Trina opened the door before Saku even had a chance to ring the door bell.
"Hey," she said softly.
"Hey."
"Sorry about this. Mom and Dad wanted to meet you finally."
"I know," Saku smiled. "It'll be okay."
"Yeah... just... don't tell them about -"
"Believe me, I know the drill by now."
"Yeah..."
"Trina? Is Saku here?"
"Yes Mom," Trina threw Saku an apologetic look and let him in.
"Hi," said Trina's mother, holding out her hand. "Nice to meet you."
Instead of shaking her hand like she had expected, Saku kissed it.
"Nice to meet you too."
"Oh... uhh... Good timing. Dinner's ready."
"Great."
Saku sat down with the family at the dinner table. Trina's father was a pyrokinetic mutant as well, but her younger sister had missed the X-gene.
"So, Saku, I understand you're attending a school in Cleveland?"
"Yes. It's a selective school for gifted children like myself."
"I see. And what are your aspirations for the future?"
"Honey," mother cut in. "We're just getting to know him. I hardly think this is time for the third degree."
"They've been dating for months now, dear. And how are we supposed to get to know him if we don't ask questions?"
"It's quite all right," Saku interjected. "To be honest I have no particular career path in mind, unless 'research' counts. I'm deeply interested in the further development of my own abilities."
"To what end?"
"If I knew that, I wouldn't be studying."
Mother hid a smile rather unsuccessfully. Father grunted.
"What about your family?"
"My Dad's involved in the music industry. He makes a modest success of it."
Father frowned.
"Hanson, right? You related to them?"
"Yeah," Saku said cheerfully. "Zac and I are especially close."
Trina nearly choked trying to stifle her laughter.
"Huh. Hobbies?"
"Arson, picking on dogs, playing the clarinet and judo," Saku joked. "Only kidding. Mostly. Actually one of those I was serious about."
"I can see why Trina likes you," father said dryly.
"Yes, I do play the clown," Saku went on merrily. "The number of pranks I've gotten up to... there have been some real doozies."
Saku leaned forward then, the merriment gone from his expression.
"But I'm perfectly capable of being serious when the need arises," he said. "And you have no reason to fear for your daughter when she is with me, because I won't let anything happen to her."
"So chivlious," Trina smirked.
"Who says chivalry is dead?"
"No one at this table."
"Marvellous."
The dinner seemed to go on pleasantly, and Saku successfully avoided mentioning mind boggleing details like magic and the fact that he was only born less than three years ago with practiced ease.