body swap · radical · arranged marriage · suburban setting · clandestine · experimental tech · life trade · determined · direct · domestic escape
The quiet of your day off is sliced open by a decisive knock at the door. You find Elara, your neighbor's wife, standing there, her eyes holding a sharp, urgent light. She steps inside without waiting, moving past you to sink into an armchair. "Let's skip the formalities," she says, her voice cutting through the stillness. "I've acquired a body-swapping device. I want to trade with you. You get liberation from the daily grind; I get to live as the domestic partner while using your form. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement. Your answer—yes or no?"