Our First Fall (Melizabeth)

15. Giant Modesty

Tins was recovering from his second fight. He lost, again, but looked thrilled by how much he learned. "My pain, my struggling makes the inevitable victory mean so much more to me, the greatest win because of my persistence." Tins words rang a cord in me. We were heading to the tannery. He was down to his last loin wrap and wanted to make another. I've done simple repairs to clothing before but making my own sounded interesting.

Our time here is over halfway over. I'd learned a few skills among the giants, made a few good friends and have been accepted amongst the clan here. I thought, so many of them would enjoy it if I participated in another facet of their culture, and I was thrilled about it. I had the time on my hands while waiting for Mael and Meliodas.

Tins had some black leather, he taught by doing and I watched as he made a needle, used some ties and cut the tanned leather to his size. The extra scraps from his loin wraps were plenty for two full outfits and then some at my size. I'd probably need it all for my inevitable mess ups. The cord he used to sew was made of much smaller ones and I asked for a long snip of it to pull it apart to use.

I wrapped all the supplies in the longest piece of leather, binding it with the cord. Tins laughed as I gathered it all up. "Good luck! Let me see your final product when you're done." On my way to my room, I pass Alloya. She was in a strapless dress that barely covered the swell of her ass. I explained what I was doing and she laughed. "Don't forget to carve buttons. That's the hardest part." She invited me to the waterfalls again but I had a mission now.

Rou had a knife he let me borrow and Gerheade said she could make me a needle out of wood. She went to the bowl garden and with a touch to the ground, she sprouted one, grown with her creation magic. It even had a hole. I thanked them, excited to get started and spread it all out. I carved the pieces, a dress for me and a vest for Meliodas. Tins suggestions rang out and I decided to create mine first, to perfect my skills before doing Meliodas'.

It took me the rest of the day to untwist the cord into more manageable strips. The front of my dress would cover from my upper thighs, up over my chest, where I left a large hole to show my cleavage as all giants did, where the straps would hopefully push them together and a button behind my neck. The back would start under my wings in a v, to cover my behind. I planned on looping the strips loosely between the two sides of fabric so my skin would peek through.

Giants showed their skin without shame, so in the name of learning, I'd try...

The needle poked through the leather well enough but I had to be slow with each hole so not to stress it too much. I started at the top, weaving the strips and tying a bow at the end. Repeating the process on the other side. Alloya was right, the button would be the hardest part. Since I had such long hair, I skimped on mine, looping the thin cord at the top of either strap to tie rather than button at the back of my neck.

I couldn't do that for Meliodas' vest though.

I folded my dress, tucking it into my bag and rolling up my supplies to leave beside the crude desk. With a destination in mind, I flew off to the Tannery. I need scrap wood to carve from. I could always go searching outside tomorrow if I couldn't find something. Tins is gone and none of the giant I knew by name but there had to be something. Buttons did exist here, handmade ones. A rounded Giant, well into a pregnancy, looked the friendliest and I asked her. She not only said she'd gather what I needed but would also show me how to carve them.

When she returned, in her palm was a cube of white oak. With a giant's hand-sized dagger, a sword to me, she chopped and whittled. Rounding the top and smoothing the bottom with the exception of the knob to attach to the clothing. "Getting the hole just right, that's what's tricky." While she shows me her skills I ask after her pregnancy and life to get to know her.