Black Dreams, White Dreams
By Lulu-san
Chapter 10 – Swimsuit JAMboree
"Absolutely not."
It had only taken a quick glance for Lulu to decide that there was absolutely no way in Spira that she was going to put on any of the three swimsuits that Rikku was offering.
Rikku had laid each of them out on her bed, telling Lulu that she could wear any of them she wanted to – but Lulu didn't think she wanted to wear any of them.
The first one available was a white and pink hipster two piece bikini, with straps that wrapped around and came to rest in a loose bow at the front. It also, Lulu noted with a frown, had a small amount of decorative lace peeping out from behind the material, making it look slightly suspiciously like lingerie. She mentally blocked out a slightly disturbing image of herself wearing it – and shook her head in disgust. Such girly clothes really did not suit her style at all.
She moved her gaze onto the second swimsuit on offer. She was relieved to see that it, unlike the previous one, was somewhat more practically designed. It was a one piece suit – although perhaps a little too high and low cut in certain places for her liking. The pattern was a simple light blue, with a darker streak of navy running over from the left shoulder to the right leg opening. It didn't have straps however, and it was backless, but that didn't bother Lulu quite as much as the first suit.
"Well? Ready to try one on?" Rikku finally asked, rolling onto her back and toying aimlessly with one of the bikini straps.
"I'm still...deciding..." Lulu replied – (although she felt that perhaps 'analysing' was a far better word.)
She quickly looked at the last option – and was not surprised to see that just like the first option, it too was a bikini. However, unlike the first one, the bottoms were boy-leg cut – and seemed less revealing – even if the top was probably slightly worse – being triangles and held together only by a small halter strap. The print was red checks – but the straps were white.
Lulu sighed. Talk about caught between a rock and a hard place.
"Hurry up!" Rikku complained insistently while waggling her legs in the air. "Or the guys will leave without us."
Lulu shot her a glare, which infuriatingly bounced off her smiling face like light on a mirror – and causing Lulu to growl in her throat.
"Fine." She snapped, snatching the second option – the blue one piece.
"How did I know she'd pick the one piece?" Rikku said, rolling her eyes.
"Try it on?" Yuna encouraged.
"What, now? Here?" Lulu scowled as the two girls nodded.
She sighed again – in resignation this time.
"At least turn around." She ordered, her cheeks a little flushed.
"Whaaaa?" Rikku whined. "Why?"
Lulu wasn't exactly finicky about showing her body to Yuna or Rikku really – after all, they had all been there and done that many times before (baths or clean-ish lakes/ponds were hard to come by during the pilgrimage), and it wasn't anything new. However, she was, after all, somewhat of a private person – and the idea of stripping bare and trying on a tiny, revealing swimsuit in front of their eyes like a sort of show didn't exactly appeal to her.
"Just...turn around already!" Lulu grimaced, her eyebrows setting into a firm glare.
Rikku gave her a weary look, but eventually turned around and faced the wall.
Checking that Yuna was also definitely facing the opposite direction, Lulu once again inspected the stretchy piece of clothing, before dropping it onto the bed and beginning the process of undressing. She unlaced her trademark corset and let the whole outfit flop to the floor in a heap around her stockinged feet; the belts clanging loudly as they hit the ground.
"Done yet?" Rikku asked, looking over her shoulder.
"Don't peek!" Lulu almost yelped – surprised by her own reaction. She didn't...yelp! She coughed quickly. "Just a bit longer."
She reached down and methodically pulled off her stockings, one by one, before pulling off her underpants – the only item of clothing still remaining.
Standing there in the middle of the room, completely stark naked, Lulu felt somewhat vulnerable and humiliated - a feeling she hadn't consciously experienced for some time. It wasn't a nice feeling, and Lulu immediately wished she was back in her hut in Besaid. It wasn't homesickness or anything; it was simply the feeling of being over exhausted. She wanted to return to a safe, comfortable place – somewhere where she didn't feel so out of place. Snapping out of her self-pity, Lulu hugged her arms around herself quickly, before grabbing the swimsuit and stepping into it.
She pulled it easily over her legs; it fitted snugly over her hips and waist – causing her to wonder if perhaps she really had lost as much weight as Wakka had said – after all, she had never imagined herself to be the same size as Rikku – aka. 'that glutton of a stick'. However, as she began to pull it up over her torso, she discovered somewhat of a predicament. No matter how much she stretched the material, it just would not come up over her chest. She tugged it a little harder, wiggling from side to side to try and coax it into fitting – however no matter how hard she pulled it, it point-blank refused to cover any more than a portion of her lower breast – leaving her 90 exposed in the open air.
"And it WOULD be strapless, wouldn't it." She thought angrily – at least straps might have been able to provide some support in this situation.
"Geez, Lulu! What's taking so long?" Rikku complained – but still she obediently faced the wall.
"Yuna..." Lulu said hesitantly. "Do...you think you could give me a hand."
Rikku growled to herself, but remained with her back turned as Yuna slowly faced the rather red Lulu.
"Oh...Lulu..." was all Yuna managed to say, while trying to stifle some sort of smile.
"Huh, what, let me see too!" Rikku cried out quickly, forgetting her promise and spinning around to join them.
Lulu grimaced, waiting for the unstoppable giggles she was sure Rikku would produce. However, after a few silent seconds passed, she looked up to find Rikku staring at her in a sort of stunned shock, her mouth wide open and jaw dropped. Finally, after a few more silent seconds she looked up at Lulu with tearful eyes.
"How come you're THAT much bigger than me!" she wailed, throwing herself on the bed in despair and buying her face in a pillow. "I didn't think you'd be THAT much bigger!"
"There, there." Yuna said gently, trying to be comforting. "It's not that you're small, it's just that Lulu is abnormally huge."
"Hey-WHAT?" Lulu cried in outrage.
"Yeah…" sniffled Rikku, lifting her head. "I mean, that bathing suit was made for normal people right? I mean, it comes up way over my boobs, yet it barely even covers half of hers. I'M the normal one right? SHE'S the freak, right?"
"Yeah." Yuna agreed with a consoling pat on the back.
"Freak-wha?" Lulu repeated, a little taken aback.
"Yeah, who wants massive breasted women anyway!" blubbered Rikku.
There was a small silence.
"Men?" Yuna wondered aloud.
After eventually soothing Rikku back to a normal state (that previous comment from Yuna hadn't exactly gone down well), the task still remained for Lulu to pick out one of the swimsuits. The three girls analysed each of the remaining two suits, wondering if they would have the same disastrous result as the previous one.
"This one will fit!" Rikku eventually decided, handing the third option – the red-chequered boy-leg bottoms and top- to Lulu.
"Are you sure?" she asked sceptically.
"Uh-huh."
Lulu gave a long-suffering sigh, and began to change into it.
Rikku had been right about the bottoms at least, Lulu thought, inspecting how the final result in the mirror. However, she thought bitterly, the bottom of the last suit had fitted as well.
She gave the bikini top one last doubtful look, before slipping the halter around her neck, and adjusting it around her chest, before tying it up tight at the back.
"Well...what do you think?" she eventually asked Yuna and Rikku dubiously.
The two girls turned to face her.
"Wow, Lulu…it's really…" Yuna began.
"It's really…um…" Rikku repeated.
"What?" Lulu asked nervously.
"Sexy!" the two girls grinned simultaneously.
Once Rikku and Yuna had changed into the two remaining swimsuits (Yuna had ended up with the one piece – which fitted her just fine – despite the fact that Rikku continued to reinstate that she had bought it 'ages ago' and that she'd 'grown since then, you know!')
Lulu was just about to pull her old belts'n'fur dress back on, when Rikku suddenly stopped her.
"You're not wearing THAT are you?"
Lulu glared at her.
"What's it to you?"
Rikku returned the glare.
"We're going to the POOL." She retorted. "It'll get all wet and be uncomfortable and won't fit in AT ALL!"
Lulu actually considered this – it would be a pain to change in and out of again, not to mention how hot and heavy it was. She paused, then glared at Rikku again.
"It'll be fine." She said stubbornly, refusing to let herself be influenced by the little energetic al Bhed any longer.
"No, it won't!" Rikku seized the bottom of the dress and refused to let go. "Your bather straps will stick out at the top and everything...it just won't go and it'll look terrible!"
"Well, what should I wear instead, hmm!" Lulu challenged her.
There was a small silence.
"Well...we did go shopping today, remember?" Rikku teased.
Lulu scowled, but sighed and dropped the dress in resignation.
"I don't know why I let you push me around like this." She told Rikku with the smallest hint of a smile.
"Oh, so you LET me, now do you?" Rikku snickered.
The three girls chatted amongst themselves as they dressed (well, Rikku and Yuna chatted, with Lulu making the occasional comment). Lulu's new clothes felt light and comfortable, and she almost regretted not having put them on sooner. Feeling a little foolish, she found her eyes kept travelling back to the mirror, where her reflection was posing slightly in the new outfit.
"Right, well if Lulu's quite done admiring herself ("I wasn't!" Lulu denied angrily), I think it's time to go, don't you?" Rikku finally asked, slinging a small bag over her shoulder.
"Yeah!" Yuna agreed, but she tugged her shirt a little uncomfortably. "Still, I can never get used to not wearing any...support...while wearing bathers under clothes like this."
"Hah!" Rikku raised an eyebrow.
"Well...you know..." Yuna continued, slightly embarrassedly. "You feel so…free spirited, maybe?"
Rikku chuckled.
"Well, Lulu never wears any 'support', so she must be really free spirited!" she laughed.
Lulu growled. Rikku was pushing the joke a little bit too far now.
"I'll have you know that my corset has inbuilt support – and besides my chest isn't really as big as you think it is!" she outburst suddenly – just as Rikku opened the door to the living room, where Wakka and Tidus were waiting – both of who had very pink ears and were trying very hard to pretend that they hadn't heard that last little bit of Rikku, Yuna and Lulu's conversation.
"Geez, you girls took forever!" Tidus complained. "We're gonna be really late."
"Eh, hee...sorry!" Rikku smiled – as though a happy face would fix everything.
"Yeah, anyway, we should head off soon because- woah!" Wakka had turned to face the girls and his sentence cut off abruptly as he saw Lulu.
"Wow! Lu, you look great! You look really really gorgeous!" Wakka exclaimed, looking a little bit flustered.
"Ha ha, that's what's called an honest reaction." Tidus chuckled.
For a moment Lulu panicked, suddenly fearing that she had walked out of the bedroom in only her bathing suit and had forgotten to put her clothes back on.
"Wha-?" She frowned, before finally realising. "Oh. You hadn't seen them yet, had you, Wakka."
"Those are the new clothes you bought today, ya? Wakka smiled.
"Yes."
"Well, I ain't no fashion expert or anything ("Damn right." interrupted Tidus.), but I gotta say that they suit you really well." Wakka told her.
"Thank you." She replied shortly.
Lulu was a little flattered, but was beginning to tire of the attention – first it was "Let's take Lulu shopping!" then, "Let's have Lulu cut our hair!" and finally, "Let's make Lulu try on bikinis." It was enough to send anyone crazy – especially someone who'd had as little sleep as Lulu had recently had.
"Can we go yet?" Rikku whined.
"Whadd'ya mean 'can we go yet'?" Tidus exclaimed. "We've been waiting for YOU, you little rodent!"
"Haah?" Rikku retorted loudly. "Who's a rodent, you ferret! Burrowing into other people's beds in the early morning! I'm only glad you got the wrong bed! I'll be protecting Yunie tonight from your evil clutches!"
And the two of them continued to bicker as the group rushed their way to the Blitzball sphere stadium.
When they arrived at the stadium, Wakka and Tidus greeted the other Aurochs warmly, while at the same time apologising profusely for their lateness.
"Nah, it's okay." Datto replied easily. "Don't you worry, Wakka. We only got here a few minutes ago anyway."
"Really." Rikku shook her head from side to side. "You guys have gotta learn to be more punctual."
The Aurochs all laughed.
"Oh, does that mean you've already leant that particular attribute, Rikku?" Jassu chuckled.
Rikku flushed.
"Yes!" she exclaimed in such honesty, that it made them laugh all the harder.
After chatting a little longer – Wakka, Tidus and the Aurochs made their way down to the changing rooms, while the three girls headed up to the stadium seats to watch the practice.
The stadium was completely empty except for them, and Rikku was thrilled to be able to try out all the seats and discover which had the best viewing capabilities. Eventually they settled down towards the front, just as the players swum out into the sphere where they began to practice throws, shots and tricks.
As Lulu watched, she found her gaze often returning to Wakka. In her opinion, he was the most noticeable and captivating player on the team – although, she thought with a small smile, Yuna was probably thinking the same thing about Tidus. True, Tidus was an outstanding player, and was probably overflowing with unrestrained talent, but in Lulu's eyes, it was Wakka who stood out clearly in the sphere. She watched him as he directed the other players about, observing their movements and creating new strategies. Then – she watched with a well disguised fascination as they pulled off trick after trick under his command. He has some kind of poise – some type of odd charisma, she eventually decided. A strong presence which shone out from amongst all the others. However, he was no comparison to Chappu, who Lulu had always seen as some sort of sporting freak of nature. Naturally, as Chappus brother, Wakka would certainly have some sort of blitzball talent – it wasn't like she was making bizarre observations or conclusions. She knew that her eyes were drawn to him because of his talent and his resemblance to her late fiancé. It was nothing more than that.
Rikku turned away from the blitzball sphere to give Lulu a wicked smile.
"So, Lulu!" She smirked. "Who're you watching like you're a ravenous fiend, and they're a large piece of hot, juicy meat!"
Lulu cocked an eyebrow, almost wanting to laugh at Rikku's absurd analogy.
"Do I have to be watching someone in particular?" she questioned. "Why would you think that? I'm observing all the players, of course."
"Yeah, as if, with THAT expression!" Rikku sniggered.
Lulu rolled her eyes.
"This may come as a shock to you, Rikku." She said patronisingly slowly. "But not everyone lives in a hormonal adolescent world. Some of us have other things on our minds other than boys."
"Yeah." Rikku agreed. "It's just a pity you don't fall into that category."
Lulu made a growling noise in her throat, resisting the urge to strangle the small Al Bhed.
"Rikku." She said very calmly and seriously. "I am not a teenager any longer. I'm not sure why you're always seeking the opportunity to find some sort of romantic, young, boy-crazy personality within me. I'm too old of all of that now. I've had my time, and now…well, it's time to face reality."
Her face hardened as she continued.
"Once, as I'm sure you know by now, I was...I had...I had Chappu. And that was fun. I was...so happy then. And, I had that time, which I am grateful for. There's no reason to try and recapture that feeling."
Yuna had turned to face them by now, and she listened with a saddened expression.
"So, Rikku. That's all there is to it really. There's no point to trying to read hidden meanings inside me – nor even trying read some sort of relationship between myself and Wakka that is beyond friends (I still haven't forgiven you for the other night at that restaurant, you know) because it is simply not there. I'm sorry if that's boring, and I'm sorry if you're disappointed. But, that's the truth."
Rikku sat silent for a few moments, contemplating Lulu's sudden speech. She closed her eyes slowly, then looked up at Lulu with a determined frown.
"I don't believe in that." She said firmly and clearly. "Lulu, you're 24 years old. You're only just an adult yourself. You may be wise, and you may seem like you're so much more mature than anyone else I know – even Pops - but where did you come up with such…immature ideas? Humans are falling in love all the time. Why would you cut yourself short? When I was eight, I was cruelly dumped by the love of my life – but that's never stopped me from moving on! True, my idea of attracting his attention was to hide little grenades in his pencil case – but that's beside the point!"
Rikku took a deep breath and continued.
"I know that you and Chappu really, truly loved each other very much. But, Lulu, your heart isn't so small that you could only fit in love for one person, is it? So, why would you never want to have that experience again? Surely, you would want to determinedly find someone who you could share that same feeling with – surely, that's what Chappu would want as well, isn't it?"
There was a small silence, in which Rikku gave Lulu a concerned look, before hanging her head slightly.
"Sorry..." she said quietly. "Me and my big mouth got carried away again."
Lulu smiled gently.
"Don't be dumb." She told her. "What good would friends be if they couldn't stand up to me? Thanks...for your concern. But really, it's not a problem. It's not like I'm lonely or anything."
However, even as the words left her mouth, a small voice in the back of her head contradicted her – but she pushed it away insistently.
The three girls sat in silence for a long time. Lulu emptied her mind of all thoughts and focused her attention completely on the repetitive and somehow methodically soothing movements of the blitzball players. Judging by their blank faces and glazed eyes, she had a feeling that both Yuna and Rikku were doing the exact same thing.
Eventually, Wakka and Tidus waved up at them from the sphere – signifying the end of their practice.
"C'mon!" Rikku said quickly. "Let's go meet them by the sphere exit."
They quickly left their seats, and hurried down to the area in which the players would exit and enter the actual sphere – and as a result of their hurrying they arrived before any of the players had actually left the water.
"Aw, damn!" Rikku scuffed her shoe against the wall. "Now we have to wait."
"Hmm, whose idea was it to rush anyway?" Lulu replied dryly. "Don't you complain, now!"
Rikku glowered, but her sulking was cut off abruptly when one of the change room doors opposite them opened suddenly, and a number of members from the Luca Goers Team walked out.
One of the men, who had short red hair and a rather macho appearance stopped as he passed them.
"Can I help you ladies?" he asked them, raising an eyebrow questionably.
"No thank you." Yuna replied politely. "We're just waiting for some friends who are finishing up practice just about now."
"I see..." he replied, before his face suddenly lit up in recognition. "Oh! You're the Great Summoner Yuna."
Yuna smiled politely, but she remained composed and somewhat cold. There was something about his attitude and mannerisms that she wasn't too keen on.
"And," he continued, giving Lulu and Rikku a smooth, slick smile. "You must be the two beautiful female guardians."
Lulu nodded curtly, but Rikku smiled warmly – most likely she didn't get called 'beautiful' too frequently. Or perhaps it was the 'female' part she was happy about – Lulu wasn't sure.
"I suppose you must be waiting for the Besaid Aurochs, right?" he asked them, just as the door to the Blitzball sphere whooshed open and the Aurochs emerged looking slightly worn and damp, but glowing with confident energy.
"Hey!" Wakka called happily to them – but he stopped as he caught sight of the Luca Goers lurking nearby.
"New friend, Lu?" he asked Lulu, gesturing his head towards the man they had just been talking to.
The man extended a hand to Wakka, who shook it courteously.
"Name's Redden." he said. "Newly appointed captain of the Luca Goers. Gotta whip these slackers into shape, if we want to steal your trophy this year."
Wakka laughed warmly.
"Not much time, if you're starting now." He chuckled.
"We'll see." Redden replied shortly, with a hard smile.
Wakka frowned a little, but let the comment go without much thought.
"Well, then!" Rikku interrupted. "We ladies will leave you guys to shower and change and freshen up."
"Okay!" Tidus agreed with a nod.
"Meet you just outside!" Yuna gestured to the area between the stadium and the rest of Luca port.
"Sure!" Wakka smiled as the three girls headed off.
"See ya sometime soon, ladies!" Redden smiled at them, giving Lulu a wink as she passed.
As soon as they were far out of earshot, Redden turned to Wakka and gave him a knowing smirk.
"Man, she's hot, don't you think?"
Wakka stuttered a little.
"W-who?" He asked.
"That girl...the dark haired one...what did you call her...Lu?"
Wakka frowned deeply.
"That's Lulu, to you." He almost growled, and was surprised by his own aggressiveness.
"Oh, sorry!" Redden said. "Didn't realise you two were already together."
"Oh...no, we're not." Wakka quickly retreated. "But, we-"
"Great!" Redden gave Wakka a sordid wink. "So that means she's available?"
Wakka didn't like how this conversation was proceeding at all. Ignoring the raised eyebrow Tidus was giving him and the bemused look he was receiving from the Aurochs, he folded his arms across his chest and tried for what he hoped was an intimidating expression.
"Actually, I think she's already interested in someone else." He said firmly. "So, I think you'd had better back down. And, I doubt she'd be interested in someone who doesn't ask her about herself directly anyway. And-"
"Whoa, whoa!" Redden smirked. "If you had a thing for her, you should have just said so sooner!"
Wakka flushed red.
"That's not what I was saying." He growled. "I was just informing you of the situation, ya."
"I see."
"That's right." Wakka finally said, before turning and huffing off towards the changing room, followed by the Aurochs and Tidus, leaving the smirking Redden behind.
"That lecherous jerk!" Wakka fumed, turning the shower on full blast in the changing room.
"Whoa, slow down now!" Tidus turned on the shower next to him, and sighed in content as the hot water gushed over his shoulders.
"I mean," he continued, rubbing a hand through his blonde hair. "You can't stop Lulu from dating other guys, if she wants to!"
"I never said that's what I wanted to do!" Wakka objected stubbornly. "Just guys like him!"
Tidus chuckled.
"Yeah, guys like him, and any other type of guy who expresses an interest. You shot him down so badly, I'm surprised he's still standing!"
Wakka growled something unintelligible, but it was clear that Tidus had hit the main point of the issue.
"Look, Wakka." Tidus sighed wearily. "You can't have first dibs on her forever!"
Wakka stared open mouthed at him.
"It's that obvious that you're in love with her, Wakka." Tidus said gently.
Wakka's jaw dropped.
"It...it is?" he asked as his ears turned a little red.
Tidus nodded.
"It's been obvious to me at least, since I met you."
"Hah..." Wakka replied weakly. "Is that so...D'ya think she knows?"
Tidus pondered this for a moment.
"No." he concluded. "Well, not really. It's...complicated, isn't it. Drawing the line between love and such close friendship."
Wakka gave a small laugh.
"You got it." He smiled sadly.
"But, look, if you don't make your feelings clear enough, then it won't be any of your business if she does decide to fall in love with some other guy one day."
Wakka closed his eyes, and looked away from Tidus.
"I...know that, ya?" he replied tightly. "You said it yourself, it's complicated."
The two men stood there in silence for some time, the only sound being the rush of the showers and the occasional slipping noise of their bare feet on the tiled floor.
"You're pretty admirable, you know that?" Tidus suddenly said.
"Huh?" Wakka looked at him in surprise. "Me?"
"Yeah." Tidus studied a chipped tile in front of him thoughtfully. "Holding back all the time. I don't know how you do it!"
"What do you mean?" Wakka asked suspiciously.
"You know!" Tidus grinned. "You're sharing a bed with the woman you've been in love with for years, but you come near her – let alone touch her!"
"Yeah." Wakka chuckled to himself. "The only action she got was from you, you little perv!"
Tidus groaned.
"Yeah, it was a mistake already." He complained. "I got the wrong bed, don't get too jealous."
"Well, I gotta say, I'm glad I protected Yuna pretty well while we were on the pilgrimage!" Wakka laughed. "With you on the loose, who knows what could have happened."
Tidus laughed as well, making a mental note never, ever to let Wakka know what happened in the lake that night in Macalania Woods.
"Yeah, well." Wakka said, as they stopped laughing. "It's not exactly easy to always hold back. But it's better to deal with controlling my own feelings than risking it all for a moment or something."
"It must be tough." Tidus said sympathetically.
"Yeah." Wakka said almost inaudibly, turning off the shower and rubbing his hands over his wet face. "It is."
And with that, the conversation ended and the two men dressed in silence before leaving the change room and heading off to meet the women who seemed to cause them so much heartache (with the exception of Rikku of course).
As they approached the three girls, Lulu give Wakka a small smile and he knew that his heartache and suppressed feelings weren't as painful, weren't so bad as long as he could still stay beside her for now at least.
"Well." Rikku was desperately controlling her excitement. "Can we leave now?"
Tidus laughed.
"Why not?" he smiled, and together the group headed off in the direction of Luca's biggest pool.
End of chapter 10
Geez! Another 10 page chapter and they're not even at the pool yet! Collapses and falls into a large pit
Originally, I split it into two – but I feel it works better as one.
Well, I'm not sure, but while writing it – half the fun is making up all the silly little conversations that they have…I hope half the fun of reading it comes from this as well….ya?
Well...I did say I'd update sooner than last time – a month or two is better than a year, right? Right!
Haha, I really liked Wakka towards the end of this chapter – he's so defensive! Silly little bum that he is! I figured it was about time someone told him he was about as subtle as a bright yellow brick.
Anyway, I hoped you enjoyed the chapter! The second half of it just flowed and all came out really easy – I wrote it all in almost one go – stayed up until quite late in the morning because I was on a roll!
Did you like Redden or not really? Do you want him to make some more appearances? Well, he'll be turning up a bit at least – don't know how 'main' he'll be – probably not very. I mean, this is all about Wakka and Lulu! (shoo, pesky little sub-characters, shoo!)
Well, let me know what you thought – any feedback is much much loved!
Oh, and this chappie is for Casper23 who has seems to have been hanging out for it – sorry for the wait o
See you all next time
Lulu-san