Author's Ramble: This was inspired by my History professor's story about his superior's daughter. Also, there's a very good chance I'll be able to get back to my serious fic writing in the summer. The multiple-chaptered ones with my stupid, overly-pretentious plots.

Disclaimer: Nothing has changed. Shinichi is still male but if he ends up with Kaito, then I'll be fine even if they don't have super cute babies. In another universe then.

X

Nakamori Ginzo took one look at Kuroba Kaito's face and knew a father worried about his daughter when he saw one.

"Come on in, son." The retired inspector motioned as he led the way into the deeper regions of the home he now inhabited alone.

Flicking on a light switch, the inspector sat down at the wooden table, gesturing to the magician to take the other seat at the opposite end.

He took the bottle beside his half-empty goblet and filled it nearly to the brim, pushing the glass towards the young man across him, the liquid swirling like molten rubies.

The magician eyed the alcohol warily.

"Shinichi wouldn't approve, Keibu. I still have to drive home."

The inspector nodded understandingly but made no move to reclaim the cup and instead opted to take another from the tray next to the sink before returning to his place with his surrogate son.

"You'll need it, Kaito-kun." He said in a deep, calm voice much like monks bearing sagely wisdom atop their mountain sanctuaries.

Kaito still did not reach for the drink.

Nakamori said no more.

"Sora's too young to date." The magician stated.

The inspector remained silent.

"Shinichi says I can't stop her from growing up and Shiro says she needs her space and I know they're right but it still doesn't sit well."

Nakamori continued to listen.

"The twins have grown up quite well, have they not?" The inspector spoke, referring to the world-renowned magician's and the internationally famous investigator's twin tween children, Kuroba Shiro and Sora.

The former officer of the law lifted the heavy glass to his lips and took a long pull from the rim

"When that Brit brat started romancing Aoko, I felt the exact same way. I couldn't keep her with me forever, but I wanted to try." His eyes roamed the shadowy corners of the lonely kitchen.

"Then one day, one of the officers under me, a rookie fresh out of the academy, was showing off to his little girl at the station." He sipped some more.

"She was so excited, so bright and sweet and innocent. She held on to the rookie's every word, her tiny hand in hers. This guy was barely a man himself, but this little one, by the virtue of him being her father was enough for him to trust in him."

"I couldn't help myself. 'Hang on to her while you can, kid. She'll be gone before you know it.'"

"And for some reason, he understood. 'What are you so afraid of, Sir? How did you court your wife?'"

"The damn kid got me howling."

He smiled at the enthralled father in front of him. There was a time when he was just like Kaito. How time flew by.

"So, Kaito-kun, what are you so afraid of? How did you court your wife?"

Kaito actually took pause and appeared genuinely thoughtful before going gray.

"Yeah, I'm never going to allow my daughter anywhere near a teenage boy for as long as I live."

Nakamori chuckled as Kaito went paler, remembering every messed-up, stupid thing he had done during and even before he and his darling, beloved wife began dating.

(Including but not limited to stalking, spying, breaking and entering, climbing into her bed while she slept, threatening her male classmates, threatening her male co-workers etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.)

"Now, Kaito-kun, keep in mind who your little girl's mother is." Nakamori advised in a rare moment of honest understanding.

Kaito went from ash-gray to sheet-white, and finally took a swig of red wine.

The alcohol seemed to suffused the pale, panicking father with its own rich hue as color slowly seeped back into Kaito's cheeks.

"I-I guess Sora will be just fine, then." He revised.

Nakamori patted the younger dad on the back.

"Welcome to the club." And they toasted the joys and trials of fatherhood as well as the bliss and terrors of marriage to insanely strong and courageous women.

Author's Ramble: The names of Kaito and Shinichi's kids came from Kaggami-chan's "Twin Trouble". Also, I imagine Nakamori-keibu's wife to be a woman of character.