We Belong

Title: We Belong (Jak and Daxter, Jak/Daxter, Free Space (Body Alteration))
Rating: PG
Summary: He always knew Jak would find a way to change him back...
Content notes: Yay fluff! (Also, the “humans” in the Jak and Daxter-verse have long ears *Shrugs* that's just how they roll.) Spoilers for the games if you haven't played them (except Lost Frontier), though the series has gone a bit AU from the games, if you couldn't guess. Part of the “Human Nature” series. See the time line here: http://archiveofourown.org/series/4308
Word Count: 1832 according to Open Office.

Written as a bonus on my kink_bingo card for the amnesty period. Dedicated to Sillyneko/Robin and Torsui.

-

'A sandstorm revealed a new Precursor outpost. I want you two to go check it out and let me know if it's worth sending a team in to see what they can make of it,' Sig had told them. Jak was always up for the potentially life threatening missions and, sometimes unfortunately, where Jak went, Daxter followed. Even when it was against his better judgment (Misty Island, anyone?).

So off they went out into the desert with the Marauders trying to kill them, and then into the old Precursor Outpost, with the weird pole jumps and the stupid exploding block puzzles and, oh yeah, the metal heads trying to kill them at every turn. But Jak was grinning with the thrill of it, and Daxter got a bit of shameless enjoyment out of getting to feel Jak up while they ran through the outpost.

“Really, Dax?” Jak had muttered, even as he shivered when Daxter deliberately stroked against his bare arm with his tail. “Here?”

Daxter smirked. “Nope, not here, but think of it as incentive to get us home in one piece, hm?”

Jak had chuckled and shook his head. “I always get us back in one piece.”

“Yeah, well, speed it up, hero boy.”

So they shot, clawed, jumped and climbed their way through the outpost; Jak doing most of the work and Daxter providing a never ending stream of pithy commentary that earned an actual laugh out of Jak, rather than just an amused look or an eyeroll. Screw whatever they found at the top, that alone made this whole effort worth it in Daxter's eyes.

Then they had gotten to the top.

The room was huge, walls lined with consoles and screens and a series of tubes leading into an odd three sided chamber that glimmered oddly even while everything else was dark. Daxter had hopped down from Jak's shoulder to look about when the floor split beneath them, and all the metal heads that they hadn't run into on the way up set on them at once, keeping Daxter and Jak separated as Daxter ran along the consoles, dodging gobs of spit and dark eco. Then Daxter made a leap for Jak, got hit by a gob of dark eco and skidded along to floor and into the chamber. Then all he knew was light and pain.

–

Daxter groaned,. “Oh man....everything hurts...”

“Daxter?!” There was a loud thud and a clatter.

Daxter blinked his eyes open, though he squinted at the bright light in the room. This looked like the healing house in Spargus. Weren't they just in the wasteland? “When did we get back to Spargus?” he wondered out loud, turning to look at Jak, who was righting up the chair that had fallen over. Most likely with him in it. He chuckled. “Graceful.”

“Daxter, you've been out cold for three days!” Jak snapped, sitting down in the chair and leaned forward to take Daxter's hand between his own. “I've been worried sick about you!”

Wait. Hand? Daxter stared at the pale, non-furry human hand in between Jak's two tanned ones. “...I'm....Jak, am I dreaming?”

“Whatever that machine did, Dax, it... it changed you back.” Jak smiled at him, eyes warm and fond. “You're really human again.”

Daxter glanced back up at Jak's face, before he slid his hand from Jak's and held both of them in front of his face. Pale, long fingered human hands, attached to pale, freckled human arms. He brought his hands up to his face. No fur there, and he had buck teeth. Had he always had buck teeth? “Did I always had buck teeth?”

A strange look crossed Jak’s face. “Yeah. You did. I always thought it was cute.”

Daxter blinked. “...Jak?”

“You have red-gold hair, and the cutest button nose with freckles scattered across it. You have blue eyes, surrounded by thick lashes...I always thought you had eyelashes like a girl.”

Daxter blinked at him again. “.... Really?”

Jak flushed and pulled away, starting to get to his feet. “I’ll see if I can find you a mirror-”

“Wait.” Daxter reached out and caught Jak by the wrist. “Jak, wait.”

“Yeah?”

Daxter reached up and curled his hand around the back of Jak’s neck and tugged him down. “C’mere gorgeous...” he murmured before kissing Jak clumsily, clicking their teeth together.

Jak buried his hands in Daxter’s hair and took control of the kiss with a groan, tongue licking into Daxter’s mouth and stroking Daxter’s own tongue. Daxter’s eyes fluttered closed and he stroked his fingers along Jak’s jaw. Jak was a really good kisser. Damn. Jak pulled away, breathing hard. “...wow.”

“I was gonna say the same thing,” Daxter murmured. “You haven’t been practicing with Keira on the side, have you?”

Jak blinked. “...why would I do that?”

Daxter shook his head, “Forget it. Kiss me again?”

Jak grinned before kissing Daxter again, though it was a much shorter kiss than last time. “I’m gonna go tell the healers you’re awake, and see about that mirror.”

Daxter watched Jak go, and let his breath out in a long hiss. Holy wow, that was... Damn. When Jak returned, he was followed by a healer with a craggy face. “Good morning, Daxter.”

“Yo.” Daxter grinned at the healer. “What’s the good word?”

The man rolled his eyes. “Nothing yet. Now that you’re awake I’m gonna give you a check up and run a few tests, make sure everything’s working the way it should.”

Daxter nodded, “Sounds like a plan...” He glanced at Jak, who just leaned against the wall with a faint smile and a nod.

“Let’s get started then.”

--

When they finally left the healing house, Daxter was dressed in one of Jak’s spare shirts that didn’t look like Jak butchered a yakow while wearing it (he was ridiculously pleased that the pants the Precursors had given to him had transformed with him). “Well that was exhausting,” Daxter muttered.

“But now we know that everything is in working order and whatever.” Jak grinned down at Daxter. “So what’s the first thing you wanna do as a fully recovered human?”

“Get laid.” Daxter grinned up at Jak. “We’re gonna need a bigger bed.”

Jak flushed even as he laughed, slinging an arm around Daxter’s shoulders. “I talked to Sig and he’s already moved our stuff into a bigger place.” Jak sobered at the mention of the King of Spargus.

“Jak?”

“Sig...he said he’ll give us some time, but...” Jak glanced at Daxter. “He said you need to take the citizenship test. Dax. I mean, he said only the once, because Precursors know that you’ve proved yourself twenty times over by now, but... He can’t just let you stay in Spargus based on my test, Dax. He said you needed to do it for yourself.”

Daxter slowed to a stop, looking down at his bare feet. The citizenship test. On his own. Without Jak. “....I guess I’m gonna need my own gun, huh?”

“You’re okay with this?”

“Well, he’s right. Everyone’s gotta prove themselves to be able to stay in Spargus, right?”

“But Dax-”

“And he’s not gonna throw me into the arena right away, right?”

“No, of course not, but-”

“And you’re gonna help me train up for it, right?” Daxter looked up at Jak (still shorter, damn it, but that didn’t surprise anyone).

Jak blinked, as thought the thought hadn’t even occurred to him before Daxter mentioned it. “Of course I am, Dax.”

“Then I’ve got nothing to worry about. Well, yet, anyway. Now come on, I wanna see this new place with the bigger bed.”

Jak stared at him for a long moment. “You’re really okay about this? You’re not gonna kick up a fuss?”

“I might later, but I’m fine right now.” Daxter grinned at him in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. “You’re the one who seems to be all freaked out about it.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not gonna be able to protect you.”

Daxter wrapped his arms around Jak and tucked his face into Jak’s shoulder. “What am I gonna do with you, hero boy?”

Jak wrapped his arms tightly around Daxter. “I don’t wanna lose you,” he whispered into Daxter’s hair. “We just got your body back, I can’t lose you now.”

“Hey, what the hell is with this 'lose' shit?” Daxter grumbled, pulling away to poke Jak between the eyes. “Where the hell do you think I'm gonna go, Jak?” When Jak didn't answer him, Daxter glanced around, noticing for the first time the people of Spargus giving them curious looks. His ears slatted back with an annoyed growl. “Let's get home then. But this conversation isn't over, buddy, not by a long shot.”

Jak started in the direction of their new home again, leaving Daxter to sigh and follow him briskly.

–

Their new digs were pretty nice, Daxter thought as he looked around. And their new bed was nice and big. Comfy too. Daxter pushed gently at Jak's chest. “Alright, sit down, you.”

Jak sat down on the bed, frowning up at Daxter. “Dax, there's really nothing to talk about-”

“Jak, you're freaking out.”

Jak's ears were starting to slat back. “I'm not freaking out! I'm just worried about you getting hurt!”

“You're freaking out about it, babe.”

Jak scowled and looked away. “I've always been there to protect you, Dax.” Except for the two years when he wasn't, but they don't talk about that time. “The idea of you being put in danger and I can't do anything about it-”

“Except that you are going to be doing something about it, Jak. You're gonna help me prepare, and since you're the baddest guy in this joint, I say my chances of kicking ass and coming out on top are pretty high.”

Jak looked back at him, but his ears didn't lift. “Dax...”

Daxter slid into Jak's lap and wrapped his arms around him. “I can't ride on your shoulder anymore, Jak, so I gotta be able to stand by your side,” he murmured against Jak's ear. “Sig was right, this is something I gotta do for myself. To prove to myself that I can do it.”

Jak's hands rested carefully on Daxter's back. “Of course you can do it, Dax. I know you can.”

Daxter tucked his face against Jak's throat and smiled. The sex could wait, this was more important. Jak was more important. Always had been, always would be. “Hey Jak?”

“...yeah, Dax?”

“Love you.”

The arms around Daxter tightened. “I love you too, Dax.”

Oh yeah. Everything was perfect.