Be Hypnotized (by Your Lover)

"Dick this is ridiculous! Do we really have to go see this kook?" Zee groaned as her boyfriend drags her to the local theater.

"C'mon Zee! Either this dude's legit, or we can just laugh at the cheesiness of the whole thing. It'll be great!"

"Babe, hypnotism is like the snake oil of the magic world. It's a bunch of hooey folks use to peddle themselves as real magicians. Nothing's going to happen."

"Please! For me? At the very least we could get a good laugh out of it?" he pleaded with big watery blue eyes.

"Sigh, alright. But you are soooo making it up to me!"

"Yes, dear," he smiled kissing her cheek.

They arrived at the local Bludhaven theater where the amazing Mumbo Jumbo would be attempting to show off his hypnotist abilities. The crowd was relatively small considering Mumbo Jumbo wasn't that well known a name. As such, to Zatanna's chagrin, Dick insisted on sitting in the first row.

With a drumroll and a puff of smoke, the main act appeared wearing a top hat, a tuxedo, a red cape, and for some reason a domino mask.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Mumbo began, "Welcome to the show! I'm so glad for the errr amazing turn out. I am the amazing Mumbo Jumbo. I specialize in the mystic arts, specifically hypnotism! Prepare to be amazed, astounded, and baffled at the great feats I'll be performing! Or rather, the feats I shall kindly ask YOU to perform!"

"This is gonna be a long show," Zee cringed rolling her eyes.

"I mean, he's got some level of theatrics hehe. Not as good as you though," Dick commented.

"For my first act, I shall need a pair of volunteers. You! Madam and sir! If you'd please."

Zee panicked for a second before realizing Mumbo was pointing at a blondie and her beau in the second row.

"Come come, step up, Mister and Miss!"

"Hey, isn't that…" Dick briefly recognized the blonde.

The boy practically hopped onstage excited and ready to be part of the show. The blonde followed but seemed less than enthused by the whole ordeal.

"And your name is?" Mumbo asked.

"Caleb" he answered gleefully.

"And you, madam?"

"Bette," she quietly answered.

"Welcome Bette and Caleb! Now before I make any assumptions, what is the relationship between you two?"

"Well, Bette and I have been going out for almost two years now and I'm head over heels for her!" he answered enthusiastically.

"Huh oh yea! Total bliss right now," Bette chimed in.

"Wonderful. In that case, I shall perform, a test of true love! Miss Bette, please step forward."

She did so as Mumbo pulled out a gold watch from his sleeve.

"Now then, Miss Bette. Focus on my watch," he instructed as he swung the watch back and forth, "You are getting sleepy. You are getting drowsy. You will fall into the dream state and await my instructions."

Bette followed the watch back and forth as it swung side to side. Her eyelids became heavy as she started to lose balance onstage. Dick seemed unimpressed by the generic act as he crossed his arms.

"Pft. A pendulum watch? Seen that one like twelve years ago," Dick sneered.

"When I snap my fingers, you shall fall asleep in place!" Mumbo declared.

*SNAP*

Bette's head tipped forward as she fell into a deep slumber.

"Now then," Mumbo continued, "When I snap my fingers again, you shall be beholden to the phrase 'Simon says' and you shall carry out any command following that phrase so long as it is spoken by your one true love."

He waved his wand a little to add some theatrics.

"Alrighty then Miss Bette. 3, 2, and 1!" he snapped his fingers, and she jolted awake.

"Huh? What?," Bette said confused.

"Alright, Caleb. Begin the test. Ask her anything!"

"Ok," Caleb started, "Simon says, do jumping jacks."

To his and Mumbo's surprise, Bette just stood there awkwardly. She looked around completely baffled.

"Uhh, what's going on?" she asked.

"Ummm, honey," Caleb nervously stuttered, "You're supposed to do jumping jacks."

"And why would I do that?" she asked crossing her arms.

"Maybe the spell hasn't set in just yet. Try again dear boy," Mumbo tried to reassure him.

"Uhh ok. Simon says, stomp your feet?"

Again, Bette did nothing but raised her eyebrow.

"Is this supposed to be a game or something? I thought this was a hypnotist act?" she asked.

The small crowd started getting restless. Small hints of boos here and there could be heard throughout the small theater. Mumbo sweated a little and was about to salvage the show before Caleb unknowingly burned it all down.

"Wait hold on," Caleb realized, "he said you'd follow the commands if your one true love says it. Bette, do you not love me?"

Her eyes widened and she froze like a deer in headlights. Panicking, she looked back and forth between Mumbo and Caleb unsure of what to say.

"UHhh well, I mean. Like, you've been great and all Caleb. You're a nice guy really. But, I mean, I just think we should….see other people."

Stunned, Caleb slowly backed away as tears form in his eyes. Relying only on instinct, he turned and ran offstage and out the theater. Bette, unsure of what to do, also sprinted out of the theater more likely to hide from the embarrassment than comfort her now ex-boyfriend. Mumbo awkwardly smiled at the crowd as the boos grew louder. With the innocent couple gone, crumpled bits of paper and somehow a few tomatoes were thrown at Mumbo.

"Ow! Wait! No! That wasn't supposed to happen! Normally couples like that are so in love they'll go along with it! I swear the magic works!" Mumbo cried before the curtains closed to salvage whatever dignity he has left.

Dick blinked a few times to process what just happened.

"Well, that was something. Least the tickets were cheap. C'mon, Zee, let's get outta here."

"Huh? Wha?" Zee said startled.

"Zee? You ok?"

"Uhhh yea I guess? What'd I miss?"

"Wait? Did you sleep through that whole thing?"

"Uhhh maybe? I'm not sure."

"Wow, Zee. I figured you'd be bored but not that bored! Haha c'mon let's get some ice cream."

"Wait seriously? Bette and her boyfriend broke up onstage like that? Damn that's brutal," she commented while licking her cherry vanilla cone.

"Yea! Honestly, it was really painful to watch. Poor Mumbo got the whole brunt of the crowd's fury. You were right, Zee. Just a buncha baloney," he answered licking his own sea salt ice cream.

"I told you! Ridiculous. Hypnotism. Pft. I've got more magic in my finger than he has in his entire body."

"Yea. I mean wild right? As if you could trick someone into obeying a dumb command like that. What kind of joke is that anyway? Like you're gonna hop if I say Simon says hop three times."

On cue, Zee suddenly jumped three times forward nearly dropping her ice cream.

"Huh? Zee?"

"I uh…..what?"

"Are you ok?"

"Yea I'm fine it's just….I felt an urge to hop forward."

"That's weird? You ok now?"

"I think so? Hang on, what did you say earlier?"

"Simon says hop three times?"

Again, she jumped forward three times.

"Dick! What is going on?!"

"Ohhh. I see now," Dick realized with a Cheshire grin forming on his face.

"….No. Nononono Dick! Please!" she begged also realizing the situation.

"Simon says call me a sexy stud."

She bit her lips closed hoping to avoid following the command. Unfortunately, she couldn't help herself and the words just blurted out.

"My God you're one sexy stud," she cried but then immediately covered her mouth.

"Annd just for safe measure, Simon says no reversing the hypnotism with your magic."

Her eyes widened as anger boiled inside of her. She was just about to slap him silly until he continued with these absurd commands.

"Simon says FREEZE!"

She stopped in place with her hand in the air. Her face was frozen except her eyes as she looked around.

"Hmmm, Simon says feed me your ice cream."

Zatanna regained her posture, put an arm around his neck, and gently held her ice cream in front of him to lick. Despite a beaming smile on her face, she stared at him with white fury as she gritted her teeth.

"You better enjoy this, Grayson. When I figure out a way to release this spell, I'm soooo murdering you on the spot."

"Uh huh. Simon says cling to my arm as we walk home," he smirked.

She went to his side and held him tightly as they continued back to their apartment. Along the way, Dick kept thinking of stupid stuff to make his girlfriend do.

"Simon says yodel!"

"Simon says wink at that guy to piss of his girlfriend."

"Simon says jump in the fountain and sing 'Singin' in the Rain."

Not without tremendous strain and resistance, Zee did every single one of those acts. By the time they got to their apartment, she was absolutely fuming, especially now that she was soaking wet from her swim in the fountain.

"Dick, for God's sake, let me out! This has gone on long enough!"

"I think you're just upset cuz your clothes are wet. I have an idea that'll dry you up."

"No no no! Please Dick! I'm so tired!"

"Simon says," he paused for effect, "cluck like a chicken!"

She eyed him with pure disgust. Her left eye twitched as she tried to keep her arms in place by her sides. Her body trembled vigorously as she desperately resisted the urge she felt. She bit her lips so hard a bit of blood trickled down. Finally, overcome with the spell, she leaned forward.

"BOCK!" she cried, "BOCK BOCK BOCK!"

Her hands landed on her hips as she flared out her elbows like wings. She flapped them and hopped on one leg incessantly clucking.

"BOCK BOCK BOCKBOCKBOCK!"

Meanwhile Dick had fallen on the floor laughing hysterically. His sides hurt as he tried to hold his stomach. He legs swung wildly in the air while Zatanna continued being a chicken. Finally satisfied, Dick stood up.

"Ok ok. Simon says stop."

Zatanna dropped her arms and wobbles a bit. So exhausted, she didn't even want to kill Dick on the spot. She made her way to the couch and collapsed. Dick sat down right beside her.

"Please, Dick. No more. I'm so tired."

"Alright alright. I've had my fun…Although."

"No! Nonononoo! No more!"

"Calm down! I'm thinking. Why didn't the spell work with Bette and Caleb? Why is it affecting you?"

"I don't know. I haven't been able to figure out the magic. I've been doing whatever your stupid brain could think of, remember?!"

"Hang on. Mumbo said this was a true love's test…..does that mean?" he looked over to her smiling wildly.

She looked at him with a perplexed expression. Dick could see the gears slowly turning in her head as she came to the same conclusion as him.

"Ohhhhh," she said, "Well I mean, that was obvious, wasn't it? It pretty much goes without saying."

She got up from the couch hoping to get into dry clothes before Dick held her back.

"Simon says stop!" he said stopping her in her tracks, "Simon says come back to the couch."

She sat back down next to him. He took both her hands and looked her in her beautiful blue eyes.

"Simon says, tell me how you feel," he asks sincerely.

"I love you," she said without hesitation, "I want to be with you. Being with you just feels so right. You take over my mind every time I see you. You leave me so wide open because you know me so well. Honestly, just the thought of you has my mind spinning round and round."

"Simon says…say it."

Rolling her eyes, she smiled and cupped his face.

"Because you live, there are twice as many stars in the sky."

She wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him down on top of her on the couch. She kissed him as her legs encircled his waist. Happily, he melted into the kiss holding her sides. They sank deeper and deeper into the couch as they continued to kiss in bliss. Finally separating, she held him close with her breath just barely ghosting his lips.

"The test works both ways y'know," she whispers, "Do you love me?"

"Of course, I do! I love you so much, Zee. You've got me in the palm of your hands and every day I just want to hold you in my arms."

Smiling, she leaned forward to kiss his neck. However, quietly she whispered something incoherent.

"Refsnart ym msitonpyh ot ym dneirfyob." (Transfer my hypnotism to my boyfriend)

"Huh?" Dick exclaimed feeling a tingle in his body.

"Simon says kiss me," she commanded.

Immediately, Dick leaned down and kissed her and kissed her and kissed her. Despite needing air, he literally could not stop. Finally, Zatanna moved her lips to speak.

"Simon says stop."

Breathless, Dick got off Zatanna. It took a couple of seconds, but realization hit him hard.

"Oh shit…"

"That's right, Boy Wonder. You said I couldn't reverse the hypnotism. But you didn't say anything about giving it to someone else…"

"….Have I mentioned how much I LOVE you, dear?"

"Hmmmm," she smirked.

She pulled him back down putting their faces just centimeters apart. Once again, her breath just barely touched his lips as she whispered softly.

"Simon says," she licked her lips, "Love me. Love right. Love me gently. Love me always."

She pulled him into another heated kiss holding him tightly never wanting to let him go.

"So uh," he shyly asked, "You're gonna undo the spell eventually, right?"

"Simon says, maybe, if you behave."

AN: Thanks to KoalaTakingNotes for such a fun prompt based on the song Hypnotized (2016) by Akon. Hope yall enjoy it! Also, we at the Chalant Discord are planning a Chalant Week coming soon. Here's a form for anyone interested: forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdd6w_Ci1VKJjwNyRFP8cczkjVSIqGabvwotsoJGjhgLh6OHg/viewform