The Little Rose (VA Fanfic)

Shopping trip

DPOV
"Dimi, look at this!" called Rose as she held a dress out in front of her and twirled about. "What do you think? Will it do?" I had no doubt the dress was designer, but it was a spaghetti strap, semi-formal tie-die sundress... and we were shopping for school clothes.
"Not for school, Rose. You need new training clothes and shirts and jeans."
Her brown eyes turned pleading. "You'll get no use of it until next summer, and by then you won't fit in it," I reasoned.
"But it's cute!" Rose argued, one hand on hip, pout and puppy-eyes in full play.
"I agree. But no one important will see you in it."

I hated being so tough on her, but Abe had tasked me with teaching her how to spend frugally and reasonably. She still had an incredibly, mind-blowingly high limit and was used to impulse buying without thought to cost or practicality.

"You will. Daddy will. I will."
I crouched down to her level. "I know Rose, sweetie, but that's the type of dress your daddy will have you wear at dinners. You don't have those dinners until next summer, when you won't fit into it or there will be something you like more." When she didn't respond I asked, "Can I see how much it is?"
She nodded and found the tag. I sighed. Of course it was over five hundred Lira, of course it was. This girl did nothing by half, or even three quarters. "Rose, if you put this dress back, you can get that leather jacket you've been eyeing off for over a month and two sets of those embroidered designer jeans."
"I can get them anyway." She gave me a defiant look.

She was hard work sometimes, but I could always find a way through to her. She was so sweet and innocent despite being so cunning and demanding. She just needed a chance. And others around her that could understand her impatience and outspoken nature, a person who struggled for their control just as much.

"But Daddy hasn't let you yet, has he?" I asked knowingly with a raised brow.
"No," she lamented. It was so cute to see her pine over clothes, forgetting she had a target and bounty on her head. "Daddy hasn't let me."
I smiled pointedly, mischievously. "If I let you buy them, would you put the dress back?"
An outright mental war shone on her face. Eventually she nodded. "Mmm'kay," she smiled and handed me the dress. I returned it to the rack before she grabbed my hand and led me back to where the jeans were.

Abe had wanted to preserve her little-girl image and dress sense as long as possible, but these jeans and jacket were more early-teens. Rebellious early-teens at that. I thumbed through them. "What size?" I asked, not yet knowing what size she found comfortable in jeans. She told me. "Try one in that size," I handed her a pair in the size she requested, "and this one- so you get more wear out of them." I handed her a pair of the next size up. She'd already grown a good centimetre or two in the two months I'd known her and it seemed as if she was on the cusp of starting her puberty growth spurts.
Rose read them and pouted. "Why, Dimitri? I'm not growing that much."
"Even I can see you're going through a massive growth spurt, Rose. You're at an age to as well." I ran a hand over her hair quickly. "Now let's find you that jacket and a top to go with it so you have an entire ensemble to try on."

She grinned excitedly and this time pulled me to the jacket. She placed the jeans in front of them and squealed. "It's gonna look perfect!"
"Not so fast, little lady," I warningly teased. "Find the next size up and try it on together before you go making those statements, don't want to be too let down when it doesn't work." I didn't believe my words for that outfit for a moment, it would work well together and she'd look very grown-up in it- especially with her perfect child-model looks. Still, it was a lesson she needed to learn, never jump to conclusions.
"Dimitri," she laughed. "You know it's going to look amazing!"
"Just grab the next size to try on and let's find a top to finish the look."
"Killjoy," she whined but did as directed.

"Not blue, Rose- Midnight or otherwise." I picked out a red alternative shirt that looked grown-up but also young and child-like.
"But it's a nice blue." Rose let me swap the shirts despite complaining.
"Yes, it is. But not with that outfit, your wardrobe or your hair and skin colour." This trip was not meant to be me giving her fashion advice.
She smiled sweetly, shrugged and headed off to the change rooms. That girl will be the death of me, but I wouldn't trade her as my charge for the world.