Disclaimer: Do I own the rights to the Jak games? Nope. Naughty Dog owns 'em.
Family. A basic social unit consisting of parents and their children, considered as a group, whether they dwell together or not. The Underground was often considered a "family" by those involved, but it was not the first thing that came to his mind when it came to the ragtag group of men and women he commanded.
Regardless of his own personal feelings, he has played "family member" to several people in this organization over the years.
Back when he first joined, he played "brother" to those who came with him. He didn't govern their lives or chase after them like a parent would, but did he put in his opinion when he felt the need. In the beginning he kept things at a distance because he was just one soldier out of many, and he was sure they'd rather train than try to find consolation where there was none by making friends. But after realizing they were all in this together, he began gravitating toward the others, and they to him. He'd share drinks with them and laugh with them, talking about their jobs and pretty girls and how much night patrol sucked. Sometimes they would stay up later than necessary, talking about their families and how they were going to change the world, promising each other they would do their best. When missions were dangerous they warned each other about it, watching each other's backs. There have been instances when he was given missions and they would offer to help him out. He would warn them against it, telling them there was no turning back once, but they followed him, their "brother", into the unknown with guns blazing.
After ascending higher through the ranks of the Underground, he played "father" to the forces he hired. Though several of the members were about his age, most were younger, harboring an endless drive to change things for the better that it made him silently proud. But with those qualities also came a hatred as powerful as their passions, and a fear that seemed to have anchored itself rock solid to them. He remembers many a night when he's walked into the base and found some young recruit doing his best to save face and hold in his tears, memories of the dead and the fear of dying hanging like an anvil over their head. So he'd sit silently, listening as these young ones pour out their minds, forgetting their pride on the way and crying like the kids they were. He's not a very touchy-feely person, but in the end he's discovered that it does a world of good just to listen, and then advise each kid as best he can before telling them to get some rest. Then he'll pick up on whatever work he left off on, tired but content that the troubled kid is at peace.
Things don't magically become better after that – this was war time after all – but there's always hope. It makes his heart clench painfully with pride and sadness, to see that hope in their eyes the next day as they take up their weapons and roll out. A small part of him didn't want that hope to flee at the first sign of trouble. So he'd teach them things along the way, like how to shoot well under pressure, how to last through nights when sleep didn't come, how to live with fighting. If the legs of their resolve shook, he gave them something to lean on, regardless of the fact that his communications skills weren't known to be the best. Because when it came down to it, even tough guys with no family are just guys with no family in the end. For many, the Underground was all they had, and Torn saw to it that it was worth it for everyone who joined. If he didn't look after them, who would?
During the times when things seemed to crumble in succession, he played "husband" to the handful women he knew. Not in the literal sense of course, and he'd rather be caught dead than admit to this term. But he always did things that should have been left up to the husbands that weren't around because a) they were out fighting, or b) said husbands were dead. The few women involved in the Underground really were some of the strongest people he knew. When the men broke, the women of the Underground were there to pick up the pieces and put them all back together, telling them to keep their chins up and that things were going to be okay, able to switch from gritty determination to a tenderness only mothers show their kids. It didn't matter that some of them couldn't cook worth anything, and that many of them weren't the docile women that men often made them out to be. They were strong and kind, and that was a hard combination to preserve. For this, they had his respect as well as the respect of the entire company.
So when these women stumbled, he was there. He'd make sure they got sleep, see to it that they weren't disturbed when they talked amongst themselves, made sure the small handful of chores in the base got done, and made sure they were fed. If there were those days when they were run down and somehow couldn't finish a job, he and a few others picked up the slack if they could spare the time. He would sometimes offer them his company (without saying anything to suggest this, of course) if they needed someone to listen to them, often forgetting until that moment that behind these women was something so fragile. It would be a lie to say that he's ever loved a single one, but he cares for them just like he does his "brothers" and "children".
And on the very rare occasion, he played the part of "grandfather" to a select few. Once in a while, there would be those who were too young to be caught up in the fight but were in it anyway. These children born of the people of the Underground or found along the way, the ones who didn't deserve the fate they had been given, are the ones he hides away. He protects every innocent he can, but especially these children. They are the future of this world, and deserve to see the brighter side of life instead of suffering. He keeps them out of harm's way and out of sight, bringing them bits of the outside in the forms of subtle slip of pieces of paper and something to draw with, or leaves and flowers from Haven Forest when he gets a mission there. It is for these little ones that he reserves his rare smiles and talks to not as soldiers, but as people, offering them what he hopes is sound advice for the tiny problems they encounter that seem so huge to them. Losing dignity is not a concern, because it is a small price to pay for keeping them alive and smiling another day.
Going back to what he said before, "family" is hardly the first word that comes to mind when thinks of them or sees them. When he calls staff meetings and sees everyone in one place, he is often surprised at how long they've managed to put up with each other. They are loud and don't have the cleanest mouths, and most are actually quite dangerous. Everyone talks over each other when expressing ideas. Sometimes fights break out. Most have fought almost to the death with anything and everything they had at some point, and those who haven't yet will do so in the near future. Each one has lost something they will never get back. But maybe these things are what made them all find each other and stick together.
"Chaos", "disorganized", and maybe even "crazy" are usually the first words that when he sees them. But as he calls for their attention and they face him, memories in their eyes and passion in their hearts, his tiny smile and the word "family" comes up right after.
Author's Notes: I've been wanting to do a drabble about the Underground for a while, just because you don't meet a lot of people from the Underground during the course of the games. In Jak II, you meet Torn and Tess, and like, the 3 or 4 people you rescue and take to safe houses. But that's IT. How lame. So yeah, I made this and ran with it. I will probably edit this later, seeing as I tried to make it sound meaningful (*snort*) and it probably came out as less than so. Also, the paragraphs were originally bigger, but I broke most of them into 2 chunks to make this easier to read. I'm still wondering if it's a good idea or not. Hmm...
But, I'd love your opinions/reviews/critiques on this! If you feel something else should be added or taken out, be my guest and voice it, and I'll take your words into consideration. Thank you so much for your patience and your time.
Have a great day/night!