Parted by Lisa H. (PG)

[rowanfairchild.livejournal.com]

Let's go twofer the O'Reily brothers!

Fandom: OZ
Pairing:  none. O'Reily brothers.
Author on LJ: lisaluvsblair
Author Website: n/a
Why this must be read:

Lisa writes about Ryan and Cyril O'Reily with a sensitivity and passion that comes through clearly in vivid backstory portraits like Parted and its companion piece (my next rec), Numb.

Parted gives us a zoomed in look at a pre-OZ Ryan in the hours and days following the incident that left Cyril brain damaged. Ryan's worry, and helpless rage, and intense guilt over his own actions that fateful day, do battle with his desire to keep his cool -- to remain tough and strong, for both Cyril and himself. A battle that would carry forward into the brothers' days together inside OZ:

"It should be me in that hospital bed, not Cyril. Not Cyril, who had plenty of smarts, but preferred to play the quiet man, letting me provide the brains while he provided the muscle. Not Cyril, who had proven time after time that he had my back, no matter how much in the wrong I might be. It was never a question of right or wrong for Cyril, only a matter of blood. And now it looked like maybe he had spilled his blood for me for the last time."

Read Parted