The sun was barely up, and we were all nursing our first cups of coffee for the day in the Academy courtyard. After the chaos of the past few days, it was nice to enjoy a moment of relative calm, even if the coffee was barely drinkable. As we sipped in silence, Jenkins appeared, his usual chipper self, looking out of place among the bleary-eyed students dragging themselves to early morning classes.
Sam, Quinn, and I exchanged glances, silently acknowledging the oddity that was Jenkins. It wasn't just that he always seemed unfazed by the supernatural chaos swirling around us; it was that he was *here* at all. After all, Jenkins wasn't a student. He wasn't an investigator in training. He was just… Jenkins. And as much as we liked him, the question needed to be asked.
I set down my coffee and looked directly at Jenkins, who was busy whistling some cheerful tune that seemed to defy the Academy's usual ominous vibe. "Jenkins," I said, trying to keep my tone casual but failing miserably, "why exactly are you in the Academy?"
Jenkins blinked, surprised by the question, and looked at me with his usual good-natured smile. "Why am I in the Academy? Well, to support you, of course!" he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Sam chuckled, shaking his head. "No, seriously, Jenkins. You're not a student, and you're definitely not here for classes. Shouldn't you be at the Bureau, doing your actual job? And also, isn't your age a bit… well, advanced for someone attending this Academy?"
Jenkins laughed, a hearty sound that echoed through the courtyard. "Ah, you got me! I'm not a student, that's for sure." He paused for a moment, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "The truth is, I'm here as a volunteer worker for six months. Officially, I'm supposed to be gaining experience and helping out with whatever needs doing."
Quinn raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "Volunteer work? Jenkins, you're not exactly the type to just *volunteer* for something like this."
Jenkins grinned wider. "You're right, Quinn. It's just a cover. You see, there's no way I could sit back at the Bureau when I knew my baby cousin Sam and my former junior colleague Kan were at this Academy, fending for themselves against who knows what! I had to come and make sure you two were all right."
Sam and I stared at him, dumbfounded. "Wait," I said, trying to wrap my head around what Jenkins had just revealed, "you came here to look after us?"
Jenkins nodded, his expression softening with uncharacteristic seriousness. "Of course. You didn't think I'd let you two face all these dangers alone, did you? Especially not after everything we've been through together at the Bureau. And as for you, Sam, you're practically family! I wasn't going to leave my little cousin to deal with all these supernatural headaches without someone watching his back."
Sam, for once, was speechless. He opened his mouth, then closed it, clearly struggling to find the right words. Quinn and I exchanged a look, both of us realizing just how deeply Jenkins cared, even if he usually masked it with jokes and lightheartedness.
"You're really here for us?" Sam finally managed to ask, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"Of course," Jenkins replied, clapping Sam on the back. "I wouldn't have it any other way. You might think I'm just the goofy guy who never takes anything seriously, but I've got my priorities straight. And you two are right at the top of the list."
I couldn't help but smile, feeling a warmth spread through my chest that I hadn't expected. Jenkins might have been a bit of a goofball, but he was our goofball, and he was here because he cared. And that meant a lot more than I could put into words.
"Thanks, Jenkins," I said, meaning it more than I'd ever meant anything. "We appreciate it. Really."
Jenkins beamed, looking genuinely touched. "No need to thank me, Kan. Just promise me one thing."
"What's that?"
"Let's make it out of this Academy in one piece, huh? I'm not planning on letting any of you get hurt on my watch. And besides, someone's gotta keep an eye on you and make sure you don't get into too much trouble."
We all laughed at that, the tension from earlier melting away. Jenkins might not have been a student, and he might not have been an investigator-in-training, but he was exactly what we needed: someone to remind us that we weren't alone, even in the strangest, most dangerous places.
As we headed off to our next class, I couldn't help but feel a little lighter, knowing that no matter what the Academy threw at us next, we had Jenkins by our side, watching our backs and keeping us laughing.