riddles-n-games

[riddles-n-games]

Tagline for Glorious Rivals: Love will fall.

More like: Bombastic side eye. Criminal offensive side eye.

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Thanks girl!

GR Rant:

I am so done with Gray and Jamie constantly being in fights. JLB, you already had this plot line in the previous series. Make like Elsa and let it go. You literally wrote a short story about it. Maybe it's time you take your own advice.

Also, I don't understand why these brothers continue to be dumbasses and keep secrets that always affect who they love at large which end up evolving into bigger problems when they don't. It's literally happened time and time again which just shows they never learn. This is a big problem on JLB's part as an author because if she is constantly regressing these characters, it makes you wonder why the current series exists.

And be honest with yourselves, there are so many repeated plot lines that I already saw coming back from a mile away from the start. There is literally NOTHING NEW to read here. The only mildly worthy plot line is the one with the truth behind Sheffield Grayson's death being kept from Savannah and Eve's involvement in their lives being a big threat again. If nothing new can be written here without constantly calling back the old stuff and even going so far as to repeating plot points with the SAME characters, you don't have a new story to tell. There is no reason for The Grandest Game to exist as a continuation and for those who continue to defend it, you're lying to yourself. Period.

Maybe the series could have been continued but having had a good few years gap between the publication of The Final Gambit and The Brothers Hawthorne. Right now, this version that exists is so forced and acting the major cash cow because the og series continues to be hyped. I want new content, believe me, but I can't justify it if the new content I am being given is the same stuff I previously read but repackaged with a new cover and a pretty bow.

Except, the blame can't just be placed on JLB. This is unfortunately part of a bigger problem in entertainment media right now. Be that movies, tv shows, books, whatever, if the original is successful, that is seen as justification for a sequel. But what happens when you are excited and go to pick up that media which you loved up until that point, hoping to see something new and interesting but instead you're given the same thing repackaged? And then it goes on and on, with another installment, and maybe we go at it again because we still desperately hope that it will do justice but no. Again and again we get disappointed because originality and creativity are frowned upon now and because repeating a good story is apparently going to work every time. Well we need to put our foot down and say enough is enough. When that happens, a mountain will move and the sea will divide its waves. But until then we will be stuck in a loop and unless we're willing to break out of the cycle, we're going to continue spiraling.

Thanks for reading.

[riddles-n-games]

GR Rant:

I am so done with Gray and Jamie constantly being in fights. JLB, you already had this plot line in the previous series. Make like Elsa and let it go. You literally wrote a short story about it. Maybe it's time you take your own advice.

Also, I don't understand why these brothers continue to be dumbasses and keep secrets that always affect who they love at large which end up evolving into bigger problems when they don't. It's literally happened time and time again which just shows they never learn. This is a big problem on JLB's part as an author because if she is constantly regressing these characters, it makes you wonder why the current series exists.

And be honest with yourselves, there are so many repeated plot lines that I already saw coming back from a mile away from the start. There is literally NOTHING NEW to read here. The only mildly worthy plot line is the one with the truth behind Sheffield Grayson's death being kept from Savannah and Eve's involvement in their lives being a big threat again. If nothing new can be written here without constantly calling back the old stuff and even going so far as to repeating plot points with the SAME characters, you don't have a new story to tell. There is no reason for The Grandest Game to exist as a continuation and for those who continue to defend it, you're lying to yourself. Period.

Maybe the series could have been continued but having had a good few years gap between the publication of The Final Gambit and The Brothers Hawthorne. Right now, this version that exists is so forced and acting the major cash cow because the og series continues to be hyped. I want new content, believe me, but I can't justify it if the new content I am being given is the same stuff I previously read but repackaged with a new cover and a pretty bow.

Except, the blame can't just be placed on JLB. This is unfortunately part of a bigger problem in entertainment media right now. Be that movies, tv shows, books, whatever, if the original is successful, that is seen as justification for a sequel. But what happens when you are excited and go to pick up that media which you loved up until that point, hoping to see something new and interesting but instead you're given the same thing repackaged? And then it goes on and on, with another installment, and maybe we go at it again because we still desperately hope that it will do justice but no. Again and again we get disappointed because originality and creativity are frowned upon now and because repeating a good story is apparently going to work every time. Well we need to put our foot down and say enough is enough. When that happens, a mountain will move and the sea will divide its waves. But until then we will be stuck in a loop and unless we're willing to break out of the cycle, we're going to continue spiraling.

Thanks for reading.

[riddles-n-games]

TIG AU One Shots: Gymnastics Pt. 1

Pairing: Avery and Jameson Summary: A gymnast's mantra is to never touch the floor when they are on bar for any reason other than when they are finished their routine. Falling is not an option, that's why there is someone to catch them when trying a new move. Will Avery let her new partner do the same? Length: Moderate Story Type: One Shot

A/N: It's someone's 22nd birthday per our timeline today and it's also his champagne bday per that logic too. Happy birthday to our one and only ticking time bomb, Jameson WINchester Hawthorne.

“You know you could just ask me to spot you?

“You know you could just leave me alone."

He grinned. "Ahh, but then who would catch you when you fall?"

"Your brother, my assigned partner." She didn't wait for his next retort and did a warmup flip.

One.

Two.

Three.

When she got to five, she stopped and jumped off to get more chalk. However, much to her chagrin, Jameson was still there. He walked up and leaned against the wall in front of her. She did her best to keep her eyes focused on her task as she smoothed the chalk onto her palms.

"Well, actually, Coach has reassigned Xander with someone else. To Max.” Her head snapped up at that. His smile widened; he loved catching her off guard. She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.

"Pretty sure he would tell me immediately if that happened. And if that's the case, why hasn't Coach come to tell the rest of us?"

He put his hands up in defeat. "Hey, you can go ask Al if you don't believe me. And Coach is sick today, I just happened to see her this morning when she was in her office. I was taking a drink when she saw me and called me over to talk about the change."

She raised a brow skeptically but eventually gave a slow nod. “Ok. Well, thanks for letting me know. I’ll call you when I need to-" A hard smack against the vault table and the giggles that followed broke her off. Jameson looked up and Avery turned, following his gaze to find the culprits haphazardly entangled; Xander and Max. She blinked. There they were, not even a full five minutes after the switch was revealed, conveniently together. Traitors.

Her best friend was sprawled all over her former partner, Xander's arms wrapped around her back and they were still laughing. It seemed that Max was the one who'd been vaulting but made an error and landed on him as he tried to valiantly save her from the failed attempt. Yep, that was very characteristic of her BHFF, sacrificing himself for the greater good, when it benefited him, that was.

But that's not what was getting to her. Max’s too wide grin, Xander’s dreamy look, his hands lingering at the small of her back, the way she wasn’t scrambling to get off him… How had she missed this? She knew they were good friends, they all were, but they hadn't seemed close in that way before.

She glanced back at Jameson to see what he was making of the situation and found him smirking amusedly as he watched the pair. He must have felt her eyes on him because his gaze locked onto hers and he raised a brow in question. Avery tilted her head in their direction and he only shrugged, his smirk turning into that crooked smile when he was being genuine. It was cute-No, don't go there.

At the moment, she had to be the bigger person and get to the bottom of her friends' deception so she started striding over to the vault mat.

"Xander!"

"Go easy on him, Avery!"

She stopped in her tracks and twirled around, pointing an accusing finger at Jameson. “You knew about this, too? How long?” Her answer was nothing more than laughter from the definitively guilty party and a mischievous wink. A while then. She rolled her eyes. "Don't think I'm letting this go, Hawthorne. I'm coming after you later."

"Wouldn't dream of it," he called after her as she resumed walking over to Xander and Max. It was time to get answers.

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Xander and Max. Max and Xander. Alexander and Maxine. Maxine and Xander. Maxine and Alexand-Ok, that’s enough. She was getting overwhelmed. No, she was definitely already overwhelmed.

She was happy for her best friend, there was no doubt in her mind about that. Xander was a great guy and Avery would be the first to advocate for him; after all, he helped her through some of her darkest times. Max and him got along very well and when they teamed up on game nights, they were top tier menaces. The chemistry was there from the start.

So how did she not notice what was going on right under her nose? If there was anything that Avery prided herself with, it was being observant yet here she was. 4 months, that’s how long they’ve been together without her realizing.

She thought herself a fairly attentive friend; after harder trainings, they'd go out to the local cafe, post work shifts, she'd offer her to stay for milkshakes, on shorter lesson days, she'd suggest the library or the mall so they could be together while they did schoolwork. And then there was the obligatory, at least once per month, reserved "catch up" day on a weekend where they would spend the entire day together to rant about anything and everything in their personal lives.

But truth be told, that hadn't been the case in the last while. She'd been busier lately, advancing a level opened up a whole new set of competitions and that meant dealing with new competitors, learning new tricks, practicing new routines, longer trainings, twisted ankle, new job, sleepless nights, the list went on. For six months, her life had barely been hers. Their last catch up day had been two months ago after a successful comp which even then had been hard to schedule because of the crazy prep training. It hadn't been for lack of trying on either of their ends, but it was clear; their lives were shifting dramatically and things were amping up for both of them which is exactly what gave Xander an opening.

While Max and her still spent a lot of time together during training, the schedule demanded certain things from them which took away the uniformity they had. However, Xander's was untouched and when Max had her breaks, she was still training which gave him the perfect opportunity for them to bond. Her change in job also inhibited on some of their former free time but Max had finally started an internship which somehow brought her closer to Xander since he also interned there. And now, most recently, the partner change.

Jameson Winchester Hawthorne. Jameson. Jamie. Her new partner. She tested it out in her mind. Avery and Jameson. Jameson and Avery. It had a nice flow in theory but would it work in reality?

Jamie was certainly a character; he was Xander's older brother, Max's former spotting partner, rings and parallel bars extraordinaire, his skills on vault took him to new heights every time, and he had a knack for solving riddles. He was also very flirty and a charmer which of course made him a hit with the ladies. Coach chewed him out for that often. He couldn't help it, he was a looker as his Nan would say and he was handsome, Avery couldn't deny that.

They were good friends with a funny dynamic where he would tease her and she'd pretend to be annoyed at him. But when they paired up during escape rooms or mystery games, they were unstoppable which proved that he was formidable as a teammate. And Avery was somewhat grateful for it. However, he also had a terrible habit of being flirtatious with her. One of his favorite games was "Ask and Reject"; he'd ask her on a date and she would deflect, then he'd make a joke at how she wounds him so and she'd roll her eyes. That was the script every time without fail.

While it was all in good fun, she had to believe that part of it was done intentionally. He liked her, she was sure of it, why else would he keep pursuing only her? Jameson was cute, she'd admit silently, he was good-natured as much as he tried acting a player and she certainly didn't mind when he was shirtless on the rings.

So there was an attraction there and she did like him but dating was a hassle. She was busy and a boyfriend would just be a distraction; why bother? It was better like this, that way no one got hurt and she could let herself get a taste of what it's like being wanted, just a tiny bit to keep on dreaming what could be. It was necessary torture even if the romantic inside her died a little each time.

Having finished her 10 minute break, she stopped fiddling with her hair and took a swig from her water bottle before going over to the warm up area to stretch again. Every so often Avery liked to do some mid-training stretches to refocus on her next set of exercises and assess her limbs for any damage. She'd just started twisting her core when she spotted Jameson recovering post pommel horse practice and he was flexing his arms in that way when the upper back became stiff. He was turned to the side and his shirt rode up a bit, flashing his abs for a brief moment and she froze like a deer in headlights. It happened a few more times before he started to turn and she quickly looked down before he could catch her staring. The teasing would be endless.

She continued her stretches, pointedly avoiding looking his way until she was done and went back to the bars. Only once she got there did she feel eyes on her and she looked up when her gaze locked on his. He smiled crookedly and winked to which she looked away and rolled her eyes. As she blew at a loose hair, she heard him yell across the room, "Good luck, Grambs Cracker."

"Thanks." With a steadying breath, she jumped up and righted herself in the air before flipping. She exhaled. What to practice? Coach had given her a list of moves she should start practicing for her next routine which included Wieler kips, some Endos, quite a few pikes, hip circles and some new transitions that she hadn’t incorporated before. It was all very demanding but she was up for the challenge. She’d just try the transitions later when she got a groove going.

And so it began.

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Pike. Twist. Handstand. 360 turn. Straddle. Release. Transition. Low bar land and back flip. Rest. Cast. Maloney. Back to the high bar. Her body swung backwards with the movement. Let the force of the swing guide your body into the next skill. It’s easier to let momentum do the work for you than fighting it. That’s what Coach had told her many times when she was but a young starry-eyed overachiever. Think of yourself as a pendulum and the momentum is what helps you make magic. She did it then.

Her legs were nearing the top; locking in. Inhale. Peak. Hold. Release. Exhale. She embraced the rush of adrenaline as the pull of gravity took over and increased her speed before she swung forward into another handstand. And that is the art of the swing. Another brief pause, just enough time for a split second decision. Blind change. Her choice could only be a pike skill but what would it be? Church, Galante, or Ricna?

Coach was very excited for her to be doing more variations with pikes and Stalder since she'd been good at using them in combinations before. One of these days, she might even make her own skill and Avery didn't want to disappoint when she did.

It'd been a few days since she last practiced the moves so she might as well start with a favorite. Galante it was. But first, a few pike circles to warm up. She let her legs fall forward and pointed her feet at a 90 degree angle just as she swung down again and her feet touched the bar.

One.

Two.

Three.

She was ready. On the fourth rotation, she pushed back into a handstand and imagining like the audience just went completely silent, she dropped on the beat. Her body bent in half by the time she reached the midpoint and then her legs split into a straddle just as she was about to complete a full circle. And then, she let go. She was airborne.

In moments like these, she believed she could fly in the same way she was sure the spectators were convinced gymnasts could touch clouds just by a leap and a bound high enough. There was no fear, just bliss and the thrill of the next flight, no matter how short it was. Just like that, it was over and she reached for the bar. Steadying herself for the wood grooves rubbing against her palms, her fingers made contact but only briefly. The tips of her fingers brushed downward only to be met with air again as she felt her right ankle hit the bar.

THWACK!

Pain shot through her leg as the force of the hit rebounded her at an angle, leaving her grasping at air as she fell downward to the mat. She was sure her soul was leaving her as her stomach dropped in realization. This isn't happening. Suddenly, her hair whipped into her face, swiping at her eyes sharply, making her blink.

"JAMESON!" She heard someone yelling from afar. Max. Just as she thought she would hit the ground, keeping her eyes shut and bracing for impact, rapid footsteps bounded in her direction. Next thing she knew, arms were wrapping around her torso and pulling her upward, causing the blood flow to go back up to her head. She grimaced and refused to open her eyes. The sound of heavy breathing filled her ears and warm hands around her upper back and thighs grounded her.

Someone was holding her, she didn't know who yet. "Avery, are you okay?" She shook her head before reflexively bringing a hand to her forehead when it started throbbing again. But that voice. Jameson. He caught her; that made her open her eyes before she ultimately regretted that too. The brightness blinded her and she closed her eyes again, bringing her hands to cover them. "Hey, easy now. Take your time, we don't need you losing your eyesight."

She felt him lowering her to the mat and withdrawing his arms from around her as she felt him shift his weight next to her. Her skin immediately shivered without his touch. "Keep breathing. In and out, slow. Good, can I take your hands off your eyes now?" Avery nodded numbly. Gently, his hands wrapped around hers and pried them off her face, rubbing soothing circles into her palms as she finally dared opening her eyes. She did it slowly this time like he suggested.

"There she is." He smiled softly at her and placed her hand on her knee before cupping her cheek. She leaned into it. She needed this. That really shook her. Things like that happened rarely to Avery Grambs; that's why she liked bars most compared to other events. She was so certain of herself and it's why she was the best in the gym in the skill. It's why there were so many gold medals hanging on her wall. But even a champion falls, that was something she always had to remember. All of them.

Just because you're at the top that doesn't mean you're not going to fall. Remember you're only human. When you're at the top, the only way is down and it can be a nasty fall, kid, Nash's voice echoed in her mind. His brothers had learned that the hard way too many times.

"Do you want to get up?" Jameson's soft tone coaxed her out of her thoughts and she looked at him startled. "You wanna get up?" The question was repeated.

"Y-Yeah."

"Okay, let me help you." He leaned back on his knee and she let him grasp her hands. "Ready?" "Yup." She exhaled, focusing on pressing the balls of her feet into the mat for grip. "Okay, on three. One, two, three." With sudden speed, he'd pulled her up and took her off balance, making her smack into his chest like a ragdoll. His arms wrapped around her instinctively and didn't move from her waist when she righted herself. Both of them were red in the face and panting.

"You good?"

"Yeah, been better, though."

He chuckled. "I'm sure." Then his expression turned sober. "But you sure scared me shitless, Aves. I was barely there on time. Please let me know when you're doing the newer routines so I can be ready to spot you. It doesn't take away from my time to keep you safe."

She could only nod. There was nothing she could say in protest. He was right which was a rarity for Jameson. But in this case it worked.

"Good. I'm glad we got that straight. I'd ask what happened but you look like you need a moment for that yourself." She let out an anxious laugh at that and nodded again. Make that a week! "I do have one more question... Go on a date with me?" He sounded out of breath.

Avery's eyes locked onto his in surprise. It was so sincere and he looked solemn but his green eyes shined with such hope. How could she refuse him especially now that he saved her life?

"Sure." Her answer came out just as breathless.

"Great, now don't do that ever again. You really caught me off guard there."

"Yeah, that was definitely not planned." She brought a hand to her sweaty forehead and swiped at the hair stuck there. "And trust me, I avoid that every chance I get."

"Well, next time, you can just call and let me catch you when you feel like you're falling for me. I love saving a damsel in distress especially when she's assigned to fall into my arms."

"Shut up." He grinned before leaning down and pressing a kiss to the side of her head. Her eyes widened when he let her go and her cheeks burned with the oncoming blush. As he left, lingering just a bit when he unwrapped his remaining arm from her waist, she kept her head down trying to fight the smile playing at her lips. When he was further away, she turned slowly, her face feeling hot and smiling stupidly, big and wide and unabashed. But, when she looked up, Max was in front of her with a satisfied smirk. Very satisfied.

"Not a word." Her friend's evil merry laughter was the only thing she heard as she walked to the locker room to blush in peace.

A/N: Hey, I hope you guys enjoyed that; thanks for reading. Also, Happy Jameson Appreciation Day! I am so happy that we finally a canon date for my best boy’s birthday and that we get to celebrate him for it. For those of you who are interested in learning more about the bar skills that I mentioned in this fic, here are the sites I used:

https://wagymnastics.fandom.com/wiki/Uneven_Bars_Skills

https://www.synergygymnastics.co.uk/gymnastics-bar-moves/#google_vignette

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Also, I will be reopening my inbox so if you have anything to say to me, go for it.

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One thing I want to say that has been with me for a long time; you all admire the fact that JLB is both an author and a psychologist. All I want to say to that is just because she might be a great psychologist, that doesn’t mean that use of knowledge translates the best into a story. Why am I saying that? I have a passion for animals and palaeontology. That doesn’t necessarily mean that if I wrote a story with that incorporated that it will make the story good or that it will make sense to someone else. Someone’s background in one topic doesn’t make them a stellar writer.

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If no one has seen it, Canadian fans this is for you; JLB is coming to Yorkdale Mall in Toronto on June 7th.

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a writing competition i was going to participate in again this year has announced that they now allow AI generated content to be submitted

their reasoning being that "we couldn't ban it even if we wanted to, every writer already uses it anyway"

"Every writer"?

come on

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One thing I think this fandom needs more of: don’t be afraid to say what you think about a character and to stick by your opinion. Being open-minded is important to see the different sides of a character, even one you love a lot, and understanding why there is a dislike or hatred towards them but you don’t have to apologize for your thoughts. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, to keep it if they wish or to change it as they see fit.

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Hey guys, so I know I kinda disappeared off the face of the earth with no real explanation. I was really busy so I had to take a hiatus to focus on real life. It got tough and mentally draining in some moments but I got through so I am pleased to say I am now back. I have a ton to get in order for my fics that I have been promising to you and myself to publish.

I hope that in the next month I could get the TBH based fic (First Place) done in and around the first weekend of May since that is when the Kentucky Derby is (you'll see the connection, this is a hint to the scene it is based on). And potentially my second advertised fanfic (Kiss Me Unfeeling) sometime around mid-May to mid-June since it's a spring dance based fic.

And lastly, to share some thoughts on the new cards; I certainly don't feel any real attachment to them but I will say the artists have certainly upped their game since GU. Now if only they could rerelease Nash and Jameson, that would be stellar. Moving on, I am reconsidering my choice on opting out for book 2 of TGG. I think I will read it only for my curiosity of the plot but I have no current attachment to any characters aside from Gray. It's easier that way and I've explained many times before why I am not fully invested in any of the new characters. I just hope that JLB knows what she's doing.

Anyways, now that I've said all that, hi. How are you guys?

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All I am saying is, debuff Slate a bit, that could have been Jameson last September. 👀

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I wanted to point something out for the fandom. Disclaimer: This is not attacking anyone specifically but I just wanted to point out the inconsistencies.

Since there are more fanfic writers than before, I think the fandom should be trying to express a little more love. It means a lot to us when you leave a like and comment or reblog with your thoughts on the piece we post. A few of us are being especially praised with high notes, but not the majority. Some of us have been here a long time and still don't get much recognition.

I keep seeing bouts where so many fics are posted and then a few days may pass without these posts and someone is complaining "Where are the fics?" Please scroll just a little bit down. Or better yet, if you don't want to go down the general TIG tag, maybe look up "the inheritance games fanfiction", "tig fanfiction", etc. These can quickly give you results.

These posts are discouraging because it is disparaging to works already posted and MANY of them have very little views. In a poll I did recently, I saw the post type most people preferred was fanfiction. If this is the case, then I beg you, PLEASE leave SOMETHING on those fics. As small as a like is enough to let the writer know that at least their work is appreciated and that can make their day.

I hope many of you realize that even though these creative works are something we desperately want to supplement to the community for pleasure reading, it is still incredibly difficult at times to move forward due to writer's block, lack of motivation, busy scheduling, etc. Some may have the gift of being able to quickly finish works and be fairly consistent in their posts but even they can have those days.

Going unappreciated after a tiny sentence post may get hundreds of notes may be very hard especially after all that hard work was poured into this beautiful story. Now, I know that we as fanfic writers give up our work for reading and critique which doesn't mean you owe us anything but if you're already going to read it, would it kill you to give us a like or a bit of feedback? And if you just want to read, then please let us know if you're interested in being on a tag list at least.

It can help us improve our quality of work and keep us going as we try to expand the impressive world of the series we love so much.

Thank you,

Mystery Girl's Red String.

[riddles-n-games]

I wanted to point something out for the fandom. Disclaimer: This is not attacking anyone specifically but I just wanted to point out the inconsistencies.

Since there are more fanfic writers than before, I think the fandom should be trying to express a little more love. It means a lot to us when you leave a like and comment or reblog with your thoughts on the piece we post. A few of us are being especially praised with high notes, but not the majority. Some of us have been here a long time and still don't get much recognition.

I keep seeing bouts where so many fics are posted and then a few days may pass without these posts and someone is complaining "Where are the fics?" Please scroll just a little bit down. Or better yet, if you don't want to go down the general TIG tag, maybe look up "the inheritance games fanfiction", "tig fanfiction", etc. These can quickly give you results.

These posts are discouraging because it is disparaging to works already posted and MANY of them have very little views. In a poll I did recently, I saw the post type most people preferred was fanfiction. If this is the case, then I beg you, PLEASE leave SOMETHING on those fics. As small as a like is enough to let the writer know that at least their work is appreciated and that can make their day.

I hope many of you realize that even though these creative works are something we desperately want to supplement to the community for pleasure reading, it is still incredibly difficult at times to move forward due to writer's block, lack of motivation, busy scheduling, etc. Some may have the gift of being able to quickly finish works and be fairly consistent in their posts but even they can have those days.

Going unappreciated after a tiny sentence post gets hundreds of notes can be very hard to swallow especially after all that hard work was poured into a beautiful story. Now, I know that we as fanfic writers give up our work for reading and critique which doesn't mean you owe us anything but if you're already going to read it, would it kill you to give us a like or a bit of feedback? And if you just want to read, then please let us know if you're interested in being on a tag list at least.

It can help us improve our quality of work and keep us going as we try to expand the impressive world of the series we love so much.

Thank you,

Mystery Girl's Red String.

[riddles-n-games]

I think it’s such a ROBBERY that we don’t have a scene in the original trilogy where Nan says “Bless your heart.”

I think it would have been a great way to give us a chuckle and remind us subtlety this family is from Texas. In general, I think JLB could have done a little more to integrate some Texan cultural references or remnants of their societal norms into the Hawthorne family. Yeah, sure Nash is most obvious with his cowboy getup and with them having a big mansion, there’s a saying that everything in Texas is bigger or something like that which applies.

However, how are we supposed to really see it with the rest of the family? Despite Gray being all suits and NYC chic with a side of British gentleman, you have to come back down to earth that this man was born and raised TEXAN. How the heck was I supposed to do that? And turns out he’s one of the full American brothers but Jameson is the British one.

So forgive my little spiel here but I just believe she could have given us a little more of that. Yes, we’re well aware they’re not like other families and they are rich and no one can really relate but I think this would have been a better way to contextualize them from the start.

I think that would have also spiced up their personalities in fun ways even more and maybe helped us be more content with what we had.

Anyways, thanks for stopping by and reading. 👋

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Dangerous woman.

After a chaotic dinner with the Hawthornes, Lyra was ready to retire to her room for the night. It wasn't the that disliked her boyfriend's odd family, quite the opposite. But she had listened to enough riddles and weird cryptic talk to last her for a long time.

Sighing, she closed the door to her luxurious bedroom. Letting her lose, she slipped into a dark blue silk nightgown, it's neckline coming dangerously low. Good thing no one would be seeing her in this state.

A talented dancer, Lyra enjoyed listening to music often. Even though it wasn't her own room, the Hawthornes had allowed her to rearrange and add anything to it like it was. And one of those things was her own old record player with records.

She pulled one that held many different songs in one. "Demons" by Imagine Dragons came blasting through in no time.

What a fitting song, as everyone had demons, some more than others, she thought as she slowly walked toward the window. The full moon was out, and she wanted to admire it before bed.

As she glanced out the window, she caught sight of her boyfriend swimming in the crystal blue water below.

Grayson Hawthorne, grandson of the late, but by no means missed Tobias Hawthorne, not only was he one of the most beautiful men on the planet, but he was also her boyfriend, though Lyra still couldn't believe it was true.

They had been dating for a little over a year, but there was still so much more she still didn't know about him. Though if there was one thing she did know, was that he was still the biggest, but lovable asshole ever to live.

His pace never changed as she watched him. It was at that exact moment that the music changed. "Dangerous woman" came blaring through the room.

Don't need permission, made my decision to test my limits

Lyra let the words sink into her. Both her and Grayson had made decisions that not everyone would have approved of. But they didn't need anyone's permission either. They were grown adults, and they had pushed each other to the limits to many times to count.

I'm locked and loaded, completely focused, my mind is open.

All that you got, skin to skin, oh my God Don't you stop, boy.

Lyra's skin began to crawl as her face flushed with embarrassment. It wasn't hard to let the thoughts that she had controlled for so long come rushing out. How could watching her boyfriend swim feel so enchanting?

She didn't want him to stop as he swam with a grace like no other. Oh, those strong, powerful arms as they stroked the water like it was nothing. How many times had she imagined him wrapping them around her?! Holding her close and telling her she's his.

Somethin' 'bout you Makes me feel like a dangerous woman Somethin' 'bout, somethin' 'bout Somethin' 'bout you Makes me wanna do things that I shouldn't Somethin' 'bout, somethin' 'bout, somethin' 'bout

Lyra never had considered herself dangerous. Ruthless, sassy, and not afraid to say her thoughts? Definitely.

Nothin' to prove and I'm bulletproof and Know what I'm doing.

If only that true. When Lyra first met Grayson she had every reason to prove to him. That she was strong, better then him, that could beat him in anything. Both wore layers of bulletproof masks to protect themselves. But it became evident that both didn't know what they were doing and they were willing to become alley's and then that became more.

Now, with him by her side, she didn't have to prove herself. She was enough. He was enough.

Oh, yeah Somethin' 'bout you Makes me feel like a dangerous woman.

But man, music sure had a way of opening channels in your brain you never knew existed.

Maybe she should imagine everything she knew hadn't happened yet. All those sweet moments she envisioned but never thought possible.

Just then, Grayson came out of the pool.

You know how I'm feeling inside (somethin' 'bout, somethin' 'bout)

If only he did. They way his long, muscular, powerfully built legs came striding out of the pool. The water dancing around them, highlighting every vein. The way he elegantly shook his mane of thick blond hair. The way the water flew off. Just like out of a movie.

All girls wanna be like that.

Surely all girls have wanted this moment to happen to them. Watching this enchanting event happening before them, only wishing he knew that you were watching.

As if Fate decided to take hold of her predicament, Grayson looked up from where he was standing.

Well shit

Lyra's breath hitched in her throat. She couldn't run, not now. Not with him looking at her like that. And then he did something she had never seen before.

The bastard smiled at her.

(Yeah, there's somethin' 'bout you, boy)

Not a small smile. No, it was slow, sly. Almost coy even. For a brief moment she wondered if Jameson had switched into Grayson's body. But that was not the case.

Dammit.

Yup, she was doomed.

Tagging @lyrakanefanatic @ria-lina @goldi-1-graysons-version @i-too-enjoy-blog @riddles-n-games @reminiscentreader @cocomowgy

[riddles-n-games]

Can you guys please stop putting the inheritance games posts under the naturals tags

[riddles-n-games]

Fanfiction Club: The Rules

This idea came to me when I woke up first thing this morning.