The Requisite Father Embarrassment

Main Points:
Buffy the Vampire Slayer/NCIS crossover
Summary: Gibbs is a bit of a traditional man.  His son really isn't.
Word Count: 303
Rating: Gen
xander is bi.  gibbs is trying.

        “Don’t ask me whether I like guys or I like girls.  That’s not how this works.”  Xander is defensive, arms crossed, unable to meet Gibbs’ eyes.
        Logically, he’d known that this was possible.  He’s met fellow Marines, and it was easy enough to be nice and respectful.  But distant, because it’s none of his business, really. 
        He’d never really considered that from his flesh and blood.  Traditional home, traditional family, traditional life.  Except none of that’s going to happen.
        He has no idea how to respond.  He also knows that if he responds incorrectly he’ll lose his family, the only family he has left, and he absolutely refuses to let that happen.
        “I have no idea what I’m doing,” he confesses.  “I’m going to mess up.  I’ll do my best, but your old man has to learn some new tricks.”
        Judging by the hopeful smile, apparently it was enough.
        And then a thought occurs to him.  A horrible pain and regret—but if there’s anyone who can take those things and build something out of them, it’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs.  Because he’d had a daughter, once.  He’d taken this for granted before it had all been taken away.
        It’s a dark joke, but maybe Xander will understand.  “Maybe I should start greeting all your dates with a shotgun?”
        He groans and hides his head in his hands, but he’s equally amused and embarrassed.  “You’re not the only one,” is all he says, but Gibbs suspects that’s as close to an endorsement as he’s going to get.  (He’s also slightly concerned if it’s bad enough the Scoobies feel the need to use more than just words as a shovel speech.  At the beginning he’d said he’d had a bad run with romance, just like his real dad—but how much worse had it been?)