#scarlet freesia

[nitewrighter]

Nite, this is urgent. I need to know the kids' favorite flowers + their general color schemes (I'll tag you when finished, if you want). I want to paint them with flowers, kinda like I painted Ashe like this (bad lightning, ik)

but the only color scheme I know that Rei tends to wear green and yellow, but that's it.

Oh my gosh! That looks so cool!! I'm so excited!! Thank you so much!!!

Rei's flowers are white and yellow freesias, and her color scheme is green, white, and yellow. Edit: WAIT. SUNFLOWERS. REI HAS THE NICKNAME SUNSHINE AND AEDAN'S NICKNAME FOR HER IS A LUS NA GREINE, WHICH MEANS SUNFLOWER. HOW COULD I FORGET THAT.

Marti's flowers are bougainvillea and her color scheme is basically like a desaturated bi flag: orchid pink, heather purple, sky blue.

Jaime's flower is Eguzkilore and his color scheme is orange, cerulean, and navy.

Aedan's flower is Monkshood and his color scheme differs between pre-and-post defection. Pre-defection his color scheme is a talon-typical purple, black, red, and white. Post-defection his color scheme moves in a more Mercy direction but noticeably more autumnal, with burgundy, gold, and white.

Seye's flowers are honeysuckle and his color scheme is Tuscan red, scarlet red, and bronze.

Andrea's flower is the corn/flanders/red poppy, and her color scheme is Navy, black, and red.

Samir and Rajeev both share the lotus flower as their flower, but Samir's Lotus is the more narrow-petaled blue egyptian lotus, and Rajeev's lotus is the fatter, pinker lotus you tend to see in Hindu art. Samir's color scheme is turquoise and gold, and Rajeev's color scheme is cobalt and silver.

Faustine's flower is hellebore and her color scheme is purple, red, and black--though sometimes in a casino environment this color scheme can incorporate more white and gold.

Akasha's flower is the iris! (The leaves look like swords). And her color scheme is sea foam, sky-blue, and black, although the sea foam and the blue can have a slight iridescent effect to them.

Also for the bonus kids:

Phospho's flower is the Sundew and her color scheme is olive green and yellow-orange.

Annie's flower is the prickly pear blossom and her color scheme is sunset colors: think magenta reds and golds.

Guillaume's flower is red spider lily (Wow so edgy) and his color scheme is mostly black and indigo with some red accents.

[nightfall-by-jacqui-natla]

6. UPRISING

I COULDN'T HELP BUT WONDER IF THEY HAD witnessed the countless battles and struggles that had shaped our world, if they had stood witness to the rise and fall of empires, the birth and death of civilizations. Their ancient wisdom, hidden beneath those cloaks, held the potential to unlock the secrets of the universe, to reveal the true nature of existence.

Yet, as much as I yearned for answers, a part of me feared the truth. For if they were indeed the Volturi guards, as Victoria had warned, then their presence signaled a darkness that threatened to consume everything in its path. Their notoriety was well-deserved, their reputation as merciless enforcers of vampire law sending chills down the spines of even the most powerful immortals.

But despite the fear that coursed through my veins, I couldn't deny the allure of their enigmatic aura. It was as if they held the key to unlocking a world beyond my wildest dreams, a world where time stood still and secrets whispered in the wind.

As midnight approached, a gathering of newborns assembled to meet Riley and me. Riley, with his dark blonde locks blending seamlessly into the shadows, stood at the center, his piercing scarlet eyes scanning the crowd. I stood by his side, observing the ferocious newborns. Among them, I recognized the familiar faces of Fred, Raoul, Diego, Kristie, Jen, Kevin, Casey, and Bree.

Suddenly, Riley produced a delicate, light red blouse from his pocket. The newborns hissed in response, but I remained unfazed. What was Riley's intention with the blouse? How did he come to possess it? And whose blouse was it, anyway?

Riley lifted the blouse high for everyone to see.

"Each and every one of you will smell this blouse," Riley commanded in his authoritative tone. He made his way to the bottom of the group and handed it to a slender boy. "Inhale its scent and etch it into your memory. This is our prey."

The slender boy took the blouse cautiously, his eyes widening with curiosity and a hint of apprehension. As he brought it closer to his nose, the newborns watched intently, their expressions a mix of anticipation and confusion. The scent of the blouse wafted through the air, a delicate and alluring fragrance that seemed to captivate the entire gathering.

One by one, Riley passed the blouse to each newborn, ensuring that they all had a chance to experience its intoxicating aroma. As the newborns inhaled deeply, their eyes glazed over with a newfound hunger, their instincts awakening within them. The blouse held a power over them, a connection to their primal desires.

But the question remained: whose blouse was it? And how did Riley come to possess it? The mystery hung in the air, adding an air of intrigue to the already enigmatic gathering. Whispers began to circulate among the newborns, speculating on the origins of the blouse and the significance it held for their leader.

Riley, seemingly unaffected by the growing curiosity, continued to distribute the blouse, his red eyes gleaming with a mix of excitement and satisfaction. He knew the power it held, the way it could ignite the dormant instincts within each newborn. It was a tool, a symbol of their shared purpose and their insatiable thirst for blood.

As the last newborn inhaled the scent of the blouse, a collective shiver ran through the crowd. The atmosphere crackled with newfound energy, a sense of unity and purpose that bound them all together. They were no longer just a gathering of newborns; they were a formidable force, ready to unleash their primal nature upon the world.

When it came to me, I eagerly seized it, taking a deep breath. I focused on Riley's instructions.

"Inhale its scent and etch it into your memory. This is our prey."

The aroma filled my nostrils and coursed through my veins, akin to the rush of trying cocaine for the first time. It was both sweet and subtle, yet strangely familiar. Freesia and lavender. But why did it seem so recognizable?

In an instant, I was transported back to a corridor. A school corridor...

I found myself at Forks High School, standing in front of my locker, reaching for a History book when my eyes landed on her. Her luscious brown locks flowed down her back, and her deep chocolate eyes were fixated on the ground. She had a slightly lighter complexion than me, but still lacked the sun-kissed glow that one would expect from someone hailing from Phoenix.

"Hey, you must be the new girl, right?" I approached her, curiosity piqued.

"Y-yeah?" she responded, clearly taken aback.

"Isabella Swan, right?" I inquired.

"Bella, but yes," she replied, a hint of annoyance creeping into her voice.

"I'm Violet Baxter," I introduced myself, extending my hand. She shook it with her left hand. "So, you're from Phoenix, right?"

"Yeah. Did you grow up here in Forks?" she asked.

I nodded. "Aren't people from Phoenix supposed to have a tan?"

"Well, aren't people from Forks supposed to have a British accent?" she retorted.

"I inherited it from my Mummy and Daddy," I replied, playfully adopting a British accent. She couldn't help but snigger.

"Well, my mother was part albino," Bella added, and I couldn't help but giggle softly.

"I suppose we'll be known as The Albino Twins someday," I joked.

Bella chuckled and flashed me a warm smile. "Well, I'll see you later."

"Yeah, see ya," I replied as she walked away.

As I watched her walk away, I couldn't help but feel a sense of connection with Bella. Despite our initial awkward encounter, there was something about her that drew me in. I couldn't wait to get to know her better and maybe even become friends...

As I returned to the present, the floral scents lingered in my nose and mind. It was her scent. The scent of our prey.

Bella Swan. The name echoed in my mind like a haunting melody. She was the prey, the target of Riley's deadly intentions. But why? What had she done to deserve such a fate? Did she even know the danger she was in? The army was closing in, and I couldn't help but wonder if Bella was aware of the looming threat.

And with that, my memories became more clear.

I had a dad named Gavin Baxter, who had never been the father figure I had yearned for. He was present in body, but his mind was always elsewhere. Ever since my mother, Evelyn, passed away during childbirth, Gavin had spiralled into a deep depression, leaving me to fend for myself. He had never been able to cope with the loss of his beloved wife, and as a result, he had neglected his duties as a father.

His happiness had returned in the form of Dina Wyatt, a woman who had captured his heart and soon became my stepmother. And then, two years later, Ayla Wyatt-Baxter was born, and Gavin had taken a keen interest in her, leaving me and Ayla to fend for ourselves. Dina had never seen me as her stepdaughter, but rather as a rival for Gavin's affections. Ayla, on the other hand, had embraced me, and I had grown to love her.

But as time went on, things had taken a turn for the worse. The tension between Gavin, Dina and me had reached a boiling point, and I had no choice but to run away and found myself in Seattle. I had promised Ayla that I would return for her, but deep down, especially when all of this was happening, I knew that it was a promise I could never keep.

And for the past three months, they had turned a blind eye to my disappearance, as if I was nothing more than a mere inconvenience in their lives. But I wasn't surprised by their lack of concern. After all, our relationship had always been strained, to say the least.

As I stood there, surrounded by my fellow newborns, I caught a whiff of her scent, her blouse. Riley had somehow managed to sneak into her bedroom and steal it. The thought of him violating her personal space made raged inside.

But I couldn't dwell on that now. We had to find shelter before the sun rose and exposed us to the world. Riley barked orders at us, and we scattered like frightened animals, searching for a place to hide.

I stumbled upon a small cave near the river and ventured deeper into the darkness. As I turned around, I watched the sun rise from the west, a reminder of the life I had left behind. I couldn't believe that I was here, fighting for a cause I didn't believe in, against people I didn't want to harm.

And then there was Bella. My friend, the only one who made me feel human. I couldn't bear the thought of her being hurt, let alone killed. I hoped she knew about vampires and had some form of protection ready.

"Bree? Bree, where are you?" My voice echoed through the dense forest as I frantically searched for her.

She was probably with Diego again. I couldn't shake off the feeling that she was spending too much time with him lately. Young love, I supposed. What worried me was the impending sunrise, and there was no trace of either of them.

Time was running out, and I feared the consequences of their absence in the face of dawn's relentless approach.

I pushed through the dense undergrowth as I called out her name once more. The forest seemed to close in around me, the shadows growing longer and more menacing as the first light of day began to filter through the trees.

As I continued my frantic search, a sense of panic began to take hold. What if something had happened to her? What if she was hurt, lost, or worse? I quickened my pace at the thought of it, determined to find her before it was too late.

The sun was rising rapidly, yet there was still no sign of them. The black pine trees were slowly transitioning to a shade of evergreen. Soon, the lighter tips would contrast against the darkness, marking the point of no return. This realm of the afterlife would erupt in a fiery blaze, and I could only envision the excruciating pain that would accompany it. Bree and Diego would be caught in the chaos as well.

The silence that greeted me only fueled my fear, sending shivers down my spine. Every rustle of leaves, every snap of a twig, sent my imagination into overdrive, conjuring up all sorts of horrific scenarios.

But I couldn't let myself give in to despair. I had to stay focused, keep searching, keep hoping that I would find them safe and sound. The thought of losing them was unbearable, and I refused to let that become a reality.

As I pressed on, the forest seemed to close in around me, the shadows growing longer and more menacing. But I pushed through, driven by a fierce determination to find them, to bring them back to safety.

Suddenly, a brilliant light from the sun pierced through the darkness, signaling that my quest to find them had come to an unfortunate end. With no shelter in sight to shield me from the sun's harsh rays, I braced myself for an agonizing demise.

The anticipation of a painful death loomed over me, a stark reminder of my failure.

However, death did not claim me today.

Instead, a remarkable sight unfolded before my eyes. My hands, resembling glistening marbles, shimmered like countless diamonds embedded within my very skin.

Confusion washed over me. Should I feel relieved that I wasn't incinerated or enraged at Victoria's deception? She did warn me that a cloudy day was an exception, but she insisted the sun would be our end.

I couldn't comprehend what was happening. How could my hands be transformed into something so ethereal and beautiful? Was this some kind of cruel trick or a miraculous gift?

But I knew one thing now: Diego and Bree were safe from the sunlight.

As I stood there, frozen in awe, a gentle breeze brushed against my face, carrying with it a faint scent of flowers. The scents of freesia and lavender filled my senses, and Bella's image became clearer.

Riley harbored a deadly intent towards her. But why? Was it jealousy, revenge, or something more sinister? My mind raced with questions, but my body remained frozen in awe of the transformation taking place before me.

I reached out tentatively, afraid to disturb the delicate beauty that now adorned my hands. As my fingers brushed against each other, the ethereal glow shimmered, appearing and disappearing like a fleeting dream.

A sudden realization struck me, igniting a flurry of doubts. If Victoria had lied to me, and Riley and the newborns, regarding the veracity of sunlight touching vampire skin, what other lies could she be hiding?

My mind raced with questions, each one more unsettling than the last. Had she been manipulating me all along? Was there a hidden agenda behind her enchanting smile and captivating presence? The doubts gnawed at my conscience, threatening to unravel the delicate trust we had built.

I couldn't help but recall the countless nights spent in her company, the whispered promises of eternal love and companionship. Was it all a facade? A carefully crafted illusion to lure me into her world? I struggled to reconcile the image of the woman I thought I knew with the possibility of a deceitful mastermind.

The fragile elegance that had initially captivated me now seemed like a fragile facade, ready to crumble at the slightest touch. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was standing on the precipice of a revelation, one that would forever alter the course of my existence.

As I withdrew my hand, a mix of fear and determination coursed through my veins. I couldn't let myself be blinded by the allure of her world any longer. It was time to confront Victoria, to demand the truth and unravel the web of deception.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a blanket of darkness over the land, I found myself ready to confront Victoria. It was time for her to reveal the hidden secrets of our existence. I was well aware that we were vampires, but the question lingered in my mind: what specific breed of vampire were we? And more importantly, what extraordinary powers lay dormant within us, waiting to be unleashed?

Were we the ancient and noble Nosferatu, with their hauntingly pale skin and elongated fangs? Or perhaps we were the seductive and alluring Ventrue, known for their ability to manipulate the minds of mortals with just a glance.

Or maybe, and possibly, we were the combination of both these creatures.

The possibilities were endless, and the uncertainty gnawed at my very core. I yearned to understand the depths of our supernatural creation, to uncover the truth that had been concealed from us for far too long. And yet, there was a part of me that feared the revelations that awaited me. What if our species was tainted, cursed with a darkness that could never be escaped? What if the powers that lay dormant within us were too dangerous to be unleashed?

As I approached the desolate warehouse, the echoes of voices pierced through the stillness of the night, like haunting whispers from another realm.

I could feel the weight of hidden secrets and untold stories pressing down on me, urging me to unlock the mysteries that lay hidden within the walls of the abandoned building. The air was thick with anticipation, as if the very atmosphere itself was holding its breath, waiting for me to uncover the truth that had been buried for so long.

Concealed in the darkness, I became invisible, allowing me to listen intently to the surroundings. With each passing moment, the low, romantic sounds were suddenly interrupted, capturing my attention.

"How many?" a voice asked, its tone muted by distance yet distinct. It was a voice I recognized all too well. Victoria. High-pitched and manipulative.

Riley's proud response filled the air, "Twenty-two."

Twenty-two. That was the number I had last counted. They must be referring to the newborns, the ones they were discussing.

Riley's voice carried a mix of relief and pride as he shared the news. "I thought I'd lost two more to the sun, but one of my older kids is... obedient," he said, his tone tinged with affection when referring to his 'kids'. "He has an underground place - he hid himself with the younger one."

The question hung in the air, causing a momentary silence. This time, there was no trace of romance, only a hint of tension that seemed palpable even from a distance.

"Yeah. He's a good kid, I'm sure," Riley replied, his voice filled with certainty.

Another strained pause followed, leaving me puzzled by the question. What did she mean by asking if he was sure? Did she doubt that he had firsthand knowledge of the situation?

"Twenty-two is good," she pondered, and the tension seemed to dissipate. "How is their behavior developing? Some of them are almost a year old. Do they stil follow the normal patterns?"

"Yes," Riley affirmed. "Everything you told me to do worked flawlessly. They don't think - they just do what they've always done. I can always distract them with thirst. It keeps them under control. "

"You've done so well," Victoria cooed, followed by the sound of a kiss. "Twenty-two!"

Riley's eagerness was evident in his next question. "Is it time?"

Her response came swiftly, cutting through the air like a sharp slap. "No! I haven't decided when."

Confusion clouded Riley's face as he uttered, "I don't understand."

With a hint of condescension, Victoria replied, "You don't need to. It's enough for you to know that our enemies have great powers. We cannot be too careful."

Her tone softened, returning to its saccharine sweetness. "But we have all the twenty-two still alive. Even with what they are capable of. . . what good will it be against twenty-two?"

A tinkling laugh escaped her lips, adding a touch of whimsy to the conversation.

"Decisions, decisions," she muttered to herself. "Not yet. Maybe one more handful, just to be sure. "

"Adding more might actually decrease our numbers," Riley warned, treading carefully not to cause any offense. "It's always unstable when a new group is introduced. "

"True," she nodded in understanding, and I pictured Riley exhaling in relief that she wasn't angered.

Suddenly, I noticed what had caught my attention.

Four cloaked figures traversed the vast expanse of the open field towards the grand house. Emerging from the western side, the farthest point from our concealed position, they appeared as ordinary individuals at first glance, donning long, dark cloaks with deep hoods. However, their movements possessed an uncanny grace and control, almost bordering on elegance.

It dawned on me that these were the very same figures I had spotted the previous night. Were they the Volturi? Or could they be our adversaries?

Silently, the figures glided over the long grass, their dark cloaks barely making a sound. A part of me wanted to flee, to escape the potential danger they might bring. Yet, I hesitated, fearing that any sudden movement might draw their attention towards us.

Instead, I observed their seamless progression, taking note of peculiar details. They maintained a flawless diamond formation, never faltering even as the terrain beneath their feet shifted. The figure positioned at the forefront of the diamond was noticeably smaller than the rest, its cloak possessing a deeper shade of darkness. Curiously, they did not appear to be tracking their way in, disregarding any scent or trail. It was as if they possessed an innate knowledge of their destination. Perhaps they were invited, guided by an unseen force.

The figures concealed in their cloaks had entered the room without a sound, their presence immediately noticeable. However, an eerie silence hung in the air as both she and Riley refrained from speaking, a clear indication that we were all aware of the danger that loomed before us.

In a languid and commanding tone, a voice broke the silence, devoid of any emotion. It wasn't as high-pitched as Victoria's voice, but it possessed a more youthful and feminine quality.

"Don't bother," the voice stated lazily. "I think you know who we are, so you must know that there is no point in trying to surprise us. Or hide from us. Or fight us. Or run."

A deep, masculine chuckle, one that clearly did not belong to Riley, reverberated ominously throughout the house.

"Relax," the first voice, belonging to the cloaked girl, instructed in a tone devoid of inflection. Her voice had a distinct quality that left no doubt in my mind that she was a vampire, not a ghost or any other kind of nightmare. "We're not here to destroy you. Yet. "

A moment of silence followed, broken only by faint movements and a slight shifting of positions.

"If you are not here to kill us, then. . . what?" Victoria's voice trembled with strain and shrillness.

"We seek to know your intentions here. Specifically, if they involve. . . a certain local clan," the cloaked girl explained. "We wonder if they have anything to do with the mayhem you've created here. Illegally created."

My eyes widened, and I instinctively pressed my lips together. They were the Volturi, but none of this made any sense, and the mention of illegality in relation to vampires was the most perplexing part of it all.

"Yes," Victoria whispered venomously. "My plans are all about them. But we can't move yet. It's tricky." A touch of petulance tainted her voice as she concluded her statement.

"Trust me, we know the difficulties better than you. It is remarkable that you've managed to keep off the radar, so to speak, for this long. Tell me," a flicker of curiosity laced through the monotone, "how are you doing it?"

Victoria hesitated, her words tumbling out in a hurried manner, as if she had been silently coerced. "I haven't made the decision," she spat out, her reluctance evident. Then, with a reluctant slowness, she added, "To attack. I've never decided to do anything with them. "

"Rough, but effective," the cloaked girl remarked. "Unfortunately, your period of deliberation has come to a close. You must decide - now - what you will do with your little army. Otherwise, it wil be our duty to punish you as the law demands. This reprieve, however short, troubles me. It is not our way. I suggest you give us what assurances you can. . . quickly.”

My eyes widened even further.

"We'll go at once!" Riley eagerly volunteered, and a sharp hiss followed.

"We'll go as soon as possible," Victoria corrected angrily. "There is much to do. I assume you wish us to succeed? Then I must have a little time to get them trained - instructed - fed!"

This was stated with unwavering certainty.

"Five days. We will come for you then. And there is no rock you can hide under or speed at which you can flee that wil save you. If you have not made your attack by the time we come, you wil burn. "

This was said with no menace other than an absolute certainty.

"And if I have made my attack?" Victoria inquired, visibly shaken.

"We'll see," the cloaked girl responded in a more cheerful tone than before. "I suppose that al depends on how successful you are. Work hard to please us. "

The final command was delivered in a cold, stern tone that sent a shiver down my spine.

"Yes," Victoria hissed.

"Yes," Riley murmured softly.

Moments later, the cloaked vampires slipped out of the house without a sound. I exhaled once they were gone. Inside, Victoria and Riley remained silent. Another ten minutes ticked by in complete quiet.

"Well," she whispered, "Now they know."

Was she referring to the cloaks or the coven? Which was the greater concern?

"That doesn't matter. We outnumber-."

"Any warning matters!" she snapped, interrupting him. "There is so much to do. Only five days!" She sighed. "No more messing around. You start tonight. "

"I won't fail you!" Riley vowed.

Victoria nodded, her expression unreadable. "Good. Remember, failure is not an option."

With that, she turned and left the room, leaving Riley alone to prepare for the task ahead. And soon, I ran out of my hiding spot, hoping neither of them spotted me.

And as the battle drew near, I made a decision. If I survived, I would leave this life behind. I couldn't continue to live like this, fighting for a cause I didn't believe in. But for now, I had to focus on the task at hand and hoped that Bella would make it out alive.

[justpeachyicedtea]

Title: Scarlet Freesia 🍑真っ赤なフリージャ Author/Artist: Katsura Komachi *spinoff of Hana to Junketsu

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Swooping back on here to let you guys check out this new series by Katsura Komachi.

There’s still a bit of time left to say, Happy Halloween! I snuck out to post this, so I gotta head back in now. Be safe, kids! 

[kaorinatsumi-blog]

[my-witchy-journal]

🌼SOME FLOWERS IN WITCHCRAFT🌼

Abundance: Arnica

Balance: Heather

Banishing negative energy: Lilac, Snapdragon

Beauty: Amaryllis, Pentas, Wolf’s Bane

Clairvoyance: Poppy, Queen Anne’s Lace

Communication: Datura (with Deities), Foxglove (with Fae), Pansy

Courage: Geranium, King Protea

Creativity: King Protea

Divination: Chicory, Damiana, Datura, Hibiscus, Pansy, Poppy, Rose

Dreams: Calendula (psychic dreams), Dandelion, Datura, Poppy

Energy: Carnation, Sunflower (sun energy)

Exorcism: Angelica, Dandelion, Datura, Henbane, Lilac

Fertility: Daffodil, Damiana, Foxglove, Geranium, Heather, Myrtile, Poppy, Queen Anne’s Lace, Sunflower

Friendship: Hydrangea, Passion Flower

Happiness: Calendula, Hyacinth, Lily of the Valley, Pansy, Scarlet Pimpernel, Sunflower, Tulip

Harmony: Gardenia, Iris, Jasmine, Lavender, Poppy, Rose, Violet

Healing: Arnica, Angelica, Calendula, Carnation, Chicory, Gardenia, Geranium, Heather, Lavender, Rose, Scarlet Pimpernel, Vervain

Hope: Daisy, Violet

Innocence: Daisy, Freesia

Invisibility: Poppy, Wolf’s Bane

Joyfulness: Birds of Paradise

Love: Buttercup, Daffodil, Daisy, Damiana, Datura, Foxglove, Gardenia, Geranium, Heather, Hibiscus, Hyachint, Iris, Jasmine, Lavender, Lilac, Orchid, Pansy, Pentas, Poppy, Queen Anne’s Lace, Tulip, Vervain, Violet, Yarrow Flower

Luck: Carnation, Chicory, Daffodil, Dandalion, Honeysuckle, Poppy, Violet

Lust: Damiana, Heather, Hibiscus, Queen Anne’s Lace

Marriage: Buttercup, Yarrow Flower

Money: Bergamot, Chamomile, Honeysuckle

Passion: Chamomile, Passion Flower, Rose

Patience: Aster

Peace: Gardenia, Iris, Lavender, Passion Flower, Poppy, Violet

Pleasure: Sweet Pea

Prosperity: Jasmine, Poppy

Protection:  Angelica, Arnica, Carnation, Datura, Dogwood, Foxglove, Geranium, Heather, Holly, Hyacinth, Lilac, Lily, Marigold, Rose, Scarlet Pimpernel, Snapdragon, Tulip, Vervain, Violet, Wolf’s Bane

Psychic Ability: Arnica, Calendula, Damiana, Orchid, Rose, Moonflower

Purification: Chicory, Dandelion, Lavender

Relaxation: Chamomile, Jasmine, Lavender, Poppy, Vervain

Removal of Curses/Breaking Hexes: Chicory, Datura, Hydrangea, Lily

Second sight: Henbane, Queen Anne’s Lace, Scarlet Pimpernel

Sensuality: Heather

Sexuality: Damiana, Foxglove

Sleep: Chamomile, Elderflower, Linden, Poppy, Violet

Spirit: Arnica (keeps unwanted spirits at bay), Bergamot (lifts spirit), Dandelion (summoning spirits), Heather (conjuring spirits), Honeysuckle

Spirituality: Jasmine, Queen Anne’s Lace, Rose

Strength: Carnation, Chicory

Success: Bergamot, Chicory, Sunflower

Tranquility: Lavender, Poppy, Rose, Violet

Transformation: Datura, King Protea, Moonflower, Scarlet Pimpernel

Vision: Angelica, Damiana, Datura

Vitality: Carnation

Wealth: Elderflower, Honeysuckle, Jasmine

Wisdom: Henbane

🌈Flower Colours and Magical Correspondences🌈

BLACK AND DARK BURGUNDY: The Crone,  banishing, breaking hexes, and removing negativity

BLUE: Element of water,  healing, sleep, and peace

BROWN AND  BEIGE:  Home,  stability,  and pets

GREEN: The God, element of earth,   faeries, healing, money, luck and fertility

PINK:  Friendship, children, affection and love

PURPLE: Power, psychic abilities and passion

RED: The Mother, element of fire, lust, love, sex, healing and protection

WHITE: The Maiden,  all  purpose, purification, protection,  and moon magick

YELLOW: Element of air, wisdom, mental powers,and divination 

ORANGE: Energy, vitality, and success

🌻🍂Flowers of the Month🍃❄️

January: carnation (bestows energy, healing), snowdrop (symbolizes new beginnings)

February: violet (love, protection), primrose (protection, love)

March: daffodil (fertility, love)

April: sweet pea (friendship, strength), daisy (love), lily (keeps negative influences away  [White: symbol for the archangel Gabriel])

May: lily of the valley (perks you up, lifts your spirits [all part of the flower are mildly toxic, should not be ingested]), hawthorn (fertility, happiness, good luck in fishing)

June: rose (love), honeysuckle (prosperity)

July: larkspur (health, protection), water lily (healing, emotions, psychic powers [use it in water spells, rituals])

August: gladiola (ending relationships, ending situations,), poppy (luck, prosperity)

September: morning glory (can be used in binding spells, peace, happiness), aster (can be used in love spells)

October: calendula (strength, healing, justice)

November: chrysanthemum (protection, protects you from negativity)

December: holly (protection, male plant), ivy (fidelity, love, female plant)

🔱Goddesses and Associated Plants🔱

APHRODITE: Violet, Morning glory, Rose, Linden, Heather, Queen Anne’s Lace, Daisy and all true blue flowers      

APOLLO: Arnica, Henbane

ARADIA: Rue, Vervain, Verbena

ARIANRHOD: Linden

ARTEMIS: Artemesia, Daisy, Damiana    

ASTRAEA: Aster, Michaelmas daisy

BAST: Catnip

BIL: Henbane

BRIGHID OR BRIDE: Dandelion,  Crocus, Helebores          

CERNUNNOS: Chamomile

CERRIDWEN: Vervain/verbena

CHRONOS: Henbane

CYBELE: Chrysanthemum

DEMETER OR CERES: Red Poppy

DIANA: Rue, Henbane, Rose

DRYADS: Daisy

FAE: Daisy

FREYA:  Maidenhair fern, Daisy, Rose, Primrose and Arnica

GANESHA: Damiana

HADES: Datura

HATHOR: Rose

HECATE: Cyclamen, Lavender, Willow, Hensbane, Datura, Wolf’s Bane and Monkshood (aconite)

HEL: Chrysanthemum

HERA:   Iris, Willow

HESTIA: Passion Flower

HOLDA: Rose in full bloom

HYPNOS: Passion Flower

IRIS: Iris, Rose

ISIS: Rose, Heather and purple  Iris

JUNO: Iris

JUPITER: Carnation

KALO: Hibiscus

LADY OF GUADALUPE:  Red and pink roses, Poinsettias

LILITH:  Lily; Deep-Red, Thorny, Garden-Style Roses

LUNA: Queen Anne’s Lace

MAE LABRAID: Heather

MAIA: Scarlet Pimpernel

MARS: Daffodil

MEDEA: Lavender

MERCURY: Chamomile

MINERVA: Thistle, Olive, and Mulberries              

NATURAJA: Datura

NECHTAN: Heather

NEPHTHYS: Lily

OESTRE: Daisy

OSHUN: Chamomile, Yarrow Flower

PERSEPHONE:   Parsley, Pomegranate, Henbane

RA: Arnica, Chamomile

SATURN: Datura, Lavender

SELENE: Rose, Bluebell, Nicotiana, Queen Anne’s Lace   and all white and night-blooming flowers

SHANGO: Hibiscus

SHAVA: Linden

SHIVA: Datura

ST. ANNE: Chamomile

VENUS: Violet, Morning glory,  Rose, Hibiscus, Queen Anne’s Lace, Heather and all true blue flowers    

YEMAYA: Passion Flower, Yarrow Flower

ZEUS: Damiana

Source: Garden Witchery - Magic from the ground up by Ellen Dugan 

[fairy-marshmallow]

Ikevamp Suitors Flowers

Napoleon - Rose Mozart - Lily of the Valley Leonardo - Scarlet Salvia Arthur - Delphinium Vincent - Sunflowers Theo - Gentian Dazai - Hydrangea Isaac - Freesia Jean - Lily Shakespeare - Lavender Comte - Dahlia Sebastian - Camellia Vlad - Rose Faust - Nigella Charles - Spider Lily

A reference list of the flowers that are assigned to each suitor. These appear in things like the “Flower Letter” gacha cards, birthday backgrounds and drama CD covers etc.

[bugmangaka]

More Kingdoms of Seasons designs!!!

(click for better quality!)

Character descriptions under the cut~

Inui - A single mother of two who goes to the same mom group as Joel. Being the only man in the group, Inui mistakenly assumed that he was also a single dad, and developed a crush on him. She’s very soft-spoken and polite.

Ai - Inui’s daughter

Shin - Inui’s son

Dahlia (Scar) - This shows Dahlia’s giant scar, one that ranges from her chest across her stomach reaching down to her waist. She got this from the Ruben’s plague, when the infected bug Mae was holding leaped out her hands and attacked her. Dahlia doesn’t hide her scar, she wears it as a symbol of the lengths she’d go to to serve her kingdom.

Carnation - Freesia’s mother. Carnation was rather elitist and didn’t interact with her children much. She had her kids out of necessity, but Freesia was the only daughter and was terminally ill. Carnation assured her daughter that she would outlive her and Freesia wouldn’t need to become queen. However, Carnation was cheating on her husband, Leopold, with one of the castle chefs, Syrup. This caused her to become pregnant with Syrup’s kids. Carnation convinced Leopold that they were his, and that they would provide an heir other than Freesia. When they were born, her babies were born with lower class traits and very clearly were not his. This caused a huge argument between the two, and the castle fell into chaos. Castle staff was panicked about the queen having lower class offspring, and kept the information out of the public eye. During the night, Leopold convinced the staff to take the babies and get rid of them. Carnation caught them in the act, and a chase down the giant castle staircase ensued. Carnation fought to grab her kids back, but during the struggle she tipped over the edge, falling off the staircase, taking her kids with her. None of them survived the fall. With the death of the queen, Freesia was then required to take the crown at a young age. Leopold quietly resigned afterwards, and the public was led to believe that Carnation died falling down the stairs as an accident while she was still pregnant.

Leopold - Was the king, married to Queen Carnation. He’s rather stoic and just as elitist as his wife. He ordered the staff to get rid of Carnation’s illegitimate children, and resigned after her death.

Syrup - One of the top chefs who worked in the castle when Carnation was queen. He worked his way up the ranks with his skill, despite being lower-class. He’s suave and does what he wants, which includes having an affair with the queen herself. He didn’t exactly love her, so when Carnation’s babies hatched, he had already silently resigned by the time she went to confront him.

Bramble, Juniper, Azalea, Balsam, and Lotus - Freesia’s half-siblings, and the products of an affair between Queen Carnation and Syrup.

Vimal - Marvin’s father. Vimal works in public sanitation, cleaning up the streets of his neighborhood. Unfortunately, a work accident left him crippled and unable to return to his job. He and his wife Sugar could not afford the medical costs, so they turned to get a loan from an establishment that ended up being a front for the gang the Scarlet Wasps. Now, owing money to both the gang and barely able to pay off rent for their house, his family is stuck within a huge financial crisis. His children work to make money to not only support themselves but to help pay off their massive debt. Vimal is pretty serious personality-wise, believing that his job was to put food on the table rather than be there emotionally for his kids. He is proud of them, at least, most of them. He is disappointed in Marvin for not having a “real” job.

Sugar - Marvin’s mother. She works as a receptionist at a medical clinic. She’s nice enough, but is often stressed with her job, checking in with her kids, taking care of her injured husband, and paying off her crippling debt.

Seed - The leader of the Fruit Brigade! The Fruit Brigade is a team made up of three hachisu and two kitsuga, who formed a team shortly after the Seiki Kingdom opened their borders. Their goal is to travel around the forest and harvest fruits from trees and bushes that cannot grow within the confines of their kingdoms. They haul their produce back to each kingdom and sell them. Seed is the creator of the group, and the most ambitious and passionate. He’s not the brightest bulb, often getting himself into precarious situations that require rescue. He has strong feelings for Sunflower, but doesn’t believe she returns them.

Sunflower - The second-hand woman in the Fruit Brigade. She helps make plans and works with Seed to lead the group. She’s a bit of a dimwit, her plans don’t necessarily work half the time, but she’s always happy to lend a hand! She get’s flustered very easily, especially around Seed. She has feelings for him, but doesn’t think he returns them.

Pad - The tech guy in the Fruit Brigade. His giant backpack hold a number of tools, ranging from saws to wrenches to his homemade patent-pending claw machine. He uses the claw to grab fruits and break them away from branches. He’s smart and resourceful!

Bump - Pad’s friend, and the tech assistant in the Fruit Brigade. She’s always upbeat, but is always serious about her work. She helps Pad operate his machinery, and often is the one to cut down fruit herself. Unlike most Hachitsu, she is not afraid of falling from high places.

Bunny - The muscle of the Fruit Brigade. He’s strong and quiet, but that doesn’t mean he’s not smart! He seems to always know what to do when Seed gets himself into trouble and always comes to his aid. He’s a strong flyer and a fast runner. The safety of his friends is what’s most important to him.

[quotes-of-dreamland]

I've been into flower languages lately (by that i mean for years) and I'm fairly new to the kirby fandom, so i don't know the characters too well, so i want to ask if the mods can give out which flower(s) represent a cast member? You don't have to do all of them, just what feels right, thank you 😊🌼

Mod Ribbon: hello!

Mod Susie: After writing this little bit here, Mod Ribbon proceeded to make full bouquets for most of the main cast, in no particular order. I didn’t want to delete it before pasting them all in here. Sorry for the wait, but without further ado:

Mod Ribbon:

KIRBY:

sakura blossom - youth, springtime geranium - friendship, comfort, childishness wild aster - the stars, antithesis of evil bottle gentian - sweet be thy dreams pink hyacinth - rashness, playfulness white poppy - sleep, laziness wild tansy - defiance, i resist you sorrel - affectionate st. john’s wort - strength, toughness lily of the valley - sweetness, innocence, purity ambrosia - food of the gods

ZAN PARTIZANNE:

white hyacinth - prayers honeysuckle - bonds of love sunflower - haughtiness yellow carnation - disdain pomegranate blossom - elegance, maturity fern - magic, sincerity violet - loyalty, faith, devotion chamomile - patience in adversity aloe - affection, grief forget-me-not - remembrance black poppy - oblivion, eternal sleep hyssop - sacrifice shepherd’s purse - I offer you my all.

DEDEDE:

allium - strength basil - royalty scarlet poppy - extravagance tiger lily - wealth, pride burdock - rudeness sunflower - riches, haughtiness barberry - sour tempered narcissus - egotism, selfishness, vanity touch-me-not - impatience wood sorrel - hidden sweetness tuberose - voluptuousness

BANDEE:

bay tree - glory red columbine - anxious thyme - strength, bravery violet - loyalty, devotion daisy - hope, innocence hyacinth - sport, game, playful edelweiss - courage, devotion amaryllis - pride coriander - hidden worth or merit yellow rose - true friendship white camellia - you’re adorable

META KNIGHT:

heath - solitude nasturtium - victory in battle bayberry - discipline edelweiss - daring, courage narcissus - egotism, formality gladiolus - honour, strength goldenrod - encouragement, protection monkshood - a deadly foe is near pomegranate blossom - elegance, pretentiousness

MAGOLOR:

enchanter’s nightshade - magic, witchcraft amaryllis - pride clematis - intelligence valerian - agreeable disposition dogwood - charm, finesse hollyhock - ambition clarkia - witty conversation fennel - flattery, praise purple aster - royalty monkshood - a deadly foe is near snapdragon - lies, deception white orchid - apology

MARX:

chrysanthemum - laughter, immortality white camellia - you are adorable pepperflower - satirical thoughts freesia - innocence, trust foxglove - youth, insincerity red hyacinth - playfulness mountain laurel - treachery wild daffodil - deceit, selfishness strawberry flower - looks can be deceiving wandflower - clownery (yes, really)

TARANZA:

white chrysanthemum - loyalty, hope sweet briar rose - intelligence, ‘i wound to heal’ lavender - devotion magnolia - nobility/noble bearing, love of nature daffodil - unrequited love pansy - thoughtfulness, remembrance amaranth - pretentiousness white ivy tendrils - eager to please yellow carnation - rejection of love, you have disappointed me

SUSIE:

buttercup - cheerfulness, wealth dahlia - elegance, refinement, treachery narcissus - pride chamomile - energy clematis - intelligence red clover - industry candytuft - sweetness, stoic beauty, indifference pink carnation - i’ll never forget you cinquefoil - beloved child, beloved daughter

[elsanna-shenanigans]

August Contest Submission #14: Of Flowers and Child-Friendly Scissors

Words: ca. 5,500 Setting: mAU Lemon: No CW: Brief mention of blood, Angst

The gentle fragrance of freshly cut flowers had always been nostalgic for Anna. She awoke to it every morning, and like clockwork she’d rise and perform her morning routine. With a large mug of sugary coffee in hand, she’d head down from her apartment to the shop floor below to get to work. Visually, she could never get enough of the array of vibrant colours. It overwhelmed her senses as much as the smell.

Raking a hand through her messy red hair, Anna wandered around the shop floor surveying her stock. Swapping her mug for a pair of pruning scissors from the counter, she walked around clipping the flowers on display, changing their water and creating easy to pick up pre-made bunches for her customers. Her mother had always hated being trapped in the family run business but Anna was the opposite: the quiet allowed her time to think. It was her only space in the universe, and she lost herself within it.

Caught up in her own world, she didn’t even hear the gentle chime of the bell as the door opened.

“Excuse me -”

Anna leapt out of her skin; almost chopping her fingers clean off.

“Oh my god, I am so sorry!” the customer flew to her knees beside Anna, taking her hand in her own.

Anna blinked, still as a mouse as she met bright cerulean eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, but her eyes followed her customer’s down to her hand. Scarlet glistened in the morning sunlight, and it took Anna a moment to realise it was her blood. She panicked for a good ten seconds, wondering if perhaps she really had cut her fingers off. Flexing them made her realise she hadn’t.

“I am such an idiot,” Anna yanked her hand back from the stranger as she scrambled to her feet.

“I shouldn’t have snuck up on you. I really am so sorry!” the woman chased Anna back to the counter where she clambered in drawers for the first aid kit.

“It’s okay, really. It’s not the first time. I should really be issued with child-friendly scissors,” she said, running around like a whirlwind. Once she had found the box she was looking for Anna tipped it upside down, spilling the contents of bandages, plasters and antiseptic cream across the counter.

“Sit down, let me bandage it,” the customer told her with a stern tone. It was enough to give Anna pause. Taking a minute to really look the woman over she realised she hadn’t met her before. The village was small; small enough to know every resident. A visitor, then, she assumed.

Silently, Anna obeyed and took a seat, the woman getting straight to work with light and delicate fingers, gently cleaning the wound and applying the dressing.

Anna found herself captivated by her guest: irises were a deep blue peppered with flecks of grey, eyes narrowed in intense concentration. She brushed away blonde hair from her face as she worked, strands so pale they almost lacked all pigment completely. The snow white skin of her arms were without blemish, and Anna’s eyes dared to wander further, past the chain of the silver locket resting on her collarbone, further still to the soft summer dress in muted tones of lilac. She was so lost in her that she didn’t even notice when the mysterious stranger had finished tending to her hand.

“Are you okay? You look flushed. Do you have a fever?” the woman held her hand to Anna’s forehead, and Anna, abruptly snapping out of her daydream at the surprisingly ice cold touch, almost died on the spot.

“I am fine! Totally fine!” she replied far too quickly, backing up as much as her chair would allow, her free hand grasping the arm rest, knuckles white.

Get yourself together! She berated herself. Taking a deep breath, Anna looked up again to greet her customer.

“I haven’t seen you around. Are you visiting?” she asked, keeping her voice surprisingly level as she swiftly changed the subject.

“No, I moved in last week,” the woman replied, finally taking a step back, and Anna breathed out a sigh of relief. She wasn’t sure she’d survive a whole conversation pinned down in the chair… though looking her visitor over once more, a part of her lamented the loss of contact. Just the thought of being pinned down by the enigmatic blonde was giving her more of a thrill than she cared to admit.

“Wait, you just moved in?” Anna suddenly processed her words. She had to think hard. There were no houses up for sale. That kind of news travelled fast. Unless -

“- my grandmother passed away last year and she left her cottage to me. I sat on it for a while, wondering whether to sell it… but my life turned upside down recently and well, here I am, moving into a village where I know no one.”

“You moved into number 6. You’re Rita’s granddaughter,” Anna said, taking a moment to compare the woman before her to the elderly lady who used to visit so often. Forgetting herself, Anna quickly continued, “I know it was a while ago, but I am sorry for your loss. She really was the heart of the village.”

“It’s okay, really. It’s been weird stepping into her life. People talk to me like I should know her, but I hadn’t seen her since I was a child. I have no idea what she was like, or why she bypassed my parents to leave this to me. But here I am, standing in your shop. Life just goes on. It’s quite cruel really.”

And here I am also talking to you like you’d have known her. Anna could have face-palmed. She was making a fine mess of this first meeting.

“Anna Noakes,” Anna held her hand out: the one that wasn’t bandaged, “I run the florist. Big surprise, I know, seen as that’s where we are,” Anna held her other arm out to gesture to the flower covered room. The chuckle it drew from Elsa made her heart soar.

“Well, Anna Noakes,” Elsa took her hand in greeting, “the florist who should only be issued with child-friendly scissors, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Elsa. Elsa Frost. What would you recommend for a first date?”

Anna caught the look of mirth in her customer’s eyes. She was never living that down.

Pursing her lips, thoughts flicked through the various flowers she had in stock which would appeal to a man. It wasn’t a request she had ever had before, but it wasn’t completely unheard of for a woman to buy a man flowers.

“Does he have a favourite colour that you know of? Is he sentimental?” Anna asked as she dug through some bunches of freesias to reach the gerberas behind.

“She,” Elsa corrected, “and I have no idea.”

Anna froze. Slowly, she turned back to Elsa, who was flicking through her phone. She is seeing a woman? And she talks like it’s no big deal? It was an alien feeling for Anna, who had always been surrounded by her friends and family in this village. It wasn’t that she didn’t like her lot in life, but explaining to them that she may very well not be into men seemed impossible in a small community where no one deviated from traditional expectations.

Elsa held up her phone unapologetically and pointed to a picture of a brunette.

“Isn’t that a dating app?” Anna asked, tracing the emerald eyes and chestnut locks of the flawless woman on the screen. She was beautiful, and successful, judging by the brief bio she caught just beneath.

“Yes. We’ve been talking for a few days and we seem to click. I’m kind of nervous. I really want it to work.” 

Anna caught the shy smile from Elsa, and she could not help but empathise with her sincerity. She was adorable.

“I wondered whether to give her roses -”

“- No, you’re not taking roses. Too overdone,” Anna dismissed it immediately.

“Let me make you something special. Peonies are beautiful, as are gerberas… maybe alstroemerias…” Anna murmured, moving around the store plucking individual flowers from buckets until she appeared back at Elsa’s side with a small bunch full of bright reds and yellows. Anna looked between the bunch and Elsa, wondering if perhaps she had made an error. The flowers didn’t reflect their purchaser at all, but before Anna could put them down and start again Elsa leaned forward and inhaled the sweet fragrance.

“They are perfect, thank you.”

Anna gave her a small smile, unable to bring herself to change her mind. If her customer liked them then that was that. They’d be fine. A date wasn’t about the flowers anyway. It was about the people, and she was sure Elsa would have a fine time.

Accepting payment, Anna bid farewell to her new customer and slouched back in her chair as she watched her leave, a goofy smile on her face. It would be nice to have a friend her age in the village. Especially one who must have gone through the same kind of trials Anna was going through.

“I wonder when I’ll see her again.”

 —-

The incessant ring from the alarm jolted Anna awake. She slapped it off, only for it to buzz again a few minutes later.

“Snooze, snooze,” she murmured. One alarm was never enough.

Crawling out of bed to that perfumed scent of fragrant flower meadows, Anna repeated her morning routine, with the addition of cleaning her wound and reapplying her bandage. Taking more care not to cut herself, she got back to tending and pruning her flowers.

She was alert to the chime of the door, and looking up her heart raced at the sight of Elsa. Two days in a row. I am blessed.

Putting her scissors down with care, Anna rushed to her feet to greet her.

“Hey! Back again already?” Anna asked, smile bright.

“Just checking in to make sure you’re okay.”

Anna blinked, not understanding.

“Your hand,” Elsa pointed out.

“Oh!” The penny dropped. “This,” she held out her bandaged hand. “Well, it hasn’t fallen off yet so I guess it’s good?” Anna made light of the topic, though Elsa’s concern did not waver.

“Anyway, how did your date go?” she asked, and Elsa’s expression faded to something more melancholy.

“Not so great…” she admitted, and instantly Anna felt for her. Dates were cruel; dating apps even worse: Anna had experienced enough to know that much.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! I really hope it wasn’t the flowers – God, I’d hate to think I ruined your chances -”

“- No, it wasn’t the flowers. We just didn’t get on in person as much as I had expected,” Elsa said, eyes looking anywhere but at Anna. 

Why would I suggest gerberas? I should have gone for muted hues. Something that suited her character. I’m such an idiot.

“Have you ever used a dating app before? They are pretty terrible,” Elsa made idle conversation as she browsed a selection of the pre-made bunches available.

“Yes – no, kind of… after my ex I swore off dating forever.”

“He was that bad?”

Anna let out a small chuckle. “No, she was not that bad. Not really. I just wasn’t ready to come out to everyone… Which I still haven’t really done. Which I am still not ready to do. And I don’t even know why I’m telling you this.”

The flash of surprise on Elsa’s face made Anna freeze for a moment, but the gentle smile that replaced it reassured her that she hadn’t made a mistake in confessing that to her.

“Did you date her here?” Elsa asked curiously, not seeming to miss a beat.

“Oh, hell no. She lived in the city. I travelled. Could you imagine if the village knew? It would be the gossip of the century.”

“I don’t know. Fitting in seems kind of boring, don’t you think?”

Anna was caught in her gaze for a long moment, those irises flickering with something darker. Had they been in a bar in the city Anna might have mistaken her customer’s intense look as an invitation to flirt, but they weren’t in a city. This was her village, and Anna was supposed to be serving the woman.

A ding from Elsa’s phone distracted them both.

Anna took a breath, almost relieved the tension was broken. She needed to stop letting Elsa fluster her. Threading her fingers through red hair, she tried to work out exactly how she was going to do that when Elsa continued, “Looks like another match. You ever think women find it corny for a partner to show up with flowers? Am I being old fashioned?”

“Absolutely not. It’s like the pinnacle of romance,” Anna said, resolute in her conviction. If any of her past dates had showed up with flowers she’d have been flattered; she’d have swooned.

“Mmm,” Elsa hummed, still checking her phone. “She wants to meet.”

“Isn’t that a little soon?” Anna frowned, voice laced with concern.

“Probably. But she does look cute. What do you think?” Elsa held her phone out. Anna sucked in a breath as she looked the redhead over in the image. She was stunning: glamorous. Anna felt a twang of envy as she looked over the photo. The woman staring back at her was much like Anna, and yet she was more refined, more city-smart, she had a proper job. It only served to remind her why she hated dating apps. Everyone on there always showed off their best side. Filtered photographs and high paying jobs weren’t everything… even if a small part of her wished she could have that lifestyle.

“She looks great,” the lie rolled off her tongue so easily. Anna had learnt the hard way how cruel the dating world could be, and Elsa needed to learn this herself. It wasn’t for Anna to judge.

“In that case, what flowers would you recommend?”

Anna smiled, even if it was a sad smile. Those girls would never know how lucky they were to have someone take these dates so seriously.

Changing it up, Anna picked bunches of muted purples and whites, with just a flash of yellow; selected from her best lilac, asters and crocuses. “The hope a new love can bring.”

“Do they always mean so much?” Elsa asked, examining them closely.

“Definitely. I could go on for days, but I won’t bore you.” Anna shot her a knowing grin.

“Maybe when I next pop by,” Elsa said, accepting the bunch and proceeding to purchase them.

She’ll be back. Anna held onto the thought. It was beginning to dawn on her that if Elsa really was planning on staying here permanently then these little visits might become more frequent than she ever could have dreamed. And for reasons Anna wasn’t entirely sure of, she was looking forward to them already.

Anna was about to bid farewell to Elsa, when she hesitated, an ivory hand lingering on her bunch of flowers still on the counter.

“I really am so lucky I found you. I have no idea what I’d have done without your help. I’d have been lost in a world of poorly maintained supermarket flowers,” Elsa admitted, and it was enough to draw a nervous laugh from Anna. 

“I don’t know, probably not messing up your last date?” Anna replied, cheeks rosy in embarrassment. The arched eyebrow Elsa raised in response made her glance away.

“Maybe it’s the opposite. Maybe I am just so hopeless that even the best flowers in the world can’t convince a woman to sit through a meal with me.”

“No, absolutely not!” Anna said without conscious thought. “I mean, anyone would be lucky to have a meal with you. You’re lovely. And kind, and considerate, and just -” she stopped herself before her mouth ran away with itself. “I just mean… you’re trying. Which is more than any of my dates ever did. They don’t know how lucky they are. You’ll meet the right person, eventually. Never give up.”

Elsa cocked her head, and for a moment Anna worried she had overstepped some kind of boundary.

“Thank you,” Elsa said sincerely. “I worried when I came here that I wouldn’t meet anyone who’d get me.”

“Oh?” Anna asked in surprise.

“A young independent woman from the city moving into a sleepy old village? Everyone here seems so set in their ways.”

She wasn’t wrong. Anna felt the same, and she had lived here her entire life.

A question tugged at Anna, and she considered not asking, but curiosity got the better of her. “Why did you move here?” It was an innocent enough question, or so she thought.

“Well…” Elsa hesitated, and for a moment Anna wasn’t sure if she’d continue. The way she clammed up made Anna wish she had never asked at all. It was such a contrast to the happy woman who stood there moments earlier. “We got serious so my girlfriend at the time moved in… and then we split a few years later. Do you know how hard it is living with your ex full time? It was okay while we weren’t seeing people. But when she started bringing people home…”

Anna watched those bright eyes fall into despair. Instinctively, she reached out and pulled Elsa into a hug.

“It hurt so, so much.” The raw emotion was evident in every syllable. “But I know she has nothing. Nowhere to go. So now I pay the mortgage and she lives in my apartment in the city,” Elsa said with the deepest of sighs.

How does someone even end up in that situation?

“I couldn’t throw her out onto the street, but I couldn’t live there either. So here I am, trying to start fresh. A psychiatrist would have a field day with me, I swear.” 

The way she tried to lighten the mood made Anna squeeze her even tighter.

“No – no.” Anna shook her head. “You’re amazing, and thoughtful. Your ex is a fool,” she paused, debating how best to tell her that renting her apartment out for free to an ex was crazy. “Don’t get me wrong – you totally need to fix your apartment situation, but you’re doing what you think is right. You’re being a good person. Don’t ever feel bad for that.”

Anna pulled back enough from Elsa to look her over. She could now see how clearly she was suffering beneath her upbeat persona. She still loves her. Anna supposed it made sense now. Why else would she be trying so hard to find someone new? Or maybe she’s just trying to find a way to heal.

“Thank you. For both the flowers and the pep talk,” Elsa said gratefully, pulling away from Anna’s arms and collecting the flowers from the counter. Anna felt an emptiness at the loss of contact, and she wondered if Elsa did too as she watched as she wrapped one arm around herself self-consciously.

“Anytime. I’m here every day of the week. Literally. Except Sunday. I have Sundays off.”

Anna opened her mouth to give Elsa something more: advice? Encouragement? Just a friendly goodbye? No words followed. She watched, a bleakness filling her at what she had just learnt. It didn’t seem fair that someone trying so hard had suffered so much misfortune.

I hope she finds what she is looking for.

 —-

It wasn’t often Anna didn’t sleep well, but here she was, wide awake long before her alarm had even gone off. She rolled out of bed and, like every morning, proceeded to perform her morning routine. 

She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about how Elsa’s date went, and more importantly, how Elsa was doing. The more she thought about her the more Anna realised she barely knew a thing about her. Had she moved here with anyone? Could she have another soul to confide in at home? She certainly implied she didn’t.

Maybe I should drop by after work. Just to make sure she’s settling in. Without even consciously realising it, resolving to check in on Elsa that afternoon gave Anna an extra spring in her step as she flipped her open sign on the shop door to closed. 

Keeping busy from idle thoughts, she continued to put the finishing touches on the flower arrangements for the wedding at the church later that day. Despite being a small, inclusive village, it was situated in an idyllic location and passing trade kept her afloat: especially weddings, and she needed her sole focus to ensure these would be perfect. Even if that meant no customers for a few hours.

Caught in the concentration of her job, she didn’t hear the door gently chime as it opened some time later.

“I hope I’m not disturbing you -”

Anna almost hit the ceiling. Holding her poor, beating heart, she turned to face Elsa. Had it been anyone else she’d have been thinking up a very tort reply involving reading and shop signage. But it was Elsa, and all of Anna’s irritation faded away in an instant.

“Sorry,” Elsa said with a sheepish smile, seeming to realise that she had made Anna jump out of her skin yet again. “I’m not normally this sneaky. I feel like you’re going to think I am doing this on purpose.”

“No, really, it’s fine. It’s great to see you again!” Anna said a little too enthusiastically, and instantly she wanted to face-palm. Way to sound desperate.

Immediately changing topic, because Anna needed to think about absolutely anything except her joy of seeing Elsa, she asked the one question on her mind. “How was your date?”

Elsa let out a low sigh. “I think I must have fool written all over my face.”

Anna nodded in understanding, not pressing her for any further details… and then proceeded to shake her head vehemently when she realised just what she had been agreeing to.

Elsa’s face softened, and for a moment she stood uncertain, one hand playing with the handles of her tote bag.

“…I actually got you a present.”

“A present?” Anna asked, both in pleasant surprise and anxious anticipation. What could ever have possessed Elsa to buy something for her she’d never know.

“Yes. Just something to say thank you for your help these past couple days.”

“I mean, you didn’t have to. My job is to supply my customers with perfect bouquets. If anything I should probably be giving you a refund for how well they’ve gone down.”

“Stop that,” Elsa’s voice held an edge that silenced Anna. “I loved them, and that’s all that matters.”

As much as Anna wanted to argue that that wasn’t the point, she remained quiet.

“Listen, don’t thank me too quickly. I pass a shop every day on the way to work and I saw it and thought of you and…” Elsa hesitated. “Just open it.”

Anna frowned but reluctantly accepted the neatly wrapped gift. Delicately, she pulled at the yellow ribbon and unpicked the sunflower paper. She looked between Elsa and the plain brown box beneath in curiosity. Chocolate maybe? She wondered, proceeding to slide the box open. To her surprise, Anna looked down at a dinky pair of black and white scissors, complete with blunt, rounded edges and topped off with a safety cap. Her eyes traced the cute cartoon panda faces over the grip.

She blinked in disbelief. “You bought me childrens scissors.”

“I did.” The absence of any shame in Elsa’s tone was both as amusing as it was humiliating.

Taking a breath, Anna finally looked up, keeping her expression as stern as she could as she inwardly melted at how adorable the gift was. “I want you to know I am both flattered and offended in equal measure.”

“Good. That’s what I was pitching for,” Elsa said, eyes alight with mischief. “Perhaps when rude customers sneak up on you, you won’t almost chop your hands off.”

“That was one time, and you weren’t rude.” Anna rolled her eyes.

“You said it had happened before,” Elsa retorted with folded arms and that arched look Anna was coming to enjoy a little too much.

“…So I did,” Anna conceded as she popped the scissors down by the counter.

“Can I get you a drink?” the words had already left Anna’s mouth before she realised how weird that was. They were in a flower shop. Elsa was shopping, not having afternoon tea. 

Before Anna could backpedal and come up with excuses for how ridiculous the offer was Elsa’s musical notes had already left her lips, “I would love one.”

“G-great! Tea or coffee? Or juice, water, soda, alcohol?” Anna stammered, caught off guard. 

Is my milk even in date?

“Coffee is fine.”

I really hope my milk is in date.

 “Can you watch the shop for a minute? My kettle is upstairs.”

Elsa nodded, and with that Anna sped upstairs, taking two at a time. Setting the kettle to boil with one hand and grabbing a random mug from her pile of washing up with the other, she quickly got to work cleaning it and mixing up a cup of coffee.

I really hope she likes instant coffee. How many sugars does a normal person take? …Was the milk in date? Pushing all fears aside, Anna charged back down with the mug, almost spilling it as she skidded to a stop. I really hope I don’t kill her.

“World’s Number 1 Florist?” Elsa mused as she accepted the coffee. Anna frowned, not understanding until Elsa held the mug up to take a sip. “If it’s on a mug it must be true.” 

The regret from picking that dumb mug was eclipsed by the playful twinkle in Elsa’s eye. Anna felt her cheeks redden, and feared for a moment Elsa would comment further, but she simply turned away and began wandering around the small shop floor, admiring the flowers on display. 

At ease in her company, Anna went back to the arrangements she was working.

“So, you live above the shop? Isn’t it weird having your house as your business? I don’t think I could ever do that. Like, where is the boundary? You must end up working so many hours,” Elsa made idle conversation, but Anna didn’t mind. It was a nice change of pace to have company.

How strange. She couldn’t help but notice. She always left the shop closed when she needed to really concentrate on a big order, but somehow Elsa’s presence didn’t disrupt her flow in the same way every other person did. 

“Yeah, it feels a bit like that sometimes,” Anna nodded in reply, not pausing in her work.

Elsa continued looking around, sipping her coffee as she took in every detail; from the range of flowers to the rustic design of the displays.

“Do you work here alone?”

“Yes. My grandparents owned the shop, and left it to me after they passed a few years back. My mum didn’t like being tied to it so she left way before. But even though I’m kind of stuck here I do enjoy it.”

“Your mum left?”

Anna sucked in a breath. She supposed she should have been more careful with her choice of words, but now she had mentioned it there was no taking that back. 

“Yes. When I was 8. She wasn’t really mum material,” she said diplomatically. Explaining to Elsa that her mother liked the alcohol and drugs more than her own family felt impossible. “I see her sometimes, and we got along okay, but my grandparents are the ones who raised me.”

“Wow, I’m sorry to hear that,” Elsa said empathetically, pausing to really look at Anna. She avoided her gaze, not needing, or wanting her pity. She had enough of that from the village. Being so small had its disadvantages, and everyone knowing everyone’s business was one of them. 

“Don’t be. Family problems, or maybe just life problems. I know I’m not the only one,” Anna said, thinking back to Elsa and their conversation about her grandmother and her ex. Her life was just as complicated, even if it was for completely different reasons.

“Life problems, indeed,” she agreed soberly, not prying for further details, and Anna respected that. It was a far cry from the gossip mongers she usually served.

Wordlessly, Anna continued arranging the wedding bouquets, acutely aware Elsa was now watching her every move with interest.

“Do you ever get lonely working here?” she finally broke the fragile silence that had fallen between them.

“I… don’t really notice? Maybe?” Anna wasn’t sure how to answer the question. “I try to keep myself busy. With so much to get done I don’t have time to think about much else. I need to get the flowers ready for the wedding this afternoon, and then for the church sermon tomorrow. And next week there are two more weddings.”

“Oh! I am sorry; I didn’t mean to keep you from anything -”

“- No - no, you’re not. I didn’t mean -”

“But you have Sundays off?” 

Anna let out a low sigh. She hadn’t meant to offend the woman, though she did wonder if Elsa had even read the signage on the door when she let herself in.

“Yes. I don’t open but I sometimes,” always, “get things ready for the week.”

Elsa pursed her lips and for a moment Anna thought she might say something else, but instead she took a long sip of her coffee, finishing the mug.

“Thank you, for both the coffee and the chat. But I really shouldn’t keep you any longer.”

You really don’t have to go. But as much as she wished for it, Anna couldn’t voice the words out loud.

“…Thank you for the scissors,” she settled with, and it was enough to draw a smirk from her new friend.

Anna’s breath caught as Elsa leaned in dangerously close, pinning her to the counter. The brush of her arm against her own sent sparks through her. Teal eyes glanced down, catching the pale pink of her lips, and for the briefest of moments Anna thought she might lean just that touch closer. 

The sound of Elsa placing her mug down on the hard surface behind snapped her back to reality.

“Be safe with them.” 

Anna nodded wordlessly, unable to move from where she stood frozen as Elsa stepped out of the shop.

—-

Am I reading too much into it? Anna sat on the windowsill, gazing across the village, mug of coffee in hand. It was what she loved the most about living above the shop: from here she could see past the green, to the collection of shops on the other side, the tall spire of the local church peeking above large oak trees, and beyond to the series of cottages. She counted along each roof, picking out Elsa’s cottage.

Craft scissors. Completely and utterly unsuitable for the precise clipping of her flower stems, and yet she adored them all the same. But what did they mean? They were such an unusual gift. And the seriousness offset by the playfulness… Elsa was impossible to work out.

Don’t be a fool. A smart city girl like her would never look twice at a school drop out like you.

Anna had seen the bios of those successful girls on that dating app. Designer clothes, immaculate makeup, high flying jobs; a lot like Elsa. It was a far cry from Anna’s messy bedhead and clumsiness.

She let out a low sigh. I wonder if she’ll stick around for long. Who was she kidding? As soon as Elsa sorted her relationship and apartment problem the girl would be out of this village in a flash. What else was to keep her here?

The sharp ring of her alarm made her leap out of her skin. In retaliation she tossed a book over, knocking it clean off the bedside table. Instead of shutting it up however, it continued to squeal in an even higher pitch.

“Stupid alarm,” she grumbled as she got up and reset it.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. It wasn’t even 8am yet. God, who’d want flowers at this time?

“We’re closed!” she called out. After a second knock she rolled her eyes and headed downstairs.

I swear if it’s Mrs Peterson again. She knows I’m closed yet every Sunday she -

“- Elsa?” she said in surprise, the air knocked out of her completely at the sight of her. Anna blinked. In contrast to her previous two visits, Elsa wore a longer and brighter floral dress, complete with a wide brim straw hat. 

“Sorry. I saw movement by your window and I just… well… I got you some flowers…” she trailed off. Anna frowned, glancing between Elsa and the bunch of vibrant crocuses in her hand.

“Are those for me?” Anna asked, dumbfounded. “The shop has plenty of stock. I don’t need -”

“- They aren’t for your shop. They are for you,” Elsa clarified. Anna looked down at them again, unable to understand the gesture.

“I know you have a whole store full of them, and they probably mean something entirely significant that I do not know of,” Elsa said as she thrust the bunch out to Anna, “I picked them because they are the only thing growing in my garden… aside from the sunflowers, and they were so tall I felt too mean to take my scissors to them.”

Anna accepted the bunch tentatively, still not entirely sure what was happening. No one had ever gifted her flowers… or scissors for that matter.

“You know, I really should have gone with the sunflowers,” Elsa lamented, and Anna snapped back up immediately. “They are just so much more you.”

More me? Anna opened her mouth to question just what she meant when Elsa continued, “you could come by and see them, if you have any free time today. I’m not exaggerating when I say they are taller than us.”

Anna met Elsa’s vivid blue eyes squarely: so brave, yet so vulnerable in that moment.

“We get along well, don’t we? If I am imagining it please just tell me. I seem to have a terrible track record.”

She looked back down at the flowers, a variety of purple hues with flashes of white and yellow. They were as bright as they were beautiful: as gentle as snow, as warm as summer.

“Please say something before I perish on the spot.”

“…Please don’t perish. That would be awkward for everybody involved,” Anna finally said, giving her an apologetic look.

A soft chuckle escaped Elsa’s lips. “I’m making a mess of this, aren’t I? You’d think asking someone on a date wouldn’t be so difficult.”

A date?

“No. I am. I’m not - I don’t -” Anna paused and took a breath to get her thoughts straight. Everyone in the village will know if I see a local girl. Yet somehow the threat of that seemed so far away compared to the promise of a date with Elsa.

Don’t over think it.

“I would love to visit. I mean -”

Don’t worry about tomorrow. 

“- I’d like to go on a date. With you. Together. Obviously. Please make me stop talking.”

Long fingers threaded between her own, and Anna let out as gasp as Elsa boldly pulled her close.

“Together sounds perfect,” Elsa’s words were like velvet, and Anna had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.

Just enjoy today. The future can wait.

[moonkissedreveries]

☃️ It's that time of year...

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- Top: Eucalyptus, Pine

- Middle: Rosemary, Green Floral

- Base: Sage, Cedar

❄️ Scarlet:

- Top: Citrus

- Middle: Plum, Black Cherry

- Base: Sugar, Light Musk, Amber, Freesia, Vanilla

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[tinyshe]

Garden Report 22.03.10

A break in the weather and a bit warmer temperatures! Still lots of ice and frost but that should be coming to an end late March or early April (?).

Soil amendments:

neem cake pellets to all three grow beds, the gooseberries and the area next to them that I want to develop a grow bed. (neem cake is 2-1-1); turned into soil in main grow bed, sprinkled again liberally.

also grass hay to main grow box, nice thick layer (covered to keep it in place; will uncover for the rain that is setting upon us then turn under).

glacier soil given to each box and one set of blueberries.

crushed egg shells to the red flesh apple tree.

Propagation:

pennyroyal

thyme

ivy geraniums

black geranium

various succulents

rose

salvia (scarlet sage)

some unknown purple leave perennial that will have little purple or yellow flowers butterflies are suppose to like.

Seeding:

I don’t even have my trays ready !

Hen update: they thrive on being everywhere they aren’t suppose to be: in the house, in the new nettle patch I’m trying to propagate, in the bulbs beds or any potted plant. Eggs are getting more regular but there are still days the nest is empty and others we have triplets but usually one a day.

Worm update: they be working day and night! got to get that spout in the new bin and get ready to double the fun; There be some good tea and compost I need to get out and let the rains work their magic massage of the goo. I will also need to build a small frame / table / bench to keep the bin up and spigot elevated for use. I don’t want to be dragging it to the threshold of the lean-to, tipping it over to catch in a container on the stairs -- that is a disaster waiting that I would surely meet in some grand fashion.

Blooming: (in protected/ south facing areas) violets, daffodils, magnolia, night blooming clementis, snapdragons, calendula, stinking onion flower/white bells, plum tree, asian pear, blueberries, borage, freesia, delphinium, few of the bush roses, camellias. 

[punksungjin]

just flower shop things [kim wonpil]

the mandatory florist!wonpil bc he is so soft and cute. alternatively: everyday wonpil looks forward to seeing his favorite customer, but it has to take a little bit of jealousy to get him to admit he likes them.

pairing: kim wonpil (day6) x reader

1.5 k words | florist au, fluff

Your visits are the highlight of Wonpil’s day. 

The flower shop is a lot of things, brick and white concrete and earth, but boring is how he would choose to describe it. Not a lot of people buy flowers during regular days, and most of the time Wonpil just lounges behind the counter, occasionally spritzing and pruning, then taking a nap. Boring, Wonpil thinks. 

Until you start visiting.

You come in everyday. He’s memorized your routine: in the morning, you’re first to walk in—he’s lucky enough if any customer comes after you—so much that the wind chime tinkling before 9 AM has become synonymous with your return. Coming in, you’ll inhale all the scents of the shop—cherrywood and leaves—and walk to his counter with a renewed bounce in your step.

Wonpil thinks you’re pretty.

“Good morning,” he says brightly, when you come into his shop that morning. He doesn’t usually like acting cute on purpose but it just comes out when you’re there. He’s giddy when you visit, and grateful because you’re giving him business. “What can I get you today?”

Wonpil knows your order by heart, but he lets you say it anyway. He likes the sound of your voice. Friendship flowers, please. “Friendship flowers, please. I think I’ll get those pink ones.”

Pink? That’s new. He flashes you a smile, taking the pencil tucked from behind his ear, writing you a slip.

“What will you be giving me?” You peer over the counter to look at his handwriting. Then, Wonpil can only focus on your head, which he can see directly as you lean over, and he thinks even the back of your head is beautiful. “Ooh, freesias. I bet that’s pretty. Everything you do is pretty.”

Your compliment sends a zing up Wonpil’s feet. He disappears into the backroom for a bit, collecting your flowers. He considers adding another one, but stops when he remembers the flowers aren’t for you anyway.

When he returns, you’re still there, tapping your fingers on the counter. Wonpil’s noticed you like watching him work on the bouquet with his hands, so he spreads it out on the nearby table and beckons you to come closer. 

“Your friend must be very happy,” Wonpil hums. A strand of hair has fallen astray on his forehead and he’s pretty sure you’re staring at him. Cute. 

“She is,” you murmur. You’re fixated on his craft, folding and creasing, bunching and tying. “You make such good art with your hands.”

Wonpil feels the blush rise in his cheeks. “Ah, I meant she must be very happy because you’re thoughtful—”

“Really, you deserve more traction.” He looks at you and you’re grinning, all crinkled eyes and teeth, and he thinks your eyes are especially pretty today. “My friends like your work. You’re amazing.”

You’re amazing.

Even hours after you leave, Wonpil can still hear you talking fondly about him. He can practically hear the smile in your voice. You’re amazing. He shakes his head and buries it in his hands, aware of how giddy he’s feeling.

The next day, you walk in, same pep in your step, same cheer in your voice. Except—

“Do you have any flowers for... Someone you love?” You rub your arm shyly, and Wonpil feels like... Well. He doesn’t know what he feels like. It feels like jealousy, but the rational part of him condemns it, because while he truly does like you, it wouldn’t matter. You’re clearly not interested, anyway.

He settles for ‘dread’. “Roses?”

You smile. Wonpil has heard of the idiom of smiles lighting up rooms before, but he didn’t really think that sort of smile was real until he met you. “Roses it is, then.”

When Wonpil turns around he frowns so hard it feels like his head is going to explode. Maybe he should have confessed his little crush earlier.

Reluctantly he gets the roses and wraps them—he doesn’t even put on a show for you to watch. When he’s done he thinks about how the flowers are pretty and so are you, and how you’re going to give the flowers to someone you like, and it isn’t him.

Nope, not jealous. Definitely not.

Wonpil puffs his cheeks out and exhales, walking back to the counter where you’re waiting. “Here you go,” he says curtly, mouth in a tight smile. He’s holding the bouquet with both hands like a schoolboy offering flowers. 

You look at him curiously, taking the flowers from Wonpil. “Are you... Are you okay?” An awkward laugh punctuates the end of your sentence. “You look angry.”

Immediately Wonpil glances at his reflection on the nearby mirror and realizes he looks like a fool: lips pressed together, brows scrunched, cheeks flushed scarlet. “Oh, sorry—!” He drops the expression. “Sorry, I think I just—”

You cut him off with a laugh. “What was that? That was cute.”

“Ah...” Wonpil laughs nervously, allows himself a smile. He rubs a hand on the back of his neck. “Thank you.”

You give a bright nod to him. He looks at you starting to leave and suddenly one thing is clear to him: he likes you, and he wishes he could give you all the flowers in the world.

“Wait,” Wonpil says,  before you can leave. You’re paid and leaving, and he thinks if he doesn’t say it now, he’d never get the courage to say it. “Y/N, wait here, please.”

“Um— “ You freeze in your spot. “Um, okay...?”

He leaves you bewildered when he goes in the backroom. Hidden, Wonpil tries to even out his breathing. Then, systematically, like he’s done countless times before, he takes a couple of flowers, wrapping them together in a small, simple bouquet. It doesn’t look like much compared to your roses.

Still, these are the flowers that remind you of him. They’re direct and pretty. Just like you.

“Here.” Wonpil holds out your bouquet in the same manner again, and he doesn’t even meet your eyes. You look like a deer in headlights, but eventually you put down the roses—Oh, thank God!—and take the flowers, brushing against his hand in the process.

“What’s this?”

“Peonies and baby’s breath,” he says, fidgeting with his hands. “They’re sweet and pretty, so they match you.”

Wonpil’s a bit pleased to see you flustered.

“Wah, Pil, they’re...” You sniff the flowers. “I think I’ll just pay for this one.”

“What?” Haha, what? “They’re for you.”

Silence. Wonpil rubs his hands together awkwardly.

You blink. “For me?”

“Yes,” he says, “take them; they’re free.”

“Aw, Pil, thank you but I couldn’t really—”

“Take them,” Wonpil blurts out, waving his hand dismissively. “I made them for you. Just... For you.”

“What—” Your eyes widen with realization and he winces, preparing himself for the rejection. Oh, well. At least you would be kind enough to turn him down nicely. “What is—Are these really for me?”

You sound so bewildered he can’t help but laugh. “Um, I like you,” he says quietly, but you catch the words anyway.

“You like me?”

His head whips up to look at you. Why did you look so surprised? Surely you’d caught on with his pining, he wasn’t exactly the most subtle person.

“Yes, and I think you like someone so I’m going to say my feelings now before they get deeper,” Wonpil says earnestly, glancing at the bouquet of roses on the counter.

You hang your head. “Wonpil...”

Here it comes.

“I don’t really like flowers,” you mumble. Like some kind of cruel allegory, he actually feels himself wilt under your gaze. You didn’t like flowers? Why were you buying so much, then? Flowers were all he could offer, and you didn’t like them. “I don’t really like flowers, Pil, and—”

“Ah, okay. So I’ll just take those?”

“No!” Your voice surprises the both of you. “I don’t like flowers and... I only ever go in here to see you. That’s why I go here, to see you. Sorry if... That’s creepy. But I like seeing your smile and you’re cute and you make good bouquets so—”

What you’re saying slowly sinks in. You like him, too. Wonpil’s mouth quirks upward in a smile. “You’re cute.”

You’re gripping the bouquet too hard. “I think you’re cute, too.”

The two of you exchange shy glances at each other for a moment. Then, he asks, “So who are the flowers for?”

“My mom’s. It’s her birthday.”

“Ah.” Wonpil didn’t know it was possible but he smiles even bigger. He even giggles, and the sound rings through the shop. “I’ll take the roses back, then. Cotton would suit her better. Wait here, okay?”

“Okay, I’ll be here.”

Before he leaves again for the backroom, your hands brush like they always do. But this time, you aren’t in a rush to draw away, and you flash him the smile that makes him feel all warm and funny inside.

Okay, I’ll be here.

Definitely, your visits are the highlight of Wonpil’s day.

[namelists]

a list of names inspired by: plants

this list includes names relating to trees, shrubs, herbs, succulents and lesser-known/used flowers.

Abu: minor Sumerian god of plants

Alder: flowering plants in the birch family

Alfalfa: a perennial flowering plant in the legume family  

Almond:  a species of tree native to Iran  

Aloe: a succulent native to the Old World tropics

Amaryllis: an autumn-flowering South African bulbous herb  

Apple: the round fruit of a tree of the rose family  

Aralia: trees and shrubs of the ginseng family  

Artemis: Greek goddess of the hunt, wild animals, nature, wilderness

Ash: a tree with silver-gray bark and compound leaves  

Aster:  a plant of the daisy family with bright rayed flowers

Balsam: a herbaceous plant cultivated for its flowers

Basil:  an aromatic annual herb of the mint family, native to tropical Asia

Bay: an evergreen Mediterranean shrub of the laurel family  

Calla: South African plant widely cultivated for its showy pure white spathe and yellow spadix  

Carraway: white-flowered aromatic Old World herb of the carrot family  

Cayenne: a bush of moderately-hot, tapering, skinny, mostly red-colored peppers

Cedar:  conifers which typically yield fragrant, durable timber  

Chamomile: an aromatic European plant of the daisy family, with white and yellow flowers.  

Cherry: trees and shrubs of the rose family cultivated for their fruits or ornamental flowers  

Chervil:  a plant of the parsley family, with small white flowers and delicate fernlike leaves

Chicory: a blue-flowered Mediterranean plant of the daisy family, cultivated for its edible salad leaves

Chloris: Greek goddess of flowers

Chrysanthemum:  a plant of the daisy family with brightly colored ornamental flowers  

Cicely: an aromatic white-flowered plant of the parsley family, with fernlike leaves  

Cinnamon: an aromatic spice made from the peeled, dried, and rolled bark of a Southeast Asian tree  

Clementine: a tangerine of a deep orange-red North African variety  

Coral Bell: a perennial alumroot cultivated for its feathery spikes of tiny red bell-shaped flowers  

Coriander:  an aromatic Mediterranean plant of the parsley family  

Cotton:  a soft white fibrous substance that surrounds the seeds of a tropical and subtropical plant  

Demeter: Greek goddess of the harvest, crops, the fertility of the earth

Diana: Roman goddess of the hunt, wild animals, nature, wilderness

Dill: an aromatic herb of the parsley family, with fine blue-green leaves and yellow flowers  

Durio: a small genus of tall Asiatic and Indian trees with tapering leaves and small green flowers  

Echeveria:  a succulent plant with rosettes of fleshy colorful leaves

Feronia: Roman goddess associated with wildlife, fertility, health and abundance

Filbert: a cultivated hazel tree that bears edible oval nuts.  

Flora: Roman goddess of flowers and the spring

Freesia: a small southern African plant of the iris family, with fragrant, colorful, tubular flowers  

Gaea: Greek goddess of the earth and its personification

Gardenia:  a tree or shrub with large fragrant white or yellow flowers  

Haricot:  an edible bean of a variety with small white seeds  

Hawthorn: a thorny tree of the rose family, with white, pink, or red blossoms

Hazel: a small tree with broad leaves bearing catkins in spring and edible nuts in autumn

Hemlock:  a highly poisonous European plant, with a purple-spotted stem, fernlike leaves, and small white flowers

Hickory: a chiefly North American tree of the walnut family

Holly:  a shrub, typically having prickly dark green leaves, small white flowers, and red berries  

Hosta:  an eastern Asian plant known for its shade-tolerant foliage and mauve or white flowers.  

Huckleberry: a low-growing North American shrub of the heath family  

Iris: a plant with sword-shaped leaves and showy flowers, typically purple, yellow, or white  

Ivy: a woody evergreen climbing plant with shiny, dark green five-pointed leaves  

Jade:  a succulent plant with small pink or white flowers known as a “lucky plant” or “money tree”

Juniper:  an evergreen shrub or small tree that bears aromatic berrylike cones  

Kale: a cabbagelike cultivated plant of the mustard family, having curled or wrinkled leaves  

Lavender: a small aromatic evergreen shrub of the mint family, with narrow leaves and bluish-purple flowers  

Lilac: a shrub or small tree of the olive family, that has fragrant violet, pink, or white blossoms  

Magnolia: a tree or shrub with large, typically creamy-pink, waxy flowers  

Mahogany:  the tropical American tree that produces mahogany timber used for high-quality furniture

Maple: a tree with lobed leaves, winged fruits, and colorful autumn foliage

Medeina: Lithuanian goddess of forests

Mint:  an aromatic plant native to temperate regions of the Old World  

Nectarine: a genetic variant of common peaches, domesticated in China over 4,000 years ago  

Oak:  a tree that bears acorns as fruit, and typically has lobed deciduous leaves  

Okra: a plant with long ridged seedpods, native to the Old World tropics  

Olive: widely cultivated evergreen tree, native to warm regions of the Old World

Orchid: a tropical forest plant with complex flowers that are often showy or bizarrely shaped

Ostrya: a genus of small deciduous trees in the birch family

Oxylus: Greek god of forests & mountains

Palm: an unbranched evergreen tree with a crown of long feathered or fan-shaped leaves  

Parsley: an herbal plant with white flowers and aromatic leaves  

Peach: a Chinese tree that bears the peach fruit

Pentandra: the ceiba pentandra is a massive tropical tree with deep ridges on its trunk

Peony: a herbaceous plant of north temperate regions, cultivated for its showy flowers

Pepper: a climbing vine with berries that are dried as black or white peppercorns

Persephone: Greek goddess of spring growth

Poinsettia: a small Mexican shrub with large showy scarlet bracts surrounding the small yellow flowers  

Pomona: goddess of fruit trees, gardens and orchards

Ponderosa: a tall slender pine tree, the most widespread conifer of western North America  

Poppy: a herbaceous plant with showy flowers, milky sap, and rounded seeds

Porvata: Polish god of the woods

Rosemary:  an evergreen aromatic shrub of the mint family, native to southern Europe

Sage: an aromatic plant with grayish-green leaves that are used as a culinary herb  

Sequoia: a redwood tree, especially the California redwood.  

Silvanus: tutelary spirit or deity of woods and fields and protector of forests

Spruce: a widespread coniferous tree which has a distinctive conical shape and hanging cones  

Stevia: a composite herb native to South America whose leaves are the source of a natural sweetener

Sugar: sugar cane is a perennial tropical grass with tall stout jointed stems from which sugar is extracted  

Sycamore: a large Eurasian maple with winged fruits, native to central and southern Europe  

Tamarack: a slender North American coniferous tree with bunches of deciduous bright green needles  

Terra: Roman primeval goddess personifying the earth

Tilia: a genus of about 30 species of trees or bushes

Tulip:  a bulbous spring-flowering plant of the lily family, with boldly colored cup-shaped flowers

Tāne: Māori god of forests and of birds

Verbena: a chiefly American herbaceous plant which bears heads of bright showy flowers

Willow: a tree or shrub of temperate climates that typically has narrow leaves, bears catkins, and grows near water

Zelkova: an Asian tree of the elm family, cultivated for its timber, or as a bonsai tree

Zinfandel: a variety of wine grape grown in California

[doomingthenarrative]

GAYSP OKAY FIRST OF ALL I LOVE THE TAGS??????? i’m gonna need to get you some nice new tags too😋

BUT HA I KNEW FLOWERS WOULD GET YOU HOOKED!!!!

sbzusbzusbzh this is way less convoluted than whatever the heck i did with novey to trick her into listening to taylor swift i’m not entirely sure how i made up all that mess but this challenge isssssssssss

orion best friend squad as flowers!!!😋

i look forward to seeing how you do bestie/wife and we’ll see about possible bonus challenges and mayhaps some kind of reward because why not👀

Didn’t I already do this hang on-

I DID

So last time I put you as Lupin, which means imagination, and overall happiness-

And Nova as freesia, which means friendship, trust, thoughtfulness and innocence.

BUT for the sake of the challenge. I’ll do it again with different flowers♥️

So I’m gonna give you buttercup, which means good fortune, friendship, humility, childishness, chaos, renewal, youth, and optimism !!!

For Nova I’m gonna go with asters!!! They mean love, wisdom, faith, patience, and elegance !!! Plus they’re star flowers, and the mythology tied to them is that Astrea, a greek goddess, cried because of how few stars were in the sky. They also became a symbol for Venus !!!

And for me I’ll go with scarlet geraniums, which mean either comfort or stupidity😋

[mydisenchantedeulogy]

Fire Meets Fate [Chapter One] To Whom It May Concern [Vinsmoke Ichiji]

Her mother spoke of love as if it were a sickness. She claimed that Eris would eventually find the person she was meant to belong to and fall deeply in love with them; a fairy tale every little girl dreamed of. The sickness she before mentioned was not a metaphor. It killed many of the women in her village, and her mother warned her that she too would receive this sickness and eventually die.

Scarlet Freesia passed when Eris was seven. She swore that she’d never suffer the way her mother did; weeping in despair of a broken heart for a man she was never meant to be with. Eris swore, but fate had other plans for her.

The Empress, Gloriosa arranged a union between the seafaring kingdom of Germa and her own. Eris, an orphan adopted by her was promised to the third prince in hopes of protecting Amazon Lily from pirates and the men that brought love sickness. Eris was meant to marry Sanji when they became of age, but an unfortunate event led to his premature death and the union nearly fell through. Hesitant to abandon a beneficial deal; an opportunity to breed two strong lineages, the King offered his first son in exchange.

Eris was sent to live in the Germa Kingdom until her coming of age; her own fiancé a mere castle away from her. She remained locked in a tower for nearly all her life; her only companion the pet she brought, and on special occasions, Princess Reiju.

Because of this, she knew something was taking place whenever the princess came to her room unannounced and insisted she bathe with her.

“The ceremony isn’t meant to be until next month,” she recalled her saying once she asked the reason for her sudden visit. “But father demands that you two meet before then. He arranged us to have dinner together, and sent me to get you ready.”

It made no difference; Eris couldn’t refuse. She lifted from her writing desk, stroked her mottled snake, and followed Reiju to the baths. The letter she began would remain incomplete; meant to be given to her soon to be husband once they were united.

It read: To whom it may concern. I will never love; you have my thanks.  

[silver-lily-louise]

vita in floribus

(A sequel to ‘in floribus veritas’ - I’d recommend reading that first!)

‘Alexander Gideon Lightwood-Bane, this is your life. Care to take a turn around Memory Lane?’ One hundred years after they first meet, Magnus takes Alec to a certain clearing in the Seelie realm. 

Read it on AO3, or below! 

~oOo~

‘You know, when you brought out the blindfold, this is not what I imagined.’

Magnus laughs, leading his husband along by both hands, walking backwards himself. ‘Oh, hush,’ he says, though he can feel himself grinning. The Seelie realm always does that to him – magic is so much more, so present here compared to their home realm. It’s easy to get swept up in the heady side of that power; a feeling which is both incredibly similar and vastly different from the deep swell of righteousness that comes from visiting an infernal plane. If Magnus were in the mood for metaphor – which, as they wander through this woodland, is increasingly the case – he would say that it’s like the distinction between a scalding hot cup of coffee and a well-spiced vindaloo.

Of course, being as the Seelie deal in both angelic and demonic magics, it’s possible that it would be affecting Alec too – that is, if it weren’t for the extra spell Magnus cast on the black silk covering his eyes, to hide the other aspect of their destination. As such, he’s his regular, slightly-disgruntled self, willing to put up with almost anything for Magnus but also not having patience as his principal virtue. ‘Seriously,’ he says, a bare note of no-nonsense entering his tone. ‘Where are we going? I thought you didn’t like surprises.’ ‘Is it really a surprise?’ Magnus asks - lightly, ponderingly. ‘Come on, Shadowhunter. After all the years you spent walking through the night, don’t tell me you’ve now grown so reliant on being able to see,’ he teases. ‘Where do you think we are?’ Alec’s mouth quirks in amused annoyance at the jibe, but his expression quickly clears as he apparently focuses on his surroundings. Magnus smirks. There are certain things that seem hardwired into Lightwood DNA, and backing down from a challenge is decidedly not one of them. ‘Well, a forest, obviously,’ Alec says, as if there aren’t plenty who’d get even that part wrong. ‘A big one. Far from any civilization – it’s one of the quietest places we’ve been.’ ‘You’re two for two,’ Magnus tells him. ‘Anything else?’ The blindfold creases a little as Alec’s brow furrows. ‘It’s still daytime, so we haven’t changed time zones…?’ But he sounds doubtful, and a moment later his eyebrows shoot up. ‘But it’s more than that,’ he realizes. ‘Something feels… different. Magnus, are we in the Seelie realm?’

In answer, Magnus steps towards him and places a gentle peck of a kiss on his lips. ‘Right again,’ he says, smiling. ‘I suppose that spell on the blindfold couldn’t block out all of its magical signature, hm?’ ‘Not quite,’ Alec admits, nodding. ‘It’s… different. It feels different. I don’t know how to describe it.’ ‘Well,’ Magnus says airily, ‘it’s lucky for you that I know exactly what you mean, then.’

They finally come to the right clearing, and Magnus finds himself beaming as they make their way to the center of it. It’s even better than he pictured. ‘One last thing, Alexander,’ he says, letting a casual air float over his tone, despite his excitement. ‘Do you happen to know what day it is?’ Alec hesitates. ‘I know the date?’ he offers. ‘Is it… significant, somehow?’ ‘Indeed it is,’ Magnus says. He steps forward again, gently placing his hands on his husband’s shoulders. ‘Today is the one-hundredth anniversary of the day we met,’ he says softly. Alec’s eyebrows shoot up once more, reappearing from behind the blindfold, and Magnus can’t help but laugh at the sight, even as he feels a pang of sympathy for Alec’s apparent alarm. ‘I didn’t – how did you even remember that?’ he asks, his voice breathy with disbelief. ‘Don’t worry,’ Magnus reassures him, moving his thumbs to rub small, comforting circles over the outskirts of Alec’s collarbones. ‘I didn’t expect you to remember. The only reason I did is because…’ He grins. ‘Well. It’s better that I show you, I think.’

He reaches up, and removes the blindfold.

***

Before Alec’s even blinked the daylight into his eyes again, he registers the scent, and then an altogether different sense takes over his mind – a push, a wave of magic cascading over him, sparking in feeling and memory as his slowly-adjusting gaze darts around what looks to be some sort of clearing in the forest.

And then that gaze catches on the nearest tree, and Alec’s jaw drops, the cacophony falling away as one moment powers through – it’s excitement, and curiosity, and a touch of fear, and it’s all emanating from – ‘That’s not a tree,’ he realizes out loud. ‘It’s… a rose?’ Magnus nods. ‘It’s the very first flower you conjured,’ he says, a soft smile on his face. ‘A thornless rose, growing straight out of the floorboards where we first met.’ ‘We took down that Circle member together,’ Alec murmurs – and then he smiles. ‘You made a pun about steak.’ ‘And I stand by it,’ Magnus declares with a wink. ‘All these years later, we’re still here, aren’t we?’

He takes Alec’s hand, leading him closer to the ‘trunk’ of the tree-like structure, the rose bush grasping up towards the sky before spreading into something of a canopy. ‘I sent this here because I wanted it to have a safe place to grow,’ he says. ‘Then, once I interrupted your wedding, and I had faith that we were going somewhere? I made a note of the date we met, and set a timer of sorts – specifically, a fire message to myself, scheduled to arrive yesterday.’ He grins. ‘Needless to say, my good feeling about us turned out to be correct.’ Alec shakes his head with a fond smile, reaching up to touch a smooth, burgundy petal. It’s a visceral impact of memory that hits him; it’s like he’s standing there again, in the loft, a repressed twenty-something meeting the most compelling person he’d ever seen – or has known since.

He swallows down the unexpected lump in his throat. ‘So, all of these…?’ He barely dares ask, though from the echoing emotions rolling off of this meadow, he’s fairly certain he knows the answer. Magnus nods. ‘It’s not every one you’ve ever conjured, of course,’ he explains. ‘But it’s a lot of the… big moments. Or simply the happiest ones.’ He gives a showman-like, dazzling smile, holding one arm out wide. ‘I suppose,’ he says, a twinkle of mischief in his golden eyes, ‘that what I’m saying is this: Alexander Gideon Lightwood-Bane, this is your life.’ He holds out his other arm towards Alec, raising his eyebrows. ‘Care to take a turn around Memory Lane?’

Alec huffs – his husband can be such a show-off sometimes – but he returns the smile, taking Magnus’ arm. ‘Lead the way.’

***

It’s just the right side of overwhelming, walking this glade with Alec, their intuition of its magic heightened by the realm itself. The clearing’s pretty large, but even so, it’s thriving in staggering density, packed full of bloom and color and scent and memory. Usually, Magnus will point out what a certain flower is (those are the freesia from the night you fell asleep on the couch; these are some of the lavender sprigs and orchids that started springing up as soon as you were spending more time at the loft), while other times he wants to know what Alec remembers or recognizes. ‘These have always been some of my favorites,’ he admits, gesturing to the lilac roses that are winding their way up the trunk of a silver birch. Alec smiles. ‘You know I’ve always loved your magic,’ he says. ‘Though, speaking of that – how is this meadow even here? I can’t imagine that the Seelie Court takes kindly to outsiders tampering with their ecosystem.’ ‘You’d be right,’ Magnus says, fighting down a smirk as they pass a patch of dog roses – and then immediately being hit with a wave of sentimentality, as the striped tulips nearby make themselves known. Oh, he well remembers which night that particular combination is from. ‘But I did the Court a favor, back in the early twentieth century, and was granted some minor land use as recompense. This clearing is, by their standards, mine.’ They wander past some different tulips – scarlet ones, this time, and he tightens his hold on Alexander’s arm. ‘And so, by my standards, ours,’ he says. ‘For a while, I used it for growing potion ingredients – but of course, once I met you, this seemed like a far better idea.’

Alec shakes his head again, but he’s looking at Magnus a little wonderingly. ‘You old romantic,’ he says – and then he’s grabbing Magnus by the lapels, pulling him in for a decisive, joyful kiss, and the déjà vu hits Magnus full force, even before they part and he sees the mistletoe above, the carnations and snowdrops below. Magnus raises an eyebrow. ‘Look who’s talking.’

***

Just beyond the larkspur and peonies from their wedding day, they come across a patch of ground Alec doesn’t recognize. ‘This one,’ he says, by way of a question. A question which Magnus doesn’t answer, of course. ‘Yes? What about it?’ Alec gives him a withering look, though there’s no real intent behind it. ‘It’s similar to the more… background arrangements,’ he says. It’s surprisingly difficult to find the right words for a giant metaphorical scrapbook you’re currently walking around, he muses. ‘Lavender, orchids, honeysuckle. But it’s different somehow – it’s like it’s been given some… pride of place; like our wedding, or the day we met.’ Magnus chuckles. ‘We really ought to invite Madzie over soon,’ he comments idly. ‘If she’s settled on magic sensitivity as the topic for her next research paper, I’m sure your development over the decades would make for fascinating evidence.’

‘Magnus,’ Alec says, half-laughing even though he absolutely refuses to be distracted from the matter at hand by magical theory. Or flattery, for that matter. ‘Come on. What day was this? I can’t place it.’ ‘I’m not surprised,’ Magnus says. His smile eases from teasing nonchalance to something softer, more comfortable; and he takes Alec’s hand once more, leading him until they’re stood in the middle of the unfamiliar patch of meadow – facing each other, immersed in the unknown memory. ‘It wasn’t anything… particular. Not in a concrete sense, at least,’ he explains. ‘It wasn’t an anniversary, or a piece of good news, or anything remarkable.’ He reaches his free hand outwards, rubbing a few buds of lavender between finger and thumb; Alec breathes deeply, trying to place the feeling but getting only affection – which is soothing and lovely, of course, but not exactly a clue. ‘It was a few months after we moved to Alicante,’ Magnus continues, his voice turning quiet, contemplative. ‘I think it was just after we got the northern werewolf pack established?’ He shrugs absently. ‘In any case. You came home one day, and we had dinner, had a drink while we were watching a movie – some sci-fi flick we’d seen a dozen times, or something like that.’ His hand comes up, his focus drawn to the middle distance even as he lightly traces his lavender-scented fingertips over Alec’s heart, following the curve, tick, a-tick, strike-and-down of the bright red rune nestled safely under his shirt. ‘And I remember,’ he whispers, ‘that you got a text from Aline, and you asked about her and Helen coming to dinner sometime soon – and I thought…’ He looks back up at Alec, his smile soft and warm beneath his golden gaze. ‘Well, I realized – that over those months, Alicante had started feeling like home.’ He huffs a breath that’s half-sigh, half-laughter. ‘So. I wanted to mark the day. Even though it was nothing special.’

Alec smiles. ‘Yeah, it was.’ The words come out a little hoarse, and he clears his throat, squeezing the hand he still has a hold of. ‘It was special. I’m glad you brought it here.’

They keep wandering the clearing, occasionally pausing in the midst of memories from holidays, anniversaries, achievements. In the sunniest corner of the meadow there are two pussy willows, twining together all the way up their trunks in a way that would be impossible in their home realm. Scattered around the base are white carnations and green berry bushes; half in flower, half in early fruit. ‘The days we got Max and Rafe,’ Alec says softly, brushing his hand gently across the tree bark – not needing the confirming hum from his husband, well-remembering the joy and excitement and sheer love of those two days.

When they’ve circled the entire clearing, they walk back to the rose tree at the very center, settling in its shade. Unaccustomed to the chill – even though it’s only slight – Alec sits as close as he can to his husband, keeping a line of warm contact all down his own left side, and Magnus’ right. He reaches his right hand forward, brushing aside the tiny segments on the round purple and red flowers nearest to him, which strike up from a low-lying carpet of creeping peach roses. He remembers these, too. He remembers the happiness and fear and overarching relief when they completed the ritual; he remembers the tears that sprang to his eyes when he realized that it worked, he wouldn’t have to leave Magnus behind one day thanks to only the ravages of time.

That sparks a thought, and he turns back to his husband. ‘Hey,’ he says, frowning a little, but mindful not to come across as accusatory. ‘You said you set the – the timer; the fire message, to remind you about today? You said that you set it just after my almost-wedding.’ ‘That’s right,’ Magnus says, a smile still on his lips even as a question crosses his brow. ‘Well,’ Alec says gently, his mind whirring at the implication. ‘That was… early, to say the least.’ Magnus chuckles. ‘I admit, I might have been somewhat… swept up in your grand declaration,’ he confesses, leaning more heavily into Alec’s shoulder. ‘Like I say – I had a good feeling. I suppose a part of me knew, even then, that we were going to make things work.’ Alec hesitates, but swallows down his reluctance, needing to know. ‘But you didn’t know I was going to… stay,’ he says. ‘You didn’t know I was going to choose immortality. Hell; barring becoming a vampire, neither of us even knew it was a choice.’

Magnus freezes against his side, his fingers tightening almost imperceptibly where they’re interlaced with Alec’s. ‘No,’ he says evenly. ‘No, I didn’t.’ He glances over – not quite at Alec’s eyes, but in his direction – and smirks weakly. ‘I should have known you’d realize that, when I told you what day it is.’ Alec smiles a little sadly, not wanting to dwell too much on what might have been, but unable to escape it entirely. ‘But you still wanted to come here today,’ he says – not a question, but a statement. ‘Even though you thought that you’d be coming by yourself.’ He breathes deeply, steadily, his mind stumbling slightly over the image. Magnus, walking through this grove as he did today, but alone. A celebration, still – but also a memorial.

Magnus nods, sighing heavily, releasing Alec’s hand and shifting so that his arm is circling Alec’s waist instead. ‘After the first couple of centuries,’ he explains quietly, ‘you learn to start collecting the mementos early.’ He looks up at Alec again, just briefly. ‘That’s why every property I own is fully-furnished,’ he jokes. ‘If you want to remember something – someone – it’s useful to have at least one… touchstone, of sorts. A reminder of that day, or place, or person. Otherwise, things start to fall through the cracks, as it were,’ he finishes softly.

Alec hums in understanding, wrapping his own arm around Magnus’ shoulders, his chest; tugging gently until his husband is pulling his arm back to his own side, and settling with his head pillowed over Alec’s steady heart. Alec closes his eyes for a second, pressing a kiss to the top of Magnus’ head. ‘I’m glad that I’m here with you,’ he murmurs. It’s a simple, fundamental truth, and one that he tries to tell Magnus often – he’s glad he’s here, he’s glad that he stayed, and no matter what they’ve faced over the years, he hasn’t ever regretted his choice. Not even for a moment. Magnus leans against him more fully, his hands reaching up to clasp Alec’s over his own heart. ‘So am I,’ he whispers.

They lie there for a long time, exchanging soft words, and then even softer kisses, basking in the quiet and watching the sunlight shift over the leaves. Perhaps, Alec thinks, he ought to purchase a small piece of land like this in their own realm. After all, this one is looking pretty full, and he’s hoping that there’ll be many more living mementos needing a permanent home in their future.

~oOo~