Hello, you know me from my other Elex fic. For a while I considered to continue Jax' story there for ELEX 2 but with the canon ending, Dex, the Caja relationship and everything, I decided to start a fresh story for ELEX 2.
It's going to follow my Jax' story through ELEX 2 with a focus on his and Falk's relationship. See these ficlets as a growing story of a romance that should be in the game in the first place... but isn't (why, PB, WHY). They will act like comments and additions to Falk's quest but also scenes from the game and eventually the main quest.
Since the game is only a month old, I will add a small note in front of every chapter when it takes place so you can avoid spoilers.
I myself haven't finished the game yet, I just started chapter 3 of the main quest, even though I am almost at 70 hours play time.
However I already completed Falk's quest and this fic will heavily focus on that.
I will also try very hard to actually write a slow burn fic for once... let's see if I succeed, ha. Please note that English isn't my native language so please forgive me my mistakes - but feel free to show them to me!
Thanks for reading!

Jax felt odd. At first he's been relieved to run into Falk – among all the chaos, the Skyands, the Morkons crawling out of their hole and all the other shit – it was like finding a safe heaven. A solid rock in the ocean, someone he knew he could trust, someone to rely on. Yet it seemed like the rock might be a rope of sand instead.

Jax threw a glance over his shoulder. Falk was right behind him, walking up the steep hill to the Bastion. What Jax needed in this war, was the most lethal and effective killing machine of Magalan. But what he got was an android who started to wonder about being human. Under different circumstances, Jax sure would be happy for Falk – but the timing couldn't be worse.

Maybe, Jax thought, if he would help Falk through the weirdest upgrade in the history of computers and machines, then he would have said most lethal and effective killing machine at his side. Not that he liked to abuse Falk like that, no, but truth be told, if Dawkins wanted his 6th Power to survive longer than a week, they would need an army. Or at least something that could equal such an army.

Jax could only hope Falk wouldn't get himself destroyed in one of these experiments. The first one had already been irresponsible, reckless and plain stupid.

Quite human, actually, Jax thought with a bitter smirk.

A familiar voice pulled Jax out of his thoughts.

"You're back!" Dex sounded more than happy to see his father again and yet, he refrained from a hug. The kid was sometimes so serious, so distant for his age; it stung Jax' heart. He sure was aware who was at fault for that, though. Maybe that's what made the sting worse. He could only try to be better than Wardek but that didn't mean he was made of good-father-material...

"Sorry that I was gone for such a long time," he said softly.

Dex just shrugged and smiled.

"I know that you are back eventually. And I see that you brought someone with you, father?" Dex asked. He had his arms behind his back and shifted slightly from one leg to the other while he eyed Falk curiously. He seemed to be torn between asking far too many questions and trying to behave and be polite.

"Hello!" Falk said chipper.

"Dex, this is Falk. Falk, this is Dex, my son," Jax introduced them to each other and he couldn't hide a certain pride in his voice. In the corner of his eyes however, he could see Caja watching the three of them from some distance. Judging by her sour face and the way she crossed her arms over her chest, she didn't seem happy. In other words: nothing new under the sun.

"Interesting," Falk said and obviously wanted to add something but Dex cut him off, the curiosity getting the better of him.

"You're Falk? Father told me so much about you!"

"He did?" Falk tilted his head a bit and blinked, the proverbial question mark popping up over his head.

"U-hu," Dex nodded eagerly, "he said you're actually not a human. He said you are a machine and, in fact, his favourite cyborg. Is this true? Because you seem very human to me," Dex looked up to Falk, out of big eyes.

"Yes. Jax just called me his 'favourite cyborg' a few hours ago but I am not sure what he wants to imply because I am certain that I am the only cyborg he knows."

"It was a compliment, Falk," Jax threw in with an amused smirk. Said smile just melted from his face when he caught eye of Caja again, who was slowly circling them like a lioness that wanted to protect her cub from any harm. Jax sighed.

"Excuse me for a moment, you two." He noticed how Falk followed him with his gaze while Dex seemed to be fully taken in by the fact that a real cyborg was standing in front of him.

Let's get this over with, Jax thought frustrated and took in a deep breath.

"Okay what happened now. What's the problem," he said and even though he tried really hard not to sound annoyed, he failed on that task. Things with Caja weren't going well. Actually, he couldn't think of a time they were actually good, not since Dex' birth.

"Seriously, Jax?" Caja breathed out, gesturing towards Falk like that would tell Jax anything he needed to know.

Obviously it didn't.

"What. That's Falk! Don't tell me you forgot Falk? Weird, quirky Falk? Android? Rings a bell?" Jax sighed, already irritated. Of course that only lead to an eye roll by Caja while she put her hands on her hips.

"Of course I remember Falk, don't sell me for someone stupid. That is not the issue. The issue is what he is. And why you let him close to our son," she explained with hushed voice.

Now Jax was not only irritated, he was also genuinely confused. He turned around and watched Falk and Dex. It looked like the former was listening to tons of curious questions by the latter and Jax couldn't help but smile lightly when he saw how Dex poked and inspected Falk's biceps, probably to investigate this strange human-like machine.

Then he turned his head again and looked into Caja's angry face.

"I have no clue what you're talking about."

Caja groaned.

"I start to think this infection of yours also messes with your memory..." she mumbled and rubbed the bridge of her nose before she focused back on Jax. "It's just been a couple of days ago that you and me both fought these rogue Cleric machines. And we have no clue what made them go rogue. The Clerics have no real control over them any more, you said it yourself. Their technicians fail at programming them, they are aggressive and unpredictable."

"And...?"

"And...?!" Caja stared at Jax in disbelief and then started to walk in tiny circles, pointing at Falk again. "He is a Cleric machine too!"

"So what?" Jax shrugged. "It's not the same. He's not the same. He's not under some influence of some... what do I know. Cleric super computer. He has his own programs running, his own AI... he's an individual, Caja. He's a person, too. As much as you and me. And he said he's ready for the next update."

"Update." Caja narrowed her eyes.

"Well... yeah. He explained that he feels some unexplainable urges since the last six months..."

"Urges."

Saying it out loud, Jax suddenly realized how these words did sound like. What if Caja wasn't... completely wrong? Falk had been build by a mad scientist after all. And it was undeniable that something was wrong with the Cleric's super computer Calaan, Reinhardt and Hagen had told Jax about it.

Still Jax felt the need to get defensive.

"It's not like you know anything about technology, yet something advanced as Falk. No one does, actually. Pretty sure not even the Clerics or Albs."

A thin and somewhat triumphant smile curled up in Caja's full lips. She said nothing. Didn't need to.

"That doesn't mean he's dangerous," Jax insisted. "He's still plain old Falk, trust me. And the update, these urges... it's something completely harmless, something you of all people should endorse! He wants to become more human, understand emotions and what drives us, makes us human after all. And honestly? He could probably learn a thing or two from you on acting completely irrational and irritating, Caja."

Yep, he said it. He shouldn't have though.

A fire ignited in Caja's eyes and she gasped for air but instead of lecturing Jax any further, or simply burning his face, she took in a deep breath, as if to calm herself.

"Just keep him away from our son until you figure out what's up with him," she said pressed and with some deadly chill.

Jax felt that this was not the place nor the time for another argument with Caja but once again he wondered where and when they'd gone wrong.

Instead, he waved Falk over.

"Come on, I show you the rest of the Bastion."

An orange sun was drenching the ruins of the old tower in the warm light of an evening. The teleporter hummed quietly and the purple doom in the sky watched silently over them like a bad moon rising.

"You made a tiny human!" Falk said fascinated.

"That is... one way to phrase it but... yeah," Jax answered.

"Don't worry. I am not going to ask you about the practice and theory of human reproduction. I already educated myself on biological topics by reading every book in the Cleric archives."

Jax breathed out a sigh of relief. Last thing he wanted to do as Falk's chosen mentor was, to explain the birds and the bees to him...

"I am still confused," Falk continued.

Oh boy, here it comes, Jax thought and braced himself for a question he didn't want to answer.

"It does take two humans to reproduce, doesn't it? If you are the father, then... who is Dex' mother?"

"Caja," Jax answered honestly. "I know, I know..." he sighed.

"I'm afraid I still don't understand." Falk tilted his head slightly, like he often did when something occupied his circuits too much. Gave him an almost adorable look of a confused puppy.

Jax frowned a bit. Well that was an odd image now in his mind... he blinked the thought of an adorable Falk away and focused on their conversation.

"You and Caja don't really seem to be on... best terms? I am afraid I am not good at reading body language but she looked... angry when she talked to you?" Falk asked carefully.

"Yeah. You might say that," Jax huffed and kicked a small rock away while he stood at the edge of the cliff and watched over the valley. "Caja changed. I changed. But that is not the issue. Dex was... not exactly planned."

Falk tried to comprehend but just looked as lost as before.

And Jax didn't even know why he continued talking. Maybe he just needed to get it off his chest... after all that time. Wasn't like he'd anyone to talk to. And he'd never felt the need, but...

"You might say it was a night of... passion?" Jax worded it carefully.

"Ah, passion," Falk nodded in understanding. "An intense, driving or overmastering feeling or conviction that leads to a a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept. I heard artists are often affected by it. I am afraid I don't quite understand what it has to do with you and Caja and making a tiny human?"

Jax blinked slowly.

"I mean... yeah, that is also passion but I was talking more about some... more carnal urges. Lust."

This felt more than awkward but on the other hand, it finally felt like Jax was ready to admit that what ever happened between him and Caja had been a one night stand – and nothing more. All the time they had tried to be something was only for Dex and even then they had failed.

"My body ran out of Elex. And with the Elex detox and the emotions flooding my mind..." Jax shook his head a bit. "... guess there were also desires coming to the surface. Something I never had and knew before. And Caja, well... she was there."

Jax frowned. Why was he even telling Falk all of this...

Falk on the other hand just beamed a smile at Jax and suddenly looked like he had a break-through on some very difficult and complex theory.

"Ah!" he exclaimed. "Passion, lust and desire! Yes, those are on my list of things that would make me more human. I want to learn about them too. Do you think you, as my new mentor, can teach me about them?"

Jax choked on a breath of air and turned to face Falk, his eyes wide.

"Uhm... what?" he asked with croak voice.

"Passion, lust and desire," Falk repeated unimpressed. "Can you-"

"I- I got you. Uhm... how about we put these things at the bottom of your list for now and focus on some other things, okay?" Jax offered.

"Understood!" Falk said happily.

For a few moments, they were just silent while they walked around the area to show Falk everything the Bastion had to offer until Jax had to laugh lightly.

"Did I miss a joke? I still need to update my programming on humour," Falk said.

Jax shook his head.

"No. It's just..." For a second or two, he was looking for the right words but then he decided to keep it simple. "It's good to have you back at my side, buddy. Just good to have my favourite cyborg back. That's all."

"Well, I was never gone. It was you who had chosen a life in exile. However, I agree. Travelling with you is always an interesting experience and I expect lot of progress on my upgrade!"

"Yes, that's gonna be an interesting experience for sure..." Jax hummed.

Weirdly enough, he felt light now. Better, too. Not like this has solved any issue with Caja but admitting to himself that there has never been more than one night of passion between them felt like some odd kind of relief. All his failed tries to at least act like they could be a family, it had just been a farce. And Dex had suffered under it. Still did...

And maybe, Jax thought, he'd been wrong about Falk.

Maybe it wasn't a war machine he needed. Maybe, among all the chaos, destruction and so many people wanting his head, hating him, annoying him, irritating him; among people like Dawkins and Rat, Viktor and Baxter, even Caja; among all those he didn't trust, couldn't trust any more – maybe all he needed was a friend.