Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, and am making no profit from this fanfiction.

Itch

"Oww, ch." Obito grit his teeth painfully as the scratching at his eye came back again. It had been going on and off for days now. Can't let this bother me. If I don't get there in time, I'm dead! He sped up, his sandals scraping quickly against the bark of many trees.

As the clearing in the trees approached, he took a big leap, hoping his feet would not fail him. The ground came up too fast; he felt his shoulder crash against the dirt, felt scrapes mark his face. "Ouch!"

"Obito, what are you doing?" Rin questioned in puzzlement.

"Moron. You're late again," Kakashi remarked with disapproval.

The flustered Uchiha spit the pebbles out of his mouth and shot up to his feet. "Sorry, sorry! Something got in my eye!" Kakashi narrowed his eyes at him. "I swear!" Obito cried. Kakashi returned to his taijutsu exercises, apparently dismissing the ill-thought-out excuse. "I swear, Rin!" Obito repeated, appealing to the sympathetic female member of their team.

Her smile faltered, wilting in concern. "Let me see your eye, Obito," Rin ordered placidly.

He tilted his head back, eyes sliding across the clouds waving above him. Rin got on her toes and peered down at the dark circles looking upwards. They looked perfectly fine to her; no red, nothing indicating any irritants or injuries. "Obito," she disclosed with reluctance, "I don't see anything wrong."

Beneath her sensitive fingertips, Obito's brow wrinkled. "But I'm not lying, Rin, I swear!" He clenched his hand at his side. He'd never live it down if Rin thought he was a liar. "Rin, I-"

"I know you're not lying, Obito," Rin assured him, hands leaving his face. "I guess I just can't find it—" Rin froze, her copper eyes directed intently at Obito's irises. Did I just . . .? No, it couldn't be.

"What, Rin?" He sounded a little panicked.

"No, nothing, I must have be mistaken. Don't worry, Obito," she patted him soothingly on the back, "you're doing fine."

"So, am I just imagining things?"

"No," she answered, smiling, "they look like happy, little peepers to me."

"So?"

"'So' nothing," Rin replied succinctly. She turned away, waving a hand. "Kakashi, can I spar with you?" The silver-haired nin nodded. She dropped off the heavy medical pouch into Obito's open palms and hurried toward the field.

"Rin, wait!" She didn't seem to hear him. What aren't you telling me? His eyebrows knit in consternation.

"What's wrong with him?" Kakashi asked under his breath, pretending to adjust his arm guards.

Rin beamed at him. "Nothing."

Kakashi regarded her skeptically. "Is it a surprise?"

Rin's sepia eyes flickered happily back in the direction of the clueless Uchiha. "You could call it that." She planted her feet firmly in the ground, preparing herself to face the reckless speed of the Hatake genius.

She never told, but sometimes she wished she did.

Obito, I bet you're getting your Sharingans soon. I'm proud of you.

fin.

A/N: It's been a while. Digging scraps from my computer. Comments/critique welcomed, and very much appreciated. Thank you for reading.