A/N: Hey, guys! I'm running low on stories already, so if you've got ANY ideas, please share! Even if it's simply just characters you'd like to see, just let me know! Could really use some inspiration.

10. SMART

"Wilbur?" Franny said, stepping into her son's room. "Honey, I've been calling you down for almost a half hour." She sat beside him on his bed. "Is everything okay?"

"No."

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"I just...don't want to celebrate my birthday, that's all," He grumbled, arms prominently crossed over his chest.

"But sweetie, you love your birthday."

"Not this year."

"Why not?"

"Because...because I don't want to be 14!" He exclaimed, before quickly turning away.

Franny blinked. "What's wrong with being 14?"

The boy only muttered in reply.

"Wilbur..." His mother warned.

"Because...that's the age dad was...when he graduated...college."

Franny took her hand away from her son's shoulder and placed it on her lap. "Oh."

"And I'm not even close," He said, finally looking back at his mother. "I'm just not...smart like him."

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. "Hey, everything okay in there?" After a moment, Cornelius let himself in. "Uncle Joe's seen the cake, son. We should get to those candles before a riot breaks out!" He chuckled.

Franny shook her head, then motioned it over at Wilbur, his head down.

"What seems to be the trouble?"

"Wilbur doesn't think he's smart," Franny answered for him.

"My boy?" Cornelius began. "Not smart?" He huffed, the statement completely absurd to him.

"Well, I'm not," Wilbur muttered into his chest, before looking up. "You were already finished with college when you were my age."

His father blinked, taken aback. "Is that what this is about?"

Franny shrugged solemnly, while Wilbur returned to his head down position. Cornelius excused Franny then, asking her to calm things downstairs, as the sound of plates breaking began to echo through the halls.

When she left, Cornelius took her place on the bed, resting a hand on his son's shoulder. "Wilbur," He began. "Wilbur, look at me."

The boy forced his vision upwards.

"Now listen," He said, his voice firm. "You are smartest person I know."

Wilbur rolled his eyes.

"You are," Cornelius pressed. "Because without you, I never would have graduated at the age of 14."

"What?"

"It's true," He insisted. "I never would have succeeded in showing off my first invention...I never would have met your mother...I never would have seen my mother..."

Wilbur looked up, surprised.

"I couldn't have done any of that without your help," His father said, shaking his shoulder lightly. "And helping a little orphan boy ultimately become the Father of the Future...well, I'm certain you'd have to be just about the smartest kid in the world to do something like that."

"Yeah..." The raven-haired boy considered this for a moment longer. "Yeah! I guess you're right!" He stood up with sudden empowerment and headed towards his bedroom door. Just before his hand reached the doorknob, though, he glanced behind him. "Thanks, dad."

"No, Wilbur," Cornelius stood up and wrapped an arm around his boy's shoulders. "Thank you."