Irondad Oneshots

Useless

Useless. Just plain useless.

Peter Stark couldn't seem to do anything right. He was slacking in school and getting poor grades, messing up while patrolling as Spider-Man, and of course this caused tension between him and his father.

"When I call your name, come get your test. Alexander...Kiara.....John...Haylee..."

Peter waited anxiously at his desk for his name to be called. He had studied extra hard for this history test and was hoping for something to make his dad proud. Ah pride, something nobody how felt of Peter in so long.

Finally, the teacher called him to the desk as the bell rang. As the room cleared out, Peter was handed his test with a 57% marked on top next to a big red F.

"Peter, you've been dropping the ball lately. I understand things are going on in everyone's personal lives, but honey, this is your second F in two weeks. Your dad has to sign that test at the top of the page and you need to bring it back to me." The teacher explained sympathetically.

Peter felt horrible. He studied so hard for this, how could he have failed? He mumbled something incoherent before taking the test and leaving the room. At least that was the last class of the day, time for patrol.

But of course, patrol couldn't go right either. He let two thieves get away and couldn't save a child from being kidnapped. On top of that, he got yelled at by a few people because he was causing mild disruptions in their daily lives that they didn't much like.

When he finally got home, he was tired and mentally drained. And Tony was in a bad mood because of course he would be in a bad mood tonight.

Peter went straight to his room to give both of them time to cool off and maybe feel better. He began working on his math homework. He was putting it away when he saw the test and felt sick; he needed Tony's signature.

He took a deep breath before picking up the test and walking to the living room, keeping his gaze down at the floor.

"Dad, I failed another test and you have to sign it." He spoke, keeping his eyes pointed at the carpet. He didn't even notice that Tony was on a speakerphone call with Fury until after he spoke.

"I'll call you back." Tony said before hanging up and glaring at Peter. "You failed another test and chose to tell me while I was on speakerphone with Fury?"

"I-I didn't realize you were on a call. I'm sorry." Peter said, looking at his dad who was clearly enraged.

"You can't do these things, you idiot! Use your head once in awhile! Now Fury knows you're not as smart as he was under the impression of and Spider-Man is going to be an even bigger problem than before! Not to mention that we were talking because there were several complaints about Spider-Man today and footage that showed you letting a child be kidnapped! He's going to make Spider-Man disappear if you don't get it together! Why can't you just be better?! You are so useless sometimes, Peter!" Tony didn't know what he said until he said it. Peter couldn't unhear it and it felt like his heart had been ripped from his chest and stomped on.

He looked down at the floor, tears falling down his face against his will. "I know I'm useless. I'm sorry. I'll have someone else sign it and say you were busy." He spoke quietly, trying not to sob.

"Peter-" Tony tried weakly, feeling instant regret for what he said. He hadn't meant it, he was mad and didn't think about what he was saying before he said it.

"It's fine." Peter waved him off before going to the elevator and going to Clint's floor. He sniffled as he got off the elevator, just needing the test signed so he could go back to his room and cry about everything in peace.

"Hey Pete!" Clint greeted as he rushed off the couch to meet him before seeing how sad he looked. "Whoa, what happened buddy?"

Peter sniffled again and shrugged. "I just need you to sign this."

Clint's eyebrows furrowed as Peter handed him the test. "You failed another test?" He asked softly, receiving a slight head nod from the teen. "Isn't your dad supposed to sign this?"

"Yeah, but I...he's just.....I'm useless!" Peter lost control and began sobbing hard, being immediately pulled into a hug from his uncle. "My dad said I'm useless and it's true!"

Clint's heart ached for Peter and he wanted to punch Tony. Peter practically worshipped the ground his dad walked on and always had. Everything Tony said was right in Peter's eyes and he would defend him until the end of the line. And Tony said this to him? Of course Peter believes it, especially after failing a test and clearly having a bad day. "It's not true, Pete. You are not useless."

"Yes I am!" Peter cried, unable to hold back anymore. "I'm useless and stupid and can't do anything right! Dad said to be better but I can't because I'm already trying as hard as I can! I can't do this anymore, I need a break!"

"Do what anymore? What do you need a break from, buddy?" Clint asked, slowly guiding Peter to the couch and sitting with the boy leaning against his chest.

"Life, living. I need it to stop. I don't want to live anymore." And then Clint's heart shattered. This boy had been hurting for awhile and his dad's words just sent him over the edge.

"It's okay, Pete. You're going to be alright. You are smart and strong and you have a bigger, more pure heart than anybody I've ever met. I understand life's tough, especially for a teenager trying to balance school and being a superhero and normal life. But I need you here, everybody needs you right here. Your dad made a mistake tonight by not thinking before he spoke and I'm sorry he hurt you. But I also know that he's sorry, too." Clint said, combing his fingers through Peter's hair and listening as the boy's sobs turned to hiccups and then to soft snoring.

He held Peter close to him as the boy slept, glaring at Tony when he walked off the elevator fifteen minutes later.

"Is he okay?" Tony asked sheepishly, noticing the tear stains on his son's sleeping face.

"No thanks to you. How could you say such mean things to your own son? He doesn't want to live anymore. He has worshipped the ground you walk on and hung on to every word you have ever said since he was born. You hurt him bad and it can't be undone. If he wasn't asleep on me right now, I would shoot an arrow through your fucking arc reactor." Clint seethed just loud enough so Peter wouldn't wake up.

Tony nodded. "I wish you would. I don't deserve a kid this perfect."

"You don't. But you're going to fix this, for him. I don't care what you do, but you're going to make it up to him someway, somehow."

And so, after apologizing several hundred times and talking it out with the teenager, Tony pulled Peter from school and took him to Disney World for a week.

Kinda shitty ending, but here it is