497A/N: Hi :') I didn't expect to update so late, sorry. I always told myself I would update soon, but life happened - yknow, studying, pandemic, love and heartbreak, graduation, working, and all - and a one year hiatus became four. I guessed I just never did find the time to come back. Lowkey laughed when I realised my previous author's note said I was researching Uni courses. Ha! And now I've graduated! It took me four years to write one (1) chapter, oh my HAHA.
Anyway, to those that still stuck around, thank you! I'm touched :') No promises about updating earlier since I'm working now (wow!) but I'll try. Also, no one told me Chap 11 was filled with mistakes omg, I winced so much looking at it. Chap 11's been updated too, mostly to fix some errors. I actually do have a plot in mind for this story, but let's see if I can actually finish it. Hope you like this chapter! :)
Shift 12
Midoriya lingered around his training spot every single day for an entire week.
To shake things up a little, Kakashi started varying his timing. But unfortunately for him, that was not enough to throw off the boy.
Why was the boy almost always there when he went to the training spot? How did Midoriya manage to still keep track of him when he was making extra care to vary his timing? He had an inkling suspicion that the boy was just camping there 24/7, but if he wanted to do that, so be it.
Anyway, Kakashi openly sauntered around with eroticas, and he's friends with someone who is more intense and who exclusively wore green jumpsuits, so who was he to judge, really.
Even so, seeing him waiting excitedly at the clearing every single day was a bit too much. There goes my personal time, he lamented when he found Midoriya waiting for him at the clearing on Day 3. Kakashi didn't sign up to be an over-glorified babysitter playing hide-n-seek with his charge.
A small part of him, though, was impressed by his tenacity. If anything, this boy is dedicated. Perhaps…
No! He shook his head to rid himself of the bad ideas. No perhaps, no funny ideas about teaching, nothing. Midoriya's behaviour was (promising) totally normal for a young boy of his age, he was sure. Not that Kakashi knew for sure, since there were cultural differences between his world and this, but he bet this was probably somewhat normal. (A/N: it's not.)
At least Midoriya kept his word. Every time, he would just sit there and watch quietly. Not once did he try to imitate Kakashi, which pleased the ninja. So the boy knew how to listen to instructions, after all.
Sure, his eyes would be wide with excitement, and he would be constantly oohing and aahing at everything the ninja did, but that's all very harmless. Kakashi wasn't affected, because Kakashi wasn't a show off.
And if Kakashi decided that this month was a good time to practice obscure moves that were more flamboyant than useful on the battlefield - well, it's always good to keep all your skills sharp, right? Never know when they might come into handy. It had nothing to do with making Midoriya yell in excitement, truly. Of course not, because he was not a show-off, and Midoriya's reaction meant nothing to him.
Kakashi wiped the sweat off his brows as he stretched his back. Bending down and farming was tiring and repetitive and he was bored. The sweltering summer heat was going to kill him. In the distance, he spotted a familiar blue car parked under the inviting shade of an oak tree. The officer was leaning against the car, slightly tilted to face the woods.
"I'm going to take a break, Daichi-san."
The man addressed was already on a break, fanning himself furiously with a straw fan. Daichi waved him off.
Kakashi teleported to the blessedly cool relief of the shade. Tamakawa's hand reached into the car to pull out a bottle of chilled water. Without looking at his direction, he threw it at Kakashi. The shinobi caught it swiftly, gulping it down in a matter of seconds.
He wiped his mouth, nodding appreciatively. "Thanks."
"Don't look now," Tamakawa said conversationally, swirling his tumbler, "but I think you picked up a green-haired leech." Ice clinked. "Your ten o'clock, tree with the yellow flowers."
Kakashi raised his eyebrow before rolling his eyes. He turned around, ignoring Tamakawa's hiss, and propped his hands on his hips. He could see the tips of two shoes pointing out from behind the tree Tamakawa indicated.
"Midoriya," he sighed, "we talked about this. What did I say about stalking me?"
There was a gasp, then a head sheepishly peeked out from the tree. "I wasn't! I was... Following him." He pointed at Tamakawa.
The police officer snorted into his drink.
Kakashi looked at him balefully. "Oh, really? Ahh, okay then." He paused. "He's a very boring person to follow, Midoriya. You're wasting your time."
Tamakawa spluttered. White droplets of milk clung onto his whiskers. "I resent that."
"I-I'm sorry!" Midoriya squealed, face turning red. He rapidly bowed to Tamakawa. "And I don't think you're boring! Your quirk is so cool! Do you have enhanced hearing and night vision, or a tail, and does your fur extend to..." he abruptly stopped and flushed even redder (if that was even possible), looking like he would rather die right there and then. "Pretend I said nothing! I'll just... Just go now! Sorry!"
He turn and ran; there was a snapped twig, then the sound of feet puttered away.
"Uh," Tamakawa said eloquently. His face was, Kakashi noted with interest, red through the fur. "What was that?"
Kakashi snickered. "Your new fan, apparently." He clasped his shoulder encouragingly. "Good luck."
Tamakawa gulped.
"Mariko-san, is Hero-san at home?"
"Who?" She looked up, startled.
"Hero-san! The white-haired man that lives with you?"
She looked around, then checked the inside of the house. "Nope," she said. "Nobody's at home."
"Awww. Never mind then, thanks!" Midoriya was off again, sprinting back the way he came from.
From around the corner of the house, in the opposite direction where Midoriya had run off to, emerged Kakashi's head. He had been at the garden surrounding the house for the past hour, and the old lady had even cheerily said hi while walking past just 10 minutes ago.
He raised an eyebrow at her.
She chuckled. "What? You're currently outside the house. Speaking of which..." she planted her hands on her hips playfully, arms akimbo. "Is there something you'd like to share about your true profession, Hero-kun?"
Slowly, his head retracted. "No," a muffled grumble came a second later. "Nothing."
Mariko laughed.
The moment Mariko let him off, Kakashi cheerfully hunted down the green-haired boy. Midoriya was, of course, waiting at Kakashi's training spot. There was a book on his lap, in which he was scribbling furiously.
"I heard you went looking for me," Kakashi said from directly behind him.
Midoriya yelled and slammed the book shut. He gave a nervous smile. "I only asked Mariko! That's not flaunting the rules. I wasn't stalking you." Surreptitiously, he shifted the book down and what he hopefully thought was away from the older man's sight.
Kakashi sighed, but he could not fault the boy's logic. Instead, he sat down next to the boy. The boy slanted his body away from him, but unfortunately for him, Kakashi could still see the book on his lap. He eyed the book title: Hero's Analysis #5. "What are you writing?"
"Nothing," Midoriya said, just a little too quickly. His hands folded in such a way that conveniently covered the journal's title.
Kakashi plucked the journal from Midoriya's hands before he had time to react.
"Hey!" The boy protested, lunging after the book with grabby hands. Alas, Kakashi was taller and had no qualms with taking full advantage of his height to bully kids.
He held it above his head and flipped through it. Wait - there was an entry on The Enigmatic Hero. Next to it was a crude drawing of him, or what he thought was supposed to him. The grey hair and scar bisecting the left eye was a bit too specific to be anyone else.
Name: ? Possibly Hamate Kakushi?
Age: old
Quirk: teleportation? Fire? Can do multiple things? Super speed? Sensor?
Skills: fights very well! Super well!
Notable achievements: stopped a bank robbery, caught a shop theft, rescued a cat from a tree.
Additional notes: don't need quirk to take down villains!
He raised his eyebrows. "You don't even know my name?"
"You never did introduce yourself, and Tomi-ojisan and Ikuyo-obaasan couldn't remember your name," he admitted sheepishly.
"Maa, couldn't you ask the Fujiokas?"
He opened his mouth, then closed it again. "Oh."
Kakashi shook his head. "And what do you even mean by 'old'? I'm 45, brat. Change that."
"But people with grey hair are usually old." Midoriya muttered as he dutifully made the amendment. "Anyway, what's your name?"
"My hair is silver." Kakashi gave him a half-lidded stare. "And it's Hamake Kabushi."
The boy brightened, crossed out 'Hamate Kakushi', and jotted it down. "Like that?" He lifted up the journal for Kakashi to vet it.
Kakashi's smirk was hidden behind his mask. "Yeah. Just like that."
He beamed. "Okay. So what's your quirk?"
"Not telling." Kakashi went back to flipping the rest of the journal.
"Hero name?"
"Don't have one."
Midoriya pouted but said nothing after that, instead opting to settle peacefully beside the shinobi and watch him read the rest of the journal. Most were observations, some surprisingly detailed and insightful. The boy was dedicated, that's for sure.
"You're not mad at me or think I'm... I'm weird?"
"A little creepy, but eh, everyone has their hobbies. Some of these are good." His eyes crinkled upwards. The boy relaxed and gave a shy smile. "But why the record?"
Midoriya shrugged. "It's a good habit to observe other people's fighting styles. Good training for when I become a hero."
"Mmm."
Midoriya looked up expectantly, a wry smile on his face. "Well?"
Kakashi tilted his head slightly. "Well what?"
"Aren't you going to tell me how stupid I am to want to be a hero without a quirk?" Midoriya sounded resigned, as if he had heard the same thing a hundred times over.
He hummed. "It's not surprised. It'll be tough, but it is possible." He gazed into the distance, tone wistful. "In fact, I know someone who everyone thought lacked the talent to be a fighter, but he became one of the strongest in my village." Kakashi shook himself out of his stupor. "So if that's your dream, then work hard, Midoriya."
Silence.
Out of everything, that shut him up? Kakashi quirked an eyebrow up, a quip ready on his lips as he glanced down, but the words died as he took in Midoriya's expression.
The boy gaped up to him, seemingly lost for words. But what caught Kakashi's attention was his eyes, shining with unshed tears, as his lower lips trembled.
Kakashi softened. Without saying a word, he placed a comforting hand on Midoriya's head.
Midoriya flushed, face scrunched up as he turned his head away from Kakashi. He swiped a hand across his face. "You're laughing at me, aren't you?"
"I'm not," he said simply.
Midoriya shook his head. "Everyone makes fun of me, y'know? Or they ask me to give up. It's alright if you do too, I won't be angry at you."
"I'm serious, Midoriya." When the boy didn't budge, Kakashi sighed and bent down until he was at the same level as the boy. Midoriya had suddenly developed an interest on the ground, it seemed, with the way his eyes remained adamantly glued to it.
"Do you think so lowly of me that you believe I'll lie to you?"
"You lie about everything, and I don't even know you," muttered Midoriya. What a convenient time to remember that last part, kid, Kakashi thought amusedly.
"Hey, would a hero lie?"
"You're not even a hero!"
Kakashi lightly smacked Midoriya's head. "Brat, what happened to respecting your elders?"
He yelped, head jerking up in indignation. "Ow! What was that for? You're the one who's lying!"
He caught Kakashi's amused gaze, flushed, and fell silent again. He looked away, then down at his feet, and scuffed his shoes together. "Um. Anyway."
"I am serious," Kakashi said as gently as he could - which basically meant he said it neutrally, bluntly, and truthfully. "And I'm not lying. If you put your mind to it, it's possible. You're smart, observant, analytical, hardworking, and stubborn. So stubborn that I pity the villains, 'cause dealing with your stubbornness is so frustrating that they'll probably just give up."
Midoriya laughed wetly. His lips wobbled again before he once again rubbed the back of his hands against his face. "No one said that before. No one really believes that I can do it," he said, voice thick and muffled.
Kakashi's eyes crinkled as he ruffled his hair. "First for everything."
Midoriya blinked furiously. Kakashi looked away as he scrubbed at his face (again) and composed himself.
A few seconds later, Midoriya finally looked at him and smiled wobbly. "Okay. I'll do it."
Kakashi waited patiently. He knew that look. And he knew what to expect from it. His declaration should be coming soon, anytime soon-
Midoriya's grin widened, expression turning from sad to determined as he clenched his fist. "I'll become a hero! I won't give up!"
-you better believe it, echoed a past memory, I'll become hokag-
Kakashi pushed down those memories before they could fully resurface. Now was not the time for nostalgia, he scolded himself, ignoring the wistful twinge in his heart.
Instead, he patted the boy's head, cocking his head to one side as his eyes curved upwards. "Sure. I'll look forward to it."
Midoriya beamed back at him.
A moment of companionable silence passed.
Okay, Kakashi decided, that was enough talk about emotions for one day. He exceeded his quota a good 10 sentences ago, thanks. This had always been more Naruto's thing than his.
Clearing his throat pointedly, Kakashi stood up and dusted off the (imaginary) dirt on his clothes. Midoriya had cheered up, his mission was a success, so now he could leave.
"Now, wipe those tears away and go home. That's enough excitement for today." He made a shooing motion with his hands.
Midoriya flushed. "I wasn't crying!"
Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
"I'm not a crybaby, I swear!"
"There's nothing wrong with crying," Kakashi pointed out. "Crying is healthy. In moderate doses."
"But I wasn't crying," he said stubbornly, face red.
Who's the liar now? Kakashi wanted to trade him, but decided against it - it would be a futile argument anyway.
"Sure, whatever. Just go. Shoo, scat."
Midoriya grumbled, but gathered his things to do as he was told. As he walked past the ninja, he tugged at the man's shirt lightly.
"Hamake-san?"
Kakashi's lips twitched. "Hmm?"
"Thank you," he said, so soft that it was barely above a whisper, "for believing in me."
Before Kakashi could reply, he blurted out, "I'm going to train hard to make you proud okaythat'sallthankyougoodbye!"
And then he was off, sprinting away at full speed again.
Kakashi blinked in surprise. He shook his head, chuckling to himself over Midoriya's antics. His little fan could be so cute sometimes.
A/N: Any comments and feedback will be appreciated! Fic is still unbeta-ed so I'm hoping some kind reader will catch those errors for me.
I started another Kakashi/BNHA crossover called "forget the things you once hold dear", which is actually my very first idea about what Kakashi would be like in BNHA. It's even more OOC imo, and the approach is very different, but if you would like to read the very first OG idea that eventually led to the creation of ASITAS, go check it out ;) and let me know what you think! There's only one chapter so far and the updates for that would be close to never though, so... don't grow too attached heh
Once again, thank you so much for all your comments. I don't reply to them but they really cheer me up and finally got me to continue writing. See you in a hopefully shorter time than 4 years! :)
-littlesparrowkeet