Jeff and Dean swapped positions, and after some exploring Dean typed away disturbingly focused considering his unmedicated ADHD.
Jeff looked up from his phone anxiously, "You've been quiet for a while, I take it you figured out what you want?"
"I'm just trying to make it all work..." Dean said distractedly. "I'm almost there."
"Almost where exactly? Werecar, or weredog doesn't seem like it would be this hard to set up." Jeff's concern grew as he realized he had gotten distracted and more time than he thought had passed.
"It's complicated." Dean said dismissively.
Jeff began to move to look over Dean's shoulder but Dean sensed this and began to speak, "You not letting me change you mentally makes some stuff complicated, but I think I figured out how to work around it for the most part. What you think and your opinions on things will stay the same but you're okay with learning skills and things right?"
Jeff leaned back. "Yeah, I guess that's fine. I really just didn't want you to make me stupid or think I'm someone else."
"Oh, no. You'll remember who we are now, but I also want you to know everything you'd need to know."
Jeff gave a scrutinizing glare, "So long as you aren't being an ass and turning me into a butler or poolboy or something."
Dean laughed, caught off guard. "No, no, You'll have more control over me than I have over you. Don't worry about that." Dean gave a sigh of relief, "Okay then, its done." And pressed submit. Dean stood and stretched as Jeff's body tingled and buzzed. "Let's go to my place."
Jeff liked surprises and trusted Dean to not do anything to cross his boundaries, so the fact that Dean wasn't telling him what was going to happen was fine. Jeff thinking he may become a vehicle, ran to the driveway and tried to activate the new power he thought he had, jumping with excitement. Dean laughed, "No, we're going to have to take our bikes. Sorry."
The short bike ride gave Jeff a few minutes to start guessing. "Will I be a pet? A dog, cat, snake or bird boy? OH, will I get sucked into a video game and become your favorite character? While you're at school I can be gathering loot and leveling up? Wait I know! That shapeshifting creature from that Dragons game... A mimic? I can be whatever you need me to be whenever you need something... sorta... They are still creatures so I guess maybe that wouldn't work super well. I'd still have organs and probably wouldn't function like the object." As they arrived at Dean's house, Jeff continued rambling about his theories, no longer asking what he might become but just toying with ideas.
"Dad, ya home?" Dean called as the pair of teens entered the house. They found Dean's dad in the back yard, he had a couple beer cans resting on a lawn chair and a cigarette dangling from his mouth. He was bent over, beginning to light a bon fire to dispose of yard waste as the boys approached.
"Hey you boys wanna watch the fire with me?" Dean's dad asked jovially. His words were heavy and the two beers sitting on the chair probably weren't his first two of the day.
"No, Jeff and I can handle it ourselves, you can just go away." Jeff's head snapped to Dean in shock, his father's reaction time several seconds slower. Dean smacked Jeff on the back surprisingly hard shouting, "Go get him dad!"
Jeff didn't know what was going on but his legs moved of their own volition. Dean's dad seemed similarly effected as he seemed to be moving in slow motion. When they collided, they didn't. Jeff passed through the man, falling through him like swimming through jelly. While superimposed on one another there were strange sensations all throughout his body and flashes, Jeff's world lurched and nothing made sense. Jeff stood up and brushed himself off stepping out of Dean's dad...
Instead of Dean's middle aged dad stood a kid. Well, not a kid, a young man in his late 20s but younger than Jeff and seemingly twice as dazed and disoriented. Jeff shook his head unsure what was going on, the young man began walking to the front gate without a word. Jeff just looked to Dean for an explanation, but was shocked to see all of Dean's features were different but he 'knew' it was Dean.
"Dean, what's going on? Why do you look different? Who's that?" Jeff didn't even notice his voice had dropped a register.
Dean was ecstatic, "You were about to light the bon fire and we were going to hang out! I look the same as ever as far as anyone else is concerned, and so do you. And that guy? He's nobody, absolutely nobody." Dean beamed.
Jeff adjusted his pants "I think... I think you took things in a different direction than we discussed. Grab a chair, you owe me an explanation."
Dean's face still sparkled with exuberance, "Sure thing Dad. Be right back."
Jeff lit the fire, then a cigarette, and cracked open one of the beers before sitting down. Dean dragged another chair from the house out to the fire pit and dropped it near his dad's and sat down.
Jeff waited for Dean to explain himself but Dean just sat there, "Okay, I guess I'll start. What exactly did you set up to make me take the place of your dad?"
"I made you take on as few characteristics as needed but as much knowledge as possible, it was one of the options specifically for stepping into an existing life. Once you clarified you just didn't want to be made stupid or a slave I expected this would be fine. I was hoping you wouldn't smoke or drink like he did but we may have to go back and specifically drop that."
"So he was left almost 30 because I'm with an older woman, and he was with a younger woman. What's happening to him now?"
Dean thought for a moment. "He probably only remembers up to high school. He isn't taking your place if that's your concern. He doesn't matter anymore anyway."
"Dean! That's a person's life, I've raised you better than to..." Jeff cringed. "No, I'm your 16 year old friend who didn't raise you... Mental kidnapping aside, of course I smoke and drink, I, err... your dad had friendships built off conversations from smoke breaks and after work gatherings at bars. I think he kept the problematic parts of it though, which means you left a young man with the mentality of a 16 year old to wander aimlessly with a drinking problem and nicotine addiction, while I took his job, friends, work experience, as well as his home. Also, I said no permanent changes... If I revert back to 16 right now you no longer have any dad which I think means you cease to exist. You're holding me hostage here and you're taking revenge out on a guy who didn't do anything to you, his past life did, but that confused friendless guy did nothing to you. Dean, what were you thinking?"
Dean remembered what it was like being yelled at by his original father, he was used to angry judgement and being expected to understand without explanation. Jeff just broke things down for him spelling out the problems and was giving Dean time to formulate a plan rather than exploding and removing Dean from the situation.
"We should probably keep him close so I can turn you back into my friend when you're ready."
Jeff smiled, "Yeah, I'd appreciate the option."
Dean blushed with embarrassment. "Since the Chronivac was yours and you live here now, it should be inside. I'll go prepare a transformation on the emitter and we can catch him on the street before he wanders too far."
Jeff smiled, "Sounds like a good plan. Are you up for a little brother, or maybe your older cousin is staying with us for a year... I'll put out the fire. Let me know when you're ready and we can look for him."