Call Me Dad | Rewrite

Kakashi Hatake had always maintained a careful distance from the son of his late mentor. The delicate balance of space and hidden supervision has not been easy, but he has managed for eight years, trusting that this detachment was for the better.

It's when he returns from a long mission, and is hesitantly informed that Naruto Uzumaki has been removed from the orphanage and now living alone, that Kakashi reevaluates.

Kakashi is not father material. Years on the battlefield has left his sanity questionable at best, he is hardly qualified to take care of himself, nor is he worthy to cradle the lasting remnants of Minato and Kushina in his bloodied hands. He is considerably the worst option.

But he may be the only one, and Kakashi wagers a subpar father who tries is better than nothing at all.

::

"...Hatake?"

"Call me Dad."