Chapter Text
Luigi snipped the last bit of thread from his little project he had been working on for weeks. Doing what he can without anyone noticing. He stepped back a bit to admire his creation, he couldn't help the face splitting smile as he marveled at what he had made. It was beautiful!
Before him was a stunning gown made from varying shades of his favorite color green. Each layer of the skirt were sheer colored and cascaded into each other like a watercolor painting. He scanned the gown as he circled the dress form it hung from and the fabrics seem to shift in the light making every part of the dress shift and change as if were a live painting. The sparkles he painstakingly placed also added so much to catch ones eye, he couldn't believe he made this. Even after working hours on end, bit by bit was finally assembled.
The bodice was slightly corseted as the sleeves reached up the shoulder with a poofy bertha collar elegantly placed with crystal butterflies and small sparkly mushroom shaped beads. Luigi felt himself tear up as he glided his hand over his work. He felt so proud.
He was always second fiddle compared to his brother but he could do things his brother can't even if those were out of people's sight. He was more skilled than his brother in areas like cooking and crafting. Mario lacked the certain finesse when it came to finer things and that's a skill he can hold over his head.
Speaking of which, Mario was holed up in the castle because Peach was having a masquerade party. They never had masquerade party's as per what Luigi had heard her say regarding the types of parties they had in this world. She loved the idea and planned one right away. Mario of course was head security being her "protector" as he put it. He was still the heroic type even if they were at peace with the neighboring kingdoms for a few months now. The Darklands ruler King Bowser had finally gave up of capturing the Princess and begrudgingly signed the treaty with the promise of mutual aid from the neighboring kingdoms in exchange for materials and labor from the Koopa Kingdom. Noting that some of the crystals he used came from the Darklands was something he was somewhat in awe of.
Luigi liked the peace. Aside from the occasional run ins with ghosts, he was fairly content with his quiet life. He had a secret though, he always wanted to wear beautiful dresses even when they were young but of course the world could be cruel and their father had squashed that desire of his. He still thought about it sometimes and especially now that he can see royalty closely. He always loved seeing Peach and Daisy get all dressed up in balls. He was usually in his suit but how he wished, just once he could feel...well pretty.
The masquerade ball was his only chance. He had made his own mask to cover half his face. He didn't want to shave of his moustache but he didn't want to look weird as well. He had made the mask in the shape of a large butterfly to match the dress. It tied at the back so he didn't need to have one of those sticks that he would be bound to drop revealing himself to many. He didn't want to risk it.
He had gotten a corset made in secret, saying it was a gift when the toad seamstress looked at him funny. He had low heeled shoes made for him as well...also under the guise of a gift. And a simple tiara adorned with the same crystals that he had sewn in the dress. It was a gift to himself really.
He didn't want to risk Mario knowing so he had used his mansion in the Evershade Valley as a little workshop and would go back and forth daily to work on the dress. E.Gadd had actually made the sewing machine he was using, it was a very nice machine that could do so much, unlike the old timey machines the mushroom kingdom used. The professor gave it to him when he saw how Luigi like patching up his lab coats when he got into accidents that he had designed the machine specifically for him.
With a day left before the party, Luigi had double checked everything, hoping to not miss anything. He went over his plan again that he had written in his diary. He would tell Mario he wasn't going as he wasn't feeling well. He would sneak in through the back and get changed in the castle. Have a fun time making sure to limit interactions with people that might know him like Peach, Daisy and Toadsworth. He didn't know any if the other kingdoms regents so he was good. He also checked to make sure the straps on the mask were secure and that he'd pin the to his hair.
He had little makeup as Daisy just gave them to him because he like their packaging which was intricately made if gold and jewels. She didn't wear as much makeup as Peach so she didn't feel the need to keep them and just gave them to him as Peach would always give her a lot anyways.
With his plan set, Luigi eagerly packed up the gown in a green suitcase along with the accessories and shoes. He was nervous, well he always was but this time he was very nervous as various scenarios played in his mind. He willed them away hoping he would have a good time. He packed up the case in his truck and headed home excited for the prospect of wearing his creation.