Honey and the Pug

The treehouse

The question followed her when she finally stood in front of the treehouse's entrance, a massive clear  elevator made from hardened transparent leaves.

Father had spent three years tweaking and splicing the tree's DNA with sixteen different exotic plants and insects, causing it to grow the entire treehouse organically from its branches. Even the power supply came from the bioluminescent leaves. The thing that made father the proudest though was how truly clever the treehouse was. Its leaves whispered in the night and shook in the day, letting the entire world know it was alive.
As Honey got closer, the tree's lower branches trembled as if Honey had woken it from a deep slumber.

"Easy girl, it's just me," Honey said, stroking the trunk four times the way her father had taught her.
The tree's surface seemed to vibrate as if it was faintly annoyed.
"Fine! I'm sorry I haven't visited in weeks, I didn't want to run into him when he got back from school," Honey admitted and the bark grew still, its surface suddenly cold.
"Why am I avoiding him?" Honey replied. "Hmm, probably because every conversation we have ends up in a massive fight and Mother scolding me for 'insulting my betters'."
One of the lowest branches, a mere sapling covered in tiny fresh leaves, reached down and patted Honey's shoulder. A sudden fragrance of dizzying pheromones unfurled from the leaves. It was the fresh smell of falling in love.
"Wait, how did you know about that?" Honey asked, and a single purple flower burst from the sapling's surface.
"Oh, your friend the jacaranda tree told you? Well she's wrong! I'm not here to see Pepper Mill under any romantic circumstances," Honey insisted and the tree shuddered as if deeply betrayed.
"I'm sorry girl, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I'm just under a lot of stress right now," Honey admitted and the tree branch shook slightly, causing several fresh prickly red berries to fall onto Honey's chest.