Not So Friendly Anymore

(Just something I wanted to write quickly in order to celebrate Thanksgiving.

Once again thanks to my first patron Bob and enjoy)

Thanksgiving at Peter's Penthouse

The warm aroma of roasted turkey and freshly baked pies filled Peter Parker's penthouse. The sleek modern space was transformed into a cozy Thanksgiving retreat, complete with garlands of golden leaves, a roaring electric fireplace, and the rich, cheerful sounds of jazz playing softly in the background.

Peter stood in the kitchen, wearing his "Webbing It in the Kitchen" apron over a casual shirt, carefully slicing into the golden turkey. "And that," he announced with a dramatic flourish, "is how you cook a turkey without setting off the fire alarm."

Seated at the dining table, Franklin gave him a dubious look. "You sure about that? I swear I smelled smoke earlier."

Peter smirked. "That's just the smell of perfection, kid."

Silver Sable, perched elegantly on a barstool with a wineglass in hand, chuckled. "Or it was the oven preheating."

From the couch, Valeria raised her voice over the sound of Mario Kart. "Leave him alone! At least he didn't burn the stuffing." She sent a victorious grin Franklin's way as his character spun off the track.

"You're just saying that because you know he's giving you a bigger slice of pie," Franklin grumbled.

"Maybe," Valeria teased.

Susan Storm sat nearby, sipping her tea as she watched her children play. She looked more relaxed than she had in weeks, dressed comfortably in a soft sweater and jeans. Her gaze occasionally drifted toward the kitchen, where Peter buzzed around, a surprising mix of competence and chaos.

Amid the chatter and laughter, the door opened, and a new figure stepped in, me, KingCannibal, or as the group had lovingly nicknamed me, "KC." (Pronounced Casey)

"Finally!" Peter greeted, waving the carving knife theatrically. "You're late, KC. We almost started without you."

I shrugged, setting down a box of donuts. "Thought I'd bring reinforcements. Never know when your cooking might need backup."

"Ha!" Franklin laughed, abandoning his controller to greet me with a high-five. "Someone's brave enough to call him out."

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, Frank," Peter said, smirking. "Just remember, I'm holding dessert hostage."

I walked further into the room, greeted by Valeria with a playful nudge. "Took you long enough. Don't let him fool you, he didn't burn anything this time."

Susan smiled warmly as I took a seat next to her. "Glad you could join us, KC. It's nice to have another friend here for the holiday."

Silver Sable raised her glass. "Here's to our honorary troublemaker finally showing up."

"Honorary? Pretty sure I'm running neck-and-neck with Peter for that title," I quipped, earning a laugh from the table.

Peter shook his head, feigning exasperation. "You show up late, bring donuts to my Thanksgiving, and now you're stealing my title? Bold move."

"Someone has to keep you on your toes," I shot back, grabbing a plate.

---

The meal was a lively affair. Plates were passed around the table, jokes flew back and forth, and the atmosphere buzzed with warmth and laughter.

At one point, Franklin leaned over to me, his voice low. "Hey, KC, what do you think? Better than last year?"

I gave Peter a mock-serious look before nodding. "Honestly? Huge improvement. No smoke alarms, no emergency pizza order, he's really stepping it up."

Valeria snickered. "We're still giving him grief for the Thanksgiving disaster of '23, huh?"

"You'll never let that go, will you?" Peter groaned, carving another piece of turkey.

"Nope," we all chorused in unison, making Peter throw his hands up in defeat.

As the evening wore on, everyone settled into a comfortable rhythm. Franklin and Valeria drifted back to the couch to finish their game, Susan helped Peter clear plates, and Sable leaned back in her chair, sipping her wine.

"So, KC," Sable said, her tone teasing. "You think you can survive another Thanksgiving with us?"

I smirked. "Survive? This is the highlight of my year. Just don't let Peter cook everything next time."

Peter, overhearing, pointed his carving fork in my direction. "You're lucky you're family now, KC, or that would've earned you dish duty."

"Family, huh?" I said, grinning. "Guess I can live with that."

"Welcome to the chaos," Susan added warmly.

With that, Peter raised his glass of cider. "Alright, everyone. To family, official, honorary, and everything in between."

"To family!" we all echoed, clinking glasses.

---

Later that night, as the fire dimmed and the glittering lights of Manhattan twinkled through the penthouse windows, Peter leaned against the counter with a mug of coffee in hand.

He glanced at me, a soft, genuine smile gracing his face. "Hey, KC," he said, his tone uncharacteristically gentle. "I just wanted to say... thanks. For being here. For everything."

I raised an eyebrow. "Everything?"

Peter nodded, his smile fading just slightly as emotion crept into his voice. "Yeah. Days like this... it's been a long time since I felt this happy. Being with my kids, Susan, Sable, and even dragging you into the mix, it's a lot. And I don't know how you did it, but somehow, you made it happen. So... thanks."

I grinned, lifting my own mug in a casual toast. "Oh, don't thank me just yet. This is only part of the plan."

Peter blinked, his smirk returning with a curious edge. "Part of the plan? Should I be worried?"

"Not at all," I replied smoothly, taking a sip of coffee. "The plan's pretty simple, really: you get happier. Happier than you've ever been. That's all."

He studied me for a moment, the weight of my words settling in. Finally, he chuckled, shaking his head. "You're a weird one, KC. But you know what? I think I'm okay with that."

"Good," I said, leaning back with a satisfied smirk. "Because you're stuck with me now, Parker. No take-backs."

Peter clinked his mug against mine with a laugh. "Fair enough. Just don't mess it up, okay? I'm kind of getting used to this whole... happy thing."

And with that, Thanksgiving at Peter's penthouse wrapped up with laughter, warmth, and a quiet understanding that sometimes, the best plans are the ones that bring light to the darkest corners of a person's life.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!!

Thanks for reading everyone

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