Stress Relief

This piece was originally the left-hand side, and then I wrote the right-hand side for funsies, intending to publish them as two separate pieces. I put them in this split-column format just for editing purposes, to make sure that the narrative tracked, but multiple beta-readers told me they liked it this way, so... here it is!

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"I really think it could help you relax!" Nicole was curled up on one end of the couch, looking sincerely at me with her big brown eyes. "I don't know if I'm any good at it yet, we're only a week in to our hypnosis unit, but I bet..."	"I really think it could help you relax!" I was curled up on one end of Taylor's couch, watching them anxiously. They had been so stressed lately, and I wanted to do something, anything, to help them feel better. "I don't know if I'm any good at it yet, we're only a week in to our hypnosis unit, but I bet..."
I held up my hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, yeah, let's try it!" Because once Nicole got something into her head, she'd always get her way.	Taylor held up their hands in surrender. "Okay, okay, yeah, let's try it!"
She smiled broadly at me, and I felt the knot in my stomach loosen a little. I had been so stressed these last few weeks, and Nicole only wanted to help, and it probably would be relaxing, even if she wasn't very good at hypnosis yet. Besides, she wasn't going to make me cluck like a chicken or anything. This was Nicole we were talking about.	I couldn't help the goofy grin on my face. Thank you, Taylor, you stubborn idiot, thank for letting me help you.
And so we began. I stretched out on the couch, my head in her lap, and she stroked my hair and murmured to me about how I could feel my body relaxing, how I could just let go and let her take over for a little while. How I didn't have to worry about anything, how I was safe, how I could just drift.	And so we began. They stretched out on the couch, their head in my lap, and I stroked their hair and murmured to them about how they could feel their body relaxing, how they could just let go and let me take over for a little while. How they didn't have to worry about anything, how they were safe, how they could just drift.
	I knew the theory from class, and I'd seen plenty of demonstrations in the last week, but I'd never actually hypnotized anyone before. I was surprised at how easy it felt—I pitched my voice as low and soothing as I could, and let instinct carry the words out of me. Taylor's body was limp and heavy against me. I watched in awe and delight as their face softened, their breathing slowed. This was actually working, wasn't it?!
I had to admit, it felt nice. Nicole had a lovely voice, low and warm, and it was a pleasure to just listen to her talk, to let my muscles loosen one by one. She gave me gentle instructions, and it was so easy to just obey them.	It was so nice to see Taylor relaxed for once—and, if I was being honest, this whole thing was a little hot, too. But I put that thought from my mind—I was here to help my best friend.
"It feels good to relax," she was telling me, "it feels so good to just listen and follow. And every time you release a bit of tension, your body feels better and better..."	"It feels good to relax," I told them, the words flowing almost without thought. "it feels so good to just listen and follow. And every time you release a bit of tension, your body feels better and better..."
My body was starting to feel better, I noticed. Pleasant tingles ran through me, and my whole body felt warm, alert but not in a bad way. My hips shifted ever so slightly as another knot of muscle came loose, like it was the most natural thing in the world. I sighed low in my throat and let my hips move automatically. It felt so good to listen, to follow, to obey...	Was it my imagination, or was their breathing speeding back up? No, they were definitely breathing a little faster now, and their face was a little flushed. This was NOT how this was supposed to go, was it? I kept up a calm murmur of instructions, but in my head I was frantically flicking back through our lessons. Was something making them panic, were they having an abreaction, was... And then with a start, I realized that Taylor was ever so slightly rolling their hips at the air. Oh. OH. Now that I was looking for it, there was no mistaking it: their face was flushed, mouth slightly open, breathing heavy, hips twitching slightly.
"Tay, are you—" Nicole's voice above me suddenly sounded confused. "Are you... getting off on this?"	"Tay," I asked hesitantly, "are you... are you getting off on this?"
"Mmm." I hummed my agreement. My thoughts felt slow and soupy, still and calm for the first time in days.	"Mmm." They answered from deep in trance, without a trace of self-consciousness, and oh fuck it was hot to see my best friend sprawled on the couch, loose and limp and gently simmering in their own arousal.
Nicole was silent for a long moment. It didn't bother me. My mind was still and my body hummed contentedly. Finally she asked, "Do you want... more?" The way she said that last word sent a jolt of anticipation through me. Yes, I realized through my fog, there was nothing more I wanted in the world, except more of this, more of her voice, more obedience, more pleasure...	"Do you want..." I swallowed, steeled myself. "More?"
I licked my lips. "Yes," I said, with some effort. My hips moved a little faster now.	Taylor inhaled sharply. They licked their lips and managed a "yes," so softly that I had to lean close to hear it. It was unbelievable, but they wanted this. And oh holy fuck, did I want to give it to them.
And then I heard Nicole laugh low in her throat, in a way that sent shivers down my spine. "Okay," she murmured. "You've had such a long week. You deserve a reward. And I am going to make you feel so, so good..."	"Okay," I murmured, suddenly decided. "You've had such a long week. You deserve a reward. And I am going to make you feel so, so good..."
The words dripped from her lips like honey into my ears. I could feel the tingles intensify, as my mind and my body strained to hear what she was going to say next. I knew there would be no resisting, but I didn't want to.	They drew a shuddering gasp at that, and I felt the heat of it ripple through me. Taylor's whole body was taut, listening, waiting for my next word. It was exhilarating, intoxicating, beautiful.
Because once Nicole got something into her head, she'd always get her way.	Another goofy grin stole across my face. I had never thought that it would play out this way, but one way or the other, I was going to make Taylor feel amazing.