Canyon Moon - Harry Styles

November

Thanksgiving came quickly that year. The week leading up to it had been unforgiving, with New York's signature freezing rain, harsh winds, and bone-deep cold settling in just before a light snowfall on Thanksgiving Day. Families across the country tuned in to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which held traditional floats and performances along with a special tribute to those who fought to restore the people thought to be gone from the world. Front and center was Iron Man, sending spectators into a frenzy down the parade's two-and-a-half-mile journey in Manhattan. Those who knew Tony personally smiled softly, almost able to hear the bragging that would've lasted the entire day.

For those who experienced their first Thanksgiving in five years, the day felt almost like a break. A break from easing back into a life they had no idea they lost. Case and point, the Landry family had worked tirelessly over the last three months to restore a sense of calm over the chaos they'd inherited. Both Ted and Lila spent countless hours at Landry's Flowers, doing their best to handle the workload they'd been given. Sophie had done too good of a job managing Ted's company, for she had upgraded a number of things to further the company's success in a time of struggle and doubt.

So both Ted and Sophie spend a good amount of time together around the city in the different stores. Sophie was a natural leader, she'd handled the transition smoothly and patiently, teaching Ted all about the advancements his shops made in the five years he missed. She even helped Ted with the staffing issues that had popped up due to people coming back from the Blip, and got everything back to normal.

Lila wasn't as mobile, she stayed in Queens and dutifully worked on the restoration of her mother's greenhouse. When Sophie showed her what it had become, a piece of her heart broke off. It was the first time Lila had truly believed she was gone for so long, for her greenhouse wouldn't have essentially died otherwise. Sophie was beyond apologetic, she admitted that while she tried to keep it alive, she was never as good as Lila was at taking care of them, and the thought made her grief double. Lila couldn't even try to make herself angry, she felt so sorry for her friend.

In the middle of scrapping the remnants of the old plants and soil, and moving spare items in and out of the greenhouse, an idea struck her. In the time that the Landrys were gone, Sophie upgraded every store's computer network, courtesy of Stark Industries, which had remained loyal customers since Tony and Pepper were married. The old computer, which Lila had picked out with Peter, had been moved to the greenhouse since Sophie put it there. She'd really only stashed it as a temporary dump site, but Lila asked her if she could keep it. No questions asked, Sophie agreed and left her to the greenhouse.

Lila was bursting at the seams with excitement as she practically dragged Peter and Ned up the stairs to the greenhouse. When she opened the door, she was able to ignore the clutter that she'd grown used to, her friends were not. They'd heard about what a mess it had become, but didn't necessarily believe it until they saw it with their own eyes. But Lila's giddy voice called them over to the corner she was standing in. And so, by weaving through boxes and dusty plant crates, they made their way to her.

"Okay," Lila said apprehensively, bouncing on the balls of her feet. "S-So I was going through some stuff, and - and I found all of this." She gestured to a bunch of familiar-looking crates and technology. She opened one of them and showed the boys vials of web fluid that had collected dust over the years and stared at them like she was showing them buried treasure.

Peter, however, was a little confused. "Oh. Um, do you want me to take those back? I can - I can put them in my room. May won't mind-"

"No," Lila laughed lightly. "I was thinking... what if we k-kept it here? In the - the greenhouse? I - uh - I can keep people out of here, but I thought, wh-what if Spider-Man needed an in-between place while he was out, you know? That way y-you wouldn't have to - to go all the way home if you needed something.

"And," she was still beaming, excitement not washed away in the slightest. "I also m-might have found a way to install this computer. Though you might need to help me with that. B-But if you needed a guy in the chair, or - or had to look something up, I don't know, you'd have a safe place to do it here."

Ned was practically in tears. "Guy in the chair," he whispered.

"Lila, you didn't - you don't have to do this," Peter said, though he was smiling, too. "I know how much your mom's greenhouse meant to you-"

She waved her hand. "Y-You matter to me, too." There was a beat of silence, then as an afterthought, "The b-both of you."

And so they got to work. The computer was successfully installed, the web fluid was tested and stored safely once again, and Lila had the brilliant idea to store an extensive array of medical supplies just in case. Their bat cave (for lack of a more original name) had come together, and Lila refocused on redesigning the rest of the greenhouse.

Both Lila and Ted had worked so hard that when Thanksgiving finally came, the distraction of cooking a large meal re-centered their focus and calmed them down from the hectic schedule they kept. Sophie and Cara were going to eat with them for sure, and there was a possibility of the Parkers showing up later. They were currently volunteering at the shelter May worked at.

Ted's famous roasted turkey had been carved, Lila's stuffing and roasted potatoes were a smashing success. Lila watched with a full belly as Cara and Ted talked happily to each other, both giggling through sips of wine. Sophie was nursing a glass of whiskey and chimed in occasionally, mostly dazed from the food now resting in her stomach. Lila was smiling at a joke Ted had just told when her phone buzzed next to her, and she picked it up off the table. The message was from Peter.

Hey, Lila. May's pretty beat from all the work she did today and wants to head home. Think I'm just gonna go swing around for a bit, make sure people get home okay. Save me some turkey?

Lila smiled softly. Despite knowing him longer, and getting closer to him as a friend, Lila still felt awe when it came to his selflessness. It was almost aggravating.

Already have a plate saved, she replied. Stay safe, Happy Thanksgiving.

Almost immediately there was a response. You're the best, Lila. See you tomorrow.

A sudden knock at the door pulled Lila away from her phone screen. She glanced at her dad, a bit confused, and got up to get the door. Peter just said he wasn't coming, so who was at the door?

That question was answered, and Lila's mouth opened slightly. "Mrs. Potts, h-hi."

Pepper Potts beamed at Lila, holding tightly onto the little girl who sat on her hip. "Hi, Lila, Happy Thanksgiving. I'm so sorry to interrupt-"

"No," Lila shook her head and stepped aside, opening the door wider so Pepper and Morgan could get out of the cold. "Of course you're n-not interrupting. Are you hungry?"

"I already ate, thank you," Pepper still looked at her warmly. She had an excited gleam in her eye and she turned to her daughter, who she held. "But Morgan here might still have room for another slice of pie."

Morgan suddenly looked excited. "Can I?"

Lila's lips twitched into a smile. "I think we h-have some chocolate left. I made it myself." Pepper set her daughter down and took off her coat. Lila held out her hand, and the taller woman handed her the coat gratefully. "You can come sit down while I g-get the pie?"

She guided the two of them to the dining room, where Cara, Sophie, and Ted all immediately got up to greet Pepper. Courtesies were passed around while Lila took Morgan into the kitchen and helped make her a plate for pie. She placed ice cream on the plate, and put some in a bowl for herself and brought both Morgan and the dessert back to the table. She helped the little girl climb into the chair and made sure she was able to reach the plate of pie. Before long, Morgan was digging in.

Pepper stared adoringly at her daughter before turning to Ted. She smiled largely and shook her head politely when Ted offered wine. "Normally I would, but I'm driving tonight, and the weather's already bad enough."

Ted shrugged and poured himself another glass for himself. He looked over to Cara and tipped some into her glass as well before putting the bottle down and staring at Pepper. "Not that I'm unhappy to see you, Pepper, but what brings you over to Queens tonight?"

"Well, I just got the most exciting news," Pepper said marginally straighter in her chair. She exuded a sense of pride as she spoke. "I just got off the phone with Anna Wintour, she asked me to co-chair next year's Met Ball and exhibition."

A gasp went around the table, and soon everyone was smiling. "Congratulations, Pepper, that's incredible!" Ted answered, matching Pepper's excitement.

She nodded gratefully. "That's not even the best part. As co-chair, we have a heavy hand in everything that goes on regarding the exhibition, the Ball, and galas surrounding it. This year's theme is 'Gardens of Religion'." Lila held her breath, feeling like she knew exactly where the conversation was headed. Though she didn't want to get her hopes up.

"I was hoping," Pepper continued, "That I might sign you up as a consultant for this year's Ball and the events surrounding it. You have no limits to your knowledge on plants, and the other co-chairs and I are keen to hire local New York businesses. What are your thoughts, Ted?"

For a moment, there was no sound but the sound of Morgan eating her pie. Ted looked to Lila in a state of shock, no doubt mirroring her own. She broke out of her stupor quickly and nodded, a smile creeping back onto her face. "That - That would be in-incredible, Mrs. Potts. You have no idea."

Ted hastily agreed. "Absolutely. We'd be honored. I can't - I can't thank you enough for considering us."

"Honestly it's just such a relief," Pepper said, letting out a small puff of air. "I wouldn't have even known where to start if we didn't know you. Now, it hasn't been announced yet, because I think they're still working things out with her, but the other co-chairs will be announced on Monday, as well as the theme."

"Who are they, if you don't mind me asking?" Sophie finally spoke up, seemingly slapped out of her food coma by the news.

"Let's see," Pepper said. "It's me, hopefully Meryl Streep, though I think they're working on scheduling her, and Norman Osborn." Lila's stomach lurched in excitement. Oscorp was a forefront in experimental biology, and had a vast array of plant research that fascinated her to no end. The idea that she might get to meet him...

"I'll let the Met board know we have someone to consult right away," Pepper spoke, standing up to excuse herself. Morgan had just finished her pie, and Pepper walked over, wiped her mouth, and picked her up out of the chair. She went back to Ted, who stood up, and grasped his hand. "I can't thank you enough, really. This is the first big thing Stark Industries has put themselves on since - well, since before we got everyone back. I feel so much better knowing you're on this, Ted."

Ted nodded. "Of course, anything you need, we're here for you."

"I'll see to it that you have all the proper resources at your disposal, and I'll be sending your contact information to the other co-chairs as well as the Met." Cara went to retrieve her jacket, and helped her put it on. "You should also know that your company will be circulating in the news. If I can wrangle up what's left of my PR department, that is."

"Of course," Ted said. "Thank you so much for this."

"Thank you, Ted." Pepper replied, her words filled with sincerity. She turned to Lila, who had been making faces at Morgan to get her to smile. "Lila, would you mind walking me out?"

"N-Not at all," Lila answered, giving her dad a look before leading Pepper out to the front door.

The pair stepped onto the front porch, bracing against the cold evening. The snow had started to pick up, and Lila didn't envy Pepper the drive back home. She crossed her arms to protect herself from the cold and stared up at Pepper, smiling politely. Pepper got right down to business. "How's Peter?"

"Oh," Lila blushed, though she hoped the cold brushing her cheeks hid that. "He's d-doing as well as we can ask. I think he's swinging around n-now."

Pepper nodded, smiling a little at her answer. "He's hard at work, I've been keeping tabs." Lila hummed in agreement. There was a beat of silence before Pepper spoke again. "There was one more thing I'd hoped you might help me with."

Lila nodded fervently. "Absolutely. What is it?"

"Norman Osborn. He has a son, Harry. Have you heard of him?"

"N-Not outside of social media."

Pepper's stare turned calculating. "Well, I suppose that makes sense. Norman's kept him out of the media for the most part, but according to him he's got a knack for trouble. Norman's keeping a pretty tight leash on him, but it might be easier to have someone his age around during this whole process. Could you...?"

The question was left hanging but Lila was able to finish it. "Could I h-help keep Harry out of trouble?"

Pepper smiled in confirmation. "Only if you feel up to it. I know meeting new people isn't the easiest for you."

Lila flushed, feeling slightly embarrassed. "A-Anything I can do to help, I-I will." Pepper thanked her once again and the two wished each other a happy holiday. Lila turned to say goodbye to Morgan, but found she was drifting off to sleep quickly. Instead she just smiled as she watched them go down her front walk. Suddenly, an idea struck her. "Pepper! Er - Mrs. Potts!"

Pepper turned around, and saw Lila trying not to slip down her own front steps. She caught up to her and panted slightly. "I-I won't keep you, since we're - we're both freezing. I just - y-you said something about your PR department being a mess?"

Pepper nodded. "Yes, the Blip scrambled everyone. I've had to make pretty significant changes to it and even still, we haven't fully recovered. Why do you ask?"

"Wh-What about Sophie?" Lila pitched.

"What about her?"

"S-Sophie is a Columbia gr-graduate. And - And she turned our b-business around single handedly. We love her s-so much, but - but she wasn't meant to be confined to a flower shop. She m-might be a really valuable asset to your PR team."

Pepper could see what she was hinting at and smiled. She then placed Morgan into her car and faced Lila. "I'll see what I can do. Happy Thanksgiving, Lila. Thanks again."

Pepper drove down the quiet street, leaving Lila standing in the cold, coming to grips with the fact that she would soon have to befriend Harry Osborn, a boy she'd heard little about.

*****

April

Lila loved the rain, which confused her father. She loved the sound it made in the city, beating against the sidewalk and amplifying other sounds, too. She loved the smell it created, and she loved its purifying nature. Most of all, she loved being in the greenhouse top her father's shop as it rained. The special sound of rain hitting the glass as Lila worked brought a special sense of comfort. It enabled her to focus as she made the rounds around her greenhouse.

She really had transformed it. It had gone from dead and abandoned to thriving and revitalized all in thanks to her hard work. She cleared out the old potting racks, did away with the dust, and threw away tools too old to help her. Instead she built new planters with the help of her dad, gave the tables a fresh coat of paint, and started over by sowing new plants. It had taken months of patience, a lot of tears, and her will to keep her mother's memory alive, but Lila finally did it. And it was completely her own.

She managed to make up an excuse as to why her dad couldn't go into the greenhouse, and it was a flimsy one. She essentially told Ted that she needed a spot away from home that was just for her, and she could clear her head whenever things got tough. She accompanied this pitch with all of her mother's items left in the greenhouse, and argued that they should be home with them. Ted was fine with it, and helped Lila find a space to put her mother's things. The only other person Lila was worried about entering the newly updated greenhouse was Luca, her dad's newest hire. Since Sophie had left for Stark Industries, Ted needed assistance with the shop located in Queens. Luca was the best candidate, and was new enough that Lila could tell him the greenhouse was off limits.

Lila had been too tired to clean out the medical supplies her and Peter used from the day before, so she finished her time in the greenhouse doing just that. She stared proudly around at the little sprouts that had started to grow after weeks of waiting. And just as she headed for the greenhouse door, a little ray of sunshine peeked through the overcast sky, signaling the end of that day's shower.

Perfect timing, Lila thought to herself, for while she admired the rain and could listen to it all day, walking in it was another story. Especially when she had plans that afternoon. She smiled, excited to see May Parker for dinner and Peter for the afternoon. He had just texted Lila, saying that he was finishing up with his afternoon web-crawling activities before heading her way.

She got down the stairs and made a beeline for her raincoat when a voice floated around the backroom. "Jesus. I thought you were gonna be up there forever." Lila jumped and whirled around to see Harry Osborn sitting in a chair, his posture slouched and uncaring. His head was leaning back, and he was looking at Lila almost upside-down. "What do you even do up there?" He drawled, standing up to face her.

Lila suppressed an eye roll and turned to collect her things. Shrugging on her raincoat, she sighed. "I've told you, it's a g-garden. I grow plants. Now," She put her backpack around her shoulders and crossed her arms, "Why are you here?"

"Do you sing to your plants up there?" He completely ignored her question. "I kind of get Disney Princess vibes from you, so like I'm picturing birds sitting on your shoulder while the sunlight comes down and the plants you sing to do a little waltz as they grow-"

"Yeah, I'm - I'm leaving now," Lila couldn't suppress the second wave of an eye roll, and headed for the door that went back to her dad's shop.

"C'mon, I'm kidding," Harry grabbed the crook of her elbow as she walked by, cracking an easy grin. Lila stared pointedly at her arm, and Harry let go just as fast. "That's your business, not mine, I get it, I get it."

The pair exited the back room and re-entered the shop. Lila waved to a customer eyeing some succulents before turning back to her companion. "What do you want today, H-Harry?"

Harry Osborn was a peculiar case in Lila's book. For the life of her, she couldn't figure out why he liked to talk to her or invade her space. She suspected it was partially because he knew it bothered her, but mostly he just baffled her.

When they first met, he was a cordial seventeen-year-old, completely polite, but Lila realized that was only because he was in his dad's presence. Immediately after both of their fathers turned around to discuss business with the Met Gala, Harry turned on a dime and tried to flirtatiously crack jokes. Off the bat, Lila was unimpressed, and told him in a relatively bold turn of events that she didn't think he was funny. And in that moment she was roped reluctantly into friendship with Harry Osborn.

He would from time to time try and crack a joke, use a pick-up line or two, but he quickly learned that though she wouldn't say it, Lila had pretty deep feelings for someone else. And Lila found out just as fast that Harry really didn't have that many friends. Despite appearances, there weren't many steady people in his life. And so, regardless of not particularly caring for a lot of aspects of his personality, Lila became friends with him.

And every chance he got, Harry seemed to try his best to make Lila regret doing so. She imagined that his friendship was the closest thing to having a sibling she could get, for he spared no expense to annoy her or get under her skin. But he also had admitted on occasion that he was really glad she stuck around. It was apparent that not many people did.

"Nothing much, just your love and affection." He was met with stony silence. "Kidding. As it happens," Harry smiled, picking up a small cactus to inspect it. And like every other bad idea he was magnetized to, Harry touched it. He rescinded his touch just as fast, and shook his injured finger as he simultaneously put down the cactus where he found it. "Ouch." His smile turned sheepish as Lila stared unimpressed. Not waiting for him, she continued her walk to the metal staircase and made her way down. The footsteps behind her told her Harry was in hot pursuit.

"Hey, hold up!" The two made it down to the ground floor and Harry raced around Lila to impede her path. She quirked an eyebrow at him, and he relaxed back into his casual stance. They walked across the store towards the front doors. "As I was saying, Chrysanthemum, I'm here because you've hit the lottery: you get to spend a whole evening with me. Prepare to get the pants charmed off you."

"S-Such a gentleman," Lila deadpanned, though her cheeks flushed deeply at the double meaning. And when Harry grabbed the door for her and noticed her red face, he had the decency to wince.

"Yeah, okay, not my best line. But in all seriousness, there's a dinner hosted by all of the co-chairs of the gala. Something about starting off the fundraisers that go along with the Ball, yadayadaya. And since apparently I'm not allowed out in public without you in my presence anymore, my dad wants you to come." A beat of silence while Lila stopped walking. They just happened to stop walking in front of Harry's car, where his driver stood waiting for him.

Lila tucked her hair behind her ear, "I don't know H-Harry. You know how I am around people. Especially - especially really important p-people. I freeze up. And then they ask q-questions about us and if we're d-dating-"

"Okay, first of all, you wish," Harry said, and Lila cracked a smile. "Second of all, you can bring a friend, that way you'll feel more comfortable." He nudged her gently. "C'mon, Chartreuse, it'll be fun."

"Chartreuse isn't a flower, Harry." Lila's smile grew wider. Harry made it his personal mission to call her by any flower and not her name. She secretly liked how hard he tried.

He looked at her confused. "Really?"

"Yup. J-Just a color."

"Damn." He shook his head. "Anyways, what do you say?"

"I'll think about it," Lila answered, walking down the street.

Harry grabbed the car door and opened it. "Wait, wait, do you need a ride home?"

"I'm not going home, I'm meeting P-Peter."

"Oh, I see," A knowing, taunting smirk formed on Harry's face. "Tell lover boy I say hello!"

Lila flipped him off, still walking down the street. "Goodbye, Harry."

"Think about it!"

*****

"Hello?"

"Hey, Lila. Where are you?" Peter asked, sounding slightly out of breath over the phone.

Lila stared to her right. "Um, I'm on Twenty-First, n-next to Murray Playground, why?"

"Okay, cool. I'm nearby. Hey, did you bring the history flashcards by chance?"

She stopped walking and started looking around her for any sign of Peter. Her hand that wasn't holding her cellphone to her ear pulled her raincoat tighter around her. The rain might've stopped, but it was still chilly. "Yeah, I did, and the - the notes for biology." She didn't see her friend anywhere nearby. "You s-said you were close?"

"Yep." Abruptly, the call was ended, and Lila stared at her screen baffled. In a split-second decision, Lila kept walking, hoping she'd run into Peter along the way to his apartment. As she continued her walk, she could've sworn she heard a ringing in her ear. The ringing grew louder, until she was sure it wasn't ringing, but in fact yelling, and it came from right behind her. She had just enough time to whirl around before a body collided with her and picked her up off the ground.

Lila was pretty sure the shriek she let out was abandoned on the sidewalk, for soon she could only hear the wind. Now airborne, all she could do was grip onto the only thing keeping her steady. After a brief second, she saw the familiar colors of Peter's metal suit and gripped tighter. "My phone!" She yelled, thinking about how it was no longer in her hand, still panicking slightly.

"Got it!" Peter yelled to her, and when Lila looked behind them, she saw her cellphone flying through the air, attached to a piece of webbing. Reaching just enough, Lila grabbed hold, her knuckles turning white grabbing on so tightly. As Peter turned a tight corner, she felt herself slip just a little in his grip, and shrieked, wrapping her legs around his waist and holding on tighter. "I've got you," Peter told her assuringly. "I've got you."

Swinging around the city was now a common occurrence for Lila, though she wasn't sure if it was something she'd ever completely get accustomed to. Peter had insisted upon it once when they were late to a movie, saying it was the fastest way to get there. That first time swinging around scared Lila witless, but even she had to admit that it was fun. Once she was safely on the ground, of course. Ever since then, Peter swinging Lila around was a more frequent occurrence. She tried to avoid it, worried people would ask questions or take pictures, but Peter was even more careful than she was, taking routes less populated and cutting through alleys difficult to see in.

The pair made it to Peter's apartment, landing on the fire escape just outside his bedroom. Lila untangled her legs from Peter's waist, face flushed and heart pounding, both from swinging around and from the boy in front of her. "You scared me," she smiled breathlessly. "You're l-lucky I wore my hair in a braid, otherwise it would've b-been a repeat of last time."

Peter opened his window and climbed inside with ease. He held out his hand, which Lila took, and helped her step inside. First foot on the desk then a small jump down to the floor, like every other time. As the nanotechnology in his suit rearranged to show his face, Peter let go of her hand and shook his head. "Nah, your hair looks great."

Lila reached for her braid, undoing it and giving Peter a small smile. "Thank you." She let her hair down and brushed through a few tangles before deciding to throw it back in a ponytail. She missed Peter stare at her for longer than one might consider necessary. But when she finished her hair, Lila wiped her clammy hands on her jeans and smiled at her friend. "Are you p-planning to study in your suit?"

"What?" Peter said, before looking down. "Oh. Oh, no. No, I can-"

"Peter? Is that you?" The door to his bedroom opened, and May Parker stood on the other side. She noticed Lila in the room and smiled warmly. "Hey, Lila. Thought you were coming in the front door!"

"M-Me too," Lila laughed lightly, her cheeks growing more red. "Um - is there a place I c-can put my homework?"

"Oh sure," May answered, opening the door wider as Lila approached her. "I've got the table set up for dinner, so you're gonna have to use the coffee table... you like Indian, right?"

"Love it."

Lila was grateful that May was so forgiving. She'd never been in more of a world of trouble than when May found out just exactly what Peter's internship with Tony Stark entailed. After her call to Lila, she demanded that she get over to their apartment and explain herself. Lila hastily obliged, trembling in her shoes and hoping that it would all be okay.

May was livid when Lila arrived. She admitted that she didn't know what to think, so she settled for angry. Most of the blanks had been filled in by Peter, but May wanted a second opinion. And since she couldn't get her hands on Tony, she settled for someone else who knew the truth. That was where Lila came in. May asked her one question: Why would Lila help Peter be a superhero?

"Because he saved my life twice, May," she answered firmly. It was effective in silencing Peter's aunt, who was staring at the two of them between narrowed eyes. "P-Peter has a chance to make a r-real difference in the world. I mean, he's fifteen, and he can lift a bus, he can h-hold a ferry together. If I - if I found out he could do that, I'd be more concerned if he didn't help people."

May was quiet for a moment before licking her lips and saying calmly, "Tell me how this happened."

The rest was history. May grew to see just what Peter was doing for the community, and the pride she had in him soared. She helped him wherever she could, and relied on Lila to keep her updated when Peter couldn't. Lila was now a much more frequent visitor in May's apartment, and grew closer to May as the months went by helping Peter.

Lila was setting up her flashcards in the living room when Peter stepped out of his room. He'd changed into a crewneck and jeans, and dragged his backpack along with him. He sat down next to Lila and pulled the flashcards she'd brought toward him while thanking her. "Hey," he said casually, looking through the cards, "Did I see Harry's car driving through the neighborhood today? Is he bothering you again?"

For reasons Peter didn't disclose (though Lila could think of a few), Peter was on the fence about Harry. Sure, he was polite to him, and yes, they had easy conversations about super nerdy and niche bits of pop culture, but something about Harry rubbed Peter the wrong way. He always seemed stiff when Harry talked to Lila, or talked smack about something Peter liked. Lila felt like Peter was waiting for a reason not to like him, though Peter would never admit that.

"He's always bothering me," Peter tensed at her words, but she continued. "But y-yes. He did stop by the sh-shop. Just wanted to talk about some gala stuff. Oh," Lila grabbed his arm suddenly, smiling widely, "You're the first person I've told th-this to, but my plants are finally sprouting!"

"That's amazing, Lila," Peter said. Lila continued to gush about her plants as Peter silently ignored the growing feeling of satisfaction that he was the first person Lila wanted to share the good news with.

A gift for you. Merry Impeachment Day! I'm seriously so jazzed for this next part of the story, it's going to really test my character development skills.

Love you all. Happy, happy holidays. Hopefully I'll get another chapter out by the new year but we'll see. Unedited. Xx.