Disclaimer: I don't own.

Written as a Christmas present for dolphin from LJ.

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Strawberries

by nayru-kleinefee

Arm hurts… mh, probably better the kunai hit my arm than my heart… have to tell the Hokage that her information were wrong… more enemy nins… but hey, everybody can mix up 'ten' and 'twenty-five', no big deal…

Kakashi sighed. The life of a first class Jounin hadn't become easier since the war with Sound.

"Strawberries…", the Copy-nin murmured absent-mindedly and sighed again, then turned up his nose at the smell that suddenly invaded his nose.

Blood… my least favourite smell… He sniffed twice. Weird, why does my mask smell like- oh, I remember… fell down that tree… head wound, that's why… explains why I feel so dizzy… heh…

Kakashi pulled down his mask to breathe more freely, knowing that nobody would see his face here in the forest.

He wouldn't like that… heh… says it's all his under there… well, it is… The Jounin looked down at his hand. Hu?… why's my hand wet suddenly?… and red?… ah, right, head wound…

He sighed again and shook his head when suddenly the ground decided to change its position and jumped up into the Jounin's face.

"Ouch!"

Ouch… mean earth… really should stay where it is… hm?… oh… that's weird… I'm not where I belong anymore… too flat here… and… eew… smells like mud… and rotten leaves… don't like that smell… like… like… strawberries…

"Strawberries…"

Kakashi crawled a little before he found the strength to stand up again and walk on.

Hrn… what's that smell now?… trees, not good… leaves, not good… maybe I can find my strawberries soon…

"Strawberries…"

Mh… new smell… smoke… hmmm… smoke not good… what should that smell tell me?… hm, however… not good… wanna…

"Strawberries…"

Without him noticing consciously, Kakashi pulled up his mask again and passed the main gate of Konoha, his steps slow and shuffling along and his eyes on the ground.

Oh… street… He looked up and blinked. Houses… people… seems I'm not in the forest anymore… and… hmmm… ramen smell… not good… but seems I'm in the town again… good… here are…

"Strawberries…"

The Copy-nin walked on like dreaming, not looking where exactly he went but knowing the right way from his heart.

Not far anymore… soon… my strawberries…

"Strawbe-"

"Kakashi!"

"Hu?" Kakashi looked up at the person the voice came from. Hmmm… bandana… long, fair hair… senbon… He pulled his mask down over his nose and sniffed, then covered his face again. Smells like apples… hmmm… not good… no strawberries…

"Kakashi, you're bleeding heavily out of your head!", the person said.

"Strawberries?", the Copy-nin asked hopefully. Hn, bleeding?… who?… can't be important… but maybe that guy can bring me to my strawberries…

"Kakashi, you don't have time for that now! You have to g-"

"Strawberries." Mean guy… Kakashi wants strawberries.

"You must go to the hospital now and-"

"Strawberries." Kakashi wants his strawberries now. … Hn? Who's Kakashi?

"Kakashi, if you go for your strawberries now, Tsunade-sama will kill you and you know that Iru-"

"Strawberries!" Seems I'm Kakashi… Lucky me… Kakashi knows where to find his strawberries…

Without paying any more attention to the mysterious senbon-bandana-person, the Copy-nin turned and walked on.

"Kakashi! Are you insane?!"

"Strawberries." Hn, have to go faster… can't walk quite well anymore… maybe should try running…

"I'll go and get Tsunade to your apartment so she can fix you up! And believe me, you'll need it, 'cause the moment he sees you, he's going to kill you, maniac!"

"Strawberries?" Naah, strawberries can't kill people… strawberries…

Kakashi hurried as fast as his weakened body could towards his home, stumbling from time to time, bumping against people and sniffing at them.

Hm… no strawberries… there neither… have to find my strawberries…

Soon the Jounin found his apartment house, then his floor and finally, after a short search, his door. He dug inside his pockets to find his key. Strawberries… strawberries… strawber- hu? Door's moving?

"Kakashi?", a gentle voice asked, then the door opened completely and revealed another person to the Jounin.

"Strawberries?", Kakashi asked hopefully. Now who's that?… Hmmm… looks nice… long, brown hair… scar across his nose… seems familiar…

"Kakashi, you're home." The man took a step forward and embraced the confused Copy-nin gently. "I missed you."

"Strawberries?" Hmmm… that's nice… warm… know him… something like… Ru… Ru… Ruka…

"You're a maniac, you know that?", Ruka asked, his voice sounding thick in Kakashi's ears. "Why do you come h-here instead of g-going to the h-hos-hospital?"

"Strawberries…" The Copy-nin lifted his arms slowly and hugged Ruka back. Ruka… my Ruka… strawberries?… Will Ruka give me strawberries?

"Strawberries?" Ruka leaned back and looked at him, tears glistening in his eyes and flowing down his cheeks.

"Strawberries." Kakashi nodded, then pulled down his mask when he noticed that it had left stains on his Ruka's shirt. Why's Ruka crying?… Ruka crying 'cause I soiled his shirt?… Ruka shouldn't cry… Ruka should never cry… Ruka should give me strawberries… maybe Ruka stops crying when I hug him…

"Kakashi…", Ruka whispered when the Jounin took him into his arms. "Why didn't you g-go to the hospital? Genma told me you said-"

"Strawberries!" The Jounin leaned his head back, looked at him wide-eyed and then leaned in again to take another deep breath. "Strawberries!" My strawberries!

"Ka-" He heard his Ruka take in a sharp breath. "You came here because of-"

"Strawberries!", Kakashi exclaimed happily and snuggled his face deeper into the nice, warm neck before him, then inhaled deeply again.

"Kakashi…" He felt how his Ruka gently lifted his head and took his face into both hands. "Kakashi…"

"Strawberries?" The Jounin pouted. Not fair… want my strawberries back…

"I love you." His Ruka leaned forward and kissed him.

"Mmmh… strawberries…", Kakashi murmured afterwards. My Ruka not only smells like strawberries… my Ruka even tastes like strawberries…

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Dolphin requested a fic in which Iruka smelled of strawberries, and I like the idea of Kakashi wanting to be with his Ruka so desperately but not remembering anything except a certain smell that leads him home. Stubborn idiot.

Hope you enjoyed!

Nayru