Prompt from YesteryearsGirl. Jack seemed a bit hurt when MacGyver said that Bozer was his best friend, but we were never shown a reconciliation. She wanted a fix-it fic. I hope I provided that.
MacGyver found Jack sitting on a chair in an empty room of the Phoenix Foundation's main building. The man had drifted into an almost-doze, his breathing peaceful and regular. MacGyver hovered in the doorway, unsure of whether or not to disturb the older man. Just as he was about to turn and leave, Jack cracked an eyelid and said, "I thought I felt you lurking. Come on in, buddy."
MacGyver hesitantly made his way into the room and, being careful of jostling his hurt ribs, sat down in a seat where he could easily avoid Jack's steady gaze. The man was undeterred, however, and said, "Something bothering you?"
MacGyver hurried to shake his head. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Jack rolling his eyes in exasperation. "That wasn't exactly a question, buddy. I can tell something's bothering you. Now, are you gonna tell me what it is now, or are we gonna have to sit here for another thirty minutes before you decide to spit it out?"
The blond felt a reluctant smile pulling at his lips. He sat back in his chair, resting his ankle on top of his knee, and picked at a loose thread on his jeans. "Well, I was just thinking about what happened in the embassy."
Jack grinned. "You're gonna have to elaborate a bit more. A lot happened at the embassy."
MacGyver flushed, his gaze fixed resolutely to the ground. "I meant when I said that Bozer was my best friend."
Jack made a small o with his mouth as he realized what MacGyver was talking about. He began to reply but was cut off as MacGyver forced out the next few sentences. "Well, I just wanted to say that no, I don't consider you my best friend. At least, not in the same way that Bozer is. He's that guy that I've known forever, and get along great with, and yeah, we've fought, but we've always made up afterward. But you're not like that. You're the guy that's-"
The blond stopped for a moment, trying to articulate his thoughts. Jack wisely kept silent, knowing that it was better to let the blond think out his sentences before he tried to say them. Finally, the kid continued. "You're the guy that always looks out for me. The person that I'm always gonna come to if I have a problem. You're the guy that annoys me half the time, but not in an I-want-to-punch-you way, more of an I'm-so-exasperated-by-you-but-I-put-up-with-you way. You're the one person that I know I can always rely on. I guess what I'm trying to say is that. Well. I guess I think of you as an older brother."
Jack sat there for a moment, a little stunned. While he had come to consider MacGyver his younger brother, he hadn't realized that the other man felt the same bond of brotherhood. MacGyver, however, must've interpreted the older man's silence for disapproval, as he scrambled to get out his next few words. "I mean, if you don't feel the same way, it's completely understandable. I know-"
MacGyver was cut off as Jack drew him into a quick hug. "Shut up, kid. Of course I feel the same way. You're like my little brother. A really annoying, man-I-can't-stand-him little brother, but still. A little brother."
Jack drew back a bit and found his friend smiling up at him. "Feel better?"
MacGyver nodded and ducked his head, his smile still fixed firmly in place. Jack ruffled the younger man's hair, and they walked toward the room with rest of their team together.