"i'm not hypnotized," jim said, his voice surprisingly firm and clear, even as he was visibly straining to keep his eyes open, blinking more frequently with every passing second.

it was delicious. victor initially imagined his rival going down instantly, sinking into perfect obedience without any ability to resist at all. but the struggle was even better.

"what's the matter, jim? is it really so difficult to follow a light with your eyes? it's not especially bright. you had no trouble looking at it a moment ago."

"it's just my eyes. it's probably just straining them."

probably? he was losing confidence. "it's just very interesting to me, how your eyelids seem to become heavier when i speak slowly to you, especially when i give you instructions. like telling you to just focus on the light... there you go... just like that. is your breathing getting heavy, as well?"

his face was flushed, although his expression hadn't changed.

"oh, that's not right, jim. you should take slow, deeeep breaths..."

his breathing slowed almost immediately. he furrowed his eyebrows. "that's just... anyone will do that if you say that. it's easy to influence someone's breathing, or make them aware of it..." his eyes, of course, were still fixed on the light, his eyelids still twitching and trembling.

"but you responded so readily, didn't you? you can't hide it. even when you're trying so hard to resist, you're still being pulled into trance, bit by bit... sinking ever so slowly... you feel it, don't you?"

victor could see him shudder and shift in his seat. it was wonderful, seeing this man who had always been so stoic react in such obvious ways.

this time, it took him a bit longer to respond verbally. "it doesn't mean i'm going to... you can't completely hypnotize me like this."

so he was admitting that he could partially hypnotize him, at the very least. that was already ceding a lot of ground. he could be pushed further.

"but it feels so good to be hypnotized, doesn't it?"

his blush deepened, his body relaxing slightly, his eyelids becoming more still and drooping over most of the eyes, just barely remaining open. his eyebrows were still furrowed, and he did seem to straighten up just the tiniest bit before he spoke. "i'm not just going to let you hypnotize me," he said, in a voice that was quieter than before.

it was impressive how stubborn he was. victor wondered if he truly believed what he was saying, if he really thought he could resist, even as his body was already reacting in such an undeniable way. perhaps the fact that his eyes were still open at all was something he considered a victory, the sole proof that he wasn't deep yet. he would be sure to take even that from him, in time.

"it isn't really a matter of you letting me, is it?" he murmured. "it's happening right now."

jim's head twitched, and victor realized that it was likely from his habit of looking away at times like this - he would always turn somewhere else, or roll his eyes. but now, his gaze was fixed on the light. he couldn't look away.

he was already trapped, and his attempts at struggling were like that of a little insect caught in a web.

"you must really love being hypnotized," he continued. "i'm not doing anything particularly special, am i? i'm not even using any sort of brainwashing or mind control device. to think that your weakness would be something as simple as a pen light..."

"it's too early for you to say things like that," jim replied.

"it's just too early, you say? that certainly makes it sound like the time will come, doesn't it? that you'll be so completely and utterly under my control that you can no longer deny it, and your only complaint is that you're not in such a state yet."

"my complaint is that you're gloating when you haven't earned it."

"so you'll have no complaints if i do earn it?"

"at that point it wouldn't be possible for me to complain."

the way he said it sounded quite neutral and matter-of-fact, as if he wasn't particularly bothered by the thought, or perhaps he just found the idea so impossible that there was no reason to worry about it. he did seem to have perked up ever so slightly while arguing. victor would have to manage that.

he took a deep breath himself, in order to regain his focus, pausing to think of how he could be more hypnotic. he was sick of holding the pen light - he had hoped that jim would close his eyes so he could stop with that, but he had stubbornly refused. would it be better for victor to continue pushing it, or was it time to simply drop it and move on to something else? but that could be like an admission of defeat. he wanted to force jim to give in.

he tried to draw from his own experiences being hypnotized by adrianus for inspiration, but he had never been so resistant to it. even when he tried, he just couldn't be. it must have been because of the dynamic - of course it was easier to be hypnotized by your benefactor than it was to be hypnotized by a villain who had you strapped to a chair. the fact that jim had responded at all in these circumstances meant he must have been particularly susceptible.

he focused on his voice, trying to speak slowly and deliberately, in a low tone. "well, jim, that's enough of that. that's enough arguing. you can just keep looking. you've been doing very good at that, haven't you?"

jim's face softened, his eyes glazing over. the response was immediate. normally, telling him not to argue would have been like inviting him to do just that - but something about this tone of voice seemed to pacify him.

so that was it. victor had to resist being too smug, acting like a villain, acting like his rival, at least for now, at least until he was deep enough to just accept whatever he was told. he had to gently coax him into trance.

"there you go... so focused. i can see all of your attention shifting back to the light, back to my voice, back to me... just like that... just let yourself relax."

his shoulders sank.

victor tried to appear calm on the outside, but the excitement of such clear and direct control rushed through him. jim already looked so drowsy, so tired, so dull and empty, so pliant. it was a good look for him. it was exactly how he should be, really... victor's heart pounded.

"that's right... very good..." at least he could use that kind of praise to fill the gaps, to give him time to think of what to do next. long pauses also felt a bit more natural when his speech was so long and drawn out, as well. perhaps he could even be a little slower.

"it feels so good to be hypnotized... it's so nice to fall deeper into trance... there's no need to resist... it's getting so difficult to think, isn't it? your thoughts are slowing down... so slow... barely getting anywhere... isn't that right?"

jim didn't react in any way that indicated that he disagreed or had an argument against it. he was breathing deeply, relaxed to the point where he was almost completely limp. the lack of movement made him more difficult to read, though he supposed the lack of any negative signs could be taken as a positive. perhaps he could also ask jim for a response?

the situation felt so delicate. it was like an antisocial cat coming to sit in his lap. if he moved the wrong way, would it run off? was he allowed to pet it? now that he thought of it, the idea of reaching out and stroking his face or petting his hair did feel quite natural.

victor's breathing was heavy. "close your eyes for me, jim," he said, barely able to hold back his desperation, his voice almost a whisper.

to his amazement, jim obeyed. his eyes shut, his body sinking back into the chair.

he could finally click off the pen light, set it down, and move closer. his hand lightly touched jim's hair, just barely petting it. he didn't respond in the slightest.

"very good," he murmured. "very, very good."

he stroked his hair with a bit more confidence. it was soft. this was relaxing even for victor, just running his hand through it. it really did make jim seem like a pet. he could almost understand, now, what adrianus must feel, looking at him. if anything, adrianus had shown incredible restraint. victor was not entirely sure what he wanted, what exactly this sensation was, what this hunger was for, but it was powerful. and jim was right there, quiet and limp, accepting his touch.

"you're deeply hypnotized now," he whispered. "aren't you?"

no response.

"nod your head for me."

it was subtle, but he did nod.

"t... tell me. out loud. say it for me... that you're hypnotized."

it took a moment for his mouth to even move, as if he had to remember how to speak. "i'm deeply hypnotized," he responded, his voice quiet and dull.

it was such a nice voice. it was unbelievable. he really sounded like that, when he was hypnotized? "very good," he said. "now say it again."

"i'm deeply hypnotized..." he said it more slowly this time. he sighed after, a small, quiet sound. it seemed as if it felt good.

"perfect." he ran his hand down his head, stroking his cheek with his thumb. "one more time."

"i'm deeply hypnotized..." it was hollow, empty sounding.

"good." he wasn't sure if his praise was too predictable or repetitive. he just didn't know what else to say. if he really did have complete control over jim... if jim really was all his... what was he going to do with that? he found himself so entirely absorbed in the moment, in the rush of feelings he experienced simply seeing him like this. his hand slid down, down his jaw, caressing his face... he tilted jim's head, feeling how he allowed it, how he didn't resist, how he held his head in whatever position it was guided into.

he continued cooing at him all the while, some of the praise habitual and compulsive, some of it completely genuine. after all, it was true that he was doing very well. that he was being very obedient, that he had gone so nice and deep for him. that he was being such a good boy.

"don't you feel foolish now," he asked softly, indulgently, "for trying to resist before? tell me..."

another pause before his response. were his thoughts genuinely slower? "i don't," he said.

"why is that? all of that effort put into resisting, just to fall so deeply in the end... wouldn't it have been so much easier to just give in from the beginning?"

every second of silence seemed to stretch forever. jim's eyelids twitched. "no. it wouldn't have... i... i had to resist."

was he starting to wake up? was victor just reminding him to try resisting again? he needed to regain control. "it's already too late to resist, jim."

"no... i know that i... i'm hypnotized now, but..."

"then what does it matter, that you resisted before?"

that was clearly the wrong thing to say. jim's eyes opened, though only slightly. "it's because... i needed to then, because..."

"what, you couldn't accept the idea of being controlled by me? was it your pride as a hero?"

his eyes were gradually becoming more open, more clear, his eyebrows furrowing again. "stop this."

he knew he needed to go back to that soft, soothing voice, to bring jim back down, but he was too caught up in this back and forth. "are you embarrassed?"

his eyes were now fully open, and his gaze was cold, intense, piercing. victor reflexively pulled back his hand.

"you're projecting your own fantasies onto me," he said, his voice firm and sharp. "i didn't resist because i had any problem with you in particular hypnotizing me. i just wanted you to put more effort into it. i don't want to be hypnotized by someone who isn't even trying. i'm not here to just play along with whatever you want. i have to get something out of it."

his mind went blank for a moment, unable to process such an unexpected response.

this was... he was... that meant that he did get something out of it when it was working, didn't it? but more importantly than that, he was insulting him, mere moments after he had been blissfully slumped over in front of him, mindlessly obeying him. he really was a little spoiled cat.

"where did you even learn about hypnosis?" jim continued. "have you been hypnotized before?"

"that's absolutely none of your business. have you forgotten that you're the one strapped in the chair?"

of course, jim had never been particularly bothered about that, and obviously he wasn't going to start now. "i'm just wondering if you assumed it was easy just because you're that easy to hypnotize. i'm not sure if you were saying things that felt good to say, or if you were saying the things you would want to hear."

"you're accusing me of being easy to hypnotize, with no evidence or reason to believe that, after i had just hypnotized you in a matter of minutes?!"

"for you, it might be a matter of seconds."

"then do it! if you really believe i'm so easy to hypnotize, if you know so much about hypnosis, then hypnotize me!"

"release me from the chair, then."

"how do i know you won't just run away?"

"i'm not going to try hypnotizing you from a position where i'm lower than you like this. i could probably do it, but i don't think it will be the same."

to think that he had the nerve to call victor out for being smug before earning it, when he was acting like this. "fine," he said, undoing the restraints.

sure enough, jim didn't run, just rising up, stretching, and then looking back at victor, right into his eyes again. he wasn't used to this sort of prolonged eye contact with him - jim usually seemed to look at anything else, only glancing at him, or looking right next to him.

he stepped close, very close. "focus on me," he said. his tone wasn't much different from usual - it was firm, an order, completely different from the tone adrianus used while hypnotizing him. still, he supposed it did command his attention.

"you really think it will only be a matter of seconds?" victor felt the need to put some pressure on him, to taunt him, to make him falter.

his expression didn't change. "i'd prefer if it was quick."

it was an unexpectedly intimidating response, one that hit even harder with the intense eye contact. he didn't have a reply.

"it feels good to be hypnotized," he said, in his usual monotone, "doesn't it?"

already he found himself overwhelmed with this feeling that he should agree. it didn't feel like he was any sort of deep trance yet, it just seemed like how you should respond to someone who is speaking to you in that way. as if it's an obvious truth that would be stupid to argue with. as if it's a reminder to behave.

still, he managed to hold back any outward sign of agreement.

"answer."

it really struck him, how jim used just the right amount of firmness, not so much that it sounded forced. "y... yes," he said quietly. "i mean, it does."

"it feels good to be hypnotized," he repeated.

"yes..."

"it feels good to obey," he said. "doesn't it?"

"yes," victor answered, a bit too quickly. "i- this isn't- you're just making me say yes, that doesn't count as..."

jim simply continued staring. he stopped talking.

"you're going to go into a deep trance for me."

he couldn't just say that and expect it to be true, even if victor could feel his eyes unfocusing.

"you're going into a deep trance for me."

a tingle ran down his spine, his mind feeling just the slightest bit emptier. he wasn't... he couldn't...

"sit down," he said, his voice softer, his hands on victor's arm and shoulder, gently guiding him.

he didn't know why he didn't resist. he sat down, allowing jim to put on the restraints, even as some distant part of him thought that he really shouldn't be doing this. everything happening felt strange.

"lean back."

he did.

"go limp."

he did.

"close your eyes."

he did.

"that's all it takes. that's how easy it is. you don't need anything else. i guess that's why you don't understand how to hypnotize me. you want someone to control you like it's nothing," he said in a low voice. "and it is nothing."

he should have argued, but there was no argument in his head, and his mouth didn't move. no part of him moved. there was something about how straightforward and direct jim was, how every statement felt like a basic fact.

"you've lost. say it."

"i've lost..."

"you can only move your mouth to respond when i tell you to. you can't even open your eyes. your thoughts are empty. your limbs are heavy. you're deeply hypnotized."

the feeling of heaviness was strange, oddly pleasant. better than that was the feeling of these simple truths being spoken into existence. there was something about it... something he liked, that he lacked the ability to articulate in that moment.

"tell me: if i leave you here, how long will it take anyone to find you?"

"adrianus will be here... in... around an hour..."

"good. then i'll leave you here. they can take care of you."

he didn't want jim to leave. at the same time, the idea of being left there, completely helpless, for adrianus to find... they were going to ask him why he was trapped there, what happened, in that gentle voice, that sweetly condescending voice... and then they would only pull him deeper. he was already so vulnerable...

he wondered, distantly, what sort of barely restrained hunger they would experience, seeing him like this. when he had tried hypnotizing jim, he didn't know what he wanted. they seemed like the sort of person... who knew exactly what they wanted. who was willing to work toward it, so slowly, bit by bit. who was patient enough to consider victor's experience of it, his perspective, to make sure they could do it with no resistance from him at all. how lucky was he, to have that?

even his susceptibility might have been because of them. it must have been convenient for them, for him to be able to go into trance so readily.

would he want something like that from jim? the question floated in his mind, but ultimately, being hypnotized himself felt much more important.