"We don't think you're weak," Ivan said finally.
His jaguar nodded. "But you are more suited for scholarly pursuits…and culinary ones." Njall licked his lips as he gobbled up the last snack on his plate.
Ren, too, sighed and said, "You are a very talented child. We all know that."
"Your magic, however…" Jade, the dragon, began, but seeing the clouds appear on Ilari's face, he shut up wisely.
"But it is a very dangerous career," Maya said softly.
"So," Talya the phoenix continued. "We…worry."
"It isn't that we don't want you to do what you want, dear," Vera said gently.
"It's just that we worry about you," Arusha finished.
"Dad and the twins are in a dangerous line of work, too," Ilari argued. "In fact, Dad and Big Brother were in big classified trouble – Kir saved them last week! If it wasn't for Kir…"
The three grandparents looked at Kir in astonishment.
"Don't you…work at the research facility?" Ren asked.
Kir nodded. "I just happened to be at hand," he said mildly.
"Being a detective isn't all that dangerous," Ilari continued. "It just needs some skills. I am smart and I can fight and protect myself. What more do you want?!"
An awkward silence fell in the room.
It was Kir who finally broke the silence. "Would it…would it be acceptable if I accompanied Ilari in his detective work?"
Everyone stared at him.
"What about your own work?" Ilma asked. "You can't work two full jobs; it'll be too tiring."
"I can quit," Kir said quietly. "I'm not working full time in the research facility, anyway."
"That would be unfair to you," Ivor said, frowning.
"I don't mind," Kir answered.
"I mind!" Ilari snapped. "Kir has his own work to do!"
Kir smiled at him, a doting expression in his golden eyes. "My work is…irregular. I can manage multiple things easily."
"No," Vera interrupted. "We shouldn't pull Kir out of his work for this."
"Kir does have a lot of autonomy at his workplace," Sanyi said and fixed his eyes on Kir. "Would you be able to spend a few hours with Ilari for this detective business he wants to do? Say, two or three hours?"
Kir nodded. "That would be no trouble at all." He paused and glanced at Ilari. "I would love to."
Ilari brightened. "Really? Are you sure?"
Kir nodded with a smile.
"In return, you will have to help him with his research work," Ivan told his grandson. "Didn't you get an internship offer from his facility?"
"I did," Ilari replied happily. He pulled a notepad from one of his numerous pockets, flipped a few pages and informed everyone, "I have an offer for a paid internship of six months with the Deputy Director of the Energy Research Department, and I have to give them a response by end of next week. Although I really did think my previous internship was supposed to be the last one..."[1] [2]
Kir looked rather surprised. "With Alec? I can arrange for you to work directly with me instead. Your schedule will be more flexible if you are with me, and we can split our time between research and investigations. We can try this for a few months and then decide what to do long-term."
"That sounds perfect!" Ilari beamed at him.
Kir smiled gently. "Excellent."
"Does that really work for you, child?" Vera asked Kir, eyeing him worriedly. "We wouldn't want to inconvenience you or put you under too much pressure."
Kir smiled at her. "Please don't worry. If Ilari can help me with my research as an intern, it will be actually be less strenuous for me to spend a few hours assisting him with his detective work," he said in a soft but firm voice, that was somehow extremely reassuring to hear and filled Ilari's heart with a strange warm feeling.
"Are you certain, Kir?" Ivor asked.
"Absolutely." Kir's voice was steady and confident.
"What about you, Kai?" Kolya asked.
"We will protect Ilari and Alari," Kai replied immediately. "We would be happy to."
"It'll be good for all four of them," Kenya said. "Ilari and Alair will ensure Kir and Kai get to eat decently and on time, and Kir and Kai will ensure that Ilari and Alair stay safe and protect them."
"Then it's fine, isn't it?" Ilma asked the seniors.
Ilari grabbed Kir's hand nervously, hoping desperately that his family would agree. While he was determined to be a detective, his family meant a lot to him, and he really, really, really didn't want to go against them. Besides, Kir had made such a kind and generous offer…Ilari decided then and there that regardless of whether they ended up together or not, he would take care of Kir and Kai's meals for the rest of his life. Even if he had to order a packed lunch in a foreign language halfway across the world.
The three grandparents looked at Sanyi and Vera, who sighed and nodded.
"I suppose you two can try it for a few months," Ivan said.
Ilari hugged him. "Thank you, Gramps!"
"My human isn't the one you should be thanking," Njall said. "It's Kai's."
"That's true," Jade said. "We approve of Kai and his human."
"Yes, we do," Talya said, fluttering her dark red plumage. "Welcome to the family, Kai and Kir."
"Thank you," the two answered together.
"Now, give the boy a hug," Jade told Ilari.
Ilari rolled his eyes, wondering when the dragon became a love guru. However, the subtly hopeful expression on Kir's face caught his attention. The man really had done him a humongous favour, so…
Ilari got up and hugged Kir gingerly, careful not to awaken the sleeping cat on his lap. He withdrew quickly, and in doing so, he didn't notice Kir's reddened ears. However, everyone else in the family did, and several meaningful glances were exchanged silently!
"I'm amazed Alair can sleep through all these discussions," Njall muttered. "Should we wake him up?"
Kenya's eyes sparkled. "We're getting salmon now?"
Alair's ears twitched and he opened a blue eye lazily. "Ilari got the salmon?"
Everyone burst out laughing.