AN: Sorry for the infrequent updates, lately I've been busy with revision and stuff so that has been holding me up. Also - I keep receiving sweet reviews, so thank you for that! Enjoy Chapter Nine. Bit short, but hopefully interesting. :) x
"Robin, there's something I have to tell you. No, it's not the fact that I'm awesome, because you already know it. It's that… I really love you and I am certain I have never loved anybody as much as I love you right now. You are, without a doubt, the love my life. I just want to- No! No, that's not right."
Tapping his feet in frustration, Barney sighed. He had been rehearsing by himself for about half an hour now, pacing back and forth in his apartment trying to come up with the perfect speech to make Robin swoon.
"Okay. Let's do this again and do it right… Robin, there's something I really have to tell you. It's been a while and… And I still feel the same. I want you to know that I have been- Damn it! This is pathetic. What's wrong with me? Gah. I never want to be in love with anyone again, ever."
Grabbing a seat on his couch, he let his shoulders sink a fraction lower than it once was. He had no idea how to do this alone and he would call Lily over for some extra practice as well as tips on what he should or should not be doing while confessing his love, but she had told him beforehand that she had to attend a musical put up by her 'wonderful kindergarten children' for three whole hours the same night.
Three whole hours. How does anyone even sit through that?
It's not like he didn't like kids… He just wasn't the type of person to be able to sit still for hours on end, listening to some baby voice sing about Peter Pan. Not wanting to be bitter, he decided to shake the thought out of his head before he catches himself whining once again. He supposed he would just have to get through this alone, and he prayed it would not be that challenging after all.
"Alright. One more time. And I'm going to get this right."
Although Barney knew that the phrase 'one more time' was just a lie to himself and he was never really going to get it right no matter how much time he has had allowed for himself to practice, he felt that being negative about something was not really the way to go. So he took a deep breath and did it one more time, all over again, from the beginning to the end, to the best of his ability.
And after he had finished that one time, he did it again. And again. And again. And again, until he was worn out and finally felt confident enough to say it to the love of his life.
Still trying to figure out the appropriate time to tell Robin about how he feels, he racked his brains. It had been a week and a half now, but that did not mean she was ready. Because when you have been dating someone for almost your whole adult life, you do not get over them in ten days or less, he thought. And he understood.
Lost in thought, Barney was jolted back into reality by the sound of his phone buzzing. He jumped to a start and waltzed to his coffee table, where his phone buzzed non-stop, like an impatient baby trying to get a hug from his mother.
"Alright, alright, who would that be?" he wondered out loud as he picked up his phone to check the caller ID.
Realising the call was from Carl at MacLaren's, his stomach dropped. What, did Ted get in trouble with someone at the bar again? Sighing, he answered the call, but set a determined mind as to not let anything – anything at all – ruin his mood.
"Sup, Stinson speaking," Barney slurred into the phone without effort, having done it a million times.
Carl cleared his throat then spoke up, his voice relaxed but slightly apologetic. "Hey Barney, I'm sorry to bother you at this time of the night, but your friend here is getting pretty drunk and I think you'll have to come over."
"…Damn it, Ted! I knew I shouldn't have let him go to the bar alone… I'll be right there." Barney let out an audible groan as he held his phone away from his ear, an old habit acquired back when he was a teenager and his aunt would talk non-stop into the receiver every single Christmas. As much as he loved Ted, he could not deny he had been planning an early night alone. And sure enough, his best friend had to ruin it with his undeniably perfect timing.
"Oh… It's not Ted. It's Robin who's at the bar. I thought I'd just let you know that." Carl added coolly.
Putting his phone back towards his ear, Barney realised he had not been listening but scanning his living room, looking for his coat. "Tell Ted I'll be there in two minutes? Excellent. Thanks!"
He hung up swiftly, before Carl even had a chance to utter his reply. Thinking he was in for a long night doing the awful 'let's bring you back to your apartment without you puking all over me' kind of best friend business, Barney stepped out of his apartment into the busy streets of New York, wondering why he had agreed to pick his friend up in the first place.
And he was going to be in for a very long night, but little did he know that he was also going to be spending one of the best nights of his life with the girl he had quietly been in love with for so long.
