[OPEN] Body Snatchers

[openedthebasket]

Curious, these pieces of paper. He was reluctant to touch them, but they appeared harmless enough, even as he surveyed them with his Byakugan. Perhaps a child had been overly excited for Tanabata?

In spite of his own foreboding, he bent to pick up an ivory-white one, turning it over between his fingers. Strange...

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[openedthebasket]

"For my behavior nearly two weeks ago," he murmured, staring steadfastly at the tomato rather than meet her eyes. "I was... cruel, unnecessarily so. Please forgive me."

[perfectcosmos]

She went over and slid her arms around him from behind, resting her cheek on his head. "Like I said Neji, I can't think of any. You should actually eat a piece of that."

[openedthebasket]

It was... undeniably nice, being hugged like this, though he couldn't escape the utter strangeness of the idea that it was his own body doing the hugging, by Ino's will. He just closed his eyes and bowed his head.

[perfectcosmos]

"No matter what, I'm here when you need me, okay? Don't forget."

She tightened her hold a little, then moved a hand to pluck the knife out of his fingers, setting it down, then returned to the hug.

[openedthebasket]

"I could never."

He allowed her to remove the knife, setting the tomato aside at the same time to just try to relax into her hold. A little ruefully, he couldn't help but think that he was far too tall to be able to truly experience this for himself.

"You are... extremely kind, Ino. Thank you."

[perfectcosmos]

"You're easy to be kind to Neji." She smiled and kissed the top of his head.

[openedthebasket]

He huffed through his nose, but didn't bother to protest directly. Instead, as nice as the hold was, he started to pull away. "While your support is... appreciated, I'm certain you have many things to do other than worry about me."

[perfectcosmos]

She stepped back with a noise of amusement. "Just this second you're all of my every concern, promise."

[openedthebasket]

"Just this second, we should focus on a way to return to normal." He shook his head, taking a breath and letting his lips curve into another deep frown, trying to return to the topic at hand. "You have the most experience with this kind of thing, do you not?"

[perfectcosmos]

"Nope. I have experience with sending my soul elsewhere. I do not have experience with flip flopping around without any discernible way to go back."

[openedthebasket]

"Excellent." He only shook his head and scowled again, glancing to her. "Then what do you propose we do? While I of course cannot speak for you, I do not think such an arrangement would be satisfactory in the long term."

[perfectcosmos]

"I can see the benefits." She gave him an impish smile. "But I'm behaving, even if I don't know how long this will last."

[openedthebasket]

"What benefits are those?"

[perfectcosmos]

"You can't tell me you've never once been curious about what it's like to be the opposite gender."

[openedthebasket]

His response is flat and immediate. "No."

But now she's put the idea in his head...

[perfectcosmos]

"Never ever?" She leaned in, peering into his eyes.

[openedthebasket]

His cheeks started to flush from the proximity, not used to being the one looking up, and hardly at his own eyes.

"Never."

[perfectcosmos]

"But you're thinking about it now, right?"

[openedthebasket]

He didn't deign to answer that, staring up at her as if challenging her to do something.

[perfectcosmos]

"If you keep making that face I'll do something Neji."

[openedthebasket]

His jaw tightened, then he turned and glanced elsewhere with a 'hmph.' "It would be best if you did not."

[perfectcosmos]

There was a beat of pause... then a sigh. "...Right. Of course it would."

[openedthebasket]

His own eyes closed as he kept his face turned away. "I am sorry..." he murmured, glancing back and reaching up to just gently touch his hand to her shoulder. "I am... unfair and callous to you."

[perfectcosmos]

She rested her hand over his with another sigh. "It's fine Neji. You need time before even teasing would be taken well, right?"

[openedthebasket]

He couldn't answer that himself, only bowing his head and avoiding her eyes. "I do not mean to put you in such a position, Ino. You deserve better than I can offer you right now."