Three days have passed since 079 attempted its breach. The tension of the event seemed to mostly have subsided and staff were once again moving about their usual routines.

Today I helped some senior researchers with some 610 experiments. It took mostly the entire day, and I was now sitting at my desk thinking.

Seeing as I've made a considerable effort lately, I felt it was appropriate I take this night off. It’s the weekend after all.

Well, the first order of business will be to check up on my friend Tomato. It’s been too long since I last saw him, I hope he’s doing all right...

I swiped my access card across the reader outside the elevator, it let out a beep and opened.

I pushed the –7 button on the number pad and the door closed behind me.

“Sublevel #7, SCP-939 containment.”

The elevator began softly descending into the ground.

These elevators are very fast, but not instantaneous. I waited for maybe 20 seconds before the elevator reached the appropriate floor and opened with a hiss.

The catwalks were just as sturdy looking as when I last was here. Nothing out of the ordinary, really... The 939’s were in the middle of their scheduled feeding, so all the containment cells were opened. The pack of SCP-939 were all standing in the “kitchen”, being fed beef and other meats from a remote-controlled robotic arm. Most of the 939 were still feral and interacting with them in person will most likely result in life-threatening injuries.

Something worth noting is the fact that 939’s doesn’t actually need sustenance to remain functional. The act of feeding is purely psychological and rather functions as a means to “satiate” them. The idea is that the instances will become more inclined to feed on dead tissue rather than predating on living animals.

I looked down at the pack, looking for Tomato. He didn’t look all too different from his brethren, aside from the T I had written on his tail with permanent marker.

Ah, there he is. He seemed to be enjoying himself, socializing with the other 939. That’s good.

Then I saw something peculiar. Tomato seemed to be sharing food with one of the other 939 and generally staying very close to them. The other 939 seemed to be the smallest of the instances in the pack, maybe he was looking over a juvenile?

The two seemed... intimate.

I’ll need to investigate this later. For now, I should just let them feed though. Interfering will certainly lead to complications.

Around half an hour later there was a buzzing sound and the robotic arm retracted itself. The feeding was over, and the 939 knew the routines. They each stepped into their own cells... apart from Tomato. He and the smaller 939 stepped into the same cell.

There’s definitely something odd about that other 939. I’ll investigate in a moment.

As soon as the last few stragglers stepped inside their respective cells, the doors all closed automatically. Due to their cooperation, the 939 instances were rewarded with a small treat, namely chocolate. The sugary treat was dispensed into the cells via a small tube.

I made my way over to the staircase leading downward, trying to remain somewhat quiet so as to not disturb the 939’s peace.

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I made my way to Tomato’s cell. I carefully looked through the viewport and spotted him and the other 939 instance lying next to each other. They looked so peaceful...

I swiped my card across the card reader. It quietly opened with a click, letting me inside.

“Hey, Tomato?” I whispered.

Tomato looked up at me. He made no sound and quietly walked over to me.

“Mate... Sleeping.”

The realization hit me like a brick wall. He has a mate...

“Buddy...?”

Tomato shook his little head and clawed at the door. “Leave.”

I looked back at the smaller 939. Now that I saw it so close up, I could tell it was a female.

“Okay... Good night, Tomato.”

I closed the door quietly. Tomato nodded through the glass window before walking back to his mate.

Tomato...

What am I supposed to do now? I am happy for him, but I don’t want to intrude...

I guess I'll come back tomorrow, when they are awake.

I quietly made my way back up to the elevators, looking back at the 939 cells.

I guess... I guess I'll need a gift.

As soon as the alarm went off the next day I jumped out of bed. It took me less than 2 minutes to drink coffee, get dressed and brush my teeth.

A gift, a gift... Think dammit, think.

I opened my fridge and looked inside. Chocolate... Do I have any chocolate?

Fuck.

The only thing worth noting inside the fridge was a single cherry, lazily lying in the middle of the cooling cabinet.

That’s... strange. I decided to take the Cherry with me. Maybe this is the universe trying to tell me something.

I marched determinedly over to my office door, opening it to the outside.

I heard a crack on the other side of the door, followed by a pained grunt.

I closed the door behind me looking at whoever I hit. “Oh, I'm so sorry, are you okay?”

Jade was standing right where the door had opened in her face. Her glasses were cracked, and she appeared to have a broken nose.

Jade removed her broken glasses and looked at me with an angry glare. “I’m... Fine.”

I immediately blushed out of shame. “I... I can buy you some new glasses, if that helps...?

Jade touched her nose, twitching slightly in pain. “You have a good day.”

She continued walking forward, now toward the infirmary.

“I... I’m sorry, jade.”

She didn’t even look back.

The elevator once again began rolling down into the earth. “Sublevel #7, SCP-939 containment.”

Tomato, buddy, I hope you aren’t mad.

The elevator doors opened once again, letting me walk out onto the catwalks yet again.

Looking down at the containment cells, they were still closed. I ventured over to the stairs leading downward once again, opening the lock with a beep from my keycard.

Walking out into the main hall of the SCP-939 containment, I felt somewhat content. There’s no way Tomato’s mad at me... Right?

I walked over to his cell and saw him standing right in front of it before I even had approached it.

I put a hand on the plexiglass window, inciting him to do the same, putting his paw on the glass.

“Tomato... Can I come in?”

Tomato kept his hand on the glass for a few seconds before dropping to the floor again. I withdrew my hand too, getting a better look at my four-legged friend.

He nodded.

I smiled happily, softly mouthing a thank you.

Tomato went over to the smaller 939, nudging her with his snout.

I swiped my keycard across the reader, causing the lock to disengage. I quietly opened the door.

The other 939 snarled a little at my presence but quickly calmed down as tomato calmed her down.

“Hey... I’m Bacon, nice to meet you.”

I sat down on one knee and tried to seem non-threatening.

“Mate, Friend. Human friend.”

The smaller 939 looked to Tomato, then back at me.

“Friend...?”

I nodded. “Friend.”

She carefully made her way over to me, sniffing the space in front of her carefully. She took one more sniff, before suddenly lying down, almost seeming to be in a state of euphoria.

“Cherry? Cherry???”

The 939 rolled around on the floor, repeating the word over and over looking at me.

Tomato seemed a little taken aback and gave her some space.

I let out a chuckle. “Oh, you want a cherry? I have a cherry...”

I put my hand into my pocket, grabbing the tiny fruit in my hand. I held it outstretched in front of the 939, which wasted no time before chowing down on it. Her teeth came dangerously close to my fingers, but I felt I could trust her.

The 939 seemed to savor the taste intensely. “Cherry...”

I put a hand on the 939’s head which seemed docile after being given the cherry.

“I think I'll call you... Cherry.”

Cherry was preoccupied with savoring the taste of the fruit in her mouth to answer, but she seemed happy.

Tomato moved closer to Cherry and I, seemingly happy with the results of the encounter. “Cherry... Mate.”

I put my other hand on Tomato’s head, petting him.

“I think you two make a great pair.”

I hugged my two reptilian friends. They both obliged and we sat on the floor in silence for a few minutes.

“So, who wants to go for a walk?”