Now I know I'm very late to the party, but I'd like to think of it as fashionably *cough*5 years*cough* late :) This has been a work in progress for awhile, but the Cairo Day Q&A about favorite fanworks inspired me to finally post this- Hope you're all excited for a list of fics everybody and their dog has already read and loved LOL
If you enjoy angsty stories featuring whump and hurt/comfort as much as I do, you're probably gonna love these too. (As a reminder, always double-check the tags before reading! Take care of yourselves💕)
Palmful of Sunlight and Promise by OrionLady
Mac knows he won’t make it out of this latest abduction alive. Not with experimental chemicals being pumped into him in horrific doses.
The hallucination wearing Jack’s face—who claims he never died—has other ideas about that.
(Touch separated by inches is the greatest torture of all.)
Starting this list off right with what quickly became one of my favorite fics of all time- across every fandom I've ever been a part of. The perfect balance of angst and comfort, this is a beautiful story with a lot of care and heart that brings Jack Dalton back, and for Mac, just in the nick of time. I think I've reread this one more times than I could count- it really is that good. If you decide to read it though, I'd definitely recommend having some tissues handy.
[add'l warnings: non-consensual drugging, suicidal thoughts and actions]
Hello To The Night by gaelicspirit
Around S4 episodes 9 and 10. Turns out emotional trauma + concussions + experimental drugs don’t mix quite as easily as one might think. Mac’s dark side does more than toss him a creepy grin from the other side of a window when getting “lost in his head” is taken up a notch. And the only thing that is going to save him is the team coming together as a family-the whole team.
It was quite hard to pick only a single fic to recommend from this brilliant author (their whole Ambassador series comes to mind, which is definitely worth a read) but this one has everything I wished would have happened after 4x10. If you're looking for heartbreaking moments of Mac nearing the end of his rope, the team realizing how they failed Mac during s4, and a surprise fix-it to tie it all together, this one's for you.
Mac + Desert + Jack by @impossiblepluto
Turns out, escaping from the fallout shelter was just the beginning. Now they have to survive the aftermath, dehydration and the desert.
Continuation from where episode 3x11 Mac + Fallout + Jack left off
Now I know we all already know how amazing ImpossiblePluto is, and I can't help but give this one in particular a spotlight. This is a fantastic follow-up to an episode I'm sure we all can agree ended way too quickly, and without much resolution. If that bothered you as much as it did me, this is genuinely a gift from the heavens; Mac has to grapple with the fact he shot his best friend, and after surviving the whole ordeal, the combination of exhaustion, sleep deprivation, and scorching desert heat makes those demons all too real. Time is running out for the both of them, but Jack is right there by Mac's side, even if his partner no longer knows it.
The Art of Showing Up (And Staying) by @lupinescribbler
“Hey! This is Jack the Dalton speaking. Probably couldn’t catch your call due to doing cool… bathroom tile salesman… stuff. Leave a message and I’ll hit you back up. Ciao!”
“I don’t know where I am right now.” Mac mumbled. He was aware he was slurring, slightly. He felt like he weighed a million pounds, or maybe like he’d been welded in place into his car. Immovable. Lethargic. His skin felt damp, he didn’t know if he was sweating or bleeding. He felt too cold to be sweating. “But I need help. Can you…”
Mac closed his eyes. Can you what? Find me? Not leave me? Just talk to me?
The voicemail beeped, marking an end to the message.
Mac redialed.
I've already recommended Reichenbach on here (and I still definitely do) but if you're not a fan of AUs, this one is well worth the read. Delicious whump, snapshots of Mac and Jack's time downrange, and insightful commentary on how their relationship has evolved over time, this one is very sweet! (and also features amazing art from both LupineScribbler and Lilituism! Ooooh you wanna check it out so bad. I know you do. And while you're at it, Lupine's got a bunch of other wonderful fics for you to read, too.)
[add'l warnings: car accidents]
Veisalgia by @lilituism
The Phoenix Foundation was invited to a charity gala and Matty sent Mac and Jack to attend. No one had invited Murdoc, but he showed up anyway.
I was originally going to recommend The Darkest Hour (and still do, if you're down for something a bit darker) but if you're not in the mood for something that heavy, then this one is a real treat. Featuring Murdoc and our boys at a gala, things take a turn for the worse when Mac is slipped a fast-acting poison. If reading about Mac being in pain gives you butterflies, you'll love this one (as well as all their other fics!)
Broken Trust by @bloodfromthethorn
Even now, hours later, he couldn’t shake the memory of Jack’s shoulder driving into his sternum, a too-tight grip on his bicep forcing him sideways as the man he trusted more than anyone else in the world physically moved through him rather than listen to what he had to say.
Tag to 2x02. Mac didn't walk away from his encounter with Jack as unscathed as he might wish to appear.
Another quite difficult one to pick, as every MacGyver fic from BloodFromTheThorn is excellent (go check out Part of the Job if you're in the mood for some whump with intriguing plotlines & scenarios) but Broken Trust is definitely one I go back to read often- I feel that this one is the aftermath of 2x02 that was so sorely needed. We all know Mac gets lost in his head, but what happens when his partner is the one causing his heartache? (This is also one I have personally needed tissues for on certain nights, just fyi)
Some Truths Are Hard To Define by @altschmerzes
There are a number of conflicting theories, among various and sundry members of the Dalton family tree, on how exactly the young blonde man they have concluded has to be Jack’s kid came to be. Seeing as he can’t have just sprung forth unto the earth fully formed, there has to be an explanation, and since nobody met him until he was out of high school, the explanation has to be something good.
(or, the one where jack finds out after five years of bringing mac to family reunions that his family thinks he has a son)
Incredibly heartwarming story about Mac being "mistaken" for Jack's son. Spot-on characterization, and adorable moments of Mac being the greatest cousin ever to the kiddos, nieces, and nephews of the Dalton family. Also, I think I'm just going to add a caveat to each of these that every story by these authors is worth checking out (you won't regret it, especially with Gav's fics, here!)
Gaslighting + Blame Game + Optical Illusions by @m0ns00n53
Tammy doesn’t understand why such a quiet, intelligent man keeps getting stood up on his Friday lunch dates. She’s understandably a little terse when his neglectful son finally shows up one day, after weeks of disappointment. Luckily, Jack is there to clear things up.
This was another hard one to pick (Sergeant + Specialist is a must-read in my book, but due to it's subject matter being on the heavier side, here's something a little different) I'm such a sucker for Jack being there for his boy, as well as any older person within a 50-mile radius falling for Mac's charm and wanting to adopt him as their own. A lovely little follow-up to 3x04 that's a whole hell of a lot better written than that episode was, I assure you. With fantastic characterization, attention to detail, and fun fleshing out of background characters, I hope you all like this one as much as I did!
Flour + SAK + Landline by Sapless_Tree
Whumptober No. 4 + ALT 1
Prompt: hostage + losing control
Somehow, things were blurry again, looping and swirling and doubling. Mac furrowed his eyebrows and blinked hard.
“Now, isn't that better, Angus?"
In the mood for some Mac torture at the hands of Murdoc? Me too. This one's a fantastic fic that kept me on the edge of my seat and holding my breath the whole time. Really delightful despite maybe because of? the subject matter, and adds a healthy does of Protective!Mac, as well as his fear of heights. I certainly enjoyed reading this, and I'm sure you will too. (P.S. check out Nightcall for some incredible sickfic whumperflies)
[add'l warnings: non-consensual drugging, torture with a swiss army knife]
Lost Cause + Voicemail by @ariwritessometimes
Jack is dead. Jack is dead, but Mac still calls his phone. Leaves an occasional message, as if it’s just any ordinary day and Jack just happened to leave his phone off.
When a field op turns fatal, Mac makes a phone call to Jack’s voicemail just to hear him one last time.
Little does he know, there's someone listening on the other end.
I adore this one (and not only because Jack lives and gets reunited with his kids) but also because I feel like it could be (and should have been, if you ask me) an episode in of itself. Each part of Ari's Phone Calls series is phenomenal, and if you want to read a devastating take on how Mac deals with Jack's absence, you'll love it.
Truth Serum + Failed Rescue + GSW by @rosieblogstuff
There had always been the possibility that Jack just wouldn’t get caught, or that he’d shoot his way out if he did. Otherwise they would have both gone in. Mac would have insisted on that, because he hates it, absolutely hates it, when the entire plan is for Jack to put himself between Mac and danger. That’s not how partnership should work.
Mac, with his blue eyes and blond hair, can’t really pass as a local, but Jack can pull it off just fine. The right jacket, some artfully placed smudges on his face, a cap from a very non-tourist part of the local market, combined with just the right swagger, and there’s a decent chance that nobody will give him a second glance. So maybe he can get in, grab the intel, and get back out without even being spotted.
But of course it couldn't just be that easy.
A twist on 1x12 Screwdriver's cold open, with Jack drugged up before being rescued by Mac. Both of the boys get whumped in this one, and struggle to make exfil. I love how Jack's uninhibited inner thoughts are written, and how much he worries about Mac. (A runner up in a similar vein would be Lake + Stick + Fever, another gem that deserves to be recognized)
A Legend In One's Own Time by @appalachianapologies
A look at 1x08 and the lasting effects that would end up shaping Mac's choices in 5x14. Mostly, Loretta being the best mom there is.
A wonderful (and heartbreaking) story detailing Mac's feelings after the events of Corkscrew, as well as Mac and Loretta Bozer's relationship. I consider everything in this fic to be canon, honestly- It's quite good. Also, if you were hoping that in 5x14 she would have talked to Mac as well after figuring out what Bozer does for a living, you'll love this as much as I did. (Side note, I HIGHLY recommend Vi's Schrödinger's Sandbox series. It's another one I love to revisit time and time again)
If you've got troubles, I've got 'em too by @nativestarwrites
The first manhunt Bozer ever helped with was when he was twelve and Mac had run away after getting into trouble for blowing up the chemistry lab. This is the story of how he was found.
A lovely little fic with a dash of fluff and angst about little Bozer being the best brother in the world to his troubled friend. Short and sweet, with nailed characterization. (Check out Nativestar's Sleepy Softness series for some more wonderful fluff)
Rogue + Family + Home by @erinsworld
She knows how bad it looks, but this is Mac... He needs help, not to be hunted and she isn't about to turn her back on him and risk losing him forever.
A wonderful missing scene that we all so desperately needed in late season 4, and I'd say this is the canon we deserved. Incredibly touching and beautifully written (much more in-character than the writers were at the time, I might add) it also features a lovely little moment that I've added to my own personal headcanons. (If you aren't looking for a fix-it for the mess of later seasons, This Ain't Cairo takes an already great episode, Chisel, and adds some very good whump)
Petrichor by @paperxcrowns
He’s sinking back in, the mud refusing to relinquish its hold on him. A shudder runs up Mac’s spine as he drags himself out of the mud. Slowly, painfully, clawing at the earth trying to find a hold to use to free himself. Small roots and grass are ripped loose in his destructive wake of panic.
Finally, finally, Mac’s legs pull free from the mud and scrambles back from the unmarked grave.
The unmarked grave that almost became his.
I know some of my friends/followers are big fans of the buried alive trope (as am I) and this one delivers it in a BIG way. Incredibly suspenseful and emotional, this is another fic I come back to read time and time again. If you enjoy seeing Mac suffer, you're gonna LOVE this one like I did. Enjoy your time in the cemetery, buddy :) (Additionally, each one of paperxcrown's MacGyver fics is definitely worth checking out)
This Trophy Isn't Real Love by MaritimeSailorsCatherdral
AU end of Season 2: They find Mac's dad, and it goes differently. Tentatively, hoping for the best, Mac agrees to work on repairing and building the relationship with his father that he always wanted.
Jack, though he doesn't trust James for a moment, keeps his reservations to himself. But as Mac grows distant and starts acting oddly, it becomes clear that it was more than overprotectiveness or insecurity that led to Jack's concerns. Something bad is happening to Mac, and Jack has a terrible feeling that whatever it is, James MacGyver is to blame.
The truth is nothing he'd seen coming.
Ever read something where it feels like a warm fuzzy blanket while simultaneously stabbing you in the gut? This one is like that for me. Tears were shed while reading this one, and the character dynamics here are very special to me. This fic does contain abuse, but also a fair amount of comfort in the aftermath. I'd truly call this one a work of art, and I hope you all appreciate it too. While the author hasn't posted any other stories to this account, this one deserves so much love and more.
[add'l warnings: physical and emotional abuse from a parent]
- - -
Now I know there are many more that are near and dear to my heart that I haven't even mentioned yet, but this post is already getting quite long, so consider this a part one haha. Happy Cairo week everyone, and thank you to all of these very talented people who have shared their works with us to read! Go give them some love <3
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
"Mac open your eyes."
When the latter refuses, now close to having a full-blown panic attack, react instinctively by taking one of his hands, making him feel his presence, trying to be still so much needed today, now, for the boy.
"I'm here Mac. We are at Phoenix Med, there is no Murdoc and you are fine. "
