Something More

A/N: So here we are again. I took forever to update. This one is slightly longer than the others have been, so maybe that makes up for it? Probably not. I also realized that I spell names funny, and by funny I mean wrong. :O *gasp* But consistency is better, ne?

Disclaimer: Jak and Daxter are the property of Naughty Dog, Inc. I’m borrowing them.

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Later that night, the boys were lying in bed. All of the lights were out, Daxter was spread out across Jak’s chest, and both of them were staring wide-eyed into the dark nothingness that was their ceiling.

Jak coughed.

“God bless you.” Dax murmured.

They sat in silence, each worried about something, and both wondering if that something was the same thing for both of them. //Dax… If you had any clue about what I did today, you wouldn’t be so comfortable right now.//

But Dax wasn’t comfortable. Jak looked down his torso, and Dax began to sit up, hiding his face behind tiny hands. //Dax?// Jak began to worry. //Does he... know?//

Jak sat up abruptly, inadvertently knocking Daxter into his lap.

“Oh! Sorry, Dax. I didn’t mean to…”

They drowned in the silence for a while.

“Jak.” Dax choked.

“Yeah, Dax?” The racer sounded nervous. //There’s no way he could have found out…//

“Tomorrow’s your first race.” The ottsel stated in a voice barely more audible than a whisper. Jak let out the breath he was holding and gazed down at his lap.

Jak smiled. “Yeah, and? We’re gonna do great! No worries.”

“You mean *you’re* gonna do great, bud.” Dax mumbled, still avoiding his friend’s glance.

“What the hell is *that* supposed to mean? …Oh. Dax, we talked about this. I thought we agreed that—“

“YOU agreed. I don’t wanna be stuck on the sidelines just waitin’ ta see if you finish alive.” Dax looked up into Jak’s eyes. He was pretty upset.

“Ah…” Jak sighed. He reached down around Daxter’s front and ruffled the fur on Orange Lightning’s chest. Dax relaxed a little in his friend’s lap.

“Dax…” The ottsel stiffened. //I may LOOK small but I’m just as old as you, pal. Stop treatin’ me like a goddamn baby!// Jak took the hint and decided to get serious.

“You’re not coming with me during the race. It’s too dangerous. There’s no sense in putting us both at risk. I could DIE out there—“

“Exactly! You could DIE out there, Jak. An’ how do ya think I’d feel if you died an’ left me here to fend fer myself, hmm? Where would I live? What would I do? Who’d be there ta stop ol’ Tattooed Wonder from cookin’ me fer dinner? Besides, you made me a promise, one you can’t keep if yer dead.” Daxter was breathing heavily from the overexcitement.

“Dax, come on—“

“Don’t you *Dax* me, buddy! How is sittin’ in the goddamn car with you any more dangerous than sittin’ on yer shoulder in the middle of a freakin’ battle?! Besides, I have a stake in this, too. We all drank the poison, ya know.” The ottsel had turned to face Jak; he was then standing on the racer’s legs, staring him straight in the eye, and grabbing his shirt in an attempt to seem threatening. In an odd way, he was. To Jak, at least.

//He’s really upset… Damn it. I was only looking out for you, you know.// Jak thought. “Alright,” he said. “You can stay with me, but only if you stay IN the car, no sitting on my shoulder or sticking your head out the window.”

Daxter’s eyes widened. “Really?! Alright, deal. Maybe I’ll even take a nap or two.” He laughed. Orange Lightning was back.

“Alright now, are you ready to get some sleep?” Jak asked.

“Ha! Am I ever NOT ready?” Dax smiled and shut his eyes while Jak laid them both on their sides, snuggling Dax against his chest.

//Mmm, this is better.// Jak thought. “Oh, and Dax?”

“Yeah, Jak?”

“We’re *not* gonna die out there, and definitely not before I fulfill my promise.” The racer declared.

//Heh. I half-thought he’d forgotten about that.// Dax felt warm. Jak was his best friend, his family. He knew he was in good hands. Dax nuzzled the back of his head in the crook of Jak’s neck before simply saying, “I know.”

Jak stroked Dax’s front until they both fell asleep, each feeling slightly relieved. Jak wasn’t worried about losing OR surviving the next day’s race, although he knew he’d always have a hand ready to guard Daxter from harm should the need arise. In some ways, this complicated things, but it made life a lot simpler overall. Things would be just as they always were. They were a team, after all. Dax was the brains, and Jak the brawn. And just because Dax was trapped in the body of a small animal didn’t make him any less human. In the end, Jak probably only agreed because he knew that the safest place Daxter could be really was just the middle of his own lap.

// - // - // - // - // - // - // - //

When the next morning arrived, light started to shine over the boys’ hotel room, and Daxter began to stir. //What time is it?//

He rolled onto his back. “Jak?” //Must be out lookin’ for breakfast or somethin’.//

Daxter stretched his arms by extending them upward as far as they could go before noticing that something else was amiss. //Heh. Normally I’d be really cold right now. With only this sheet to cover me up…// The heat that radiated from Jak was usually enough to keep both of them warm.

He sat up. The sheets fell to his waist. Dax began rubbing the sleepiness out of his eyes. //Wait a minute… No..Fur?//

In a split second, two large blue eyes greeted the world, and the world seemed much smaller this time. The boy, who indeed just realized that he was, in fact, a boy, held his breath as he took his first look down at his new and very naked body.

“Oh. My…” He took a deep breath. “Precursors! I don’t know how this happened, but—yes! This is incredible, wow. I can’t believe it! FINALLY!” Dax shouted into the quiet room. He sounded like an amateur jetboarder who just pulled off the most difficult move in the book.

The redhead lifted the sheets around his legs to peek at the lower half of his new body. “Haha! It’s all there, alright. Wait ‘til I tell Jak! I finally got PUBES!” He was ecstatic.

//Why would you want to say something like that to your MALE best friend?// His inner voice was talking again.

“What’s that supposed ta mean?! It’s Jak! Besides, he’s had a loooooong time to be a man, and this is the first time I’ve gotten beyond the ‘cute and cuddly’ stage o’ life. After about a decade of bein’ orange and furry, ya start to give up on normal development.” Dax answered confidently.

“Besides, it’s not like I haven’t seen HIM naked a hundred an’ ten times, ya know?” The redhead ran his fingers through his rather long hair, and had begun working through a small tangle when the communicator went off.

“Coming!” The former ottsel announced to no one in particular.

//Hmm, it says ‘urgent.’// Dax noted. He answered the call.

“Yo.” He said.

“Daxter! *Daxter?!* Is that YOU? Ah, never mind, you can explain later. It’s nice to have you back, but…” It was Keira. She seemed really anxious about something.

“But what, sweetheart?” Dax cooed, obviously missing what was so “urgent” about the call.

Keira started crying. “Daxter… It’s Jak. I don’t know how to s-say this b-but…” Something was wrong. Daxter felt his stomach sink.

“But what, babe?” His tone was worried.

“Daxter… Jak didn’t make it. He won the race, but Razor shot a missile at him right after he crossed the finish line. Jak died in the explosion.”

A tear streamed down the redhead’s new face. //I am gonna KILL that asshole!//

“Daxter, we won. We got the antidote.” Keira added. She was crying, as well. Suddenly, Daxter didn’t feel so good. The room was spinning.

“Daxter?! Don’t go anywhere, I’ll be right over!” The communicator blinked off. At that point, the redhead had stopped paying attention. He started to lose his footing, and his grasp on the communicator loosened, knocking it to the floor. As he fell, the only thing he could think was that Jak wouldn’t be there to catch him this time.

But he never hit the ground. Instead, Daxter felt two strong arms squeeze him against a hardened chest. //What?// He was an ottsel again, that was for sure.

Dax could hear his friend speak from what at first sounded like a distance. “Dax? Daxter? Everything’s alright. Can you hear me?”

“Wha…?” Daxter mumbled into his friend’s shirt. “J-Jak?” His voice sounded… broken. Jak was seriously starting to get worried.

Jak ran his hands down Daxter’s back, alternating each one so that the ottsel was being held at virtually all times. Daxter was whimpering the whole time. “Shh, Dax. It’s okay.” //Is he… crying?! He seemed so happy last night… Another bad dream, maybe?//

“Jak…” Dax hiccupped. “Don’t…” Jak rested his chin on the top of Daxter’s head, closed his eyes, and listened intently.

“Don’t what, Dax?” The racer spoke softly, gently massaging his friend’s neck and shoulders.

“Just.. Don’t worry about keepin’ yer promise to me.” The ottsel sniffled. His nose had started to run because of all the crying.

//What? This really doesn’t make any sense.// “Umm… Can I ask *why*?” Jak was really confused. Could that really be the source of Daxter’s nightmares? His tears?

For the first time, Daxter relinquished the safety of his friend’s shirt, and looked up into Jak’s big, blue, and very concerned eyes. “If ya never fulfill yer promise, you won’t be able to go an’ die on me.” Dax laughed quietly, despite the sniffles and still-drying eyes. Then he returned to his safety blanket (Jak) and waited for his friend to respond.

When Jak looked down at that cute, cuddly, scared little ball of orange fur, his heart melted. He would do *anything* for Daxter. Hell, he was racing for the antidote because he wanted to save his friend more than anyone else (and because Ashelin would probably bitch and moan to no end if he didn’t bother trying). If Daxter had said “Ya know what, Jak? I don’t really feel like savin’ the world this time,” you can bet that Jak would spend his time swimming and playing with his best friend (let someone *else* be the hero for once). And at that moment, looking down at the person he cared more about than anything—even himself—it was all he could do not to kiss Daxter innocently on the forehead.

For a while, they had remained silent. It was a comfortable silence, like back at Sandover. Jak’s grip never loosened for even a second, and after a little, Daxter had calmed down enough to just happily enjoy the petting.

Then he spoke.

“I had a nightmare.” Dax admitted. Jak pretty much already knew, though.

“What happened?” Jak asked.

“I’m gettin’ to that! Dummy.” Dax smiled into Jak’s shirt. “It seemed so real. I guess the worst nightmares always do… I was human again, and…” The ottsel’s ears drooped downward. “And you were dead.”

“Ah…” Jak was finally starting to understand. “Dax… I’m not gonna just let myself die once we find a way to turn you ba—“

“I love you!” Dax squeaked into Jak’s shirt. He was crying again. Jak was rubbing the tip of Daxter’s right ear between a finger and his thumb. “Don’t leave me.”

“Aww, Dax. I… Love you, too.” Jak sighed. “I’m not gonna die, okay? I mean, I’ll protect you with my life, but I promise I’ll never abandon you. You’re my best friend. You’re… the only person I care about. I’m serious.” Jak admitted. Those words felt… heavy, somehow.

But Daxter lightened the mood a moment later when he turned toward Jak, inhaled deeply through his nose, and smiled. Then the ottsel’s ears perked up, and he opened his eyes.

“What is it, now?” Jak laughed.

Daxter gave a wry smile. “Let’s go get some breakfast. Together!”

“Haha, okay, Dax. Anything you want.” Jak was glad to see his friend okay again. He listened to him chatter while he threw on some pants. “Let’s get French toast. Or, no, no, no, wait! Eggs and an English muffin!”

Everything was gonna be just fine.

“Oh, and Jak! In my dream, when I was human, my hair was real long and I had PUBES!”

“Haha, whoa, Dax. Too much information.” Jak laughed as they walked out to the elevator.

// - // - // - // - // - // - // - //

The hotel’s “restaurant” was a series of tables erected in the large ballroom just beyond the lobby where people checked in. It looked like the kind of place that families rented out for wedding receptions and other important celebrations. The floor was made of a stone much smoother than brick, but it was tiled as if that’s what it was. On one side of the room lay three long tables draped in a white cloth and topped with over a dozen silver serving dishes. It was a high-quality breakfast buffet.

Since this was the first day the two actually woke up early enough to attend the hotel’s brunch, Daxter was seeing it for the first time.

“Hot DAMN!” The ottsel exclaimed. “Finally, a reason to get up in the morning.” Daxter involuntarily tugged on Jak’s pants in order to warn the racer that he was about to be climbed upon. Dax had to go up and down so often that after a while, it was second nature to them.

Jak grinned. It was nice to have Daxter so close. It was certainly easier to keep an eye on him that way. Dax directed his friend by pointing to each place he wanted to go. They weren’t really supposed to help themselves to the buffet before informing a waitress, but who was going to stop them? Besides, the entire hotel staff was aware of the boys’ unlimited monetary resources.

“Oo, Jak, there are the plates. See them? Grab me one. Alright, good, now open that platter. Mmm, no, I don’t want that. Let’s try the next one.” It was in this fashion that Jak eventually constructed Daxter’s breakfast plate.

The racer surveyed the other guests, and no one else looked like they had ever set foot behind a steering wheel, let alone raced before.

//I wouldn’t be surprised if some of these people ran the television network.// Jak thought.

If any of their competitors *had* been there, they probably would’ve laughed at what looked like a small animal ordering Krew’s frontman around like a butler. Jak was used to that, though. People rarely understood why he kept Daxter around at all times, at least not at first. But Daxter *wasn’t* his pet, he *wasn’t* a nuisance, and he sure as hell wasn’t just dead weight to be carried around. Even those who understood the strategic advantage to having Daxter around would never in a million years have guessed that the ottsel was actually *why* Jak took on so many adventures.

“Jaa-aak! Hell-ooo, is anybody in there?” Daxter had his hands on either side of Jak’s face and had pressed their noses together out of frustration.

Jak snapped back into reality. “Whoa, hehe. Sorry, Dax. I was just lost in thought.”

“THOUGHT?! What on EARTH could you be thinkin’ about when we’re standin’ in front of this heavenly food?!” The ottsel was thinking with his stomach.

Jak shrugged his shoulders. “Things.” //You.//

“What kinds of things? Take us over there. I want some of that juice. There, grab the cup and just pour it in. No, no, the larger one. Perfect!” Jak scoffed inwardly at his friend’s limited attention span. //He has no idea how cute he is.//

Jak was now balancing a precariously full plate of food next to a huge glass of orange juice on a metal tray, and with Daxter prattling nonstop in his ear, just in case it wasn’t challenging enough already, the racer slowly ambled onward to a secluded table in the far corner of the room.

When the handsome green-blonde finally brought Daxter’s breakfast in for a landing, the ottsel scampered off his shoulder and directly onto the tabletop. If they hadn’t known better, the wait staff might have panicked at the sight of what appeared to be a large, bright-orange rodent in the middle of their restaurant, but Rayne’s people had made it extremely clear that Daxter was to be treated with the utmost respect, or *else*. Jak then brought his hands together and bowed as though he were a martial artist that just completed a match.

Dax was unimpressed. “Yeah, yeah. Thanks, Jak.” Still, the ottsel couldn’t help but smile. “Hey, aren’t you gonna have somethin’ to eat?”

Jak shook his head, “No. When the waitress comes I’ll order something to drin—“

“Good morning, gentlemen! My name is Lina and I’ll be your server this morning.” The girl was blushing furiously, and the large group of whispering kitchen employees huddled a few yards away seemed to indicate that she had taken a dare of some sort. //She totally has it in fer Jak…// Dax sighed. //Who doesn’t, these days? Ah, well. Time to do what I do best.//

“Hello, beautiful.” The ottsel purred in what Jak could tell was a seriously overplayed tone, even for Dax.

“The lady here,” Daxter extended his palm, indicating Jak. “Would like—what would ya like, babe?”

“Coffee, black.” Jak was trying not to laugh.

“Ah, yes. Be a dear an’ fetch that coffee. Oh, and while yer at it, add this to our bill—we won’t be needin’ anything else.”

The waitress just stood there, wide-eyed with her mouth hung open. “Right! Coffee. Right away, sir.”

“That was easy. She looked like she’d never seen a talkin’ animal before.” Daxter gloated proudly.

Jak laughed. “Ah, man, Dax! That was *brutal*. Hehe. Phew, at least I didn’t have to deal with that myself. Thanks for covering for me.”

“I know, I know. Orange Lightning saves the day! I told ya, Jak, you really are some kinda chick magnet, ya know.” Daxter was already back to shoveling a stack of pancakes into his mouth.

While he was in the middle of chewing, he added, “Whatever, though. Ya can’t help it if yer beautiful. You were born that way.”

Jak’s ears reddened. //Sometimes I don’t know if we’re just friends, or something more…//

Moments later, a quiet busboy placed Jak’s coffee in front of him, as well as a receipt that showed that the cost of their meal had been added to Rayne’s tab. The boys finished the rest of their meal in silence. They knew this would be their last chance to relax for upwards of eight hours that day.

// - // - // - // - // - // - // - //

They arrived at their base just after 9 am, and the place was empty. //I’m glad I actually remembered my keys, or we’d be freezing our asses off waiting around for someone to let us in.// Jak thought as he unlocked the door.

“Ah, home sweet home.” Daxter sighed. “Kindof.”

There wasn’t much to do. Their cars themselves were brand spankin’ new to begin with, so they had completed the few modifications they needed to make the day before. No repairs, yet. //I’m sure that the green-haired wonder will have changed that by tonight.// Dax thought.

What to do? What to do? //Check for sabotages?// Check. //Feel like changing the paint color? No.// Check. //Use watching television as a pretense to snuggle with Jak?// Ding ding ding ding ding! We have a winner, folks! Snuggle with Jak it is!

“Yo, Jak! Wanna watch TV?” The ottsel was already pointing to the big-screen television when he realized that Jak was talking to somebody else.

//Her again. I swear, Jak has a thing for that blue-haired chick.// Daxter’s ears drooped. Nevertheless, the ottsel didn’t like being kept out of the loop; he walked over to listen in on their conversation.

“…and make sure you always reserve at least one mine for missile deflection. You’ll do no good to us dead.” Rayne stated.

//Nyou’ll do nyo good to us nyead!// Daxter mocked her words in his head. //Something about her really ticks me off.// He thought.

Jak brought his friend back out of thought, however. “Hey, Dax, c’mere. Take a look at this map.”

Orange Lightning scurried to the bottom of his friend’s leg, gave a quick tug on his pant-leg, and quickly ascended Mt. Jak. Once perched safely on Jak’s shoulder, the ottsel stuck his tongue out at Rayne. Jak was actually looking down at the map spread across the table, so he didn’t notice—which is good, because he probably would have scolded Dax for biting the hand that feeds him.

Rayne’s reaction was just confused look, after which she dismissed it altogether. //Boys will be boys.// She thought. “Anyway, I’ve got business with the television network to attend to. Got to make sure they catch every second of your first victory!” Upon noticing that she was pretty much being ignored, Rayne turned to leave. “Later, then.”

Dax watched her go. //Hahaha, that’ll teach her! Tryin’ to seduce my Jak, hmph! Not if Orange Lightning has anything to say about it.// Daxter smirked.

Then his inner voice started to chime in again. //“Your” Jak? What’s that supposed to mean?!// Dax grumbled. It felt weird to be annoyed at… himself. //He’s MY best friend, I found him first!// He argued.

//Yeah, and she’s a pretty rich girl with big boobs and a sexy accent.// Dax frowned at that thought. How long could Jak hold out before finally breaking down and asking his permission to have a girlfriend?

//If my own “desires” are any indication, Jak’s probably hornier than a rabbit in heat.// The fur on the back of his neck prickled at the thought.

//Mmm, hehe. I kindof like the sound o’ that.// Dax closed his eyes and grinned widely. Then he shook his head roughly. //Wait, WHAT?! No! Eew! Jak is a MAN. He has a PENIS.// Dax was fighting a losing battle.

//Shush, you..stupid..inner voice thingy! I was only joking, yeesh.// The ottsel didn’t like this inner conflict.

//I bet if I was a girl, I’d be damn hot, an’ Jak would be ALL over me!// He was pulling at strings. //Daxter… Just. Shut up for once, okay?//

Orange Lightning was speechless. He never thought it was possible to lose a debate against yourself, but he did. That wasn’t really the issue, though. Dax knew his inner voice was just a part of himself he didn’t want to face. The part that thought Jak would eventually grow out of him, that he would never return to human form, and that in the end, he couldn’t compete with girls. Those things aside, however, the part that *really* scared Daxter was the fact that he was asking himself those questions to begin with.

The ottsel cast a sidelong glance at Jak’s toned rear before deciding to forget about this for now and try to remain focused on the task at hand.

“And make sure we know this turn here when we see it. If we’re going too fast, we’ll become one with that wall, and if we make a sharp swerve without slowing down to see what’s in front of us, I think we’ll get hit by a…train.” Jak looked up at his friend. He was slightly amused. “You know, this is the most effed up sport I’ve ever heard of, and the only thing more retarded is the fact that we’re risking our lives at this idiotic game because we’ve been poisoned by a dead man.” And Daxter thought *he* had a knack for vernacular.

“Yeah. You said it, pal.” Somehow, Dax just didn’t sound like himself. Of course, Jak noticed immediately and decided that the best course of action was to pry.

“You okay?” The racer asked. “You’ve had a rough couple of nights, Dax. Are you sure you’re up for this?” Jak ruffled the fur behind his friend’s neck.

“Heheh, ahhh… Yeah, I’m defin..ite..ly su-sure, Jak. Sto-o-op, I can’t think straight when you d-do that. Jaaa-aak!” The ottsel squeaked.

“Okay, okay. Quit whining, I’ll stop. But what if I do THIS?” Jak pulled a surprise tickle-attack out of nowhere and Daxter was complete unprepared.

“UNCLE! UNCLE!! I don’t even—aaahh—know what that means, but fer precursors’ sakes, *uncle*!” Daxter screamed while he writhed, wriggled, and all but scratched Jak to escape his friend’s deadly grip.

Jak laughed and let up a little bit. He held the ottsel in one hand and leaned him against his chest. He used his free arm to stroke Daxter’s soft, orange fur—from the top of his head to the bottom of his tail. The effect was mostly calming, except that his tail was extra sensitive and started twitching from overstimulation. At least the expression Dax wore told the racer that it felt good, which was the important thing, after all.

“There,” Jak said. “All better.” The ottsel cooed affectionately as a thanks for having been brought to a state of languid bliss.

“Now,” Jak added. “Wanna watch TV with me while we wait for the others to arrive?” Jak took a seat in the middle of the round couch, rested his arms over the back of it, and motioned for Daxter to come lean on his side. The ottsel was more than happy to oblige, and ran to make himself cozy while Jak searched for something to watch.

// - // - // - // - // - // - // - //

It wasn’t until around quarter to eleven when the others arrived, and they were greeted by two sleeping partners that gave up trying to find any channel that ran a program sans a one Mr. G.T. Blitz.

Torn took the obvious route and chucked a box of tissues (from the coffee table) at Jak’s chest.

Jak reacted quickly. His eyes shot open to glare at his attacker while his entire right arm darted to shield Daxter, who, for the most part, was still asleep. Then, before a full second had passed, the racer all but crushed the cardboard tissue box in his less-dexterous left hand before pitching it smack in the middle of Torn’s eyes.

Ashelin couldn’t help but laugh at the square-shaped red mark that now decorated her boyfriend’s already-colorful face.

Jak didn’t even need to explain his actions. They all knew better not to mess around with him when he was sleeping. The racer was all for horseplay when he was fully awake, but he made it a point to be on his toes when it came to Daxter’s safety—and that meant reacting as quickly as possible to anything that might threaten them during naps. Besides, Torn got what was coming to him.

Jak smiled. He was glad because the first race would soon be underway. The green-blonde took a second to check up on his tired friend, who was rubbing his eyes bewilderedly.

“Wha’s goin’ on?” Dax slurred his words.

Jak replied in a quiet tone that only Daxter could hear. “You didn’t miss anything. I clobbered Torn with a box of tissues.”

Despite the fact that that made so little sense at the time, the ottsel grinned and said, “Yeah, I can see the mark.” Dax yawned and stretched his arms out for what felt like the third time that day. He really could fall asleep just about anywhere.

By that point, Ashelin had noticed the map of the track they were about to race spread out on the coffee table. Torn also saw how ridiculous it seemed to use speeding cargo trains as obstacles on the track. The couple began counting the deathtraps for fun.

Meanwhile, Keira and Samos finally arrived, although neither of them would be racing.

Samos had brought some food and green eco tanks just in case anyone wasn’t totally up to speed for (or after) this first race. While he busied himself in the small kitchen, Keira walked over to greet the boys.

“So Dax, I hear you’re not gonna keep me company after all.” Keira remarked. By that time, Dax was already trying to go back to sleep, but he opened one eye to acknowledge her.

“Guess I’ll just sit around and watch you guys get your asses blown up on TV.” She winked at Jak. It was all Daxter could do to keep himself from growling.

“Eh? Whoa, whoa! Watch it, Dax!” Jak hissed. Orange Lightning had reflexively dug his claws deep into Jak’s scalp. As soon as he realized what he had done, Dax removed his hands as if he were grasping a hot engine.

“S-sorry!” The ottsel stammered apologetically. Jak reached up to ruffle his fur.

“It’s okay, Dax. You couldn’t hurt me if you wanted to, it’s just uncomfortable.” Jak said. Dax crawled down onto Jak’s lap and stood on his friend’s legs to face him.

“Couldn’t hurt ya if I wanted to, eh, Jak?” Daxter grinned maniacally at the knowledge of what he was about to do. Jak’s eyes widened in something akin to terror, and he thrust his hands forward in a futile attempt to save himself.

Daxter laughed as he jumped on top of Jak’s arms and scampered onto his shoulder so fast that Jak leaned forward from the shock of it. Then, Dax took advantage of his newly-acquired access and dove down the back of Jak’s shirt.

“What? NO! Ahhhhh! Haha, ahh n-NO, wait, WAIT! Hahhh—“ Jak had to stop himself from crushing Daxter into the back of the couch as he writhed uncontrollably under the hands of his best friend, the master tickler. Jak was just about to explode from being unable to breathe when Orange Lightning finally let up, emerging victoriously.

“You guys are so gay.” Torn remarked.

//You don’t even know the half of it.// Jak thought bitterly.

“Jealous?” Dax smirked.

“It looks like the race begins in twenty minutes. Time to suit up.” Ashelin interrupted.

Jak actually wondered what she meant by that, because he was just planning to race in the clothes he had on. He already wore gloves, so aside from a helmet, he was basically set. Nonetheless, he scooped Daxter up back onto his shoulder and busied himself with the easy task of getting his car onto the track.

// - // - // - // - // - // - // - //

Once they were all out on the track and into position, Jak had about fifteen minutes to kill. He looked at the cars around them. //Is this it?// The racer thought.

Daxter seemed to have read his thoughts, because he responded. “This is probably just it for the human complement.” //That sounds about right.// Jak thought.

The ottsel continued.

“There will probably be a dozen drones entering the race as people shoot them down. The map showed points at which they come onto the track, remember?”

“Huh?” Jak murmured. To be honest, his mind was actually a little distant when he was reviewing the course details with Rayne—and besides, he had taken a fairly long nap since then. The only things that really stood out in the racer’s mind were sharp turns and obstacles. //Great. Real specific.// Jak cursed himself for not studying it further.

“Don’t worry, pal. You’ve got an extra set of eyes. I’ll let ya know if anyone tries to shoot us from behind, alright?” Dax proposed. Jak nodded in agreement.

Daxter was glad to know that he could actually be of some help. Jak was grateful for the support, although the risks would probably outweigh the benefits what with Jak being so preoccupied with Daxter’s well-being throughout the race.

The racer sunk back into his chair and inhaled calmly. “Less than five minutes, Dax. Pull your goggles on.” The ottsel complied happily. Daxter was excited.

Jak just sat there, drumming his fingers on the wheel. He brought a hand up to rest on his friend’s back, and closed his eyes as he concentrated on the feel of Orange Lightning’s lively pulse. A sharp knock on his window brought him out of his trance.

“You ready?” It was just some racetrack employee making sure all teams were okay to start. The man didn’t actually even wait for a response before moving to the next vehicle. Whatever they were worried about, it certainly wasn’t safety.

“Alright, Dax. This is it.” Jak relaxed the muscles in his back and turned his head from side to side in an effort to crack his neck. Daxter clutched Jak’s shoulder with one arm and the side of his headrest with the other. He could easily watch the road both in front and in back of them.

A loud horn sounded, and an announcer started to count down.

“On your marks!” Jak clutched the wheel tightly.

“Get ready!” The racer placed his foot impatiently above the gas pedal, ready to floor it.

“3!”

“2!” The ottsel held his breath and braced himself the only way he knew how.

“1!”

“GO!” The racer slammed his foot forward onto the gas pedal and hurled his car forward as he weaved dangerously between the other riders in an attempt to come out ahead. By the time he was in third place, someone had already dropped a mine for him to dodge.

Daxter had begun to dig his claws into Jak’s shoulder again, and Jak allowed it (partly because it would be dangerous to pry him off at this point and partly because he knew how scary it must have been for his best friend, who really never could get used to fast driving).

What amazed Jak the most was the track itself. And his car! How he could be going as fast as he was seemed beyond logic. The precursors must have thrown physics out the window and into an erupting volcano for this to be even remotely possible. What a ridiculous sport! Jak was concentrating so heavily on staying alive that he barely noticed just how dangerous of a situation they were really in.

“Um, UMM, Ah, AAAAH—JAAAAAAK!!!” Daxter pointed forward at the gigantic chasm in the track that they were expected to jump across.

“BOOST! BOOST! BOOST!” Daxter’s cries were muffled slightly as he all but burrowed his face into Jak’s crotch. Luckily, the engine was so noisy that no one heard the rather loud moan that escaped the racer’s mouth at the height of their jump across the gap in the road.

But Jak really didn’t have time to worry about his growing erection. It was too important that they land safely. //Unngh… Daxter!// And of course, the rough landing only mashed Daxter further against his groin, which almost caused him to close his eyes when the rush of pleasure pulsed through him.

None of this was really beyond Daxter, either. Of course he noticed the rather large bulge protruding between the racer’s legs, and he was going to have some fun with it. For a while, Dax stood up on Jak’s leg to watch the progress of the race. They were doing well, alternating between first and second place. This time, right before they were about to make the flying leap of faith over the Grand Canyon, Daxter put as much pressure as he could apply against Jak’s groin, shouted “BOOST,” and in one quick movement, ran his hand across Jak’s length before burying himself against the racer’s inner thigh. For a split second, Jak *did* close his eyes.

And Dax heard him that time.

Feeling satisfied with himself, the ottsel calmed down and simply rested in Jak’s lap for the remainder of the run. Jak had been in first place for more than half of the last lap and it looked like this would be an easy win. It didn’t make it seem any less dangerous, however, as Jak was reminded by the missiles flying by on either side of his vehicle as he crossed the finish line for the very first time.

Victory was sweet. Jak didn’t have much to say when the reporters came around, and he was blushing profusely. Dax covered for him, though, and just said something about how they were happy to have made it out alive.

// - // - // - // - // - // - // - //

That night, they all stayed for celebration dinner at the garage. The food Samos had brought was all vegetables and dips, so Rayne ordered out for hot wings, pizza, and a giant sub. Jak was still mentally cursing himself for what he thought might be considered molesting Daxter (which was ironic, because Daxter pretty much molested *him*), and the aforementioned ottsel was trying to eat himself fat.

Jak was so lost in his worries that he never even noticed the way Keira sized him up from across the room. Dax would have been angry, but he knew that Jak didn’t even see her—and that was enough. By the time the party had died down, they both just wanted to go home, get cleaned up, and go to bed.

“C’mon, Dax. You ready to head out?” Jak ran his finger in small circles around his friend’s lower back.

“Mmmm, hehe. Stop doin’ that, already! Yeah, I’m ready ta go.” The ottsel replied. Jack blushed a little at his friend’s comment, though, because he didn’t realize he was even touching him. //I’ve got to start keeping my hands to myself.//

Of course, Daxter relaxed on Jak’s lap in the car, but Jak was almost too tired to be affected. As soon as they pulled up to the hotel, the racer handed the keys to a valet and marched Daxter up to their room. Jak was practically dying to bathe.

// - // - // - // - // - // - // - //

While it’s true that the boys did usually shower together, Dax would typically be busy gathering the toiletries from various parts of the bathroom, or in some cases, the entire apartment. He’d find the cleanest pair of pants around and set them out for Jak to wear when they were done.

This time, however, they were staying at a hotel. All of their laundry was already done, so it took less than a minute to set up an outfit for Jak. Also, all of the shampoo, soap, washcloths, towels, shaving cream, razors, body wash and whatever else one might need in the shower were laid out neatly on the bathroom sink.

Dax removed his pants and put them with the clothes to be washed. After that, there really wasn’t anything to do. The bathroom was usually filled with steam by the time Orange Lightning met his friend under the water. Today, the only thing for Dax to do was to… sit and watch his best friend undress.

At first he didn’t know what to do with his hands. When his tail twitched, he knew he should look away, but something compelled him. Jak had realized it was happening almost half a minute ago, and it made him feel embarrassed, too. And as much as the racer really, truly wished it wouldn’t, Daxter’s unblinking stare turned him on way faster than when the ottsel purred in his lap. This was his best friend, who in reality was human, nervously ogling the most private parts of his body. And the way his tail trembled erratically made it seem all the less innocent.

As Jak was struggling to remove his last sock (for some reason, he did socks last), their eyes met.

“Hi.” Jak said. His face went red. //If you keep staring at me like that, I’m going to lose control.// He thought.

“Oh, umm; Hey, Jak.” Daxter took the hint, and quickly shifted his gaze down to his feet. Jak’s heart sank. He didn’t mean to make him feel bad or anything.

Jak smiled. Daxter was obviously just as embarrassed as he was, and it made the little ottsel look just the tiniest hair cuter than he usually did. //It’ll be fine… This was bound to happen sooner or later. I mean, we take SHOWERS together. Besides, it didn’t affect me that mu—//

//Oh.// Jak thought. The racer closed his eyes and brought a hand to his face. He started massaging his temples and sighed. The hero braced himself for a prospect that now seemed much scarier than fighting through a fully-infested cave in the wastelands. He opened his eyes and looked down.

“FUC—“ Jak cut himself off with a cough in an attempt to hide his shock. It didn’t work, and Daxter’s head shot straight up to resume much-needed Jak-watching activities.

There was no way around it, he was fully aroused—armed, and ready for combat. The racer shut his eyes and grit his teeth. //Precursors, WHY? Why me? Why now?//

“Sorry.” Dax said. “I didn’t mean ta—“

“No—no, no! Really, Dax, it’s fine… It’s my fault, I shouldn’t just strip down in front of you like that… I mean, sometimes I don’t think and I forget that you’re a full-grown man—just as old as I am…”

Daxter’s ears drooped at that, which for him, was a very sad reaction—one that wasn’t lost on Jak.

“I-I didn’t mean it like that. I mean, of course I think of you as human, you know that. It’s just… Ah, damn.” There Jak stood, naked, with a hard-on for his best friend, and essentially begging forgiveness for something he said. *This* was not lost on Daxter. The ottsel laughed.

“It’s okay, Jak. Heh, man… Let’s just forget about this and get clean, alright? Besides, if I were human right now,” Dax nodded in the direction of Jak’s crotch. “You’d see that I’m pretty much in the same boat.”

Jak’s eyes widened. He felt a familiar ache in his groin and then shook his head to get rid of the image. //Calm down, calm down, calm your goddamn self down!//

This was good. Daxter just handed him a ‘get out of jail free’ card, and he was going to take full advantage of it. Ignoring the rather large... *obstacle* between his legs, Jak threw back the shower curtain, scooped Daxter up, and plopped him onto his shoulder. Then the racer kneeled on the bathtub floor and said “Hot.”

Dax knew exactly what that meant and turned the faucet so that a steady flow of warm water rained down from above them. The ottsel then buried his face in Jak’s neck until his friend stood up enough that he could avoid getting water in his eyes. This was a regular occurrence, but Jak was never this horny when they bathed together, so he shuddered at the contact and barely stifled a moan. //I don’t know how you do this to me…//

When Dax opened his eyes, the first thing he did was look down. Jak was definitely…excited, alright. But it was more than just sexual tension that spurred the ottsel on. He wanted to look because he was… well, curious. He had barely seen himself like that at all before that fateful day on Misty Island. Jak’s erection looked so intense, and it was like no other part of his body. Daxter noticed how the skin along his friend’s shaft was a little darker than the rest of his body, and how the tip looked a little swollen and pink. Orange Lightning felt his face grow hot, which was the closest thing to a blush that he could manage, and looked up for a moment to give himself a chance to calm down.

“This is… Ah, hrm… I mean, I should—I should probably go.” Dax murmured.

As the ottsel turned to leave, Jak reflexively moved to stop him. He grasped his furry friend by his haunches and held him in place with one hand. The smaller of the two stood frozen in shock, and Jak’s eyes widened when he realized he had no clue what he wanted, or even what he should say. //Think, think, THINK!// The racer’s thoughts screamed so loud that he almost thought he had heard them.

“Think what?” Daxter asked, his curiosity having gotten the better of him.

//So I really WAS thinking out loud…// Jak noticed. That didn’t make it any easier to face what seemed to be on both of their minds at the moment. Dax decided to take the matter into his own hands.

“Look, Jak, it’s fine. We’re both adults—and virgins, to boot. Of *course* yer gonna get a little excited when ya haven’t gotten any in over twenty years. I know the feelin’ all too well, babe.” Jak tensed. Dax sighed.

“Hey, I’ll tell you a secret. Ya know how sometimes you stroke my back, shoulders, and tail, I freak out and beg ya ta stop? Well, it’s not so much that I feel too sensitive so much as that I feel too…” The ottsel paused for effect. “*Good*. One time, you ignored me for so long that I almost came.”

And with that, Orange Lightning left his friend’s shoulder. Jak stood there, paralyzed from shock for what seemed like an eternity until his mind-numbing state of self-inflicted torture (or bliss, he couldn’t really decide) was interrupted by the cascade of frozen water that had begun impaling his back, giving birth to countless goose bumps across the racer’s lean body.

“Aaaah, *DAX*!” Jak shouted out of frustration. The water was really cold! He smiled to himself, though, because in reality, it was a huge favor.

Meanwhile, Dax was rolling around the bedspread in an effort to dry himself off. Eventually, he calmed down and decided that the best way to kill *his* excitement... was to flip on the television and watch G.T. Blitz talk about how much he adores himself.

//Works every time.// Dax mused. By the time Jak had finished his shower, the ottsel had already fallen asleep.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A/N: As you will see below, I started feeling very silly while I was writing this chapter. For some reason, the boys eating breakfast at a restaurant reminded me of Pulp Fiction. Also, this isn’t really an outtake, but I thought I’d mention that when I had Dax turn on the TV, I was actually thinking “C-SPAN! C-SPAN is the ultimate erection killer!!!” Also, on a serious note, I wanted to point out that I wrote that Dax had dug his claws into Jak’s shoulder again, when really, it was just the claw-digging that happened again, and in a different spot (since it was originally in the scalp).

Outtakes:

Dax: Oh and Jak! In my dream, when I was human, I was totally ripped!
Jak: Uh-huh.
Dax: And I was tall, Jak! Taller than you!
Jak: Uh-huh. Sure, Dax.
Dax: No, I’m serious. I was even taller than Sig!
Jak: Okay, now you’re just lying.

-//-

Dax: Let’s get French toast. Or, no, no, no, wait! Eggs and an English muffin!
Jak: What does “French” mean, anyway? And “English?”

-//-

Jak: //He has no idea how cute he is.// *looks at Dax*
Dax: *bats eyes innocently*
Jak: //Wait, never mind, he thinks he’s fluffles on wheels.//

-//-

Jak: No. When the waitress comes I’ll order something to drin—
Waitress: Good morning, gentlemen! My name is—
G.T. Blitz: Not important!
Jak: *guards Dax defensively* *backs away slowly*
——//30 minutes later//——
G.T. Blitz: I love you, Pumpkin. *throws voice* I love you, Honey Bunny.
Dax: Um… Who is he talking to?
G.T. Blitz: Alright, everybody be cool, this is a robbery! *throws voice* Any of you fucking pricks move, and I'll execute every motherfucking last one of ya!
——//some time after that//——
Dax: I want you to go in that bag, and find my wallet.
G.T. Blitz: Which one is it?
Dax: It’s the one that says Bad Motherfucker.

-//-

Dax: Besides, if I were human right now,
*nods in the direction of Jak’s crotch*
Dax: You’d see that I’m in a similar, although probably much larger boat.
*Jak’s eyes widen… with rage*