House Rules

Chapter Four

Allergic

Wakka peaked out the kitchen window to look into their small backyard. A coupled of toys laid on the floor near the door and then off into a corner sat his mother fiddling with dirt. Above standing very stiffly was his wife. He couldn't see her face but judging from her posture he knew she was uncomfortable. He really didn't understand why, his mother was a nice enough woman , a little crazy at times, especially recently but all in all she did a good job in raising him and his brother. He first noticed something off between the two after he told his mother that he wanted to marry her. And then ever since then they'd had this bad blood. Now and he knew his mother, and he knew Lulu, she never got mad or even mentioned disliking somebody unless she actually really did dislike them. There had to be some reason, but every time he asked Lulu would find a way not to answer.

Wakka smiled when he noticed his mother was saying something.

"This is all wrong." The woman said frowning at he soil."Besaid is no place for Pansies."

Lulu rolled her eyes a little. "They are in season to bloom." (Ok flower experts I have no idea when they are in season so please just replace it with a flower that is to bloom around summer time.)

"Yes but not here in this location."

"Lulu crossed her arms. "I am going to the nursery tomorrow, I suppose you would like to come to show me which ones to plant next?" Lulu asked semi sarcastically.

Wakka's mother looked up. " As a matter a fact I think I should. You obviously don't know what you are doing."

'That night after a phone call from Yuna and dinner with his mother Wakka closed stepped out of their master bathroom clad in his pajamas. "Ah c'mon Lu you'll have fun."

"It was only a joke, I did not even plan on taking her."

Wakka chuckled and sat on the bed where Lulu was sitting up with her back to the headboard. "I tink dat deep down inside you wanted her to come."

"I think you've been hit in the head with one to many blitzballs."

"Well I may not be a smart man, but I do know that I love you both and want you to be happy." Wakka said as he got under the covers. Lulu smiled at this.

"We are happy, you know why?"

"Hm?"

"Because we have you."

Wakka smiled and leaned forward to kiss her goodnight, just as their lips touched their bedroom door opened. Both jumped.

"Oh, am I interrupting something?"

Lulu sighed.

"No." Wakka said "What's up ma?"

"I just wanted to know what time the square in town closes."

"Why you thinkin' 'bout going down there now?" Wakka swung his feet over his bed. "How 'bout in the morning? I can go with you then."

"Why can't you come now?"

"Um… it's bedtime y'know."

"Please Wakka you are a grown man… that is, unless someone is stopping you." She tagged a quick look at Lulu.

"No it's just really late ya? I got a lot of yard work tomorrow…" And it went on like that for three days straight. Until it was time for his mother to leave to go back to her condo in Kilika. Lulu made a huge breakfast that morning and Wakka only chuckled.

"You gonna feed her den kick her out?" He asked in a low tone as he leaned over her shoulder that morning.

"I can't make a big breakfast just to make a big breakfast?"

"Da kids not even here to join me."

"Who said it was for you?" Lulu asked with a little smile on her face. Wakka chuckled and kissed her on the cheek.

"Well I'm gonna go drop her off at the port. You want me to get anything?"

"No, we'll go shopping when the kids come back."

"If dey call say I said hi."

"I will." Lulu said as she scrambled more eggs and placed them on a platter on the table where his mother sat.

"I am glad you let me stay Wakka, but once I get home I'm going to eat breakfast." She looked at Lulu. "If you don't mind."

Wakka and Lulu shared a look. "No not at all… your leaving now then?" Lulu asked as she sat at the table. Wakka licked his lips, but he knew if he sat down and ate instead of taking his mother to the port that moment, then he and Lulu would be having issues. He quickly went to put his sandals on.

"Yes I am leaving now. Wakkaa my bags are in the living room."

"Yeah I got 'em." When he returned he found Lulu and his mother on opposite sides of the room. Lulu looked up when he walked in.

"Wakka?"

"Yeah Lu?"

"Don't forget you have…" They continued talking as Wakka's mother watched them. It seemed to her like Lulu was always telling him to do something, and more than half the time it seemed as if Wakka was more than happy too do it. She didn't like it one bit. There was only one woman who could tell him what to do and that was her. She shook her head and stood.

"Yeah so then I'll just make food tonight…or we could go out?" Wakka said leaning on the kitchen island.

"I am ready to go." His mother announced in a royal tone.

Lulu rolled her eyes and Wakka gave her a pleading look. Lulu sighed and leaned forward to place a tender kiss on his lips then pulled away with a hand on his face. "Going out sounds nice, I will see you later then?"

Wakka stood up straight. "Yup. C'mon ma." He turned to his mother and they left together. When Wakka returned an hour later there were suitcases by the door. He nervously walked around them. "Lu? Lulu?"

All of a sudden Lulu came out of the kitchen. "I know this technology thing is new to you but would it really kill you to pick up?" She really sounded angry.

"What! I didn't do nothin'." He looked at what she was wearing. A simple gray skirt and a long sleeve black t-shirt. She looked like she was going somewhere. "Where you goin' anyway?"

"Your son called." She said while slipping her shoes on.

"How come every time somethin' happens their my kids?"

"Nadia is getting worse."

The little smile that he wore from watching Lulu run about looking for a shoe quickly slid off his face. He took a couple steps toward Lulu. "What do you mean worse? What's worse?"

"I think it may be an allergy, to the food they ate…."

"Yevon…Vidina told you this?"

"He was talking to me and Yuna picked up the phone and told me."

"What's worse Lu?" Wakka asked his voice small.

"She can't sleep now and she just points to her chest like she's in pain." It was paining Lulu just saying it. "She isn't saying much." That alone was a sure indication that she wasn't well. Vidina was the quiet one, not Nadia.

Wakka picked up the phone. "…Tidus what's wrong wit Nadie…yeah?...hm… Lulu is about ready to come rescue her…stay? What brudda dat's my daughter…you brining her there now? Can I talk to her? She'll talk to me…." Lulu sat next to him.

"Hello." Came a quiet voice.

"Hey Nadie it's—"

"Daddy!?"

"Yeah it's me." Wakka chuckled lightly. Lulu could tell this was killing him.

"Daddy my chests hurwts." She whined.

"Aw you gonna be ok ya?"

Nadia nodded, not realizing that he couldn't see her.

"Baby?"

"Yeah Daddy… it hurwst. I…mommy."

Wakka shook his head. She sounded so small and so vulnerable. He just handed the phone to Lulu without a word and just stared ahead of him.

"Sweetie?"

"Mommy… mommy I wanna…"

"Oh honey try and calm down." She was trying to talk as fast as she usually did. Nadia nodded again. "Does it hurt to talk?"

"N…yeah."

"Ok well then just listen to me ok?"

Nadia nodded. Her two little hands holding the phone up as Yuna and Tidus got Vidina dressed to go to the hospital.

"Your going to the doctors where they will make the pain stop but you must be a good girl for daddy and I."

"Aw you coming?" She got out.

Lulu tapped Wakka on the arm a little harder than she intended to. Wakka hopped up and took the suitcases out to the car. He knew what that tap meant; get your rear in gear. "Yes Nadie we are coming, just do as the doctors say and don't exert yourself."

"Was exwurt?"

"Do not do things you know will only hurt more ok sweetheart?" Lulu was already waiting for Wakka to start the car with the phone to her ear. Yuna came onto the line.

"I am so sorry Lulu."

"Yuna you already apologized, I cannot blame you for this, thank you for taking care of them both."

"Ready Lu?" Wakka called from outside.

"Peanut brittle." Yuna finally said.

"What of it?" Lulu wondered.

"I believe it was the peanut brittle I gave them when we first arrived. They only got small pieces… that is the only thing I can think of right now."

"Well Wakka and I are on our way to the port right now, we will be in by the evening." She got off the phone and locked the house up. When they were waiting for their airship to dock Lulu found herself fidgeting. It was so unlike her, but she couldn't stop herself. Wakka placed a hand on her slightly jumpy knee.

"Relax ya?"

Lulu looked at him. "Wakka Nadia is in the hospital."

Wakka sighed, just hearing it made it more real. "I know, but twitchin' like dat not gonna make her feel better."

"Does it annoy you?" Lulu asked.

Wakka nodded.

"Well then…." Lulu said stopped moving and when Wakka moved his hand away she started again. Wakka laughed despite himself. He took her hand in his.

"Remember when you were given birth to Vidina Lu?"

"Do I." She shook her head a little. The first was always the worst. She looked down at their entwined

hands\, Wakka was rubbing them softly with the pad of his thumb.

"Well remember how you said having me there wasn't enough?"

Lulu looked at him. "I needed to feel you." She said recalling the moment. "Because I had my eyes closed half the time." She smiled a little.

Wakka smiled. "Yeah I remember, well did it help?"

"Yes it did."

"Den just hold my hand now ok? Everything is gonna be ok. Nadies built like her mum."

Lulu smiled at him and squeezed his hand a little. "Ok." Although she was still worried, having Wakka as act calm made her want to do the same. The rest of the trip was taken in silence and by the time they actually made it to Bevelle it was around six.

"Tidus said he would meet us here ya?" Wakka said as he let go of Lulu's hand for the first time since he took it back in Besaid.

Lulu nodded without a word. Wakka took their bags and they walked around to the front.

"Mommy!" Came a little voice. Lulu immediately looked to the source to see little Vidina clad in kaki shorts, a blue t-shirt and his fathers sandals running toward her. Tidus quickly followed him.

Lulu dropped to his level. "Viddy!"

Vidina rung his hands around her neck and pushed his little face onto her exposed shoulder. "Mommy you here!"

Lulu hugged him tightly. "I am."

"I twied but Nadie just got sick ya?"

"I know honey, you did an amazing job," Lulu looked up at Wakka as Vidina mumbled gibberish and some droll onto her shoulder. Wakka only grinned. That's when Vidina pushed himself out of Lulu's grib and tripped the small distance to hug Wakka's legs.

"Daddy!"

Wakka bent over and picked him up. "Hey buddy." Vidina just hugged him causing Wakka to chuckle a little. He patted his little back. Lulu placed a small kiss on Vidina's cheek as he rested his head on Wakka's shoulder.

"Yuna stayed with Nadia." Tidus smiled. "Somehow Vidina got word of me coming to pick you guys up and he just wouldn't take no for an answer." Tidus laughed.

"How is Nadia doin'?" Wakka asked as he began to put Vidina down.

"Yuna was right, it turned out to be an allergic reaction." They all got back to Yuna and Tidus's vacation home in Bevelle , Yuna was already waiting for them in the living room. She hugged Lulu.

"She is sleeping."

This meant that the entire house had to be quiet. Nadia was a very light sleeper. Lulu walked into the still room and Wakka followed. The curtain in the room was pulled yet small beads of light still found it's way into the room. Nadia lay curled up in a little ball under a small blanket. Her long braid lay on her back as she laid on her stomach. She wasn't even using a pillow and was lying on the middle of the full size bed. She looked so small. On her little wrist was a plastic bracelet from the hospital. It made Lulu's stomach turn. She was so innocent; she didn't deserve pain so early on in life. Lulu looked over her shoulder at Wakka. His brilliant brown eyes were glued to the little thing under the blankets.

Lulu was surprised when Wakka moved to sit on the bed. He lowered himself softly and pushed some stray hair out of her face. Lulu sat on the other side stroking her little nose lightly. She remembered that it always calmed her during any type of discomfort. Lulu wasn't sure how long they had been sitting there with her but soon enough Nadia stirred lightly. She used her little hand to try and rub her face when her hand collided with Lulu's. Her little brown eyes opened quickly and she just stared up at Lulu.

"M…Mommy?" She began to move around.

"Relax hm?" Lulu advised gently. She swore Nadia was so much like Wakka. She coundlt sit still for one second.

"Ay listen to your mother ya?" Wakka added.

Nadia turned her little head. "Daddy? When…come here?"

Lulu stroked her head as Wakka lay on his stomach and faced his daughter. Nadia smiled and crawled over to his face. "Wakka." Lulu warned. She had just gotten out of the hospital; it probably wasn't the best time to be playing around. Wakka sighed.

"We just got here to see if everything was ok? You had mommy worryin'."

"Mommy not worry."

"I couldn't help it." Lulu admitted. "Do you feel better?" Nadia nodded innocently. "Good."

"No more peanuts for you huh?" Wakka smiled.

"Peanuwts?"

"Yes, you are allergic, could kill you if you eat more."

"Kwill?"

"Wakka." Lulu gave him a stern look, He never thought before he spoke.

"Uh…I mean you can get sick again." He said playing with Nadia's lone braid. "And dat's not good."

Nadia shook her head. "V..Viddy cryied."

"Really?" Wakka asked.

Nadia nodded. "He was mad for lettin' me eat….where Viddy mommy?" Nadia asked looking at Lulu.

"I'll get him." She rose and went to leave the room. Wakka tossed Nadia's braid aside playfully.

"You ok mama?"

Nadia nodded. "Hungwy…"

"Me too ay?"

"Ay."

Wakka chuckled. Just then Vidina walked into the room looking nervous Wakka smiled at him and the boy calmed down a little. Lulu followed behind him.

"Nadie, you ok ya?" He asked walking up to the bed but didn't get on it.

Nadia crawled to the edge and nodded. "All better Viddy." She surprised him by hugging him.

"Let yuh sister hug you ay?" Wakka said as Vidina squirmed a little. The little boy gave up and returned the hug.

AN: Aaww Sibling Love. I imagne Nadia and Vidina being rather close. And of course Vidina is trying to be a good big brother so he feels somewhat responsible. Review!

KathleenDee

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