Feign Ignorance Not Confidence

Today was just turning out to be a perfect day. Mary Jane had landed the leading role of Gabriella in the school's production of High School Musical. She got a perfect score on her Lit essay. And lastly but most importantly, she was spending the afternoon with her favorite person in the world, Peter Parker. Sure, technically this wasn't a date, but what else would one call a boy and girl going to the movies and then getting ice cream at the mall afterwards? Didn't matter. Either way, she was having a good time with her Tiger.

"Y'know, I liked 'At World's End'. It felt like a good end to the trilogy. I'm not sure how I feel about this one," Peter stated as he licked his cherry vanilla ice cream.

"I mean, I thought it was funny. Penelope Cruz was great, but her supposed romance with Jack felt forced. They got nothing on Will and Elizabeth," Mary Jane answered while enjoying her out blueberry cheesecake ice cream.

"Yea but their story was pretty much done in the last movie. It'd be kinda weird if they brought them back for number four. I dunno it just didn't feel like a lot of substance. Although the Spanish showing up at the end was pretty funny. Because…"

"NOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!" Mary Jane giggled as she finished Peter's sentence.

"Exactly hahaha."

Unfortunately, Mary Jane's (and let's face it Peter's too) perfect day had to come to a crashing end…..literally.

"ROARRRR"

Off to the side, a giant lizard in lab coat burst through the walls of the mall. Seemingly mindless, the monster jumped around smashing everything in his wake like a bull in a China shop. Mary Jane looked in shock to see such a creature rampaging around.

One. Two. Three….Annnnnd Peter was gone. She expected as much. Four. Five. Six…..

*THWIP THWIP*

In came the amazing Spider-Man as he fired webs at the giant lizard hoping to subdue him.

"Hmm. Little late there, bud," Mary Jane commented.

She leaned against the railing to marvel (hehe) at the hero going to work. With a flip and a roll, Spider-Man effortlessly dodged the Lizard's swipes and punches. It looked like another spectacular victory as Spider-Man got in his own punches and kicks knocking the large reptile back. However, something felt amiss. Spider-Man was pulling his punches. And he wasn't making jokes like he normally would. It looked like he was actually talking to the creature almost as if he knew him. Mary Jane furrowed her brow wondering why Spider-Man didn't just knock the ugly thing on its behind. She audibly gasped when Spidey got sloppy and was walloped hard by the Lizard's tail and flew right into the popcorn cart. Beyond worried, she didn't even wait to see if he was still conscious. Her feet carried her as fast as she down to the floor below. Without even thinking she grabbed a piece of debris and slammed it across the back of the Lizard's neck. The wood shattered into pieces as the creature slowly turned around unaffected by her assault.

"Uhhh hi. Sorry bout that," she sheepishly tried to apologize.

Lizard bellowed and growled and took one step before another voice called out from the side.

"CURT!"

Both Mary Jane and the Lizard turned to see a woman in a lab coat carrying a large syringe filled with green liquid. Surprisingly, the Lizard just paused and gazed at the woman. Mary Jane looked back and forth and noticed a strong bond between the two. Before she could make any more conclusions, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and whisked her away.

*THWIP THWIP*

"You ok?" he asked.

She looked up to see the familiar big lenses on the red mask. She smiled at her hero.

"All good here, Spider."

"You need to be more careful, Red. It's not safe here."

She bit her lip trying to stifle a giggle. Only one person in the world would ever call her 'Red'. Just like there was only one person in the world she would ever call 'Tiger'. But for now, she let the little slip-up slide.

"Sorry! It just looked like you needed help."

"Thank you. Much appreciated but stay here! It's safer this way."

"Ok," she nodded but grabbed his arm just before he leapt away again, "Be careful, ok?"

"Always."

With another thwip, Spidey lunged at the Lizard and launched himself into the air.

"Spider-Man! Spider-Man! Over here!"

The woman in the lab coat waved the giant syringe around. Spidey swung down and exchanged a few words with her that Mary Jane couldn't really hear. Next thing she knew, Spidey had taken the syringe and jumped right back towards the Lizard. Unfortunately, that dang tail got in another surprise hit on the hero. It didn't knock him out this time, but definitely knocked the syringe out of his hand. Now angered, the Lizard wrapped his tail around Spider-Man's neck and squeezed tightly lifting him off his feet.

"Grrr."

"F-first, Dr. Connors, you really need a breath mint. And second, come on Doc! I know you're in there somewhere. You gotta calm down and take control!"

"Grrr."

"Come on Dr. Connors fight it! Fight it!"

*PRICK*

"Ahhhhhh."

The Lizard cried out in pain and let Spidey fall to the ground. The giant reptile stumbled away but was shrinking. It was then that Spidey noticed the empty syringe sticking out of the now shrinking creature's back. Looking to his left, he saw Mary Jane also staring at Dr. Connors in anticipation. After a few moments, the good doctor returned to his normal human self with a few scales peeling off. Quickly, the lab-coat woman (whom Mary Jane now deduced was Mrs. Connors) came over and wrapped her lab coat around her husband.

Moments later, paramedics and police had arrived to secure the scene. The Connors were sitting at an ambulance checking over Curt. Off in the corner, Mary Jane stood by with Spider-Man.

"He experimented on himself with a lizard formula hoping to grow his arm back. Instead it turned him into….well a giant Lizard," Spidey recapped with MJ.

"Wow. I can't even imagine the pain he went through. And his poor wife."

"Hopefully they'll let him off easy. Dr. Connors is a brilliant mind. He just got sidetracked."

"Oh? And how would you know how smart Dr. Connors was? You work with him at some point, Spider?"

Mary Jane grinned like a Cheshire cat as she saw Spidey's mechanical eye lenses widen. She got him and he looked so cute flustered.

"Uhh well I mean, it's Dr. Curt Connors hehe. I uh read about him in uh those science journals yea! Y'know stuff to read while on the can or uh in coffee shops. Yea!...Oh my god I really said the can didn't I?"

"Hehe sure did, Spidey."

"Welp. Anywho I should probably skedaddle. You gonna be ok?"

"Yup. My friend Peter should be here somewhere. I hope he's ok," Mary Jane said as she pretended to look around for her friend.

"Uhh hehe good. Then I'll be going. Stay safe, Mary Jane."

She watched as he jumped high into the air and swung off. A smile crept on her face as she watched her hero disappear behind the roof. In a couple seconds, she expected Peter to pop back onto to the scene with a lame excuse like a stomachache or something of the sort. He'd tell her eventually, she hoped.

"See you around…Tiger."

AN: Another quickie Spidey/MJ oneshot. In case I wasn't clear, at this point in the timeline Mary Jane knows Peter is Spidey. But Peter doesn't know she knows. I figured we could have some fun with this misunderstanding hahaha