It had been two months since Jak last tasted Daxter, watched the boy squirm beneath him. Short, rough kisses on the zoomer between missions and sleepy "love ya, big guy"s before passing out next to him, although quite pleasant, were no longer satisfying. Once the hero had finally held the skinny, naked sidekick—his sidekick—in his arms and they'd pushed each other over the edge, his whole world had changed.

The nights he'd used to spend alone, quietly torturing himself with lowly images of Daxter bouncing up and down in his lap whining his name, of the limber teen's arms wrapping around Jak's shoulders, of the toothy grin Jak had come to love slowly turning into a grimace of passion, didn't even hold a candle to the real thing.

The real thing had been like a hidden galaxy of stars, burning secretly for an eternity in some dark corner of the unknown universe before Jak had been lucky enough to discover it. Their first time, and the next few to follow, though intoxicating and awkwardly perfect and rushed in all the right places, had only touched tiny dwarf stars. In their own right, they were blinding and beautiful on their own, but there were still plenty of supergiants left to conquer.

Jak wanted more. Two months was too much time away from the addictive substance that was Daxter.

Luckily, it had been a slow day for the Underground. Torn had only assigned them to go pick up some men and transport them to wherever their own to-do lists for the day panned out. Narrowly avoiding guards and citizens on the lower hover zone was easy enough but still proved a bit challenging, especially when Daxter had to scoot into the tight spot behind Jak and grasp at his shoulders to make room for the new passengers.

The fifth and thankfully last commuter's destination was only a short distance away from his starting point, but Jak accidentally grazed a guard on the way there. The chase intensified the adrenaline already pumping through his veins, caused by none other than the redhead behind him.

Jak drove too fast and unsteadily for Daxter to hold on and it forced the boy to move his arms from Jak's shoulders to around his middle. They quickly dropped off the man, now skirting close to the edge of the city, and began the task they were most familiar with: running from guards, seasoned with no fewer than five taunts from the loud mouth that was Jak's best friend.

When the two teens had driven through enough empty alleys and forgotten passages in the city to leave behind an empty and untraceable trail, they finally lost the KG who subsequently cut off the alert and left them alone. Though there was no longer any threat for the time being, Daxter refused to move, keeping his hands tightly encircled around the hero. The wind biting at Jak's face, the electrified blood pumping just under his skin, and the pressure of the only person who had ever accepted and truly loved him pressing against him were too much. He was overloaded; he needed release. Now.

The blond nimbly turned the flier around in the air and worked his way back into the heart of the city, flying past guards Daxter was sure they'd just blown off. The chase, and careful follow-through thereof, had pushed them close to the soaring outer walls separating Haven from the rest of the world. Jak had an idea—a selfish plan to have his way with Daxter again, but he could only pray that the redhead would agree.

Smoothly, he applied the brakes to the flier and the momentum pushed their bodies forward slightly before jerking them to a complete stop. They'd made it to the Water Slums, the perfect place for what Jak had in mind.

"Jak…? Whatcha doin'?" Daxter leaned back and much to Jak's disappointment moved his hands back up to broad shoulders. He raised a dark red eyebrow—he had his suspicions, as he'd felt the ache of two months without Jak's strong arms around him and experienced hands all over him, too, but…now? In the middle of the day, in the middle of the week?

Sure today had been slow, but…right now?

"You'll see." Jak's voice was calm despite the flurry of emotions and pangs bouncing between his ribs and abdomen. It humbled Daxter, too genuine for the boy to question him further.

The Water Slums area was actually pretty nice, once you looked past the surface. Guards and citizens alike were less clustered here due to the aqueous layout; the stigma of being one of the poorest places in town left plenty of creaky houses abandoned or unclaimed; not to mention the perks of the quick getaway to the Pumping Station that the area provided, should they need an escape.

In fact, the hero didn't know why he hadn't thought of it before. Secluded, quiet, and the funky layout even kinda reminded him of Sandover. He and Daxter could probably spruce up one of the houses here and have a home to come back to at the end of the day, instead of a barrage of Tattooed Wonder's rusty-throated orders, if they wanted…

He pushed those thoughts to the side for now and parked the flier next to a small, empty hut. Daxter instinctively hopped up and off the vehicle as Jak dismounted, curiously following him into the house as though he was already familiar with it. Inside was a small bed, more of a mattress that had given up and fallen to the floor, a pit-like area for cooking, and opposite that against a wall were a bunch of shelves stocked with half-filled bottles, books, and various parchments.

Probably all useless junk with the writing worn and the contents fermented, but it piqued the redhead's interest enough anyways to poke around a bit. Daxter had been glancing over the titles of the books, having a hard time seeing because of the lack of light, when suddenly the shelves whirled out of sight, his back was against the wall, and the breath was knocked out of his lungs. A desperate cry left his throat as Jak's needy mouth pressed against his, and a moment later Daxter noticed that Jak had pinned his hands to the wall, too.

"Jak," Daxter huffed, breaking the kiss, "we can't—!"

"Yeah, well, we're gonna," Jak growled, grazing his lips against the pale skin of Daxter's throat.

The redhead gulped, face prickling with heat. Right now, he didn't have the wits to argue with that; not while Jak's hands were locked around his wrists, not while his tongue left a white-hot trail down his throat, not while he towered over him like the baron's palace towering over Haven.

Not while he was so vulnerable.

Daxter's body was stiff like concrete against Jak, still taken aback at his sudden lustful aggression. Not that he really minded it—he actually quite enjoyed Jak's scruffy goatee moving against his collarbone, expert tongue settling on the sweet spot on his neck. He even liked the way he could feel Jak's hard-on pressed against his thigh, legs intertwined snugly with his. And, he had to admit, the grip on his wrists was more than a little…exciting.

The hero's mouth moved slowly up his sidekick's neck, stopping just below his chin.

"Nn, Jak…" Daxter closed his eyes and tipped his head back invitingly. Jak knew just how to make the boy melt. He relaxed his muscles and decided the man could do whatever he wanted to him. Scary as being Jak's partner in crime for life was, Daxter knew the big guy would protect him and keep him safe, even from himself. Now was no different.

"That feels good," Daxter breathed, "but I can make it better."

Jak's ears perked. "Mm?" His mouth moved but never left Daxter's neck, busy with the spot just below the redhead's ear.

"If ya let go'a me, I can make it good for you, too." Daxter's proposition hung in the air for a moment. He had a point—Jak had loved playing with his best friend and pushing his buttons until he was crying out for mercy since they were young, and that certainly hadn't changed with any romantic or sexual embellishments to their relationship, but Daxter had a certain edge on Jak. The boy knew him better than anyone, sometimes even himself. Jak silently complied and let go, moving his hands to Daxter's hips instead.

Dax took the opportunity to drop his head back down and latch his arms around Jak's neck, intent on removing his goggles and scarf. They dropped to the floor with a thunk! and a few loose strands of hair fell in Jak's face, free after being held back all day.

Small hands clamped around Jak's neck and Daxter wasted no time returning Jak's ministrations, tongue trailing up only to stop to kiss at his jawline. A content hum left Jak's mouth as he shifted his weight and kicked a leg up, lifting Daxter up off the ground completely. Without missing a beat, the redhead wrapped his legs around Jak's waist, bodies curled into one another.

The blond rolled his hips against Daxter, now that he could feel his equally errant erection against him. It felt good to have Daxter this close to him again, to feel his soft, warm skin between his lips. It had been too long.

Daxter's thighs squeezed tighter around Jak's body, arousal coloring his cheeks, but Jak had other plans. Surprise hit the boy once more as he found himself being tossed through the air, musty wind rushing past him before he landed on the bed with a thud, having lightly bumped his head.

What the hell?

Did Jak just throw him across the room?

He clutched the sheets and sat up, opening his mouth to ask Jak exactly what did he think he was doing, but he stopped when he saw the familiar smirk on Jak's lips. Oh. Oh. That's what Jak was doing. Daxter barely had time to yelp before Jak had pounced through the air as he had done so many times before this world had claimed both of their innocence and joined him on the bed, pinning him down again.

The blond licked his bottom lip and lowered his eyelids. "Do you wanna play a game?"

Jak was sitting on top of Daxter, fingers lacing with his against the bed, and the sensation felt so good and familiar that he didn't even complain about the weight on top of him. It had been years since they had wrestled, and Daxter had missed it terribly with an ache only Jak could relieve.

"Depends." Daxter turned a freckly cheek. "What kinda game?"

Jak leaned closer, lips barely brushing Daxter's cheek as he whispered into his ear. "The one we used to play when we were kids. Remember? Except this time," Jak said, unlacing one hand to run it across Daxter's jawline, "loser has to do whatever the winner says." He lifted his head, his nose an inch from Daxter's. "Deal?"

Daxter smiled. "You're on."

The game was simple: try to keep your shirt on, try to take the other's off. It was a lot like a messy game of flag football, and when they were kids it was nothing more than a simple timewaster to keep boredom away. The loser usually got his tunic back after a spell of laughter, and then they would carry on by ignoring whatever Samos told them to do and going off to play or swim.

But they weren't kids anymore.

Daxter arched his back up against Jak, trying to throw his weight, but the man didn't budge. Jak's hands scooted down Daxter's forearms but still held them back as he made the move for his thick belt. The game had always been a challenge as both the boys' clothes were often strapped down by something, be it Jak's eco ring or Daxter's thick leather, but Jak had his strength, and Daxter had his wit, and they had both won the game an equal number of times.

Jak eventually had to release Daxter's arms to get to his torso, so he grabbed the boy by the waist and sat him up against the wall. The game with the new feelings they had come to terms with added a spark that hadn't existed before. Daxter could almost feel the electricity in the air, and the warmth in his belly tugging at his pants wasn't exactly an old friend either. Jak's arm pressed firmly against Daxter's chest, restraining him as the other unsnapped the thick leather belt.

Jak pressed his forehead to Daxter's. "Are you even gonna try to win, or are you gonna suck all the fun out of it?"

Daxter suppressed a scoff. Truth be told, he kinda wanted to lose—wanted Jak to ravish him, to flip him over and pound him silly, to boss him around like the undeserving but lucky sidekick he felt he was, but he wasn't planning on not playing along. His tactic was just a bit more subtle, that's all.

Daxter knotted a hand through Jak's hair and pulled him close, kissing him. Jak froze, for once taken by surprise like Daxter had been the whole day. The redhead smiled through the kiss and reached behind Jak, snapping off his eco ring. He broke the kiss and gave the ring a quick tug, successfully removing it from Jak's body as gun, condensed jetboard, and worn leather fell to the bed below.

"How's that fer suckin' the fun out of it?" With his foot, Daxter pushed the ring to the floor next to the belt and smiled triumphantly. Sure he didn't have to tell Jak he wouldn't necessarily mind losing, but he didn't have to act like it either.

"You'll be sucking the fun out of something," Jak muttered, tugging at Daxter's tunic.

The redhead's heart skipped a beat and he bit his lip. "Izzat so, big guy?" Jak untucked Daxter's shirt, earning a whimper from the redhead, and he slid his hands up his pale torso. Daxter squirmed, heat pooling on his face and in his belly. His resolve, what little of it he originally had, was shattering.

"I'd say it was." Jak gingerly pulled the fabric up and away from Daxter's slim body and over his head, ruffling his hair and knocking off his goggles at last, little resistance from the body within it. "Because I just won."

"Unh."

The sight of Daxter's head slowly bobbing up and down in Jak's lap nearly had him finish right there on the spot, but he forced himself to wait. His hand was tangled in Daxter's hair, fisted on his neck and moving with him. It turned out that smart wasn't the only thing the redhead's mouth was.

"Dax." His voice was husky, and Daxter's stomach flipped again. Jak had won their little game, but had he really won if Daxter managed to make his voice tremble like that?

The boy gave one last suck with a smack. "Yes?"

"Get up." Jak gently pulled at his sidekick's shoulders, willing him upright. "Come here," he breathed.

Daxter pushed himself up from between Jak's legs and into his lap, straddling him as he pressed his chest against tan skin. The blond swiftly cupped Daxter's soft cheeks and pulled him closer, tasting each other almost innocently. As they kissed, Jak cupped one hand around the small of Daxter's back, erection ready to enter him.

The redhead pulled away and held Jak's face, thumbs running over his cheekbones. He had far too many scars for someone who was only a couple years away from twenty.

He lowered himself and Jak's hands immediately grasped at his waist.

"Ah, Jak!" Daxter burrowed his face into the crook of Jak's neck. Large hands guided him up and down, moving slowly only once or twice before he quickly had him bouncing in his lap. He keened loudly, the motion breaking Jak's name into two and sometimes three syllables before he reached down to grab at the sheets.

"Say my name again," Jak calmly ordered. Daxter obeyed, Jak's name like a prayer on his tongue. The sound of wet skin slapping against skin and the scent of Daxter's soapy throat had Jak reeling, dizzy in no time by the sensation of sex. They were both slick with sweat and lightheaded, and Daxter's ragged fingernails were digging into Jak's neck. Quickly, Jak's groans of approval joined in with Daxter's name-calling, and then Daxter took the opportunity to slow the pace so that he could hop down more deeply and completely onto Jak.

It felt so good, like a burning heat, but Jak couldn't take it. Rough palm against a creamy shoulder, he shoved Daxter on his back and held himself over the small-framed teen.

"Jak, wh—" Daxter lost whatever question he had and bit his lip instead as Jak held his knees and slammed into him. Daxter slowly inched up the bed until the top of his head was pressed against the wall, a gasp echoing throughout the musty house. It was Jak's favorite noise. And it was only his to hear.

He bent down, kissed Daxter roughly on his open mouth, and between thrusts growled the word, "Mine."

Between hiccups of breath, the redhead managed a short, "All yours," before turning his head and moaning jumpily into the pillow. Jak closed his eyes, the sound pushing him over the edge, and he lifted a hand from around Daxter to help him finish as well.

That final touch had the redhead's back arched against Jak and he gave one last cry before Jak gave out and they were both panting for air. Their little Sandover game had never been so rewarding.

Daxter's head lolled back and he swept some of his sticky hair from his face. He watched his boyfriend rake a hand through his hair and over his handsome face, wiping sweat and the musk of the room from his eyes. "Jak…" The blond lifted his eyebrows, listening. "I been thinkin'," Dax whispered. "We should…find a place t' stay. Doesn't have t' be permanent but…it'd be nice not ta rely on charity for a night of sleep. Don'tcha think?"

Jak smiled. "Yeah." He draped an arm over the redhead. "It would be nice."

"And since we're already here…"

Jak pressed his lips to Daxter's temple. "Consider it done," he said, and the two fell asleep in their new bed, not a care in the world. The only things on Jak's mind were Daxter, sleep, and the billions of stars left to conquer in the galaxy they'd explored together.