Stepsiblings, a Kingdom Hearts fanfic series by Raberba girl

Gentle Insistence

Summary: Puppy Eyes do work on Xem, actually. At least if it's a particular person shooting them at him.

A/N: Xem's POV. I'm not sure how old Xion is... *sweatdrop*

o.o.o

The children know better than to interrupt me when I'm working, but sometimes, they do so anyway.

Xion came into the study and paused. She said nothing, but her hesitating presence was distracting enough.

"It can't wait?" I finally asked.

"Pleeeaase, can I ask you something, Daddy?"

I sighed and turned to face her. "What is it?"

Her expression brightened. "Daddy, are you almost finished with the 'Clasden file'? You said you'd play with me when you finished the Clasden file."

Oh...I had actually completed that task about thirty-six minutes ago...I had forgotten what I'd told her, and moved on to the next priority item. It was one I could not easily pause in the middle of. "Xion, I need you to be patient for a while longer."

Her face fell this time, inducing an unpleasant feeling in my chest. "Oh...are you sure, Daddy?"

"Quite sure. Go play with Roxas while you wait."

"Okay..." She trudged out again, looking dejected. It was difficult to push the mental image aside and refocus, but I eventually managed to do so.

Rather than waiting for me to call her, she later came in again of her own volition. Unfortunately, I happened to be on the phone, having a long and frustrating conversation with someone I desperately wanted to Speak to with no Shield. I am a well-trained and civilized person, so I refrained, but the thought was still significantly tempting.

Xion came to stand before me. Again, she did not speak a word, but she might as well have been shouting, with her invasive stance and intent gaze.

"Leave," I commanded silently as I continued speaking aloud to the insufferable fool on the phone. "I am not ready to give you my attention, and your presence is detrimental to my current business." I was a little surprised to feel myself wince as I watched her trudge away again. I was bound to keep my promise to her, and I would, I simply needed to finish this exasperating phone call first. Then update the record and call my partner with the results.

It shouldn't have taken long, but when she interrupted me yet again, I glanced at the clock and was startled to realize how much time had passed. I had the uneasy feeling I was not being fair to my daughter, and resolved to take her shopping this weekend to make amends.

She's a good girl. She stood patiently, not speaking, clutching a magazine to her chest.

"I apologize, Xion," I said, lowering my Shield slightly as I softened my voice and Spoke welcome to her. "I will finish soon, just give me a little more time."

"It's okay, Daddy," she said, a little to my surprise. "You don't have to play with me if you don't want to. I just wanted to ask you something, because Saïx is busy and Axel said he's too dumb to know."

"Oh. Well, all right."

"Really? I can really ask you?"

"Certainly."

Her face lit up, and, somewhat to my discomfiture, she climbed into my lap and carefully spread the magazine open across my desk. "I don't know what 'matterite' means."

"Pardon?"

"Matterite." She pointed to a word in the magazine article.

I looked, and completely forgot to tell her that the word was actually 'maturation,' because the article's title had caught my eye and I got distracted. 'Living with a workaholic: How to recognize the signs. Do YOU know when enough's enough?'

After I read the whole article, I realized that Xion was lounging comfortably against me, twisting narrow strands of my hair into braids. "Stop that."

"Oh. Okay. You have really pretty hair, Daddy."

"Such a compliment is more suitably paid to a woman than a man, Xion."

"Oh. Well, I like your hair, Daddy."

I was crushing the magazine as tightly as I could with the hand not holding Xion. I wanted to look at it until it caught fire. I was not the sort of parent described here. I was a good father. I did my best, and I was careful to do everything right.

"Daddy?"

"Yes?"

"You don't have to play with me, but can I sit here with you while you're working? I miss you."

I swung her out of my lap and kept hold of her hand as I rose to my feet. "I will play with you now, Xion, if you still wish it."

Her eyes widened. "In a little while?"

"No, Xion. Now. I am at your full disposal for the next..." Twenty minutes, I meant to say. However, I had promised to accompany her much earlier than this, and she was such a well-behaved child, the minimum would not do. "...hour. For the next hour, I am yours."

"What does 'full disposal' mean?"

"I will play whatever game you wish, so long as it does not endanger anyone's health and safety, or the condition of any property."

"Ooooh, ooh, ooh, will you be Dragongold for real?"

"Pardon?"

I can't have been a satisfactory playmate, since I did not in the least know what to do with the shimmering golden-eyed winged unicorn toy she placed in my hands. Yet for some reason, she still seemed pleased with my performance by the end of the hour, anyway.

o.o.o

Author's Notes: I'm pretty sure that Axel gave her that magazine, turned to that particular page. XD

Lol, Kasan is one of the more difficult people to write gifts for, I'm not sure what she likes best. :p But I know she's interested in StepsibsXem, and she said something one time about Xion using Puppy Eyes on him, so I hope this is something you will like, dear. ^^