#The flower is called plumeria

[ask-the-temple-fox]

You were gone…? I hadn’t realized. Are you ok?

Sorry for not noticing, I’ve also had a lot going on.

- Poe

@ask-poethetic

Poe! How are you? Everyone told me you went to a friend's place and didn't want to be contacted. I wanted to check on you sooner, but... I would hate to cross any boundaries.

I'm glad you are back. I, mm, I would invite you out, but I think I should get back to working a bit before doing stuff like that. I'm...

Oh! I found these flowers while I was away

I got some of the seeds and plan to plant them. Maybe... You would be interested as well? You like gardening, right? I been meaning to check in with Lene too...

...Eventually.

[francixoxoxo]

pirate billy finding a shell or an oyster with a pearl in it and feeling kind of silly giving it to mermaid reader because she lives with it all but he's just reminded of her when he sees beautiful things and he thinks everything lovely should belong to her. and mermaid reader loves it so much too :)

omg this is such a cute idea I think I went a little too crazy with it

As Billy turns the delicate thing over in his hands, he feels like a fool. You tend to have that affect on him.

His thumb feels over the small ridges of the oyster, hands behind his back. It’s already been cracked open a bit, though he left it to you to fully unfurl. You’re laying on your back in the sand, hands splayed over your belly (which you’re pleased to find is becoming dotted with sunspots, a token of spending time on the surface), and your eyelashes fanning against your cheeks. You already called for him to sit beside you, and sure, he’s shrugging off his boots and sticking his socks into the mouths of them, but he’s stalling. His baby blues are trained on the crown of hair sprawling around your head and collecting grains of sand, the low hum emanating from your throat as you hum a tune a mother’d sing to a young’un.

You already have what he wants to give you. You can find it anywhere, frankly, so what’s so special about the fact that the gift passed his fishhook-bitten and rope-scathed hands? Fact is that he ain’t got much to give. The most he can do is pick frangipani in their fullest bloom to thread into your hair, bend over a bracelet of twine for hours to ensure the rope is devoid of anything that could prick your soft skin, rove his eyes over the surf at low tide until he finds a worthy shell. A nook to lay in, to remain near to him even when miles separate you, a bed in the softest recesses of his heart; that's all he can give you.

"Billy?" You call again, opening an eye just by a crack. The tresses of your hair collect more sand as you tilt your head to see him. What could he possibly be pondering so hard, you don't know, but you know it won't be hard to coax it out of him.

"M'here." He's snapped out of his thoughts, willing his feet to move on the sand, finding it in himself to settle beside you. his feet are in the surf, the cold saltwater lapping at them tenderly. Satisfied with his presence, you close your eyes again, turning your face to the sun. Billy twirls and brushes his fingers through your locks affectionately.

The environment is gently licking at Billy's ears, all of it careful and all of it gentle, not one thing overpowering another. There is the warm breaths puffing from your nostrils, the sea's basin of rolling tides swishing against the shore, the faint twitter and warble of birds in the forest a ways away from the beach. You fit into this place like it was formed around you, like a party moves around a sleeping child on the sofa, the tide at your schedule, the sun at your preference, the wind at your whims. Billy sticks out like a sore thumb, thrown into this world with two left legs, stumbling like a fawn for survival. In the meanwhile, all that was beautiful in nature seemed to be created in your image.

He feels like a fool, presenting a queen with a birch twig when she is deserving of sapphire.

Billy fills his lungs in a deep breath and murmurs, "Got somethin' for you." The smile that splits your lips fills the growing cavity in his chest with a whisper of hope. Your eyes flutter open.

"Really?" Your smile was one that inspired murals. Billy nods, a laugh emanating deep from his chest. Carefully, he unclasps the hands in his lap, lifting a cupped palm to you, presenting the taupe oyster. As you take it into your own hands silently, a nervous feeling creeps up into Billy's stomach.

"I know y'probably got plenty, don't need none from me, but.. I dunno, I thought it was pretty. Made me think of you." Billy rambles, his brows drawing as he watches you. There is a tender smile on your cheeks, as you wedge both thumbnails into the tight-lipped mouth of the oyster. Masterfully pulling it open, not damaging the hinge, not needing a knife to shuck it. Of course you don't need a knife, his strong girl.

There's plenty more he wants to say, sure, he could fill a book with all the words to make up for the embarrassingly simple gift. But once the oyster is pried open and your thumbs are working the pearl out, he falls silent. You smile at him when you hold the small, ivory bead. "It's beautiful!" You lean over, bridging the small gap twixt you two and cupping his cheek in the hand not holding the pearl. His stubble is familiar, the scratch of it on your fingertips welcome. "It's already my favorite."

A breathy chuckle slips from Billy's lips, his eyes filled with a fond awe. You liked it, the thought is light with relief as it echoes in his head. It wasn't anything special to you. But it passed his hands, your man held it and wanted you in particular to have it. As he leans forward, tenderly bringing his lips onto yours, you feel absolutely certain that any gift from him would be cherished more than a bird appreciates the wind under its feathers; more than a fern cherishes the sun lending warm hands to its leaves; more than the sea cherishes the moon, willingly moving to its whims. Billy'd someday admit that he was under a similar gravity. Wherever you go, he will follow.

[linklocus]

yo. I’m lookin for sourcemates of any kind to chat with, just interact w/ this post and I’ll reach out to ya - plumeria, pkmn

🌷

[trashpandato]

Romance

Earth customs are weird. 

Kara knows this; has known it for many years. And sure, she’s spent all those years trying to learn, trying to understand what makes humans tick so she could mimic it successfully enough to not stand out. 

“Fake it til you make it”, Alex used to say, implying that if Kara spent enough time pretending, human behaviour would eventually become second nature to her.

And fake it she did. Some Earth customs were easy enough to adopt. Like wide smiles that cover up her pain, the concept of comfort foods or all-you-can-eat buffets, or even humans’ tendency to find excuses to turn any random day into some kind of celebration - Hump Day, Tax Deadline Day, Polar Bear Plunge Day, National Frozen Yogurt Day. (She’s half-convinced that most of these are inventions by Alex to confuse her, but she celebrates National Gummy Worm Day on July 15th anyway.)

But if she’s honest, a lot of the things that humans do, their customs, their rituals, still seem a little strange to Kara. Even after years of trying to understand.

Chatting up strangers, for example. On Krypton, interactions with someone not known to a person would have required some sort of intermediary, an introduction through a trusted person. If Kara had even dared to walk up to a stranger to talk to them, she would have faced discipline not just from her family but also from the broader community. When she first landed on Earth, she relied on Eliza or Alex to make introductions and felt intensely uncomfortable when kids at school would randomly talk to her. It took her a long time to believably mimic these kinds of human interactions, and if she’s honest, she still prefers an official introduction over just chatting up people out of the blue. (It’s why she was happy to tag along with Clark for her first encounter with Lena.)

Or there’s the act of blowing out candles on a birthday cake. Extinguishing light instead of keeping it burning as a means of celebration. The first time Eliza prompted Kara to blow out her candles, Kara was horrified and it took a lot of gentle reassurances from her adoptive mother to even consider partaking in this peculiar human tradition. To this day, Kara prefers her candles away from her cake and to leave them burning for as long as safely possible.

And then there are all the gestures associated with romance. With Krypton’s system of arranged pairings based on compatibility across a number of important factors, there was no need to wine and dine anyone. She could remember her parents showing affection for each other, but there was never any ritualized approach to romantic moments. Humans, on the other hand, humans have rules about dates, about which flowers are appropriate to give to someone and when, about who pays the bill at the fancy restaurant, about slow-dancing and little gifts and how many feelings to reveal and when. 

It’s a lot to keep track of and confusing, and all the romance movies in the world cannot prepare Kara for her first official date with Lena.

She shows up with plumerias, because she knows Lena likes those and she knows, knows, that she’s supposed to bring flowers. But then Lena has tears in her eyes as soon as Kara hands them over, and she’s also wearing this dress that hugs her body in ways that make Kara’s higher brain function fizzle out. So she doesn’t protest when Lena pulls her inside with her hands fisted into the lapels of Kara’s suit jacket, follows Lena’s lead when she pushes her against the kitchen island and kisses her senseless, and finds herself naked and sweaty in Lena’s bed not long after that.

When Kara’s stomach rumbles a couple of hours later and Lena calls to have some food delivered, Lena chuckles.

“We kind of did this all backwards.”

Kara frowns. “How so?”

“Well,” Lena leans in and presses her lips close to Kara’s ear, making her shiver, “usually, the clothes come off after the fancy dinner.”

“You humans have a lot of rules about romance,” Kara huffs, and Lena laughs.

“I suppose we do. But I’m happy to break every single one of them with you, Kara Zor-El.”

[xuchiya]

"Stargazers" || choi san ||

| genre: fluff. fluff. fluff. non!idol choi san | mentions: stargazers.

Every month, your boyfriend, Choi san, would bring you flowers whether they be a bouquet or just a simple 3 pieces of them. It went from various flowers–from roses–tulips–daisy–carnations or including the ones he finds outside the company, small plumeria and would give it to you with his eye smile while his hand outstretched with the said flower in his finger. 

It is sweet and it made your heart melt as it is the first time you were given such a heartwarming present from someone. You grew up technically being given a few gifts like a small piece of chocolate from someone that has a crush on you (and you still appreciate that person) or that time someone gave you a vintage pocket watch telling you how much it means to them. Everything those people you met in the past that made you appreciate the smallest things in life. And you still do.

You smile, admiring the now drying bouquet of stargazer just beside your desk name plate.  The colours were emphasizing the room of black and gold room of your office. Your secretary knocks before entering, “Ma’am Sir Holland is requesting for the reports for the next season of your book.”

“Yes, I’m finishing it right now. I’ll notify you. Thank you, Pia.” She nodded, bowing her head before exiting your office. Opening an empty document and you started typing your book report on your computer for the upcoming event that will be held inside your company for the release of the new season until your phone made a small ‘ding’ sound that you reached out for it without removing your eyes from the monitor. As you went to check the notification and saw that ‘최산’ was live.

You smile widely, feeling such butterflies being alive as you press and place your phone a stand as you continue working. As you watch, San talks to Atiny about his day and the tour along with the concert in a few days in North America, how Seonghwa keeps buying lego sets to bring back home; placing them on his shelf to flex to Atiny on his next live show. Completely not taking in the set up of his live as you were focused on typing that it felt like San is on a video call with you while he is still in a hotel room in the Philippines, and will fly back home later. He is on a world tour with the rest of his brothers and that they will be back on tour for North America next month.

“Oh this flower? I think it’s called lily? Ah no~ … It’s a stargazer!” Your fingers hover on your keyboard as you turn your attention to San. Indeed, in his hand was a stargazer but it was drying up. Similar to the one on your desk,

“Since you guys “mentioned it. I almost forgot to deliver a new one.” He was so busy on his phone that you frowned slightly as you read the comments of Atiny and you noticed one comment in particular and it also caught San’s attention.

It seemed impossible to see but San’s face turned slightly red as he placed a hand on his rising lips as a cheeky smile was evident even behind his large hands, “Well ~ I wanted my girl to feel special every month … NO! I want my girl to feel special all the time even if I’m not here.”

Showing the stargazer close to the camera, “Reason why I have a flower with me so I know when to buy her new one. “

Your heart pounded inside your chest and the warmth came crawling from your neck to your cheeks. So, that is why he knows when the flower had wilted without you knowing. And now that you figure out through the live and now because he has a single piece of flower to himself to monitor the condition of the bouquet, he gave you; he will give you fresh ones after every flower wilted.

You chuckle, shaking your head as you continue working with a happy and satisfied smile on your lips.

[yourfellowhuman07]

A Map of Etheria (and other details)

Hi everyone! If you've been following me for a while you would know I was working on a map of Etheria, but I never ended up finishing it.

Then, I noticed I was nearing 1,000 hits on my fic Alliance of the Heart, so I decided I would remake it and type up some things about each country.

Also, thank you to everyone who created the She-Ra Fan Wiki because it came in clutch for this map.

Anyway, here's my info dumping about my head cannons regarding the geographical features of each land.

Etheria

Etheria is a planet about the size of Venus located on the outskirts of the Eternian Solar System. Since it is so far away from the Ethernian sun, the planet is sustained by its moons and the magically created heat they give off.

Each moon gives off a certain temperature, so the different climates are based on what moons travel over the most.

Bright Moon

Bright Moon is the third largest kingdom in Etheria, but they are the richest. They are located in the middle of all the major countries, meaning they are a crossroad for trade among the kingdoms. They also possess the territories of Mystacor and the Whispering Woods.

The climate is temperate and is akin to a cool spring season. The country has mostly different types of forests and meadows with some rivers and lakes scattered around.

Salineas

Salineas is the second largest kingdom in the form of an archipelago. The northern part is cooler with more rocky beaches, and as you head south the area becomes progressively more tropical with sandy beaches. The country has some mountains in the valleys when you get inland, but the country is mostly flat.

The country is also located on a tectonic plate line, so whenever the weapon inside Etheria is fired, more islands are created.

The Kingdom of Snows

TKOS is the largest kingdom of Etheria and is almost completely covered in snow. Despite being the largest country, it has a population that is close to Scorponi. The people live mostly on the coast and in large cities.

Dryl

Dryl is a country that spans the largest mountain range on Etheria with a couple of clearings. Its population lives under the mountains in one of the Six "Systems" of Dryl, which are large, carved-out areas within and under the mountains, containing the homes and mines of Dryl. As of the beginning of the series, the Crypto Castle is the only structure on the surface.

The climate is relatively cool, with more snow as you travel further north. The area also has large patches of pine forests and other small shrubs and flowers.

Scorponi

Outside of the Fright Zone, which was the site of an ancient meteor crash, the kingdom of Scorponi is relatively dry. It's relatively flat with expansive planes, sparse forests, and a couple of canyons.

The Crimson Waste

The Crimson Waste is a desert area with large patches of cacti, rocky areas, and large canyons.

Plumeria

Plumaris is one of the small countries with the smallest population with most of the area consisting of agriculture, forests, and flower fields.

Another aspect is the territory they technically have a claim over is an area I created called The Out Fields, which is where the Watch Tower is located and where Hordak found Adora. It's a large, expansive area of tall grass.

The Unnamed Kingdom

The Unnamed Kingdom belongs to Spinnerella and Netossa, which used to be two before the girls got married. The kingdom has a climate similar to Dryl with its own Mountains and forests.

Sweet Bee and Peekablue's Islands

These are tropical islands out of the way of the other kingdoms, helping them stay out of the way of the war. They are considered humid by Etherian standards and are densely forested with many flowers and fruit trees.

The Star Sister's Island

This is a collection of islands similar to the Kingdom of Snows with a cold temperature and mountain terrain.

Beast Island

Beast Island is off the coast of Scorponi and used to be an information hub for the Eternians. As time went on, water damage corroded the tech, causing it to corrupt and branch out into the forest and create the virus affecting the island.

Conclusion

If anyone wants to use this map, please ask me (and maybe tag me because I want to see what you need it for). Also, you can adopt as many headcannons as you want, but I would like some sort of acknowledgment if you use my idea of the Outfields.

Also, if you made it this far, thank you for reading and your patience regarding me creating this.

[nixylubouv]

Love Potion (4)

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

So. Still haven't named any of the characters. Open to suggestions!

***********************************************

Five Months Ago

Villain paced across the ornate rug in his office, feeling strangely giddy. Light poured in through the large glass windows and burnished the room in a lovely glow. Truly, a perfect day. A firm knock sounded on the door.

Villain immediately stopped pacing and moved to face the glass panes. He brushed off a nearly invisible piece of lint on his silver epaulets and cleared his throat. “Come in.” 

A soft click sounded as the handle turned and the oak wood was pushed in.

Villain tried to ignore how hard his heart sped up at the sound of Hero’s voice murmuring a quiet thank you to the guard that had opened the door. Instead, he focused on the garden outside. The plumeria flowers of late spring were in full bloom, the color of soft ocher like Hero’s hair. 

“Commander.” Hero was cordial. Strictly business.  

“Hero.” Villain turned back as if noticing him for the first time and gestured to the small seating area beyond his desk. As Hero moved to sit, Villain took the time to study him. It had been almost an entire month since he had last seen Hero. Granted, the times they got to meet after their university days were few and far between and rarely not across the round table of some negotiation.

His hair at gotten longer. It was tied at the nape, a few messy strands escaping to frame Hero’s face. He wore a causal tunic and breeches, his ceremonial sword carelessly tied to a simple leather belt like it was a piece of scrap iron.

Hero was never one for flashy uniforms. His posture was relaxed, but the small tapping of his fingers against the armrest didn’t escape Villain’s notice. So Hero was anxious. Good. 

Villain often had a gnawing voice whispering in the back of his mind that Hero had forgotten him. Nobody forgot Villain. Those in his social circle simpered at the merest morsel of attention from someone of Villain’s pedigree.

Back when Hero’s ire was directed in his direction in competition, he had reveled in the feeling of being alive chasing challenge after challenge. Their glory days were at the forefront of daily gossip constantly. 

Villain hated Hero’s current indifference so much it made his bones ache. It felt like Hero moved on and Villain was still there in that same spot, searching for that rush. Worse still, Villain could admit Hero was brilliant, and it was infuriating. Villain had tutors, training, riches beyond fathomability at his beck since childhood. Yet Hero still managed to keep pace. 

Villain took his seat across Hero, who was making a pointed effort to avoid eye contact. He gazed out at the view Villain had been admiring only moments before. Villain knew Hero was itching to ask why Villain had called him here today. 

It wasn’t like Hero could refuse a summons from the Khalan Commander either way. Hero naturally had better things to do. No doubt he’d rather be off galavanting across the countryside saving every wretch he came across. “Golden Heart” the peasants called him. And secretly, some of the nobles too. A small, hidden part of Villain was disgruntled. Why did everyone else in the world deserve Hero’s kindness, and not him? 

It didn't really matter anymore. Soon, Hero would be at his mercy. And Villain would finally have the upper hand.  

“Before I inform you why I requested your presence today, let us have some tea first,” Villain told Hero amiably, taking ahold of the cup directly in front of him. Villain tamped down the corner of his smirk as Hero’s head whipped towards Villain in a look of uncharacteristically adorable confusion. 

“Tea?” Hero dubiously eyed the cups of enchanted china he had barely given thought to when he had sat down. The liquid inside could stay warm for hours on end, as evidenced from the steam still rising off the surface.

“I never took you as someone who enjoyed tea,” Hero couldn’t resist quipping, “It suits your fine sensibilities.” When it became clear that Villain would provide no further explanation aside from a polite smile, Hero mirrored Villain’s movements and picked up his own cup with a small sigh. 

Villain stared in eager anticipation as Hero brought the inconspicuous love potion to his lips and took the first sip. 

[loveryss]

OC Questionnaire

Thank you for tagging me @crescents-sims 🤩

This is a huge spoiler as Aspen is still a toddler in the legacy 🙈 but I felt she was perfect for this and I'm so excited for her to grow up!

NAME: Aspen Arabella Bunny NICKNAME: Ara (her aunt Mara has called her this her whole life) GENDER: female STAR SIGN: sagittarius♐ HEIGHT: 167cm ORIENTATION: pan NATIONALITY/ETHNICITY: white (her grandfather (Malachi) is mixed, her grandmother (Safiya) is half alien, Erin is mixed/half alien, and Sasha is white) FAVOURITE FRUIT: mango! 🥭 FAVOURITE SEASON: summer (she likes the warmth) FAVOURITE FLOWER: plumeria 🌺 FAVOURITE SCENT: the mix of flowers and the ocean COFFEE, TEA, or HOT CHOCOLATE: a warm cup of green tea AVERAGE HOURS OF SLEEP: 7 hours DOGS or CATS: dogs (because she grew up with one) DREAM TRIP: a restaurant tour in Tartosa 🥗 NUMBER OF BLANKETS: just one in summer but in fall/winter/spring she prefers to have two because she gets cold easily RANDOM FACT: Aspen feels a calling for the supernatural world...

I won't tag anyone because I've seen lots of people do this already

[ask-lene-the-faithless]

Hello, Lene! It's been a while. (´｡• ◡ •｡`) ♡

I think I finally have a proper favorite flower now. I think white roses weren't... Really the answer you wanted before. ꒰ᐢ⸝⸝⸝⸝⸝ᐢ꒱⸒⸒

Plumeria... Would you happen to know the flower meaning of them?

- 🦊 Aubrey

Lene lights up at the ask. She immediately started typing:

oh….hi aubrey…i hope you’re doing well….thank you for the ask…

plumerias….theyre also called frangipanis…they’re found in hot climates, mostly….popular in hawaii…

they symbolize a lot of things…but mostly endurance with hardships…perseverance…and new beginnings…it’s very pretty and fitting for you…

[jisokai]

& we'll be brothers again

“Luffy?”

The youngest boy grunts next to the eldest, cramped in their nest. He’s tired, on the verge of joining Sabo’s snores on the other end.

“You ever think about what you wanna be in your next life?”

ace & luffy tags: spoilers for marineford, post-time skip, reincarnation, angst... i think? 3.4k words | oneshot, complete

read on ao3

a note: This is set sometime post-timeskip. I started writing this before I reached Dressrosa, so I initially intended for it to be between Sabaody and Dressrosa. But then Dressrosa was... well, Dressrosa. So I don't know where this fic fits anymore T-T but probably post-Dressrosa LOL

“Luffy?”

The youngest boy grunts next to the eldest, cramped in their nest. He’s tired, on the verge of joining Sabo’s snores on the other end.

“You ever think about what you wanna be in your next life?”

Luffy’s blank face schools into a frown. He turns his head to look at Ace, wondering what runs through his mind to ask that sort of question.

“No. Why would I think about stuff like that?”

Ace hums, unperturbed. It’s quiet afterwards, only the sound of the wind and the rustling leaves passing between them. Luffy thinks that’ll be the end of it, closing his eyes and readying to forget about the whole conversation as he falls asleep.

The water is calm today.

The water is calm, and so is Luffy.

The crew is chatting, still acclimating to their returned companionship, sharing tales of time apart and dreams moving forwards. The Sunny rocks gently against the waves, rhythmic splashes thrumming through the wind. The wood of the deck creaks as the captain walks towards the edge, peering into the vast, endless blue of the ocean and sky. The clouds are gentle, like the swirling hair of a god.

“Nami,” he calls.

The navigator hums, turning towards her captain.

“Let’s go this way.” He points at an angle from the front of the ship, less than ninety degrees right.

“Huh? But the logpose—”

“I know,” he says. His voice is strong, but not rough. He is calm today. “I just gotta feelin’.”

Nami sighs, not having the will to argue. “Okay, but we’re following the logpose if we don’t find anything in a couple days.”

Luffy nods. “Yeah.”

The island is unusual. It stretches through the shape of a crescent, a globe of earth that was shot through the side. The water at the center is dark, a deep deep blue that commands mystery. The Sunny docks on one of its points—at a cluster of rocks that transition into a forest. The trees feel familiar to Luffy, with large trunks that could hold a home. Franky comments that they’re hardwood, strong and reliable for ship repairs. They stand surrounded by a carpet of green, the smooth fibers of ferns and sedge and the occasional bush of flowers—hibiscus and plumeria.

A breeze flutters by, sends tingles of whispers across his skin—secrets, he thinks. 

The crew watches their captain leave the ship, eyes skeptically following him and his lack of enthusiasm. He’s subdued, with a calm aura that reads as unsettling. Some of them wonder if this is a change that surfaced deliberately in the past two years. Others wonder if it means something is wrong.

Luffy treads carefully into the thick of the forest. His sandals crunch along layers of leaf and twig, erupting pops that imitate the cracking of bone. But the landscape is serene, with chirping birds and soft rustles of the occasional rodent, pawing through bramble or scurrying through the canopies. Luffy takes it in slowly. Carefully.

His steps eventually toe the line of a blackened patch of land. His face remains unchanged while his eyes move across the ground, spotting charred trunks, scorched earth, brittle remnants of vegetation—the ones that somehow didn’t quite turn to ash. Before him is a scene of black and white and grey, and the tiniest sprinkle of green sparsely dotted across the dirt.

“A forest that relies on burning.” Robin’s voice is level as she vocalizes her thoughts behind the captain. “It’s not uncommon. Fire is an effective tool to clear land and maintain biodiversity.”

“Huh,” is Luffy’s response, watching in his periphery as she lowers herself. A handful of hands rummage through soft black and grey to pick out little brown ovals. He turns to look at her many palms when she stands.

“Seeds,” she explains. “Some plants need a high enough temperature to open their seed pods—in most cases by fire or extreme heat. Fires both destroy and create.”

Her captain huffs. “‘Kay.” 

He walks onwards while she continues searching.

The ground goes from grey to brown as Luffy ambles to the center of the crescent. He walks along tan sand like sun-kissed skin, bronzed by a life of adventuring. If he squints at his feet they nearly disappear, almost the same color. Sometimes his toe bumps a pebble, always a rich brown or black. The trees fade, opening to a beach at the center of the crescent, the cove-like interior. The only stray plants are tufts of black grass, folding strips of paper that shimmer in the breeze—threads of coals. They stretch from the shore to the base of a mountain range standing tall against the ocean.

The mountains are bright, a blinding white against the blue of sea and sky, like clouds that reflect the sun. They’re hard limestone, jagged edges of rock that rose from the earth, made from the remnants of others. There are faint lines of grey that run through them, slithering ribbons of hardened sand. They allude to an earlier time, crediting those who existed before. And then there are swirls of black that glide through the surface, crossing the orderly stripes of stone with no rhyme or reason. There are only a few.

Sanji’s voice trails over, from the cluster of rocks where the shore touches the water. “Hey, check it out. Looks like tons of mussels over here. And the shore is full of fish! They hardly move if you come close.”

Usopp hums beside him, crouching to see for himself. “Woah!” he exclaims. “What d’ya think that over there is—some sort of slimy algae? I wonder if I can extract the mucus for one of my attacks…”

Chopper makes a sound of protest, like he has other ideas for how to use it—a salve, maybe. Luffy tunes them out, heading the opposite way towards the mountain.

It doesn’t take long for him to stand atop the highest peak, despite the jagged surface of the ridgeline and the lack of trail. From the summit, the darkness of the cove’s water is even more striking, a harsh line where the hole sinks endlessly, a pool of dense saltwater that swallows sunlight. As the night fades in, it goes from blue to black. All tidal activity comes to a halt, bringing the water to complete stillness. A perfect mirror of the stars and moon above.

Zoro huffs as he crests the peak shortly afterwards the sun sinks into the water. He stands behind his captain’s seated form by the ledge. “Shit,” he grumbles. “How the hell did I get up here? At least this damn island is small.”

Luffy snickers, breaking the calm blankness that struck him since arriving. “Stupid Zoro.”

The swordsman grunts, but lets the comment roll off him unbothered. He’s not in the mood to get angry, instead letting his eyes flit to his captain sitting in front of him, face partly illuminated by the moon above. He knows Luffy, being the first mate and his best friend. Zoro knows he’s not the brightest, but something feels different. Something… good, he thinks. He shrugs to himself, not concerned so long as the change isn’t a threat.

Luffy comes across Nami the next morning, in the scorched remains of forest. She and Robin run their hands through the ash and charcoal along the island’s floor. The older of the two shovels earth from a small hole, recording observations about the soil composition. The younger sifts for clumps of black char, to mix with a solvent in hopes of refilling the inks for her maps. 

The captain frowns at the sight, chest tightening as he watches Robin stab her spade through the ground. Red clay collects in its fold, a deep shade, wet and runny like a slip—like the earth is bleeding in her hands. Then his face relaxes in surprise, at the familiarity of the color: the kind of reddish-brown that can be molded into cups and plates, but also rolled into round beads to be strung together.

This island is weird, he thinks. Eerily peaceful, no predators in sight, offering everything they could need before they continue their journey: food, wood for the ship, plants and animals that can be used for both harming and healing. A project for Nami and something weird for Robin to be excited about. Even Brook gets to play his music in the quiet length of the island, a short enough span that Zoro is easily found when he wanders off. It’s warm, with fresh air. And it’s isolated, the crew only docking from the captain’s pure instinct. He thinks maybe they have the ease of never being found here.

Nami speaks when she sees him, thoughts in the same line. “Luffy, I looked through the records of the Grand Line, but nothing matched the description of this island.”

“Huh,” he replies, unsurprised. “You think we’re the first ones?”

Robin answers. “It appears so. There aren’t any traces or evidence that people have made contact before. To be frank, this island is quite strange. I think it’s relatively young—based on the mountains and the forest. But then I don’t understand how there’s so much clay in this area.”

Luffy doesn’t get what she’s trying to say. It sounds reasonable that clay would be in the ground.

“It’s such a shame,” Nami adds. “I wish I knew how to make an eternal pose. This is a perfect place to come back to when we need a break.”

Luffy doesn’t answer. He has a feeling he’ll know how to find his way without one.

The crew is ready to leave after a few days, enough time for them to restock and take advantage of the island’s offers. All but Luffy. He frowns stubbornly when Nami argues with him, unbudging but also unable to answer her when she asks why he wants to stay. 

“Just gotta feelin’.” And he does (have a feeling), but he can’t explain it. He could say it’s one in his chest, a tightness that hasn’t gone away since their arrival—almost a sort of anticipation for something that has yet to happen. The only way he could articulate it would be to say that everyone’s had their thing the island offered them. Everyone but him. He just feels like he should wait.

Luffy watches his navigator’s face as it twists with irritation. His own is blank before stretching into a carefree grin.

“Don’t worry Nami, it’ll be fine. Besides, you said it’s a good place to take a break—so take one already!”

He snickers as she grits her teeth.

Luffy dreams that night. It’s an unusual occurrence for him, usually dreaming while awake, where he can charge towards them freely and make them real.

But this dream pulls him years back, nearly a decade earlier in a different forest. There are three sake cups sitting on the stump between him and Ace and Sabo, stolen wine poured into them to be lifted and clinked and downed. As brothers. A trio of troublemakers, fighting and stealing and surviving together. Luffy relives a series of memories, flashes of the many adventures they had before he even turned ten. He notices that he’s crying in most of them, brothers swooping in to save him—if they weren’t the reasons for his tears.

When he wakes, he recognizes that the whole scenario is unlike himself. Both the dreaming and the lingering in his memory. He doesn’t read into them, ready to hmph and move on. But there’s a feeling in his chest that won’t go away—like a tugging, or an emptiness. All at once.

After a few more days, Nami is no longer the only vocal advocate for leaving. Most of the crew feel an itch to get moving, get doing—except for Usopp, enjoying his slice of life on the one island that hasn’t tried to kill him. 

“Luffy, seriously, what are you waiting around for? You’re normally the first one to get a move on,” Sanji complains.

The captain once again refuses to budge, face blank. “I already said I don’t wanna.”

“We can’t just wait around here because you have a feeling,” Nami interjects. 

Sanji nods. “Yeah, what happened to King of the Pirates? Beating all the other guys in the next generation to the One Piece? Meeting Shanks?”

Luffy huffs at the mention, nearly a growl. He does care about those things, how could his crew doubt him? When have they ever been so opposed to taking a detour before? They always get where they need eventually—it always works out when they’re together.

Zoro watches closely, the twitch of his captain’s nose and lips. When he speaks it comes from his place as first mate. “He’s the captain.”

The cook scoffs, face twisting in annoyance. “I know,” he seethes.

“Doesn’t sound like it.”

Luffy can’t bear to listen to them argue, body too tense to be amused. He storms off. Nobody chases him.

No matter how fed up they might be with their captain, the crew would never leave. Everyone knows this. So they argue, yell and shout and say hurtful things, but they don’t leave. They wait with him. And Luffy waits, uncharacteristically quiet—subdued—as he tries to understand why this island called for him.

It happens during their last argument, a heated mix of shouts and growls on the sandy shore. Zoro stands firm on Luffy’s side with a quivering Usopp. Robin and Chopper are at a distance while the others exchange heated words. Sanji’s hands grip at his captain’s shirt, shaking him in attempt to convince him to use common sense for once in his life.

“God, Luffy! This is getting to be a huge waste of our time—”

And Luffy fumes. An anger so intense it’s impossible to describe floods his veins. He glares at his crewmate, his gall to call his waiting a waste.

“You better shut the hell up,” he growls, teeth nearly grating.

“I will once we get the hell out of here!”

Luffy’s hand comes to the cook’s wrist, squeezing harshly in threat. Threat of escalating things further, threat to get physical if he keeps it up. But Sanji doesn’t back down, ready to meet his captain’s violence if that’s what it’ll take for him to listen.

A flame bursts in the forest, roaring behind Sanji in Luffy’s peripheral.

The captain’s expression falls, anger evaporating as he turns his full attention to the fire. He is struck breathless by the sight—licks of red and orange that rise quickly above the trees, as if commanded by the ground beneath. His hand on Sanji’s wrist slackens, then tightens as he yanks it off and runs.

“Hey! The hell you think—”

But Luffy is gone, sprinting across the sand, swirling clouds tracing behind him. His body moves on its own, fueled by nothing but that deep, deep emptiness in his chest beckoning him forward.

In the minute it takes him to arrive, the fire reaches its end. It only claimed a section of the forest, benign by its own volition. But that section is cleared, charred and fallen. All that remains is a floor of black and grey, with lingering orange from still-hot coals.

Luffy’s chest heaves. He feels like he’s still sprinting even when he comes to a stop—at the edge of sand and embers. Ace’s smile flashes through his mind.

The realization hits him like ice water, a forceful dump over his head—head filled only with thoughts of his brother. His brother, his brother, his brother. Tan skin, freckles, black wavy hair. A smile like the sun and the crescent moon all at once. With marked skin and a gaping hole in his chest, standing above him protectively. His brother, with the power of flames, known first to many by his title: Fire Fist.

Luffy’s body thrums with life and heat and pain, that initial anticipation multiplying infinitely. His face twists and stings at the flood of tears that start to spill. He doesn’t register his body’s movements as he tries to run forwards, screaming, “ACE!” with his entire chest and being. He falters, legs liquifying before he can take a single step.

The reaction is immediate.

“Ace?” Zoro asks. His voice is breathy, from sprinting with the others to follow their captain.

“He’s…” Luffy pants, gasping for air. He’s a fish on the shore, suffocating. “He’s here. Ace is here.”

Uncertain expressions flutter through the crew, a mixture of concerned frowns and skeptical glares. Chopper is the first to answer, the first to believe.

“You think Ace is on this island?” he asks hopefully.

A flash of intensity crosses Sanji’s features, maybe a sinking strike of regret. He adds, “Any idea where he is? The island is small, so we should be able to find him pretty quickly.”

But Luffy shakes his head, face crumpling as tears continue to fall. He’s the crybaby brother, the first one to sob, the troublemaker that always caused a mess his older brothers’ always had to clean up.

“I wanna be something cool,” Ace says after a few moments. Luffy opens one eye and turns his head to look at him. “When I’m reborn, I wanna be something that everybody loves. Like a star. I don’t… I don’t wanna be another person.”

Luffy frowns at the admission. It makes no sense to him—stars aren’t born, they’re just there. As they’ve always been. He feels angry, hurt even, but doesn’t understand why. Why would Ace want to be something like that, something that… that would be so far away?

“Hmph,” he grumbles, turning away. “Then be a stupid star or whatever. I’m gonna be a king, or someone cool like Shanks. And you can be a star high up in the sky while Sabo and I get to be brothers again.”

Luffy’s foot kicks forward, lifting traces of sand and a small cloud of dust. Golden-brown dust, nearly the color of his skin. Soft sand with occasional clumps of dark rock, speckles in the ground. Freckles, even.

“Ace is here,” he tries again. “He’s… he’s—”

Zoro grabs his captain by the bicep, holding him firmly before he falls. “Luffy! What the hell? Spit it out already. We can’t go around looking for him until you tell us where he is.”

Luffy’s face is long, stretched sadly as his eyes continue to water. 

“It’s Ace,” he says again. “Ace is the island.”

An island that relies on the destruction of fire to start new life. An island with tanned and freckled ground, with limestone as bright as a cheeky smile. An island with mountains that rest like a pile of bones, white and dry with dark markings: etchings that will never fade. An island with fields of grass, black as the night, rustling through the breeze like tufts of wavy hair. An island with red watery clay beneath a thin layer of soil.

(His brother’s fire, the endless flame of his passionate life despite having reached its end. His brother’s skin, tan from time in the sun and freckled with infinite, ever changing constellations. His brother’s grin, shining white teeth, always a smile of reassurance. His brother’s bones, strong and sturdy before him, coated with flesh and a tattoo of a loss they shared. His brother’s hair, thick and wavy locks, covered by his own signature hat. 

His brother’s beaded necklace, made from heated and glazed clay, scattering across the ground when its string finally breaks. His brother’s blood, spilling from his chest before him, for him. Always.)

An island unknown to anyone but his little brother’s crew—located only by that strong, unwavering compass in the beating muscle of Luffy’s heart.

Ace was reborn, not into another human or creature: beings that hurt and wound. Instead he rose from a sliding fault of the earth’s crust, fueled by hot lava beneath. He rose impossibly fast and became a stable, giving source of life that rests in the warmth of the open ocean. And now Luffy stands atop him, on that skin-toned shore in the body of the crescent, a curve carved by an object shooting straight through it, down towards the molten center of the earth to dig a deep abyss. The points of the moon-shape circle around the boy in a protective hug—a shield: the strong arms of an older brother, his duty always first and foremost to look after his siblings.

Ace lived.

The thought passes through Luffy that when he’s reborn, he’d like to be a neighboring island, another dot on the ocean, one in a cluster of three. When Luffy passes and he’s offered new life, another life, he’d like to be Ace’s brother once again.

This time: timeless. Together.

thanks for reading! <3

something about writing for one piece makes me feel invincible and completely unafraid of what anyone thinks LOL. Luffy would be proud.

[peonierose]

Las hijas de Luna

Book: Open Heart

Pairing: Bryce Lahela (M!MC) x Luna Auclair (F!OC)

Rating: General. It’s a birth story. But there won’t be any graphic scenes.

Words: 5,000+

Summary: It’s time for Luna and Bryce to welcome their twins into the world. Will there be any complications? Or will the birth go without a hitch?

A/N: I just wanted to say thank you to the whole choices fandom. I couldn’t have come this far with my writing, my stories and my beloved characters, if I didn’t have such amazing and encouraging friends to cheer me on and support me. So thank you to anyone who’s given my writing, my stories and my characters a chance 💚

2 A/N: I’m by no means an expert with birth stories so please excuse any errors. I used my basic knowledge, friends knowledge and the internet to find out more about births but remember this is fiction, I was bit more freely with the details, but nothing too vivid or such pinky promise.

Side note: If you're curious how Luna and Bryce found out that they're expecting you can find out in my story "Cake by the Ocean"

I also included a playlist if you want to you can give it a listen here

2 Side note: I participated in the March Challenge @choicesmonthlychallenge and used the prompt plumeria flower. The plumeria flower symbolizes positivity & new beginnings 🥰 (I think it wasn't among the flowers that were mentioned, but since the story takes place in Hawaii I thought I'd use this beautiful flower).

Honolulu, Hawaii

March 30th

Luna

Bryce is about to head out on a camping trip with Keiki. They’re going to Waianae Mountain Range.

It usually took over an hour to get there. But the view was breathtaking and made up for the time it took you to get there.

I've been there with my family before. It’s marvelous. The fresh mountain air. The chirping birds, the rush of a nearby waterfall. And the light is perfect for painting. It’s truly a magnificent experience.

My cousin Skyler, Sky for short, didn’t like it so much, he got scared by spiders. Other than that it was pretty fun.

So when Keiki asked Bryce if he’d like to go? Bryce was excited to spend more time with his sister.

Because of his demanding job as a surgeon, he doesn’t get to spend as much time with his family as he would like to. Working odd hours, and being on call does that to your private life.

They’re going to spend the whole day together, going hiking, fishing and just sitting by the campfire. It was a beautiful idea, sans the camping. I’d rather go glamping, thank you very much. One time camping was enough. I grinned at the fond memory. I went camping with my family once and had to share a tent with Evie and Soraya.

It was great. It was like a sleepover. But I could’ve sworn I’ve seen a snake or two crawl outside and that kinda ruined the experience and sleeping on the cold hard floor wasn’t a picnic either.

I stood outside our house and watched as Bryce packed up the Jeep with their bags, tents, and some food my mom made for them earlier. I would’ve gone with them but I was told this could be straining for me since I’m due to give birth soon. With twins, you never know.

I’ve been having small contractions since this morning but I didn’t want to ruin Bryce’s trip with Keiki.

Gnawing on my lip I’m trying to decide if I should tell him, because if I do then he’ll cancel his trip and I don’t want to do that.

So I’ve been a bit worried all day.

Bryce looked up at me as if he felt my stare.

”Don‘t look so worried Lunes. We can go another weekend if you’re so worried. It’s close to your due date, Lu. I mean I know that twins usually arrive earlier than the expected due date.“

He looked slightly concerned and was torn if he should cancel the trip. His brown eyes were full of worry. The usual spark in his eyes was dimmed.

I walked towards him and tried to lighten the mood.

”I’m fine. See? Totally peachy!“ I smiled and did a little pirouette. Or tried to at least. It looked more awkward than what a pirouette should look like.

Bryce wasn’t convinced by my little performance.

We both heard some barking. That must be Knox, Adam‘s dog. Adam had a meeting with a potential client in Maui. He makes and builds his own furniture, and has his own company right here in Honolulu.

So when he asked us if we could look after Knox? We were more than happy to.

So both Maxi and Knox joined us in the house and are currently in our garden enjoying the sun and playing a round of catch.

I smiled and Bryce relaxed a little too. I hugged him, he pulled me closer, and I breathed in the fresh cotton scent and some cherry from his shower gel.

I looked up at him.

”If I should go into labour I’ve packed my bag just in case. Maxi and my mom are inside, my cousins and Meilani will be here shortly and I have your and Keiki's number on speed dial. It’s all good. Go have fun. We‘ll still be here when you come back.“

Bryce sighed and went to close the trunk of the Jeep. He walked over to me again.

”I hate leaving you here. Maybe I should just stay here. Yeah, that’s a good idea. Keiki will understand.“

I laughed as he tried to walk back into our house and I pushed him towards the car.

”Go and have fun B. I mean it. But don’t have too much fun without me.“

He took one last look at me and gave me a lingering kiss. One that made my toes curl. I smiled against his lips.

When he broke off the, he kissed me on the top of my head and got into the car.

I grinned at him and he smiled back, though the worry isn’t completely gone, it’s dimmed down a little. So I tried a reassuring smile.

”It’s going to be fine babe.“

”Alright Lunes. I’m sure things will work out.“

He nodded as if more to himself and grinned.

”Keiks let’s go. You can text your boyfriend in the car.“ He yell d towards the house and Keiki ran out the door with a blue metallic bag over her shoulder.

”Fyi he’s not my boyfriend. I was calling a guy who’s name I’m not telling you, so that you can win the betting pool.“

”Jesus.“ Bryce muttered, making me and Keiki laugh out loud.

She hugged me, smelling like peaches.

”Bye Looney.“

I grinned at them.

”Have fun guys. Love you.“

Bryce honked once and they were off, the headlights getting smaller.

My mom, Maxi, and Knox Adam’s dog were keeping me company. My mom said she’d spend the day with me until Bryce got back.

I walked inside our house once Bryce and Keiki were on their way.

As I closed the front door, a sudden pain made me clutch my stomach. I let out a slow breath. Okay, this was definitely a stronger contraction.

Maxi walked towards me, Knox in tow. She grinned but then took one look at me and rushed towards me.

”What’s wrong sugarplum?“

She guided me gently to the couch.

”I don’t know. It felt like a contraction. But that’s not possible. I'm not due yet.“

Once I sat down the pain was almost gone. I sighed in relief. Maybe it was because I overexerted myself today?

Meinlani said that could happen. I lifted my legs and laid down on the couch. Damn, this felt good. I sighed in relief.

Knox puts his head on my knee and I pet him behind his ears. Which makes him lick my hand. He’s a sweet dog.

My mom came over. She took one glance at me and a worried look entered her blue-green eyes.

”You okay baby?“

I nodded. Eyes closed. And I am. The pain was gone. At least for now. Maybe it was just a false alarm, and the small contractions I’ve been having since this morning were just preparation? I hoped that’s true.

”Why don’t I make you some chamomile tea? Hmm?“ She put a strand of my dark blonde hair behind my ear. I sighed in bliss.

”Two sugars?“

She kissed me on my forehead.

”You got it, baby.“

The next couple of hours were pretty uneventful. We chatted and watched Bridgerton. But I just couldn’t concentrate. I love that show. But I had a bad feeling.

Earlier I tried to reach Bryce to check in if they got there okay, but the call didn’t go through. Maybe they had bad cell signal? Of all days for the cell service not to work? Seriously screw you cell towers.

I was almost fast asleep, Knox by my side when the doorbell rang. I opened my sleepy eyes as Maxi got up and pinpointed me with a look.

”Don’t you dare get up. I’ve got it.“

I laughed and stayed on the couch.

”Who missed us?“

I turned my head and saw my cousins Evie and Soraya walk in. Followed by our friend and my OB/gyn Meilani, and Soraya‘s wife.

They all leaned down and hugged me.

”Good to see you’re following my orders to rest.“

”I’m a good student.“ I grinned.

Maxi snorted.

”That’s not true. You were up and about almost all day.“

”Luna!“

”Ohh. Someone’s getting a lecture.“ Evie said from across the room.

My mom let out a laugh.

Meilani was holding back a smile I can tell.

”Well you’re resting now, which I’m counting as a win.“ Meilani said and sat in the other armchair next to Meilani. Soon we were all laughing.

My mom's phone rang on the counter.

”Hey love.“

I could tell from the tone of her voice that it was my dad. She only talked like this when my dad was near.

”No, I haven’t heard anything about thunderstorm warnings. I’m with loon-moon, you know since Bryce went on that trip with Keiki.“

She listened some more and she was darting concerned looks at the phone.

”Yeah I agree. We’ll stay inside, don't worry. Love you too.“

My ears perked up at the words ”thunderstorm warnings“ and I sat up with Meilani's help.

My mom disconnected the call and we all looked at her.

I stared at my mom expectantly.

”Brian called and told me there were severe thunderstorm warnings issued. They’re urging everyone who doesn’t need to be outside to stay at home. I hope Bryce and Keiki will be okay. Looney, have you tried reaching him?“

I nodded.

”My calls and texts didn’t go through. What if he gets hurt? And they can’t reach anyone? Oh god.“

I tried not to cry but it was no use. I was full-on crying because I was worried about Bryce. Maxi reached me and hugged me.

”Hey come on don’t worry. Bryce is a tough guy, and he’s pretty resourceful. But don’t tell him I told you that. He'll tease me until eternity. So try to think positive. He’ll be okay.“

She kissed my temple and I tried to relax, but a shrivel of worry stayed where it was.

I nodded, got up and slowly walked to the bathroom. After drinking that chamomile tea I had to pee all the damn time.

It was good thinking that Bryce and I had installed another bathroom downstairs. To be honest I couldn’t walk upstairs right now just to use the bathroom.

As I opened the door I felt a wetness dribble down my feet. I stood frozen to the ground. Not moving an inch.

I was scared that if I moved I’d make it worse. I know that‘s technically not possible. But I’m scared. And a slight panic settled in the depths of my stomach.

Oh no. Not now. Please, not now. It’s too early.

I tried using the breathing techniques I used when I have an anxiety attack. Maybe that would calm me down a little.

Is the water supposed to break? I thought that was just a thing from movies and TV shows. But apparently, it’s a thing.

I must’ve made a tiny sound because I heard some tiny little footsteps clacking on the wooden floorboards.

Knox must’ve heard me. He stood there and watched me. When I didn’t say anything, he barked and I put my hand through his soft golden fur.

”It’s okay. No need to worry right? Women have given birth before, right?“ Even I could hear the panic in my voice.

”Lunes? Do you need help to sit down on the toilet?“ I heard the others snicker.

But I was not in the mood for jokes.

”My water just broke.“

They stopped laughing and I could hear them coming closer.

Meilani was the first one followed by my mom, Maxi, Soraya, and Evie.

Meilani shot me a reassuring smile.

”Okay no need to worry. Why don’t you go and wash up? We’ll grab your packed bag and drive you to the hospital?“

I nodded and Maxi was by my side and coached me through my breathing.

”Deep breaths sugarplum. Come on. In and out.“

She instructed me and I repeated it a couple of times before I was able to breathe normally again.

”I’ll go wash up.“ I said.

”I’ll bring you a change of clothes.“ Maxie said and went upstairs.

Evie and Soraya stood there unsure what to do, so I turned to them.

”Can you guys try Bryce’s phone again? I’d feel better knowing that he and Keiki are okay.“

Evie nodded and Soraya went outside to see if Meilani needed any help.

”I couldn’t reach him before. But I’ll keep calling him.“ Evie said.

I went inside the bathroom to wash up. Hoping we’ll make it to the hospital in time. Hopefully, the streets will be cleared despite all the storm warnings.

When I went outside I saw Soraya rushing in. A concerned look on her face.

”We’ll have a problem getting to the hospital. As I was turning on the engine, I noticed that the car was stuck. It hasn’t stopped raining, so the trails are too muddy from the rain.“

I sighed and when a contraction rolled around I tried breathing through it. But I couldn’t help the whimper that escaped.

”I was afraid of that. The calls to the hospital didn’t go through either. I tried calling my head nurse Valerie. But I can’t reach anyone.“

She looked around trying to reassess the situation.

”Okay we’ve got this no problem.“

”What do you need?“ My mom sprinted into action.

Meilani looked around.

”We need to make a make-shift birthing room. The contractions are pretty early on, so it could take hours before Luna is ready to push. She has to be fully dilated. Again that could take hours, and maybe the streets will be cleared up by then. We also don’t have any medical supplies or an epidural that I could give to Luna. I’m not going to risk an infection to either her or the twins.“

My mom nodded.

”Okay Meilani and Maxine you stay with Luna and make her feel comfortable. She doesn’t need any added stress to her right now. Soraya, Evie, and I will try to get the car rolling again. So that we can make it to the hospital.“

Everyone nodded while I was walking back and forth, not able to sit still. When I’m anxious I tend to walk a dent into the carpet.

When everyone was done making a makeshift birthing room, Meilani pointed for me to lie down.

”Alright. Let’s make you comfortable.“

Meilani sighed and looked up at me. A serious look on her face.

”How long?“ I asked, my eyes full of tears because Bryce wasn’t here and I couldn't reach him.

”We’ve got time. So try and relax. I know it sounds a lot, but you’ve got this okay?“

”Sure I’ll just lie down and feel all peachy. That’s a-okay.“

Meilani smiled at me, completely ignoring my sarcasm.

”But just so you know the contractions are only going to get more painful. So I’m going to time the distance to know for sure when it’s time to push okay? That way we’ll be able to at least have some time to prepare alright?“

I sucked in a breath and nodded.

”The contractions are going to be worse than what I’m feeling now? Yeah sure no problem.“

”You got this babe.“ Meilani smiled and her smile put me a bit at ease.

Bryce

Nothing but the blue sky above us as we drove towards Waianae Mountain Range. Listening to Elvis Presley songs. The top is rolled up, and we’re singing out loud.

Keiki laughed at my singing technique. Making me sing even louder.

It took us a little longer than an hour, but hey that’s fine. We made it and that’s the most important thing.

I turned off the engine of our Jeep when we arrived at the campsite. We got out of the car and put our bags, the tents, and the food we packed out of the car trunk.

I grinned at Keiki. Then I heard her curse as she tried to get the tent up and I grinned.

”Need any help there Keiks?“ I smiled.

”Nope. I’ve got it.“ She replied.

”Hopefully this time you can get your tent up, not like last time. When it all fell apart.“

Keiki turned around and pointed an accusing finger at me.

”That‘s so not true. You helped me build it. So technically it’s your fault it fell apart.“

I laughed.

While putting up the tent, I couldn’t shake off this bad feeling I’ve had ever since we started the trip. I tried reaching Lunes but there’s bad cell service out here. I barely have any bars on my cell phone. It seems as if there won’t be any cell service for some time.

When we heard thunder roaring in the distance we both stopped setting up our tents.

My gut feeling was confirmed when I saw dark grey clouds rolling in, where just a while ago the sky was brilliantly blue before.

”Damn it.“ I cursed again.

I went to my car and turned on the radio to see if there were any severe thunderstorm alerts issued for Honolulu. I found a radio station and only caught the last sentence.

”…urge people to stay inside. There are severe thunderstorm warnings for Honolulu, Kailua, Waipahu…“

I turned the radio off and walked towards Keiki who looked up from building her tent.

”You okay?“ She asked with apprehension written across her face.

”There were several thunderstorms issued and I have a bad feeling. I also can’t reach Luna.“

I pushed my hand through my hair.

”I’m sure she’s fine.“ Keiki tried to reassure me, but the worry stayed with me.

Keiki reached into her bag and gave me a signal booster for my phone.

”Luna's dad gave me a signal booster for my phone when he heard we were going camping. I’ve brought it with me just in case.“

”You’re a lifesaver Keiks.“

She smiled at me.

I tried reaching Luna and when I did it was not her voice I heard. It was Evie‘s. Luna’s cousin.

”Thank god Bryce. We’ve been trying to reach you for hours.“

I could hear a voice in the background.

”Evie? What’s wrong? Is Luna okay?“

Evie was back on the line.

”Her water broke. We’re on our way to the hospital.“

Her voice stopped me in my tracks, my heart started beating faster and I could feel the blood rush through my veins.

”What? When? Is she okay?“

Keiki looked towards me and when she saw my panicked expression she walked towards me and put her hand on my shoulder. I gripped her hand tightly.

”Wait, I'll give her the phone.“

I heard some rustling and then Luna was on the line.

”B?“

When I heard her voice I breathed out a breath of relief. I didn’t realize how tense I was. My shoulders dropped, since Luna’s voice instantly relaxed me.

”Are you okay?“ I asked because I wanted to hear if she was in any pain.

”I…yeah. I’m fine. But B? I can’t do this without you. Please tell me you’ll be here?“

I sighed. And activated my doctor mode. I tried to act as if this was one of my patients. But it only worked for a short amount of time.

”I’ll make it. Don’t worry, and don’t start without me. But seriously you’re in good hands. Meilani is an exceptional doctor…“

I didn’t get to finish when I heard her cry out.

”Lunes?“ I said and then I heard Meilanis' voice.

”She’s fine for now. We’re on our way to the hospital. So you better get your ass there Lahela.“

”How far along is she until she has to push?“

”We’ve got a little bit of time, but soon. We wanted to go there earlier but with the thunderstorms, it was raining and the car was stuck. The others are trying to get the car out so we can get to the hospital.“

I nodded as if she could see me.

”Alright I’ll be there.“

I heard more noises.

”I have to go Bryce. Luna needs me. Please be there. She can’t do this without you.“

”I promise I’ll make it.“

That’s when we ended the call. And I pinched my nose. And then I had to laugh because it reminded me so much of something Ethan would do.

”What’s wrong?“ Keiki asked me. And when I didn't answer her immediately she yelled my name.

”Bryce!“

Her voice shook me out of my daze.

”Luna’s water broke.“

”Wait, didn't you say she wasn’t due yet?”

She looked at the dark sky above us and her eyes turned worried.

I rubbed my neck nervously.

”Yeah. But sometimes you can go into labor earlier. Especially with twins.“

”Then we should go. I don’t think this camping trip will take place today. The weather is too bad. There could be landslides, especially in the mountains. And we don’t want to be here when that happens.“

I nodded and we both got our stuff packed up.

”You’re right Keiks. We should head back. Before the roads get too bad.“

I was loading everything into the car when I heard Keiki's voice.

”I think it might be too late for that big brother.“

I stuck my head out of the car to see where Keiki was pointing.

She pointed at the trail that was completely covered in mud. Even with our Jeep, we’ll have a hard time getting the car going.

Dammit. Of all days for a thunderstorm to arrive it had to be today of all days. I don’t know if that’s a good or bad omen. Though I truly hoped that it was a good omen and that the Hawaiian gods would be merciful with the weather today. Saying a silent prayer I looked up and hoped I would be there to witness the birth of my children.

I breathed out and turned to my little sister.

”Alright. Let’s not panic. Let’s try if we can get the car onto the road.“

Keiki nodded, but I could tell she was not convinced that we’d get the car on the road.

I turned on the engine and after a couple of seconds we got on the road and I swerved to avoid any muddy parts on the street.

We made it halfway home when we hit a pothole and got stuck.

It rattled the car for a second, and I tried to back out of the pothole, but no dice. No matter how hard I tried we were stuck.

”What now? Should we try to move the car?“ Keiki asked.

I shook my head and I hit my hands on the steering wheel. Frustrated.

”Fuck. I hate that we got stuck. Today of all days.“

Keiki slapped me on my arm.

”Well we won’t solve it by sitting inside the car. Let’s see how bad we’re stuck.“

I felt myself nodding and we got out to see how big the pothole was.

”Yeah okay we’re screwed.“ Keiki whistled.

I shot her an annoyed look.

”What? I’m just saying.“ She grinned and I laughed half-heartedly, as I was trying to calculate how long it would take us if we made a run for it.

”How long would it take us if we made a run for it?“ I voiced my thoughts aloud.

I looked at my sister who got her phone to see how far it would take us.

”It’s 10 miles from here.“

”We could make it in time.“

Keiki chewed on her fingernails. Painted in a deep pink shade.

”You’re faster than me. I could stay here in the car and you could go to the hospital. I’d only slow you down. I’m not exactly a sports person.“

I was torn if I should just go, leave my sister behind, and miss the birth of my twins or if we should make a run for it.

Keiki sighed.

”We’re wasting time debating this. Just go. Give me the booster for my phone and we can stay in touch. I’ll be fine I promise.“

I sighed and looked at her.

”Are you sure Kei-Kei?“

She nudged me forward.

”Go! I don’t want my big brother to miss the birth of my nieces. I’d never hear the end of it. Also if you faint please take pics, I want to remember this day.“ She said grinning.

”Very funny Keiks. I’ll stay in touch.“

”I’m going to be a dad.“ I shouted and she grinned at me, shaking her head.

I gave her the signal booster for her phone, kissed her on her forehead, and made a run for it.

As I was running I kept praying that I made it on time for the birth of our twins.

Which spurred me to run faster.

Kuakini Medical Center, Honolulu Hawaii

Luna

As another strong contraction hit me I cried out.

Meilani kept shooting me dirty looks.

”Luna. As your doctor, I’m telling you we can’t wait any longer.“

”Please, Mei. I can’t do this without him. Please. Just 5 more minutes, please?“

Meilani closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, she crossed her arms over her chest and sighed, seeing that I wouldn’t budge on this.

”Alright, fine. We’ll wait 5 more minutes. After that, it’s pushing time.“

I nodded.

Bryce

I was wheezing. Almost wept from joy. My calves are killing me, but I’m almost there. Just a couple more steps and I‘m at the hospital. I could see the building already coming closer.

I made it to the hospital, and rushed through the hospital doors all muddy and sweaty.

As I was on my way to the elevator a voice stopped me.

”Where do you think you’re going, young man? This is a hospital.“

When I turned around Brenda gave me the evil eye.

”Lahela you know the rules.“

”Yes I know. Please! Luna is upstairs, she's about to give birth. I can’t miss that. Please.“

”At least get a little cleaned up!“

I groaned. Seriously?

”Could you be a Karen somewhere else?“ I muttered under my breath.

”What was that?“ She cleared her throat.

”Nothing. I’ll get cleaned up, upstairs. Thanks, Brenda.“

”Yeah. Yeah.“

I sighed in relief as I punched the elevator button and the elevator rode up.

All I cared about was that I made it to the hospital to be there for Lunes when our twins were born.

The elevator dinged and I almost stumbled out of it, because I couldn’t wait to get out into the hall.

The first person I saw was Grace, Luna’s mom walking back and forth. Soraya and Evie were next to her sitting on the hard plastic chairs.

When Grace saw me coming in she started to cry and hugged me. I hugged her back. Though I’m anxious to see Luna.

”Thank god you made it Bryce.“ She put her hands around my face and I smiled at her.

I turned to look at Grace when I didn't see Luna anywhere.

She pointed to a room to the right and that’s when I heard painful screams coming from inside.

Luna must’ve already started pushing. I winced. Hating I couldn’t be there for her from the start. But I tried to not dwell on that. I’m here now and that’s what counts.

Grace smiled at me.

”Luna has already started pushing. She waited until the last minute. But she had to start.“

I nodded and got going.

”She’s inside with Meilani and her head nurse Valerie.“

I nodded and opened the door. Meilani didn’t look up as she guided Luna through the birth.

I quickly scrubbed in as fast as I could and joined Luna and Meilani.

”Okay that’s good Lu. That’s good. Just keep pushing.“ Meilani said in a soothing voice when I got to Luna’s side who shot me an angry look.

”Where the fuck were you B?“

I winced and then I smiled at her for using a curse word.

”Let’s leave story time for after you’ve given birth. What’s important is that I’m here.“

”I’m going to kick your ass for this later.“

I grinned and kissed her forehead.

”I wouldn’t have it any other way.“

Meilani grinned and her head nurse Valerie stood next to Meilani, keeping track of the heart monitor.

Meilani‘s voice got me out of my trance.

”Dad? Wanna do the honors?“

I squeezed Luna‘s hand and stood in the front to catch the first baby.

As I did, a loud cry filled the room and I suddenly held one of my girls in my arms.

”I forget how tiny they are when they’re born.“ Valerie smiled next to me and I nodded.

I looked at my little girl, and a whole new love entered my heart. I wasn’t prepared for this feeling.

It’s as if my heart was going to burst from all this love. Making space for new people entering my life. I still couldn’t believe Luna and I created these beautiful babies.

I took my daughter's little hand in mine and kissed it.

”Hi there, beautiful. Look at you being all pretty huh?“

”A new member in your Ohana.“ Valerie kept sniffing.

I nodded and kept rocking the baby and when she opened her eyes she looked at me and stopped crying.

”It’s your awesome dad. So cool right? Look at your mom. Super strong and going at it.“

Valerie laughed softly at my comment and I grinned.

I turned to Luna and waved with my daughter's little hand at Luna.

I kissed our baby's tiny forehead and Valerie took her from me. Taking care of the washing and weighing.

Then I was at Luna’s side again and together we got to see our second baby. Another loud cry just like her twin sisters filled the room, as she entered the world.

My heart couldn’t be fuller at this second, as I looked down at Luna and saw her tired but happy face look up at me. I kissed her and she sighed.

Meilani‘s voice got us out of our reverie. We must’ve looked as if we smoked too much weed. Goofy expressions on our faces as we looked at Meilani.

”Congratulations you two. I’m so happy that I could be a part of it.“

”I already know my vagina won’t be the same after this.“

Meilani laughed out loud and I grinned too. If Lunes can make jokes then she’s okay.

Valerie walked towards us and handed me Kehlani and Alaia. We heard the door open and when we looked up all we saw were the faces of Grace, Evie, and Soraya.

They all opened the door wider and entered the room.

”Look Keilani Mae and Alaia Rose are finally here with us, Lunes. They’re just as beautiful as their mom and dad.“

Luna rolled her eyes.

”I knew you’d bring yourself into the conversation.“

”What can I say? I’m good-looking. Says so on the onesie.“

Luna just shook her head and grinned, probably too tired for a comeback.

”You’ve done it. You gave birth to two beautiful girls.“ Meilani wiped away some tears. And we all just smiled, letting this little miracle, er…miracles, seep in.

I couldn’t stop smiling.

Soraya and Evie walked towards us and held the little twins. Cuddling them and peppering them with kisses.

”Sky is going to be so jealous that he didn’t hold the twins first. Let’s call him.“ Evie said and Soraya nodded.

They handed them back and I held them close as I put them on Luna’s chest.

Luna started to sob when she saw the twins for the first time. She touched Kehlani's little cheek with her forefinger.

”They’re so tiny and smell so beautiful. Like a new book. For a new chapter of our lives.“

She looked up at me and I nodded, too full of emotions to form a proper sentence so I just nodded and we enjoyed the time with our twins.

Luna

Holding your babies? It was a whole new level of love.

It’s something I didn’t know I wanted so much, as I held them close and took in their newborn smell. My love, my life.

I‘d lay down my life for my twins. I’d do anything to keep them safe.

As I looked down at them. I couldn’t believe they were here. It seemed as if I’ve been waiting for years to see their tiny little faces. I swore I’ll be a good mom.

A new exciting and thrilling feeling filled my body.

Giving me a new superpower. I’ve never felt this strong. I felt invincible. That’s probably the meds talking. But I don’t fucking care. It’s exactly where we belonged. I never thought this was the road my life would take me.

With Bryce, Kehlani Mae, and Alaia Rose. Our beautiful little family. Our Ohana. Our lives, no our love has grown ten times fold.

I smiled up at Bryce who had the same look in his cinnamon brown eyes as I did.

He leaned down to give me a gentle kiss, making this moment perfect.

Bryce

Luna fell asleep and was resting in the hospital bed. As I kept holding the twins.

There was a rocking chair in the corner and I sat down with the twins.

I've been rocking the twins to sleep for over an hour, but it felt as if we were in our tiny pink bubble of love. Nothing could touch us.

I heard a soft knock and looked up as the door opened.

It’s Grace and Brian. Luna’s parents.

Grace just started crying when she saw me again. She tugged at her husband's jacket.

”Do you see what I see? Oh my god Brian, look at those two beautiful angels! I mean I know I’ve seen them earlier, but my heart is about to explode.“

Grace shook Brian’s arm. Almost ripped it out of its sockets and I chuckled to myself. I can see where Luna got her excitement from.

”I know I’m standing right next to you so I see exactly what you see darling.“ Brian replied softly.

Grace rolled her blue-green eyes, just like Luna‘s.

”I don’t even care about your sarcasm right now.“

I smiled at them.

”Do you want to hold them?“ I offered knowing that if I don’t, Grace will just take them from me and cuddle them close to her.

Grace just nodded.

”Say hi to Kehlani Mae and Alaia Rose.“

”Hi there Lani.“ Grace held Kehlani‘s little hand and she blinked her sleepy brown eyes open.

Brian smiled fondly.

”Rosie looks so sweet.“

I sat back down next to Luna who was sleeping peacefully after not only giving birth to one but two babies.

Our rockstar.

I loved that we were able to experience the moment of our twins' birth together. Our love and genetics made this happen.

This is our Ohana. And I’m grateful that we‘ve started a new chapter in our lives.

[m1d-45]

to tighnari -

i know you already have your hands full with taking care of the forest, rescuing wayward adventurers, guiding the forest rangers, conducting your research, dealing with the akademiya, etc. i know how busy you are and how hard you work so i get why you've been ignoring my stars, i really do, but i just need you to know that i've been waiting for you and i'll keep waiting for you no matter what. so please, tighnari, whenever you're ready...please come home.

(sent with a single plumeria flower and a small origami fox the color of his tail.)

[CONGRATULATIONS ON 1K FOLLOWERS MIDAS!!!!!!!! YOU ABSOLUTELY DESERVE IT, YOUR WORK IS PHENOMENAL AND I ADORE EVERYTHING YOU'VE EVER WRITTEN <3<3]

tighnari carefully reached for the star, his tail flicking behind him in excitement. he’d never received a call from you, never lucky enough for your stars to cross his sky, so to have one land at his front door?

three items fell onto his windowsill, which he quickly kept from tumbling anywhere else. his eyes were immediately drawn to the small folded piece of green-blue paper, and the delicate, twisting flower it was curled around. he smiled, brushing a gloved hand over the white and yellow petals, but swiftly moved towards the folded paper. what if it was something important?

two tone eyes read over your words with haste, but his eager mood quickly dampens.

he’s… been ignoring you?

he didn’t mean to—he was simply going about his day, his heart in his work—but clearly he has, evidently having unknowingly making himself scarce.

his eyes caught on the last line, rereading it again.

’whenever he was ready’…

tighnari carefully folded the note again, tucking it into his nightstand. he’d love to preserve the flower for longer… but he settled for putting it on his desk, instead, to be pressed into a bookmark later.

he sat at the same desk, pulling over his schedule. perhaps he could clear up some time, spend more time out in the plains of the forest, beyond where the trees could block his view of the sky.

he’d hate to keep you waiting.

[francixoxoxo]

꧁ℱ𝓇𝒶𝓃𝑔𝒾𝓅𝒶𝓃𝒾꧂

𝐏𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞!𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐗 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐝!𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

ℐ𝒻 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝒸𝒶𝓃’𝓉 𝑔ℴ ℴ𝓃 𝓁𝒶𝓃𝒹，ℬ𝒾𝓁𝓁𝓎 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒷𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽ℯ 𝓁𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓉ℴ 𝓎ℴ𝓊．

Its comeback season babes

If Billy could bottle up the smell of your skin into a cologne, he’d wear it to the last drop.

It was ineffable, and yet, with every passing breath he tried to name it. Sea salt. A sweet kiss to the crook of your neck, lingering enough to inhale your scent. And vanilla. The purgatory twixt sleep and consciousness, spent in your arms, grains of sand in his hair and under his back. That must be jasmine.

Billy wasn’t the most educated man. He couldn’t write decent, not past his signature and a resume. Neither was he a big history guy, or a mathematician behind basic addition and subtraction. But he could love like the back of his hand. He could find the words to say even when they were good as needles in hay, and he could find the strength to be gentle when fury hazed his mind.

So it came second nature, when you admitted so softly and nearly meekly that you’d never smelled flowers, he draw his brows and murmur, “I’ll bring you some.”

“You would?” You’d breathed, a sleepy smile creasing your sun-kissed features. Billy nodded easily, his own eyes crinkling. “Do they smell nice?”

“Of course.” The conversation itself had come from Billy mentioning just what had been on his mind for the past hour; you smelled like heaven on Earth. The ocean’s salt and the land’s lilies, the storm cloud’s petrichor and the hearth’s warm, smoking olive branches. In his simple words, “Y’smell better than anything.”

The next day that Billy trotted through the sand to you, in his hand he clutched a bunch of flowers. Oranges melting into warm pinks, soft yellows and stark whites, colors impossible to recreate. They reminded him of you. What he imagined your soul would look like, deep in his dreams; a feeling, more than a sight. You’d love them, he knew you would.

You’d been lying on your back, eyelashes brushing your sun warmed cheeks as you closed your eyes against the day. Grains of sand beaded your hair like fairy dust, your nostrils flaring with the sea spray as it spouted from the rocks. The scales of your tail glittered with a dazzling iridescence, shooting diamonds from the sun. Beautiful enough to make a man weep, Billy’s never stopped believing.

You didn’t open your eyes immediately as Billy sat beside you, but grasped his forearm blindly, a smile stretching your lips. Something in the air became instantly more exciting when your man had settled in the sand.

“I got somethin’ for you.” Billy cooes, his free hand reaching to turn your cheek. Your eyes fluttered open, training on him with a look that made his heart (and his face) warm. You hummed sweetly, as if to ask what.

Billy revealed the clutch of flowers from behind his back, a grin creeping across his face at the sight of your own broadening smile. You gasped lightly, brows lifted as you rubbed a petal twixt your pointer and thumb. “Oh, they’re.. They’re so pretty!” You swooned, eyes bright with curiosity.

His eyes didn’t leave your own, no matter if you looked at him. “Very pretty.” He agreed absently, not particularly talking about the flowers. Billy swallowed hard and smiled again as you shifted onto your side, your tresses falling like waterfalls over your shoulders. “They’re called plumerias.”

“Plumerias.” You repeated softly, looking at the flowers like they were golden. Billy would’ve laughed if he wasn’t worried to offend you.

“Or frangipani.” Billy shrugs, watching as your nostrils flare. “Nobody ‘round here calls them plumeria.” You lean forward, hesitantly burying your nose in the petals as if to see if this was where the smell emanated from. Your lashes flutter as the sweet smell fills your nostrils.

“Frangipani.” You echo again, softly. You hand brushes his as you take the flowers, bringing them back to your nose so you can take another whiff. And another. “Oh, I love them, Billy.” You whisper, smiling up at Billy like he’s given you the sun on a lasso.

Billy grins like your smile alone gives the same feeling. “Y’look good with ‘em, baby.” Your hand reaching for him has him practically jumping to pull you into his arms, your shoulder to his chest and your tail over his thighs. Your fingers gently trace the smooth petals almost reverently while her arms tighten around your middle.

“This is what I smell like to you?” That smile of yours threatens to fill his heart to burst. Billy takes the opportunity to drop his face to your shoulder, breathing you in deeply through his nose. He nods after a moment.

“Like the sea, and frangipani.” Billy mumbles, planting a firm kiss to your bare skin.

You sigh contentedly, bringing the plumeria back to your nose. “I wish we had these underwater.” Your tone had a hint of longing, an upset that Billy wanted to squash immediately.

He barely even thought before blurting, “I’ll keep bringin’ you ‘em. Raid the whole damn forest. You’ll get sick of them, mama.” His words are punctuated with another kiss, his hands parting the wet curtain of your hair to access the skin of your sun-freckled neck. A warm giggle bubbles from your lips, you turn your face to finally catch his own in a proper kiss.

It lingers a bit longer than you’d intended, dizzying your mind in the best possible way. His stubble scratches your cheek, then your nose as you press it into his jaw. “You’re too good to me.”

Billy scoffs, his arms squeezing your form closer, if possible. His thumb rubs circles into where your hip melts into dazzling scales, and his azure eyes mirror that same glitter as they stare up at you. “Baby. I ain’t good enough t’you.”

[tropic-havens]

The frangipani tree, called tipanie in French Polynesia, takes its name from the Italian perfumer frangipani who invented a fragrance similar to the flower of this tree. In addition, to have an intoxicating scent, the flowers of tipanie, in various colors, are magnificent.

The first frangipani trees took root in Tahiti in 1852 thanks to the nurseryman Mr. Abadie, originally from Valparaiso. It is the Plumeria genus which is the most widespread in the fenua. It has several varieties whose origins come from Central America, Mexico, Cuba and Colombia.

The origin of its common name, frangipani, is the subject of several explanations. We have retained the story of the perfumer Frangipani. In the 12th century, the Italian Frangipani made a highly appreciated perfume that European explorers found four centuries later when they arrived in the Caribbean on this tree. The name of the perfumer is then simply attributed to the tree.

In Polynesia, the tipanie is used to make very fragrant neck or head crowns.

Flowering all year round, but more particularly from October to November, the tipanie produces magnificent flowers with five petals. The flower has an intoxicating fragrance. There are several varieties producing single or two-tone, white, yellow, pink, yellow or red flowers and even a dark garnet that is highly sought after by Tahitian mamas.

Recognized for its olfactory properties, the frangipani flower is used in perfumery in the form of an absolute. As a top, middle or base note, it brings an exotic, honeyed and almondy component to cosmetic products. In Asia, the infusion of tipanie flowers is applied to the body after bathing for its pleasant fragrance and its invigorating action.

[mrsoharaa]

Suguru gently placing a beautiful plumeria flower behind my ear as he tucks away some strands of my damped hair from the calling ocean lovingly whispering "beautiful" 🥰🥺🌺

[aprilblossomgirl]

flower/plant in dramas

Prompted by the conversation I had with @colourme-feral about plumeria and jasmine being featured in the first episode of I Feel You Linger in the Air (and also, plumeria was featured in KinnPorsche during the scene with Khun Spikes our beloved), I was tempted to write this post. Honestly, I always love to see how flowers or plants or even parks (not theme-parks) are used in dramas. Flowers and plants give visual localities and in many cases it's a part of natural and cultural elements of a place where the drama is set. And for me, it is always interesting to see how people 'place' their priority on parks, or to some extent, forests, through a piece of media; are they treated just as a side / decorative elements (as an escapade, or simply a break, destination, maybe), or as center stages? (Sorry, I was once an architecture/landscape architecture graduate and still, until today, have this default interest towards these living elements -- tropical flowers and forests my beloved! --, and since I LOVE watching my Asian shows, how they were presented there - will I always write about them, though, that's another case.) So, I am thinking of making some posts about flowers in dramas (specifically in Thai dramas). As I focused more on the Southeast Asian context, I might miss some facts about of the flower(s) from the perspective of other regions, but hopefully I didn't leave out anything significant.

part 1 - plumeria/frangipani

Plumeria (or also popular as frangipani) is a genus of flowering plants native to the Neotropical areas (including Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, Brazil, and Florida in the US) but had been spread throughout the warm tropical regions as ornamentals. I'm not going to list its different types of species but given that Plumeria is known more as a common name, here's a list of how the flower is also called across Southeast Asia's region: Frangipani, Cempaka, Kemboja, Bunga kubur (Malaysia); Kamboja (Indonesia); Kalachuchi, Kalasutsing-puti, Kalasutsing pula (the Philippines); Lan-thom-khaao, Lam-thom-daeng, Lee-laao-dee (Thailand); and Dai (Vietnam). Please feel free to correct me if you see any of these names to be wrong.

There's no clear evidence on how and when exactly the plants came to Southeast Asia, however, two temples in Indonesia (one built in the 9th century and the other in the 14th century before the European came to the region) had the flower trees depicted in their relief.

In Southeast Asia, both the flower and the trees of Plumeria are considered sacred. The flower is strongly associated with religion and temple life in both Hindu and Buddhist cultures, for examples, it is used by the Balinese Hindus in their temple offerings.

The Plumeria is also linked to ghosts and graveyards in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia where the trees are often planted at cemeteries both to give shading and to function as signage. Bunga kubur, one of the known names of Plumeria in Malaysia, literally means cemetery/graveyard (=kubur, or kuburan in Indonesian) flower (=bunga). Locals believe that the flowers give shelter to ghosts and spirits. In Malaysian-Indonesian folklores specifically, the flower's fragrance is even associated with a certain type of mythological creature that is a vampiric spirit (who likes to hang out on the trees), thus the flower often perceived as bad luck.

However, on the other side, Plumerias are also commonly used as ornamental plants in houses, parks, parking lots, and other open area as part of the elements of modern landscaping.

This interesting article compiles five interpretations of Plumeria flower meaning across various cultures, those are: (1) Peace, joy, and warm welcomes; (2) Openness to new relationships or loyalty to existing ones; (3) Ties to death and immortality; (4) Fertility, rebirth, and femininity; and (5) Medicinal healing powers.

The article above, with additional information taken from here, said that in Thailand, the way they would say Plumeria (ลั่นทม / lân-tom) was similar to the word for 'sorrow', or 'gloomy, sad, and depressed' (ระทม / rá-tom). This might be why the flower had a negative meaning to the people or community in the past and considered an unlucky plant. However, this perspective is changing and now Plumeria (or Frangipani) has a new name that is ลีลาวดี / Lii-laa-wá-dii/Lee-laao-dee.

Lastly, here's another article that talks more about Kalachuchi (another name for Plumeria) flower.

the flower in dramas:

KinnPorsche -- Remember our Khun Spike. Plumeria flowers here were used as offering or signage on top of the grave.

I Feel You Linger in the Air -- A Plumeria flower here was used as a prop, depicted falling from the sky onto the top of a plate of jasmines. It might hold some symbolisms: a welcome, an openness, or transfer of 'spirit' or soul across the time dimension.

Next, I plan to write about jasmine (Part 2) and hibiscus (Part 3).

Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] and the book "A Field Guide to Tropical Plants of Asia" by Engel & Phummai, 2008.