#mrcaulfield

millie’s long list of malex fics | In the Bleak Midwinter by aewriting / @aewriting

In the end, none of it had mattered.

Not the perimeter alarm Alex had so carefully installed around his property. Not the favors he’d called in from his decade of service. Not the hours he’d logged poring over Project Shepherd files.

No, they’d gotten him on a normal Wednesday, up in Albuquerque, right before Christmas..

When Alex and Michael are caught by Jesse and imprisoned together, they find themselves facing increasingly desperate circumstances. Will they be able to find a way out when it's clear that Jesse has no plans to let them out alive?

comment: any fic that involves the capture of one or both halves of your ship has the potential to be devastating and boy howdy does this fic deliver. probably don’t start this one if you’re looking for a feel-good fic, but if you’re in the mood to enjoy some angst, hate jesse manes, and get real sad about boys who will endure anything for one another, i can’t recommend this fic highly enough. the emotions in this author’s fics are always so raw, so near to the surface, and despite how much it hurt me, i would read it again a thousand times.

millie’s long list of malex fics | To Trust Love by Laughsalot3412

It had taken Alex Manes three days to decide to commit treason.

It had felt like an irrationally short time to turn his back on his career, but now, halfway through his Caulfield briefing packet, he was ashamed it had taken him that long. Because this place? This place was as much of a nightmare as they’d feared.

Alex might be missing a leg but his brain worked just fine, thanks. He knew human rights violations when he saw them, no matter how vaguely and officially described.

AU where Alex Manes goes on an undercover rescue mission in Caulfield Prison and forms a bond with one of the prisoners in the process.

comment: oof. so caulfield is a shit show and i’m in awe of anyone who tackles the subject in their fanfiction. which makes fics like this, ones that are actually set in caulfield, so impressive. in this universe, alex isn’t part of project shepherd until he, liz, and kyle discover its existence and decide that they need to break the three alien prisoners out. this author has so carefully balanced very risky themes, perhaps the most glaring of which is the guard/prisoner relationship between alex and michael. this is so far away from “sexy guard/prisoner times” and heads straight into "how many times can alex offer michael kindness and a little bit of control?” that i weep. each update has me vibrating with excitement, psyched to see where the author is going to take this. please, please, please check out the warnings before diving into this one. it’s careful and respectful but there are some real serious themes woven into the narrative.

millie’s long list of malex fics | Auriga by Enchantable

Alex grows up in the world of his father's secrets. He understands the importance of keeping them:

Aliens are real, it is their job to keep humanity safe from them.

He's in love with the most heavily guarded prisoner.

Canon-au. Alex grows up knowing about Cauldfield.

comment: this author writes fascinating, heartbreaking, aus about things i’d never even considered. this fic follows alex in a timeline where he grew up knowing about the alien prison, even visiting it as a kid, where he bonded with michael. then he grows up and works there under his father’s command. it’s just a brilliant and addictive read. please do yourself a favour and go check it out!

millie’s long list of malex fics | Jesse Manes Is a Humans Rights Violation by dancinbutterfly

Michael knows when Jesse Manes took him from the back of his truck and put him in this cell. It was the best and worst night of his life, after all. But he doesn't know how long he's been here. Without days or nights, there's no way to gage the passage of time with nothing but Manes' deliveries of food and interrogations to break up the monotony. But he knows it's been a long time. A really long time.

In 2008, Michael Guerin is taken hostage. In 2019, he's finally set free. Everything else is just details..

comment: this one’s exactly as written on the tin. it’s devastating to think of michael being locked up for a decade but the rescue that his discovery prompts is wonderful. there’s three parts to the series (so far?) one in michael’s pov, when he gets rescued, and then one in alex’s pov and kyle’s pov, respectively, based before michael’s discovery. it’s basically a cornucopia of feelings so check those warnings before you start and get a box of tissues in case. i just love all these variations and wild plots that this fandom comes up with, especially when authors take the canon and twist it to make me cry and then (eventually) smile. this author is a master at emotionally-packed paragraphs and this fic’s no exception to that rule. 

millie’s long list of malex fics | Unseen Flight by laniew1

Alex keeps all his secrets compartmentalized, in alphabetical order with notes on how likely they are to completely screw up his life’s trajectory; it’s how he stays sane.

Canon au, in which Alex has known about aliens for years and is working with Nasedo (who is allied with the Airforce), Also canon-divergent from 1x03.

comment: we are truly blessed for longfic in this fandom. i’ve been following this fic since the start and i was more and more delighted with each chapter. this author has taken nasedo (affectionately named nasy by alex and his team) and made him their own fantastic character. the relationship between alex and michael is wonderfully fleshed out, alex’s team are a brilliant collection of characters, AND the plot is interesting! there’s even a sequel now? honestly, i don’t know how we got so lucky.