My Valentine

1: Handmade Elegance

"Ouch!" Marinette exclaimed poking her thumb with her needle.

"You okay?" Alya asked, stopping her twirling to look down at her friend hunched over the hem of her dress.

"Yeah, it would just be a little easier pining the hem if you stayed still."

"I'm sorry. It's just so hard not to spin in such a beautiful skirt."

"It won't be very beautiful if the hem is uneven. Plus I'd rather not get blood on it."

"I'm sorry but I'd rather you poke yourself than my knees."

Marinette resisted the urge to poke her friend's knee with a pin. Instead, she shuffled around inspecting her work. Light pink pins dotted the edge of the black satin fabric slightly weighing it down. It stopped right at the knee. This was part of dressmaking Marinette couldn't do alone. Alya was a little taller than her so if she used her knees it would have been too short.

Though Marinette loved this part of dressmaking. Seeing her clients and having small talk while she crawled around on her knees was very nice, though uncomfortable at times. She's always been a people person when it came to commissions. Maybe that was one thing Marinette took from Ladybug: her confidence.

"Okay, let's get this off." Marinette stood to undo the safety pins from the back of the skirt.

"What's left to do?" Alya asked stepping out of the skirt.

Marinette sighed. "The hem-obviously. Then attaching the tulle, bodice, zipper, and straps."

"And you're sure you can have this done by tomorrow night?"

"Yes! Don't worry. Nino's heart will stop at the sight."

The two girls giggled.

"And what about your dress? Is it done?"

Marinette stopped her giggling. "I can just wear something from my closet."

"What? Girl no way! The whole point was for you to make both of them! I was planning on posting the dresses on the Ladyblog."

Alya came up with the idea of making their dresses for this year's Valentine's Day Dance at the last minute making Marinette run through an already busy Paris to find fabric and a zipper to match. Knowing she only had enough time to make one dress, Marinette didn't bother to shop for fabric for herself.

"I'm sorry. Maybe I can come up with something from my stock fabrics." She shrugged already deciding on wearing something from her closet.

"At least try to." Alya sighed. Marinette knew that she felt bad asking her to make the dresses. Seeing her friend disappointed like that was not her favorite thing.

Alya gathered her bag and jacket, bidding her friend goodbye before leaving through the trap door.

Tikki, a red and black spotted kwamii, few out from her hiding spot. "I was hoping you'd make your dress too. I bet it would look fantastic!"

Marinette smiled at her kwamii's words. "Let me finish Alya's dress first then we can think about mine."

Tikki lit up with excitement as Marinette cracked her knuckles in preparation for lots of work.

Marinette zipped up the back of the black dress onto the dress form. "There."

She picked up her phone to take a photo of the finished piece to send to Alya. Tikki flew all around the dress taking it in.

It looked very well made for a simple black dress. The neckline was a fusion of a halter and an illusion. Black floral lace creates the illusion and is laid over the bodice. The waist was cinched to gather some layers of fabric and tulle creating a full skirt. When worn, it should just touch the knees.

Marinette's phone chimed. OMG! I LOVE IT!

The message made her smile. Marinette was proud of herself for finishing it in time.

She checked the time on her phone and stretched.

10:00 pm.

"Now for yours!" Tikki exclaimed.

"Right." Marinette walked to her closet and flipped through the dresses. A few stuck out to her so she pulled them to lie on the sofa. Getting a better look at the dresses laid out, she went back and forth between the closet dresses and the newly made one for Alya.

She was right. Nothing in her closet matched the elegance of Alya's new dress.

Marinette sighed then yawned, returning to her closet to dig. The way in the back was a large plastic pink bin.

Tikki hovered with interest.

Marinette opened the bin to reveal the stock. Rolls and rolls of mismatched fabrics, ribbons, tulles, and beads. As well as some odd fabric paints, pom poms, and a random pair of shoes she tried to repaint for a Halloween costume.

Nothing.

None of her fabrics matched the level of enchanting as the ones she used for Alya's. Now she was regretting not shopping for herself. It was too late, all the shops were closed.

Tikki tried to help look through to find some fun patterns but nothing worked.

"It's a Valentine's Day dance. It has to be romantic."

"What's this?" Tikki pulled out a sketchbook from the stock box.

"Hm?" Marinette looked over. "Oh, that? That's one of my old sketchbooks from Elementary school. I used to draw all the time." She took the book and began to look through it with the kwamii, showing her all the designs she created as a child.

"Wow, you're really into fashion Marinette."

"Yeah, I've always loved it."

Then something caught her eye. A design for a dress. It looked like a cloud with its puffy sleeves, small bodice, and even puffier skirt. There it was. A romantic dress.

Marinette sighed again. She didn't have all that tulle the design called for. "Mm." She looked around her room. "Or maybe..."

"Maybe what?"

"Tikki, I think I can make this dress," Marinette smirked at the baby pink rayon curtains she had received from her parents that Christmas.