Hi HIMYM and especially BRo shippers! This is my first fic for this couple. I'm happy to be back here writing. Feel free to review if you enjoy:) This takes place right after Barney and Quinn get engaged and its about his feelings with a little twist.
Someone Had To Say It
Barney stepped out of the cab where it dropped him off at central park. He just felt the need for space from everyone. Which was ridiculous considering Marshall and Lily were mostly tied up with Marvin and Ted was on some quest with Victoria and Robin was... Barney's thoughts trailed off. Back to Quinn, his fiance. She called him multiple times, saying she'd taken off work early and he should hurry home because she was cooking him a special engagement dinner.
"Which is where I should be" Barney said aloud to himself hoping to talk some sense into himself. He should have gone straight there. He shouldn't be standing in line to buy a vanilla waffle ice-cream cone and reliving the last time he was here with Robin. The sun was shining in all its glory, but somehow Barney wondered if his glory days were over, now that he was engaged.
"I'm an idiot" Barney mused paying for his cone and turning around so swiftly that he nearly knocked the next couple in line over.
"Barney!" it was the surprised reaction of Nora that pulled him back to reality.
"Oh hi -" at that second he realized two things. First, his ice-cream cone had inadvertently smashed into Nora's companion and second that companion was Kevin.
"Careful" Kevin smiled. Always calm and easy-going. He grabbed some napkins off the stand and patted at his charcoal dress shirt. Nora was wearing a floral print halter dress. "Lucky it was vanilla." Nora laughed, beaming at Kevin in adoration, before both turned their attention back towards Barney.
"Nora-" Barney started again, "sorry Kevin".. It was weird seeing them together. Not weird because Barney was with Nora and Kevin was with Robin, going to marry her, in the not so distant past. But weird because they seemed so right together.
"I should explain, Barney" Nora spoke sweetly, delicately.
"We're engaged!" Kevin blurted out saving her the trouble.
"Oh congratulations. That's so great for you." When what he really felt like saying was, so this is what it's like to be engaged. Because for the life of him, he did not think he looked this way with Quinn. Maybe it was wrong to compare, but looking at Nora and Kevin embracing in what looked like their own personal paradise, it was impossible not to.
"Thanks, it happened so fast! Really, it totally surprised me!" she looked exactly like the blushing bride to be.
"The best surprise of my life" Kevin confirmed kissing Nora's engagement ring lovingly. She wrapped her arms even more snuggly around Kevin if that was at all possible.
"How are you Barney?" Nora clearly wanted to be sensitive of Barney's feelings.
"Fine" Fine? did he just say fine? Fine is how you tell people you feel Monday morning or when the anesthesia is starting to wear off after your root canal or when you have jet lag after a long flight. Fine isn't how you feel the day after getting engaged. "I mean...great. I'm engaged too."
"I'm so happy for you!" Nora gushed. It sounded like she was happier for Barney than he was. Then again, maybe he was just tired.
"So you and Robin finally got it together" Kevin presumed.
Barney shot a glance at Nora to gauge her reaction. But it didn't seem to phase her in the least, like it was an obvious thing for Kevin to say.
"What?" Barney asked because the mere mention of Robin's name brought up so many emotions inside of him that it took his breath away. Because every moment they spent together was burned slow motion in his mind.
"Awe Barney" Nora said smiling.
"You know we realized, after getting together. It made perfect sense" Kevin explained.
"A couple you can root for!" Nora went on.
"It takes one to know one right sweetie?" Kevin affirmed pecking Nora's cheek.
"No. No. I-I'm engaged to my girlfriend Quinn" Barney corrected them, almost wishing something engaged people aren't supposed to wish. Then realizing that if Kevin was telling Robin he was engaged he probably wouldn't have thought to mention it was her last opportunity to run away with him.
Barney suddenly felt hot, was this heat stroke? He took a big lick off his ice-cream cone, tasting some of Kevin's cologne.
"Sorry" for once Kevin looked half-way uncertain that he may have misspoken. "It just stood to reason."
"But Quinn is a lucky girl" Nora added, although it sounded like she was not convinced. Did Nora think, Barney was going to break Quinn's heart like he did with her for Robin?
"Yeah, absolutely" but Kevin came off even more doubtful then Nora.
"Well it was great seeing you. Both of you" Barney said, his voice lacking sincerity. He took another lick of his ice-cream and threw it away. This was not going to be his day.
"Barney, wait" Nora called, running a couple steps toward him with Kevin at her heels.
"What?" Barney turned around.
"Robin is your soul mate. I wish I didn't have to be the one to say it because of your circumstances and all" Nora looked down "but somehow I think you already know." She looked Barney in the eyes, searching for confirmation.
"And how do you know that?" Barney asked wondering why he was even entertaining this conversation. Maybe simply because it was so preposterous. Clearly, Nora just couldn't handle seeing her ex happily moving on like he could. Clearly, she was acting immature and trying to get him back.
"Because, Barney, every time you two were together and now because I know how it feels to be with my soul mate. It's like every other woman you dated or seduced," Nora rolled her eyes eliciting a knowing smirk from Kevin, "they were always perfect for you but..."
"But with Robin there is no perfect but," Kevin finished. "She is just perfect for you, just like Nora is perfect for me."
Barney just stared at them, trying to absorb everything.
"Someone had to say it" Kevin said. "Good luck" Nora said