I never thought things with my dad could get any weirder than they already were. I mean, what kind of man spends years locked in an attic working on a machine no one understands? But there I was, forced by my mom to spend the holidays with him. I couldn’t even say I was surprised—she always insisted we needed to “reconnect” or something like that.
So here I was, sitting in the living room of a house that was barely standing, staring at my phone while my dad… well, did whatever he did down in the basement. We barely talked. I guess it’s hard to have a conversation when you’ve only seen someone a couple of times a year your whole life.
When Kirk—yeah, I call him Kirk, not Dad—went out to the supermarket that afternoon, I saw my chance. I had to see that damn machine he was always talking about. I went down to the basement, and there it was: huge, with blinking lights and tons of buttons and screens. It looked like something out of a sci-fi movie.
I got closer, curious. How could I not be? The guy had been working on it for years. I started pressing some buttons randomly. A screen lit up, showing the number 45. I laughed to myself. “45? What kind of joke is this?” I thought. I was about to keep exploring when suddenly something clicked, and the machine’s doors shut behind me.
“Hey! Let me out!” I shouted, banging on the metallic walls. But nothing happened.
A low hum filled the space, followed by a robotic voice that sent chills down my spine: “Transformation will begin shortly. Age: 45 years. Body: muscular. Data completed. Your new self is coming.”
“What the hell?” I muttered, but I didn’t have time to process it. Thick smoke filled the chamber, and my body started to feel heavy. My eyelids shut before I could think of anything else.
When I opened my eyes, the first thing I noticed was the pain. Everything hurt. I tried to stand, but my legs were like jelly. I stumbled out of the machine and leaned against the wall to keep from falling. Everything was blurry, but something in front of me caught my attention. One of the panels had a reflective surface, like a mirror. I stepped closer, and what I saw left me speechless.
That wasn’t me. Well, it was, but… it wasn’t. My arms were bigger, my chest broader, and my face… it looked like a version of me who had spent the last twenty years lifting weights and drinking protein shakes. How the hell had this happened?
The sound of a car pulling into the driveway snapped me out of my daze. Kirk was back. I tried to run up the stairs, but my legs still weren’t fully working. I had barely taken a few steps when the basement door burst open.
“What the hell did you do, Jonathan?” Kirk shouted, eyes wide, looking at the machine and then at me. I wanted to say something, but everything went black again.
When I woke up, I was on the living room couch, and Kirk was sitting in front of me, looking at me like I was some kind of failed experiment.
“What’s going on?” I asked, still confused.
“What’s going on?” he repeated sarcastically. “You got into my machine. That’s what’s going on!”
Then he started explaining what I never thought I’d hear. That machine wasn’t just any machine—it was a body transformation machine. And thanks to my stupidity, I was now 45 years old.
“No way…” I muttered, standing up and running to a nearby mirror. There was that same muscular man again, like out of a magazine. It was me, but it wasn’t me. My mind was about to explode.
“What am I supposed to do now?” I yelled at Kirk, turning to him.
“What are you supposed to do?” he repeated, crossing his arms. “You’re going to live with the consequences of your actions, that’s what you’re going to do.”
I looked at him in disbelief. He had to be joking. But from the look on his face, I knew he wasn’t.
And just like that, in the blink of an eye, my life changed forever.
For over fifteen years, that machine had been my obsession. My marriage crumbled because of it, my relationship with Jonathan became distant, and even my own health took a back seat. But now, finally, it had paid off. The machine worked. The machine worked.
Of course, not in the way I had expected.
I looked at Jonathan sitting on the couch, exploring his new body with a mix of confusion and fascination. The smoke had disintegrated his clothes, leaving him only in boxers that barely covered the essentials. His new body was… well, impressive. More muscular, more defined, younger than I had ever been—even at my best. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of resentment. How was it that my own invention ended up making my son look better than me?
“This is ridiculous,” I muttered to myself as I headed to the closet to find some clothes.
I pulled out an old t-shirt and a pair of pants that I knew would fit him—though with that body, even a trash bag would’ve looked good. When I returned to the living room, I saw him still staring at his hands, as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
“Put this on,” I said, tossing him the clothes.
Jonathan took them without a word and dressed quickly. The shirt clung to him, highlighting every muscle on his torso. I sighed and looked away.
“So now what?” he asked, still with that mix of disbelief and something that seemed like… amusement? Damn it, was he actually enjoying this?
“Now we fix this mess,” I replied, pointing toward the basement.
We spent the rest of the day down there, trying to figure out how to reverse what had been done. My machine wasn’t meant to work like this. It was a prototype, an experiment. Jonathan had pressed buttons at random, triggering a process I didn’t fully understand myself.
Every time I checked the controls, I was faced with the same reality: Jonathan’s body had been completely transformed, and there was no magic button to undo it.
As we worked, I couldn’t help but glance at him from time to time. He moved with a confidence I hadn’t seen before, as if that new body gave him a security he never had. It was strange—unsettling, even—to see him at my age, but with a vitality I’d lost years ago.
“This doesn’t make sense,” he said suddenly, breaking the silence.
“What doesn’t?” I asked, not looking up from the controls.
“That you spent so much time building something like this. What’s the point of a machine that does this?”
I felt a knot in my stomach. That was the question I had avoided for years. What was it for? To prove I could do it. To feel like I had achieved something, that my life hadn’t been a complete failure. But I couldn’t tell him that.
“It doesn’t matter what it’s for,” I answered, harsher than I meant to. “What matters now is fixing it.”
Jonathan fell silent, but I could feel his gaze on me. It was uncomfortable, like he could see right through me, like he knew I was lying.
Time passed and the controls showed no signs of cooperating. I started to feel desperate—that familiar mix of frustration and guilt that had haunted me my entire life as an inventor. What if I couldn’t fix it? What if Jonathan stayed like this forever?
Finally, I sighed and dropped into a chair.
“That’s enough for today. We need to rest.”
Jonathan nodded, though his expression clearly showed he wasn’t satisfied with that answer. As he climbed the stairs, I heard him mutter something, but I couldn’t make it out.
While he headed to his room, I stayed behind in the basement, sitting in the dark, staring at my creation. For the first time, I started to wonder if maybe all of this had been a mistake.
I walked up to my room, each step a reminder of my new body. My old clothes clung tightly to my skin, as if they were trying to scream that they no longer belonged to me. The t-shirt barely covered my torso, and the jeans… well, it was better not to mention how uncomfortable they felt. I sighed in frustration.
I entered the room and took off the clothes that no longer fit. I opened the drawers, looking for something more comfortable, but everything seemed made for someone much slimmer. I went to the closet, where I found an old sleep shirt and a looser pair of boxers. At least those worked.
In front of the mirror, I stood still, staring at my reflection. It was like looking at a stranger. I ran my hands over my torso, feeling the firmness of the muscles I now had. My face, although different, still held some of my features, but with a maturity I didn’t recognize. It was strange, unsettling, but also… intriguing.
What if we never fixed the machine? What if this was the new me? What would my life be like? My mind began to wander: what would my girlfriend say if she saw me like this? My friends? And what would I do about my future? It would be like starting over—but at 45 years old.
I shook my head to clear those thoughts. There was no point worrying about that now. Kirk and I would fix this. We had to.
I let myself fall onto the bed, still looking at my reflection in the mirror across the room. “This isn’t me,” I murmured, but the image remained, challenging me.
I was in the basement, staring at the machine with a mix of frustration and resignation, when my phone rang. I glanced at the caller ID—it was Mark, an old college friend.
"Mark?" I answered, a bit puzzled.
"Kirk!" he replied enthusiastically. "Hope I’m not catching you at a bad time, but I just wanted to remind you that the alumni reunion is this Saturday. A lot of people have already confirmed—are you coming?"
The reunion. I had completely forgotten that it was this week. I hesitated for a moment. It wasn’t exactly the kind of event I got excited about, but after all these years, maybe it’d be nice to see some familiar faces.
"Yeah, sure, I’ll be there," I said, almost without thinking.
"Perfect! It'll be great to see you. Bring someone if you’d like—it’s always nice to have company."
I hung up and sat there in silence. Bring someone... who could I bring? My social life was practically nonexistent. The last time I went out with someone was years ago, and I definitely didn’t have a partner to accompany me.
Then my gaze shifted to the stairs leading up. Jonathan. Well, the new Jonathan.
The idea hit me like a lightning bolt. What if I took him?
It was absurd, I knew that. But it was also tempting. Jonathan now looked the same age as me, and with that body... well, no one would question it. Plus, it could be a chance for the two of us to bond in some way, even if the situation was completely out of the ordinary.
A small smile formed on my lips. Maybe this could work.
I headed up the stairs, determined. It was time to talk to Jonathan about my crazy idea.
I was lying on my bed, trying to ignore how weird it was to see myself in the mirror across from me, when I heard someone knock on the door.
“Can I come in?” —It was Kirk’s voice.
“Yeah, come in,” I replied, still trying to get used to calling him by his name instead of “dad.”
Kirk walked in with a strange look on his face, like he had been rehearsing what he was about to say. He closed the door behind him and leaned against the frame, arms crossed.
“I have an idea, but I need you to keep an open mind,” he said, and that already put me on alert.
“What idea?” I asked, trying to sound casual, though deep down I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like it.
“I got a call from an old friend from college. There’s an alumni reunion this weekend and… well, it’d be kind of weird to go alone. So I thought… why don’t you come with me?”
I looked at him, confused.
“You want me to go with you?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Exactly,” he said quickly. “But not as your father. You’d be… my date. You know, like you were…”
“My partner?” I interrupted, feeling the words catch in my throat.
Kirk nodded, though his expression clearly showed how uncomfortable he was.
“It’s just to avoid awkward questions. Nobody has to know you’re my son. With that body, no one would guess.”
I stared at him, trying to process what he had just said.
“Wait, wait… what?” I said, almost laughing at how absurd it sounded. “You want me to pretend to be your boyfriend?”
“It’s not as crazy as it sounds!” he rushed to say. “Look, at these reunions, there’s always someone showing off their perfect life, their perfect partner, and I don’t want to be the only one showing up alone. It’s just a role, Jonathan.”
For a moment, I didn’t know what to say. My mind filled with questions. Why did he care so much about this? Did this mean my dad was… gay? I had never seen him with anyone since my parents’ divorce, but there had never been any signs he was into men either.
“Wait… are you gay?” I asked bluntly, eyes fixed on him.
“What? No!” he answered immediately, though his tone sounded a little defensive. “This has nothing to do with that. It’s just a way to fit in, to not look like a lonely loser.”
I watched him in silence, trying to figure out if there was something more behind his proposal. He didn’t seem to be lying, but the whole situation was so strange I didn’t know what to think.
“This is insane,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair. “You really don’t have anyone else who could go with you?”
“Jonathan, I need you to do this for me. Just this once. Besides, think about it: with that body, you could steal all the attention.”
I rolled my eyes, feeling like I had no way out. In the end, it was clear Kirk wasn’t doing this for me, but for himself.
“Fine,” I finally said, sighing. “But let’s be clear: this is just to help you.”
Kirk nodded, relieved, and for a moment he almost looked… excited.
As he left the room, I couldn’t stop thinking about everything that had just happened. How complicated was this going to get? And what would happen if someone found out the truth?
More importantly, why did I care so much about the question Kirk had avoided?
In the days that followed, Kirk and I tried to fix the machine. He was determined to find the mistake, and I… well, I just wanted to get back to my body. But no matter how hard we tried, the machine wouldn't turn on. Each attempt ended in failure, and my frustration grew at the same pace as my desperation.
I wanted to return to normal, especially before that damn reunion Kirk kept mentioning. I couldn’t believe I was seriously considering being his “partner.”
On Friday, Kirk suggested we go to the mall to buy clothes for my “new body.” At first, I refused, but in the end, I agreed; I had no other choice. We got to the mall, and the first thing I noticed was how people's gazes were on me. It was strange to suddenly be seen as attractive, although it was clear that it was because of the body I now had.
“That suit will look perfect on you,” Kirk said, pointing to a black outfit that, to my surprise, actually looked good in the mirror.
It was odd, but this was the first time Kirk had bought me clothes. He’d never done anything like that when I was a kid. Seeing him so committed to all of this, even if it was for his own benefit, made me feel a mix of emotions. Was he trying to make up for something?
Finally, the night of the reunion arrived. I put on the suit we rented, and even though I hated to admit it, I looked good. But my discomfort wasn’t because of the suit; it was because of what was about to happen.
On the way to the event, Kirk started giving me instructions:
“You’ll need a fake name. Something simple but believable.”
“Like what?” I asked, trying to stay calm while adjusting my tie.
“I don’t know, maybe David? Marco? You pick.”
“David’s fine,” I said with a sigh, wanting this to be over soon.
“And we also need a story. Something convincing about how we met. Maybe at the gym or on a trip.”
“A gym? Really?” I responded, feeling more surreal by the second.
“It’s just to blend in. No one will ask too many questions.”
The discomfort grew with each word that came out of his mouth. I couldn’t help but ask:
“You know, all of this makes me wonder something… Are you gay?”
Kirk tensed for a moment, but then he sighed.
“It’s not relevant, Jonathan. This isn’t about me. It’s about fitting in at this reunion and not being the only one who shows up alone.”
He didn’t answer my question, which left me with more doubts. I couldn’t help but wonder if all of this was more important to him than he was admitting.
We arrived at the venue, an elegant hall decorated with warm lights and soft background music. Most of the guests were already there, chatting and sipping wine.
Before entering, Kirk turned to me and said:
“Remember, this is just a white lie. Nothing more.”
I tried to relax, even though everything felt so strange. How had I gotten to this point? Pretending to be my own father’s partner at a reunion?
I took a deep breath and told myself I just had to survive this night. After that, I would find a way to fix the machine and get my life back.
With that thought in mind, I followed Kirk into the hall. The glances we received upon entering were enough to make me wish the ground would open up and swallow me whole.
The reunion was bigger than I remembered. As soon as we walked in, all eyes were on us. There was excitement, surprise, and curiosity on the faces of my former classmates. Apparently, many were wondering who the man with me was.
We headed to our assigned table, and as soon as we sat down, the questions and compliments began.
“Who's your friend, Kirk?” someone asked with a knowing smile.
Some single middle-aged women even started flirting with Jonathan… or rather, with David, his name for the night. He handled it with a tense smile, but I knew he was uncomfortable.
I couldn’t let this go on much longer, so I decided to drop the bomb.
“Actually…” I paused dramatically, enjoying the anticipation on their faces. “He’s my partner. We’ve been dating for a while.”
The murmurs were immediate. Jonathan could barely hide his surprise, but he managed to play along.
“We met at his gym,” he added confidently. “He’s the owner.”
The reactions were mixed, but surprisingly, most of them were positive. Some of my friends seemed like they had suspected it all along. Others just nodded, accepting it naturally.
“It was about time you found someone,” one of them joked, patting me on the back. “And what luck, he looks like a magazine model!”
I glanced at Jonathan. He seemed to be holding back a reaction, but he kept up the act.
The dinner went by without any problems. I just smiled and threw compliments Kirk’s way, though deep down I still felt resentment. If he really was gay, why hadn’t he ever told me? Why pretend his whole life?
I tried not to overthink it and just played along with the lie. The evening ended with one final surprise: Mark, an old friend of Kirk’s, invited us to a more private gathering at his house in the coming days.
Kirk accepted without hesitation, and so did I, though more out of pity than interest. I figured maybe it was good for Kirk to have some social life, even if it was based on a lie.
When we finally left the event, Kirk looked satisfied.
“So, what did you think of the reunion?” he asked as we walked to the car.
“Interesting,” I replied in a neutral tone.
I wanted to talk to him about what had happened, but every time I tried to bring it up, he dodged the topic with comments about the dinner, the guests, or how clever he’d been in handling it all.
Once we got home, Kirk pulled a couple of beers from the fridge and handed me one.
“I think we deserve a toast for our big debut as a couple,” he joked.
“Yeah, sure…” I took a sip, not feeling very amused. “But seriously, can you tell me the truth?”
Kirk paused for a moment, holding his bottle midair.
I looked him straight in the eye.
“Are you gay? Or did you just do this to keep women from hitting on you? Because if it’s the latter, you could’ve come up with something way less ridiculous than presenting me as your boyfriend.”
Kirk sighed and took a drink before replying.
“It’s not that simple, Jonathan.”
“Yes, it is. You just have to tell the truth.”
There was an uncomfortable silence. Kirk looked at his beer as if he could find the right words in the foam. Finally, he exhaled with resignation.
I felt a knot in my stomach. Not because he was gay, but because he had hidden it for so long.
“And why didn’t you ever tell me?”
Kirk gave a bitter smile.
“Because I didn’t even accept it myself for a long time. And when I finally did, I already had a family. I already had you.”
Suddenly, a lot of things made sense. His distance, his coldness, his obsession with the machine. It had all been a way to escape the truth.
I took another sip and looked at him.
“You know, if you’d told me sooner, maybe I wouldn’t hate you so much.”
Kirk let out a dry laugh.
We sat there in silence for a moment, drinking our beers. Maybe I still hated him a little… but for the first time in years, I felt like I was really getting to know him.
After several beers, I felt that, for the first time in my life, I was beginning to truly know my father… or rather, Kirk. Maybe this strange body swap experience would change us both.
When we finally went to bed, I lay down with my head spinning—not just from the alcohol, but from everything I had discovered that night.
The next morning, I woke up with a pounding headache. I had never experienced a hangover before, and now I understood why people complained so much about it. I dragged myself to the bathroom, looked in the mirror, and was once again struck by my physique. No matter how many times I saw myself, I still felt like a stranger in this body.
I sighed. If I was going to stay like this for a while, I might as well take care of it. I decided to get some exercise.
But there was a problem: I had very little clothing that actually fit. So I went to Kirk’s room to find something to wear.
I entered quietly and looked through his closet. I found some sweatpants and a sports shirt that, judging by their condition, Kirk had never worn. When I turned around, I saw him fast asleep, shirtless. Despite the years he’d spent locked away working on his machine, his body was still in shape.
For a moment, I thought Kirk should start working out too. He spent too much time shut inside, obsessed with his machine, without any social life. Maybe I could help him with that… maybe even find him a partner or something.
Without thinking much more about it, I woke him up.
Kirk groaned and covered his face with the pillow.
—No way. We’re going to work out.
—So do I, and you don’t hear me complaining. Come on, it’ll do you good to get out a bit.
After a long sigh of defeat, Kirk got up. He looked exhausted, but he finally gave in.
We went to the gym and, surprisingly, had a good time. Kirk seemed to enjoy it—he even taught me a few routines. Who would’ve thought we’d end up having a father-son day in the middle of this madness?
When we finished, we decided to have breakfast together at a nearby café and then go to the movies. It was strange. We had never done anything like that before, but it felt… right.
We got back home in the afternoon. I couldn’t remember it, but I think I had never had a day like that with Jonathan.
It surprised me how much I enjoyed spending time with him. If I could say it out loud, I’d admit that I felt… happy.
Maybe this body swap experience wouldn’t just change us physically, but also as a family.
Days went by, and the relationship between Kirk and Jonathan seemed to have stabilized. Despite the strangeness of the situation, both had found a certain harmony. However, Kirk hadn't abandoned his obsession with the machine. He spent hours adjusting it, trying to find a way to reverse the exchange.
One night, Jonathan decided to go down to the basement to help him. Kirk had carefully selected the age and body type Jonathan had before, making sure everything was programmed correctly.
But then, the unexpected happened.
Kirk was inside the machine, making the final configurations, when it suddenly began to activate on its own.
"Watch out!" Jonathan shouted, running toward the controls to stop the process.
But it was too late. The machine hummed with an intensity it had never shown before. Blinding lights filled the basement, and suddenly, Kirk began to change.
His body trembled, his features shifted, his bone structure adjusted. Jonathan watched in horror as his father grew younger right before his eyes.
When the machine finally shut down, the new Kirk stumbled out.
But he was no longer the same Kirk.
He was young. A 20-year-old guy, with the same physique Jonathan had possessed before the first exchange.
Jonathan felt a chill run down his spine. Now, their ages had been reversed. Kirk was the young one, and Jonathan… the adult.
The roles of father and son had completely collapsed.
I couldn’t believe what I was seeing in the mirror. That body… it wasn’t mine. Or at least, it hadn’t been for decades. It had the physique that used to belong to Jonathan. I swallowed hard.
—“This isn’t me,” I murmured, feeling strangely out of place in something that felt so... right.
I was barely processing what was happening when I heard the machine spark and shut down for good.
—“Shit,” Jonathan blurted out, and I could hear the panic in his voice.
I tried to stay calm. I spoke firmly, even though I was nervous too. We had to fix this, yes—but… did I really want to fix it so quickly? I suggested we work on the machine over the summer. We had time.
He didn’t say much and went upstairs to grab some clothes. When he returned, he brought some of his old clothes, now perfectly suited to my new body. He handed them to me without hesitation. His gesture surprised me. Just like I had dressed him when it was his turn to change, now he was returning the favor.
We looked at each other for a few seconds. There was something strange in the air. I guess we were both thinking it: our roles had been reversed. Now it felt like he was the adult, and I was the son.
Jonathan broke the silence with a joke:
—“So now I have to punish you if you don’t do your homework?”
I couldn’t help but laugh, though it came out a little awkward. I didn’t know whether to feel embarrassed or amused.
We sat in the living room to think about what we’d do if this couldn’t be reversed. He talked about his mom, about his girlfriend… I just thought about how I felt. To be honest with myself, I didn’t mind staying like this. I didn’t say it out loud, of course, but deep down… I loved it.
Night fell, and with a fake yawn, I said I was sleepy. In truth, I just wanted to be alone for a while.
I went up to Jonathan’s room and took his pajamas. I put them on, entered the bedroom, closed the door… and looked at myself in the mirror. I paused. Took a good look. My reflection didn’t show a middle-aged man, but a twenty-year-old guy, full of energy, strength… and a new chance.
I threw myself onto the bed, laughing like a teenager. For years I had dreamed of this. Years imagining what it would be like to have this body again. And now, finally, I did.
I had achieved the impossible. And even if the world didn’t know it… I did.
Kirk went to bed early, and as soon as I saw his door close, I went out for a run. I had to stay in shape. This body—the one that used to be his—needed discipline and consistency. After a few kilometers and a workout, I came back sweating and a bit more clearheaded.
I headed straight to the basement, intending to keep working on the machine. I turned it on. The lights flickered. The motor vibrated, but… nothing. It wouldn’t start. I hit the metal casing in frustration and cursed. It felt like everything I knew had been turned upside down.
Now I was 45 years old. A machine had changed our lives. I had discovered my father’s secrets. And the strangest part… he was now my age.
I went upstairs to make some tea and try to relax. The silence in the house was thick, as if everything that had happened couldn’t quite fit within the walls.
When I got to the room I used to sleep in, I found Kirk—or rather, the new Kirk—sound asleep in my old bed. I guess it was my turn to use his room now. Everything was starting to feel more real… more permanent.
Once in bed, I chatted with my girlfriend for a bit. Though “girlfriend” didn’t really sound the same anymore. Our relationship had been falling apart since all of this began. I sent her a short message. I ended it. I didn’t have the energy to explain.
I closed my eyes and sighed.
In the morning, I showered and went downstairs to make breakfast. It was already a bit late. While I was cooking, I heard footsteps coming down the stairs.
Kirk appeared, smiling, fresh, full of youthful energy.
“How’d you sleep?” I asked, a bit sarcastic.
“It was the best rest I’ve had in years!” he answered excitedly.
I just smiled in silence while serving him breakfast.
It hadn’t even been 24 hours since his “rejuvenation” and he was already completely comfortable in his new body. With a half-smile, he said:
“If you want, you can call me Dad.”
I almost choked on my toast.
“I’m just saying… maybe we could try living this out a bit. Switch roles, see things from a new perspective. Maybe that way we can understand each other better.”
I paused. I was exhausted, confused. But deep down, I also wanted to fix things between us.
“Alright… but only if you call me ‘Captain J,’” I said with a smile, using the nickname I had always dreamed my dad would give me when we played together.
“Go get changed. We’re working out together today.”
He nodded and ran up the stairs, excited like a teenager again.
I just stood there, watching him go. Maybe this craziness could lead to something good after all.
During the rest of the summer, the new Jonathan and Kirk made the most of their unexpected exchange. Kirk, with his renewed youth, allowed himself to experience many things he once believed were beyond his reach. Jonathan, for his part, took the role of father very seriously. The role reversal, though improbable and strange, seemed to strengthen the bond between them.
As summer came to an end, reality began to weigh in once again. Only a few weeks remained before Jonathan had to return home, and the need to return to normal became more pressing. Jonathan worked more and more on the machine. Ironically, now he was the one trying to fix the device that had changed their lives.
One day, finally, the machine started working again. Jonathan was the first to step in. He paused in front of it for a moment, looking one last time at the muscular body he had learned to inhabit. He promised himself that one day, he would achieve that physique on his own. With a nostalgic smile, he undressed, entered the data, and stepped into the capsule.
The sensors lit up, the records were accepted, and slowly, the signs of the adult body began to fade. The chest hair, the beard, the muscles… everything regressed, returning to its original 20-year-old form.
When the capsule opened, Jonathan was himself again: young, slim, clean-faced. He quickly covered himself and, without wasting time, entered Kirk’s coordinates.
Kirk arrived in silence. He looked at the machine, touched his torso one last time, contemplating those biceps he had learned to love… though deep down, he didn’t want to say goodbye to them. He didn’t say much. He just took a deep breath, undressed, and stepped in.
The transformation was slower. Youth gave way to a heavier, less firm figure. His hair, thick and shiny in the younger body, began to fall out gradually. His back curved slightly, and the muscles faded away.
Kirk stepped out of the capsule. Old again. Tired. And above all, sad.
“Good night, Jonathan,” he said, without looking directly at him.
He went back to his original room without another word.
And so, summer was almost over… but the story between them still had something left unfinished.
I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling as if it held the answers. My body felt heavier than before… not just because of the years that had returned to it, but because of the nostalgia. Being young again… it had been something magical. Feeling energy, strength, hope. It reminded me what it was like to live without pain or routine. I liked it. Not just because of the physique, but because of what it symbolized.
Over these past weeks, something changed between us. He, in the role of father, was firm but kind, protective, even funny. It fit him. I felt cared for, listened to, and for the first time in a long while, loved. Not as an adult carrying guilt, but as someone who could simply be.
I couldn’t deny it: I wanted it back. I wanted Jonathan to return to that 45-year-old body and continue being… my father. Was it weird? Maybe. But something inside me longed for it.
How was I supposed to ask him? How would I explain that I was willing to leave my adult life behind just to keep that bond? And besides… how would we explain this to his mother?
While I was lost in thought, I heard the door softly open.
Kirk hadn’t seemed the same since he came out of the machine. He was more distant, withdrawn… like something inside him hurt deeply. I understood. I felt like something was missing too.
Those weeks had been… strange, yes, but wonderful. I never thought a body swap could mean so much. I never imagined that pretending to be his father would make me connect with him on such a deep level. For the first time, I felt like I had a real, functional family… even if the roles were completely reversed.
And even though it might sound weird, part of me wanted to do it again. Or at least, not let it go so soon.
I picked up the phone and called Mom. I told her I wanted to stay longer with Kirk. That I wanted to study here. She was surprised, of course, but she agreed. She said she trusted me, that if it felt right, I should do it.
And without another thought, I went to find Kirk in his room.
The door opened softly. Jonathan walked in with a steady step, but with that look of someone who doesn’t know where to start. He broke the ice with a simple, “Did I wake you?” and I shook my head. I knew something serious was coming.
He sat next to me and, without beating around the bush, told me he had spoken with his mother, that he’d told her he wanted to stay and live with me, that he planned to study here. I didn’t know what to say at first… it caught me off guard. Did he really want to stay? With me?
Then he got straight to the point: he confessed that he had enjoyed the body swap. That he wanted to experience it again. I felt a shiver run through me. Deep down I was excited… Could it be that he also missed being in that adult body—with strength, presence, power?
I told him no, at least at first. That it was crazy, that he was about to give up more than 25 years of his life. That he still had so much to live for, that I had already been through all of that. But he didn’t stop.
He confessed that he had liked the role of being a dad… even pretending to be my partner. As strange as it sounded. I swallowed hard. That threw me off. But it also touched me.
I spoke honestly. I told him those weeks had been different, yes, but also the most human, real, and alive I had ever felt. That I wanted us to try again. That if it didn’t work, we could always go back to our original forms.
Kirk still had doubts. He asked what would happen if I needed to see Mom. I promised him I would fix the machine as many times as necessary. That we’d find a way. I just wanted this second chance with him—to live what we never had.
They both went down to the basement. The machine was still crackling, still operational. Kirk was the first to step inside. Jonathan entered the data, the desired age, the physical profile.
Kirk took off his clothes and stepped in without hesitation. The transformation was quick: his hair became denser and shinier, his torso became defined, the muscles returned, the skin tightened. He coughed as he stepped out, as if his body needed a moment to adjust. Jonathan, now ready, handed him the clothes he had worn during those weeks. Kirk put them on without saying a word, his expression a mix of excitement and nerves.
Then it was Jonathan's turn.
Kirk carefully entered the information. And when Jonathan stepped out of the machine, he was back to that mature man, attractive, with a beard, chest hair, and distinguished gray hairs. An adult with presence. Kirk handed him his previous clothes—the ones he had worn as an adult—and Jonathan put them on.
When Kirk saw him, he smiled and said sincerely:
Jonathan, still a little moved, responded with a crooked smile:
"Thanks, tiger... or son."
Kirk blushed a little and laughed.
"It's time to sleep," Jonathan ordered firmly. "Tomorrow we'll visit the university where you'll study."
Kirk nodded, and his excitement was impossible to hide.
I never imagined that such a strange summer would completely change our lives. Several months have passed since that second exchange, and I don't regret anything.
Now, as an adult man, I decided to take responsibility for the family that Kirk and I formed. I started working as a trainer at a small gym downtown, and although it's not glamorous, it provides enough for me to live comfortably and feel useful. Being a single dad is a challenge, but it's also a beautiful opportunity to rebuild everything from love.
From time to time, I return to my original form to visit Mom. She never knew about the exchange, but she always greets me with a smile, proud of what she sees.
Kirk went back to university. The same one he studied at decades ago, but now with new eyes. A second chance, a new chapter. I watch him, and I can't help but feel proud. Not only for what he's achieving, but for what we are to each other now.
Tonight is special. Kirk asked me to have dinner together. He was going to introduce me to someone important.
The door opened with a soft, confident knock.
"Hey, Dad," Kirk said, entering with a fresh smile. "This is Jason, my boyfriend."
Jason extended his hand politely and with courtesy.
"Nice to meet you, Jason. It's a pleasure to have you here with us tonight," I replied with a smile. I meant it from the heart. "Kirk has told me a lot about you."
Jason smiled a little nervously.
"The pleasure is mine, Mr. Holloway."
I closed the door behind them and thought about everything we'd been through. The difficult times, the strange moments... and how beautiful it was to reconnect.
