Chapter Text
When Kakashi received a summons from Tsunade-sama he had expected Naruto to be back or perhaps for her to have another important mission. He did not expect to find a strange woman standing there holding a bundle that looked suspiciously like a baby staring at him expectantly.
“Is this him?” Tsunade asked the woman.
“Looks like him to me,” the woman said, eyeing him distastefully.
“Hokage-sama, what is going on?” Kakashi couldn’t help but ask.
“This woman claims to be bringing you your daughter,” Tsunade said, a grin spreading on her face.
“My daughter? Last time I checked the only family I have is Naruto Hokage-sama,” Kakashi said stiffly.
“And how often do you check, stupid ninja? My best friend spoke of you quite fondly but if you’re this dense I can’t see why. She made me promise to bring her daughter to the father and I have. Run a test if you like, but I think you’ll find that she is yours unless there is another Konoha ninja with silver hair and grey eyes,” the civilian woman retorted grumpily.
Kakashi blinked and then forced himself to go look at the small bundle. Sure enough the girl had a shock of silver hair that spiked out in every direction. Her eyes were the most unusual though, as one was grey like his but the other was amber flecked with bits of gold. As he stared she reached a tiny hand up and tried to grab his hair. He smiled and slipped a single finger into her hand. She pulled it to her mouth and immediately began using his finger as a pacifier, staring at him with solemn eyes.
“You have to admit she looks quite a bit like you,” Tsunade said, startling him out of his trance.
“What’s her name?” Kakashi asked quietly while gently lifting her from the woman’s arms.
“Her mother called her Ritsuka,” the woman said, eyeing Kakashi once more before reluctantly helping to settle the infant into his arms. “She’s about a year and a half old though I don’t know her actual birthday. Her mother was Michi-chan. She—“
“She ran the inn on the border to Kumo,” Kakashi said as he remembered the woman who had matched the name. “She had been from a shinobi family but decided against following that path when her brother and father were killed in all of the fighting.”
The civilian nodded, pleased that Kakashi at least remembered the woman. Kakashi not only remembered the woman, he knew the night his daughter had been conceived, provided this really was his daughter. As far as one night stands went, it had been a remarkable one in that Kakashi was sure he would have become attached to the woman if his mission had allowed him to stay longer. In the two weeks he had been there it had been like Naruto all over again. Michi had been like moonlight come to life, brightening his days as he adjusted to not having Naruto around or being in ANBU. Yet she had always given him the space he needed, gently guiding him instead of flipping his life upside down like his little ball of energy had.
“What happened to Michi-san?”
“She got sick when Ritsuka-chan was about a year old. The doctor gave her a few options but in the end she just couldn’t fight it anymore. Before she got too sick she sent for me and told me about you and Ritsuka. I promised I would take care of Ritsuka-chan myself, but she didn’t want that. She said I had to bring the child to you, since she would have her ninja heritage to consider.”
“Heritage?”
“Her mother had a blood line ability, though I am unsure as to what it was,” the woman said, frowning. “She believed Ritsuka-chan would need someone around, and she wanted it to be her father.”
“I’ll do a blood test to be sure, but given the resemblance I can almost guarantee that Kakashi here is the father,” Tsunade said, leaning back in her chair. “And if I’m right, then I promise the girl will be taken care of properly. Kakashi already has some experience with children though you wouldn’t guess it by looking at him.”
“And if it isn’t his?”
“We’ll keep looking until we find her father. As you said, there aren’t many ninja in Konoha with that distinctive hair color, and Konoha takes care of its children—“ Tsunade started, only to be interrupted.
“I’ll take her in, even if I’m not the father. If she is Michi’s daughter then she deserves a family and Naruto won’t mind having someone else around when he gets back,” Kakashi said, barely taking his eyes off the captivating girl. “We have a spare room I can convert to a nursery too.”
“Very well. I will leave her with you then,” the older woman said, bowing once more to Tsunade. “If you will excuse me Hokage-sama. I need to begin my journey home.”
“Alright. Thank you for bringing her to us.”
The older woman nodded and then left, leaving Kakashi looking down at the small bundle in his arms. For a brief moment he wondered if he should have Ibiki do a psych profile.
I took care of Naruto, so I’m sure I can manage my own daughter, Kakashi though tot himself, smiling as Ritsuka giggled in his arms.
Tsunade watched with a small grin on her face as the infamous Copy Ninja made cooing sounds at a silver haired baby.