The Things She Makes Me Do
"What do you mean Bech is out for the rest of the season!?"
"Sorry, Flash. But he tore his ACL. Looked bad too."
"Dammit he's our best slot receiver. What the hell are we supposed to do now!?"
Angered, Flash threw the football across the field in a random direction. Unfortunately that 'random' direction just happened to be towards the bleachers where Mary Jane and Peter were casually having lunch. Mary Jane sadly didn't notice the spiraling projectile until the last second as she was distracted by her much more handsome companion. Freaking out, she put up her arms and braced for impact. It never came. With one hand, Peter had caught the ball just inches in front of her face.
"Whoa. Nice catch, Tiger. Thanks for the save."
"You ok, MJ?"
"Yup. Thanks to my hero."
"Hey Parker! Throw it back, will ya!" Flash called out from the field.
"Watch where you're throwing this next time! You almost hit Mary Jane!" Peter fired back very annoyed.
Trying to let off a little steam, Peter threw the ball back to Flash with a little heat on it. Perfect spiral and all, it hit Flash right it the hands causing him to flinch a little.
"Whoa," Flash exclaimed.
"Geez Flash, I woulda thought a star quarterback would have better accuracy. If Peter hadn't caught the ball, who knows what coulda happened to my cute face!"
"Pft, you got lucky. Parker being athletic? That's just a fluke."
"Not true! Peter is totally athletic!" Mary Jane exclaimed sticking up for her man (ok technically he wasn't her man yet but still!)
"MJ cool it," Peter whispered trying to calm her down.
"I bet if Peter tried out for the team, he'll be the starting slot receiver you guys so desperately need!" she continued challenging and huffing.
"You're on! After school, practice field. Bring a cup Parker. And I don't mean one to drink out of."
As Flash walked away, a panicking Peter grabbed Mary Jane by the shoulders.
"Mary Jane are you insane!? I can't just waltz into tryouts and win the job like that! I-I've never played football in my life!"
"Oh hush, Tiger. You've got this. Besides, I stuck my neck out for you! I believe in you and you'd best deliver this afternoon!"
"But like...why tho!"
"Because I'm tired of guys like Flash putting you down. I mean it when I say you are a stud! I just want people to see you the way I see you."
"I mean that's great and all MJ but I don't really need to show off like that though."
"Tell you what. If you try out, make the team, and play in the upcoming game, I'll do something that would be deemed equally embarrassing."
"Sigh...I don't really much of a say in this do I?"
"Nope not at all."
Honestly, Peter had absolutely no clue how he ended up here. A year ago, he never would have even thought about joining the football team. Sure he enjoyed the occasional Jets game with Uncle Ben back in the day, but actually playing football? Nope. No way. Back then it was because he really wasn't athletic. Now it was because he was too athletic. And yet here he was wearing football pads and a number eight jersey. To Flash's chagrin, Peter was indeed the starting slot receiver. All Mary Jane had to do was pout her red lips and bat her green eyes at Petet and boom, he blew away the coaches at practice. Gosh she really was pretty wasn't she. He reminisced about how drastically different his senior year had turned out so far ever since the fiery redhead slammed her lunch sack in front of him. He had been happier really. Mary Jane was someone he woke up every day hoping to see smile. It helped that they were next door neighbors and walked to school everyday. She also gave him purpose as Spider-Man. Somehow he felt more confident knowing that every little thing he did could possibly help Mary Jane live a safer life. As such, sometimes it felt so easy agreeing to do whatever ridiculous request she had because it made her smile...Hang on a second.
"Where is she?" Peter said aloud.
"Who?" Kenny one of the offensive lineman asked.
"Mary Jane."
"Oh your girlfriend!"
"Yea...wait I mean no she's not my...uh I just don't see her in the stands."
"Hmm I don't see her either. Eh don't sweat it. She probably got stuck in traffic or something. Focus up Parker. We're gonna need ya."
Kenny slapped Peter on the butt and walked down the sideline. Peter frowned as he scratched his head.
"She's the one who made me do this. Least she could do was come to the game."
Just as he was lamenting the fact that MJ was missing, Peter was suddenly glomped by their school mascot, Midtown's own Mikey the Tiger. Mikey's big fluffy paws all but crushed Peter into a big warm tiger hug.
"Ok ok Mikey. It's nice to see you too!" Peter strained as Mikey continued crushing him.
When he was finally released, Peter patted Mikey on the oversized head. Mikey returned the gesture by waving both paws and giving two thumbs up.
"Hehe thanks for the vote of confidence. Here's hoping it'll be a good game."
Mikey nodded and stuck a paw up which Peter hi-fived.
Nearing the end of the third quarter, Midtown was down 28 to 3 (hehe 😉). Peter had yet to catch a single pass but not of his own choosing. Flash simply refused to even look his way. Multiple times he was wide open down the seam or left his defender in the dust and was open in the middle. And yet Flash either threw it away or opted for a more difficult pass.
Once again on third down and 7, Flash took the ball in shotgun. Peter zigzag'd around his cornerback and curled to sit in the hole in the zone. Wide open. But no. Flash took a sack instead. Fourth down. As Flash jogged to the sideline, he was surprisingly met by Mikey the Tiger. Instead of hugging Flash though, Mikey pummeled him multiple times with those big furry paws.
"Ow ow hey what's the deal you crazy cat!"
Mikey huffed and stomped furiously pointing right at Peter. Peter was confused and turned around to see who the mascot was pointing to.
"OW!" Peter exclaimed as Mikey had slapped the back of his head.
The rather overzealous mascot put both paws on Peter's shoulders, turned him to face Flash, and pointed a finger right to Peter's face.
"What?" Flash asked.
"I uh think what Mikey here is trying to say is I've been open on nearly every passing play, Flash."
Mikey nodded giving a thumbs up.
"Pft you're not open every play."
"Yea well you're not even looking my way."
"Hey who's played more football here? You haven't been any of my primary reads. Just let me do me, Parker."
Flashed walked away leaving Peter to stew a bit. But then Mikey pushed him in the back. Peter turned around to see Mikey in a fighting stance givng a one two punch implying Peter should stand up for himself. Agreeing, Peter called out back to Flash.
"That's a lie and you know it, Flash!"
"Whatchu say?" Flash snarled.
"I know the playbook just as well as you do, maybe even more. I'm good at studying remember? I know that I was the primary read for at least 70 percent of the plays thus far. You just don't want to throw it to me."
"Yea? So what?"
"Look Flash, I know we've had our differences so far, and by no means am I trying to encroach in your field of football. But right now we gotta work together if you even want to make this a game. Alright?"
"...you're right. You gonna get open next drive?"
"Just hit me in the numbers."
The Midtown defense somehow forced a punt giving the offense the ball with a minute left in the third.
"Alright boys. Let's go pro right 90 pineapple Y option. Ready? Break!"
Peter lined up in his spot as the opposing corner lined up in front of him.
"Pft. I know this formation. I watch a lotta film. You gonna run up and break outside. Imma get that pick and take it back for six. Just watch," the corner tried to taunt Peter.
"You watch film, huh? Well watch this," Peter confidently trash talked back.
"Set...HUT HUT."
Flash dropped back to pass. Peter indeed ran up field and bobbed his head to the right as if he was breaking out. But immediately, he planted his foot on the ground and turned on a dime to the left causing his corner to trip on his own feet. Peter was now wide open in the middle, and Flash actually threw it to him. Peter caught the ball with ease and turned upfield spliting the safeties. He ran the length of the field untouched into the endzone. TOUCHDOWN! 28-9 pending extra point. Interestingly the first person to celebrate Peter's first touchdown with him wasn't any of his teammates, but Mikey the Tiger. The exuberant mascot ran down the field alongside Peter to hug him in the endzone.
"Hahaah ok ok Mikey. We still got a lot of game to play!"
Mikey patted Peter on the head and ran back to the sideline. Flash came up and bumped fists with Peter.
"Gotta admit. That was pretty sweet, Parker."
"Just keep feeding me, Flash. We may win this thing."
A few drives later, Peter and Flash's newfound connection cut the lead down to 28-24. Peter's ten catches, 165 yards, and three touchdowns definitely helped Midtown mount this comeback. With only ten seconds left in the game, the Midtown Tigers were set up at the five on fourth down. One play. One last chance to come out with a victory.
"Alright boys. Here's the call. Express Raider F-22 Raptor Key Whip Maverick on 2. Ready? BREAK," Flash barked out call.
He lined up in shotgun with a single back next to him. One wide receiver left, Peter and another on the right. Peter waited with anticipation as Flash went through the cadence. From the corner of his eye, he spotted Mikey with paws covering the eyes shaking in fear. With a signal from Flash, Peter motioned left.
"Blue 90 set hut HUT!"
Flash took the snap and rolled left. Peter was supposed to break left but all the defenders shifted over there. Seeing a hole in the coverage, Peter turned around towards the right and sat in the back of the endzone. Flash was running for his life away from the defensive lineman. Spotting Peter, Flash heaved up a desperation pass. The ball sailed pretty high forcing Peter to just do and not think. With a little bit of Spidey-agility he jumped just high enough to snag the ball with one hand. As he leaned back and fell to the ground, he pointed his toes just enough the get both feet in bounds.
"TOUCHDOWN MIDTOWN TIGERS RIGHT AT THE BUZZER" the anouncer screamed into the microphone, "MIDTOWN WINS! MIDTOWN WINS"
Peter laid down on the ground to savor the moment...before being rudely interrupted by Mikey jumping on top of him. Boy this was one really involved mascot. Mikey had taken off Peter's helmet and was tapping the front snout of the mask all over Peter's face as if the crazy mascot was kissing him. Eventually, Mikey let him go to celebrate with the rest of the team on the huge win! Through all the hugs and the pats, Peter scanned the crowd to find a certain redhead. His favorite redhead. She was nowhere to be seen. Here he was having a heckava first game, and his best friend was nowhere to be found.
The Monday after, Peter placed his backpack in his locker still downtrodden at not seeing MJ all weekend. All of a sudden his world went dark as a pair of soft hands covered his eyes.
"Guess whoooo?" her voiced sang through the air and into his ears.
"Hmmmm Audrey Hepburn?" he teased back.
"Pft. I wish!"
She let go of his eyes and he turned around and hugged her.
"So? I told you you could do it. 170 yards and 4 touchdowns! You're not just a stud, Tiger. You're a super stud hahaha."
"I guess. It was a pretty good feeling being the hero."
"I bet you just love being the hero, huh?" she winked at him.
"I uh well I mean it's really uh gratifying I guess," he stammered while he blushed.
"Hehe see! All you needed was a gentle push from your bestie!" she laughed giving him a little shove.
"Honestly though, I'm kinda glad it's over. Polytech beat us out for the last playoff spot. Looks like star receiver Peter Parker is one and done."
"That's a shame. You looked really good in pads. The pants really bring out your cute butt," she teased further slapping his butt.
"Hey! Also how would you know what I looked like in pads. You didn't come to the game last week. You were the one who pushed me to try out in the first place."
"Who said I wasn't there?"
"Huh?"
"Let's just say for that night, you weren't the only tiger roaming the sidelines."
Realization hit Peter as Mary Jane stuck her tongue out to tease him.
"Wait...that was you under the mask? You were Mikey the Tiger?!"
"Hehehe guilty as charged. I told you I'd do something equally embarrassing."
"Ok first off, I wouldn't count that as equally embarrassing since nobody knew you were in that costume."
"You kidding? It was hot in that suit! My hair was a mess afterwards!"
"But man, that explains so much! You were totally playing favorites as Mikey!"
"Well, I had to support my man after all," she blurted without thinking.
"Y-your...man?" Peter blushed again at what she seemed to be referring to.
"Uhhh, of course haha. My uh guy. My dood. Heheh. My BEST FRIEND after all hahah," she also blushed trying to salvage the situation.
"Oh. Right. Of course. Friend."
"Yea! Haha. Anyway c'mon we gotta get to class!"
As Mary Jane scampered down the hall, another interesting revelation hit Peter.
"Hey wait MJ! Were you kissing me in the endzone after the last play? MJ? MJ? MARY JANE!"
AN: I wrote this on my phone on a 15 hour flight lolol. Woulda uploaded it sooner but this website's UI is sooo bad.