lillyjk posted a link to a new, multifandom comm, 
darkfanfic, which got me thinking of my favorite Lost dark!fics. I love snarky banter and happy endings as much as the next girl, but I also love a good fic that gives me chills and Lost is the perfect fandom for that.And since I haven't recced in a while, here goes. I'm reccing these by category, rather than by author, although you'll see many of the same authors pop up several times. A few of these are such influential fics, their repercussions are still being felt in fandom.
These are roughly in chronological order. They're slanted heavily towards Jack/Sawyer since that is my favorite Lost pairing. See fics for ratings, warnings and spoilers. Obviously, slash, bondage, death, insanity, and all other manner of dark things.
Apocalypse Now
Lost lends itself well to apocalyptic themes. Here are some of the best I've read:
Three by
daygloparker. When everyone else disappears, Jack and Kate struggle to remember themTwo to Go by
uberaeryn. Jack and Sawyer must face the end togetherDay 365 by
maybedarkpink. After a vicious battle with The Others, only Jack and Sun remainSurvivor by
eponine119. The first fic I ever read by her, and it's a doozy: by the time Kate is rescued, she's only one of two left on the island. Red Sky by
eponine119. The button doesn't get pushed: is it the end of the world?The Ruined City by
brapolitics. Is it a nightmare or is Sawyer back in the real world, one destroyed by a nuclear war?This Way Lies Madness
Everyone on Lost seems half-insane most of the time, and then there's the everpresent fear of that mysterious infection.
Paradise Lost by
xkatjafx More than a year after it was written, I think this is still the darkest Lost fic ever. Anything dark, disturbing and horrifying can be found here, and yet it's so beautifully written and so extreme, it just takes your breath away. Definitely not for the squeamish.Schism by
themoononastick. Madness and murder among the remaining castaways, with Locke's megalomania in full bloomExile - The Fallen by
hkath. Only one chapter of what promised to be an ongoing fic, but what's here is still worth reading: Sawyer thinks something is wrong with Sayid.Wild by
alliecat8. Sawyer shows every sign of being infected -- is killing him their only option? (Set after "One of Them.") Part 1 of 3 so far.Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down
Incest! Torture! And that's the *canon* side of Lost. I could easily do a separate Sawyer/Sayid, Jack/Sawyer kinky/dark!fic rec post, but here are a few that stood out to me:
In the Wild by
panthea. Someone is stalking Sawyer. Remarkable for having been written pre-Confidence Man.Taking a Shot by
jaye_voy. One of many "Sawyer gets revenge on Sayid" fics. Runs (or runs over, depending on your POV) that disturbing line between kink and complete crueltyTaming by
eponine119. Based on "The Taming of the Shrew." Jack decides he must tame Sawyer, at any cost. A must-read for any fan of Jack/Sawyer.In the Dark by
cmere. Desmond/Jack non-con. Very creepy.Fool's Gold by
philomel. The darkest take I've ever seen on the Boone/Shannon relationship, as they draw Sawyer into their games.Multitude of Sins:
Five Things That Never Happened to Charlie Pace by
themoononastick. How about prostitution, drug use, torture and character death, for starters? Gets darker as it goes alongFour Hours by
cmere. Shannon/Boone, after death. Incest and necrophilia, and yet still somehow tasteful and moving.Character Death/General Creepiness
The island in Lost is a terrifying place, where anything can and will happen. These are some of my favorite fics on that theme, including variations on "the island is alive."
Nocturna by
nekosmuse. Sayid is haunted by strange dreams, and thoughts of SawyerThe Unknown by
literarylemming. An unusual and very unsettling Charlie/Claire ficlet. Useless Beauty by
uberaeryn. Deeply disturbing dreams haunt Jack and Sawyer. Call It by
uberaeryn Another fic about the island trying to destroy Jack and Sawyer in their dreams.Hunting by
kho. A rare fic that demonstrates Walt's strange powers. Excellent Walt/Sawyer interaction.The Ways by
eponine119. Jack contemplates the ways different castaways would choose to die.Offstage Lines by
ficangel. Spooky (and eerily accurate) epic ensemble fic, set between Seasons 1 and 2, in which ghosts walk and talk and the stage is set for a brutal showdown.A Tale of Gray by
foxxcub. A beautiful variation on "Beauty and the Beast." Sawyer finds a mysterious protector on the hostile island. Post-Island Doom
Variations on the theme that even if the castaways manage to leave the island, the island will never leave them.
Writing Truth by
eponine119. Sawyer makes it back to the real world, alone but is haunted by memories of Jack. Maybe more angst than dark!fic but still wonderful.The Morning After by
eponine119. Sawyer comes back to Sydney -- 10 years in the future.Test Drive by
eponine119. Jack is a wreck of a man, until he runs into Sawyer again.The Disappeared by
uberaeryn Even though this is an unfinished WIP, what's there is so damn, shiver-inducingly good. Back in the real world, the remaining survivors are disappearing, one by one.Normal Again ( Part 1 | Part 2) by
uberaeryn. A Jack/Sawyer future fic with sci-fi overtones. Take the Money and Run by
uberaeryn - Jack is still reliving the events on the island that left him maimed (Jack/Sawyer, NC-17, unfinished WIP)Night on Earth by
hkath Jack and Sawyer meet up again on New Year's eve in Times Square, and realize fate is still playing games with them. Not dark so much as mindbendingly cool.This Act of Searching by
thedorkygirl. Barely alive and in constant pain after being rescued, Boone only wants to go back to the island. Interesting for being told from the POV of an original characterDon't see your favorite dark!fic here? Please rec it! ;D Thanks!
And SMOOCH to all these writers for the goosebumps and "OMGZ!" And for making my brain hurt, just a little.
