Balance Beam

Yeah yeah, I know, I just updated the other day, but, whatever, I'm really proud of this chapter and it should hold you guys over until I finish chapter seven.

Review Replies!

Grimreaperchibi: Yeah, I'd feel bad about doing that to Torn, but for some reason I enjoy tormenting him. XD I'm proud of him for handling it as well as he did too. Good job, Torn! And Daxter IS completely justified in hitting Jak, but we'll have to see what happens.

GoodMorningBeautiful2005: I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! And as for Daxter's reaction, well, read on and see!

Robin: XD Yeah, I figured Torn didn't get to where he was just by being a pretty face, he's got to have some shining moments of brilliance. And as for Jak, well, read on.

Reva: XD Sorry about the lack of sex scene in the last chapter, but here! You get one in this chapter! And there's another one in the last chapter!

A/N: This chapter is long, and has our first smut scene. However. If you're not into het, the beginning and end of said smut scene are marked with *** so you can just skip right past it if you don't want to read. Next chapter is the last one!

–

Chapter 6: Just Like In Romance Novels

Jak watched Daxter, holding his breath.

“Jak? You-you- really? You've really felt that way this whole time? Why didn't you ever say anything, you big dummy!”

Jak nodded. “I didn't want you to hate me. I didn't think you liked me that way – you always seemed so into girls, you know? - so I just didn't say anything.”

Daxter balled up a fist and punched Jak hard in the arm. Twice. “You dummy!”

Jak rubbed at his arm where Daxter had hit him. “Ow! What the hell, Dax?”

“We could've had this worked out years ago and you just are a big dumb jerk for not telling me!”

Jak frowned at Daxter. “I think I'm missing something here, Dax.”

“If you had just said something I would've- I would've-!” Daxter took a deep breath. “You don't spend as much time together as we do and not get attached, Jak!”

Jak blinked at Daxter. “You- what?”

“I'm saying tell me properly, shit head!”

Jak blinked at Daxter again before it finally clicked and he smiled, leaned forward to press his forehead to Daxter's. “I love you, Dax. Always have, always will.”

“I love you too, you big sap,” Daxter muttered, wrapping her arms around him. “I'd be willing to give it a shot with you, you know. It's not like anything would change except the addition of sex, right?”

Jak held Daxter tighter and buried his face in her hair. “...you sure?”

“You just have to promise that it won't stop when I'm a guy again, if I ever get turned back into a guy. I'll forgive you if you wanna stop if I go back to being an ottsel though.”

Jak gave a weak chuckle. “Dax, I wanted you even as an ottsel.”

Daxter pulled away and blinked up at him. “What? Like wanted wanted me?” Jak nodded, his cheeks and ears pink. “You kinky freak!” Daxter laughed, but she looked infinitely pleased.

“I love you for who you are, Dax, not what,” Jak muttered, nuzzling Daxter's temple fondly. “...are you really sure, Dax?”

“Yes, Jak. Now stop worrying and kiss me already, doofus.”

Jak leaned down and pressed a soft, timid kiss to Daxter's mouth. He let out a startled noise when Daxter grabbed his face and pressed up against him, kissing him harder as she backed him up against the door. Jak let himself be guided as he kissed her back. He was probably bad at it, he thought in the back of his mind, before that thought was wiped clean out of his head by Daxter's kisses, Daxter's scent, the feel of Daxter pressed against him. “Dax...”

“Hm...?” Daxter pulled back with a happy, dazed smile that Jak was sure he was matching. “What's up?”

“...we're gonna be okay, right?”

“Of course we are, Jak. We're always okay. Think Tess would mind if we had sex in the office?”

Jak's face felt like it was on fire. “I'd rather not find out if she does if it's all the same to you.”

Daxter grinned. “What's the matter Jak? Scared?”

“...I don't remember our first time together. Not clearly.” Jak could feel his shoulders hunching under Daxter's scrutiny. “Yeah, it might be kind of stupid, but-”

“No, I get it. You're a big sap, you know that? Don't worry, I won't tell. Your bad boy image has taken enough of a beating at being on romance novel covers.”

Jak rolled his eyes and poked Daxter in the side. “Shut up.”

Daxter laughed and leaned up to kiss him again. “I can't believe you've been in love with me this whole time. I had no idea, you know? Not even an inkling; you seemed so into Keira.”

“She's nice, and really pretty, but she's not you Dax.” Jak shrugged, “I mean, I didn't think you were interested so I tried to focus on her. Which wasn't really fair to her, I know.”

Daxter rolled her eyes, “Trust me, Keira's fine. So, do we find a bed and rut in it?”

Jak sputtered and laughed, pulled Daxter into another kiss, marveling at the fact that he could do that now without having to worry about being hated, or hit. “Let's put some work in at the gun course first, okay? There's still your arena challenge to think of.”

Daxter pouted. “Aw, hell. I forgot about that.”

Jak smoothed Daxter's hair back. “As much as I want to spend all day in bed with you, we have to put in time on the gun course. We should ask Tess about how your gun is coming along.”

“She said it'll be done by tomorrow. So, oh well, can't do the gun course!”

Jak laughed again. “You can use my gun for some practice while we wait. Come on, Dax, you'll have to do it if you get turned back into a guy anyway.”

“Do I get rewards for doing well?”

“Sure, why not.” Jak had to smile at Daxter's grin, “And then, tonight, we'll do something nice if you get some good scores on the course.”

“Oh? Define nice.”

“I was thinking take out from that place we like and crashing at the Palace?”

“Which has big comfy beds. I see your thought process here, Jak, don't think I don't.”

Jak grinned and kissed Daxter again. “First let's find you some Green Eco huh? I feel bad about your neck.”

Daxter rolled her eyes. “You worry too much. It doesn't even hurt, and getting them was so much fun.”

Jak flushed, and jumped, startled, when Daxter grabbed his ass. “Hey!”

“This is going to be hilarious fun, Jak.”

Jak's ears drooped worriedly. “What do you mean?”

Daxter just grinned at him. “Come on, let's go. That faster we get this over with the faster we can get to the fun stuff.”

Jak watched Daxter walk out, his ears burning with his embarrassment. He wasn't sure what Daxter's idea of 'fun stuff' entailed, but he was more than happy to find out.

–

Once they had patched Daxter up, using some Green Eco patches to get rid of the dark bruising on Daxter's neck, Daxter and Jak had headed off to the gun course with Tess eying them suspiciously. Given a proper reward system, Daxter had taken to the gun course like a house on fire, and while Daxter wasn't exactly the crack shot that Jak was, she was no slouch either. For every ranking score she earned, Jak had kissed her, or she managed to wrangle the promise of more sandwiches out of Jak and even one back rub that she would collect on after the arena challenge was won.
Jak had sat, cringing, through excited squeals and hugging when they got back to the bar and Daxter told Tess that they had worked everything out and Jak was now Daxter's “sexy man-bitch”, whatever she had meant by that, and they were officially “an item” now.

Finally, eventually, they had made it back to the Palace. The guards were pointedly not looking at Daxter as she and Jak made their way to the room Jak usually stayed in while visiting Haven City, two bags of delicious South Kras style take out in their arms. Granted, cartons of sticky ribs and ducken along with some fried rice, long noodles, and bottles of fizzy pop weren't exactly the most romantic of dinners, but Daxter didn't seem to care and neither did Jak. It wasn't like they were going to get up to anything while they were eating besides watching whatever old style movie was on the telescreen that night. Jak found that he and Daxter preferred the monster movies, finding them utterly hysterical in comparison with their every day lives.

Daxter glanced at Jak as she picked up a piece of sticky ducken between the two sticks the people in South Kras used to eat with. “Hey Jak?”

“Hm?” Jak glanced at Daxter out of the corner of his eye as he slurped up a mouthful of noodles.

“...we are gonna have sex tonight, right?”

Jak nearly choked on his noodles, grabbing up his bottle of pop and taking a long swig before he could breath again. “What?”

Daxter poked around her carton of food. “It's just... you're not making a move. I mean, it already happened once, it shouldn't be a big deal, right?”

Jak blinked at her. “...It is a big deal for me, Dax. I just figured we'd eat first.”

Daxter smirked and nudged Jak's shoulder with her own. “Build up our energy, huh?”

Jak flushed and shoved another mouthful of noodles into his mouth. “Something like that,” he muttered around his mouthful.

Daxter laughed. “I was starting to get worried you weren't interested, and then Tess would've given me those condoms for nothing.”

Jak sputtered and choked again, coughing violently. “Damn it, Dax,don't say shit like that while I'm eating!”

“You are so easily flustered it's adorable!” Daxter grinned and took a bite of ducken. “You, the big bad hero of the world three times, and you can't even talk about sex without blushing. But don't worry, Jak, that will change.”

“If it gets you to stop making fun of me, I certainly hope so,” Jak muttered, taking another sip of pop.

“Aww, come on. You know I only do it because you're so pretty when you blush.” Daxter leaned up and kissed Jak's cheek, but he turned and caught her mouth in a soft kiss.

“Let's just finish eating and watching the movie, hm? Then we'll move on to other things.”

Daxter chuckled against Jak's mouth before pulling away. “As you wish.”

***

The movie ended and Jak gathered up the remains of their dinner while Daxter watched him from where she was sprawled out on the bed, her boots abandoned at the end of the bed. “That was a great movie, huh?”

Jak chuckled as he tossed the trash into the bin before sprawling out next to Daxter and kicking off his boots. “I liked it, even if there is no way just one Eco grenade would be enough to make an explosion that big.”

“Oh come on, Jak, it's a movie.”

Jak chuckled and rolled onto his side to face Daxter, reaching a hand out to tug her goggles off and set them aside. “It's rather boring compared to our every day lives, Dax.”

“I hear that, gorgeous.” Daxter smiled at him coyly. “Well, dinner and the movie are over, Jak.”

Jak rolled them over so that he was pinning Daxter to the bed. “So they are,” He murmured, smoothing a lock of hair out of Daxter's face.

“Well? Can we have sex now?”

Jak chuckled and dipped his head to kiss her softly, practically sighing into it with pleasure as Daxter wrapped her arms around him. “Dax...”

Daxter smiled up at him, fingers playing with the short hair at the nape of his neck. “You okay?”

“...we're really gonna do this. I'm not dreaming, or imagining this or anything like that, right?”

Daxter grinned and reached down to pinch Jak's rear, making him jerk in alarm. “There, proof that you're not dreaming.”

Jak growled playfully down at Daxter. “You're going to pay for that.”

“Oh I'm so scared,” Daxter whimpered, looking up at Jak with large eyes, though she couldn't hide the spark of mischief in them. “What are you going to do to me?” Jak bent his head to nuzzle at Daxter's jaw, and dragged his lips down her throat, feeling her breath catch under his mouth. “Don't leave my neck one giant bruise this time, okay?”

Jak chuckled against Daxter's throat and bit down on her pulse gently. “I'll do my best.” Jak pulled away with a little reluctance to look down at Daxter, before he sheepishly moved a hand to the buttons on her vest. “Um...”

Daxter rolled her eyes with a laugh. “It's okay, Jak. Do you want me to-?”

“I got it,” Jak slowly started undoing the buttons on Daxter's vest as she sat up on her elbows to watch him, and Jak prayed she didn't notice his hands shaking. He brushed the vest down off her shoulders once he finished unbuttoning it and sucked in a slow breath as he stared. Daxter's skin was smooth and pale, but what really caught his attention was her freckles. They were scattered across Daxter's shoulders and down her sides, but there was one lone freckle right next to her nipple on her right breast. Jak ran the pad of his thumb over the tiny dark spot and watched, fascinated, as Daxter's nipples drew up tight.

“Jak...” Daxter bit her lower lip as she watched him. “Stop staring and start touching already!”

Jak blinked and dragged his gaze up to Daxter's face. “Sorry?”

“That's it, roll over, I'm taking over.”

Jak laughed and moved easily when Daxter rolled them over and straddled Jak's hips. Daxter flung her vest off to the side and stripped out of her gloves and goggles, tossing those away too. “Whoa, Dax, slow down!” Jak brought his hands up to grip Daxter's hips as she started unstrapping Jak's Eco ring.

“I'm not going to slow down, I have been wanting to jump you since we were talking in the office!” Daxter poked him in the chest. “But you wanted to wait, so I waited, and now I'm done waiting!”

“You always did have patience problems,” Jak teased, sitting up so Daxter could pull off his Eco ring and harness and toss it aside.

“Shut up and take off your shirt,” Daxter grumbled, tugging Jak's goggles free from his hair and unwinding his scarf from around his neck. “I am in need, here.” Daxter rose up on her knees as Jak sat up and peeled out of his shirt. He tossed it to the side before he wrapped his arms around Daxter and held her close, dragging his tongue slowly over her nipple. Daxter whimpered, fisting her hands in Jak's hair as she squirmed in his grip. “Oh shit-Ah!”

Jak shivered, feeling his eyes roll back as Daxter tugged weakly at his hair. He moved to Daxter's other nipple and tugged on it gently with his teeth and making her cry out and tug harder on his hair. Jak pulled away with a final lick and tugged Daxter down into a hungry kiss. “ Mine.”

“Is that so?” Daxter murmured against Jak's mouth, her hands sliding own his chest to open his belt and pants. “I was just thinking I should get you a little collar that says 'Property of Daxter' on it.”

Jak sucked in a sharp breath as he felt Daxter's hand wrap around his cock. “Nn-!” His hips jerked up into her grip as he buried his face against her throat, breathing in her scent before he bit down.

Daxter cried out, her hand tightening on Jak's cock before she pulled away, panting. “Pants. Off.” Jak growled and hooked his fingers in Daxter's waistband, sliding them around to open her pants and
tug them and her shorts down in one swift motion. Daxter stepped out of her pants and bent to retrieve them. “Wait wait wait, before we forget again!”

Jak groaned, but slid out of his own pants and shorts and kicked them out of the way as Daxter dug around in her pockets. “What are we forgetting?”

“Condoms, stupid.” Daxter threw a bunch of them at Jak before dropping her pants. “As awesome as our kid would be, I have no desire to be a parent.”

Jak blinked, frowning. “We would be terrible parents, Dax.”

“But our kid would be awesome, Jak. And that awesome would destroy the world.”

“I worked hard to save said world, Dax.”

Daxter climbed back onto the bed with a grin and crawled into Jak's lap. “Which is why I got the condoms out that Tess gave me. Now lie back and let me work.”

Jak frowned up at Daxter as she fiddled with a foil packet. “Hey...”

“I had Tess show me how to put these on, hold still.” Daxter bit her lip as she focused on the task in front of her, though it made Jak blush a little to realize that task was his cock. Daxter carefully rolled the rubber disc down Jak's cock, and Jak frowned.

“....why is it bright pink?”

“Those were the ones she gave me, and said if we didn't like the color we should've bought our own. Trust me, you should see her vibrator.”

“I'd rather not,” Jak growled, and rocked his hips up. “I'd rather fuck you, Dax, if you don't mind?”

“Now who's the one rushing?” Daxter teased as she braced one hand on Jak's chest, as she used the other to guide him inside her. Daxter slid slowly down Jak's cock with a long, low moan, her eyes fluttering as her nails dug into Jak's skin.

Jak groaned, his hands clenching on Daxter's hips before he forced himself to let go and slid his hands up her body. “Dax...”

Daxter shivered around Jak, her nails digging harder into his skin. “Oh...oh hell...” Daxter slowly lifted herself up and slid back down again, repeating the motion while rolling her hips this way and that until she found a rhythm she liked. “Oh yeah, that's perfect...”

Jak moaned and rocked up into Daxter. Even through the rubber of the condom she felt amazing, tight and slick and hot and soft and everything he half-remembered from the night before but better because it was here and now. Jak slid his hands up along Daxter's ribs before sliding them across her skin to fondle her breasts, pinching and rolling her nipples between his forefingers and thumbs, drawing gasps and mewls from Daxter as she moved on top of him. “You're amazing Daxter.”

Daxter's cheeks were pink as she moved, her back arching as she pressed her breasts into his hands. “You're not so bad yourself... I was serious about that collar you know,” She moaned out. “Ah- Maybe black leather with spikes on it.”

Jak growled playfully up at her before he rolled them over, pinned her to the mattress and kissed her breathless. “So I'd be your pet, huh?”

Daxter grinned up at him. “I'd keep you on a leash, too. Make you walk around in your racing pants and your Eco ring and that's it-Ah!” Daxter gasped as Jak thrust into her hard. “Oh fuck, do that again!”

Jak did it again, rolling his hips as one hand slid under Daxter's knee. “I love you Dax,” He murmured softly as he thrust into her.

Daxter wrapped her arms and legs around Jak, pulling herself up to meet him in a hot, hungry kiss as they moved together. “Jak...”

Jak held her close to his body, pressing tender kisses to her skin where he could reach and stroking a hand down her side. He could feel himself getting closer, and he shrugged Daxter's legs over his shoulders and pressed deeper inside her. “You feel so good Dax...”

Daxter gasped, and mewled as the change in position, her nails digging into Jak's back as she dropped her head back. “Ah-!” She wormed a hand in between them, and rubbed vigorously at something, Jak braced himself on one hand and reached down to join Daxter's hand in rubbing at the tiny little nub that Daxter seemed so focused on. “Oh fuck, yes, Jak, just like that-!”

Jak continued to use his thumb to toy with the nub as he thrust inside Daxter. “Are you close, Dax?”

“Yes,” Daxter sobbed out, her hands reaching above her to press against the headboard as she arched. “Yes yes yes don't stop-!”

Jak groaned and bent down, biting hard at Daxter's shoulder as he came, and Daxter shrieked, tightening down around Jak as she came. Jak shuddered, his arm barely supporting him as he buried his face in Daxter's throat. “....wow,” he said quietly, after a long moment. “That was... yeah.”

“Much better than the romance novels described it,” Daxter murmured, reaching one hand up stroke through Jak's hair. “You're gonna need to clean your glove...”

“Eh?” Jak blinked. He had forgotten to take off his gloves and arm guards. “...oh. Whatever. Worth it.”

Daxter laughed and shifted her legs as Jak snuggled up against her. “Glad you think so too.”

Jak's whole body was practically humming with contentment and joy as he nuzzled Daxter's temple. “...uhg. I need to get this thing off.”

“The condom?”

“Yeah. It's starting to feel gross.”

Daxter chuckled and gave Jak a gentle shove. “Go on then, it's fine. But hurry back before I get cold. Besides, there are more condoms to work through.”

Jak got to his feet and padded toward the room's bathroom with a chuckle. “Yes Mistress.” Jak almost wanted to laugh for the sheer joy he was feeling inside. Who knew he could feel this happy?

***

When Jak awoke the next morning, he was wrapped around something warm and soft and Jak smiled. This time he remembered the events of the previous night, and why he and Daxter were naked in each other's arms. Jak buried his face in Daxter's hair and sighed softly his hands stroking Daxter's skin and making her roll in his arms and snuggle up close to him.

Daxter blinked awake and smiled. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Jak murmured and nuzzled her temple. “Sleep okay?”

“Yeah, actually.” Daxter grinned at him. “Amazing what a night of hot sex does as a sleep aide.”

Jak grinned back and held Daxter tighter. “Clearly it's something we should use more often.”

“Considering how badly you sleep some nights, I can get behind that idea.” Jak chuckled and rolled Daxter onto her back, kissing her. “So,” Daxter murmured, between kisses. “What's our plan for today?”

Jak nuzzled Daxter's jaw. “More work on the gun course.”

“Oh come on, Jak!”

“Daxter, your arena fight is in a few days.”

Daxter sighed. “Yeah, I know...”

“I'm not gonna be able to go in with you, Dax-”

“And you're worried, I get it.” Daxter kissed the tip of Jak's nose. “But I still get rewards for doing well, right?”

Jak rolled his eyes, but he grinned. “Of course.”

“Better stock up on more condoms.”

Jak kissed Daxter again. “Yeah.”

Daxter bit her lip. “...share a shower?”

Jak blinked down at Daxter and smiled. “Yeah.”

Daxter grinned.

--

Come the day of the Arena challenge, both Daxter and Jak were confident in Daxter's abilities (though Jak was still worried about the whole thing), and Tess had finished modifying a gun for Daxter to use (that Daxter had promptly named Ginger, after her favorite pin-up girl). Jak was sitting next to Sig in the dais, his fingers digging into the arms of his chair.

Sig patted Jak's shoulder. “Daxter's gonna be fine, Jak. You've got nothing to worry about.”

Jak nodded tightly, keeping his eyes glued to the arena below as the fight started.

--

Daxter took deep, steadying breaths, focusing on keeping his grip on Ginger steady. 'Alright Daxter, you can do this. You've seen Jak do it a million times and he even said you were a good shot. Now you just have to keep that in mind while other people are trying to kill you.' Daxter swallowed hard and gripped his gun tighter just as the start of the fight was announced and Marauders immediately started pouring into the Arena.

Daxter bolted for one of the large metal crates, remembering Jak's first arena fight - that the floor sank into the lava - leaving only the tops of the metal crates above the surface as safe zones. Several of the Marauders went after each other, the clash and sing of metal on metal was loud in Daxter's ears as their swords crashed together. However, some of the Marauders charged straight for Daxter's crate, their swords raised above their heads. Daxter brought up his gun and fired, catching one Marauder in the chest and sending him crashing down to the ground, taking a few others with him as he fell.

'That's it Daxter, just like in the gun course. You can do this... ' Daxter shifted his aim and fired off a few more shots, taking out more Marauders even as more jumped down to replace them.

The floor began its first descent into the lava and Daxter began to pick off the Marauders as they scrambled to safety. Three Marauders made a break for Daxter's crate, and Daxter took out two of them before the third started to scramble up next to him. He lashed out with his foot, kicking the Marauder viciously in the jaw and sending him sprawling backward just as the lava began to rise.

The Marauder screamed in pain as the lava engulfed him and Daxter turned his attention to the three other platforms. The Marauders on them were struggling, trying to push each other off and into the lava. Daxter lifted his gun and took aim, firing off several shots that completely cleared one of the platforms of Marauders.

The floor rose up again, and there were only a few Marauders left. Daxter lifted his gun to fire again when pain exploded in his shoulder, so fierce that it sent him staggering off the platform and crashing to the hard metal floor with a scream of agony.

One of the Marauders had thrown his sword at him and it was embedded in his shoulder. Daxter tugged it out with another cry of pain and tossed it aside. He lay on the ground, drawing in harsh sobbing gasps for air as tears ran down his cheeks. The pain was excruciating, and it was all he could do to just keep breathing and not pass out.

'Come on, Dax, keep it together. Jak is watching...' He could hear the three remaining Marauders making their way over to him between fighting with each other, and he forced his hand to grip his gun tightly. Just as they rounded the crate he was behind, Daxter shot two of them as he got to her feet with one hand clutching at his shoulder, blood gushing between his fingers.

“COME ON DAX!” Jak cried from the dais, over the roar of the crowd, “YOU CAN DO IT! TAKE HIM OUT!”

Daxter grinned and lifted his gun as the Marauder charged at him.

He fired.

--

Jak felt the Dark Eco welling up inside of him as he watched Daxter fall from the crate. He lunged forward, fully prepared to leap over the railing and into the Arena below when Sig's large hand on his chest stopped him. “Hang on, Chilipepper, the fight's nearly over.”

“Let go, Sig,” Jak growled. “Dax needs me.”

“Just watch,” Sig said again, keeping his hand on Jak's chest.

Jak watched, a helpless feeling in his chest, as Daxter lay panting and bleeding on the ground, the sword that she had pulled from her shoulder a few feet from her hand, glistening red with her blood. His heart was in his throat as Daxter fired, taking out two of the Marauders that were advancing on her as she staggered to her feet. 'She's gonna make it! Dax is gonna win!' He thought excitedly, pushing against Sig's hand to get a better view. “COME ON, DAX!” Jak cheered, his hands cupped over his mouth. “YOU CAN DO IT! TAKE HIM OUT!”

The final Marauder charged at Daxter and she fired, hitting the Marauder in the chest just as he was about to bring his large machete down on her head. The blade fell to the side as the Marauder slumped down to his knees and then over, leaving Daxter the last person standing in the Arena. She looked up at the Dais and caught Jak's gaze, giving him a huge, happy smile as the crowd roared.

Sig clapped Jak on the shoulder with a chuckle. “See? What did I tell you, Chilipepper?”

Jak only had eyes for Daxter as she rode up the elevator to the platform before the Dais, still holding onto her shoulder.

Daxter's breath was labored as she stood before Sig, her gun clutched weakly in her hand. “I made it,” she panted.

“That you did, Cherry. I'm proud of you. Here's your full battle amulet, and your own gate pass to the city, should you ever need it.”

Daxter gave Sig a weak smile. “Could you give those to Jak to hang onto? I think I'm gonna fall over now...”

Sig chuckled and handed the two items to Jak, who tucked them away in his pack before he vaulted over the railing to the Dais and scooped Daxter up into his arms. “Alright then, you two get on to the healing house. I still have a few more fights to oversee.”

“Later Sig,” Daxter called weakly before Jak took off with her out of the Arena and toward the healing house. “You're seriously gonna carry me the whole way?”

“Yes.” The smell of blood – Daxter's blood – was nearly enough to make him start to go Dark again.

“Jak, it's okay. I'm still here and they're not and I'm going to get patched up in the Healing House and everything will be fine.”

“How's your shoulder?”

“I kind of want to die,” Daxter replied, wincing. “But it's nothing a little Green Eco won't fix.”

Jak nodded and walked faster, trying his best not to jar Daxter's shoulder any more than he absolutely had to.

–

The combination of pain killers and the feeling of Green Eco sinking into his body and re-knitting bone and tissue was a blessing, and made Daxter sigh with relief. The wound would leave a slight scar, but Daxter didn't care. He was alive and mostly unharmed, and was now officially a full citizen of Spargus. Daxter sighed and shifted back against the pillows on the bed, pulled the sheet up higher as he watched Jak mend Daxter's now-clean vest. Jak had gotten pretty good at mending holes in shirts, after getting so many in his own clothes over the years. “Thanks for fixing my vest for me, Jak.”

“You're welcome,” Jak glanced at him with a tiny smile. “I need something to take my mind off the fight. When that sword hit you, I nearly went Dark. I should've been down there with you, Dax-”

“It's okay, Jak,” Daxter reached out and patted Jak's knee. “Now that we know I can do it on my own, I never have to do it on my own again.”

Jak took Daxter's hand and kissed the back of it. “Yeah. And when we get home, I'll give you that back rub I promised.”

“Jak? Daxter?” One of the healers padded over to them. “We just received a message for you from the King.”

Jak and Daxter blinked at each other. “What's the message?”

“He has received word from the Wasteland. The broken Precursor machine that transformed Daxter has been repaired.”