Disclaimer: MacGyver is not mine. I'm just borrowing the concepts and characters for a little while.
Spoilers: Takes place after episode 2.21 Wind + Water.
A/N: My first MacGyver fic. I hope you enjoy it.
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"Good food is all the sweeter when shared with good friends." ~~~ Anonymous.
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It wasn't until after Puerto Rico, and after Mac and Jack's potential co-dependency issues were revealed, that Riley and Bozer began noticing more examples of it, or what they thought might be more examples. From a certain point of view, the behaviors could just be an indicator of just how well the two guys knew each other. Others might think what they do as either creepy or endearing – or both. Still others would consider it evidence that Mac and Jack were more than just the friends, the family, that they are. The two men thought nothing of what they did, considering it a way to make each other's meals better than before they had traded anything.
It wasn't often that they went out to eat at a regular sit-down restaurant, and it wasn't because of potential security issues – well, it mostly wasn't about that. Most of the time, they were simply content to gather together and relax at Mac's house, enjoying either takeout or Bozer's excellent cooking. Jack and Mac could be perfectly happy with their home-cooked meal since they were able to choose how much of each dish they took. Trading bits of their meals was not necessary in that situation.
Because it was so soon after Bozer and Riley had staged a mini intervention regarding Mac and Jack's possible co-dependency issues, the two were primed to consider the food trading antics as possibly something more than just another quirk of their friendship.
Riley and Bozer couldn't help openly watching in fascination as the two men performed their usual food trading routine, which began the moment their meals were set down upon the table. At this point, after more than seven years as friends, their routine appeared to be a well-rehearsed and perfectly-executed dance, choreographed down to the last move. It was a dance that was performed seemingly without any conscious awareness that they were doing it. They just did it automatically without much more than an exchange of facial expressions and hand gestures. Non-verbal communication at its best – or most uncanny.
Jack lifted the hoagie bun up from half of his sandwich, and picked off the one and three-quarter slices of fresh tomato, depositing them on the edge of his plate. Seconds later, Mac used his fork to steal the slices and put them on his plate. Jack looked up at the action and glared slightly at Mac for his lack of patience. Mac simply smirked and shrugged slightly, causing Jack's expression to shift to one of fond exasperation. Jack then repeats the action with the other half of his sandwich, this time depositing the one and one-quarter slices directly onto Mac's plate.
Without pause, Mac opens up one half of his sandwich and scrapes the majority of the mushrooms directly onto Jack's plate, doing the same with the other half of the sandwich. Mac then uses his fork to place what used to be Jack's tomato slices onto each part of his sandwich before repositioning the few remaining slices of mushroom. Meanwhile, Jack briefly looks as if his entire day has been made by the recent addition of the mushrooms to his plate, immediately picking one up and popping it into his mouth before adding the rest to his sandwich.
At this particular restaurant, a pickle comes with every sandwich. Bozer knows Mac really likes pickles, but he is surprised to see his best friend giving his pickle to Jack. In trade, Jack promptly grabs a few of the steak fries from his plate and drops them onto Mac's plate, right next to the side salad Mac had ordered to go with his sandwich. Mac smiles and eats a fry as he reaches for the ketchup, setting it by Jack.
The dance now seemingly done, Jack and Mac bite into their sandwiches at almost the same time. Riley and Bozer look at each other, realizing just how many times they had seen this behavior before and had thought it endearing. Now they are wondering how they hadn't ever noticed it could be considered another sign they were co-dependent.
When they look back at Mac and Jack, the two men turn towards them. In concert, they ask, "What?"
This wasn't the first time they'd heard the two best friends speaking in sync, but it startled them nonetheless. Bozer and Riley both mentally filed that realization away as another example of Mac and Jack's co-dependency.
"Nothing," Bozer said, at the same time Riley said, "How's your sandwich?"
Jack and Mac shared a look and grinned, each of them taking a bite of their sandwiches instead of answering Riley's question. It was obvious that they knew what Riley and Bozer had been thinking the whole time, and didn't care if it seemed co-dependent.
They simply chose to believe that it was how family acted around each other.
Besides, it wasn't co-dependent to know someone's food preferences down to the last French fry, was it?
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The end.
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A/N: Many thanks to Celticgal1041 for proofing! Remaining mistakes are my fault.
Thanks for reading!