Backstory
As a child, Ennis' purposes in life were laid out for him to be someone successful, to care for his family, etc. Those were his parent's ideals, but ultimately he wanted to be successful in his eyes and really only care for his little sister, Chicory. Despite all of the good and the stepping stones his parents provided in his upbringing, he followed along with the intent to no longer listen once he got his footing as an adult. Still, he didn't want to leave his sister behind with such strict parents.
Ennis and Chicory's parents never laid a hand on them, never publicly reprimanded their children, but they were strict as can be otherwise. They expected their kids to be good at everything they made them get into, to be intelligent and preferably in the medical field. If there were successes, their parents always said they were proud, but never if it was a happiness the children obtained on their own. If there were failures, Ennis specifically recalls his parents brushing it off and saying he'll succeed the next time, but with Chicory they were stricter. Competitive, they compared and belitted other kids to theirs, but Chicory especially was degraded compared to her brother.
Both kids were deemed intellectually gifted, although for Ennis it was more natural, while Chicory truly worked hard to do things such as skipping grades. Both respected one another and celebrated small things, and both knew once they went off to college they would cut their parents out of their lives once the opportunity came. Ennis did things such as football since he was little, so he grew up alongside his best friend Asim even as they got scholarships together. Besides their strict family, Ennis had many fond memories of those he cared about such as Asim and Chicory, so ultimately he was a genuinely sweet person, not at all pursuing achievements for the sake of a reputation. He'd already aimed to be in the medical field, but rather than becoming a doctor, he felt the role of nurse would suit him best.
During his college days, Ennis moved from Ireland to a suburban town near New York, boarding with his uncle Niilo, a reclusive artist. Eventually Chicory joined as well, before moving elsewhere early into her college years. Their uncle Niilo was a condescending man on the outside, critical of most of his family, but he was a very gentle person with his niece and nephew particularly. He was more a parent to Ennis and Chicory, and he continued to have good memories of those years as well.
As their uncle frankly didn't get along with Ennis' parents, Ennis figured he could do as he pleased in his home without being told on. It was then that he felt comfortable dying his hair, dressing less preppy, and delving into nail painting. Niilo didn't mind the behavior, commenting that he expected Ennis to do such a thing, remembering that Ennis used to take his artistic paints for his nails as a kid and making a mess. Finishing up his schooling, Ennis continued on with his life by becoming a Perioperative Nurse, assisting surgeons in and out of the operating room. He wasn't at all queasy or nervous about the work, genuinely being passionate about it. Still, he was surprised seeing his friend Asim not become a doctor in the end, as his family was full of them, but rooted for him anyway when he became a barber. He understood that some goals weren't passions for some people after all. Actually, Asim was the one who had dyed his hair in the first place.
Nowadays, Ennis continues to live with his uncle, Niilo, in his formerly dark and dusty home. It was a large manor that he'd inherited, perhaps Ennis' parents were upset they didn't get it, especially as Niilo was an artist who lived alone. But in the last few years, Ennis had watched his uncle take in an apprentice, Clara. The two simply became friends, although Ennis does wonder if he should move out as his other friends have, as well as his sister a few years ago.
Like Ennis, Chicory is a much happier person away from her parents, freely enjoying the mystery of each day rather than having a life plan set for her. She moved in with a boyfriend a while back, also becoming a doctor. Ennis enjoys his work, seeing his friends and family when their schedules permit it, but he has no need for a romantic partner. If anything, if there is one thing missing, he thinks he should get a pet. Torn between a couple options, he'd probably get both a cat and a dog. His sister has two parakeets, impulsively getting two so a single pet wouldn't be lonely, and Ennis feels he's like that as well; someone who's role is to be around others. That said, he's set on the life he has, not quite living for someone, but living with others.