"i've noticed some hesitance from you lately, shark," adrianus said. "have you gotten so sensitive to hypnosis that just the thought of it is overwhelming?"

it was true. that was exactly it. "it's a lot. it's just kind of crazy..."

"it's alright to be sensitive..." he said, moving closer to their ear, his voice shifting into that tone that gave them chills. "it's alright to be overwhelmed... it's alright... if it's a bit intense..."

they were already trembling.

"but..." he murmured. "no matter how much it is... you should never resist it. you should just accept it... just allow it... just give in to it... and let it overwhelm you. do you understand?"

it was like their mind was buckling under the words, their thoughts obediently retreating and going quiet. "yeah..." they muttered.

"do you really understand?" his voice was still low and gentle, but with a touch of condescension.

"i- i do..."

he put his hands on their shoulders, pulling them closer. "so you will just allow it? you're going to embrace it, and just allow yourself to be immersed in the hypnotic experience, even when you know it's going to be overwhelming, aren't you? even when you're not sure just how deep you will go?"

they nodded kind of blankly, their heart pounding, their eyes staring straight ahead.

"and you mean it?"

"i do..."

"you're agreeing quite readily now... but you'll need to remember this, alright, shark? i'll expect you to remember this. i know it's not always something you're conscious of... you don't even notice that slight resistance, that bit of avoidance, that hesitance... i know you're not trying to be that way... i know you really want to just give in... but you need to commit to it. you're willing to do that, aren't you?"

"yeah..." they said, almost breathlessly. "yeah, i, uh... i want you to make me..."

"that's right, shark. you want me to decide. you want to listen, and to trust me, even when you yourself feel a bit tense... maybe especially when you feel that way."

"i really do..."

"it will become so easy and natural... you've already become much more susceptible than you used to be... and i'll reward you... for giving in just a bit more... every time you listen to me, instead of becoming stuck in your own thoughts, even when you're feeling a bit nervous... i'll let you know how good you're being... and you'll be able to feel it... deep inside of you... such a nice, rewarding feeling... you want that, don't you? you want to be praised... you want your good behavior to be reinforced... and rewarded..."

they nodded again.

"good... very good... now... the next time i hypnotize you... how are you going to behave?"

"i'll... i'll just listen," they said. "i'll just go along with it, and, like... try to immerse myself as much as i can, or... let it... happen."

"that's it... that's exactly what you're going to do. that's what you're going to do every time i hypnotize you... from now on... unless i tell you otherwise."

it felt binding, inevitable, inescapable, even more than just a normal promise would be.

"doesn't that feel nice?" he murmured softly into their ear. "knowing that you're going to behave, exactly the way you should... that it's already been decided..."

it made them melt, leaning back against him. "it really... it feels good... i can feel it..."

"that's right... it feels so much better this way... just relax, and enjoy it... let it sink in, deeply... as your complete and total truth... because that's what it is, isn't it?"

"it really is..." they said, the ideas only solidifying more when they heard them coming from their own mouth.