Day 15: In Different Clothing Styles
AN: Not sure what season this would be- maybe 2? Also- another late upload, I'm sorry!
Barney was always in a suit. It was just a fact of life; like that the sky was blue or that Canada was cold. Robin thought this one afternoon, watching him seated across the booth. If ever Barney wasn't in a suit, chances were there was something very wrong.
And there was.
Robin couldn't recall a time that she'd seen him this way. Barney would enter MacLaren's dressed in jeans and a drab t-shirt, and the gang would have a moment of shock that he even owned such clothes. He'd scoot into the booth beside Ted and sit quietly, for once not eager to tell a tale of his latest conquest or make a lude comment about the brunette seated at the bar.
Lily and Marshall would try to make tentative conversation with him, coaxing Barney into talking. Ted would take his position as Barney's bro and point out the size of a woman's boobs. And Robin would give him a private look, one that was meant only for Barney- it would let him know simply: I'm here.
None of them knew what was going on, but they did know it was something catastrophic.
One night, Lily, Ted, and Marshall left the bar early, each patting Barney on the shoulder as they went. Robin, once they were gone, cleared her throat. "Okay, Stinson. Spill." she demanded. With their friends, she made an effort to be gentle towards Barney, knowing she'd be scolded otherwise. Now that it was just the two of them, though, Robin let herself be more hostile.
Barney sighed. "Eh, I don't want to talk about it."
"The sooner you tell me, the sooner you can go back to being perverted, sexual predator Barney." Robin gave him a leveled look. "So what is it?"
Barney closed his eyes for a moment. When they opened, he shook his head. Robin took it as pleading- he really couldn't talk about it. Failing at hostility, Robin settled for the next thing that came to mind- comfort. With a sympathetic grin, she reached over to take Barney's hand. He squeezed back lightly, a silent thanks.