A/N-this came about because of a prompt challege created after a text involving fathers and birthdays between myself and Hack Generation.
"It should be me," Tron said, stubbornly. "I should give it to him."
CLU cast a baleful eye at the older program. "Wrong. I should give it to him. After all, I'm the one who coded it…"
"I've known him longer," the security program said, protesting, "So I should do it."
"Tron, you may have known him longer…but I know him better." The look on the sysadmin program's face was smug at that statement. "I am a coded likeness utility…his coded likeness utility."
Tron's face flushed at that statement. "Yes, he's your User…but he's still been my friend for longer," he insisted. "I want to give it to him."
The 'it' in question sat on the console between the two arguing programs, its code passively waiting to be loaded for transport or transfer.
It was the first of its kind on the Grid; not even the system's User had coded such a thing before. It waited, its icing glistening in the ever-present glow of circuits. Never before had someone changed the coding of energy to have it manifest as a solid object—much less a solid form of energy that could still be processed fully. There was a faint glow emanating from it that belied its origin as being energy-based.
It was the Grid's first and—so far—only cake.
"You wouldn't even know the protocol for User run_cycle anniversaries if I hadn't told you about them," CLU said, throwing up his hands in exasperation. "I'm the one giving him the cake…he's my User, I know him better, and I CODED THE CAKE!"
Looking at the crest-fallen look on the face of the program who was his friend and the head of the Grid's security, CLU sighed.
It wasn't entirely fair of him, even if CLU had made the cake…
Tron would have cheerfully done something special for Flynn if he had known the User's run_cycle anniversary; however, there was no way for the other program to gain access to that information on his own. Or for him to have coded up a cake even if Tron had known the protocols involving User run_cycle anniversaries…he simply didn't have the function coding or the permissions to access that function.
"Look," CLU said finally, "what if we both give him the cake? Maybe afterwards you could let him beat you in a lightcycle match again?"
Tron froze at the last words spoken. The corners of his mouth made a small move up.
"You knew?" he asked.
"Tron, as good as Flynn is on a lightcycle…he's never once beaten you in a lightcycle match; and the only way that he's won lightcycle races against you is that lightcycles run faster when they are drawing from User power," CLU told him, his voice firm. "And no, he doesn't realize that you occasionally let him win."
"You're not—"
"Going to tell him?" The administrator program shook his head. "No. That would take all of the fun out of it for both of you."
So, the cake… Are we going to do this together, or not?"
The two programs turned their heads to regard the 'cake' that was still resting on the console between them.
"Yes," the older program replied. "Let's do it together. You should carry it, though. You coded it."
Nodding, CLU carefully picked up the platter that held the cake and began to make his way to the door. Tron followed a short distance behind, catching up and walking next to CLU once they were both past the door.
"What flavor did you code it for?" he asked CLU.
"Sushi," came the cheerful reply. "It's one of his favorite User foods."