You can tell that Reid in season 13, 14 and 15 is frozen in time. He's depressed, traumatized and so I find JJ telling Reid she loves him really manipulative and dangerous because the man is litteraly grasping at anything that makes him feel normal again and makes him feel like his old self. I'm glad he got therapy and moved on with Max. I know people don't like Max, but she seemed really good for him. Maybe if there was a season 16 he'd have gotten a haircut and shaved.
yeah I’m pretty solidly anti max but I get why people liked it. generally speaking the writing for interpersonal relationships really dropped off in later seasons and I hope the revival is dead dead <3
Three weeks. So far it’d been three weeks since Toby returned, unconscious, and he still hadn’t woken up.
He wasn’t dead, although for a few days the medical staff wasn’t sure he was alive either. His lungs were functioning, along with the rest of his organs, but there was no trace of a heart beat.
Then they detected one, although they reported it wasn’t normal. The beats were slow. Something about the sound of it wasn’t right. Cryptor could tell as much when he listened himself.
The X-rays didn’t ease his concerns either. Dark matter always showed up as a void, and this time was no different, except that void extended from Toby shoulder, down across part of his chest, all the way to his heart. While some of his heart was intact, the rest of it obviously wasn’t due to whatever stab wound he received. The head droid at least managed to spot his ribs under the dark matter, so those were intact, but by how much?
Cryptor wished he knew what happened. Why did things end up like they did? Why did the dark matter shove its way into the wound?
He couldn’t ask these things. Not while Toby was out. The doctors at least believed he’d come out of it eventually since he was breathing without a machine. They had to keep him on a drip to supply nutrients and water, however.
Cryptor had no choice but to return to work, though he visited the hospital as much as he could. Life in the city was mostly back to normal again, though there was a sort of somber air wherever he went. Everyone knew what state Toby was in, and Cryptor knew they were all worried.
But all they could do was keep going. It’s what Toby always insisted on, after all.
Cryptor sat in his office. He’d run out of work, but figured trying to clear his head was a better use of his time than pacing around the hospital again.
But just as he got his head to get away from the subject, a message line opened.
Feena, one of the head doctors, spoke. “Cryptor? Toby’s heart rate picked up. We think he might be coming to.”
Cryptor stood. “Are you sure?”
“No, not sure, it’s just a possibility. We assumed you’d like to know.”
“Yes.” Cryptor headed to the elevator. “I’m coming over there.”
He dropped the connection as he headed down to the basement floor. Some days he would just walk, but he was in too much of a rush now.
Eight minutes later, Cryptor walked through the front doors to the hospital. He didn’t even get past the lobby when he felt a tremor in the ground. Cryptor paused, checking to see if there was a warning about an incoming earthquake.
An alarm blared through the building. Cryptor ran toward the stairs as he re-opened his line with Feena.
“Feena? What’s going on?”
“He’s awake.”
Cryptor wanted to ask for clarification, but then the building shook. So bad that Cryptor almost lost his footing on the stairs. He gripped the handrail to keep himself steady as he kept moving.
Was Toby causing all of this?
His suspicions were confirmed when he reached the fourth floor. One glance down the hall and he could see papers, tools, trays, and all sorts rushing down the hall. The wall was cracking. From here Cryptor could feel the intense gravity that must be stemming from Toby’s room.
Cryptor kept moving, despite how unsteady the ground was. “Feena? Are there other patients on this floor?”
“There were a few, but we’ve gotten them out of reach.” She answered. “But I think it’s spreading. We have to calm him down.”
Cryptor prayed this wasn’t the dark matter’s doing, that it hadn’t corrupted his friend, but there was no way of knowing that right now.
He pressed on. A force tried to shove him back. He had to dodge a few flying objects and eventually a chunk of wall.
“Toby?” He called out as soon as he got to the door. He had to clutch the side of it and pulled himself forward. By now the gravity was so strong he could feel his plates straining to stay on his body.
Toby was on the bed still. Everything in his room was now either in the wall or out the window. His eyes were wide open, as well as his mouth, as if he was screaming, but Cryptor couldn’t hear anything.
“Toby?” He made a few steps into the room before the force suddenly increased. Cryptor found himself pinned against the wall. Pushing away didn’t do any good. “Toby?” He shouted, though it seemed like the gravity just swallowed the noise. “Toby you’re safe. I promise you’re safe.”
Cryptor demanded his arm move. The metal and wires groaned under the pressure. He tried to reach out, but honestly, what was he even reaching for? There was nothing to grab onto.
“Toby.” He kept saying his friend’s name. It was the only thing he could do right now. “It’s Cryptor. I’m right here. You’re safe. I promise.”
The gravity got worse. The pressure on Cryptor’s back was unbelievable. He glanced up and saw cracks spreading along the ceiling.
“Toby!”
There was a gasp, followed by a sharp, loud inhale, as if Toby’s lungs only just began to work. The gravity in the room dropped. Cryptor couldn’t get his footing quick enough and hit the floor along with anything else that had been pinned against the wall.
Warnings popped up in his vision about dented plating or damaged wires, but Cryptor ignored all of it as he pushes himself up. Toby rolled over in bed, coughing, still gasping for air.
“Toby.” Cryptor rushed to his side. While he knew it might not be wise to touch him, he still put both of his hands on Toby’s cheeks. “Toby, it’s alright. You’re safe.”
His friends eyes darted around the room before finally settling on Cryptor. He still couldn’t seem to catch his breath, however, most of it coming out in wheezes.
“Can you not breathe?” Cryptor asked. Maybe Feena needed to get him on a ventilator.
“I can...” Toby managed before gasping again. “I just...” He reached up and clung to Cryptor’s arm.
“You’re alright.” Cryptor gently tugged him up into a hug. “Work your way to slow, deep breaths.”
He didn’t say anything else as he waited for Toby to regain control of his lungs. Occasionally he would pet his hair, though not too much. With the amount of tangles it had now it’d only get snared in his joints.
But not long after Toby’s breathing leveled out, it hitched again. Cryptor glanced down when he heard a gentle sob.
Cryptor sat on the bed as he pulled back far enough to look Toby in the eye. “Something bad happened, didn’t it.” He wiped the tears away when Toby squeezed his eyes shut. “You don’t have to talk about it right now, but it’s over. You’re safe now.”
Toby shook his head. “I still hear it. I still hear it.” He put his hands over his ears and curled up. “He was in so much pain.”
Cryptor frowned. One of his hands trailed down to Toby’s chest. “Did he give you a choice?”
Toby’s only answer was another sob.
“We’ll talk about it later.” Cryptor said. “Do you think you’d be up for letting the doctor check on you?”
“Not yet.” Toby mumbled. “Not quite yet.”
Cryptor pulled him back into a hug, resting his chin on Toby’s head. “I’m glad you’re alive. I’m glad you’re here.”
He wasn’t sure how to feel when Toby didn’t agree with him.
Hi! I just like started season 4 of cm the other day and at this point everything important that happens in the later seasons are already spoiled for me (thanks tiktok) but I'm just confused as to why people hate Max? She seems pretty nice, i don't know why people hate her. Also with the hate train for like gideon, I mean the man is dramatic and he can sometimes lose his manners (hotch' words not mine) but i think he's okay. There are just certain characters in criminal minds that has a hate following for some reason. I am confusion.
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hi babe!
okay my dash is pretty well curated so I don’t see a lot of gideon hate? my guess would be people hate him for being kind of unhinged as a profiler? like he sometimes just like goes off on his own and doesn’t let the team in on what he’s thinking (not that they don’t all do that from time to time, but he’s def more of a rogue). the other thing I can think of is maybe bc he left reid but like... man’s was going through his own trauma and just really couldn’t handle it anymore and needed a fresh start and frankly I can feel and understand that big time
I’m not a fan of max and I’ve talked about it before. but it’s worth noting that the reasons I don’t like her (and most characters I don’t love) are literally just bad writing. but the general gist of why I’m not into it is:
1) she was framed as a “normal” love interest and that just feels kind of gross to me. also it was just so boring. and annoying bc there were plenty of other people that he could have been with who were more interesting and had a lot more chemistry with him imo (Ethan, Loker, Austin, Einstein, the sex worker in that one episode, etc)
2) she talked mad shit about being a teacher for no reason and that REALLY rubbed me the wrong way, particularly when she’s talking to a lover of knowledge and literal professor
3) I felt zero chemistry between the two of them 🤷🏻♀️
your opinions on max are perfectly written. couldn’t have said it better myself—if people ask why i have such a problem with max i will be directing them STRAIGHT to your post from just now! if you don’t want to be a teacher, you should be absolutely nowhere near being a teacher
lol thank u babe— I totally agree!!!! teaching is just as respectable a career as any other, and if you don’t want to be teaching, you shouldn’t be. kids deserve better than a teacher who doesn’t want to be there.
I want to stress this again— it’s all just bad writing lol
there was no reason to have Max be an anti-teacher teacher. especially when she’s talking to someone who is a literal lover of teaching and learning. she could have just as easily been a teacher who gushed about teaching and how much she loved it. I think that would have been arguably more endearing and believable for a reid love interest... I mean I’ve literally written around 100,000 words of him falling for a teacher 🤣🤣🤣🤣 they should have just called me
One of the biggest reasons why Max's character was so terrible is acting of the actress, no hate for her, but the way she played her was so basic and boring, I know the character's writing is not the best, but I think if she added a bit of flavor, maybe right now she would be a more loved character, and also she had no chemistry with Spencer / Matthew.
I hate to compare but the only reason why Cat Adams had such an impact on the show is because of Aubrey's performance, and her chemistry with Matthew.
Even if your performance is not the best, if you have chemistry, at least it will be entertaining to watch.
I don't like Maeve, at least she has chemistry with Spencer (you can see it in the last chapter).
DISCLAIMER: I realized that I used the maxcer tag to tag my negative opinions on Max on the previous two asks about this without realizing/remembering that tags are for more than just organizing my own blog and I’m so sorry that it mostly likely ended up in the tag 🥲 I feel like an asshole 💔
———
okay cold take but I actually love Rachael Leigh Cook I think she’s so cute n funny and I thought her portrayal of Max’s personality was actually kind of similar to Laney in She’s All That (like a little bit self-deprecating but also sort of like... idk I guess dismissive??? that’s not really the right word more like idgaf what u think of me) but yeah I think the character overall was kind of boring 💔
am I biased bc I want to sleep with Aubrey Plaza? probably. but yeah there was a lot of chemistry there, bc she has chemistry with a paper bag ♥️
(About max & Spencer) I never understood their relationship I always felt that Max was annoyed by Spencer...
yeah I feel like they definitely played it that way??? she clearly thought he was kind of wack at the beginning (look he looked VERY sketchy so that’s valid) and then she was annoyed by his job that one time they spoke on the phone like gorl what did u think was gonna happen u have been on two dates calm down
That post you just made about max makes me feel so validated cause it seems like a lot of people like her and I just can’t see her and Spencer working out in the long term. She always seemed like she was bored or just like setting when she was with him and my man Spence deserves more than that!!! So that’s a long way of saying that I REALLY DON’T LIKE Max
I think sometimes people think it’s like a “you just don’t want Reid to be with her bc ur jealous of a fictional character” which like yeah okay bestie u have a point but also NO
because I was really into:
Ethan x Spencer
Austin x Spencer
Loker x Spencer
Dr. Einstein x Spencer
like it really is just that Max is boring and terrible soz
Hey moose! How do you feel about Spencer and Max? Also how do you think they would get tease by the ten and Max’s sister?
I wrote about it in this cm ships ask but I’m not a fan. do not understand it at all. other than to give Spencer a Normal Love Interest™ (read: bland, boring), it doesn’t make sense to me.
there were SO MANY other, more interesting options throughout the series. also, I know it’s a fictional series but like... the dude she went on three dates with had to make out with a serial killer in order to save her kidnapped dad and sister and she was.... totally fine????? LMAO GOODBYE I’d be like “ur a nice guy but I’m not tryna have my family killed soz”
this is also just a personal thing, but I really bristled at the implication that being an art teacher is somehow a lesser career than a museum curator or whatever the fuck she wanted to do instead. she was like “ugh hand turkeys” and I legit went full hulk like “YES HAND TURKEYS 😡” 🤣 I’m so sensitive 💀
but like. don’t teach just because u can’t do what you actually want to do? because teaching is hard and kids can tell when u don’t like them/don’t like your job. teaching shouldn’t ever be ur “backup” job like fuck off and fuck that
so I don’t think about them being teased by anyone bc I try not to think about her at all 💀 sorry babe!
