an eyebrow and tilted her head, “Oh? How did it feel?” she asked, disarmed by curiosity.

“Just—” she breathed, trying to grasp for words, her tone still a little distant from the intensity of the moment, “I just felt enveloped in your presence, Donna.”

“Well you know I can’t lie right now, lass. I yearn for you.”

Madison bit her lip and shrank her shoulders back before inhaling and offering a calm and collected smile. “I know, Miss Donna. I know.” as Donna bristled with pride, Madison’s grin turned mischievous as she sharply added, “Notice me desire you.”

Donna gasped in as her heart skipped a beat, her skin flushed and she felt Madison’s eyes on her as physically as she felt the clothes on her body.

A Bella shaped urge to confess love there and then was felt and rejected. Not in the heat of a scene. Not while still playing out the effects of a truth spell. Not in the same conversation where Bella had said it was worth waiting until the time was right.

“I want to kiss you so much.” she softly gasped in lieu of a confession.

Madison smirked and shook her head, “I’m glad we waited and took things slow. But oh how I want that too.”

“Patience was never my strong suit…” Donna grumbled, “But for you? I’d wait as long as it took.”

“I know.” Madison responded, “I know.” she took in a slow breath and enjoyed the lingering remnants of driftiness before being struck with inspiration, “Maybe we should start talking about a visit. 6 months between hypnosis events is too long to wait, I think.”

“I’ll discuss it with the family. As I’m sure you shall need to talk it over with Saph.”

Madison nodded with a firm chirp of agreement, “I will. But we can start thinking about it as something that may happen. It makes waiting a little less hard, don’t you think?”

“I do, lass. I do.” Donna smiled.