Jak X: Good Luck

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.

Forcing himself to take a series of deep breaths Jak narrowed his concentration on winning; he knew if he didn't they would all die. No words left his lips, not that he talked much to begin with. Even Daxter was silent, aside for an occasional comment or two; the ottsel had been hit the hardest from the poison, his smaller body had been a much more vulnerable to the lethal substance than Jak's or the others.

That was why Jak had to win. If he didn't they would never get the antidote and they would have no chance in surviving. Their lives were like an hourglass, and each second the sand got closer and closer to running out.

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.

Jak wasn't going to let that sand run out.

Daxter gently nudged the side of his head, nodding towards a certain aqua haired mechanic on the other side of the garage. "Well?" the ottsel muttered quietly. "This could be the last chance you'll ever have to talk to her." His dark eyes stared at Jak, trying to get him to understand how serious the situation was.

A slow blush was creeping up along his cheeks, not that Jak would ever admit it. "Don't talk like that Dax, we're gonna be fine." Words spoken more or less to shut Daxter up than to reassure.

"Jaaaaak," Daxter whined, getting aggravated. "Mar dammit, now is not the time to be all prude an' stuff."

"Prude?" Jak glared at the ottsel. "I'm not being prude. How is that prude?" Daxter huffed a breath in response.

"I don't know! Just go talk to Keira, before I smash yer head in with a wrench!" He exclaimed, tiny paws thrown up in the air to somehow help prove his point.

"Daxter, shut up!"

"Make me!"

Unbeknownst to them, the object of their conversation had begun walking towards them with determined steps. First to notice was Jak, who immediately shut his mouth, blue eyes widening. Curious as to the sudden muteness from his friend Daxter turned to see the girl approaching as well, a tired smile gracing her small features.

Nudging the side of Jak's head again- much to Jak's irritation -the ottsel grinned. "Go get her tiger!" he whispered out of Keira's earshot, before jumping down off of the shoulder plate he resided over and left with a loud excuse of "Gonna go check out some babes before the big race, 'cause it might be the last chance I get."

'Last chance I get', emphasized, much to his taller companion's embarrassment and dismay. Orange nuisance gone, Jak turned to face Keira, praying desperately to the Precursors not to screw this up.

"Er, hi Keira." Hand perched nervously on the back of his neck, he smiled sheepishly. Suddenly he felt nauseous; whether from Keira or the poison he really wasn't sure.

"Hey," she replied, running her hands absentmindedly through her hair. Her green eyes appeared dull as she, like Jak and the others, began to feel the poison slowly take over.

Jak quickly thought of something to talk about to cut through the awkward silence that hung like a curtain around them. "So, uh, ready to race?" For the love of Mar, he had no idea what he was doing.

"Yeah," Keira answered, pulling a strained smile. "Kinda why I wanted to talk to you." Her eyes, as tired they were, took on a mischievous glint.

Jak's eyes quickly widened as she brought herself closer to him, close enough that he could smell her (oil, green eco and those tiny blue flowers from Sandover he noted) and gently pressed her soft lips against his. Too stunned to speak, to even move Jak just kissed her back.

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.

She broke off, too soon in Jak's opinion. She watched him with wary eyes, gauging his every reaction. His lips silently moved for a few heartbeats as he struggled to find the right words.

"What the... What was that for?" Mar damn the fact that he was beginning to blush furiously; if Keira didn't notice he would be the luckiest man alive. And since he was poisoned and pretty much already dead well... He wasn't very lucky was he?

She smiled, genuine this time. "It was for good luck." Reaching up to straighten his goggles Keira giggled. "If you win the antidote we'll talk later, kay?"

Jak nodded numbly and watched as she left the garage just as Daxter entered, rubbing his forehead tiny forehead with a furious look on his face.

" - I mean throwing your shoe is totally not needed, you coulda just said no," he muttered angrily. To whom it would forever remain a mystery. But upon seeing Jak's expression he stopped and eyed him warily. "Whoa. What happened to you, Big Guy?" A knowing look was slowly spreading across his furry mug.

"Nothing," Jak managed. "Keira just wanted to talk to me about something." Suspicion somewhat confirmed Daxter climbed up to Jak's shoulder for what possibly could be the last time. Ever.

"Whatever you say Blondie." Jak started to protest before Daxter continued. "Now c'mon. If we die 'cause you didn't win this freaking race I'm gonna kill you."

Jak just rolled his eyes as the ottsel continued to rant. But he couldn't help but think of how good Keira had tasted.

Precursors, if the poison wasn't going to kill him she was.