The Goggles Stay On

primam wreathed in prompto ->

sunflower :: the sunflower, as the name entails, is a sunny flower with a lot of happiness, warmth, and joy tied to it for its floriology -- or flower language. sunflowers are flowers that are defined as always pointing toward the sun. this has made the sunflower also come to mean adoration, loyalty, devotion, and hope. it is also seen as an optimistic flower, as its aforementioned feature to always follow the sun has also come to represent finding light in even the darkest of times.

primrose (yellow) :: just like most yellow flowers, the yellow primrose is associated with happiness, warmth, and joy. however, the yellow primrose also is long lasting. it has been used to represent deep bonds between people, especially those who have been with you thick and thin, and prompto has built himself up as someone to be seen as worthy, putting others before himself, and being the best friend he can to everyone he cares about.

primrose (red) :: red is often a color associated with deep passion and love when it comes to flower language, and the red primrose is no exception to this. as an early spring bloom, the red primrose also represents young love, charm, and longing for someone. it conveys a message of "i cannot live without you", and when it comes to prompto, it feels like without everyone who stayed in his life, he would be lost. so for him, i do believe the red primrose is perfect for his love for those he wants to keep in his life.

tulip (yellow) :: in the victorian era, yellow tulips were said to mean 'there's sunshine in your smile'. again, it shares a lot of meaning with other yellow flowers as being bright, cheery, and happy. an older meaning of the yellow tulip veered more on the less-than-happy side as being associated with hopeless love or even jealousy. while i don't know prompto to get jealous, we definitely do have a hopeless romantic on our hands when it comes to him!

nasturtium (orange) :: the orange nasturtium is a creative flower, bringing forth positive and creative energy. in the victorian era, this was also considered more of a 'joke' to give to people in jesting nature, though they were kept to keep a fresh smell around the house regardless. other than that, nasturtiums' common symbolism also revolves around patriotism and being victorious in battle.

brunfelsia pauciflora :: also called the 'morning-noon-and-night', 'yesterday-today-and-tomorrow' or the 'kiss-me-quick' flower, the brunfelsia pauciflora has no real dedicated meaning to it (that i could find, and i did look). i kind of just chose it for its names and the sun and moon theme that i often heavily associate with primam and prompto. these flowers' name and epithets come from the fact that its flowers appear in a gradient array of color from purple to white, or vice versa, very often having blooms that also include this pastel purple upon the stems.

larkspur (white) :: as a general, the larkspur has come to symbolize an open heart, sincerity, strong bonds, dedication, and fun. the larkspur is a humorous flower that indicates the desire to laugh and bring a smile to the face. the white larkspur is associated with happiness and joy, much like yellow flowers, though also comes to represent new beginnings -- a fresh start. like other white flowers, it also does symbolize innocence, purity, and grace. the larkspur is also a protective flower, said to ward off evil spirits and was planted in gardens to keep homes safe.

spes wreathed in ignis ->

iris (purple) :: a noble and regal flower, the purple iris is given to represent wisdom, strength, and courage -- it is a flower of recognition for one's accomplishments and achievements. the iris is also a february birth flower (along with pansies, violets, and primrose to name a few!), making it very good for ignis to have with his february 7th birthday. :>

hydrangea (green) :: a fresh flower, the green hydrangea is associated with health and luck. the hydrangea -- in general -- is also a sincere flower, conveying many such emotions like gratitude, understanding, renewal, and abundance.

camellia (pink; winter's interlude) :: one of many different kinds of romantic flower in general, camellias are often given to those close in one's life, and depending on color, carries a different meaning. the pink camellia expresses longing and yearning. it is typically given as a gift to someone in a long-distance relationship, though could also be used to represent missing someone who has passed.

carnation (green) :: the green carnation, like many green flowers, represent health and good luck. these also represent resilience in achieving goals and an enduring fascination.

philippine jasmine (sampaguita; maiden of orleans) :: the symbolism of jasmine is adaptability at the forefront. while it may be used to convey purity and innocence, the jasmine flower also represents virtuousness, delicate romance, grace, passion, and sensuality. i also wanted to place the sampaguita as part of the small bouquet to represent ignis as 'divine hope'. because i feel like none must be more hopeful than ignis to navigate the darkness and learn to grow around his blindness to one day fight again at the king's side to bring back the light.

lavender :: a calming flower, the lavender is a flower that represents serenity, devotion, loyalty, protection, wisdom, unity, and grace. the lavender is an acknowledgment of love, and for ignis, though he may not voice it, he shows it, and he shows it thoroughly with how he cares for others.

vesper wreathed in nyx ->

protea :: the protea flower is a flower of resilience, courage, and represents the ability to overcome challenging conditions. because of its storied history and the fact that the protea takes its name from the greek god 'proteus' who is known to change his form at will, the protea flower also represents the ability to embrace change while also embracing one's individuality. with the snippets of story that leafy has also shared about vesper, i think it apt to also attribute the symbolism of transformation and hope into nyx as he's allowed a life with vesper past the events of kingsglaive.

lotus (blue) :: the blue egyptian lotus represents being strong of spirit, and is revered in egyptian religion and spirituality. in egyptian mythology, the blue lotus connects to the divine, and represents a transition from the afterlife to rebirth with its connection to the sun. given nyx's canon, i felt that the blue lotus was a good representative flower of having a taste of that afterlife and then having a shot at continuing his life at vesper's side (pending on the au that's happening ;))

lotus (purple) :: a mystic flower, the purple lotus -- like many other purple flowers -- is a flower that also represents royalty. though nyx is not of royal or noble birth, there is a noble drive to his actions that shows in his unshakable loyalty to those he swears himself to and the duty he feels he must uphold.

periwinkle (blue) :: as an evergreen flower, the periwinkle has come to mean an everlasting and enduring love -- eternal love. the periwinkle is good for symbolizing a love that is steadfast, loyal, and that nothing will come between the bond that you share. given leafy's very detailed documents on how she headcanons galahdan weddings, i felt that the periwinkle was a very apt flower to give to nyx that represents his enduring feelings for vesper.

periwinkle (purple) :: much like the blue periwinkle above, the purple periwinkle carries many of the same connotations and meanings. similar to the egyptian blue lotus, the purple periwinkle is another spiritual flower, chosen to further represent how strong of spirit that nyx has shown himself to be. it can also be a way of telling someone -- if given as a gift -- that you find them captivating and unique.

bluebell :: a quiet declaration of love and devotion, the bluebell is a romantic flower that has also come to symbolize introspection, personal growth, constancy, and resilience. as spring flowers that bloom shortly after winter, they are also a flower of hope and renewal -- "no matter how dark things get, light and beauty will always return" -- a fitting flower for a man who would give anything so that those he cares for get to see the light of a new day.

caelan wreathed in ardyn ->

black bat flower (tacca chantieri) :: this is actually a new one to me! so i'm not entirely sure of what the flower language for this is in its entirety, and it's possible that what i found could be wrong. when i looked into it, the majority of what i could find is that the black bat flower is said to represent the unknown, transformation, rebirth, courage, and protection. it is also representative of being able to find beauty in darkness. according some some other sources i found, it is said to be a symbol of good luck and prosperity.

dahlia (red) :: while red is a common color across many flowers to represent a deep and abiding love (and the red dahlia is no exception), the red dahlia represents strength, power, the ability to overcome, and great perseverance.

dahlia (white) :: this one may be an interesting one, but hear me out. within the context of rhi's 'immortal shield', ardyn is given a second chance at life -- to really make something of it. so i chose the white dahlia to represent rebirth (not so much purity, but we can also use that to represent the fact that aera is always there, watching over them both and wishing them nothing but happiness in life with one another).

dahlia (purple) :: while there are not many meanings associated with the purple dahlia in general, it was chosen as a royal color, as many purple flowers were used to represent royalty or nobility. a nod to ardyn's role as the true king before it was stripped away from him by somnus.

zinnia (red) :: to start, the zinnia symbolizes absent friends, which there are plenty to be had in rhi's 'immortal shield' as we go through the journey between ardyn and caelan, their relationship budding from acquaintances and then blossoming into a whirlwind of emotion. so the red zinnia was chosen, not necessarily for the love aspect (but it plays a role), but for the strong emotional bond aspect that develops, and that it also represents the steadfast beating of the heart.

zinnia (purple) :: again, purple flowers are often used to represent royalty -- this is true of the purple zinnia. however, the purple zinnia also represents spirituality, elegance, and a sense of pride (much which is to be found in the banter between them both, and the actions they take to avoid having the other come into harm's way).

zinnia (yellow) :: gold is a color that was touched upon in 'immortal shield' -- a striking color when observed in ardyn's eyes. because it was brought up as a defining feature several times that was lingered upon, i added the yellow zinnia. yellow flowers tend to convey feelings of happiness and joy, and while the yellow zinnia holds these meanings, it also holds the meaning of new beginnings and optimism. the yellow zinnia is also the zinnia indicative of daily remembrance.

sweet william dianthus :: the dianthus flower is called the 'flower of the gods', coming from the greek word 'dios' (god) and 'anthos' (flower). the dianthus flower has been treasured for centuries, and are one of the oldest cut flowers. there are an array of meanings associated with the dianthus flower, as it has such a rich history; these meanings range from admiration, passion, capriciousness, affection, love, gratitude, to even sadness and death. quite the flower for a man two millennia old!