Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and any other character.

Tag, you're it!

By Amaryllis Namikaze

Chapter 3

The first week was weird. Kakashi wasn't talkative, but Kori gave a new meaning for the word silent. He expected to the toddler at least say things like "aguu" or whatever babies like to babble. However the girl hadn't even said hello.

They established a routine, even without realizing it. Since Kakashi was a Jounin in what you could call "holiday", thanks to the Hokage, he didn't have to wake up at 5a.m and go to the ANBU headquarters. Instead, he woke up at eight a.m. and stayed in his medium-sized apartment and made breakfast.

Kori was sleeping in the toddler bed he fixed in his guest room – that was, apparently, Kori's room now. He would wake her up at nine and she would silently eat whatever was on the table. Since she was malnourished – she was petite as a one-year-old girl, for God's sake! –, he made sure to put some healthy food in her plates. All meals went like that.

As for Kori's "bathroom problem", Kakashi hadn't discovered anything, except that she was terrified – but that the Hokage had already said. The first time Kakashi tried to give her a bath, Kori expressed a reaction finally: she started to scream – loudly, painfully. It was like someone was torturing her. The little girl wouldn't say what was wrong, but the-silver-haired surprised even himself by kneeling and saying pretty stupid-looking things like "The water is hot, chibi", "Don't worry" or – the worse one – "Look at these pretty bubbles". Kakashi narrowed his eyes in suspicion when Kori hesitantly tested the water temperature with her tiny hand. What could have made her afraid of bathtubs and going to the toilet?

Other problem he had to face on was Kori's lack of clothes. When she came to his house, she had a little orange bag – Kakashi presumed it was from Sarutobi – filled with two plain white T-shirts, one brown dress, one black shorts and a pair of old-looking sandals. All of it was at least three sizes bigger than Kori's small body.

So, here was he and her in front of a shop. They had walked until there and the silver-haired man was once again surprised by how well she could walk. Babies in general were clumsy, but Kori stood easily on her chubby legs and walked hand-in-hand with him.

"How about we get some clothes to you, Kori-chan?" He asked her, who just kept her blank face.

Along the week Kakashi discovered that the best way to take care of a kid like Kori was talking to her at every opportunity; be it asking something or just to say what they would do. He also made sure to address her in a good, calm way – children who suffered abuse tended to be afraid of hot-headed people. And he owed his sensei this.

Thankfully, Kakashi's retired shinobi friend and owner of the shop, Takashi Sho, didn't care about Kori's tenant. He treated her as any other kid customer, if not a tad kinder. At the end of the day, they came back home with bags full of clothes.

Later that night, after both of them had dinner and Kakashi helped Kori in, hem, bathroom matters, they went to bed. Kori lied down in her usual silence, but this time wearing cute, baby-blue pajamas and a polar bear night cap.

Kakashi was already succumbing to sleep when he was suddenly awake by a shake at his hand. He opened his eyes – both, since he takes off his hitai-ite to sleep – and saw Kori standing by his bed, clutching her new, grey teddy bear.

The silver-haired man straightened up.

"Are you thirsty, Kori-chan? Do you need me to change your nappy?" Kakashi still felt strange being so mother-hem, but he reminded himself – mainly when changing diapers – that he owed Minato and Kushina for what they did for him.

She shook her head, clutching the teddy bear closer.

"What is the problem then?"

Kori's pouty lips trembled. After a minute of hesitation, she apparently decided on what she was thinking.

"Thank you." She murmured and kissed his cheek. Faster than ever, Kori went to her toddler bed and tug herself in. Kakashi stupidly stayed there, staring at her little form. She kissed in him in thanks. She had spoken – and what a beautiful voice she had.

Why didn't Kori speak more? Her voice was soft, smooth, sweet. People with voices like her should be talkative. Kakashi smiled a little.

Kori slept in her bed, hugging the grey teddy bear close to her. It was her first toy, Kakashi knew. It was the first time she received attention in a positive way from other person than the Hokage.

I hope I'm doing this right, Minato-sensei, he thought, lying down once again. You'd be a better father figure than me. At least I did something right today…

Kakashi slept peacefully for the first time in years, dreaming about a blond-haired man trying to make a moody silver-haired child laugh.

Hi, people! First, thanks for the reviews.

Second: I tried to make the chapter short and sweet. Many may think that Kakashi is failing at the hole of a parent too fast, but take into account that he's trying to repay Minato for all the Jounin made for himm. Since Kori don't talk much, he isn't taking care of her because he loves her and she's his precious person, and yadda, yadda, yadda. He's repaying a favor, the overprotective-daddy, mama-bear-love Kakashi starts to come now that Kori starts to murmur sweet things.

Well, I hope that's clear.

Until next time!

Namikaze Amy