House Rules

Chapter Five

Eventful Morning

"Her appointment is at two."

"Two, got it."

"Are you sure you can handle this?"

"She's my daughter too ay."

"Alright." Lulu said dismissing the matter as she turned to the breakfast she was cooking. It had been a week since Nadia's allergic reaction and she had to go for a simple follow up. Wakka was leaning on the island in their kitchen as Lulu stood in front of the stove. It was a Saturday morning and the kids were still asleep. "I never doubt that she is your daughter you know." Lulu said as she paid attention to the stove.

"I know, but you're their mother." Wakka smiled a little as he watched her cook.

"What does that mean?"

"Well, dey say dat mothers are super protective…."

"Already? I've become an over protective mother already?" Lulu asked with a bit of amusement

"Na, I'm just sayin' that…. How bout when we go for a walk, you're always tellin' me to make sure I'm holdin' their hands… I know that Lu."

Lulu thought on it. "I didn't know it bothered you this much."

"No no no." Wakka stepped behind her and wrapped his arms around her body. "I don't mind it, but sometimes you go a little overboard ya?" Lulu didn't say anything. "I mean you know me better than I know me….so sometimes I need reminders but I'm their father y'know… I know some things too."

"I know you do."

"Yeah…" He leaned to the side and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"What time is Nadia's appointment?"

Wakka froze. Damn this woman was good. "Uh….I swear you just told me eh?"

Lulu smiled and turned around in his arms and looked up at him. "Two."

"I was just about to say that...."

Lulu kissed his chin playfully. "I'm sure." Wakka only smiled. "Although I do understand what you are saying, I'll try and easy up ok?"

"Mhm."

"Mommy…"

Both adults broke apart to see little Vidina in his pajamas.

"Good morning honey." Lulu said.

Wakka smiled down at him and Vidina smiled back at his father. To Wakka he felt the best way to communicate with Vidina was how he communicated with Lulu. They were one in the same. Vidina had the ability to say everything and yet not make a sound just like Lulu was. Maybe it was those eyes. Which were right now an almost scary bright due to the sunlight coming in the window and bouncing off of them.

"Mommy I'm up."

"I see that, you are awake pretty early."

"My tummy huwrts."

" Yeah? Come here….Wakka watch the—" Lulu turned around to see Wakka stirring the eggs without her having to tell him to do so. She only smiled.

"What Lu?"

"Nothing." She got down to Vidina's eye level. She chuckled slightly at his bed hair, it looked exactly like Wakka's. "What's wrong now?"

He placed his hand on his stomach. "I….I can't …"

"You can't what?"

"I can't go…" He said sadly.

"I thought you wanted to go to support— oh." Lulu nodded with a sad smile as she watched her son hold his stomach and distort his face a little. "It hurts?" Vidina nodded without a word. "Ok, go ahead of me to the bathroom down here and ill be right there."

"Ok mommy." He said as he turned and left the kitchen.

Lulu sighed. "Poor thing."

"All corked up?"

"Wakka."

"What?...Isn't that…what!"

Lulu just shook her head. "Show some sympathy."

"I was…I…"He growled a little.

"Did you just…growl at me?" Lulu asked with some surprise.

Wakka smirked. "No ma'am/"

Lulu stood there looking at him for a little while longer then left the room. She headed upstairs to her bathroom to get Vidina some medicine when she passed he and Nadias room. She took a quick peak inside of the dark room and smiled as she pushed her way into the room to cover Nadia up a little more she leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. It was so hard in the beginning, having a son was no problem but Lulu really wasn't sure how she could do the whole mother daughter thing, she and her mother never really got along. So it was extremely nerve wracking for her. Now though, now it seemed as if she was getting a handle on it. She exited the room and headed for her bathroom.

Wakka was finished making he and Lulu's breakfast and started making the children's. He felt a certain pride with making their food. It was something they ate and survived on, he wasn't sure why it made him feel so good but it did. He took the cut up junks of butternut squash that Lulu had boiling on the back burner. He drained the water and put the squash in a bowl where he used a potato masher to mash it up, he then added some raisons, maple syrup, and some mixed nuts. He was pouring in the nuts when he quickly stopped himself and frowned. "Almost forgot ya?" He put the whole box of mixed nuts in the garbage and searched the cabinets for something else to add. He ended up sprinkling some brown sugar and cinnamon on the top and putting it on the table in two small bowls and some toast on the side. Lulu walked into the kitchen right when he put the toast on the table.

"Thank you Wakka." She said appreciating the fact that she didn't have to make the kids breakfast that morning. Wakka had learned quickly that she couldn't do everything by herself. She needed him as much as the kids needed her.

"No problem ya?" He sat at the table and waited for her to sit. "How's Dina?"

"I told him to go and lie down."

"Nadie still sleepin'?" Lulu nodded. "Almost killed her dis mornin'" He chuckled lightly with a sad look. Lulu looked at him raising an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Dey usually like nuts in da squash Lu, I almost forgot."

Lulu looked at the bowls on the table. "Oh Wakka I forgot as well." She just stared at them a little more. "Yevon."

"I know I know, I threw the box away though."

"Good."

"So we still goin' to the store?" Wakka began eating.

"Yes. We will see if anyone wakes up around here."

Wakka smiled. "Ah it's Saturday, let em' sleep in."

Lulu just shook her head and began to eat her breakfast when Vidina walked in with Nadia following behind him.

"Ay!" Wakka smiled at his kids.

"Nadie is hungry daddy." Vidina said as he brought her over to her chair. "Sit down here." Lulu sent Wakka a small smile which was returned in kind.

"Dina look." Nadia pointed to the warm brown mush in their bowl. It was their favorite breakfast food. "Hi mommy." She said looking to Lulu. Vidina climbed up into his chair and looked in the bowl suspiciously.

"Daddy Nadie can't have diss."

"Why?" Nadia asked pulling her bowl close to her as if someone would take it from her.

"Daddy took the nuts out Dina, it's ok." Lulu said as she gave Nadia a small spoon to eat with.

"Oh." He looked down at his food and did a little shrug and began to eat.

"So bud you coming with Nadia and I today?"

"To the doctors…no."

"No?" Lulu asked.

"I wanna pway bwitz daddy."

We can play, but don't you wanna go see if Nadie is gonna be ok?"

"Dina you come….cuz mommy…and…." She frowned.

"Slow down honey."

Nadia just started eating dismissing the conversation causing Wakka to laugh.

"She has spoken ya?"

"I'll go kay Nadie?" Nadia nodded then frowned. "Was wrong ya?" Vidina asked.

"It taste better wit the nuts mommy." She looked over to Lulu.

"I know but you can not have nuts anymore."

"Why?" Nadia asked while trying to scoop up more of the orange goop.

"Because you won't feel good, you'll get very sick."

Nadia stopped and looked at her mother. "Oh." She said looking a little nervous.

"No worries ya? As long as you pay attention you will be ok." Wakka assured her. When breakfast was over Wakka started on dishes while Lulu got the kids ready for the day. She walked in while he was drying.

"Your son want's an alergie too." She playfully handed him a drying clothe.

"My son again ya?" Wakka asked jokingly. "When did he say this?"

"Nadia was bragging—

"My daughter?"

Lulu smiled. "Yes, and now Vidina thinks she gets more for having an allergie."

"Did you explain that it's kind of the other way around?"

"Yes, It seems he understands." Lulu started taking out vegetables.

"Lunch already?" Wakka asked as he continued cleaning.

"I wanted to put something in the crock pot for lunch."

"Oh, ok." Wakka nodded and once he was finished cleaning he touched the small of Lulu's back as he left the kitchen, Lulu only smiled. Wakka entered the living room.

"Daddy come color!" Vidina said from the couch.

"Color? Mommy knows your coloring and not doing your lessons."

Vidina looked down. "But it's summer."

"Ah alright." Wakka came over and sat with him. "Where's ya sista?"

"I dunno."

Wakka chuckled. "dat's not good ya? Where did you see her last?"

"Are you gonna color with me Daddy?"

Wakka turned back and looked at him. "Yeah Buddy course. Let me just locate Nadia first ya?"

"Ok."

"Ay." Wakka looked up at him. "Why you all sad eh?"

"I wanna show you my new drawing." Vidina said lifting up a couple of crayons.

Wakka looked down at his son then leaned down to kiss the top of his head. "Ima be right back ya?"

"Ok."

Wakka quickly got up and went upstairs to find Nadia sleeping again. He smiled and tucked her in the closed the door a little. When he got back downstairs Lulu was just entering the living room with an apple cut into wedges for Vidina.

"How come he gets apples and I don't?" Wakka asked with a grin as he sat back down with Vidina.

"Because." Lulu stated as she smiled at Vidina who smiled back.

"Mommy you wanna color too?" Vidina asked making room for her on the floor.

"Yeah Lu, come color with us."

"Are you going to do your lessons Vidina?" Lulu asked. Even though it was summer Lulu still wanted him to keep some sort of rhythm going with his school work.

"Yeah mommy."

"Nadia is passed out again Lu." Wakka said while scooting over some for her to sit with them.

"Shes sleeps a lot now." Vidina pointed out as he gave both Lulu and Wakka some clean drawing paper and some of his kiddie books to lean on. Lulu just watched him, he was her boy, her first child and she could feel her heart swell with this unfathomable love the little boy who looked so much like his father. So much like them both. "Now you guys gonna share ok? Cause we have one red and wellow." Vidina said as he plopped himself down on the carpet.

"What if don't wanna share with her?" Wakka asked with a chuckle.

"Daddy you have too, mommy needs colors too."

"I was just kidding ya? I'll share." He sent Lulu a little smile. They had shared so much in the past seven years; he supposed he could share a crayon. They all began to color in silence, Lulu coloring flowers, Wakka coloring a blitzball, and Vidina coloring the beach. Later that day when Vidina and Nadia were upstairs getting their clothes downstairs so Lulu and Wakka could get them ready for the doctors. Lulu and Wakka had time to just sit and talk. They sat on the couch next to each other.

"I liked spending time with just Vidina today." Wakka said then turned his head to look at her.

"Yes it was very nice; I sometimes think he is way older than her."

"He acts so mature."

"But he is still very young and needs us as well."

"Yeah, you know what I've noticed 'bout him and you?"

"What's that?"

"It's weird but you both got this look ya? And I never noticed it before today when he was waiting for me to finish use the red."

"You were taking forever."

"Well my drawing was very detailed, anyone could color flowers." He joked. Lulu fringed mock hurt. "Ay but your flowers were the pretties two dimensional ones I've ever seen love."

"As I though." Lulu smiled.

"But he's got that same impatient look you got, I wanted to laugh it was amazing."

"How?"

"Well… he's like a male version of you. I talk to him like how I talk to you."

"With words."

"No ya with action. You gotta admit you are pretty quiet Lu."

She thought on it. "Yes I suppose he has a thoughtfulness about him."

"Ah huh." Wakka nodded his head up and down.

"He is identical to you though."

"Handsome little guy ya?"

"Yes very, girls will be chasing him home."

"No girls ever chased me home."

"I've had my fair share of followers." Lulu rolled her eyes.

"Yea but Lu you're gorgeous. Nadia is gonna have the same problem." Wakka then got a concerned fatherly look about him. "I'll kill em Lu."

"What?" Lulu laughed and touch his arm. "Oh Wakka you can't expect no one to not like her. She has her mothers charm."

Wakka smiled a little. She really did have some of the better Lulu characteristics. "Yeah." He put an arm around her. "She sure is going to grow up a beauty. I just hope she calms down a little."

"Oh she will, Let her be a child hm?"

"Ok."

"Do you know who she really reminds me of?"

"Hm?"

"You."

"Ah your just saying that cause we only got two kids, they all can't be like you." Wakka laughed.

Lulu smiled and leaned into him a little. "No I don't think so. She has a heart of gold, compassionate, and loyal, especially to her brother. I'd say she got your better qualities."

Wakka leaned forward a little. "I'd say we are doing a good job with both of em."

"I'd say so as well." Lulu smiled and Wakka leaned the rest of the way to kiss her lightly. Lulu kissed him back a second time just as lightly.

"Ew mommy." Nadia giggled from the top of the staircase. Both adult turned around a little in their seats. Vidina was helping her get down the stairs.

"Dey always do that." Vidina said shaking his head a little.

"Eh what's wrong with a kiss huh?" Wakka asked he turned back to Lulu and quickly pecked her lips with a goofy grin then got up quickly and ran up the stairs picking them both up and smothering them with kisses.

"Ah!" Vidina hollered.

Nadia only giggled.

Lulu couldn't help but laugh at the scene as Wakka brought them downstairs. "How you think you two got here huh? Bunch of kisses." Wakka laughed as Vidina squirmed and Nadia giggled her braid coming undone a little.

"That's right." Lulu smiled leaning over and kissing each child once. Wakka let them go and sat down on the couch with Lulu.

"Ok buddy what did you want to wear today?" Wakka asked picking up some clothes that Vidina just randomly pulled out of his dresser. "Eh Lu, he's got his fathers fashion sense though." Wakka laughed holing up some orange shorts. Lulu only rolled her eyes as she started changing Nadia. "Alright ya, one leg in den the other." Wakka instructed Vidina. Vidina stepped out of his home shorts and put one of his small legs into the orange ones, he gripped Wakkas leg tightly for balance as he put the other in. "Now let's see if you can button it yourself."

"Ok." Vidina nodded up for the challenge. "Zip up…"

"Not to fast though…we don't another accident."

"Yeah" Vidina nodded looking at Wakka. "not good ya?"

Wakka chuckled at him saying "ya" "Right."

"Zip up swowly…den…" Vidina fiddled with the button of his pants. "I can't get it." He frowned.

"Keep tryin ya, you can do it." He encouraged."

Vidina nodded and finally got the button hooked. "Daddy!"

"I see it buddy good job ya? Soon you'll be dressin' yourself."

Vidina was so excited that he ran over to Lulu and fell but grabbed her knee to pull himself up. "I put on pants!"

Lulu laughed as she finished putting a little dress on Nadia. She leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. "Good job Dina."

"Viddy what hawppened?" Naida asked totally forgetting she was being changed at the moment. She lunged forward out of Lulu's grasp and both Nadia and Vidina tumbled around laughing and not making any sense at all.

"Alright calm down calm…Dina don't try and pick her up…Wakka." Lulu looked to Wakka.

"Ay he can put on his own pants ya? I'd say dat's pretty big."

"I just did her hair."

"Ah let em' play."

Lulu sighed and stood leaving the room to check on the food. Wakka shook his head. Then looked back to his kids playing. Sooner or later they were all ready and calmed down in time for Lulu to redo Nadias hair and Wakka to put a shirt on Vidina. They left the house together in hopes that they could get all their chores done. Now their kids were well behaved but they were just that; kids. They were curious and wanted to touch things all of the time. The first stop was the doctors office for Nadia.

"Oh Vidina don't touch that it's dirty/" Lulu said as he started playing with the toys they offered, She sighed as he didn't hear her and now Nadia started playing with him on the floor. Wakka checked them in and came to sit beside Lulu.

"Should be any minute now."

Thirty minutes later.

A nurse finally came out of the room, "Nadia?"

Lulu stood. "Come along Nadia."

Nadia got up and took Lulu's hand without fear. Lulu smiled as she led her behind the doors. They got into the small room with the colorful pictures of a childs internal organs placed on the walls.

"Mommy?" Nadia asked.

Lulu looked to her side. "Nervous?"

"A little…but not really."

"Good, there is nothing to be afraid of Nadia."

"What they goona do?"

"They are just going to take a look at your back. Remember the itchies?"

Nadia laughed a little. "Yeah." Her back had been itchy because they were trying to see exactly what she was allergic to. "I didn't mean to eat a big piece."

Lulu smiled. "It's not your fault love."

"Ok…bu but." She looked frustrated like she wanted to say something but just couldn't. Lulu placed a hand on her small shoulder and rubbed it lightly.

"So you know who is coming back with Auntie Yuna and Uncle Tidus?"

"Who?"

"Auntie Rikku." Lulu watched as the little girl started smiling.

"She coming?"

"Yup. So maybe if this goes smoothly then we can plan for a dinner when she comes. But you have to listen to the doctor. Ok?" Nadia nodded up and down quickly. She loved Auntie Rikku. She always wanted to play.

Meanwhile in the waiting room…

"Wha'd you mean he can't play with those?" Wakka asked starting to really get annoyed.

"My child was playing with them first." An older looking woman said sternly.

"They were playing together!"

"I don't want him playing with…" She looked down at Vidina who was holding onto Wakka's leg. "Him, where is his parents anyway, you know you should mind your own child."

Wakka didn't even know what to say to that. "Tha's my son, as in I am his parent."

The woman looked down at Vidina again. He did kind of look like the man now that she thought about.

"Daddy, can we go." Vidina whispered up at Wakka while he tugged his pant leg.

"Hold on buddy." Wakka said then looked up. "Look If you don't want your kid playing with other kids then maybe you shouldn't take him places ya?"

"Don't raise your voice at me!"

"Is there a problem here?" A nurse asked.

Five minutes later Lulu walked out of the clinic with one hand holding Nadias and the other on her hip. She stopped and looked down at Vidina and Wakka who were sitting on the curb with the exact same posture,

"You got kicked out of a Childs clinic…unbelievable"

Wakka stood and watched Nadia walk over to Vidina and hug him. "I don't wanna talk about it,"

"What did you do? I swear I can't leave alone with either child for—"

"Just stop!" Wakka said raising his voice both kids jumped a little, when he realized what he did he looked at Lulu and took Vidina by the hand to lead him and Nadia to the car. "Let's just go ok?" It was a quiet ride to the grocery store.

However when the finally made it they let Vidina and Nadia walk in front of them a little, they still were rather close but Wakka and Lulu were using very quiet voices. "I don

't appreciate you raising your voice like that Wakka, you scared them."

"I know Lu, you always do that though."

"Do what?"

"Challenge my ability, I did nothing wrong at all it was some Guado woman ya?"

Lulu just shook her head. "Do I even want to know?"

"No, just…just leave it alone ya? I'm sorry I yelled like dat." He reached for her hand and held it. "Sorry" he said over again when Lulu looked at him.

"You have to let them know— Nadia stay close to your brother." Lulu warned strictly, the little girl looked over her shoulder to see her parents holding hands, she stopped Vidina and nudged him.

"Daddy don't wook mad."

"Cause mommy talked to him ya? Daddy listens to her."

"You should too." Vidina shrugged a little to maintain his no care image. "Dina!" Nadia wailed. "You gotta listen to mommy ya here!" Nadia looked to be getting upset now. Vidina quickly changed back to his normal Wakka puppy dog look.

"Wha? Nadie stop it you gonna get me in tr—"

"Ay what's goin on ova dere ya?" Wakka asked making sure his voice wasn't too loud. Nadia let go of Vidinas hand and turned around to look up at Lulu and Wakka.

"Mommy Vidina said dat…he said dat…" The rest might as well have been another language.

"Honey slow down." Lulu let go of Wakka's hand. "What is wrong?"

Wakka went over to Vidina and got down to his level. "Ay whas all da madness 'bout?"

"I didn't do nofing daddy." Vidina started sniffling. "Noffing" he repeated.

"So why Nadie start cryin'?"

"Cause I swugged." Now he was sniffling harder.

"You hit her?"

"No daddy I swugged." Vidina started moving his shoulders around in a comical manner, which wasn't so comical because he looked like he was about to cry any second. His red eyes welling and his face getting a noticeable red.

"Ah Shrugged. Ay don't cry huh?" Wakka picked him up and walked over to were Nadia was balling onto Lulu's cleavage. Lulu merely glanced at him with a furrowed brow. "He shrugged." Wakka nodded at her as he pointed to Vidina who was no blowing his nose onto Wakka's neck.

It took the two bewildered parents a good fifteen minutes to calm the two down and get them talking to one another again. So they finally entered the supermarket,

AN: Hey all! Sorry for the long long long lag in this story. School is moving by so fast and just have no time for myself even. But alas this chapter was complete. Please Review and let me know what you think.

KatheleenDee