Chapter Fourteen – Steady Steps

"I should get Yuna to look at you." Lulu said as she rose from her sitting position on the bed. They had fallen silent, Wakka lightly caressing her hands and Lulu trying not to look like she enjoyed it.

"Oh okay." He nodded.

After Yuna came in to check up on him, Rikku in to tease him, Lulu came into the room again. It had gotten dark quick and the cold air of the night was swooping in casting chocobo feathers on her bare shoulders. Winter in Bevell. Wakka only smiled when she entered. He had been currently contemplating if he should go and say goodnight or if he should wait and see if she would.

Lulu wasn't sure, period. She didn't know how she felt exactly for the blitzer, and the last couple of days without his presence annoyed her slightly. But she was stubborn so she wouldn't admit any of this of course. To say that she liked him sounded so childish, to say that she loved him sounded like too much, she tolerated him that was for sure, but there was that odd pleasure in doing so.

Wakka patted the bed for her to sit and once she did he reached to hold her hand. "Hey." His voice was soft.

Lulu smirked a little after looking at their hands. "You're nervous?"

Wakka chuckled but then admitted it. "A little…"

Lulu looked at him suddenly curious. He saw her everyday for the past two years, was he really still nervous around her? "Why?"

Wakka shrugged. "I dunno."

"Not a good enough answer."

"Well ok, cause I… really, um…." He sighed, was he really going to say what he was thinking? " I just don't want you mad at me is all." He shrugged. It was also true but not what he was thinking.

"Hm. I am not mad at you, I was just…going through a lot at the time and I didn't want nor did I deserve your attention." She said coolly.

"Why do you think dat?"

"I needed to be alone."

Wakka nodded feeling her get just a little tense beside him. To be honest he was surprised they were even having this discussion. Maybe she was trying after all, maybe he was expecting way too much way too soon. "Ok Lu, I…y'know next time if you just say that I will listen." Lulu nodded but said nothing. "I…I was mad…at you."

Lulu looked up from her lap where their hands were sitting. A little surprised, she wondered why she was so foolish before. She didn't like the idea of Wakka upset with her. It didn't seem right, and the more she thought about it the more she wanted to make it better. "Tell me."

"I'm not now…but I thought dat y'know since its ok for me to….try and help now…..I guess I felt like you didn't want that anymore."

"I…still do."

"Ok."

Lulu sighed; she hated feeling almost half her age. She mustered up her voice and spoke, " I'm sorry if I hurt you, Wakka. I never intend to."

Wakka a little taken aback at her apology, he nodded. "I know." Suddenly in the worst timing possible Wakka felt a slight tug at his stomach and the hair on his neck stand up. Lulu sensed his discomfort and looked at him almost sadly. "I…gotta..go." He said shamefully.

"There is nothing out there anymore."

"No…you never know….there could be now." He moved to stand up. "Yous should get more rest Lu."

Lulu stood up not liking how she was being told what to do. She examined his new mannerisms whenever this "thing" this, paranoia took over. Then took his current state of health. "I'm coming."

Wakka made a move to protest but decided against it "Ok." He soon found himself walking quietly along side her. She seemed to be thinking about something. Her moogle tucked under her arm closely, almost like a child would carry a prized teddy. Wakka only smiled a little. His little anxiety had turned into something of a walk along the cobblestone streets of Bevell. He wasn't sure, how, or even why but something was different in the air around them something calming and gentle that lead them to walk in comfortable silence beside each other.

Lulu stole a quick glance at Wakka, a very content look upon his features. She noticed the small limp in his step and slowed her pace to match his. She wondered how long the silence would last, she wondered how long until Spira would rest before chaos with this fiend ordeal would surface. She wondered how long because right at that moment she wanted nothing more than to just walk with someone who knew her well enough not to disturb the silence. Someone, who had grown on her over the years. Someone who had seen her ups and her downs someone who she could truly be herself with. Lulu lightly shook her head. She was thinking nonsense again. A soft smile graced her features.

Wakka chuckled light gaining a light glare from the mage. "Nothin'." He smiled down at her. "You look beautiful tonight Lu."

Lulu blushed lightly at his earnestness. "And you look a mess, Wakka." She made a gesture to his bandaged arm and scared face.

"Heh, I guess so huh."

"You have never fought this much." Lulu looked off wondering aloud. "It isn't you." She looked at him slightly disappointed.

Wakka nodded. "I can't go back to relying on other people to look out for you guys."

Lulu just looked at him, something happened to him when they fought Sin, he walked away a different person. Still him yet, changed somehow. She wished she could save that innocent part of him, but then maybe it was that part that got in the way of his true potential. She wasn't sure.

Wakka was surprised to feel Lulu's small hand slid into his and heard her sigh; dismissing all her thoughts of what was. Wakka held her hand back and guided her to walk closer to him. Lulu didn't pull away, just looked off into the night.

After about five minutes of silence Lulu spoke. "We must tell Rikku and Yuna tomorrow."

"Ok." Wakka agreed, Lulu could have suggested jumping off a cliff and he would have agreed the same way. He was so relaxed that he had forgotten their predicament. He wished he could just spend his days walking along side her, no expectations, no worries.

'"We should be moving along anyway." They spent a week and a few days in the holy city and already things were coming together.

"Do you tink going straight to Djose after this is a good idea?"

"No, but Yuna wants to waste time. I know this."

"Can't we try and explain to her how it will look ya?"

Lulu shook her head lightly. She didn't respond.

Wakka yawned and stopped walking abruptly. Lulu looked at him questioningly. "We should head back."

"You needed to almost trip me to say that?" Lulu asked with mock irritation.

Wakka chuckled softly. "Sorry Lu."

"It's fine." She mumbled as they made their way back toward the hotel. Lulu couldn't help but feel a mixture of giddy nerves get the best of her as they walked down the hall to her room. She wasn't sure why she was feeling this all of a sudden, he was just going to say goodnight.

The dim light of the hall made it harder to tell what he was thinking as he stopped. Wakka chuckled nervously. "Lu I wanna say goodnight."

Lulu was a little confused at his statement. "So then…?"

Wakka shrugged. "But I don't know how…" Wakka looked off, "Thanks for walkin' wit me ya?"

"Who would protect you when you found what you were looking for?" She asked as if were the most obvious thing.

"Guess I wasn't really thinkin'."

"No." she agreed with him. "But it was nice."

"Did a lot of thinkin'?"

"I did."

"Yeah me too." Wakka nodded feeling all kinds of nervous. He felt like her were a kid again trying to ask the girl in the hut across from his out. Lulu was so touch and go that he wasn't sure what she wanted ever, this just made things more complicated when he wanted to show her how he felt. Especially know a days when she seemed more perceptive to his feelings.

"Goodnight Wakka."

Wakka grabbed her hand "Hold on a minute Lu."

"What?" She asked.

Wakka hesitated briefly

"What?" she asked again gently taking a step closer to him. What had him like this?

Wakka shook his head as he felt her entered his personal bubble.

"Would you tell me, Wakka?" She asked in a concerned manner. It was then that she realized the feeling threatening to tear apart her lower gut was probably what he felt when she pushed him away like he were doing now.

Wakka sagged his shoulders when he realized she wouldn't let him leave. She also looked a little worried. "You're so special… to me." He admitted. "I just hope…you're ok… I'm ok."

Lulu raised an eyebrow in question then smiled faintly. "You're just fine, Wakka." She was sure of it, but what she wasn't sure of was if the way heart beat increased as she felt his arms wrap around her were healthy or not. She almost chocked on her own breath as his chin rested on her head. She was surrounded by warmth and safety and the feeling was so old that it was almost hard to register. Lulu hummed lightly and hugged him back. Her mind clearing as Wakka's scent filled her nostrils. He smelt familiar and Lulu didn't know it until she was pressed against his chest that that's exactly what she needed. In a world where everything and everyone that she knew was changing, she needed to feel familiar or once. Wakka massaged her back lightly then pressed his lips against her head and blushed when he felt hers on his chin. It was the kiss she always gave him and every time he swore he would faint of shear happiness.

"Well did he say when he would return?" Young Lulu asked a Wakka. The height difference even greater at their young ages.

Wakka shrugged. "Nope, said he was taken off for da day." He looked down at Lulu and smiled. His brother had done well. They had just recently started dating. Then he frowned, why would Chappu just take off like that without telling Lulu? "I'm sure he'll be back soon." He added/

Lulu nodded in thought. "We were going to cook together, I suppose we can do it some other time. She liked Chappu a lot, but often times he would just be so caught up in him that she wondered if he remembered her at all.

"Hey don't look so sad ya?" Wakka reminded himself to scold Chappu later. "I can cook wit ya, y'know as a surprise when he comes back ya?"

"You can cook…?' Lulu raised an eyebrow at him teasingly.

"Ay I said I could cook…with you." He chuckled. "Chappu and I, we're both hopeless."

Lulu smiled back and grabbed his arm leading him away. "I know."

Once everything was complete Lulu thanked Wakka with a kiss on the chin. It was strained which made Wakka laugh and blush lightly. "What I don't even get the cheek?" He pretended to pout.

Lulu rolled her eyes and swatted him in the chest lightly. "Well maybe if you weren't so tall and awkward."

"Well maybe if you weren't so short…"

With the memory fresh in his mind Wakka held Lulu closer, those days were long gone, and though they held their luster when brought up in thought, the now is all he needed to worry about. He looked down at Lulu and knew deep down all she needed was this. This moment to drop everything and just be taken care of for once.

Lulu wasn't sure how long they stood there, but before she knew it she was in her own bed fading to sleep wondering if what she was feeling was right or not. Right or wrong, it was there, she knew that now for a fact.

##

"Is….is she ok?" Wakka asked cautiously

Yuna glanced back at Rikku sprawled out on the floor hugging one of Lulu's moogles clad in her long baby blue chocobo bottoms and a white tank. "She'll be fine, she's just not feeling to well…"

Rikku groaned. "Do we have to leave now?"

Lulu crossed her arms she was done reasoning with girl. But then she sympathized for the poor thing. It was that time, and Rikku always got cranky around that time if thee month.

"What's wrong with her?" Wakka asked quietly as he watched Lulu threatened the girl with some sort of element, lightening most likely.

"But Lulu!"

Yuna glanced at Wakka. "Um, she has… stomach pains." How exactly do you talk to your older brother about this sort of thing, you don't, that's just it.

"Oh." Wakka nodded. "Did she eat somethin' bad?"

"Rikku I'm giving you till the count of three."

Rikku turned over. "Zicd ku yrayt yht bid sa uid uv so secano."

Lulu rolled her eyes.

"She has cramps, Wakka." Yuna explained. Wakka still looked a little confused then realization hit his face. Yuna only giggled as Wakka looked back Rikku on the ground hugging the moogle for dear life, her blond hair falling in her face in a way that made the pout on her face that much cuter. Wakka frowned a little, he supposed actually knowing was better than not knowing and messing with her and then having her curse him out in al bhed….again. Out of the three Yuna seemed the most reasonable whenever it was her turn, which oddly enough seemed to be around the same time as Lulu and Rikku. Yuna just kept to herself, and that was fine. Lulu would warn him not to mess with her and he got the point right away but Rikku was just… Rikku.

Wakka looked back at Yuna "Oh." Yuna only nodded, glad he got the idea and she wouldn't have to explain further. Earlier that morning they all had a conversation on what they had found out and it seems that Yuna and Rikku had been doing their observing as well, resulting in even more questions and initial theories being tossed aside. Wakka chuckled when Lulu sat back after hearing it all and saying "Well…" A sure sign that she had no idea what to think. No matter, they all agreed that it was time to leave Bevell. Yuna seemed to be in a better mood hearing the news of the fayth still being with them, even with limited supply. Wakka admired her faith, he wondered if he could ever give himself fully again. After contacting Cid, they all began getting ready to regroup for the journey ahead of them.

"I wonder what Cid meant." Yuna wondered aloud.

"I dunno ya, he sounded funny ya?"

Yuna looked at Wakka. "Do you really think so?"

Wakka shrugged. "It's prolly noth—"

"Ow!"

Both Yuna and Wakka turned to see Rikku picking herself off the ground rubbing her arm. She looked at Lulu with slight shock and what she thought was a glare. Lulu had a very smug smile on her face. Lulu extended her arm up palm upward. Rikku placed the moogle into her hands. Lulu would put a soft spell on the little cactar and give it to Rikku at night ever since home was destroyed.

"Where is she?"

Wakka shrugged "I already tried to apologize Lu."

"You really need to think a little harder before you say something Wak."

"I know I know ya? Sir Auron won't even look at me."

Lulu smiled a little. "She is very forgiving… unlike some people."

"Kickin' him while he's done ya?"

Wakka and Lulu shared a look resulting in them both laughing a little. "Find her, give her this." Wakka took the cactar from Lulu.

"Hey its all soft…how'd you do dat?" Lulu shrugged over her shoulder as she walked away.

##

"Go away…." Rikku mumbled from under the covers of her bed.

"Ok…but uh, Lulu wanted you to…have diss." Rikku peaked out from under the covers and smiled lightly then frowned up at Wakka.

"Why did you bring it?"

"Givin' you diss herself would mean dat Lu would have to show type of emotion." Wakka smiled lightly and Rikku giggled.

"Thank you, Wakka." She smiled up at him.

"Go and get ready."

"Yes ma'am."

AN: Aw Lulu does have a heart… You all know the drill :)

KathleenDee

Al Bhed Translations

"Zicd ku yrayt yht bid sa uid uv so secano." - "Just go ahead and put me out of my misery."