Colorful Threads
Story Summary: Maribel was more than happy to be a part of her family, to be the only non amazing one of the amazing Madrigals, to be unconsciously shunned from family activities and celebrations, to be coddled and swept to the side in the guise of keeping her safe. What she was not happy about was being forced to wear those plain clothes, the clothing that screamed louder than her families actions that she did not belong. She would not do it!
Authors Note: Okay... So I have recently become obsessed with Encanto and, upon one of my many re-watches, I noticed something peculiar about the clothing that made me tear up. This fic is my way of obsessing over that fact. There are more stories likely to come! I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Encanto nor any of its characters, I just own my own odd thoughts that I am subjecting you to. That and, I will talk about Bruno! He deserved better!
In the Madrigal family the clothing that one wore had exceptional meaning. From the moment that you were born and until you came of age for your door ceremony you were dressed in plain clothing, clothing that would change and evolve as the child grew and developed their own unique preference and style. Once of age they would be presented with a formal version of their chosen attire in glittering white and gold. The morning after the door ceremony you would be presented with a new outfit, one in your preferred style but of the highest quality both in material and workmanship. These new clothes would pay homage to the gift that they had been blessed with. Clothes that were flawless, perfect, and showed with every stitch that they were a cherished and honored member of their family.
This unfortunately had not been the case for Maribel. The day after her door ceremony she was still in the homes nursery, still without a gift, and still in the clothing of a child. A simple white top and blue skirt, the same as she had worn before. Perhaps there would be another way for her clothing to claim her as a member of the family despite her not being blessed with a gift?
Every trip to the village after that day Maribel became more and more aware of the distinct difference that her clothing labeled her with. Somehow over the years the village had copied the clothing choices of the Madrigals, children below a certain age being adorned in simple clothing and then receiving embroideries and patterns later on. At first it was fine, her clothing matching the villagers still but as they all grew and her friends began to get colorful and decorated clothing while hers remained the simple and plain clothing of a child separating her from not only her family but the villagers as well.
In a fit of frustration and desperation for a change, for something to be different, she asked her papa for some money and bought a small sewing kit. Using an old satchel of her mothers she quickly set about practicing, adding splashes of color and a painstakingly made version of her name. Something bright and loud, something that could scream out loud when she could not. There would be no way to mistake who she was when she carried this satchel, she was sure of it.
The next day when she showed it off to her famila she glowed in pride as her parents fawned over how creative and smart their daughter was to have taught herself to do something amazing, how gifted and clever she was. Giggling in pride as her Tia Pepa jokingly claimed that she would steal it away for herself. That night at dinner her parents surprised her with a brand new sewing machine, just for her.
For a while Maribel was content, she would practice on the satchel and her shoes, occasionally creating something to gift to a member of her family member and keeping herself busy with learning new stitches and techniques. It was enough. For a while at least.
Once more the fact that she was being forgotten and pushed to the side and left in the shadows as her family shone became all too present.
It hadn't been until her Abuela had shooed her off to her room that that feeling burned bright again. "Why don't you go back to the nursery and sew something while we work mija? Let us focus." No, not her room. To the nursery! That same room that was adorned with paintings of the alphabet and other childish scenes that lay behind that plain blue door, plain and boring like she was. Like everything about her. Like this plain dress that only small children were forced to wear! That plain dress that had no ornamentation or decoration, no claim to her family or her status within the community.
Tearing off the offending fabric and quickly switching it for her nightclothes she threw herself into the chair before her sewing machine and reached for the first shade of thread that caught her eye. Black. Black like the shadows she was constantly being sequestered inside of. Black like the anger and the feelings that bubbled and churned within her.
Outlining the sleeves and the caplet was not enough though. Sure this was some of the ornamentation that she longed for but all of the villagers had simple ornamentation on their clothes too. No. She wanted this to be a statement. Something that said that she belonged here! She was a part of the family! She didn't have a gift so she couldn't just add symbols of whatever it was like Luisa's weights or Isabella's flowers. No, she had to do something else...
With a rush of inspiration and adrenalin she knew what she would do. She would use her Abuela's butterflies. The candles butterflies! There was no way to mistake them, it was essentially an unspoken taboo for anyone outside of the family to use them unless it was something designed to be given to them and even within the family they tended to avoid using for something individual unless it was Abuela herself. Yes, that was what she would do! Either this would work and force the acknowledgement that she was a real and true member of this family or her Abuela herself would need to tell her to stop. Either way, something would change. She would make sure of it!
That night she stayed up well past sunset, shooing the Casita away when it tried to take her to her bed in concern. "No Casita, I need to get this done. I need to do this! I need to show that I belong in this family too! Please!" Finally the Casita stopped, settling instead to light her workstation better so that she would not strain her eyes as much as she worked.
The next morning, as Maribel sat at the dining table she silently delighted in the shocked and confused looks that her family graced her with. A seed of something dark and cold lodging in her stomach as she caught the glimpse of disapproval that flashed in her abuelas eyes. That same seed cracking and trembling under the look of love and compassion that her mothers gaze held for her as her father, her darling papa, crowed in delight at her talent.
"I swear, this embroidery is almost as good as the seamstress' in town! One day Mija, you will put her out of business!"
From then on her mothers gaze would constantly seek her out, her eyes running over her clothes and searching for some new addition as her concern grew. This continued for a week before her mother pulled her aside one day words of love and encouragement falling from her lips as she held Maribel close to herself. That night she heard, "Remember, you have nothing to prove!" for the first time.
The next day, when she arrived to breakfast with a small basket of food stitched onto her dress in honor of here mama and her gift the look of relief and love on her mothers face when she saw made Maribel feel seen, truly seen, easing that odd feeling inside of herself, even if it didn't cause it to go away.
From there she continued, a candle for abuela which was dismissed absentmindedly, Maribel expressing her upset over being ignored by branding her own name onto her dress. Next was a weight for her oldest sister, Luisa praising her and giving her a large hug in between her chores before being called away. Some of Isabella's favorite flowers gained her a rare smile from her sister before she too was called away.
Delores was easier to spend time with as her prima's gifts were not quite as in demand as those of the others, both of them enjoying sitting in the village center and listening to music. Music notes soon joined Maribel's skirts in honor of their time together. A round of pranks from her cousin was honored with a chameleon joining her wearable mosaic. Each prank, despite being at her expense, showed her that he at least thought of her, took notice of her. The fact that the pranks were not cruel was a great bonus in her opinion, especially as the busy and hectic lives that everyone was living seemed to be causing them to grow apart despite remaining so close in dedication and love.
When she is told of the expectation for a new baby by her Tia Pepa the credo 'los Madrigals' joins her skirts, large and unmistakable, even with it being hidden in the folds of her skirts. After her cousin Antonio was born her tia began to fret for her son, to worry that he may end up like her and not receive a door, the next day a rainbow joined her dress in a prominent space in the hopes of keeping her tia calm. Or... At least providing her with a reminder to stay calm.
The day that Mirabel had to receive glasses for her sight she embroidered a likeness of herself upon her skirts as well, the bright green color of the frames reminding her vaguely of her Tio Bruno before he disappeared...
The night before Antonio's door ceremony Mirabel could not sleep, her dreams plagued with disappearing doors and the look on abuelas face, the shock, fear, disappointment, and horror. Giving up on sleeping she instead set to work on ensuring that Antonio's gift was perfect and, when she decided that it indeed was, she instead took to adding to her skirts once more, not focusing or really caring what she was putting and instead thinking of Antonio, her darling primo. She just knew that he was going to get a gift. With more certainty than anything. Antonio was too good and kind to not be blessed. Too sweet and innocent to have abuela look at him like she looked at her...
As the sun began to glow just beyond the horizon Maribel refocused on what she was doing and smiled at the animals which not adorned her skirts. The perfect representation of her Antonio.
Yes, she may not have a gift but she was a part of this family and there was no way to ever mistake her otherwise ever again.
Authors Note: Well, there you have it folks, the latest in my brains hyper fixation! I hope you liked it! And yes, you did just read an entire story designed around a dress and the feelings it evoked in me lol.