Title: Good Ol' Jak
Summary: Dax just loves him some whack-a-Metal Head. But something's up, and it's bad enough to where he can't even tell Jak.
POV: Tess (omg)
Rating: T for Teen or PG13 for only TWO F-bombs
A/n: Oh god, it's a blast from the past today. This is a revamped version of my FIRST EVER JAK FIC. EVER. EEEEVEEEEEEEEEEER. That's how first it is. I mean, I hadn't even played the games when I wrote it. Most of it at CHURCH no less. Being where I wrote it. That is. Yeah. Have fun!
-.-.-.-.-
He was at it again.
No surprise there.
Ever since he had figured out how to work that game, he had become addicted to it; a little, furry orange moth drawn to a Metal Head bashing flame.
It was utterly adorable.
When it had first began, she was always right by his side to cheer him on with cries of "Go Daxxie!" and "My hero!" Of course, he was prone to hit at least a few of the rigged MHs, but her arms were ready and waiting for him to fall back into. Then he'd steady himself, turn and give her a flirtatious wink with that grin that ripped his head in two before jumping right back into the fray. She'd giggle in response and, somewhere behind her, Jak would crack a rare smile.
Lately, however, her attention seemed needed less and less as he got more and more wrapped up in the game. She'd still rush to his aid should something go wrong, like the time he had gotten so worked up, he ended up actually falling into one of the many holes. Somehow, his tail got caught on the gears inside and it'd taken the combined strength of both her and Jak to free her snook'ems.
But, other than that, it just seemed better if she let him be and concentrated on her own work.
Which she happened to be doing now.
Absently humming a tuneless song to herself, she gave the bar in front of her another wipe down with the rag she held.
Mar, when was the last time she had hummed? It seemed like a life time ago. Hell, up until that fur-ball of an ottsel opened his greasy, flirtatious trap, she hadn't thought of even smiling except when it was out-right expected of her. Now she couldn't stop.
Daxter lit up her life, end of story. He made her laugh—giggle—which while the action used to be a natural one once upon a time, as of late, it'd become hard to even force.
Thank you, ex-Baron Asshole. May you rest in pieces.
She was thankful for him—her furry baby, not Praxis—for making her feel this alive again. He had that affect on everyone's lives, she guessed, making each a little more upbeat, although she knew most wouldn't admit it. He could even make Jak of all people chuckle, a feat nigh impossible for anyone else by her knowledge. But he was just that funny! Such sarcastic, witty humor came to him so naturally, she was sure he didn't even have to try.
Daxter was so different from his partner.
She looked up from the counter and to the booth in which the blonde in question lay sleeping. Jak and Daxter sure were an odd pair. Jak was quiet and distant with an uncaring air to him. Everything Daxter wasn't. Sure, she'd seen Jak smile on occasion, even heard him laugh, but he still seemed to fit more the description the world had tagged on him; an outlaw. Why, then, was someone like Daxter with someone like Jak? It didn't seem to fit up, the two of them. Yet, there they stood, inseparable. Just two best friends.
She'd always just chocked it up to 'opposites attract'…
Shaking the thoughts from her mind, Tess turned and wrung out the dish towel into the bucket by her feet. It wasn't any of her business, anyways. Friends were friends. That's all there was to it.
"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAOOOOOUCH!"
"Oh no!" she cried, instantly abandoning the cloth to run to her baby's aid, nearly kicking over the bucket in the process. "Daxter!"
"I'm—I'm good," he called weakly, waving her concern off with his little gloved paw as she rushed to his side. "J—just a lit—lil' shock, is all." The ottsel swooned a bit. "I'll b—be perfect…perfectly fine, cupcake. No n—need to worry that…pretty lil' 'ead ah yers 'bout m—me." Despite the situation, she couldn't help the soft laugh that bubbled up at the pet name as he fell back into her open arms, his fur slightly singed and sticking on end.
"Maybe you should take it easy," she suggested, turning him around and holding him out at arms length to give the damage a once over. A few burnt patches but thankfully no blood. Despite what the smoking tail had led her to believe, he was pretty well off this time. "You've been going pretty hard on those poor Metal Heads lately." She cocked her head slightly to the side. "Something's not bothering you, is it, baby?"
"No," came the far too quick reply.
"Daxxie," she said as her face fell into an unimpressed pout. "I hope you're not lying to me." The little animal squirmed under her gaze. "C'mon," the blonde nearly pleaded. "You know you can trust me." He looked up at her for a moment, unsure. Then…
"Okay," he said quietly, then hastily added, "but not in here."
"Why?" she asked, imitating his hushed tone as she set him back down on the game platform. He opened his mouth to explain, paused in thought, closed it and jerked his furry little head in the direction of the sleeping outlaw.
Okay, so it had something to do with Jak, or possibly something Dax didn't want the blonde to wake up and hear. Either way, this new development left her unsure of whether she really wanted to know what was going on. If Daxter didn't feel comfortable telling this to Jak, his best friend, but felt the need to spill it to her, well, something couldn't be right. Not in the least.
But she couldn't turn her Daxxie away, especially not with him giving her those heart-broken, crocapup eyes. And she wasn't one to let her friends down. You don't find many in Haven City to begin with. She'd hear him out, if only for his sake.
"Okay," she whispered, picking him up again. "We can talk in the back."
He looked so relieved as she carried him into the dirty little kitchen back behind the bar, she couldn't help by smile, already feeling this was worth it. After setting him gently onto the table near the corner, she wandered to the cupboard and removed a pair of mugs for the two of them. "You thirsty?" she asked, showing him the mug she had intended for him. She shot him a suggestive grin. "Maybe some of your Purple Stuff?" His ears instantly perked up.
"Oh, yes, ma'am!" he crowed, jumping to his feet. She laughed to herself in response. A moment later, both jugs were filled to the brim with the thick purple liquid, each with their own straw poking out.
"Here." She set the jug down in front of him and pulled up a chair for herself. The ottsel ran his coarse tongue across his lips before gripping each side of the mug and, ignoring the straw completely, lifted it over his head to chug. Again she laughed, watching as some of the liquor dripped from the corners of his mouth and down the front of his fuzzy chest. When he'd finished half his drink, he slammed down the mug, wiped his mouth and his front, and sighed contently.
And…Tess waited. She played idly with her own straw and patiently waited for him to start this little 'heart-to-heart' of theirs. Only…he didn't. He fidgeted and shifted his weight from one hip and back again and said nothing.
So he needed a little help. Tess knew that game. She'd only known Tornie for how long? Some people just needed a push or two, and she was pretty good at that.
"What's on your mind, Daxxie?" she asked simply, testing the waters.
And just like that the flood gates opened.
"I'm…I'm kinda…" He swallowed and started again. "I'm—I'm scared'a Jak."
…that was not what she was expecting to hear.
"I can't…well, lie t'myself anymore," he continued and started wringing his paws in a nervous fashion she'd never seen him use. "That—that I'm just scared for 'im, yah know? Precursors know I am, but…I'm also scared of 'im, too." He nodded to himself. "Cuz I'm that too and…and dammit, that just ain't right."
"I'm…ah, sure that Jak can be a very scary guy sometimes, Dax," she said, trying to sound reassuring when really she was just grasping for something to say at all. This was where she was supposed to reassure him, right? She placed a thin hand on both of the rodent's paws. "It's okay, really. People…people say he can get pretty…brutal."
Of course, she said the same thing, if asked. She'd seen that demon thing he turned into, once. Saw how he used to take Krew's dirty jobs on top of suicide missions for Torn without breaking a sweat. He wasn't a normal person. She didn't even know if he was really an elf sometimes…
"Oh, believe me," Dax said quickly, "they weren't lyin'. Yah get him pissed and…holy shit." Dropping off, he ran his paw over his head, taking off his goggles and then running the other hand through the fur of his scalp. Then he scrunched his eyes shut and threw the goggles to the table. "But this is Jak, here! Jak! It's…it just…seems so wrong."
"How is it so wrong?" she asked. Mar, it made her feel dumb asking such a simple question but…that just didn't make sense to her. At all.
"Things…things were—use'ta be a lot different," he replied slowly. "Before." He said the word like it made everything make perfect sense. It probably did to him. With a sigh, he slumped onto the table, eyes on his paws in his lap.
"…Before what?" Tess pushed. He looked up to her and after a moment, his mouth turned up in a small, amused grin. Like it was a funny question. Not dumb, just funny. Ironic.
"Everything," was his response. It was the same end-all, be-all tone as before, but this time he continued. "See, we don't come from 'round here. Use'ta be we lived in this lil' tiny town near the sea where nothin' ever happened. Just me, Jak, Keira, that ol' bag yah call Shadow, and, like, five other people." A half-hearted chuckle rose from his throat as the nostalgia practically glowed in little, beady eyes. "Back then…back then it was just me 'n Jak, all the way. And…" The grin widened a bit and he met her eyes again. "And I wasn't this," he motioned up and down himself, "which pro'lly made things lots easier."
Tess blinked at that. "What were you?" she asked, voice quiet with confusion.
His grin cracked wide and he flashed her some pearly fangs.
"All man, baby," he replied. The animal then hoped to his feet and busted out a body-builder pose, suddenly back to being the class clown. Like the original topic was suddenly just another one of his jokes. She giggled.
"Oh yeah, a total babe magnet, lean and handsome. Cream a'the crop, I was." Daxter broke his silly stance to sweep wide with one arm. "Blew Jak right outta t'freakin' water!" Then he paused and straightened to lean on his glass. "A'course, I only knew, like, two girls back then. One was mah own mother, so obviously she wasn't on t'possible squeeze list, and the other was Keira and—I'unno, she was mental or something and we both know who she picked between the two of us…But!" he threw his hands into the air. "That just means my seductive powers over th'female persuasion were just put to waste, right?" Tess nodded, giggling again.
Mar, did she love his sense of humor!
"But," Daxter sighed, "then I had t'go and fall in a vat a'the purple death, and BOOM!" His paws flew out and Tess couldn't help but jump. "Insta'Ottsel.
"Ah, but those were t'good ol' days. Just me 'n Jak, getting' inta trouble 'n pissin' off Samos 'n Jak's uncle 'n…well, 'bout everyone else. It was great!"
Just when Tess started to smile again, his eyes hardened. He drew in a long breath and let it back out slow. "Jak…Jak was a lot different way back when. I mean a lot. Fer one, he didn't talk. At all. I mean, yah think he's quiet now, yah shoulda seen him when he was in devoted mute-mode." He paused to work his mouth a bit, like he didn't know where to go from after that. He just stood there, lazily propped on his drink, staring down in front of him. Then a small, homesick sort of smile broke through and he kept going. "Yah know, lookin' back, 'e…really never needed tah. Talk, I mean. A'course," he looked up again, nodding a bit to his audience, "he had me. I was loud a'nuff for t'both of us and some over, right?" Tess let out her obligated laugh before nodding.
"He also had this…" Daxter reached out with both arms and flexed his paws. Grabbed for what he was trying to say. "This…way of speakin' without words. Like…like with 'is body and stuff. I mean, his eyes talked, mainly. And…" The ottsel's stature straightened a bit. Pride began leaking into his words. "I always knew what he was tryin' t'say. Always.
"He…smiled a lot more then, too. It used to be I never…never thought I'd see him without that caring, goofy smile a'his…" He plopped back down onto the table and started to trace the pattern printed on it to imitate wood. The pride was gone now, from his voice and his face. Now he just sounded sad. "I dunno who t'thank for him smilin' now. I mean…I don't think I'd smile after…after going through all that shit they put him through…" The anger was strong at the end of that. Maybe more like hate.
Tess bit her lip. She didn't know if she should, but…
"What…what happened to him?"
Daxter looked up at her then, almost like he'd forgotten she was there. He looked at her for a long moment, searching her for anything that might stop him from continuing. Wondering if he should. The silence eventually passed and he sighed.
"Alright, yah know…yah know Dark Eco?" he asked slowly. Seriously. It was how serious his tone was that made her hesitate before nodding. There was another pause as he swallowed. Put off for another second or two having to go on.
"For…" he began to fidget, picking at his claws. "For…two years…Praxis tortured him. Pumped him…right up t'his pointy ears with the stuff."
He said it quiet, but it felt like a Zoomer to the chest. Her hand shot to her mouth.
Dark Eco was suicide to mess with. Everyone knew that. It'd eat your skin away if you just got one drop on you so…
To have it pumped into you…
Dax kept going, reading her mind. "I can't believe he made it either." A dry laugh forced its way up and out of his throat and the harshness of it surprised her. "But that's Jak, right? Good ol' Jak." His voice cracked. He covered his eyes with a paw. "I searched that stupid prison up and down for almost a year before I found him. Turned it upside-down and shook." Another pause and another rough swallow, trying to get a hold of himself just enough to keep talking without…something she really didn't want to think about him doing. "He was mess. A fuckin' mess. All bloody and—and…they were beatin' him up and all I was stuck in some vent and couldn't do nothin' and—and if they hadn't used his name, I woulda never even recognized him! Can you believe that?" He shook his head "I couldn't even recognize my best friend, that's how messed up…
"It took another half a year to figure out how the hell I'd break him out. Oh, hell." His voice broke again as he shook his head violently. Angrily. "Who am I kiddin'? If—if Praxis hadn't—hadn't ordered 'im dead right in front a'me, 'e'd pro'lly still be in there now." Daxter buried his head in his hands.
Tess watched, feeling helpless. She hadn't known. Mar, she shouldn't have asked.
"Yah know what the first thing 'e said t'me was?"
His voice jolted her back out of her thoughts.
"What?" she asked before she could stop to wonder if she should.
Daxter didn't seem to mind. He flashed a quick, lifeless smile and quoted slowly, "'I'm gonna kill Praxis'." A shake of the head. "First time I ever, ever heard 'im speak and it was 'I'm gonna kill Praxis'." Another shake and he waved a paw, dismissing his own statement. "Okay, in his defense, he was really outta it. Really. I mean, if…if someone did all the crap t'me? Hell, I'd be swearing a blue streak for months t'anyone would listen 'n insultin' the guy's mother and…and I'm not even sure he knew it was me, so…
"But Jak…Jak's just ain't that type a'guy. Well, didn't use'ta be. Sure, he'd kill t'save the world. Did that. But never for…for himself. Jak…never did anythin' for himself. Ever, let alone…"
Suddenly he looked back up at her, searching for something. Reassurance, agreement, understanding, something, but she didn't know what it was so she just stared back. He went on anyways, looking her dead in the eye. "It just shocked me, yah know? Fer two years I…" The gaze broke and he looked back down at his paws, " I had these two scenes worked out in mah head. How I'd break him out. One involved me smackin' guards silly and Blondie kissin' mah furry lil' feet fer savin' his sorry ass. Which," he let out a short bark of a laugh, "let's face it, was per-itty dumb. Never gonna happen in this life-time, right?
"But the other one…" Daxter stopped a second to smile to himself. "It didn't involve any guards or shit like that. I'd just break into 'is cell, don't ask me how, and…'e'd just be there. All normal. All fine and happy and goofy and…himself and—and 'e'd look up at me, bit surprised, then crack into that 'Don't-worry-I'll-fix-everything-now-so-quit-yer-shedding-buddy' smile. And say my name fer the first time." Again, he waved his paw around his head as if to get rid of the idea. "I dunno what I was on when I thought that one up—cuz like that'd ever happen. But…
"I was…somewhere under that stupid rack they kept him on when Praxis gave the order t'get rid of him," he continued, like he couldn't stop himself. "I couldn't—I couldn't take it." Anger rose to the surface and he balled his paws into fists, "thinkin' a'losing him fer good, so I made my way up t'him. No plan, no nothin' 'cept some street clothes I was keepin' fer him, but…I had t'get him out.
"He was a total wreck. Whatever science-y crap that pulled on him messed 'im up 'n good. I…I dunno, I didn't know what t'do so I just talked to him like nothin' was wrong. Like maybe he'd recognize my voice and come-to or something." Tess couldn't tell if that was a wince or if he just closed his eyes. "Well, I got his attention, that's fer sure. Jumped a'freakin' mile when he barked out he'd murder Praxis—WHO, I might add, is a big, fat, stupid dumb-ass." The switch from remorse to anger was so quick, the blonde listening couldn't help but blink. Dax was practically seething.
"He was plannin' to off Jak cuz he thought his lil' experiment didn't work. Ha, yeah right. It worked. Way too fuckin' well if you ask me. I got a face full'a it after all!" Suddenly, his arms shot out and waved wildly around. "They turned Jak into a monster! And he was 'bout ready to tear me t'shreds, too." The paws dropped and he shook his head. "But 'e remembered me. Just in time. Good ol' Jak remembered me…
"An' fer what?" The question was harsh and quiet. "I mean, I," he motioned to himself, puffing his chest out in mock-pride, "put 'im there, right? I bolted on 'im, but…does he blame me fer it?" Dax shook his head. "Nope, never Jak.
"…I'm the one he shoulda vowed t'kill."
"Don't say that!" she blurted out. "You went back to save him, didn't you? And you two are best friends! Jak wouldn't hold that against you."
"'Zactly," he snapped back. "Jak wouldn't, but 'e should. He should hate me, cuz I up and left 'im to die after…after everything.
"And that's why I'm scared a'him." He punctuated the sentence with an accusing finger to the floor. "I'm scared that—that now that Praxis is six feet under, that…crazy, messed-up side of 'im that stupid bitch made is gonna turn on me cuz he's gonna finally realize it was all my fault." His arms shot to the side. "And I'm scared! It's…selfish and—and wrong of me, but I just can't shake it! I should…tell him or—or something 'n Precursors know I wanna, its just…
"What if he hates me?" he whispered. "Sure, he should, but…I don't wan'im to! He's…
"I love 'im too much, Tess. I love 'im as much as a friend can and…God, look what I put 'im through…"
She'd never heard him use her name so seriously before. It was…weird. Wrong. Daxter shouldn't talk that way. Daxter was never serious. He shouldn't have to be. Obviously, he didn't want to be, if he'd bottled that all up for this long…
Tess opened her mouth, wondering what to say. What could she say that wouldn't sound stupid and forced and…well, what do you say to something like that? That things would be alright?
Well, not in Haven. Even if it was getting peaceful, it just wasn't that kind of city.
That she was always here for him?
Maybe, but it still felt wrong to say. Felt wrong to promise. She didn't know what it was about him, but she could kind of feel that Dax and his friend were meant for greater things and that they'd be above and beyond her. Hell, it was obvious when they single-handedly defeated Kor. She just wouldn't always be there.
Jak would, though, and that much was obvious.
Tess closed her mouth and just wrapped her arms around the small animal in front of her, pulling him into a comforting hug. He seemed a bit taken back by the sudden close contact, even if it was something they were used to doing with one another—and as usual, she couldn't tell that he was blushing under all that crazy orange fur—but he slowly circled his own scrawny arms around her neck and hugged back.
"He wouldn't hate you," she whispered softly after a moment of simply running a hand up and down his long back. "I don't think he could. I think…I know he cares about you too much to," She held him a little tighter. "He needs you, Dax. So there's no need to worry."
He sniffed against her ear. "Really?" he asked, obviously needing the reassurance. "Ya—yah think?"
Tess smiled, nodding. "I can tell."
They stood still, holding one another while that sunk in for him. He shifted slightly, resting his head on her shoulder. Then, "Maybe…maybe yer right, sugar," he said, whipping out another flirty nick-name. It didn't go unnoticed. "I can't let this get me down, right?" He pulled away just enough to smile up at her. "If Golden Boy needs me t'be good ol' Daxter like 'e remembers, then dammit, that's what I'll be."
"That's the spirit," she said with a smile. "You can do it, Daxter. I know you can."
"Damn right, I can," he replied and that normal, cocky grin was plastered right back where it should be.
Then he broke the hug and changed the topic. Just like that, like they'd been talking about something trivial like the weather. Suddenly he was his old self again, all animated and hyper as he explained what new additions he wanted to make to the bar now that he 'owned' it. What needed to go. What had to be down-right burned out front and then thrown into the Bay.
And Tess just rolled with it, like the rest of it never even happened, because she knew that's how Daxter wanted it. He didn't have to tell her it was confidential for her to keep her lips shut. It wouldn't leave the room, even if she'd never be able to look at Jak the same again.
Even if she'd always look at him and picture the Jak Daxter described in a conversation that never existed.
He was on his second glass of Purple Stuff when she insisted they call it a night. Of course there was some whining, but with a wink and a nudge she'd convinced him to climb into her arms before walking out into the front room. She was actually planning on carrying him up to the loft she'd taken after Krew died once she'd flipped off the lights, but he had other plans. He began to squirm. After a bit of a fuss, she dropped him. The ottsel landed on all fours and proceeded to scamper over to his partner, still out like a light in his little booth.
And, truthfully? She wasn't at all surprised.
After Daxter snuggled into Jak's chest, the antihero reflexively wrapped a protective arm around him. As it tightened a little, the rodent let out a soft sigh.
Tess had to cover her mouth to ensure she didn't make a sound.
They just looked so adorable together, though. Just the best friends they always seemed to be.
And were.
And are.
That's where Dax was meant to be, after all. Right next to good ol' Jak when he needed him…
With a shake of her head, the blonde turned back around to take the stairs to her bedroom. She was gone by the time Daxter whispered, "Thanks, Tess," to himself, just loud enough for only him to hear.
"For everything."