Jaden narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Being coy REALLY isn't fitting for you." he told her.

"And yes, I know." he added, smelling the aroma around them.

"It smells heavenly, nostalgic, and wonderful." he commented dreamily, before shaking his head a little.

"Regardless!" he said.

"I... smell... something else." he told her.

"Something that smells... dangerous."

Jaden smiled softly.

"Heh. Awesome." he said.

"That is seriously awesome." he told her.

"Also... I don't know. About this other smell, that is." he then said further.

"It smells... dangerous, yes, like... I dunno, a vague sense of danger?" he went on.

"But there's an odd and faint... familiarity to it...?" he then said.

"It's... very confusing." he admitted.

"...is someone else here?" he then asked.

Jaden was, again, confused. Her response answered his question, but... it raised even MORE questions.

And he had the distinct feeling that they were NOT going to be answered at this particular moment.

"Eh?" he muttered.

"How hungry? Quite." he said.

"I feel like I could eat a huge slab of that stuff right now." he chuckled.

He was still wondering about the other person here, and when he actually listened, he could hear the shower going... however, it then stopped, meaning whoever was in there was finished.

And odds were that they'd be coming downstairs VERY soon.

Jaden paused for a moment, turning pink in the cheeks briefly.

"Firstly, yes! About the lasagna." he said.

"Secondly, good. I'm glad I'll be able to get through now." he told her.

"Thirdly, not my girlfriend!" he exclaimed, getting flustered.

"But Desiree should be able to get through. She's out for a bit, not sure when she'll return." he admitted.

"But I don't see why she wouldn't be able to." he shrugged.

Instantly, Jaden glared at her.

"Excuse me!?" he exclaimed.

"She is NOT!" he told her.

"She is far too innocent and talented for that!" he declared.

"To even INSIST that is slander!" he continued, before abruptly pausing.

And looking away, flustered once more.

Jaden was going red in the face, and sputtering angrily, before another male voice spoke up.

"Don't tease the boy so much." they said, causing Jaden to perk up immediately.

"At least, not right now." they added, as they stepped into view, revealing a blonde-haired man.

"You!" Jaden exclaimed.

"Yes. I am me." the man confirmed.

"YOU'RE who I smell!" Jaden declared.

"...aw c'mon, I literally JUST showered." the man said in a bit of a faux-hurt tone.

"Wait, what?" Jaden asked.

"He's not a dhampir!" he declared.

"You're right, I'm not." Nico confirmed.

"You're a hunter!" Jaden then said to him. "A MANA hunter!" he specified.

"This is also correct." Nico replied with a bit of a sigh.

"So how can you smell me!?" Jaden asked him.

"....boy, you have a LOT to learn." Nico then said.

"And who are you to call me 'boy' or 'the boy'!?" Jaden then demanded.

"Come on, Jaden." Nico said, making his way to where they would sit and eat.

Jaden, on the other hand, looked overwhelmed.

"Human... can smell... not dhampir..." he mumbled.

"FATHER!?" he then exclaimed.

"I'M half-HUNTER!?" he yelled further, before Nico put a hand on his shoulder.

"Let us sit and eat." he said.

"Your mother and I will answer everything in more detail."

Jaden was silent, before taking a bite of the lasagna...

...and Sydney and Nico saw him mellow out almost instantly and completely.

"Heh." Nico chuckled.

"A man's stomach is at the core of his being." he said.

"So... so, the fact that I can smell mana isn't a dhampir thing?" Jaden asked.

"Correct." Nico responded.

"It's a hunter's trait. Or 'gift'. Or whatever you wish to call it." he went on. "It's an A-level one, as well." he added. "So pretty good, but not top-tier, one can say." he explained further.

Jaden looked at Nico once more, and thought for a moment.

"I..." he stammered.

"Well, I mean... I can see where I get my hair from." he commented.

Nico just laughed.

"Indeed!" he replied.

"But you're also quite like your mother as well." he added.