oh no, gravity is increasing on me!

Quick Facts:

Moved to Redwood Hollow from Hawai’i when she was 14 because of her dad’s job. They were supposed to move back when dad’s 5-year contract ended, but they didn’t get that far. The Pelekai’s still live in the house that their parents bought when they moved to Redwood Hollow.

#Disaster Bisexual - has for sure had the hots for all of her best friends at some point, and the only person that knows this is her Super Secret Diary.

Never sits down. Runs on caffeine. Tries to cook but is fucking awful at it. Sleep, whomst?

Has worked just about every single job going in Redwood Hollow at some point in the past 12 years.

Was a surfing champion in Hawai’i in her teens, and often went back during the summer to compete after moving to Redwood Hollow.

Was accepted to Redwood College for Dance & Sports Sciences on a sports scholarship, and had started her first year before ultimately dropping out to look after Lilo.

Fought tooth and nail to keep her family together, and will absolutely fight anyone who gets in the way of that. (To be fair, she’ll fight you for less. Don’t piss her off unless you want to be absolutely roasted to death.)

Drives an absolutely ancient car that only has a cassette player. She saved up for it as a teen through odd jobs and competition earnings, and finally had enough to buy her first car the year after her parents died. She hasn’t been able to afford another since.

Nani is super friendly and can talk to just about anyone, but be warned, she is also extremely sarcastic and takes no bullshit from anybody. She will call you out.

Taken Connections

Ohana - Lilo Pelekai (Sister) @imsorryibityoux, Stephen Pelekai (Adopted Brother)

Housemates - Gwen Pleakley @gwen-pleakley, Javi Jookiba @javi-jookiba

Besties - David Kawena (See Below), Babette Dust @babettedust, Becky Detweiler @beckydetweiler, Victor Lumier @victorlumiere

Relationships

What Are We? Boyfriend - Paxton Patterson @paxtonpatterson​

Nani and Paxton are one giant question mark, and one big avoided answer. They’re totally dating, but they’re both also totally stupid and in denial about. Everyone can see it. Paxton makes Nani feel all sorts of ways -happy being the main one- and she’s absolutely terrified she’s going to fuck it up by putting a label on it. She’s also scared that if she lets herself focus too much on herself and a relationship, she’ll miss something with Lilo. She will come out with the excuse that she’s “too busy” for all that mushy romance shit, but let’s be real, one look at Paxton’s puppy dog-eyes and floppy hair and she’s swooning. Plus, he’s a great cook, prime roasting fodder, and makes for a very comfortable napping location.

Ex-Boyfriend - Freddie “Flash” Slothmore @flash-hundredyarddash

They dated for a while waaaay back in the day. Nani thought she was ready for dating again but it was this relationship that made her realise that there was no room for that in her life when looking after her kid sister, and working 3 jobs. Freddie wanted them to go off into the world on some chill adventures, which sounded great in theory, but wouldn’t work in practice. The relationship ended amicably and they’re still friends.

Other Connections:

TJ Detweiler @tj-detweiler - Becky’s Brother. Pain in the ass. Would like to be paid for babysitting him, thanks.

Patrick Patterson @patrickpattersxn - Paxton’s Brother. They’ve bonded over absolutely roasting Paxton, and each other, apparently.

Elsa Arendelle @magicalelsaarendelle

Mrs Hasagawa - Nani worked at her Fruit Stall. She is now the bane of her and Paxton’s life. Ring-Leader of the Yoga Ladies.

Mary Gibbs @itsmarygibbs & Adam Legrand @magicaladamlegrand​

Persephone Kore @itspersephxne​ - The apparent mastermind behind setting up her and Paxton.

Hayden Bodaway @haydenbodaway​ - Paxton’s “Dad”/ Boss. Nani is stupidly intimidated by him though she would like to think otherwise, and makes an arse of herself every time she’s in the same room as him.

Wanted Connections:

The Yoga Ladies - Anyone can be a Yoga Lady. They have all banded together to give Nani shit about her love life, and honestly probably do that with half the town. Generally all older people in town, but basically anyone that attends the Yoga Class can fall under this category.

Lilo’s Friends (and enemies)

People that attend dance classes at her studio, or have kids/ siblings etc. that go.

Past Employers & Past Colleagues - Until Nani took over running the dance studio, she had to work every job she could get to keep her house, car, and siblings well-fed. If your character owns a business or is a manager, there’s a high chance that Nani has worked for them at some point. Whether she was fired, or quit, is all up for discussion. And she definitely knows a ton of people from having worked with them too.

Enemies - Nani needs someone that just really grinds her gears in the worst possible way.

Surf Buddies - Either current surf buddies or old surf buddies from her competition days

Wanted Plots / Plot Ideas

Watch Where You’re Going, Stupid Head! - Someone gets on Nani’s bad side for one reason or another. Maybe they almost hit her with their car and she proceeds to stick a boot in their bumper and she has to pay for the damages, or someone just catches her on a really bad day.

Two Left Feet - Nani has been tasked with teaching someone to dance, either because they want to build their confidence, or because they want to surprise someone, or anything really, but it turns out they have the coordination of a shopping cart.

Green Eyes - Would an Are-They-Dating? plot be complete without a little jealousy added into the mix to spice things up a little? Either Nani is jealous of someone who had been eyeing Paxton up at the bar, or she misconstrued a look from Paxton to someone else as potential flirting and honed in on that poor person instead of calling Paxton out, because she’s totally not jealous or anything.

Someone brings in David Kawena (see below) for the drama lmfao

Honestly, I don’t have too many wanted plot ideas for Nani that wouldn’t be heavily connection driven, so feel free to message me to spitball anything you want from Nani!

Wanted Characters

Characters I would love to see taken/ an OC for (in relation to Nani) that one day might get bios:

DAVID KAWENA my beloved! - Nani’s all-time best friend. They grew up together, and David was there for Nani and Lilo when their parents died. David was always Nani’s rock, her voice of reason, and her shoulder to cry on. At some point there were mutual feelings, and they almost dated multiple times, but Nani never acted on her feelings because she was afraid of ruining their friendship. (David was too important to her to lose him over something as stupid as dating.)

Honestly, would love to say they were best friends in Hawai’i and he came here to start college with Nani, and then tragedy struck, but can totally work with anything here. He either has been here this whole time, or had to move back to The Island a few years ago but Nani still keeps him updated on everything.

(And honestly who doesn’t love a bit of almost-lovers drama? Especially now that Nani is almost-kinda-sorta dating Paxton amarite???)

MOSES PULOKI - In the movie, this is Lilo’s Hula Teacher. Totally up for spitballing ideas on this one, but either he was Nani & Lilo’s childhood Hula Teacher, now in Redwood Hollow as a trainer or retiree, or he’s the person Nani took over the studio from.

With Bios: Stephen Pelakai & Cobra Bubbles

Stephen Pelakai - Nani & Lilo’s Adopted Brother. Honestly, as if social work wasn’t complicated enough they had to go and adopt Stephen into the family. Nani is listed as his guardian, as she is with Lilo, but she calls him little brother.