Link to article: Bannock Birthday For Blank.
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[[include :scp-wiki:theme:blankstyle fade=a]] [[>]] [[module rate]] [[/>]] [[=]] + Bannock Birthday for Blank @@ @@ [[image http://scp-wiki.wdfiles.com/local--files/the-b-b-decommission/Asterisk43.png]] @@ @@ + ##990011|2026## ++ 19th of March [[span style="font-family: BauhausLTDemi; font-size: 120%;"]]##990011|**Site-43##: Lambton County, Ontario, Canada**[[/span]] ---- [[/=]] "Happy birthday, Harry," Jay practically sang as they walked into the Archives and Revision offices, spotting their friend in the common area. The archivist, who was reading a document, looked up at the voice, spotting his friend's tote bag at their side. It looked unusually oblong. Jay was many things -- a GoI Specialist chiefly among them -- but they were also a cook who enjoyed feeding their friends with foods from their culture. Perhaps in a different life, they would have been a chef at some restaurant. "Thank you, Jay," Harry straightened his back, getting out of what his wife, Melissa, called 'the shrimp position'. "What have you got for me today?" "Well," they stopped at his desk, skillfully maneuvering the tote bag from their only arm to place it on a free spot on Harry's workspace. "To celebrate your birthday, I made you some //arroz con leche.//" "Which means...?" "Word for word? Rice with milk. Delicious, right?" "Well, you know me. Always eating my Rice Krispies." "You //are// known for enjoying a snap, crackle, and pop on occasion." "What is this, an ad read?" he snarked. The two shared a quick laugh. "Yeah well, this knocks the socks off of Rice Krispies," Jay said. "You know how Ilse is in love with Fruit Gushers?" "How could I forget after seeing her green high-fructose corn syrup-stained smile that one time?" Harry shuddered. "Trust me, James isn't a fan of her stealing his candy either. But she //asked me to make it again.// She's not the pickiest eater, but you know how she dislikes cinnamon, and I've been trying to get her more into Cuban desserts since I know how to make them, and all of them use cinnamon! So she's always saying 'no thank you.'" Jay laughed. Harry was always so kind to them, not stopping them when they rambled and listening politely. "So tell me, what is ah-rose kohn leechee? Did I say that right?" "Not even close, Harold, but I appreciate the effort. It's a rice pudding, but a perfect combination of both sweet and tangy. I added blood orange to the mix, you see." Harry nodded. "So, do you want to try it?" "I don't have a--" "Spoon? I brought one from H&S," they cut him off, reaching into their bag and producing a Tupperware container and a plastic spoon, as well as some napkins. "Go on, try it, birthday boy!" Before Harry could open the container, [[[scp-8056|Jennifer Vide]]], one of his archivists, announced her presence in the main A&R office with a soft "Hi!" "Miss Vide!" Jay smiled. "Hello, Jennifer," Harry nodded. "Director Blank. Doctor Everwood," she smiled and nodded similarly. As she approached, they noticed she carried with her a plastic bag from a topside mom-and-pop restaurant. Jennifer exchanged looks with both and placed her offering on the table once she was close enough. "Happy birthday, Director Blank." "What's this, Jennifer?" Harry stopped her from proceeding into her personal office down the hall. "Bannock. Your favorite," she said simply. "I know there's a First Nations restaurant topside--" "... that makes them with a maple glaze," the two spoke in unison. "I'm surprised you remember that." Harry put down Jay's container and grabbed the bag, which itself held a small cardboard container. He opened it, revealing a fried dough within, then smiled. "Thank you, Jennifer." She shrugged, returning the smile, then continued down the hall. Moments later, she was in her office, door shut behind her. Jay looked on, watching as their friend sat there staring at a piece of fried dough. Though to the untrained mind it might resemble a beavertail pastry, Harry had instructed Jay on the very important difference between bannock and beavertail. Originally British, the meal of necessity had become commonplace among Canadian First Nations peoples following rationing of foods in the 19th century as well as the banning of foraging for them. "Favorite employee, huh?" Jay teased. "I guess you can say that." "You don't have to try my //arroz con leche// now. I know fried foods don't keep well, and that one already made the trip from topside, so go on, eat it." Harry plucked the frybread from the box. It smelled of maple. He could already tell it was going to get stuck on his facial hair and leave crumbs all over the place. Taking a modest bite, he savored the crumbly dough, sweet maple, and warm cinnamon; the flavors and textures coming together to create a deliciously delightful experience that made him grateful he had been assigned to a Site in his home country. "So tell me, Mr. Dad, you ready for that consult yet?" Jay quirked an eyebrow, chuckling to themselves. "Dad?" Harry snapped back into reality, narrowing his eyes at them. "You're not supposed to know that. How do you know?" "Ilse is awful at keeping interpersonal secrets. Plus, she looks like you and Mel." Jay laughed. "Even if Ilse didn't know, where I'm from, knowing who is who's kid is a skill you just pick up," they winked. He sighed. "How much //do// you know?" "About her or what you asked me down here for?" Harry made a face. "Her." "Not much." Jay sighed, their only hand meeting their waist. "I know she's from one of the Deadlines. Ilse also told me all of you pulled a little stunt to make sure TAD didn't sequester her away." "Mel, she, and I had the world's most uncomfortable coffee date shortly after her arrival as well," he nodded. "I can only imagine how riveting the conversation was," Jay smiled politely, reaching for Harry's shoulder and patting it gently. "But I'm no stranger to uncomfortable conversation. Besides, now that you're a parent, you're gonna have to get used to it." They shrugged. "Or maybe not. She's not a teenager, so you've been spared the worst." "Thank God for that." "Amen. I'm glad I'm never going to have to give James //the talk.//" "Can you imagine Doctor Reynders giving him //the talk//?" Jay snorted. A brief silence swept over the two as Harry took another bite of his bannock, dropping crumbs on his facial hair. "So," they smiled. "You had wanted to see me?" "Right," he dusted the crumbs off his snowy white beard and lowered his voice. "Please, come into my old office." Harry stood, gathering up both presents he had been given and approaching a shut door. He awkwardly scanned his ID card against the reader and held the door open for his friend as they stepped inside. Upon entering, the door shut and he scanned his ID again. Jay heard the signature hum of SRAs switching on, as well as several other anti-anomalous safety measures activating. "I didn't realize this would be a classified meeting." They looked to Harry, who had crossed the small room to open a minifridge. "It's one I've put off for too long," he grunted, bending over to stash the bannock and //arroz con leche.// "Oh?" "Yeah. It's a big one," he turned back to face Jay. Both of their faces grew deadly serious. "Is it--" Harry nodded gravely. "SCP-001."