Getting Better by siggen1 (G or FRC)
Fandom: CRIMINAL MINDS
Pairing: Aaron Hotchner, Spencer Reid (gen, though there is mention of previous relationships)
Length: 700
Rating: G or FRC
Author on AO3: Author's Criminal Minds page
Why this must be read: The Maeve Donovan story arc from season 8 is contentious for Reid fans: some fans piled onto the angst and the tragic romance aspect with glee and others not so much. However you feel about it, it's canon now and fic cropped up almost immediately to 'deal' with it. This story isn't really about Reid and Maeve at all - it's about Reid's grief and it's also a bit of a 'fix-it' fic. The one person on the team who has the most obvious parallels with Reid's loss is Hotch and yet, the show has distanced these two characters from each other in the aftermath of Zugzwang. This is why I consider Getting Better a fix-it fic because siggen1 finally gets these guys in a room together to talk about their losses (sort of). The character voices are bang on and, though the story is ostensibly about Reid working through his problems, his insight into Hotch's hidden grief is the true gem of this piece. It's just a snippet, but the snapshot is strangely illuminating.
Getting Better by siggen1 on AO3
If you enjoy this story, let the author know! Love is the fuel of fan fiction...
Pairing: Aaron Hotchner, Spencer Reid (gen, though there is mention of previous relationships)
Length: 700
Rating: G or FRC
Author on AO3: Author's Criminal Minds page
Why this must be read: The Maeve Donovan story arc from season 8 is contentious for Reid fans: some fans piled onto the angst and the tragic romance aspect with glee and others not so much. However you feel about it, it's canon now and fic cropped up almost immediately to 'deal' with it. This story isn't really about Reid and Maeve at all - it's about Reid's grief and it's also a bit of a 'fix-it' fic. The one person on the team who has the most obvious parallels with Reid's loss is Hotch and yet, the show has distanced these two characters from each other in the aftermath of Zugzwang. This is why I consider Getting Better a fix-it fic because siggen1 finally gets these guys in a room together to talk about their losses (sort of). The character voices are bang on and, though the story is ostensibly about Reid working through his problems, his insight into Hotch's hidden grief is the true gem of this piece. It's just a snippet, but the snapshot is strangely illuminating.
Getting Better by siggen1 on AO3
If you enjoy this story, let the author know! Love is the fuel of fan fiction...