𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨

hello friends !! my name is bren, i’m so excited to be here with you all ! this is my lovely winona berkeley, aka the dream. you can find her bio here but i’ll also try and summarize under the cut. she’s a lot of fun and i’m really happy to be able to bring her to you !!

     SHE ISN’T NECESSARILY a festive person. holidays have never quite been her thing, though winona does love giving people gifts. other than that, they’re a bit too show-y for her, a bit too stress-inducing. coming from a wealthy rhode island town where fourth of july parties were like the met gala of the year definitely left a sour taste in her mouth. but, of course, any time to spend with moe is an opportunity winona jumps at and thus, is why she has shown up with a box of tinsel, lights, even a tiny tree and some ornaments to decorate his room. after all, moe had the freedom to decorate his own space without the approval of a roommate. she sets the box and mini potted tree down next to the door and knocks a few times for him. once he opens it, she lifts the box again and immediately hands it over.

     "HI! SORRY, I’M almost ready. just– one second...” winona’s opening the door with one hand and tugging her doc marten boot on her foot with the other, grunting as she works her foot into the shoe. she opens the door wider for him and stands up straight, then darts back into her dorm. winona’s side is a bit of a mess, but an organized one: it’s apparent she’d been digging through her clothes for an outfit before she’d settled with the one she’s currently wearing. a pair of light denim jeans accompany a long sleeved mockneck bodysuit. she moves to her desk, where an electric teapot sits and she picks up a mason jar next to it. carefully, she picks it up and dips an index finger in the liquid to test the temperature before she shrugs and walks back to farrow. “what kind of vibe is this concert, by the way?” she asks while she brings the mason jar to her nose. she sniffs the liquid.

NOTHING LIKE A ball to kick off the fall spirit, and though Phoebe has already made her rounds around the space, she is hardly ready to leave the premises. There is still so much to see, so much to observe from her fellow society members. Take Winona — clad in a cloak and corset, she is in high spirits, lifting up her shirt to show off the piece of lace wrapped around her thigh to some other partygoer. Something Phoebe never would’ve done, but then again, she supposes she has done things that others would find unseemly.

And right as the scene ends, Phoebe rises from her spot, striding over to the wisp of a woman, arms wrapped tightly across her chest. Not nervous as much as she is just tightly wound, Phoebe takes a moment to let her presence be felt before she turns to Winona, a glint of scheming deviousness in her eye. “If they’re not going to take you up on your offer, I will,” she replies, nodding to the joint in her hands. “Although, if I were you, I’d put that back into your garter until you’re outside. Not too sure if the faculty will take too kindly to you smoking indoors.”

      IT’S A GOOD thing people like phoebe exist, especially when people like winona exist. winona, a girl who rarely thinks her decisions through, truly needs an occasional reality check such as this— phoebe politely informs her to, well, not wave a joint around at a public event. eyes a bit wide, winona presses her lips together and nods slowly in comprehension, her hand lowering to tuck the joint back under her garter.

“they’re doing shots in there? should i go check on her?” moe said, his eyes immediately filling with worry. he knows that jay can handle herself, but there was always a bit of worry when they were at parties like this and she blended into the crowd so well until she started trouble. and wasn’t that his job? to keep an eye on his friends?

and yet, his eyes fall back onto winona. having her here next to him allowed him to relax, knowing that even if he was pulled back into the party, at least they had a few moments to themselves. “guess i’m not breaking the rules then, hmm?” he teased, a smile growing on his lips once more. “you look great tonight, though. not that you don’t always look great in big t-shirts. i just…i mean…” he trails off, knowing there’s not a good way to end this sentence. “it does seem a bit cruel, though. when all we had to wear was these stupid collars,” he said, pulling the ruffle at his neck a bit further from his skin. it was itchy as hell, but nothing like a corset. 

“win, i’m fine. i promise,” he said, glancing down at her as her hand rests on his shoulder. “i was just…overwhelmed. i know it’s supposed to be part of the fun of the society, but…” he trails off again, a small shrug rolling off his shoulders. 

     SHE PRETENDS TO zip her mouth shut at moe’s question, though her giggles seem to defy the laws of such a thing. anything to mask the way her heart absolutely melts at how selfless moe is. she’d be lying if she said she had very little faith in men sometimes, with a small voice at the back of her head, nagging gently at the notion that every man winona could ever come in contact with would ultimately need her for something and toss her to the side when they get what they want. irrational, absolutely, but present nonetheless.

and she hates how she acts different around him. of course, moe wouldn’t know better, as he’s never seen winona alone with another man before ( or anyone, for that matter— winona isn’t one to discriminate ). rarely does she seemingly melt around other people but his concern only evokes a puckered lower lip and arms sliding around his shoulders in an embrace once more. “no...” she insists. “you should enjoy yourself, moe. she’ll be fine.”

julian automatically shifts to the side when winona lifts her shirt, shielding her from any potential wandering eyes. it’s old fashioned of him, and it’s not even like winona asked for or needs his protection. plus, a little skin never hurt anyone. but the habits his parents ingrained in him are hard to shake, and that’s simply the reality he has to live with.

“or maybe they were happily married and the bride wanted their good fortune to pass onto someone else.” julian replies. “or,” his eyes widen. “maybe she dropped it off at the thrift store accidentally with some other clothes, and it’s your mission to find her and give it back to her.” the reality is probably closer to what winona theorized—julian’s fairly certain his sister and his brother’s wife kept their garters after their respective weddings—but a boy can dream, right?

julian eyes the joint in winona’s outstretched hand. “i shouldn’t.” he hesitates. he’s been trying to cut back on smoking, but this is a party after all, and it’s halloween. “fuck it. why not?” he nods in the direction of the balcony. a door is propped open, where snippets of conversation and tinkling laughter make their way out into the starry night. “let’s head to the balcony?”

     HER EYES LIGHT up at julian’s suggestion, lips curling into a smile instantaneously. see, these are the things that winona loves about other people. she loves a person that will match her absurdity, of wondering about things that perhaps aren’t truly worth such time. and yet, people like that are out there, and winona is eternally grateful to come across them. you know, even if perhaps such words come from lips of someone her best friend hates quite vehemently. “julian...” she gasps, a hand like a magnet when it rests on his shoulder. big eyes and a grin accompany a giggle before she speaks.

“julian, i think you’re onto something. and if that’s the case, well, i have no choice but to dedicate my life to taking care of her, right?” the her in reference, of course, is the garter, an inanimate object. winona laughs and looks back down at her thigh, still tugging at the hem of her shirt to expose the garter.

“i shouldn’t.”

open: @harcourtstart​.   where: the observatory.   when: midway through the night.

          any mix of espresso, the spirit of halloween, the three white claws she’d had so far, and the absolute power of being the shortest person in the room had put jayden into a very excellent mood, despite the fact that she thought it was DUMB that everyone was forced to dress up as a character from literature. what if she wanted to be buffy the vampire slayer, huh? what about THAT? but she digresses, approaching the nearest body and holding out a sucker ( THC included, dubiously legal in rhode island ) for the taking. “ today, i offer you an edible. tomorrow? who knows. ” 

the night air was cool, a welcome respite from the warm, sweaty bodies inside. though he had been attending the parties for years now, he had never quite gotten used to how loud and chaotic the room could get when the whole society was together. especially when there was an open bar. 

of course, he wasn’t surprised when he heard the door slide open and winona’s cheerful voice reached him. it was only a matter of time that she or jay pulled him back into the party, it seemed to happen every single time. “hey, win,” moe said, his voice soft. “we’re missing jayden too, you know. i couldn’t find either of you,” he said with a bit of a chuckle. 

he lets his arms settle gently around her neck for a brief moment, wishing for only a moment that the hug would linger. she pulls away so that he can see her grin, and gives her a quick shrug. “it’s quieter out here! though no one informed me it was against the rules.” there was something about her that always made him want to follow along, to play by her rules. tonight was no exception. “if you’re out here, though, i’m not alone. am i?”

     "OH, I LOST jayden about twenty minutes ago. something about either a dance-off or doing shots with someone. can’t remember which but they both sound probable,” winona notes with a grin. and it’s a bit strange, with moe— winona so desperately wants to deny that tiny feeling that blossoms at the bottom of her chest, tickles her lungs and begs to be listened to whenever she’s around moe. she’d liken it to a crush but she wouldn’t even want to go so far as to name it— after all, you’re not supposed to name a stray dog or you’ll grow more attached to it.

and yet, when they hug and it lingers just a little too long, it’s enough to make her feel almost sick to her stomach. winona is someone who very much likes to have her grip tight on the reigns of her life but when it comes to something like this, something so involuntary and emotional, it’s frustrating how little winona can do to suppress it. the most she can do is ignore, which is precisely what she does as she pulls away and eyes up the male with a small smile. his comment makes her mouth hang agape, and she gives her shoulder a shrug in response. “maybe so,” she notes. hands move to the railing of the balcony and fingertips drum along the surface. “i’m much more of a fan of a house party, personally. as much as i love our three musketeers outfits, i have to say—” brows furrow as she stands up straight, hands moving to the corset that hugs her torso. “how did colonial women wear these on a daily basis? i’d rather be swimming in a giant t-shirt.”

     HER WHOLE OUTFIT was thrifted, as winona has a fascination with thrifted clothing. there’s just so many stories behind secondhand clothing. like, where is the woman who owned the corset that’s wrapped around winona’s frame now? why did she own such a thing, and what did she wear it to? or the long button-down shirt underneath said corset, which is a few sizes too big and wears like a short dress on the blonde now— where could that individual be nowadays? with a blue cloak draped on her shoulders accompanied by a pair of combat boots, winona’s outfit as one of the three musketeers might not be the most obvious of costumes but it doesn’t mean it’s not fun.

     “OH MY GOSH, there you are.” winona’s quite accustomed to be the one to wander— an accidental master at irish goodbyes, there have been many times in which the people winona arrived to a party with will step back and wonder where she could’ve gone off to. this time, the tables have been turned, and it’s moe who has seemingly disappeared from the group. this doesn’t go unnoticed by winona— of course it doesn’t— and she embarks on her own adventure to find him. a spacious balcony surrounded by crisp fresh air is where moe has seemed to find himself and thus, winona, as she slides through the door and shuts it behind her. “what am i without my fellow musketeer?”

open: @harcourtstart​ // the observatory // midway through the party

tw: alcohol 

she felt warm, and maybe almost content, in a way, as she dropped her empty glass on a table, adjusting her violet baudelaire costume as she was walking through the room. it felt off putting, to be a little intoxicated and at a party after all this time. maybe she should leave? the loudness and the crowd of mostly strangers, the ornate decorations, it felt like too much, and she wasn’t sure how to feel about it. edi paused, eyes fixated on the exit as she debating her options.

this wasn’t her ideal situation, but she had come here, had made it this far into the night and she had promised herself she’d stay at least another hour still. so she set her sights at the bar, another drink at least helping pass the time. she walked with purpose, eyes locked on the bar as she moved, paying little attention to her surroundings. halfway to her destination, she bumped into someone, frustration coating her voice as she quietly snapped, “watch your step,” at them. “it’s too crowded here,” she muttered under her breath.

     EDI AND WINONA’S friendship is unlikely, to say the least, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel particularly giddy when she sees edi out and about. and in all honesty, parties like these might not be winona’s cup of tea. she’s not a huge fan of the showiness or theatrics, but any excuse to get a little drunk and mingle with others is an opportunity she welcomes warmly. wandering once more, winona taps side side of her glass with her fingertips, lips pressed together as she observes from the bar.

this is one thing she loves to do— as much as winona often cannot resist speaking to anyone near her, she does love to people watch. and of course, she’s lost in her own reverie as she bumps into someone just as they do the same to her. she turns her head quickly to spot edi, brows raised in shock. “oh!” she chirps and takes a step back. “it is crowded, isn’t it?” lower lip puckers as winona glances around the room. “would you want to take a stroll with me, maybe? i suspect there’s a dreamy balcony somewhere around here, and i’m certain it’s calling out for us, edi.”

where: the stairs of the observatory

when: a little bit after the event has started

who: open to all @harcourtstart​

farrow leans over the railing of the spiral staircase, looking down at the ground with a frown on his face. squint as he may, he can’t even see the envelope that had flown out of his hand and down the stairs. he supposes it doesn’t matter now and truly, there was probably no need to even bring the invitation. he just hopes no one not in the society picks it up tomorrow and starts wondering about it. not that he cares, of course, but he just doesn’t want to be held accountable for anything later on. 

“is it even worth it to go down there and pick it up?” he wonders, mostly to himself as he still hangs half over the edge of the railing, using one hand to push the hair from this horrendous wig he’s sporting out of his face.

     ALWAYS CURIOUS, ALWAYS wandering. winona berkeley floats around parties like a bubble, like a feather lost in the wind. she weaves in and out of crowds, drink in her hand as she sips politely until the next thing catches her attention. this time, it’s someone leaning over the railing and of course, winona’s curiosity is piqued. with an extra pep in her step, she stands net to the stranger’s side, only for their voice to be entirely too familiar. brows raised, winona’s mouth hangs agape and curls into a smile as she turns to face him.

“farrow?” she laughs, then nudges his arm with the back of her hand that’s currently holding her drink. “i didn’t even know it was you! which, i mean, i guess is the whole point of halloween.” dainty fingers move to pluck some of the stray wig hairs from the side of his face and she grins. the thing with winona and farrow is that, well, they couldn’t be more opposites and yet, she can feel how his demeanor melts around her and she thrives off of it. with an offered grin, she rests her forearms on the railing and looks down at the staircase, a crease forming between her brows. “i think it’s only worth it if you slide down the railing. really make a spectacle out of it.” she lifts her cup to offer him some. “don’t ask what’s in this because i simply couldn’t tell you. i just mixed stuff until it tasted good and i think i did a pretty good job. try it.”