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Iris finally has a normal Christmas Eve, if we can say 'normal' when it's something about the Foundation or anything related. She has never been so happy about wearing those ugly sweaters or ridiculous hats but she even convinced Jerry, Bright, and Jhonson to wear them!
But something is better than nothing, and she learned it firsthand when she first arrived at the foundation being treated as a "danger to society" instead of the scared teenager she still was, being locked in a cell and passing entire days alone before someone finally cared for her and believe her statement of innocence. It was the bare minimum, but Iris was so lost that she didn't care, not really, she only cared if she was ever going to see her parents again or at least the sunlight.
For good or worse, she ended up in the SCP Foundation, a place that she was most likely forced to call "home". Where it seems that everyone knows what to do, except you!
Cory once mentioned that maybe it was like that because Alice was the one running the site when she arrived. He called it "Bad timing". She wonders if there was ever a "Good Timing", she wonders if Cory had a "Good Timing" at least once, before all those strange and apocalyptic things that she still didn't fully understand happened, or at least before he died-.
"YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" Lucy's voice, and hysterical laugh, distracted Iris from her thoughts. She was laughing so hard when she saw Bright with the cheap plastic reindeer antlers and Rudholp's red nose that Iris thought that she was going to pass out, which didn't help with Jack's frown.
Everyone was dressed in festive attires or, at least, accessories. The guys wore ridiculous Christmas sweaters, even Bloom which surprised Iris, she didn't ask him to do so unlike the others.
Iris told Lucy to wear simple matching costumes. Iris wore a red hat, sweater, and a simple skirt; supposedly referencing 'a young and single Ms. Claus'. But when she saw Lucy's costume she felt she should expect it; Lucy was, according to her own words, a 'simple and last-minuted' Krampus. Iris didn't, and still doesn't, believe her, but she won't question her since she saw the gift bag moving.
The Eve, which consisted of a small room barely decorated and some food, was entertained. Some jokes, some talks, and some poor rhymes; but Iris felt happier than she ever thought she could be with something like this, Iris ignored the sad implications of what that meant.
When the clock struck a quarter to midnight, Triana showed up. Everyone was surprised, including Iris.
Triana gave her permission for the small 'eve', perhaps more easily than she expected, but Iris didn't think that Triana wanted to participate, of course, it was okay! Only surprising.
The environment became tense, even when she didn't even speak, it wasn't for Triana, it was for the Site Director Triana.
But, finally, midnight struck, it was gift time! The gift exchange was great, some gift jokes from Bright, some 'not-cursed' gifts from Lucy, etc.
By the end of the exchange, Johnson gifted an album photo to Iris, Iris was already surprised but the biggest surprise was when Iris opened it only to see that the first photo in the album was one of her and Jhonson on their first official mission as a team.
Iris felt her eyes wet but when she was about to raise her head she received a soft hug from Johnson.
"I'm proud of what you have become, and keep in mind,... That I will be proud of whatever you want to become, never doubt it". Johnson stated with a fragile voice that Iris never thought she would hear loudly from him.
Johnson felt Iris tighten up the embrace as she stained the ridiculous Christmas sweater with her tears and perhaps a bit of snot, yuck.
After the heartwarming (and corny if you asked Bright) moment the eve continued as planned: Small compliments or jokes, good wishes, and a classic (perhaps improvised) Christmas toast and meal.
With the eve finally over one by one, they said their goodbyes and retired to their respective homes (or dormitories, depending on who you asked). Iris was the last of them until Triana stopped her by putting her hand on her shoulder. Iris wasn't scared! It was only Triana after all! Of course, Site Director Triana but that wasn't scary, right?
"Do you have a moment? I want to talk with you about something" OK, that was a little scary even with Triana's attempt at a soft voice.
They shared an awkward silence before Triana talked. "It was a nice eve, really"
"You liked it?"
"Of course I did, well, as much as I could but I can't expect you to make a massive party" Triana paused. "Is not like I gave you permission for that either" She looked at the ground with a conflicted but mostly sad expression.
Another silence and Iris wondered if Triana wanted to say something concrete to her or if she only wanted to speak with someone at least on this holiday.
"You wanted to, didn't you?" Iris almost jumped at the sudden question "I heard that you wanted to invite some other guards even Mr. Fish, Am I right?" Triana falsely laughed, not in a mean way but in a 'Don't-take-this-as-an-attack-or-something-bad-please' way.
"Yes... But the guards and other staff said that they already had plans and Mr. Fish-" Iris looked at Triana for a second "You know-"
"'No SCPs of any class or type allowed', yes I remember that in the conditions for the permission" Iris bit her tongue softly, now things are awkward again, good job Iris.
Another shared silence. "You are a good person Iris, a genuine good person" Iris was... surprised to say at least.
"I got to know that your first encounter with the foundation was everything but pleasant. In the name, of at least this Site, I want to apologize for that and try to amend the inconvenience or suffering caused by it"
Iris tried to make a small smile, not every day do you hear apologies from someone from the foundation, much less from a Site Director themselves.
"You don't have to accept them if you don't want to I completely understand. But as I said I want to amend the mistakes of others that affected you and- Look, what I wanted to tell you is that-" Triana takes a deep breath "You are officially a staff of the SCP foundation, not a 'obedient-SCP-able-to-work-with-others', an official-official member of the staff of the foundation. Congrats" Triana takes from her small purse a small document.
"This is still not completely approved but is in the process of being, I made sure that it will. Don't worry it works in the same way as it should in a complete state" Triana gave the document to Iris, however, it only showed a few things like her name, some info about her, and her new classification as an "SCP-Staff member".
"The foundation isn't new about the concept of SCPs being used for some tasks or services, but this is often for inanimate SCPs or sentient SCPs that we use only for tactical moves, Abel was one of them" Iris rolled her eyes when Triana mentioned her not-longer-teammate.
"The foundation never really considered SCPs as actual members of the staff, but recently more and more proposals for this project have been shown that supported it" Triana smiled "They even considered Mr. Fish the 'oldest-not-on-purpose' example for this"
Iris giggled "I'm sure that he will love the good new news"
Triana's smiles decrease with her words "Iris I- You see..." Iris looked at her with her eyes almost shining "This- This is still a project!" Triana tried to make a cheerful tone with a smile "This is still classified, so is better to not tell anyone about it, okay?"
Iris happily nodded in silence, her way to give her word in this secret.
"So, now that you are a staff member, you know what that implies?" Triana asked.
"More work!" Iris said with more excitement that she probably would.
"Besides that..." Triana stares at Iis "Ir means that, once you fulfill your duty with and in the SCP foundation, you can retire"
Iris opened her mouth but no words came out, only a question "Am I going to see my parents again?"
"How I said..." Triana continued "This isn't completely approved but I will make sure of it, I can't tell when you can retire or the conditions of it, but you will at some point"
"I give you my word" Triana gave a last and simple smile to the young girl, who responded with a bigger one.
With her last goodbye, Triana goes to her dormitory.
Triana makes her night routine as always, feeling a weight on her chest release only to be replaced by another.
'A project', did she say that to Iris? Face to face? She became awfully good at this.
She didn't lie, not completely. A truth with some changes wasn't that bad, she told herself.
She would move her strings, say her words, and do her actions to make it; to help the cheerful young blonde with blue eye(s), to help when is possible and not when is needed, to not allow more unnecessary deaths and sacrifices, to make things right this time.
She would help the one who needs help, the ones who need help to be treated as humans again. It didn't matter who was first, right?
She is going to make something this time, watch this place from the bottom to the sky itself if necessary.
She is going to be a good friend this time, it didn't matter for who.