Context: future-set (2020)
Prompt: #017 Divorce
Word count: 200
Comment: Wohoo, chapter 100! :) Just eleven more to go. Wow. Thank you, as always, for all your support. I appreciate it more than I could ever say. This one is about divorce, because, while my headcanon will always be that they stay together, I don't think it's all smooth sailing for them. Let me know what you think. xx
There's exactly one time they talk about divorce.
She's in Beijing and they're on the phone. It's the first time Barney's reached her since she's flown out. It's a mess; it's about her new co-worker who's been hitting on her since he started at WWN; it's about him going out like he's still thirty-one and happily unattached; and Robin has had enough of this.
"Maybe we should get a divorce if we still can't trust each other after seven years!"
He hangs up on her, and she's almost relieved when he doesn't call her for a while.
Three days later, though, she's getting antsy, knowing (fearing) they have to sort this out eventually.
Finding him outside her hotel room is both unsettling and appropriate.
"You talked about divorce," he answers her unasked question. "I figured the follow-up talk should be face-to-face."
The door resounds as it closes behind them.
He's pulling his coat off when she turns to him, wishing she could stop the tears from falling.
"I don't wanna divorce you," she says as clearly as possible through quivering lips.
"Me neither," he says.
(They'll fight like never before that night, but it might just be their saving grace.)