Irondad Oneshots

harley keener wasn't stupid

harley keener wasn't stupid, okay?

he wasn't Tony Stark Smart. he wasn't Peter Parker Smart. he definitely wasn't Bruce Banner Smart. he's even pretty sure his intelligent wouldn't compare to those like natasha or cap or the others.

he's not stupid, he's just not Smart.

he can do the upgrades, he can work through friday's coding, he can pass his classes with ease. he's not stupid.

but he knows his place.

in a tower filled to the brim with geniuses and superheroes, he knows exactly where he falls on the hierarchy. he'd like to think he falls above at least some of them, but even that would be a little too confident.

he's not stupid.

despite being told by every teacher that he wouldn't be smart enough to make it out of rose hill. despite his father not even bothering to stick around. despite his sister already on her way to bigger, better things.
despite never matching up to the kinds of intelligence he's surrounded with. despite it all, he'll say it again, he's not stupid.

but maybe,

just maybe,

he's not good enough.

he's not smart enough.

he's not strong enough.

he's not enough.

he'll never be enough.

that's just something he'll have to come to terms with, is all.

peter loves him. it should be enough to change his mind, but his dad told harley he loved him too. it doesn't mean as much as it should. his dad told his mom he loved her almost every day like he meant it. everything was perfect between them, until it wasn't.

he's waiting for the breaking point between him and peter.

it's not like he'd ever compare to somebody like peter. somebody who saves lives on the daily and has saved the world more than once. somebody who's kind to the very core, not a single bad bone in his body. somebody unbelievable intelligent, answers always within reach of his fingertips.

harley wishes he looked to peter as a role model, instead of just a target for his festering jealousy. he wishes he could look at peter like the way peter looks harley. he's not as good as peter, though, he knows this.

it might as well be carved right into his bones. not good enough.

it is carved into the wood of his dresser back home.
he sits cross-legged in front of the mirror and repeats it again. harley keener isn't stupid.

not good enough, it echoes back.

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