with no distractions other than the roar of distant cars and an old janis song playing on the radio (something about love and blues and having nothing left to lose), sinner's intense gaze is almost unbearable. it's like a physical weight, oppressing and suffocating.

frankie feels the foolish urge to cover herself. the need to hide something from sinner is a foreign sensation. there was a time when they knew everything there was to know about each other, back when everything was a matter of life and death, hunt or be hunted. when the most important thing in the world was finishing the hunt they were working on at the time, to kill the vampire, shapeshifter or whatever it was that was terrorizing one of the thousand of nameless towns they passed through. and then move on to the next one.

frankie misses the rawness of it all. there was no room for hesitation or doubt, back then.

jesus, she's exhausted. she's covered in blood (hers or sinner’s? does it even matter?), monster guck and who knows what else. she needs a shower and a drink but she knows she won't get either until tomorrow night, if she's lucky. it's not safe to stop now. they should put this town in their rearview mirror and drive three or four hours before allowing themselves a break. getting rid of the monster of the week does not mean the town will be grateful, not in their line of work. they have a long night ahead of them. and it's starting to get cold.

for a wishful moment frankie lets her mind wander, what it would be like- for sinner to take that last step separating them and steal her cig back. to feel her breath on her skin. the proximity of her body (real and alive and right there), close enough to feel the heat radiating from her, close enough to touch. her shirt (their shirt) damp with blood and dirt, the butter soft feel of her old leather jacket.

she wishes sinner would kiss her. so close, it’s hard not to notice the few inches frankie has on her, and a small part of frankie rebels at the fact that sinner would have to look up, maybe even stand on her tiptoes, to kiss her. frankie's seen sinner flirt with the women she picks up at random bars in nameless towns. she knows all her moves, her cockiness and sleazy looks, the mask she wears around strangers. but it wouldn't be like that. sinner would lean in, unsure and slowly but so, so honest. she'd be real. she's only herself around frankie.

just thinking about it makes frankie swallow, her throat dry. she really needs that drink. it could be so good. we- we could be so good. frankie wouldn't even tease sinner about her height.

her eyes travel over sinner's face, from the sweaty fringe plastered to her forehead to the arch of her eyebrows, following the shape of her nose, all the freckles that adorn her skin, invisible under the night sky. but frankie doesn't need to see them to know they're there, just as she knows there's a small, almost imperceptible scar on her left cheek, where a shapeshifter nearly got her a few years ago. her eyes keep going down, down, to her bitten red lips, the gentle curve of her chin.

she notices a small cut on sinner's jaw and thinks that would sting if I grabbed her face. fantasy-sinner would complain between kisses, fond and playful (careful with the merchandise, frankie-) but she'd let herself be held.

in frankie's fantasies sinner kisses back. she always does.

as expected, none of that happens. frankie stands there, hesitant, reluctant to break the spell, and takes a long drag because she doesn't trust her own voice. she wouldn't know what to say anyway. she feels naked under sinner's intense scrutiny. her body torn apart, guts and secrets spilling out, making a mess. everything on display. embarrassing. she needs to pull herself together.

she waits and wonders do you want me? do you need me? could i make you feel better?

and then, with nauseating fear, do you even know?

just as her thoughts begin to spiral out of control, a bright, warm sound breaks the silence of the night. sinner's laughter is familiar and comforting, like an old, worn shirt. it realigns frankie's world and pulls her back to reality, away from her fantasy world (where sinner wants her back, they're in love, and their lives aren’t so fucked up that they can't do anything about it-).

it didn't stop or slow their attempts at resistance. they didn't want to know what it was planning to do with them.

their heart was pounding out of their chest. their muscles were still tensing and flexing and pulling, way past the point where they thought they'd just give out. they burned and pulsed and throbbed from the exertion, but the pure panic kept them going, dulling the pain, making it easy to ignore.

they knew they were trapped. they knew they were completely helpless. they knew they were just wasting their energy. it didn't matter - none of it was rational, and it was all they could do.

"i really won't hurt you," it purred. "i promise. i know, it's difficult to get used to being restrained like this... but you'll have to relax eventually... you'll exhaust yourself."

their movements were already getting weaker. they'd hit a peak for a moment, when the adrenaline really kicked in, but they knew there was a limit to how long that could sustain them.

still, even as they slowed down, their heart only went faster, their breathing quick and shallow.

"that's it," it murmured. "that's right... slowing down... giving your muscles a break..."

the slime seemed to be... massaging them. it was still in a human shape, but it seemed that it could make small, subtle movements in any part of its body, pressing into them, into their muscles.

the exhaustion was setting in, and even though its voice made them shudder, they also found themself letting out a long sigh, as all of their muscles went loose and collapsed.

"that's good... there you go... you can just relax now. deep breaths..."

they really shouldn't have listened to it, but its words made them realize that its weight was carefully distributed over them, in a way that might have effectively kept them pinned, but didn't put pressure on their lungs. their breathing was still shaky and uneven, but the realization that they could breathe freely did soften a little bit of their panic and anxiety.

"i know," it cooed. "i know you're still scared... but you're starting to relax, aren't you?"

they finally managed to speak, their voice trembling. "fuck, i shouldn't... i shouldn't've..."

"shh," it whispered. "just let your body calm down... it's only unpleasant because you're feeling anxious about it... you're only feeling trapped because you've been trying so hard to get away... it won't be so bad, if you just accept it... it feels nice letting go, doesn't it? do you feel me massaging you? pushing deep into those sore, tired muscles?"

they already felt it, but having it pointed out like that, in that soft, slow voice... they could really feel it, every little movement, the way it was making their body melt.

it really did feel good, but that relaxation was worrying in its own way, even if it didn't really make a difference, when they had been just as stuck even when they were trying to escape. it was still creepy that it was so concerned with getting them to relax in this situation, when it already had them completely trapped and helpless. like that wasn't enough for it. like it needed them to surrender everything.

"that's it... it does feel nice, doesn't it? you can just give in, a little bit at a time... just relax a little bit more, every time i tell you to... and eventually... you'll relax completely... and just accept it. even if it takes a while... it's alright... you'll get there... you're already doing so well."

its words seemed to be weighing down their mind, the same way it was weighing down their body. sticking to them.

really, its body was already starting to feel more like a blanket over them. it was getting harder to even think of themself as trapped - it was becoming more and more like some kind of spa treatment to them.

it was so creepy, and uncomfortable, and wrong, but even that... even that was like some kind of fun spice, or something. the burning in their muscles, the tiredness deep in their body, it was like finishing a satisfying workout. even the feeling of losing, the idea that they'd been bested, it was a unique sensation, mixing in with all of those other feelings, into a weirdly addictive cocktail.

it'd barely said anything to them, it'd barely done anything. as hypnotic as its voice was, they shouldn't have been this affected by it already.

"i'm not gonna..." their voice was less shaky now, more like a low mumble. had they already relaxed that much? "i'm not gonna completely give in... i..."

"it's okay," it cooed. "you don't have to... just relax as much as you can... and i'll take care of the rest."

a slow, overwhelming feeling of relaxation and drowsiness sank through their body, at the realization that even that feeble attempt at resistance amounted to nothing, less than nothing. that it didn't even matter. that this creature wasn't demanding anything from them - that it didn't need to. it already had them under control. they'd already lost a long time ago.

the same helplessness that had make them panic earlier was calming now. comforting, even. it really shouldn't have been, but...

"so good... you're already so relaxed... even though you were squirming and thrashing just a few moments ago... your breathing is so much slower and steadier... your heart has calmed down... you're so wonderfully cooperative... so pliant and docile."

the praise sent chills down their spine, but they didn't shiver or tremble in response to the feeling, just soaking it in.

still, they knew on some level that they should be more bothered by it.

"why do you want me to be... pliant and docile?"

"i won't hurt you," it reassured them. "i just need a human like you... one that can relax... one with an open, fertile mind..."

it didn't really explain anything, or answer their question, but for some reason, they accepted it. they got a warm, fuzzy feeling from the idea of being what it wanted, of being useful to it.

it just felt good. all of their questions and worries just felt like unimportant little details that they could forget about, that could fade into the background. the slime felt good against their skin, the weight felt like a comforting hug, its voice sounded amazing, its praise made them feel like they were doing something right. and there wasn't anything they could do about any of it, even if they wanted to, so they might as well enjoy it.

"that's it," it murmured again. "that's perfect... i think you might be ready..."

a gooey tentacle brushed against their ear.

they had been so relaxed they were almost completely limp, but the feeling of the tentacle, combined with the question of what exactly the slime creature was going to do to them, was enough to make them shudder, their body tensing up just a bit.

"it's alright," it purred. "just relax... you'll be alright... it might feel a little strange, at first... but it will feel good..."

it felt so strange being pushed back down, their shudders turning to little twitches, and then nothing. it didn't feel like it was their own choice anymore.

"that's right," it said, and any apprehension and discomfort they had completely melted, even as another tentacle drifted up to their other ear, both of them rubbing the outside, gently feeling, probing.

their thoughts floated back to its words from earlier. an open, fertile mind. open... fertile...

the tentacles circled around the entrances to their ears, just barely touching the inside. it was so sensitive, the wet, slimy texture almost feeling a little gross against it. but the weak shocks of discomfort going through them only made the tingling stronger. it only made them give in that much more.

it felt so good...

it continued to coo at them, giving praise after every little movement. the tentacles were starting to push inside, just a bit, but the steady stream of praise and comfort and encouragement left them open and relaxed, accepting the intrusion deeper and deeper, bit by bit.

it was sensitive enough that they couldn't help but twitch, even if they were relaxed, just from the intensity of the sensation, from the sticky, gooey, uncomfortable, irresistible pleasure. from the wet sounds deep inside of their ears, mixing with the physical touches against all of those sensitive bundles of nerves. the pushing and probing was so careful, so delicate, so sensual.

they let out a soft moan. for a second they wondered if they should be embarrassed by it, but the satisfied, muffled purr they heard in response pushed them back down into that fuzzy haze.

the feeling of the slime pushing into their ears just made them feel that much more... submissive. vulnerable. helpless. it wasn't just the feeling of a part of them being penetrated, it was the way it made it more difficult for them to hear anything else, the way it overwhelmed multiple senses at once, the way it turned the slime's voice into a distant rumble, as if the words didn't really matter as much anymore. they could still make out what it was saying, but it made everything feel so... gooey. sticky. thick. smothering.

they were being fucked. they understood that on a deep level, even though their genitals weren't being touched at all. but the way it was pushing into their ears, filling them, sliding against the walls, the wet sounds it was making... it was sex. they couldn't help but feel like the human shape it took was like another way of reminding them of that. the feeling of someone on top of them, dominating them, seducing them, taking them, using them...

they heard it repeat the phrase that had stuck in their mind earlier... an open, fertile mind.

they moaned, feeling it slip deeper inside of them, reaching something else, another sensitive spot.

it was in their brain now. their body was trembling. they stopped thinking about what sounds were coming out of them, the moans just happening reflexively.

"just relax," it said, its voice now reaching inside of their brain, no longer muffled. so close, so deep inside of them, that it almost felt violating. "just keep relaxing for me..."

the trembling stopped, almost immediately. the tentacles were gently massaging some part of their brain, directly stimulating it. making it relax. making it open up.

"that's it... good..."

it was still praising them, even for things it was forcing them to do. even knowing that, it felt so amazing, they didn't care.

the tentacles were pushing in and out now, slowly worming their way deeper into their head. it was another one of those gross, addictive feelings, the sticky, slimy ooze coating the inside of their brain, with no way for them to reach it or get it out, nothing for them to do except let it happen.

"there we go," it cooed. "they should be firmly planted inside of you now... deep inside of your mind... can you feel it?"

they just gently curled inside, rubbing a part of them that didn't feel like it should ever be touched.

it was amazing. their body was completely limp now. all they could feel was pleasure. they were completely open.

"that's it... you should be ready now... your mind should be perfect for this. just enjoy it..."

the tentacles started pushing again, staying deep, rhythmically bumping against that spot, stimulating it from both sides.

"completely open for me... completely relaxed... just accepting it... just letting it feel good... just letting me in."

their thoughts were becoming more fuzzy and distant. or... some of them might have been disappearing completely.

"just clearing some space..." it murmured inside of them. "for me to fill up..."

that part that the tentacles were moving against was feeling more hollow... everything was being pushed away...

something was leaking into it.

"that's it... don't think about anything right now... just accept all of it... let it fill you up, nice and deep..."

it was being pumped full of something, something thick and sticky, something syrupy and sweet. their mind had felt empty, but now thoughts were sitting deep inside of them, thoughts that they couldn't really parse yet, but that they could feel, forming into something... mixing into something... and leaving almost no room at all for their own thoughts.

their body spasmed weakly, a completely automatic physical response, like an electrical shock forcing their muscles to contract. it occurred to them even in their limited headspace that it must have been an orgasm, even though they felt it more in their head and spine than anything.

the slime continued speaking to them, and they only had just enough mental power to understand and listen. "you'll just let that grow deep inside of you... i'll take care of you... if you just listen to me, and let me help you... it will feel good inside of you. your mind will feed it... nurture it... you'll have less spare mental energy for a while, while it's growing and spreading... but it won't hurt you... you'll be alright. it will make your head feel a bit strange... but that will only make it easier for you to listen to me... it will only make it easier for you to accept my help... it will only leave your mind more open by the time the process is done. it's perfectly safe and healthy... it's what your mind is made for."

the tentacles carefully slid out, leaving their ears feeling empty, all of the sounds around them feeling clearer. their body was still heavy, but less limp. they felt a bit more physically present and aware of their surroundings again, although none of the information they were processing had much significance to them anymore.

the slime was gently caressing them. "you were so perfect... how do you feel?"

it took them a moment to come up with anything resembling an answer. "heavy... full..."

"that's alright... you'll adjust... your brain will get used to the limited space, and start to think a bit more efficiently... it just takes some time to adapt. and you'll start to love that heavy, full feeling... you'll love what it does to your mind, to your body..." it moved closer to their ear, speaking more softly, more affectionately. "and i'll love it, too."