"Remember that spring break, junior year? How mad I'd gotten with you for forgetting that one bag of luggage that had all my bathing suits in it?"

Veronica wheedled her friend who nearly spit his water out at the memory, the funniest of their relationship to date. Not wanting to draw that kind of attention in a fairly nice restaurant, Steve kept anything from ejecting out of his mouth, and took a deep breath to make sure nothing went down the wrong pipe, letting deep chuckles come right after.

"It's not like you'd ever let me forget that, Veronica."

"Hard to forget with all the implications it meant. How absent-minded you were, or how maybe you forgot that bag specifically, suggestively, in very coy fashion."

"Hey, you brought the most bags out of everyone. We were going on vacation, you were practically going on safari; I was bound to forget at least one bag."

"Mmhmm, and of all bags that would've kept me from swimming in the nude..."

Veronica gave Steve a seductive look masquerading as an accusing one, the kind Steve used to receive a lot, the kind she knew drew attention to her light-green eyes, styled auburn hair let down past her shoulders, and beauty queen face. The handsome ex used to be deeply affected by that, but it silently irked her how weakly he was drawn in compared to the past.

"If you recall, I bought you several replacements to make it up to you, among other things."

"And that's what made you such an agreeable boyfriend later on, no matter how absent-minded you stayed."

"Hey, some people find that quality quite endearing, when she's not trying to plug 'good' habits in to me."

Veronica purposefully maintained her smile as she turned to their evening's third wheel, Steve's roommate Edie. Stylistically, Edie was almost diametrically opposite of Veronica in every way, a near bleach-blonde pixie cut, a designer long-sleeve, sheer mesh top, pencil skirt and ankle boots compared to a more classical short dress and sandals. It irked the brunette even further how casually Edie took the compliment, smiled back at both, and received a wider smile than what he'd given Veronica's.

"It's really hard to imagine that you breaking any of your old habits; they practically defined you when we were living together."

"Hypnosis does wonders for the imagination, or so I'm told," Steve indirectly gestured in Edie's direction, receiving a cute smirk as a reply.

Veronica blinked before turning to the roommate.

"You're a hypnotist? A real 'look into my eyes' kind of hypnotist?"

Pretty hazel eyes stared directly into light green ones for an extended few seconds before giving a "it's no big deal" shrug.

"Yeah, Ms. Humble over here is a hypnotist, and a good one at that."

Slightly to Veronica's dismay, but to her subconscious fascination, the remainder of the dinner conversation ended up being about hypnosis and some of what Steve had learned and changes he'd undergone. The amazing changes were hard to dispute with how enthusiastically Steve talked about what he did around their place, how it didn't feel like burdensome chores anymore, and how fun it was to continually work on his forgetfulness. Even his appearance was evidence of change, letting his brown hair grow out and fall down around his face, a look that made Veronica nearly swoon the first time they'd seen each other in years. All of it always eluded to the hypnotist herself, who simply sat and enjoyed two old friends talking and re-connecting after so long.

***

Exiting the restaurant, well-past dusk, it turned out to be the coolest night of one of the hottest summers they could remember. So close to the water, the downtown cool breeze felt good across the skin of the trio, especially Veronica's as new to the area as she was. She found it fortuitous to be transferred to her old flame's new city, while reveling in any relief from the earlier, sweltering conditions. And yet she let herself inch closer and closer towards a form of it she craved, subconsciously still envisioning Steve and herself in the most primal way possible. It led to noting his proximity between the two women; to her surprise, he seemed evenly spaced between them, with some part of him leaning more in Edie's direction, even while staring at Veronica.

He looked...it was hard to describe by her eyes, but all the earlier talk of hypnosis, made her wonder if his seemingly static state was supposed to be trance of some sort. The one thing left unsaid yet obvious was how much he enjoyed hypnosis, the experience itself, and even being changed into something that felt better. It didn't seem like anything prompted; he just smiled a smile to himself, as did Edie, as if knowing he'd slipped into dreamy unawareness spontaneously. She couldn't help but finally ask a persistent question that lacked any reasonable explanation.

"Why does he like hypnosis so much?"

"Because..."

The sound of Steve's roommate's hit him like a sudden drugged after-effect; eyes flared in recognition, barely, before his face and standing posture sunk into an even more definitive trance state. The sound of the voice creating such an effect hung in the air, as Veronica heard her speaking, the palpable intonation, how strong it resonated.

"Because Steve loves it so much."

The sound hit Steve's old girlfriend uniquely as well; there was some signature to the newer friend's tone, as if wanting to impress upon a crowd as theatrically as possible, yet mixed with a sincerity that ears couldn't help but focus. She remembered hearing some hypnosis examples from somewhere, where there was a slow transformation in voice from casual to deeper and focused, a velvety, throaty purr. Edie's voice dropping preamble and going straight to a hypnotic tone upset any expectations once perceived.

"Because he finds so much value in taking time to relinquish himself to nature, and natural occurrences like trance." 

There was a humorous quality to the spoken words, as if on the verge of telling a joke, and yet Veronica tried to remember the last time a voice, or anything felt this rich to her senses. Recollection took her back to the first chocolate she'd eaten after giving them up for lent; a rich, smothering sensation she wanted to gorge herself on. The way Edie spoke of Steve, it seemed like he was being indirectly gorged on, and wanted to do everything he could to be consumed.

"Because it's good to let natural occurrences do what they will, as his follows in-kind."

In that moment of Edie's voice striking such an internal chord, the brunette  wondered where this effect was earlier during their dinner conversation. The back of her mind relayed the fact that Veronica and Steve had done most of the talking, old acquaintances catching up, one of them talking up current goodness quietly stemming from a roommate that'd barely said a word. Edie nodded a lot, laughed a few times; maybe an errant word came out here and there, but Veronica was so focused on rekindling old fires, she never noticed the plus one might've been saving words for when they could make the greatest impact. And the kind of impact a hypnotist could make was greatly underestimated.

"Because when nature takes its course, amazing things happen, even in simple collisions. That cool, breezy evening air you so want from a hot summer, colliding with warm, focused, velvety words you'd never want served cold; the cool and warm collide across your skin, sinking downward into you, leaving your senses and internal self cloudy, calm, happily confused."

The blonde leaned in closer to her roommate's direction, addressing him more directly, but staying audible enough that Veronica didn't miss a single word, especially not the one repeated and punctuated with a smooth flair, giving more significance to every word following it.

"Because in those clouds from opposing temperatures form storms. Soft temperatures create softer storms, inside you. Far from raging, but far towards soothing precipitation raining on you, soothing influence and familiar control reigning upon you. Clouds ready to alight with electric tingles of soft lightning, from thunderous triggers just waiting to strike with such seductive silence, you may not even realize you've been struck."

Only the women of the trio noticed the valet pulling up with the car, and it took a second for them to be cognizant, as deep as Edie's reasoning was taking them all.

"I think we'd all better get in the car, and let me drive this time. Because thunderous triggers won't strike until needy recipients are seated, strapped-in, and safe."

Edie took the keys quietly before the valet could hear anything, while Veronica slowly helped a practically sleepwalking Steve to the passenger side. He seemed so out of it, yet so inclined to do as Veronica suggested; a touch of jealousy sprung up for the effect someone from years ago had, while she sometimes had to cajole him hard to do simple things. She started to move him to the front seat, but Edie silently indicated that Steve was better off in the back, with the aware ladies in-front. Before she could even ask why, Edie's wink told her there was a good reason for it.

"Because seated and strapped-in boys remain safe in powerful words, rained and reigned upon. Because, all men secretly know inside, only a woman's voice makes you feel this way, their reasoning beyond questioning. Every question you could have, a woman has the answer; every explanation striking you lightly, lightningly, your thunderous triggers stimulating your core to the tune of obedience. Because obedience is such pleasure, and listening to her is its own reward."

Starting the engine, and before pulling into traffic, Edie looked towards the surprised look she expected from Veronica from her insinuation; another wink insinuated that any non-specific woman could be this woman. Veronica internally jumped for joy inside, starting to believe in the power of womanly words, more than happy to be let in on the secrets that made Steve this receptive and anchored.

"Because that voice speaking to you, that voice that draws all attention its way, that voice shutting out every other sound, you just can't help but listen. Listen to every word, every syllable, every letter of every word represent a drop raining on you. As warm as you want it, as often as you want it, all those drops dropping you."

Veronica would've been impressed by how Edie could manage careful, slow driving in downtown traffic while producing a hypnotic litany on the fly, if she could turn her head away from the man in the back seat, belt and word strapped, nearly damp from sweat.

"Because it's taken many times, many drops to get you to this point you're in. You couldn't count how many times, even if you tried. Because if you tried, taking all your previous trance experiences, multiplying them by the magnitude of how much you want to obey, then taking that magnitude of how much you want to obey, multiplying that by the number autonomous thoughts in your head..."

Small pangs of pride welled up in Veronica for doing the wordy math in her head and coming up with the number zero, which looked like the literal number of thoughts Steve was thinking. Thoughtless thrashing against he safety belt, feeling something he couldn't describe or think, struck a deeper, primal chord, admiring the female voice reducing him to what he'd become.

"Becauseyou don't need to think about anything when you're so relaxed. Because you don't need to think when thoughtlessness yields pleasure, so much pleasure. No reason to strain yourself, no reason to worry yourself, no reason to be anything but comfortable and receptive. And even if you have those nagging feelings about needing to think about something, anything, you can think of relaxation. Because thinking of relaxation takes you deeper. Because seeing a relaxed self entices more of a self to find new depths of relaxation. Because listening and obeying guides a self deeper, exactly where the self wants to be."

Noticing how Veronica was straining her neck to continue watching Steve in the backseat, driving at a slower pace, Edie arranged the rear-view mirror for the front-seat passenger to have a clear look in the back with a relaxed neck. It was easy to guide her that way, a soft hand and helpful words leading her with no issue to continue doing what she seemed to enjoy.

"Because the path to a better, more relaxed, deeper self is a slow, scenic one to take, one you're driven to take for all the benefits it yields. Maybe to your reactive, feeling mind, it would resemble a full-body massage, where feeling relaxation somewhere means eventually it will spread everywhere. Because could easily start from your toes, wiggling and stretching gently inside comfortable footwear before it goes still and relaxed, shooting relaxation further. Because that relaxation would spread into feet and ankles, stretching gently before relaxing and soothing themselves."

Before their dinner, Veronica spent more time than she planned worrying about attire, and what would impress more versus what would hurt more to wear for the whole evening. She was amazed that was any kind of concern with how comfortable her feet felt, stretching and relaxing like the solitary, filling voice within talked about.

"Because relaxation would let ankles travel in gentle circles before coming to rest, resting deeper in relaxation, spreading a wave cascading further, deeper. Because relaxation would rise to calves, knees and thighs, barely tensing before relaxing, overcome with the need to do so. Because that relaxation would continue to inspire and travel forward, muscles of all kinds stimulated, softening, rained upon, left soaked, in pleasure. Because that relaxation would spread all over a torso, holding lungs focused on breathing as hips softens, tummy softens, chest straining against fabric and relaxing deeper with each breath. Because with each breath, you might feel that so much relaxation has sunken into your arms and hands that sunken is exactly what they are, too heavy to move, to content to want to move. Because relaxation forbids you to move as you are guided deeper into the most relaxed self known, guided by little more than a soft hand on your relaxed shoulder, accompanying you on your path. Because you so want it there, making you feel as good as the voice taking control."

Lidded eyes watched Steve breathing the same kind of breaths he was, relaxing identically to how he was, taken on this journey without permission, without objection. Only aware enough to lean into the soft, helping hand on Veronica's shoulder, and to feel the course of the trip accelerate and drive her deeper at every sign post along the way, each of them reading

"Because that hand and that voice deeply resemble the relation rising, gaining power, until it's like a tidal wave ready to crash down upon you, like that last deep breath before you're filled with absolutely nothing but pleasure, the pleasure that rocks your world, fucking your body and your mind to ecstasy. Because sometimes, fucking and mindfucks are good things, things you need, things you can't wait to happen to you. They can be as simple as listening to a new friend become more than a friend, as letting everything else go but want you want and need. As simple as a helpful hand on a helpless shoulder, and that hand wanting to do more for you."

Veronica's back arched slightly as she felt that hand on her roam, across the length of the shoulder closest to Edie, in-between the seat and her back, rising to the back of her neck and base of her skull. The skin there was tickled gently before the physical and mental driver made her next move.

"Because why wouldn't that hand be more helpful? Why wouldn't that hand keep giving you more? And why would you ever think of stopping it? Well...because you can't think, not of stopping it, not of resisting it. Not my hand, not my voice, not the relaxation both give you. And certainly not what my hand really wants to do to you."

Edie felt her own fingertips tingling, lost in the mass of beautiful auburn hair, flowing like a waterfall. Stroking the skin just below the hairline, she drew symbolic spirals, strumming the hairs ticklishly, playing her new acquaintance like a harp, enjoying the anticipation what she enjoyed as much as hypnosis.

"Because you can feel what it wants, fingers sliding higher and higher, like that relaxation wave grows higher and higher, closer and closer. Closing in on you at the same rate my fingers become threaded in your hair, combing through them until they feel intertwined, exactly where they want to be. Because you can feel that gentle tugging of follicles against my fingers, from my grip. You can feel your whole head pulled in any direction my hand and will desires. You feel equal delight in imagining a rough, sudden pulling of your hair, or a slow, sensual tug, either brings you closer to that relaxation wave. And whichever I choose to pull you with, rough or soft, slow or quick, in any direction, the effect is the same. Because that head-to-toe relaxation crashes down on you whenever I bring the tidal wave down on your head."

Car finally parked, Edie gave Veronica a long, satisfying look as she took in the tranced woman's face, and her deep-seeded anticipation for her hair being pulled. Edie smiled as she didn't even know what kind of pull she wanted, spontaneously deciding to yank it roughly, tilting her head back to let the symbolic tidal wave or relaxation crash down on her face, at the same time she whispered hotly to her newest conquest.

"Because you're mine."

If her eyes weren't hazy and rolling up inside her head, Veronica might've been surprised to see Edie had pulled into the driveway of a house; Steve had always preferred apartments, and hated lawn work. It was a notion non-existent compared to the soft hand that left her head, and the whispers she could barely hear that she wanted to hear, the absence of both making her whimper and complain, until a hand returned to thread itself and pull gently as Edie's hot whispers were uttered directly against open ears.

"Because you want to follow, and you will."

Edie grinned Cheshire-like, leading a near-sleepwalking Veronica by hand, who led a hypnotized Steve with his hand in her hair. Auburn hair was gratefully pulled back as they all walked forward into the house.

"Because wanting is all you're distilled to now, and all you want is more of my voice, more of my words, more pulls of your hair. Because follicles and nerve endings must be lit up like Christmas lights in endorphin pleasure. So much so that all the pleasure must be like euphoria distilled, raining down on your insides, falling all the way to something already assuredly wet. Because you're so focused on that, you'll ignore things about the house for now, including our numerous roommates strewn about the house, walking around naked, moaning as they're greeted with a pat on their head, and nothing more. So sorry for not telling you about our other roommates, but I'm sure you know how it is, roommates and all."

Veronica opened her lidded eyes enough to clearly see what Edie was describing, with several roommates walking like Steve was earlier, lost like the former couple was now. Some were off in the distance, intimately close, pulling each other's hair. Some greeted specifically Edie, wordlessly hoping with their desperate faces for more than the pats on the head she gave each. One did receive a firm pull, and a whispered thank you for being such a lovely roommate.

"Because, unfortunately a lot of times, lots of roommate situations end up being just like the odd couple, with the responsible type living with a slob type; a seemingly miserable experience for everyone involved. You knew that when you lived with Steve before. As a hypnotist, I'm more than happy to turn that perception into something positive, something desired. Because how great would it be for everyone to love their living arrangement, and what the other contributes? How great it was for Steve, and all my other roommates to see that, showing them how to be cleaner, more organized, and actually willing to do chores. I spent so much time improving their lives, I became the slob, cause everyone was so grateful to pick up after me, for me, and to serve me in anyway I thought would be good for the household. Some say 'roommates are the new slaves' anyhow, so why shouldn’t a hypnotist capitalize on that. Because doesn't that just make so much sense to you?"

The words made sense, spoken to her in that tone, even if she didn't fully grasp it at that moment, just like it made sense that the bedroom they were led to was plush, clean, dimly-lit with candles, smelling of sexy incense.

"That's been my reasoning for picking roommates, based on wants, and shaping wants. Because isn't that what you had in-mind for tonight? Trying to move your way back into Steve's life, thinking I was just the weird, temporary, tag-along roommate? Didn't you want him to look at you, respond to you, the way he and all my roommates responded to me? Didn't you secretly jump at the chance to learn a few tricks that would make him so compliant the way he is for me? Because why wouldn't you want this kind of control? Because why wouldn't you want to be this kind of controlled?"

Veronica listened as that voiced control suggested clothes should be shed slowly, sinuously, the same way the hypnotic voice moved over their bodies. She loved the praise Edie gave her for how well she obeyed, saying she wished her roommates look that good when disrobing. Edie also praised Steve for the way he undressed his hypnotist with sensuous care, kissing and worshiping parts exposed when he wasn't properly and neatly taking care of her attire. Once fully naked, pushing an unresistant boytoy onto the bed, Edie sauntered over to Veronica, yanking her hair and stroking an exposed slickness between her legs. 

"Because you are controlled, are you not?"

"Ng-y-ye-ssss, Edieeee."

"That shudder sounds like you want to be a roommate of mine. Because you want to be a roommate of mine, right?"

"Ohhhh, f-fuck yes! Edie..."

"What a turn of events this has been. From trying to steal my roommate, to becoming mine. And this is something you want?"

"Yes...pleaseeee..." she managed breathlessly.

Minutes later, the trio continued their discussion on the huge, king-size bed. Steve's legs bent at the knees as everything above laid flat and still, except for hands stroking his shaft, and his mouth stimulating Veronica's clit. Legs spread out with a few pillows under her, the hypnotized brunette was nearly just as still, except for tugging Steve's long hair beneath her, and working her own mouth at Edie's clit, frantically overloaded with pleasure from worshiping, being worshiped, and having her own hair pulled.

Edie leaned back into a pile of pillows, letting her pets' obedience drive her to her umpteenth orgasm, still offering her reasoning to her newest roommate.

"Because after you move out of your old place, and into mine, I think you'll be mostly happy, minus some small adjustments here and there. Because I think you're going to want to try out a much shorter haircut soon, still stylized and appropriate enough for work, but one harder to get a good grip of. Because Steve told me you weren't exactly the best girlfriend you could've been, attitudes and indiscretions. Such is a roommate's fitting punishment, lack of hair being pulled for that ultimate pleasure, because it's fun to deny you for a little while too. But just like your hair, you'll grow into being the best roommate you can be."

Noticing Veronica was nearing her orgasm after a suggestively-slow build-up, knowing that orgasm would trigger Steve's, she pulled at Veronica's hair to signal working her up to a mind-blowing orgasm that would join theirs. 

"You know why the best roommates have the best orgasms when told to?"

Edie's breath faltered as uncontrollable pangs of pleasure hit her from hearing two voices attempting to talk with mouths full of pussy.

"Because I say so!" Edie's forced out as seductively as she could, trying not to shriek her words out the way her orgasmic scream left her. 

****

Later, in the void of satisfied silence, a mindless Veronica laying on silk sheets felt her head being pulled up by her hair, to stare up at hazel staring deep into hers. 

"You're so perfect like this, just being my Veronica. Just be, cause your roommate wants you to be this way."

Empty eyes smiled up at Edie, convincing reasoning washing over her, wanting to drown in it all over again. She couldn't wait to be allowed to be filled with conscious purpose again, reasoning the need for moving in with her former lover and hypnotic mistress as soon as possible.