Perfect Illusion [Hypnotist! America x reader] 1

Perfect Illusion [Hypnotist! America x reader] 1
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Work hasn't been very nice to you these days. Every time you walked into your office at the company you were employed in, new orders were always dishing in and you were treated like some robot. It was as if they thought you had no life of your own, and that your career dictated everything that was to be done. Edit this. Edit that. You've been hired to correct people's mistakes, but you were getting so mentally exhausted from having no time to think at all. That is why you've asked your friend for some advice, your dear friend Francis to help you with this endless cycle of stress. 

Recalling his enthusiasm in his voice that was laced with a light French accent, it caused a soft chuckle to fall from your lips. He brightened up immediately when you came up to him for help, so he gave you all the tips he could think off the top of his creative little mind. His soft violet eyes widened and filled with light as he spoke to you about exercises in relaxing the mind, eventually linking together with a hypnotist's office somewhere in town. That somewhere in town was where you were heading to right now, and you were quite doubtful that this was even going to turn out right. 

Clenching the small square of paper in your hand, you glanced down at it to check that you were going the right way. Facing the two storey building in front of you, the street number matched with the one that was written there in slanted, cursive writing. The building was crafted out of whites, blacks and greys, just like any other sophisticated structure out there in the large, wondrous city. It overlooked the surrounding with double glazed panes of glass, inside luminated with large, bright ceiling lights. Your eyes caught the repetitive flashing of the bright piercing colours of a neon sign, glowing ever so blatantly on a sign by the entrance. The words Hypnotherapy clinic buzzed on and off, each time sending you into near-blindness from the potently popping hues. 

You squinted your eyes in discomfort and padded up the steps to wander inside the reception. Taking a good look around you, you took in your surroundings and familiarised yourself with the place. Shelves of books decorated the room, a soothing scent of chamomile filling your nose and already making you feel relaxed and at home. If only it was always this tranquil with your daily schedule. Clutching the purse slung around your shoulder and sitting down on one of the couches, you heard the thudding of someone's footsteps grow more prominent as it inched closer to the room. Peering up to meet a pair of striking cerulean eyes, you stood up and greeted him. 

"Good evening," you smiled at the man, who returned the friendly gesture in return. Flickering your irises down to a white rectangle of a nam the tag under his breast pocket, you read the name out. "Alfred. Are you the one who's going to hypnotise me?" You laughed softly at your own joke. You thought that hypnotists were supposed to be way older, at least middle-aged. Apparently, you were wrong. He grinned and nodded. You watched him extend his arms out onto you, palm I clasped for you to take. You slipped in your hand with his, pleasantly surprised with very soft skin that was doused in a sweet scent. "Nice to meet you, Miss (L/N). It seems to me that you're a little early today." He said, his low voice filling the entirety of the room.

"Oh, just a habit of mine. Do you have a booking right now? I can wait a bit if I need to," you replied, glancing back at the linen couches. 

Seems like it was only one lonely soul in this building. Not a voice was heard, not a conversation sparked in the past several hours. It drove him nuts. Now that you've arrived, he knew that you would be able to keep him company for a while. Catching a glimpse of your fingers that twiddled together as you spoke to him, he felt his lips twitch up into a smile. "How cute." He thought.  

"No, that's okay! I don't have anyone right now to tend to, so we can get started on our first session. Please follow me into my office." He interjected, gesturing for you to come over to him. He lead you down a dark hallway, and eventually into a large room deep inside the vicinity. Placing your belongings on a nearby table, he shut the door behind him to seal both of you inside in silence. Rubbing his hands furiously together as he plummeted down on his spinny chair behind a glass desk, he whipped out a thin booklet bound by a staple in a clipboard. Clicking a pen a few times, he started to ask you a couple of questions. 

"So, your full name is (F/N) (L/N). Is that correct?" He started, earning a nod from you. "Alright. I just need to confirm on a few details before advancing. Is that okay with you?"

"Sure."

That signalled him a green flag to go and he initiated his formal version of twenty questions, except he was the only curious one. "Could you please tell me your address, (F/N)?" He asked. Furrowing your brows together, you shot him a quizzical look. "Address? Do you need it?" 

He nodded. "Yes, I do." He coughed, "For emergency reasons." 

"... Okay..." You leaned back in your chair. "Can you hand me your board so I can write it down?"

His stomach dropped and he paused. "No, you can just tell me. I'll write it down for you."

Okay...?

Obliging reluctantly, you gave him your street name and number. Later on, he inquired you on a few other questions seeking personal details. A couple of them seemed unreasonably specific or just unnecessary, but you provided an answer to them nevertheless. Around twenty minutes in, he finally got around to asking you the actual important questions. 

"So, what is it that you are so stressed about, (F/N)?" He started.

"Well, work has piled so much responsibility on my shoulders. I feel like I'm carrying the weight of the world right now, they just had to sign that contract with this model. I don't know if what I do will be up to standards." You let out an extended sigh. "I'll be editing a lot of work for the magazine. I just can't relax, and I'm having loads of trouble sleeping." He jotted a few notes down as you continued to vent out your concerns. Not only were you caught in the undertow of a troubled mind, it had manifested onto your weary features that screamed insomnia. You haven't grown any dark bags yet, but you were half lidded and appeared to be fatigued. Problem was, no matter how tired you were, you were unable to fall asleep. 

"No matter what I do, I only get a few hours of sleep even if I go to bed early." you continued. He nodded slowly with understanding. "It appears to me that not only are you stressed to the core, you are being robbed of your sleep. That can be solved very easily, fortunately." 

Your lips stretched into a wide smile and you stared at him with wide eyes. "Really? Please tell me what I need to do!" You exasperated. "I honestly need to get over this issue. It would be great if you'd help me with it!"

He couldn't help but admire your innocence and obliviousness, not that it was your fault. This was a clinic anyway, so it was expected for him to aid you in areas in life like these. "Of course. It is my profession, after all." He smirked. Placing the clipboard down and folding it over to conceal the information inside, he slid something out of his breast pocket. Holding out a silver chain, a small pocket watch unrolled and revealed itself. You watched in awe as he reset the time, twisting and turning a couple of knobs of the antique-looking object. It was engraved with a multitude of symbols like it was an artefact of an ancient civilisation. "Miss (L/N), I am going to start off with helping you sleep. Now, I want you to rest your arms in your laps."

You did as told, and shifted into a more comfortable position in the chair.

He flickered his eyes to yours, and without looking at what he was holding, he held it directly at your line of sight. "Now, take a few deep breaths. Listen to my voice as you do." He droned, his velvety voice already lulling you into a trance. He inhaled a deep breath, where you followed suit. This related a few more times until he started talking again. "Good. Now stare into this clock. Focus on the clock and my voice only." He said. Swinging the ornament in his hand from right to left, your eyes followed it vigilantly without breaking eye contact. As if time slowed, the swinging of the clock grew slower and slower, eventually appearing like everything had called into slow motion. "Everything is slowing down. Time is slowing down. You feel your eyelids grow heavier, and heavier."

 Your eyelids were about to shut, but you kept them open, just barely, in small slits as you stared at the clock. It indeed was a strange sensation. Like someone attached weights to your eyes, you were struggling to keep them open. "You are getting sleepy... Very sleepy..." He said. You felt all feeling in your body disappear. You were numbed of feeling and your senses were limited to only sight and hearing. The muscles in your neck were starting to give out, and your eyes were extremely droopy with a layer of rust forming on them. "By the time I count to ten, you will no longer be stressed that you will fall asleep tonight."

"One."

You were unable to think straight. It was starting to get exhausting to even think at all. 

"Two..."

You drowned yourself in his calming voice. 

"Three... Four... Five..." Your pulse lowered dramatically. All you knew was that it was actually working, screw your doubts. "Six... Seven... Eight..."

Your breathing slowed, now reduced to long, deep inhales in the chest. "Nine... Ten." He finished, his words suddenly causing an overwhelming sensation of peace within you. He had achieved his goal, which was your success. You've never felt this calm before, at least never felt this calm from the last time you remembered. The swinging motion of the metallic chain slowed to a stop, but you were still in a deep trance and half lidded. His gaze never left you, and he watched your dazed, dream-like state for a few moments more. 

A sudden thought crossed his mind. It was a revelation, but he shook his head at such a preposterous suggestion. His body and heart was telling him to do it, but his kind told him no. There was no way he could break the rules of hypnotism and manipulate you into doing something according to what he wanted. It was an unwritten rule that should never be broken. If it was so wrong, why did he keep dwelling over the matter? 

***

A few few weeks had droned on ever since your first session with Alfred. You kept coming back weekly, which eventually doubled to twice a week. You just loved his sessions so much, it really took away the stress from work, literally. He had been a great help to your sleeping needs as well, pushing your sleeping schedule back into place and eliminating any potential eye bags. Now that everything was set out right, there wasn't a great need for anything. That was why he decided on giving you a session free of charge, which involved a mysterious multitude of benefits that he left anonymous.

All of the time spent together eventually uncovered something inside him. He had started to develop feelings for you since your first meeting, and he was slapping himself for not taking action before when he first thought of it.

Placing down the clock onto the desk with a soft clink, you were enchanted into another deep trance, captured by his mesmerising cerulean eyes. Unlike before, you weren't fatigued and just sat there with unmatched elegance. He swallowed thickly and he stared at you through a heavy blush. 

This time, he was the one in the trance.

His heart thumped violently in his chest as his lips separated apart. "... (F/N), you are now under my control." He breathed. He couldn't believe that he was actually going to do this. At least he'd be able to learn how much of a professional he really was, right?

"When the clock stops ticking, you will fall in love with me."

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One. 

Your lids shut tight over your clouded eyes and you fell forward. Black engulfed your vision, the last thing you ever touched being a pair of strong arms around your shoulders.