the moment the crystal was dangling in front of him, he turned his head away.

"what's wrong, jim? you don't want to look?" time asked, swaying the pendant back and forth, even as he couldn't really see it. "you know you're basically admitting to me that you think it'll affect you if you do."

"it's just... it's a little bit much," jim responded.

he felt adrianus behind him, putting a hand on his shoulder and leaning in closer to his ear. "it's a bit too exciting, isn't it?" they murmured. "you just want to fall into trance so badly... you don't know what to do with yourself."

the warmth radiated through his whole body. he didn't have a chance with both of them there.

adrianus moved their other hand to his chin, gently turning his head back to face the pendant. he could have looked away, or just closed his eyes, but his gaze gravitated toward it, obediently following the slow back and forth motion.

"that's right... very good."

"you always do what they want you to do, huh?"

"they're easier to listen to than you are," jim said quietly.

"i'm amazed you're even trying to argue with me right now. you sound pretty sleepy already."

"i don't... you're just saying that. don't think that just because i'm watching you swing a crystal in front of me, i'll just listen to anything you say without even thinking-"

he felt adrianus take a breath next to his ear, and his body froze in anticipation.

"it's true... you sound very sleepy."

his shoulders dropped.

"that's right," they continued, "just relax. it feels so much better to relax for us, doesn't it? to just relax and watch it swing in front of you like this... it's such a nice, gentle motion... slow and sleepy..."

"his eyelids are already getting heavy."

"i'm just tired- i mean, actually tired, today was a long day-"

"that's right, it was such a long day, wasn't it? it's only natural that you're having trouble keeping your eyes open..."

"just keep looking at it, jim."

he wanted to protest, but the shivers running down his spine were overwhelming. it was nice, he realized. it was nice looking at it.

"i love the way his head tilts like that when he's falling into trance sometimes."

"it is quite cute..."

"i'm... i'm right here, you don't have to talk about me like that..." even he could tell how distant he sounded.

"you hear something?" time joked.

"come on..."

"it's alright, jim," adrianus said, lightly petting his hair. "you can just listen and obey. there's no need to force yourself to speak..."

"yeah, even if i say something really annoying, you don't have to respond to it at all."

"it is hard to be annoyed when you feel this good, isn't it?"

"you want to be good for us?"

there was no way to hide how red his face was.

"you're being so good, jim..."

"why don't you tell us how much you like this?"

"yes, why don't you feel how much easier it is to speak when you're told to?"

"it... it's good," he murmured.

"and what's good about it?"

"...all of it..."

"oh yeah? even me?"

"all of it," he repeated.