MAY THE FLOWERS REMIND US WHY THE RAIN WAS SO NECESSARY.
STATS:
full name : winona mei morris nickname(s) : winnie birthplace : san diego, california neighborhood : oak grove date of birth : 02 / 28 / 1997 parentage : zhao lien & scott morris sibling(s) : n / a relationship status : single gender identity : genderqueer ( she/they ) sexual orientation : closeted lesbian occupation : owner & florist of celestial petal faceclaim : havana rose liu positive : conscientious, agreeable, thorough negative : timid, circumspect, tractable
BACKGROUND: ( mentions of religion tw, mentions of homophobia tw)
ever since winona morris could stand, she'd been shy. their permanent spot was clinging to their mother's left leg.
it was hard, growing up in the morris/zhao family. with two bold and brash attorneys for parents, and an older brother with the confidence to match, it was no surprise that being quiet and shy made winona the black sheep of the family.
being non-confrontational in a confrontational family was a bit of an emotional nightmare for the youngest. her parents had no problems telling her every problem they had with her. "winona, you lack confidence." "winona, you lack drive." "winona, you must find your voice."
winona wanted to be the daughter their parents clearly desired, but no matter how much they pushed themself, it just didn't work out. winona was very much a "sit back and take it" type of personality rather than a "give it right back" personality.
the family, for the most part, was cordial. however, when arguments broke out, they were loud and heated. whether it be between their mother and father, their mother and brother, their father and brother... it was all too much for winona's small heart to bear. they found comfort in books, television, and movies. anything to take them away from the reality that they were a lost soul out here in the real world.
while comic books were never her medium, she'd definitely stolen a few from her older brother upon learning about dc comic's POISON IVY. she felt a connection with the villain's origin story -- shy and well off with emotionally distant parents ? it was like looking in a comic book mirror. it's also where they first learned about the exciting world of botany.
for the most part, winona kept her head down. only speaking when they had to, they didn't make many friends. they found comfort in their media consumption. was it healthy ? no, but it was easy. in fact, there was a whole online world full of people consuming the same media for her to talk to. who needed friends in the real world ?
in high school, winona had one, very short-lived, relationship. her and a boy. it was very innocent, and winona felt content with it. there were no butterflies, but they figured they just needed time to get used to the situation. they went through the motions-- holding hands, kissing, etc. but those butterflies never came. one day, he broke it off, telling her he didn't believe she had any interest in him. she asked why he thought that, but he refused to explain.
ever since she was young, winona had a fascination with flowers. always begging their parents to look at the simple bouquets in the grocery stores, picking all the dandelions ( not knowing they were simply weeds ) they saw, and even drawing them for every occasion.
looking at the grocery store bouquets definitely sparked some inspiration, and it wasn't long before they began attempting their own combinations. once instagram came out, that was all their account was. the people she knew from school had made jokes about it, but it wasn't long until people became interested in her bouquets. she'd never thought to sell them, but figured why not ? they were cheap ( cheaper than you could get anywhere else ), but it was nice for people to recognize the artistry. it wasn't super common, and was not at all lucrative, but it was good for their soul.
as she grew up, she realizes flowers are more her draw to nature, and less so the science behind plants. botany was interesting, for sure, but it wasn't what she wanted to do forever.
they graduated from their private school with a decent standing, so it was no surprise they were able to get into the university of washington. while plant biology was tempting, they ultimately decided to go for a business degree. why couldn't she open her own shop ?
this is when having distant parents and being the black sheep came in handy. they weren't visiting frequently and weren't asking enough questions to find out she was actually not getting a degree in accounting like they'd all discussed ( her parents had long given up on the lawyer dream )
being in college was like a breath of fresh air. how could it be possible she was... enjoying school ? making friends ? it was a glimpse into how easy life could be when there weren't negative comments shoved your way by your creators every other day. they could finally BREATHE.
there was one friend that winona made, and the two were practically inseparable. they met in one of the classic pre-requisite classes, and hit it off immediately. you never saw one without the other. this girl, she made it her mission to bring winona out of her shell. it worked as best as it could with someone like winona. they attended parties together, went to university events, even explored washington together.
it's their junior year when they return to winona's apartment after a party and get just a little too close. it started with some hand-holding, which was nothing out of the ordinary for them. drunkenly laughing at the night's events together when their eyes lock for just a little too long. the other girl leans in, and this is when winona finally feels the butterflies she had been missing back in high school.
MENTIONS OF RELIGION / HOMOPHOBIA TW the kiss is short-lived, and it's all winona's fault. her father was a devout catholic, the not-so-open kind, and her mother was old-fashioned. they had their views on a perfect family, and winona was not currently living up to them. even though the world was changing, and winona's views matched those of equality, their parents were not. how could she do this ? it wasn't right. how could she enjoy it ? other people could do and love as they pleased, but this was not right for winona. END TW
winona and their friend gradually grow apart, thanks to winona's insecurities. just when they finally felt free, their parents somehow ruin it for them.
it's a month before graduation that her brother accidentally lets it slip she's getting her degree in business. winona felt a business degree was nothing to scoff at, but her parents were absolutely furious. she knew her parents were going to find out eventually, but she was hoping they'd get to graduation, see how happy she was, and let it all go. the only one in attendance at graduation day was her brother.
she stayed with her brother the summer after graduation to give some cool down time to her parents. ' THEY'LL COME AROUND WINNIE, I PROMISE. ' he must have told them that everyday. after the blow-up, winona lost all motivation to even open her own shop. how could she make a mockery of her parents expectations time and time again ?
they're left out of family events such as fundraisers, dinners, and even christmas. winona, for the life of them, could just not understand why they weren't accepting of a business degree.
the whole ordeal left her upset and unmotivated, and she found her way back to media consumption. was it healthy ? no. but was it helping her cope ? most definitely.
it's the following summer when their brother is finally able to get the whole family in one room together. it went about as well as family fights normally did. there was raised voices and crying, but at the end of it, her parents had warmed up just a tiny bit.
she moves back in with her parents and works at a local bookstore in san diego to save money. her parents are not interested in funding her business, but they've accepted the career choice. that in itself felt like a win.
however, their brother feels bad and tells them to come back to washington. he lives in a nice town called starlight oaks, and they're welcome to live with him. he'll even pitch in to buy her a storefront on celestial drive.
PERSONALITY:
still pretty shy with strangers to this day. says a lot of ums and uhs but is trying to be more confident when talking to people they're not super close with
loves their store and their customers ... <3 puts their heart and soul into every bouquet
has kind of gotten used to being single . it's easier than exploring something she knows will set her parents off and less tiring than forcing a false relationship. plus, nobody gets hurt this way ! except winnie
still really into media consumption. def has a letterboxd account
also winnie is okay with being referred to with gendered terms <3
WANTED CONNECTIONS:
media consumption friends <3 movies, books, tv shows !!!!! winnie probably attends book clubs and is def going to comet see it like twice a week
winnie is trying to do more things !!! 2024 is the year of doing things. someone to attend events with <3
she's always been an old soul, talking to parents at birthday parties instead of her peers, so she probably finds comfort in those that are older than her <3 35+ charas be their bff pls
customers perhaps !!!!!!!!! they live breathe eat sleep flowers
a girl ....... who flirts ............. hmmm perhaps could be fun
