Chapter Text
“John, there’s really nothing that can go that wrong.”
“Emphasis on that.”
“C’mon, it’ll be fun.”
“For you maybe! What about me?”
“Um.... I’ll video?”
“I need more than that, Alex.”
“How about.... You can do it to me after? Or we could get Laff and Herc?”
“Fine. But don’t ask me do anything stupid, okay?”
“I swear. Now, lie down and relax while I get everything ready.” Alex turned, sighing. John was really hard to convince, but he’d managed it.... After 20 minutes. He began preparing, a small light to put above John, a chair for himself. If he was going to hypnotize John, he wanted to do it sitting down.
“Remind me why you want to do this? It doesn’t seem like you,” John’s voice came from below him.
Alex looked down, “I don’t know. I just wanted to try it. It seems like something fun to do,” he paused, “now, are you comfy?”
John swallowed. “Yes. Let’s do it.”
Alex took a deep breath, remembering the scripts he had read off google. He realized that it was kind of sad. He could only hope it worked. “Alright.” He calmed his voice. “Allow yourself to relax completely. Now, look at the light above you. Never take your eyes off the light. In a moment I am going to help you relax even more completely. I am going to start counting from 10 to 1. But first, I need you to stare at that light. Imagine it getting closer and closer. With each bit it moves, your body begins to relax further. The more you relax, the closer it gets. The closer it gets, the more relaxed you become.”
Johns shoulders slumped, his hands going limp. It was working.
“Now, the light is getting closer. Closer, closer, closer. Your eyes are beginning to feel heavy as the light gets closer. So heavy. It is almost too hard to keep them open. Every time you blink, they are heavier and heavier. Heavy, heavy. The light is closer still. You feel oh so relaxed, so tired. You can let you eyes close, it feels so nice to close them at last. So calming. Let yourself sink even deeper into relaxation.”
Johns eyes fluttered, and closed. He was closer.
“I am now going to start counting down from 10 to 1. The moment I say the number 10, you will imagine yourself at the top of a staircase. At the moment I say the number nine, and each number after that, you will move down one stair. At the bottom of the staircase is the most comfortable bed imaginable, with a nice, soft pillow. Alright? Number 10, you are at the top of the stairs. Nine, relax, let go of all your worries. Eight, sinking into a more comfortable, peaceful position.”
Johns head fell to the side, Alex almost cried out with delight.
“Seven.”
“Six, even further down.”
“Five, moving down the stairs, relaxing further.”
Alex could see the muscles loosening in Kohn. God, he was tense.
“Four.”
“Three, your breathing is calming you further.”
“Two, almost there. Almost to the bed, almost to complete relaxation.”
“And one. Let yourself sink into that feather bed, let every muscle go limp and loose, nice and relaxed. So nice peaceful, so easy. Just let go. Let go and listen to my voice, le any other noise just let you go even further into the nice state of relaxation.
Johns mouth opened slightly. Carefully, Alex pulled John into a sitting position. It was like holding a ragdoll. Johns head lolled backward, completely limp. Alex felt the urge to smile. John looked so calm, there were no lines on his face, no tense shoulders, nothing. He was just.... There. He lied John down carefully. Alex knew he shouldn’t do anything mean to John- and he had to respect that. But what could be fun....
He had once seen a video on YouTube of someone forgetting how to speak. That would work. Yes, he would do that. Now, to figure out how to do it. If he was correct, the person needed to repeat something and let their voice get softer and softer, until it was completely gone. Alex was pretty sure that John had to respond to a question- something he could invision, like a person or a place. Well, he could have fun with that.
He took a deep breath, “alright, now I want you to imagine....” Alex paused he could any information he wanted here. Why not do something simple, not to mean. Why not find out who John liked. Jeez. Alex thought. That’s childish. Oh well. I’ll ask who he loves most. I can prove that it’s the turtle then. Alex had been teasing John that he loved the turtle more that anything in the world. No, John had told him every time, there are some things I love more. Alex wanted to prove John wrong. “Imagine the thing you love most in the world. It can be anything, a place, or a person, or and animal. Now, imagine the image very clearly in your mind. Now, imagine the name of the thing. I want you to say the name with as much force as you can.
Johns mouth closed. He paused for a second, then; “Mmm.... Alex.”
Alex almost passed out. He was the thing John loved most. Alex. The boy that Alex was in love with, liked him back. Alex shook his head, it couldn’t be right. He was imagining things. He continued on with the script.
“Now, keeping that thing in your brain, I want you to imagine that someone is taking your voice, right out of you, very slowly. Now repeat the same thing again, and you will notice that it is a little harder, a little softer.”
John smiled, “Alex.” He said, his voice slightly strained.
Alex’s stomach lurched. He wanted to hear John say it again. “Alright, now repeat it 10 more times, each time a little softer, a little weaker until it is too hard, and all your voice has disappeared. When you reach the tenth time, your voice will be gone. Completely. You won’t be able to make a sound. The harder you try, the more you voice disappears. And the more your voice disappears, the harder you try. Now, repeat the name 10 more times.”
Johns mouth twitched. “Alex.” His voice was raspy.
“Alex.”
“Alex.” It was a little louder than a whisper now.
“Alex.”
Alex felt dizzy. He was the thing. And John never said.
“Alex.” John was trying, and failing to keep his voice alive.
“Alex.”
“Alex.
“Alex.” John face was tight in an effort to make his voice work. But it came out as the smallest whisper.
“Alex.” It was hardly audible, just a slight sigh.
Alex. John mouthed the words but he could no longer speak. His voice was gone.
Alex let out a sigh. John was too cute for his own good. He had to get him up soon, however.
“Alright. Now, I am going to count from 1 to ten, when I reach 10, you will be fully awake. Your voice, however, will still be gone. You will not remember anything, but you will be unable to speak. Let’s do this.”
“1. Feeling some energy coming back.”
“2.”
“3.”
“4. Starting to move a bit.”
“5.”
“6.”
“7. Letting your muscles move some more.”
“8, become aware of the world around you.”
“9. Almost there.”
“10. Open your eyes.”
Johns eyes opened, alight with curiosity. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. Confused,he touched his throat. He tried again, nothing. He glared at Alex. Did you do this? He asked, making wild gestures.
Alex nodded. “And would you like to know how?” He asked, smirking.
John nodded, glaring.
“Well, once I put you in a trance, I had you think of what you most loved. To prove that I was right about the turtle.”
John went bright red. He made a gesture that looked like and?
Alex swallowed. How could he say this? “Well, I was wrong. Apparently the thing you love most in the world is.... Well.... me.” Alex felt his cheeks heat, although John had turned into something like a tomato. He hid his face in his shirt for a good minute. Alex sat down beside him, awkwardly. “Hey, it’s cool. If I can just ask, do you mean in like a family way, or a romantic way?”
John hid his face deeper. But he put his hands up to make the numbers 1 and 2.
“Both?” Alex guessed, not expecting an answer
John nodded.
He likes me?! Oh my god! Alex's brain was going crazy, he struggled not to kiss John right there
“Just so you know, I.... I- I feel the same way. You’re not alone.”
Johns face shot up so fast he almost knocked into Alex. His eyes were wide, a look of disbelief upon his face.
“I’m not kidding.”
John paused for a moment, then, he curled up on Alex, who quickly laid down on the bed to make it more comfortable. John laid his head on Alex, and buried his head in the crook of Alex’s neck. It was so comforting. Alex didn’t plan on moving for a long time.