Kakashi was sitting on the railings of Avengers Tower as he silently looked at the city of New York.
The wind brushed against his silver hair and the edge of his mask. He sat balanced on the thin railing.
'So much has changed in my life yet one thing remains the same. It seems like wherever I go, losses follow me.' The thought weighed heavily on his heart.
He remembered the faces of those he could not save in the other reality. Pietro's sacrifice, Wanda's choice to stay behind, and the billions lost when Jean's power went out of control.
The pain felt fresh even now. Kakashi had seen many deaths in his life as a shinobi, but each new loss reminded him of the old ones. He wondered if he carried some kind of curse that brought tragedy to those around him.
'Father, I think I get you now. Sometimes I feel that I could end it all too but then... I think what would happen if I was not here. I am hoping that me being there would reduce the amount of losses if not completely stop them.' He thought about his father's final moments and the heavy burden of responsibility that came with power.
Kakashi had once judged his father harshly, but now he understood the loneliness of a leader. He carried the weight of the Avengers, the new mutants, and the safety of an entire world. Giving up was not an option. Too many people depended on him. He stared at the city and silently promised to keep fighting so others would not have to feel the same pain he carried.
His musing stopped as he heard someone approach from behind. He turned his head slightly to see Natasha walking towards him with quiet steps. Her red hair moved gently in the wind. She stopped a few feet away and looked at him with understanding eyes.
"You looked like someone who could use a talk and maybe even a hug," Natasha said softly. Her voice was gentle, without the usual sharpness she used in missions.
Kakashi chuckled lightly. "Is this one of your strategies to get me unmasked? But I am pretty sure you have already seen me without it." He tried to keep his tone light, but the tiredness in his voice was clear.
Natasha stepped closer and leaned against the railing beside him. "I never imagined you to be looking so human behind that mask if I was being honest. I only saw what was underneath the cloth mask but I think during the rest of our mission in the other universe, I also saw through your invisible mask. The mask that every human wears and hides behind, same as me," Natasha said.
She spoke with honesty that came from her own painful past. She had spent years building walls around her heart, just like Kakashi had done.
Kakashi gave her a side eye and asked, "And what did you see?"
"A vulnerable man who tried to act all strong but is hiding his fears of losing everything... losing everything once again," Natasha said. Her words hit close to home. She understood the fear of watching people die and feeling responsible for it. "And do you know how I found out about it? Because I am the same." Natasha said as she gave Kakashi a hug from behind.
Her arms wrapped around his shoulders gently but firmly. The gesture was unexpected.
Kakashi's eyes widened as he felt the hug. For a moment he stayed still, surprised by the comfort it brought. He chuckled softly. "Who would have thought that the Black Widow would be understanding the emotions of other people. It seems like the Red Room was not that successful in removing all your emotions, were they?" His voice carried both amusement and genuine respect for her growth.
"Now if you would excuse me, I have other matters to attend to," Kakashi said. He slipped through Natasha's arms, passing through her body as he used Kamui and disappeared in a swirl. His form twisted into nothing and left her standing alone on the rooftop.
Natasha mumbled as she looked at the empty air that she was now hugging. "You also can't share your pain and burden with others."
---
Kakashi appeared in Tony's workspace where he was working on one of his suits. The lab was filled with the sounds of machines and the bright glow of tools. Tony looked up as he was welding something. Sparks flew around him as he lifted his protective mask.
"Sup mate, don't see you much here," Tony said with his usual casual charm. He wiped his hands on a cloth and turned to face Kakashi fully.
"I was looking to give you this," Kakashi said as he unfurled a storage scroll. With a puff of smoke, he released the Destroyer that Loki had sent after Thor when Thor first arrived on Earth. The large armored figure stood tall in the lab, its metal surface still impressive even when inactive.
"Isn't this the thing that was destroying New Mexico and works on magic?" Tony asked. He walked around the armor with excited eyes, already scanning it with his tools. "Wow, whatever this metal is, it is strong. Not as strong as vibranium but still very good. I think I can make good use of this magic suit."
"Why did you even have it?" Tony asked curiously while touching the armor's surface.
"Well, I was trying to discover myself again for some reason and I was trying to be a puppeteer which is a shinobi art where a shinobi uses puppets to fight the battles," Kakashi explained logically. " But I have since then realised that my fighting style does not fit it. I am more of a frontline fighter and I like to fight myself. Distance fighting feels wrong for me now. I need to be in the middle of the action where I can protect my team directly. Puppets are useful for some shinobi, but they are not for me."
Torny gave some thought as it looked at the puppet.
"I am working on some special suit. You want to change your shinobi gear? I can customise it to you so that it fits perfectly,"
Tony said. "Do you want it though? I asked Cap and like the old fashioned guy he is, he said he rather like to fight with just his shield and fists." Tony laughed as he remembered the conversation with Steve. "Cap actually said technology is good but nothing beats good old American stubbornness and a strong right hook. The man is a walking history museum. I offered him repulsors for his shield and he looked at me like I suggested painting it pink."
"Relying on technology, huh. I have come to know that I have to adapt as the situation changes. And I think that a new battle armor would do me just good," Kakashi said seriously. He had faced too many powerful enemies lately. A suit that could support him without slowing him down would be very helpful in future battles.
Tony smiled big. "Good. I will make you a suit that would just fit your needs. Could you give some of your kunais, shuriken and ninja wire that you use? Also I would need some of those storage scrolls. I will take Clint's help to use them and integrate the technology properly."
"Very well. Just make sure it is something that would not hinder my already fighting style," Kakashi said. He took out several scrolls and weapons from his pouch and handed them to Tony.
-----Author Notes---------
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