Bodyswap Shenanigans

[heavenly_earth]

Who: Neji, Hinata, Adela, Lee & OPEN-ish (see top-levels)
When: March 4th-14th
Where: Jounin Station and Konoha at large
Notes: Neji hosts a sleepover of sorts, and even ninjas need to do laundry. Then for extra fun, he's switched with Lee.


Pick a day, any day. Note that Adela and Hinata are bodyswapped from the 7th, and Neji switches with Lee starting late on the 10th.

Comments

[heavenly_earth]

Neji had the futon pulled out and sat perched in the center of it in a familiar meditative pose. He'd been there for hours, exploring the inner workings of Lee's body and stumbling upon blocks in places both expected and unexpected. He was very familiar with his teammate's chakra networks, and Lee's in particular had always stood out like a sore thumb in its twisted complexity. For the first year or so, it had almost pained him to look at, hardly able to understand how Lee could channel even enough chakra to perform Suimen or Kinobori with his pathways so maligned.

It bothered him now on an intrinsic level that left him alternately aggravated and determined in turns. He hated the feeling, had nurtured his own smooth, seamless flow for nearly his whole life, chakra humming through his body with perfect fluidity and executing flawlessly.

But now he was tackling a system warped beyond repair in hopes of easing the flow, working with intimate knowledge of how it was supposed to work, the innate sense of Lee's body, as well as the vivid memory of what that network looked like. He was under no illusion that he could perform miracles and actually 'fix' anything, but he could correct minor kinks in Lee's chakra flow and at least make those very basic applications of chakra easier for his teammate in the future.

Although, if he had a couple years, he just might have the right combination of knowledge and skill to really start making a difference. As much as he loved his teammates however, Neji held no desire to linger in Lee's body for anywhere approaching that amount of time. No, Lee would simply have to be content with a slight improvement when they returned to their original forms. In theory, the change would be permanent.

The sound of a key turning in the lock drew him from the steady thrum of circulating chakra, and Neji opened eyes that were not his own as his body walked through the door. He supposed it should be a stranger vision, but it wasn't too much different from looking at a clone if he ignored every nuance of body language that wasn't his own. A difficult task when it was his face making expressions without his usual reserve.

"How are you holding up, Lee?" He had a feeling he'd never get used to Lee's voice speaking for him.

[awokentospring]

Neji was there, of course, and the girls seemed to be in bed then. Lee took a deep breath and stepped inside, slipping off his sandals as he went. He looked up when his own voice rang out and met his own eyes, a dark stare that seemed endless.

He had never really considered his own eyes this way before and it was strange.

Lee glanced away but he did move closer, sitting on the edge of the futon and drawing Neji's long hair over his shoulder to work free from the tie. "... I am alright, I think. Still a little out of sorts. How about you, Neji?"

[heavenly_earth]

Neji pulled Lee's legs out of his meditative pose, watched as his own hair was rearranged beneath fingers that both were and weren't his own, and keenly felt his own lack of it. He was only partially accustomed to the feeling of an exposed neck with how he pulls his hair up for ANBU.

And that thought left him frozen, eyes flickering to the shoulder he knew that symbol was forever emblazoned onto his skin. It would only take a change of clothes and a brief glance to see it, and then Lee would know. There's absolutely nothing he can do about it either. There's only a very slim chance Lee won't find it, and a shower would quickly drop those chances to non-existent.

But they'd cover that when it happened, tempted though he was to attempt an explanation now in an effort to soften the shock. Because what were the chances Lee wouldn't recognize it? There were also the girls to keep in mind however, so Neji turned his attention back to the safer territory of Lee's inquiry.

"Well enough. I've been.. smoothing out your chakra network- or at least attempting to. I can't perform miracles, but I expect you'll find the ease of which you can utilize basic applications of chakra will be improved by the end of this."

[awokentospring]

Lee blinked, then smiled, his face breaking into a huge grin that felt easy on him but probably looked awkward on Neji. "Thank you! I appreciate any help you can give me in that department."

Lee chuckled then, taking the free strands of hair and beginning to work them into a simple braid. It had been a long time since he had been able to braid his hair but with Neji's locks it wasn't difficult at all. If anything, they flowed smoother than he remembered from his childhood.

He paused again, then spoke. "I do not suppose you have tried to use any jutsu while you have been stuck as me?"

[heavenly_earth]

It was like looking at an entirely different person. His face was never that open, and it was a glimpse of who he could be, or could've been in another life. Neji wondered if there would ever be a time he'd truly be that happy. But his eyes dropped to track Lee's hands, biting back a protest because while that was his hair, it was Lee that had to wear it.

"Not as such. Simply manipulating chakra is difficult enough with how your pathways are maligned. I know precisely why it's impossible for you to mould chakra, but unfortunately, there's nothing I can do to fix it."

He hated it, the utterly twisted feeling of chakra trying and failing to filter through pathways beyond his repair. But onto a lighter vein of conversation as his lips quirked in a knowing smile.

"Have you?" He knew Lee was well aware of the theory and some practical understanding in the form of hand seals of how some simple ninjutsu worked..

[awokentospring]

Lee's smile faded a little at that, but not completely. Lee understood that he would never be able to use ninjutsu or genjutsu. It was a fact of life. But knowing that Neji was doing his best to make what he could do easier for Lee was still a kind gesture.

Lee released a puff of air through his nose, amused. "Well, certainly. Though I lack accuracy in most that I have tried. I haven't yet attempt Byakugan but I would like to try it before we return to ourselves." And they would return, ultimately. Gai and Iruka had switched back already so it was only a matter of time...

[heavenly_earth]

Not entirely surprising. As much as Lee knew in theory, chakra control wasn't something he ever actually learned for sheer inability to do so. Neji hummed, giving his body a critical look.

"The Byakugan is a reflex for me. It'll likely activate on its own if it's sufficiently triggered. Adela had that problem through Hinata-sama. The formal activation however, would probably take more time than we have to teach.."

Not to mention how ill-advised he thought it might be. The worst-case scenario was a bit gruesome.

[awokentospring]

Lee pouted, but his lips didn't fall into his trademark pout as they would have in his old body. Instead, his face just looked troubled.

"I see..." He would have liked to have tried it. As it was, he finished his braid and tied the end, slinging the hair behind him.

"I doubt it will activate, then. Your reflexes are too slow for me." He didn't meant to be rude with such a statement. It was just the truth of the matter.

[heavenly_earth]

Neji huffed amusement at what could have been a slight and might have rankled if not for Lee's clear misinterpretation. He was still disconcerted by the braid his hair was wound into, but so long as Lee didn't start wearing spandex, the Jounin decided he could live with it.

"All the more reason it might activate for you. The Byakugan reacts to threat. It's likely you'll discover that if you spar against anyone while you inhabit my form." He shrugged. "We could spar tomorrow if you'd like to try, though I'll warn you my bloodline is rather disconcerting to those unaccustomed to it."

[awokentospring]

"Really?" Lee frowned, scratching his head. "When I feel threatened I usually just attack. I am not sure if it could come out so naturally when I have never experienced it before." But who was he to tell Neji he was wrong about his own body? Lee shrugged.

"I would like to test it if possible." He grinned. "I would definitely be willing to take up the challenge of fighting against me!"

He wasn't too worried about the Byakugan. As much as he wanted to use it, he doubted it would work. He hadn't had much luck with the other jutsu he had tried, and those had been easy ones.