House Rules

Chapter Two- Hug and Release

After finishing breakfast Lulu was in the living room getting her two youngsters ready for the journey to the airport.

"Are you coming wit us mommy?" Vidina asked while Lulu styled his hair.

Vidina was sitting on her lap. She combed it first then got a little gel from her bathroom and was now in the process of fixing his little fuaxhawk.

"To the port yes, but from there you will be traveling with Yuna and Tidus."

Vidina looked a sad. "Oh…"

Lulu leaned forward and looked at his face from where she sat. "Why so sad hm? I told you before."

"Yeah…" He said grabbing some of Lulu's bang. He loved sitting on his mothers lap. She was so comfy, and had the softest hair. "I'm just gonna miss you mommy."

"I know honey." She smiled. "I'm going to miss you too." She placed a sloppy kiss on his cheek and Vidina squirmed.

"Hey! I'm a big boy now!"

"So that means no more kisses?" Lulu asked watching her son.

He wiped his cheek. "Yeah, no more."

Lulu sat back a little. "Hm so that means…. That I can't do this!?" She asked quickly placing a bunch of loud sloppy motherly kisses all over his face.

"Hey! Ughh mommy!" Vidina began to laugh as he tried to fight her off of him. "Ok ok ok." Vidina wriggled out of her grip and was now lying on his back laughing as Lulu tickled him. "Ok you can kiss me!"

"What was that?"

"You can kiss me mommy…" Lulu stopped tickling him. He started to wipe his face in her robe sleeve. "But tell daddy he can't…" Lulu chuckled. "And…" His whole attitude changed from laughing to shy. "Can you tell him something mommy?"

Lulu was helping him wipe off his face. "Of course honey."

"Ok." Vidina kneeled on the sofa and cupped his ears around Lulu's ear to whisper to her.

Lulu tried her hardest not to say aw. She looked at Vidina. "I will tell him that if you would like me to, but Viddy know that you can talk to your father too."

Vidina did a little shrug. "I know but he… it's a bad word."

"Penis isn't—" Vidna quickly put his hands over his mother mouth. Lulu chuckled at the look he was giving her. She nodded meaning that she wasn't going to say it if he moved his hands.

Vidina slowly moved his hands away from her mouth. "Nadie better not start sayin' dat too." He shook his head disappointed in his mother.

"Do you want me to talk to him first?" Lulu asked. Vidina sat in thought then nodded. "Ok." Lulu pecked the side of his head. "Go and take out the toy you want to carry in your hand." Vidina hoped off the sofa and darted up stairs.

"Wakka!" Lulu called.

"Lulu!" He called back with a little smile as soon as he entered the room.

"Sit with me a second." Lulu said as she began getting ready to do Nadia's hair.

"Ok." He looked a little nervous. He sat next to her on the couch. "What's up Lu?"

"Where is Nadia?"

"She was helping Vidina with some toys when I walked by." Lulu nodded. "Why what's up? You want me to bring her down here?"

"No no, I just wanted to make sure she wasn't getting into anything."

"Oh" Wakka said getting up.

"I'm not finished." Wakka sat back down. "Vidina wants to tell you something."

"He does? What is it?"

Lulu busied herself with arranging the clothes she was going to change Nadia in for the trip. "Well for starters he doesn't want you kissing him anymore."

Wakka scratched the back of his head. "Yeah?"

"I don't think he means it."

"Hm" Wakka nodded " Dey grow up so fast."

""And, he wanted me to tell you this before he told you."

"How come he's not comin' to me with all diss?"

Lulu wore a little smile. "We had a mother to son moment Wakka, if you weren't here to witness—

Wakka chuckled. "Yeah yeah."

"He wanted to say sorry for hurting your penis yesterday."

"He said dat?" Lulu nodded. "Isn't that a bad word?"

Lulu gave him a look. "Wakka penis is not a bad word, I actually prefer him using that than some vulgar slang."

"I rather him not say nothin' till he's of age to."

"You're sounding old again." Lulu said while standing.

Wakka chuckled. "Sorry." Wakka followed her up the stairs. "Dat was pretty thoughtful of him though…" Wakka said aloud.

"He's a good boy." Lulu agreed as they turned the corner Nadia came running out of the room. Lulu managed to somehow pick her up before she ran off. "You are just all over the place today huh"

"Mommy Viddy said he said dat…." The rest was a bunch of gibberish. Whenever Nadia got excited about something she would just start rambling.

"Ok ok." Lulu said as a way to calm her down. She motioned with her head to Wakka to go and talk to Vidina as she headed down the hall to get Nadia ready to go.

"Can I pack it now daddy?" Vidina asked when his father walked in.

"Pack what buddy?"

"My toofbrush." He said sounding aggravated that Wakka forgot.

Wakka laughed. "So you mean to tell me it's still not packed? You better hurry before yuh mum closes the suitcase."

"Mommy wouldn't do that."

"Ah I dunno, she can be testy sometimes."

"Was testy?"

Wakka chuckled and picked up Vidina's small sandals and sat on his bed. "Nothin', c'mere and put your shoes on." Vidina dropped his toy on the floor and walked over to where Wakka was sitting. He placed a hand on Wakka's knee to keep his balance as he slipped his feet into his sandals. "So you and mommy talked today, is it true you don't want me to kiss you no more."

"It's not that." Vidina said focusing on his shoes. "Mommy is only aloud."

"Well why, I love you too." Wakka asked in a gentle tone. Vidina looked at him. "Giving someone a kiss is showing them that you care about them, that you love them."

"So it's ok even if I'm big?" Vidina asked apprehensively.

Wakka smiled. "Well I'm not gonna kiss you when your 18 Vid, but for now it's ok." Vidina nodded and Wakka placed a little kiss on the top of his head. "Ok?"

"Yeah daddy…you kiss mommy too."

Wakka chuckled; he supposed he had to clear that up a little. "Yeah I do, I kiss her on the lips."

"Eeewww"

"Won't be sayin dat ten years from now." Wakka laughed. "Mommy is very important to me, why?"

"Cause she's mommy."

"Well yeah dat too, she is the mother to you and Nadie, and I'm very grateful that we were able to have you two. But she is also my wife ya?"

"Wife?"

"Yup, that's when you love someone so much you wanna spend the rest of your life and den some with her, then you ask her to be your wife."

"I love Nadie…"

Wakka chuckled. "There are two different kinds of love Vidina."

"Why?"

"Why?" Wakka blinked. Yevon was he starting that again. "… because you gotta be able to tell the difference between family love, like you Nadie, mommy, and me, and you gotta know when it's… romantic love. You only kiss on the lips with romantic love." Wakka reiterated.

Vidina nodded as if some great secret was being told to him. "Ok daddy."

Wakka chuckled. "Good." He felt proud of himself, he was never good at theses kinds of talks. Lulu was usually the go to person. "So mommy told me you wanted to tell me something."

"Mommy talked to you already?" He started playing with his hands.

Wakka nodded.

Vidina began to look down. "Oh… I just wanted to…. say sowwy for hurting your penis yesterday." He quickly looked up to check the damage of saying a bad word.

Wakka only chuckled as he stood. "It's ok it was an accident."

"Your not mad at me?" He asked as he followed Wakka out of the room.

Wakka ruffled his hair then realized he had gel on his hands. Thank Yevon his hair wasn't messed up. Lulu wouldn't be too happy. "No I'm not mad, just be careful ya?" They went off to finish getting everything ready. Then Vidina followed him outside to watch Wakka do some of the external house keeping.

Meanwhile Lulu and Nadia sat in the living room, Nadia's long hair taken out of its lay on her little shoulders as she talked about braids and how she wanted hers to be as long as Yuna's. Lulu was going to say that when she reached Vidina's age she could start it when the phone rang. Lulu leaned over to the side table and picked it up and held it between her ear and shoulder as she sectioned Nadia's hair into three than began creating one big braid. "Hello?"

"Where is Wakka?" It was his mother.

Lulu sighed and reminded herself that she only tolerated her because she loved Wakka. "He and Vidina are straightening up a little."

"How are Vidina and Nadia anyhow? I'm not pleased that I won't be seeing them when I come and visit ya?"

"They are doing well. Viddy is six now and Nadie four."

"Viddy? Nadie? Really Lulu why give them names if you don't call them by it."

Just then Wakka and Vidina walked into the room. Vidina sat next to Nadia and started touching her hair.

"It's pretty Nadie."

"Mommy he's touching my hair!" Nadia began to squirm.

"Wait till she's done to tell her she's pretty Vidina." Wakka advised.

"He's gonna get dirt on me again!" Vidina always had dirt on his hands after coming from outside. Even when both parents watched him it was just one of those odd phenomenon.

Lulu looked at his hands sure enough, there it was, shmeared on his palms "Vidina Aubri go and wash your hands." Lulu said strictly. Vidina pouted and ran off. He knew whenever Lulu said his middle name he was in trouble.

"Ay you didn't have to—"

"I'm on the phone Wakka, you are supposed to have a handle on things."

"I did!"

Lulu rolled her eyes and put the cordless phone on the couch. "It's your mother." She growled. She was trying to do to many things at once. Nadia was patting her head to check for dirt. "He didn't get anything on you sweetie."

Wakka looked at her then picked up the phone. "Yeah?"… Nothin' nothin'… so when are you coming?" He sat on the couch with Lulu. "Dat's great! … how long you stayin?… well… no- ma-… yeah I know but….dat's ok let me run it by Lu… she's my wife!… yea….ok see you soon." He hung up the phone.

"How long?" Lulu asked while re-braiding all of Nadia's hair.

"She said a couple."

"You didn't get an exact number?"

"A couple is two right…" Lulu glanced at him. "Ok so like I was sayin' a week tops." Lulu just shook her head.

"Daddy…Daddy….DADDY"

Wakka began whistling.

Nadia jumped a little and looked at Lulu. "Mommy he can't hear me."

"Wasn't Nadia just here Lu?" Wakka asked looking at Lulu.

"He can't see me neither!"

Lulu chuckled as Wakka stood and started walking around. "Nadia? … Nadia?"

Nadia fought her way out of Lulu's grip and ran after him "Daddy!"

"Wakka I'm not done changing her." Lulu said.

"Dat's why I'm tryin' to find her Lu." Nadia was jumping around at his feet. Wakka just walked into the kitchen "Nadia!"

"Daddy!"

"Huh?" Wakka turned around quickly and picked her up . "Dere you are!"

"Hey!"

"I was worried, where did you go?"

"I was dere the whole time daddy." Nadia said playing with Wakka's hair once again. Wakka laughed and brought her back into the living room.

"I didn't see you."

"I was I was, ask mommy."

"Lu?" Wakka looked at her apologetically. He could tell she was getting a little aggravated. He placed Nadia on the floor.

"She was Wakka."

"Hm, dat's strange." Wakka said and Nadia only giggled. She was such a daddy's girl. It didn't help when Wakka spoiled he reither.

They were finally able to get the kids ready to leave. Lulu had taken off her robe at the house and was now holding both kids hands as they walked to the departing station at Besaid International. Like everything on the island it was small.

"There they are." Wakka motioned with his chin (for his hands were full) to a blonde and brunette sitting down.

"Wuna!" Nadia called and let go of Lulu's hand to run toward the brunette.

Yuna dropped to the kids level and picked Nadia up. "Hey!" She hugged the little Lulu look a like. "Ready to have some fun in Bevell?" Tidus was behind Yuna making funny faces over her shoulder making Nadia laugh.

By then Wakka, Lulu and Vidina made it over to them.

"I see you found our daughter." Wakka chuckled. "What's up guys?"

"Nothin' much, just excited to get going. Thanks for letting us bring the kids along." Tidus said. He really had grown attached to the two youngsters.

"No thank you." Wakka said. He gave Tidus their suitcase. "Here's all there stuff."

"He's going to miss you." Yuna said as she held Naidia looking down at Vidina who still hadn't left his mothers side, he was holding onto her leg.

Lulu looked down at him. "He will, but he'll have a good time." She looked back to Yuna. "You know how he is." Yuna nodded. Unlike Naida who seemed to just throw herself into a situation, Vidina was an observer. He was quiet and waited until he was comfortable to be himself. He knew Yuna and Tidus well, but he had never been to the airport before and all these people just walking around without their mommies or daddies made him a little nervous.

Just then the loud speaker came on calling for all passengers for the Bevell flight should be boarding now.

"Hey that's us." Tidus said. He looked down at Vidina. "Ready to go? Say bye." Vidina turned round and clung to his mother's leg. Lulu bent down to his height.

"You're going to be fine. Have fun ok?"

"Ok." He nodded.

"Listen to Yuna and Tidus and watch out for Nadia."

He nodded again. "Yes mommy."

"Come here." Lulu pulled him into a little hug and Vidina gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Daddy said I could…"

Lulu chuckled and placed a little kiss on his cheek back then stood. Wakka was holding Nadia saying goodbye to her as she pulled down his head band over his eyes. He turned to face Lulu and Lulu placed two kisses on each of her little cheeks.

"Ciao mommy." Nadia giggled. Rikku had taught her that every time someone kissed you on both cheeks you were supposed to say ciao.

"Bye sweetie, be careful and listen to your brother and Yuna…"

"Hey!"

"And Tidus too if you want." Everyone laughed. "We'll see you soon." Nadia reached out her little arms and Lulu took her out of Wakka's arms. She berried her head onto her mothers shoulder and hooked her arm around her neck. She was just realizing what was going on, she would be leaving them for a while. Lulu smiled warmly and snuggled her. She let go after whispering something to the little girl and putting her down. Wakka and Lulu watched as Vidina walked over to Tidus and grabbed his hand to hold and Nadia went over to Yuna and did the same.

"Bye guys, we'll call when we land." Yuna smiled at the two parents who were looking a little nervous themselves.

"Don't worry they're in good hands." Tidus reassured.

"Bye." Wakka nodded.

"Have fun." Lulu said as they walked off. She never thought she would be the one to get all motherly when they were leaving. She looked at it like any situation she handled. Drop the kids off was just another thing on her list but now watching Vidina drag Tidus to the airship boarding area with a little smirk on his face, and watching Yuna and Nadia walk side by side Nadia watching Yuna's long braid swing back and forth and then looking up at Yuna happily, Lulu couldn't help but feel this pang of emotion. Those were her kids! She was scared for them but then also excited for them. It was as if all the butterflies were taken out of their little stomachs and placed into hers.

"You ok?" Wakka asked gently as he put and arm around her. He just knew she was feeling the same as he was.

"They've never left before… it's different." Lulu said watching them leave.

"I know… just imagine when Vidina starts school this year."

Lulu looked at him. "Your not really helping."

Wakka chuckled. "They'll be fine Lu."