Ready or Not
Any day. Any minute... she would be a mother. The term should be reaching its completion much to Yuna's delight. She was done. Very very done with the entire ordeal. How could such a sweet little blessing be so much trouble? Yuna couldn't understand it.
All she wanted was a clean and prepared environment. Nesting... that's what Lulu called it. The uncontrollable urge to fix ones surrounding in preparation for the arrival of a child. Yuna had it bad.
Regardless of the reprimands from Tidus and Wakka combined Yuna wanted, no, needed to organize the hut. She couldn't decide where she wanted the bassinet. Close to the bed so she could reach the baby or the other side of the room so that she was fully awake when she nursed the child. For that matter, where would her chair be moved to? Should she keep it near the door so she could watch the Aurochs practice? Or far back, deep into the hut so the baby could have as much quiet as possible.
Tidus wasn't helping much in that regard. He didn't see the point in all this moving but settled for assisting her instead when in a hormonal fit cried at the lack of help. She was unpredictable going from happy, to sad, to angry on the fly.
Aside from the reluctance to help move furnature, the two men fussed over her relentlessly. Yuna's agitation grew and grew. She was near to bursting and yelling that she wasn't an invalid. Did all men do this to this?
Lucky for them, Lulu stepped in to offer her advice. She said it was best to let them be. This just their way to cope with their own nerves and anxieties. There were positives, she had told her. If their fussing became too overbearing she could just ask them to retrieve something for her. It didn't matter what it was, food or supplies, it was all the same. They would leave and she would have peace and quiet. This was a trick Yuna was close to abusing.
No matter how many time she raged, or they argued, Tidus would return to her side and hold her close. He spoke to the kid and expressed his affection for both of them. They settled into a steady flow and soon it would be over.
The lack of movement of the baby alerted the midwives and physican that the baby was going to be healthy and heavy. With the slowing of each wiggle, Yuna knew, before they told her that she was expecting any day. All she had to do was wait for the signs.
Yuna and Tidus worried over the impending birth. The reality began sinking in the moment Yuna held that baby garment. Her reaction and concerns started to surface in Tidus soon after the announcement that her term was complete. Once again, Lulu stepped in and allowed them to practice their parenting skills on her son.
Vindina was a year old now. Hard to fathom but time indeed had passed. Yuna was glad for all that happened, even if it wasn't in the way she imagined.
As unplanned as it was, she wouldn't change a thing aside from her two brushes with danger.
Yuna took one last look around her home. Finally satisfied she wobbled her way to the village center where a large fire was being built in preparation for the evening. Wakka and Lulu prepared a celebration for the soon to be born baby.
Their friends from both journy's were invited, though some like Kimahri were unable to attend. Those that could attend, gathered in the village. She smiled at the hodgepodge of people who she had grown to love and trust. Some more unconventional friends than others.
"Hey Boss! Here come's the Mama-to-be" Ormi the larger of LeBlanc's henchmen called out with a laugh. He approached Yuna and placed his pudgy hand on her shoulder in as friendly a manner as he could.
"Look at you. It's weird to see you like this."
"But it suits you." Logos, the other crony, balanced her out and stood on the opposite side. He too placed a hand on her shoulder.
"You are absolutely glowing, love." LaBlanc sauntered over to Yuna and leaned down placing her overly friendly hands all over Yuna's belly. She fondled her and cooed at her tummy. Yuna felt her cheeks begin to blush at the attention.
"Thanks, I guess." She tried to smile but her unease slipped through. She locked eyes with her husband, silently begging him to come to her aid. He chuckled and with the quick, smooth motion only a blitz ball player could manage, squeezed in between Yuna and Ormi and wrapped his arms around her.
"Excuse me, I need to steal my wife for a second" He curved his hands around Yuna's elbows to lead her away.
"Oh, you are just no fun, love." whined Lablanc as she released Yuna from her grasps. She gave one last longing look at Yuna's belly and swayed her hips as she and her boys joined the other people by the recently lit fire.
"You ok?" He whispered to her as they walked in no particular direction.
"I'm fine. LaBlanc is very hands on. She likes to touch pretty much everything." She giggled at a memory. "She likes to be touched too."
Tidus paused and turned his head. He noticed Yuna's blush and blinked rapidly. He took a double take between LeBlanc and Yuna before saying, "Ok, I'm missing something."
Yuna laughed and swatted him. "Mind out of the gutter please." She reprimanded. "LeBlanc gets a daily massage from her workers." Yuna let out a grunt and rubbed her aching lower back. "A massage doesn't sound like a bad idea right now."
"How about I give you a good rub down later?" He whispered in a husky voice. She flushed and shivered when his hands trailed down the curve of her side to her hip. She turned to tell him something about not over exciting her but he took that opportunity to kiss her. She didn't exactly object to it.
"Oi, What are you doing to my niece?" Cid stood directly in front of them and crossed his arms. He frowned slightly but it disappeared when Yuna came wobbled into his arms. She embraced him as if he were her father and not just her mother's brother.
"Thanks for coming Uncle Cid." She released him and stepped back. He held her shoulders and looked down at her perfect round shape.
"My goodness!" He gave her a questioning, requesting look and she nodded. He placed his hand on her belly just at the baby did a little summersault. He chuckled. "You are just as lovely as your mother was when she was pregnant with you."
"I always reminded you of her. Are we really so much alike?" She didn't look up to meet his eyes.
"Always." He lifted her chin and they shared a grin. Cid kissed her forehead. "You're a good kid. Better than my own good for nothing selfish brats. Now, we just gotta get them into gear. I am getting a little great-niece or nephew, but I wanna get some grand kids soon."
His last sentence was said loudly enough so that Rikku caught it. The girl whined.
"Hey Pop, no fair." She cried out, mortified that he said this when Gippal was standing right next to her. He pointedly turned away from this conversation.
Cid didn't seem to care all that much. He was not about to drop the subject.
"I'm just worried is all. Gotta know what my girl's plans are. Ya can't keep fooling around forever."
"Don't say it like that." Rikku's words stretched out as she whined louder. Gippal grinned and tried to keep from laughing. Impossible because Rikku saw this and swatted him on the shoulder.
Yuna chose to be kind, "Uncle Cid, Rikku is gonna get there one day. Let her have fun."
"Yeah well, if she can snag herself a good man soon. I would hate to see her loose him to some one else." He spoke in Gippal's direction. Cid made eye contact with the man. He knew, just as everyone knew. It was just those two that didn't seem to want to admit it.
To this day, Rikku avoided telling her about their past but now it nagged at her. What exactly were they to each other before? She had to let it drop soon after when the party guests decided it was their turn to speak to her and ever the diplomat, Yuna gave each one her attention.
Baralai, who had been at the sidelines for the entire evening, found a moment to greet her and with Yuna's blessing he felt the child wiggle under his touch.
"It's gonna be a strong baby." He had commented. His tone neither affectionate or distant. Just matter of fact as if he knew all along.
"We can only hope." Yuna said smiling. She tilted her head to see Paine watching them intently. The look of guarded longing in her eyes as she watched Baralai adjust his hand on Yuna's belly. A curious thought crossed Yuna's mind as she pictured her two friends in the same position as herself and Tidus. "I can also only hope that when you choose to marry and have a child that it too will be a strong one. After all, warriors often had children with strong wills and courage."
He looked into Yuna's eyes with understanding and he nodded.
"Indeed." He stood and retracted his hand. "May the blessings of New Yevon be upon you, My Lady"
She watched as he returned to Paine's side.
Yuna felt her body tire and moved to the nearest bench she could find, which happened to be occupied by Bartello. He graciously assisted her in settling down.
"Thank you, Bartello."
"Any time," He smiled at her warmly. He waited to see if she needed anything else, then returned to his Donna.
There was much debate over the evening. Would the child be born soon? Would it be another week? Would the kid be a boy or a girl?
Of course Wakka and Tidus were adamant that it was a boy due to the constant flips and activity that plagued poor Yuna through her pregnancy. The kid was a natural Blitzer.
Rikku, however, said she knew it was a girl. Unlike Wakka and Tidus, she gave her reason as, "I just know".
Names were the next round of discussion, thanks to LeBlanc but was ended when Baralai came to their defense of silence.
"The Fayth brought him back to love and cherish our High Summoner. The teachings of Yevon and New Yevon are all about trusting the nature of things. Regardless of the changes between our past and now, we still believe that the heart and spirit know our true paths. Let them be."
Yuna had place a hand on her belly. She knew.
They were ready.
Once again, two days following the gathering, Yuna was moving items around her hut. She felt a tug in her belly but chose to ignore it as she had been experiencing false labors for the last month.
When the tightening began to find a pattern, she noticed something else. A fire, a burn, a pain... and she cried out. More from surprise than pain.
"Yuna!" Tidus heard her and jumped up.
She cried out a little louder the next time. Lulu sensing the time was near, came into the hut, and took in their panicked expressions. She nodded.
"Tidus, help her over here." Lulu had pulled out the birthing coverlet and spread it over the bed and produced another to cover the floor. Yuna stood after the pain had passed and hobbled over to her bed. She didn't sit.
"How close are they?" Lulu questioned her as she helped Yuna out of her dress. Modesty was the least of their concerns at this point.
"Too close, it was all of the sudden and" she broke off and clenched her body.
Tidus didn't know what to do next. He hovered as Lulu prepped Yuna by taking the dress and folding it off to one side. She pulled a tunic from the drawer beside the bed and helped it over Yuna's head. The girl curled in on herself when the next pain arrived.
Lulu helped Yuna sit on the edge of the bed. "Breath, Yuna. Just take it slow and remember to breath. I will be back"
"Hey what am I supposed to do!?" Tidus cried out and Yuna laughed between gasps of pain.
"You, sit next to her and rub her back. It helps to lessen the pains" Lulu turned out of the hut and went in search of the physician and midwives. The time had come.
"It's ok, it will be over soon." He whispered to her and he saw tears running down her face.
"I never thought... I would be wishing to experience a thunder strike. This... sucks." She tried to laugh but winced. "I think... I'm going to be using more of those words..."
Tidus chuckled a little, glad her sense of humor was still in easy access.
"Yeah, I'm prepared. Come on. We can do this together." He encouraged and she shook her head.
"To hell with you, Tidus. You don't have to feel this."
He laughed. "No, but I'll give you a free pass to kick my ass later."
"Screw you." She gasped out. He took the blame for her picking up on that phrase and bawled out laughing.
"Did that, look where it got us."
Yuna gave him a dirty look and was about to say something until another contraction hit. She moaned.
"This is too fast. Too close."
Lulu arrived as Yuna was curling back up as the contraction progressed.
An elderly woman, a younger apprentice and the physician from Luca all entered in after her.
"My lady," The elderly woman said. "I need to see how far this labor has progressed."
She nodded. The man took out a few bottles of potion and tools that Tidus just didn't want to know about. The assessment concluded with a nod from the midwife.
"She is going to deliver quickly." She said calmly and Lulu stood up straight before turning to the entrance. She spoke to someone and then sealed the door.
Tidus panicked. Between the tools, Yuna's cries and the sealing of the door he was starting to regret staying inside. One look at Yuna's face and that changed. He needed to be here, "Lu, what do I do?"
Shaking her head she assisted Yuna to settle on the edge of the bed with her legs propped up on two blocks of wood and her back in an upward position.
"Get the rest of the pillows."
Tidus jumped into action. He gathered every pillow in the hut and handed them to Lulu till she threw one back at him to let him know it was enough. Then she grabbed his hand and placed it on Yuna's lower back.
"Press hard and rub." He did and Yuna breathed out.
The physician Helped Yuna into a ready position. He measured her and with a concerned look he glanced up to Yuna. "You progressed fast. How long have you been in labor?"
Gasping she was able to squeeze out her words, "Small spasms... all day like before but this... this... this pain..."
Lulu finished. "About fifteen or so minutes before I reached you. We dressed her first."
The man nodded and allowed the Midwife to take her position, "Very sudden. You are gonna deliver soon. You are lucky my lady."
Breathing deeply Yuna smiled between winces from her pain.
"In Luca we often perform deliveries in a different manner but the island tradition requires the use of these birthing blocks, so if you please young man, stand to her side." The man directed Tidus to where he deemed appropriate.
A couple of hours of pain seemed to pass like no time at all for the couple and yet Yuna felt every minute. A never ending round of pain after pain. She was sure she was going to die from it. Just when she was ready to give up the sudden rush of release followed by the sound of fluids hitting the floor let her know that the baby was born.
The midwife handed the child to the apprentice and the physician followed the girl. The two of them cared for the child while the midwife did... something to Yuna. He refused to look down to see what mess followed. Instead he focused on Yuna while she cried in relief. It was over.
Fighting Sin was never this painful, Fighting Vegnagun was never this frightening. She had survived this and the cries from a newborn baby proved that their child too had survived. The strong urge to sleep came over her while Tidus and Lulu helped her lay back so the midwife could finish her job. She closed her eyes and thanked every spirit that ever watched over them.