Hi all! Had the rough draft for this one for so long and finally happy I finished. This is for day fourteen of whumptober: Fire! Thanks for reading.

He didn't know why the number came to mind or how after so many years he still had it memorized. The stranger's phone dangled in front of him, their eyes flat with no room for argument, and with no other options available he typed in the ten digits without thinking. Of course, now the phone was ringing all he wanted to do was hang up.

"It's Tony, what's up?"

Absurd. This was how he answered his phone from an unknown number? His voice was low and even; so casual like he was greeting an old friend. His chest throbbed and he rubbed it before answering. He cringed at how he sounded like his teenage self.

"Mr.- Mr. Stark?"

The line went silent. He rubbed his chest again. The man wouldn't remember his one-time mentee and their short-lived acquaintanceship. Unwanted memories of long afternoons in the lab, sitting side by side working on homework or 'company bullshit' as he would call it. Their totality was painfully short but Peter could remember ever last time Mr. Stark greeted him with a smile and drove him home with a wink to May.

All of it was cut short by the ferry incident. The taste of bitter shame was still palatable years later and then like he couldn't catch a break the fight with Toomes happened. Peter ended in the med bay afterward. Days went by and he didn't see anyone besides the nurses and doctors. They told him Mr. Stark came to visit but he was always asleep. In time he healed and was sent home. It hadn't even been a week and the email arrived. He was no longer in the internship program. The program Mr. Stark made up as cover for his Spiderman activities. The program that officially didn't exist and he was fired.

Peter spent the next weeks locked in his room. His phone stayed silent no matter how much time he stared at it. May tried to talk to him but he wouldn't respond. He tried to call Happy and Mr. Stark too many times to count but there was no answer. There would never be an answer until now.

Life for Spiderman moved on. His web slinging and crime fighting were no match for the small deeds and neighborhoods disputes. He could handle those himself even if it lacked the spark the patrols usually had. No, it was Peter's life that crumbled. Late at night when all the doubts began creeping in, he thought how pathetic it was he'd grown so attached to the first father figure who came into his life. It did make sense that figure was someone resistant to the role in Peter's life.

The consequences bleed into his regular life. He began acting out. May, too kind and compassionate, was there for him through all the slamming doors, backtalk, and lying. She was called franticly when he didn't come home and was waiting with a blanket when he came home smelling of booze. Even when he dropped out of college, the car loaded with his clothes and news of a child, May smiled and hugged him as he began crying.

She was gone now. Their apartment building was in ashes. Peter was alone.

He swallowed and almost hung up but a small hand tugged on his sleeve. He looked down to see a beautiful mess of curly hair. His daughter all bright brown eyes and smiles even given these circumstances smiled up at him.

Raya.

There wasn't any other way. The two of them had no one else and although this was a long shot, Peter had to try, for her. He cleared his throat again and began louder.

"Mr. Stark, this is Peter Parker. I'm, ah…"

"Kid." The man said in a breathy voice. "Peter, I could never forget you."

Heat stirred in his chest at the lie. Hadn't the man already forgotten him before? There was a sour taste in his mouth as accusations rested on the tip of his tongue but Raya climbed onto his lap and snuggled into his chest. With his free hand he brushed back her bangs and rubbed her back in circles to soothe her as much as him.

"Mr. Stark, I-"

"Please, it always been just Tony."

He was old enough now he supposed. They could be on equal ground now that he was an adult. The name was weird to say but Peter forced himself to say it.

"Alright, Tony then. I have a favor to ask. We've been stuck with a bit of bad luck. There was a fire…"

"Anything you need. Anything at all, Peter, I would be happy to help."

"It's only until we get back on our feet and I promise we'll pay you back."

Tony insisted there wasn't any need for repayment. He had too much money as it was, he said, but Peter couldn't help the nagging in the back of his mind. No matter what had happened he didn't want to be a burden on anyone. Still, there was no use arguing for the time being. Tony was far too stubborn, that Peter remembered well, and in this case, he wasn't in a position to repay anything so Peter gave the address of the hospital. They went to wait outside.

Raya's legs swung back and forth on the bench beside him. She wiped a sleeve across her nose, sniffling into the material. The doctor's said these small side effects of smoke inhalation would go away in time but he couldn't help the worry he felt. She was still young and although there were no outward signs of trauma from the fire, he knew with time she would begin to focus on what happened. Peter held out his hand and smiled when she squeezed her fingers back.

The fingers on his watch spun on. Mr. Stark – No, Tony – had said he would have someone swing by in…now. A door closed and Peter's throat closed up. The man did nothing in half measures back in the day and it appeared the trait was still present. He didn't have just anyone come to pick them up. Tony himself stepped out of the car and was walking over to them.

Peter stood up and brushed down the wrinkles in his shirt. They were a stranger's clothes and although the shirt was too long and the jacket a bit tight through the shoulders, he was thankful someone in the hospital thought about it. Tony looked much the same. Nice jeans, graphic band tee, and a blazer that was tailored perfectly.

The man hesitated at the hand Peter offered. Some expression passed over his features too quick for Peter to interpret but then his hand enveloped his and they shook.

"Tony, I can't thank you enough for the help."

"Nothing to thank me for Peter. It's good to see you, kid."

"Dad's not a kid. I am!"

He held his breath. It wasn't on purpose that he left the addition of his daughter out of their phone call but, well, he didn't think Tony was a man inclined to like children. So, if the detail of Raya slipped his mind during his request for help, Peter didn't care. All he cared about was Raya who, at the moment, was holding onto his leg from behind. She peeked around him to glare at Tony.

"It's a nickname, sweetheart. Come say hi to Mr. Stark." He put a hand on her shoulder and guided her around his legs so her heels were stepping on the tips of his shoes. He winced at a particularly hard step as she fidgeted.

Her head was bowed and Peter could see her twisting the sleeves of her shirt in her palms. She sniffled again. Tony's eyes remained on her unblinking as his mouth gaped open. No wonder she was nervous. Peter was about to break the tension when Tony cleared his throat. All the emotions on his face hidden away behind a smile. He hiked up his pants by the knees and squatted down so he was Raya's height before sticking his hand out.

"Hello there. I'm Tony Stark, an old friend of your fathers. May I ask what your name is?"

She leaned back into Peter and he squeezed her shoulders hoping she would be polite. With caution, as if she was measuring Tony's sincerity, she brought her hand up and his old mentor and daughter shook hands. Tony like everyone else who met Raya couldn't help but smile at her.

"I'm Raya and I'm seven years old. Dad never mentioned you before but he does that sometimes. I love forests though. Are we staying by a forest? One of my favorite type of tree is a Quaking Aspen or Populous Trembly…" She trailed off and scrunched up her nose. Her head fell backward trying to look at Peter.

"It's pronounced Populus tremuloides."

"Yeah, that!" She said and looked back to Tony for his response.

The man rocked back on his heels but stayed low. Peter couldn't help but feel like this was important. He wanted Raya to like Tony and vice versa. It wouldn't do to dwell on why yet, though.

"Not everyone shares your love for trees, Raya."

"Actually, mine is the Abies Balsamea or Balsam fir. It grows around the cabin I own upstate."

Raya glowed at his statement. He knew that anyone who respected her love of trees was alright in her book, but someone who knew them and their names. Well, Tony just earned a friend for life. She stepped off of Peter's feet and toward the man crouching down.

"I like those too." She said fidgeting with her sleeves again.

"Maybe you can visit one day and see them in person."

Peter clenched his fists but nodded at the hopeful look his daughter gave him. He didn't want to get her hopes up but he couldn't stand for her to be upset so soon. Yes, he wanted them to like each other but he also had to keep what happened in mind. If she grew attached and Tony left again he wasn't sure if he could take it; if they both could survive another person leaving them. He shook his head knowing he was getting ahead of himself. Raya sniffled, coughing into her hands. Peter pulled out the hand sanitizer and sprayed her hands as Tony stood up.

"Shall we go?"

Raya turned and buried her head against Peter's thigh for a moment. Tony stretched out his legs in front of them. As soon as he was done his little girl stepped onto the curb and grabbed Tony's hand. Peter got the bag they had from the hospital and watched from under his lashes as Raya began lecturing Tony about all the different trees they might see on the way to Tony's cabin. The man helped her up into the car, making sure her legs could reach the step, and she curled up in the backseat like she owned the vehicle.

Raya fell asleep to the sound of the engine, leaving Tony and Peter alone.

There were so many things he could say that nothing came to mind. Spiteful words floated around in his skull but he wouldn't act on them. Maybe it was best to continue the silence.

He had thought he was past the blazing red emotions, that they were left behind in his teenage years, but it turned out some remained, hibernating until such a reunion arrived. He stretched his legs out.

"A kid, huh?" Tony said without looking away from the road. "I must be getting old."

Peter shrugged and crossed his legs before uncrossing them again. Tony sighed but he didn't care. He was acting like Raya did when he sent told her it was bedtime, but he didn't care. Or maybe it was he cared too much. He startled back when he felt a hand touch his arm.

"Kid, I think we need to talk, but whatever we say I am here to help you through this, whether you want me there or not."

Peter crossed his legs. He stared at Tony. His sunglasses didn't hide the wrinkles around his eyes anymore and the grey hairs were much more prominent than before. Time affected them both. Peter knew he needed to let go of these lingering resentments, his fear of rejection.

He and Hannah had tried to teach Raya how to navigate her feelings and what to do with them afterward. First to identify them, if you could, and then figuring out how you wanted to act in a certain situation. Feelings were sticky and sometimes burdensome, leading you astray, but sometimes they were beautiful in their pain or elation. Whatever the feelings were, they told Raya, they were hers and were always valid.

It was time he took those lessons to heart. His heart clenched from the pressure but he began to untangle the mess of emotions he'd carried around for so many years. They would need to talk but he would be ready. Honesty began with oneself and he would try from there. Peter turned to look back at his sleeping daughter before nodding at Tony.

Thank you! Let me know what you think.