1Characters belong to Naughty Dog.
–W–
I dressed slowly that morning, alone in the bathroom. I watched myself move in the mirror.
Slow, sharp, slow, smooth movements. Like a deer who thinks they heard something but nothing's happened yet. Just as Sig had left, he'd told us that Keira and the Goon were on their way. Jak was using the upstairs bathroom.
Don't know why I didn't think of that, it's closer to our bedroom.
First my white tank top, followed by my plae kakhi tunic, my cross-belts, brown pants, four-inch belt, leather cross belts, taped my ankles, pulled on my boots, did the straps, brushed my hair, pulled on my goggles, then my gloves, wrapped my wrists, put on my wrist gards, brushed my teeth and now I was standing behind my bar, cleaning a glass, cliche but somethin' to do, and wandering why I needed all this crap on if I'm just running a bar. I mean really.
But I did, and periodically I'd blow hair out of my eyes that managed to sneak past my Goggles-gone-hairband. And that's what I did most of the morning.
At about noon, Jak was down with me wearing nothing but a pair of linen lounge pants and a wife beater.
I didn't mind, but I was still miffed.
He sat across the bar from me trying to make small talk, but I ignored him. I'd win this fight, if it was the last thing I'd do.
Eventually he gave up and ate some nuts.
So we were alone except for the two, maybe three people that came in. Slow day today, not a surprise really, huge race going on in the arena. But Jak and I didn't like racing much, but he still loved those speeding tickets. Man did he like those.
It wasn't until about two that my door jingled, Sig having fixed it. Again. That we looked up and in they came.
She looked the same, but her hair had fallen lightly around her shoulders, and today she wore a pale blue halter dress. He looked...old. When they walked in, Keira's face lit up and she hurried over to hug her...to hug Jak.
"Oh my gosh you're alright!"
"Hello, Keira," Jak smiled and hugged her gingerly. I scoffed to myself and looked up at the old man.
"Gee, you look old as ever! Great job!"
"Hello to you too, brat," He stumbled over and sat on the stool next to Jak. The two 'to be's' were deep in conversation.
"How are you?"
"I've done fantasmal, and yourself, old man?" I leaned an elbow on the counter and smiled. "What took ya so long to find us?"
"We thought we'd get word from Jak. We've had the wedding planned a long time...and no groom."
"Oh yeah, I'd fergotten." I smiled and set the glass down, tossing the rag on my shoulder and smiling. "So, when is the big event happenin'?"
"Well," the Sage looked thoughtful. "I'd say a few weeks, now that we have the groom?"
"Huh, cool." I smiled and poured him a glass of iced water and we talked and talked. Jak showed Keira around the bar, we told them fake stories of adventures and so on that would have passed the two years of absent time we'd spent really just screwing each other out of our minds, and they left about eight. As soon as the door shut, I turned and glared.
"..."
"What?" What ticked me off? He really seemed actually confused. "What!"
"You're getting Married in a few weeks." I took a step closer. "Congrat-u-lations, Jak-Ass."
"Dax," He reached out for me but I denied him, stepping back.
"You know what, why don't you go get drunk as some other guys bar and go bet on a race, huh?" I stepped nimbly around him and back behind my bar. Once there I started to pour some flavored vodka in with some apple juice.
"Dax, calm down."
"NO, no you know what?" I began mixing furiously. "No. I don't WANT to calm down, Prince Charmer." I looked up, ignoring that I was splashing my drink everywhere.
"Dax–"
"Don't 'Dax' me. Shoo, go get hammered. Don't come back unless you've slept in the gutter. Go be 'jail breaker jak' again. Go be Mr. Man, go be...elsewhere. Cause, buddy, I don't wantcha here right n-auguh!" I found myself with little air and my glass shattered all over the floor, his hand tightly gripping the collar of my shirt. Somehow I managed to glare. "What, going to hurt me now? Don't you think you've done that enough for one day?"
"I'll fix this, Daxter." And that's all he said to me before he dropped me and left me alone.
I stayed on my knees for a short time, then buissied myself with things to do, like picking up the glass piece by piece, pulling the rag over each table fourty three times, shutting the door until it locked...
By ten I was in the shower again and still no Jak.
I stood there letting the warm water wash away my day. Half an hour later I was in my Pajama pants, ten minutes later I had a glass of cold tea and orange Vodka sitting next to my while I read one of my old manuals from when I really worked on crafts. By midnight, still no Jak.
I finally clicked off my lights, downed the last of my drink and fell asleep, alone and cold, in our big bed.
I was up and back in my belted Bartender's outfit by nine again. And still no Jak. It was a bit busier today, I had fourteen costumers by noon.
Whoohoo. Business, is, booming.
I zoomed around with drinks and slices of my beer-biscuits for four hours before the crowd died down. Eventually I just poured myself a flask of beer and sipped it, staring at myself from the patron's side of the counter in the mirror usually behind me.
Still no Jak.
By Five I was getting nervous, so I thought I'd drive up to the palace and see Torn and Ashlyn. Maybe they had an idea where Jak was.
I showed the Gaurd my ID and walked in, winding my way to the throne room. It was about a ten minute walk, holy hell. But I somehow found my way.
I'd gone into to many rooms to see which was which.
But I thought it was fun, I'd been in this castle so many a time you'd think I'd know it by heart, but I don't. So I always felt like a rat in a maze.
Or...I guess more of an Ottsel in a maze.
Sometimes I missed my furry-ness.
Finally I'd made it to the throne room and I heaved a door open, talking once it cracked light. "Well I've been at home all day, tired, cold and worried so I thought I'd come and visit some fr...iends..."
What I saw shattered my from the inside out.
They were locked in a tight embrace, and they were all staring. Ashlyn was even clapping. He was pulling away from her, like a boy and a girl walked in on by parents as soon as I walked in.
Torn, Sig, Ashlyn, they were all there smiling until then too.
And I saw the end of it, a sensual kiss.
I stopped, thankfully I'd been holding the door so it gave me support. I stared only a moment, then the absolute rage started to boil. I wouldn't have minded hugs now and then...but...
"Gee, I wasn't invited?"
"Dax," Jak looked horrified as he started toward me. He knew. He was the only on in the room that knew.
"Don't 'Dax' me," I mumbled, flexing my hands. I felt tears welling up.
"Daxter, We didn't know we were having a get together until about four–"
"So an hour ago, Torn?" I looked up, my voice didn't come out as angry as I'd wanted it to.
Jak was running at me now. I dashed out of the way and stumbled a few steps, dragging my arm across my eyes. I finally got them to stop watering and I stood as tall as I could. "I could have brought the booze."
"Dax, come on now." He was moving at me like I was a cornered animal. I wasn't cornered, and hell I was no animal. But I was mad like nothing else.
Let me tell you I don't think I'd EVER been this mad in my life.
"No I wont. Um." I looked to the side and back up. "Sorry, didn't mean to break up the party I was just wondering where...uh, where he, you, "I looked up, 'were and poof, here ya are." I waved my arms in the stiffly. "I guess I'll see you when you turn in toni–"
"Actually, Daxter, he's coming back with us." Keira was hesitant and took a step forward. I looked at Jak.
He'd, smartly, stopped moving. "Really?"
He nodded slowly.
"Yes he is," She shifted uncomfortably. "You can come back too today if you wa–"
"No, I'm just fine here, Keira." I looked up at her and bit my lip, the tears coming back. They were hot with anger. "Just...this time send me an invite to the next shindig, 'kay?"
"Daxter–"
"I'll see ya around, Jak." I waved stiffly and started towards the door. "Torn, Ash, I'll be back tomorrow with your shipment, okey-doke?"
"Alright..." Torn looked confused. I shut the door behind me and about halfway down the hall I heard heavy footsteps.
"Red, are you okay?"
I looked up to see Sig. I smiled, tears leaking into my mouth. I could taste the salt. "Yeah...yeah I'm fine Sig."
I closed early that night. I went to bed with a full bottle of Smirnoff. I went to sleep with an empty one, and a salt-soaked pillow.
Jak...have you let me go that easily?
–W–
(Blip)
(Jak's point of view)
We hadn't sent him an invitation, liked he'd ask that day.
But he somehow managed to show up anyway. And when the priest asked for objections, of course, there was one.
I turned, terrified. He stood, dressed in his bartending outfit, panting, with a single dead flower in his grasp. I'm guessing It had survived his drive on a hover bike because he was covered in dust and muck.
"Yeah," his voice was dark. "I have a FUCKING objection." He pointed the wilted flower at me. "He's as gay as this flower is dead. How do I know? Because he's my freaking Fuck buddy. But you can have him now." He dropped the flower and with it Jak felt his heart fall. "I don't want him. Haven't seen him for three weeks, no call, no mail, no INVITE to his WEDDING. So much for BEST PALS, EH JAKY?" And with that he turned and began to walk away. I ran after him. But I couldn't catch up.
That's when I woke up, Keira jumped and fell out of bed. I was apparently screaming about something in my sleep. The Sage had come in to give a waking spell. It had only been a day since I'd left him.
What was I going to do now...
