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"Hey, Tiger ?"
Peter turned from his place at the table where he had been tweaking the spider-glider still in costume , he had it for a year at this point but he never could get quite used to it. Maybe it just wasn't in the cards compared to good old reliable web swinging.
He turned to his girlfriend, Mary Jane was sitting on the couch still in her Jackpot costume without the glasses , also messing a bit with her bracelet settings , specifically how big the slot results appeared depending on the gesture, knuckles down pull for stealth and knuckles up for flash. "I just wanted to ask, how do you keep up? "
Peter got up from the chair at the table in their living room and slowly settled at her side on the couch, MJ almost instinctively embracing him. She had gotten a bit clingier compared to before but he couldn't really blame her, his year without her was multiplied by five for her out of a sense of duty he himself had helped instill.
" What do you mean? " He simply asked , stretching his tired muscles after their long patrol.
" I mean, how do you keep up with me? " She looked up at him from her little nook at his side "Every time I roll a new power I get an immediate understanding over how to use it but it's still as random as it gets for everyone around me. I am pretty sure I would be more of a liability if I were in the Avengers or even the X-Men, I know for a fact that Felicia always needed a couple of seconds to adjust back in Limbo. "
She paused, and he simply let her gather her thoughts she was new at the superhero game really but in his eyes she took to it like a fish to water but he was happy to help her on anything stumping her.
" But you just don't need even a moment to adjust. When we busted that tombstone drug den I got plant control and when I turned the warehouse into a deep jungle you immediately started using the trees for cover to take everyone down stealthily they weren't even able to shoot back. When we chased that fleeing group of getaway cars and I got that cheetawoman form you immediately had a web ready for every criminal I threw out of the cars. And when I hulked out in Pink, you immediately calmed me down after I knocked out Rhino in one punch ... So how do you do it? "
" Hmmm, well miss Watson, let's get you to the answer by cultivating an often over looked part of the superhero required skill set : deductive reasoning " Peter answered in his professor Parker voice, earning him an eye roll from the red head .... And the beautiful fond smile he was looking for.
" now, what do you know about my relationship with the rest of our costumed colleagues? " He continued in his professor tone . MJ put her hand to her chin in a thinking manner before perking up and answering " That when your wit doesn't make you annoying to them, your temper is what makes you an outcast ? " In a way too cheerful tone . " Oh, ah ah " Peter rebuked sarcastically " Think more on the long term, Red " MJ 's smirked before going back to a more thoughtful look " That you have a lot of team ups " She quickly figured out
" Exactly, but " A lot" is a little reductive to be fully honest, I was in the Avengers obviously, I taught at Logan's school and let's not even talk about the fantastic four. But it isn't even just the major leagues I constantly hang out with. MJ, I fought alongside a monkey hitman wearing a fine Italian suit, a vampire cow bit by Dracula himself and a girl who I still can't figure out how she did what she did and why she told me her name was Gwen only because of a variant cover. Whatever that means" He continued " So...? "
" So you are always expecting the unexpected " She finished in an understanding tone
" Exactly when you team up with enough people, and trust me, I teamed up with a lot of people , you need to be ready to take advantage of every opportunity, thinking on the fly especially when the person you team up with is either a lousy team player or really doesn't want you there is a must.
So whatever you roll on that thing, don't you worry, your pretty little head, I ' ll be ready. " He emphasized with a bop on her nose, MJ had a small smile on her face and a pretty blush that made Peter 's heart skip a beat.
" There is also the other main reason though " He said settling back on the couch, MJ still looking at him asked " Which is? "
He looked her in the eyes with a peaceful smile " If there is one thing I know well beyond science, photography, superheroing and how to make a grown villain cry with just a couple of well placed quips... is Mary Jane Watson. "
Mary Jane smiled back and settled back down on the couch. Both content to just exist together for a bit.