(Belated) Father's Day gift!fic for my amazing dad! (who doesn't even know that I write... sigh.)

Disclaimer: Gakuen Alice is not mine.

"So why are we hiding behind these bushes, spying on your daughter and her boyfriend again? More importantly, why the hell am I here and not Polka?" Natsume said, tapping his foot on the ground impatiently.

The black haired woman who was crouched before him, peering through the ornamental plants with a pair of binoculars, turned around and gave him one of her patented icy looks. Natsume didn't even blink. She returned to her position.

"Because my dear husband does not approve and neither does the woman who calls herself my best friend. And you owe me, Hyuuga."

"He doesn't look like he's going to do any-"

"Hyuuga," Hotaru cut in. "Do not, for even a moment, entertain the thought that I am worried about her. I am here to take some pictures of that young man, for future... purposes. Understand?"

The black haired man smirked. "Whatever." He crouched down on the ground beside her. "At least Haru's not bringing home boys."

"When she does, Hyuuga, you're going to do a lot more than sp – take pictures of him." Now it was her turn to smile. "You see, girls who adore their fathers – they end up dating men just like them. Case in point." She gestured to the blond veterinarian-in-training sitting opposite to Kasumi Nogi.

I had never wished that Hotaru Imai-Nogi was wrong before this.

Unfortunately, she never was. And so, I found himself glaring at the scowling raven-haired boy who had been dragged into my home by my seventeen year old daughter and had been introduced as "Dad, this is my boyfriend, Kei – the one I told you about! Kei, this is my dad!"

Not so much as a warning in advance. She did not get this from me – this is so completely Polka.

"The one you told me about?" I raised an eyebrow.

Haru Hyuuga's golden brown eyes widened. "Oh, I didn't?" She looked surprised for a moment, and then shrugged, smiling. "Oh, well, you can meet him now anyway!" Why, oh why am I perpetually surrounded by cheerful, smiling people with adorable puppy-dog eyes? And why can't I ever stay angry with them?

She threw off her shoes and pranced into the house, her long black hair flying, meeting up with Polka halfway through. "Mom, Kei got me howalon!" She waved the box at Mikan.

Minus 1 for Kei. No one, repeat no one buys Haru howalon except me. Better make that a minus10 while I'm at it.

The boy shrugged, looking uncomfortable. "Well, she dragged me to the shop, so you can say she practically forced me to buy them." He took a step inside, after taking off his shoes.

Oh, all right, make that a .5 for the kid. Wait, he didn't want to buy Haru the howalon? If he's so stingy about candy, what about later? He's never going to get her anything she needs! Definitely not good boyfriend material. Minus 1000.

"Haven't I seen you somewhere before?" I narrowed my eyes at him. To his credit, Kei didn't flinch, instead returning my stare with a steel-blue gaze of his own. "Well, considering we're in the same class..."

"No, I'm pretty sure that I've wanted to murder you before..." I murmured. Oops, did I say that out aloud?

"Dad!" Haru had returned with Mikan, who typically, had a huge welcoming smile on her face. "Kei! It's so nice to see you! Come in – Natsume, why haven't you invited him to sit down yet?" She turned towards the kid. "Don't mind him, he's a little grouchy in the mornings."

The kid smirked. Smirked! "Yeah, I know what you're talking about... not everyone's a morning person."

"You're not any better, Kei!" Haru said, laughing. "You won't believe the trouble I had dragging him up here this early! I think he nearly fell asleep at the wheel a couple of times, didn't you?"

My dear, dear daughter. Thank you so much for putting that upstart in his place. Wait a minute, he fell asleep at the wheel? Minus 500 for dangerous driving.

For the first time, I really looked at the kid. And I wasn't too sure that I liked what I saw. Messy hair, shirt hanging out, stubble – he was slouching too, when he came in, and had his hands in his pockets... I can't believe Haru likes a scruffy-looking lout like him! His hand was inching closer to Haru's leg, which was, in fact, completely bare considering the miniskirt she was wearing. I frowned.

"Haru, I thought I told you not to wear such short skirts. It could attract a really bad cr-"

"DAD!"

"Natsume!" I stared disbelievingly as Mikan raised her voice... to side with her.

"Yeah, well, if she really wants to flash her panties..." Kei murmured from Haru's side. She hit his arm, laughing, but I – I'd just remembered why Kei seemed so familiar. Panties...

"You..." I was somewhat surprised to hear the growl coming from my mouth. I had thought that I had more self-control than that. "You are that ba – kid who used to peek at Haru's panties and pull her hair in elementary school!" Nothing less than minus ∞ for this! I wondered, rather distractedly, if there was smoke coming out of my ears. There was definitely an itch to throw fireballs.

"Dad, that was in elementary school! And besides, he was just teasing me!"

Mikan stood up, and announced, "Haru and I are going to the kitchen. If you guys ever finish your 'alpha male' routine, you can come join us!" She turned towards me, a sickly sweet smile on her face. Which translated to 'You're in trouble, big time!' "Oh, and Natsume... try not to burn any of the furniture, will you?"

And then she left, dragging a reluctant Haru behind her.

Call me sadistic, but I was definitely very happy to see the pleading, 'Don't leave me' look that the kid was throwing Haru.

"All right." I turned back to him, cracking my knuckles casually. "I was in the Dangerous Ability class for all my years in Alice Academy – meaning, I've done my fair share of interrogation. So you'd better answer correctly, and fast, because I'll know when you're lying, and let me tell you – I haven't thrown a fireball in years. So if I'm aiming for your hand, it might land somewhere... a little more delicate. Understand?" I let a small flame spring up in my hand.

Instead of looking cowed and awed, the kid scowled. Disrespect – minus 100. What does Haru see in him? "Yeah, everyone's heard of the Black Cat. But, Mr. Hyuuga, I also happen to be one of the strongest Ice Alice users in my year." The temperature of the room lowered drastically, and the flame wavered, threatening to go out.

Against my will, I felt my lips quirk for a moment. But I almost immediately had my usual poker face back on – never let the opponent see your weakness.

"Hn." The room was now back at its normal warmth, plus a few degrees. Enough to make a drop of sweat trickle down the kid's forehead. "Full name?"

"Kei Matsuda."

"Age?"

"Eighteen this July."

"Plans for your future?"

"Nothing definite yet."

I raised an eyebrow. A bum. I knew he wasn't good enough for her. "All right, since it's clear that you can't support her, this interview's over." I stood up.

The kid... didn't follow suit. A little shocking, considering that I'd heated up the bottom of his chair so much that any normal person would have been jumping up and down by now, screaming 'OH, my butt's on FIRE!'

Bloody Ice Alice.

"I didn't say that I had no options," he said, leaning forward, chin resting on his hands. Insolent upstart. Minus 200. He gave a small wince, and shifted on his chair. Ha! So much for being 'one of the strongest Ice Alice users in his class'.

"I could go in for medicine – Tokyo University's already accepted me."

"Secondary Healing Alice," he added, in response to my raised eyebrow. He leaned back, a slightly smug look on his face as it became clear that the heat no longer bothered him. "Or if I was feeling particularly generous, I could always volunteer for a year of working for the Disaster Risk Management team – I'd be particularly helpful in the case of floods – or fires."

"Or there's this research programme with NASA sounds inter-"

"Intentions towards Haru?" I cut in. I mean, who would want to listen to that never-ending list?

"Isn't it kind of obvious, Mr. Hyuuga?" he said, a mild scowl appearing on his face. "Haru's mine and I intend to keep it that way."

"Haru is not an object." I let a dangerous undertone creep into my voice. Haru is always going to be my daughter first!

"I didn't mean she is!" The kid ran his hands through his hair, making it even messier than it was before. "It's just – I don't how it happened or when she started being more than just an annoying loud-mouthed kid in my class, but now – now I just have to be with her! I have to protect her!" His eyes locked into mine. "And I swear... I'll do anything to make sure that no one ever touches her!" There was a steely look in his eyes that I recognized – one that I saw everyday when I looked into the mirror. The same sentiment echoed in those blue-gray eyes.

Something told me that this promise had already been challenged.

Maybe a plus 10 for him.

"Fine," I said. "...Kei. We're going to go back to the girls now, and act civil. But know that I'm keeping my eyes on you. And if I hear even the slightest whisper of a rumour that Haru's been hurt because of you, you'll get to know first-hand how long drawn out and painful death by fire can be."

He stood up, a smirk on his face. "Listen away for all I care."

I really need to get in touch with that news-freak... what was his name? Hayami.

Good? Pathetic? OOC? Leave a review, and let me know what you think.