title: it's about time
prompt: #1 - matchmaker
summary: in which a scheming uzumaki naruto plays matchmaker.
a/n: happy sasusaku month, everyone! i'll be participating again this year and uploading a short piece every day throughout the month, and even though i haven't written in a while, i hope you all enjoy!

"Naruto-kun, what are we—?"

"Look, look, Hinata-chan, here they come!"

Hinata stifled a gasp as Naruto's hand came up to the crown of her head, pulling her down and out of sight a ways from the bush they were currently crouching behind. She lifted two fingers to her temple, rubbing small circles into her skin as she tried to make out who exactly they were by peering through the small gaps in the greenery, and Naruto squatted beside her, attempting to giggle at the quietest volume he could muster.

She glimpsed two figures passing by their bush, their footsteps carrying easily as they turned the corner. Hinata's eyes trailed upward from their ankles, as Naruto leaned on to her for support from having swallowed far too many laughs. She noticed the familiar Uchiha fan pressed seamlessly into the fabric at the back of the taller figure's shirt, the perfect Haruno circle centered at the back of the smaller figure's backside, and realized immediately.

Hinata turned to Naruto, who was now slowly rising above the cover of their bush, watching the pair with his utmost attention from behind his fingers. She tugged at his sleeve, not wanting to break it to him that it was possible thatthey would see him if he stood like that. "Naruto-kun," she said slowly, and he glanced to her at once. "Just to make sure… You wanted to stalk Sasuke-kun and Sakura-chan?"

She heard him laugh. "Not stalk, Hinata-chan! Not stalk—more like, well, I'm taking the responsibility as their best friend to get them together as quickly as I can." He absentmindedly removed a hand from his face to play with her fingers. "It's about time, and if I leave it to them, it's never gonna happen, you know?"

Quickly, Hinata peeked over the top of the bush to see Sasuke and Sakura's figures a few paces away, walking not quite hand in hand but very much in step and in sync with one another. Their distance was small, and they conversed with each other as easily as breathing. She could even see the upward curve of Sasuke's lips when he turned to look at Sakura, along with the brightness alight on Sakura's features, a different sort of light from the one she usually emitted, as if this one was just for him. The sight made Hinata smile, and she quickly retreated behind the cover of the bush again.

"You're right, Naruto-kun."

After hours of pestering, Sasuke and Sakura met the couple at Ichiraku's by dinnertime. (Sakura had agreed immediately, but naturally, Sasuke had taken some convincing.)

Sasuke and Sakura said their hellos, took their seats all without knowing any of the two following facts: Naruto and Hinata had arrived two hours early so Naruto could coach Hinata through various answers she could give to any question that proved to be too probing ("If they ask, tell them…we just haven't seen enough of them lately! Oh, oh, or this: ramen tastes better with everyone! I like that one, what do you think, Hinata-chan?), and Naruto had strategically seated himself and Hinata at the very end of the ramen stall so that Sasuke and Sakura would have no choice but to sit together in case they considered separating.

The clock ticked on, and by Naruto's gauge, it was all progressing well. By the fifteen minute mark—he had Hinata tell him when it came—Naruto picked up his chopsticks to stir his bowl of empty soup, reminding himself to be casual. He then turned to Sasuke, who was sitting at his left side. "So, Sasuke," he began, wiggling his eyebrows as he pointed at the two of them. He suddenly forgot the dialogue he had prepared when Sasuke scowled, and decided to rewrite his script as he went. "Um…when's it gonna happen?"

Hinata could hear Sasuke exhale even from Naruto's other side. "When's what gonna happen?"

Sakura leaned torward them, and Naruto dropped his chopsticks into his bowl to gesture widely at them. "You know…"

"I don't."

Naruto huffed indignantly and threw his arms in the air, outlining a large heart around the pair. "You know," he repeated forcefully, drawing out the last syllable. "When are you guys gonna become a thing?"

Sasuke put his chopsticks down, glanced at Sakura, who in turn folded her napkin into a neat square, glanced at Sasuke. Sasuke cleared his throat, and Naruto's eyes widened, his right hand flying to his chest all too quickly.

"Wait, are you guys already…" he whispered, before his voice rose to ten times its natural volume, "what?!"

As he tumbled out of his chair, Sasuke leaned out of the way to make the fall easier, and Hinata rushed to collect him after offering her congratulations to the two of them in turn.

"Be still, my heart…" came Naruto's groan from the ground.