Some must-read Murphy-McManus recs

[cmk418]

In 2006, I had binge-watched several seasons of OZ on Netflix and was lucking in the Oz forums on the now-defunct website Television Without Pity. I had zero knowledge of OTPs, fanon, or fanfic when one day in January someone posted a link to the Oz Magi stories for that year. Not knowing what I was about to get involved with, I decided to follow the link. I waded my way through dozens of B/K fics and artwork and then stumbled upon the appropriately titled Unexpected by rustler. I will admit to being a little skeptical about the Murphy/McManus pairing prior to reading it but once I had, I was hooked. So I ran through the previous year’s stories and found the delightful Just Didn’t Know It by lisacali. I was then spellbound and knew there had to be more with these two.

(Fun fact, if you google Murphy & McManus together, you’ll get an awful lot of “Boondock Saints” material.)

Of course, it was never as much as I would have liked, which is why I have written a ridiculous amount of fanfic on the two of them over the last decade.

The first story I wrote for these two (not a drabble) was called Revelations which had Tim showing up at Sean’s house on Valentine’s Day and discovering something (or rather someone) he didn’t expect.

At this point, there are 80(!) written works listed on the McManus Fic Link page (here) about the relationship between Tim McManus & Sean Murphy. Here are a few more pieces focusing on the pairing that are worth reading:


Take Two by Severina – A ficlet that shows the effect that Tim has always had on Sean. Set right before Sean gets to Oz (and Sean is a hockey fan in this one which always will earn points with me)

Excerpt: "Look, I know you've got it good there at Attica, I get that—"

And he does, Sean thinks. He's got the respect of the other CO's; he's got the warden's ear. He's captain of the softball team, and he likes the guys he works with well enough to spend his weekends with them, just hanging out at the lake or shooting pool down at Rosie's. He's got a good fucking pension and the cons don't give him any shit. He'd be a fool to give that up.


Theories of Relativity by marylex – A long (15K) time travel/magic realism fic where a 12 year old Sean appears at Tim’s bedside after Tim’s been stabbed by Omar. And then continues to show up when Tim is drunk, stoned, or sleeping. It shows quite a bit of their shared childhood and the hardships that Murphy had to go through as a boy.

Excerpt: He’s always seemed so sturdy, up to and including now, the grownup Murphy who Tim sees everyday, sturdy and solid and unchanging, but maybe Tim was just changing so fast that everything else seemed slow, because this kid - he’s so much smaller than Tim remembers.


Copy by Jess – A day-in-the-life fic featuring Murphy plagued with insomnia. The relationship Sean has with Tim is mentioned, but never shown.

Excerpt: Everything in Oz seemed like a strange play he'd been thrown into, not hard to imagine that's exactly what it was. A surreal play, strings being pulled by an unseen force (is that you god? He snorted. God wouldn't create something like Oz. Oz wasn't the work of anything divine, more a purgatory for prisoners and guards alike).


Sweet and Sour by November Tuesday – A PWP “first time” fic told from Murphy’s point of view that takes its title very much into account.

Excerpt: "Is this something you've thought about a lot?"

"No." Well, Tim wasn't giving him much to go on.

Long eons there, in the pause. Tim finally spoke. "Have you thought about me like that?"

Shit. Trick question. Yes. No. Maybe. Bastard. Self absorbed fucker, giving me nothing. Except that touch. Oh, rough wide fingertips.


Reasons for Leaving by trillingstar – Another follow-up to Tim getting stabbed by Omar. This is a Murphy-centric piece as Sean thinks about faith and family of choice.

Excerpt: While it's a surprise to learn that you're Tim McManus' medical emergency contact, it's not that big a surprise. By the time you give a statement, give up your bloodied uniform shirt as evidence, and stop shaking enough to drive, he's in the OR, and the nurses confine you to a nook filled with chairs that have scratchy cloth seats. There's a plastic fern crammed into the corner, barred in by an empty magazine rack. You run off last night's count's prisoner numbers to fill up your head until the doctor comes out with news.


Familiar by vanillalime – This fic showcases Murphy’s people skills as he deals with Beecher’s mother and daughter on an unsuccessful visiting day. It has a gentle sweetness that is rarely seen in Oz fanfiction. It also falls into a rare group of established relationship fics featuring Tim & Sean.

Excerpt: Holly slowly pushed a square envelope across the table toward him. The envelope had originally been white, but now much of it was covered with glitter glue, colorful doodles, stickers of flowers and books and cats, and a loopy handwriting indicating it was "For Daddy."

Sean felt his throat tighten, and he looked back at Holly’s face and into her sad, damp eyes. Holly covered her mouth again, and shakily said, "Yesterday was his birthday."


Ithakas (Sean Murphy, This Is Your Life) by natlet – What I consider the gold standard of the pairing, this is a look at Sean’s life as Tim appears and disappears in it through the years. It’s also one of the rare times that Sean appears married (to someone other than Tim) in fanfiction.

Excerpt: He swiped a hand across his forehead, blinked through soggy eyelashes. Joey was holding back a grin, Michael was trying not to look worried, and the kid - not a playground aide or a teacher or his little sister but just some kid who'd come through the bushes, about Sean's age, skinny and awkward and clueless - was looking right at Sean.

Their gazes met, held. He had the biggest, bluest eyes Sean had ever seen, and his first, instinctive thought was He's not from around here.”


So there you have it. I hope you will give some of these a read and that they will inspire you. And if you really like a story, please leave feedback for the author (so they'll write more of them)

Comments

[mazephoenix.livejournal.com]

Really nice list. Thanks for making it. Ahh..televison without pity-I miss it still.

[cmk418]

I know. It was such a great website. I found it through the also-great but also-now-defunct Fametracker.

I was actually surprised by the number of fics out there - had to count it a couple of times to make sure I got everything. And I probably am missing a few.

[trillingstar]

Great list, thank you for putting together your thoughts on everything.

(Also, thanks for the rec :))

I'm also doing recs and I was like, well it'll at least be recs from two perspectives, but! I have some on my list that aren't on yours, ooooh.

[drsquidlove.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I don't think I've read all these.

I'm always a bit torn on Tim/Sean. My love for Sean is pure. Tim... is a really fun character, but he tries my patience. He does seem to come across at his best when he's viewed through Sean's eyes. Of course.

S.

[cmk418]

Honestly, I really wanted to write something in January about what Oz Magi meant to me which is really what the first paragraph is all about.

(You're welcome! That fic was made for this fest)

I had a few more that I could have shared, but I was sticking to a one-per-author limit.

Can't wait to see your list.

[cmk418]

I'm a big sucker for getting together/friends-to-lovers type stories which is what the majority of these stories are.

Tim has a tendency to go between a guy whose intentions are pure as he tries to do the right thing and a petty little man. Sean knows that about him (and it probably tries his patience too, more often than not) but has enough loyalty to stick by Tim when he goes off the rails.

[vanillalime]

Oooh, thanks for this list! There is so much older Oz fic out there (of all types) that I've never read. I'm particularly intrigued by marylex's story since I love fic that explores their backstory from when they were young. And it's a long fic, too!

And thanks so much for the rec for Familiar! I've actually been playing around with the idea of writing sequel to that story for the Murphy fest, one that focuses on the relationship between Sean & Holly, but I don't have anything plotted out yet. We'll see.

[cmk418]

I'm glad you liked it and that there are stories on here that you haven't read. Both Theories of Relativity & natlet's Ithakas are great for backstory.

Familiar is nice because we get to see Sean at work being the calming presence that we all know and love. I like your idea for a sequel (maybe with a little green-eyed monster action from Toby if he sees Sean as a threat). Good luck with it.