To: Robin Scherbatsky
From: Barney Stinson
Subject: I'VE LANDED.
Ok I'm using the airport wifi just to tell you I've just landed, collected my stuff and I have no idea on your whereabouts. Tell me you're here, Scherbatsky. Or I will start crying in the middle of the airport because I really was not joking around when I was talking about the meltdowns in public I can get. Come on, come on, come on. Don't do this to me.
I'm walking around looking and I don't see you! I'm almost certain you're hiding somewhere, about to surprise me with a massive bunch of balloons or something. I know you all too well.
Stop being coy.
B
To: Barney Stinson
From: Robin Scherbatsky
Subject: I'm that idiot in the green blouse.
And I'm right here!
I think I spot you.
R
"Neil! I mean, uh, Barney! Neil? Barney? Neil! Barney! Here!"
Having heard his name called repeatedly, Barney whisked around, searching for a feminine figure in a green blouse. If all was going to plan, that same figure should be holding a massive sign with the words 'Neil Patrick Harris' plastered on it as well, but he wasn't sure if she actually did what they had so jokingly talked about.
"Barney! Here!" The voice rang again, though tinted with excitement, this time picking up frustration.
He scanned the crowd, furrowing his brow as he watched families and friends reunite with hugs and kisses, until his eyes landed on a familiar face. Their eyes met, and for a split second, the two broke out into a grin.
"Robin!" He yelped and hurried over. His face lit up and he was hardly able to contain his longing for his gorgeous lady friend he had missed so dearly for months too long, stumbling quite a bit as he struggled to heave his heavy suitcase.
A hug took place; the kind of hug that you only saw in movies and the kind of hug that leaves you wanting for more, with the girl lifted from the floor entirely and the two smiling like blatant idiots. That seemed to have caught several strangers' attention as they felt eyes land upon their sweet reunion, but that did not cause them to end their hug in haste.
"Oh, Robin, I've missed you so…" Barney mumbled, burrowing his face in her hair and allowing the scent of her perfume fill his lungs. Taking in her smell, he rested his hands on the low of her back, the shear fabric of her blouse pressed against her skin. Unable to hide the delight, a chuckle was let out in between the phrases he was speaking. "Your hair is lovely, your face is lovely, your entire existence is lovely and I need to stop saying the word lovely."
Tittering, Robin allowed her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, desperate for their embrace to last as long as possible. "I've missed you too," she muttered, her voice lowering to a whisper, almost as if they were seven years old and discussing the plans of their own secret club. "I can't wait to tell you all about my current life. Work, my flat, Luke…"
For a fleeting moment, Barney shuddered slightly at the word 'Luke' but he was unable to fathom out the reason he did. It really was not that he did not like Luke, because he has made it perfectly clear to Robin that he had nothing against him with the thoughtful email he had sent her just a couple of days ago. He was positive he has had his feelings all worked out.
What left him feeling conflicted, however, was the purpose of the email itself. Was it really sent to prove to Robin that he felt happy for her and to state clear he was not jealous of any sort?
Thinking back now, he realised the only reason he had sent the email was to kick his inner voice to the curb and possibly shut it up and out of the Universe inside of his head. For a while now, he had been trying to convince himself he was happy with the way things had turned out between the two of them, and he was happy that she had found herself safety in another man's arms, despite the fact that they were not of his own.
The friction between what he felt and what he said - was that why he had shuddered at the sound of Luke's name? Perhaps he had felt ashamed of his thoughts on their romantic relationship, or perhaps something had clicked inside of him at the exact moment which made him realise he would always be 'the best friend' and no more to that. And it was not an entirely good feeling. There were days when he had felt like he deserved more than the 'best friend' title simply because of the years they had known each other, but there were days when he felt as though her love life was really none of his business and he was just wasting his time trying to figure out how he truly felt about her.
Barney's mind was buzzing then, but thankfully Robin failed to capture any sense but pure joy and genuine pleasure as she murmured on about the upcoming week's grand plans.
"…You can stay at my flat and sleep on the couch. Also, remind me to pick up some beer from the supermarket on the way back because we're running low on that." She finished, breaking the embrace, tugging at his collar in satisfaction as he smiled at her subconscious use of the word 'we' instead of the 'I' she had been using for so long in her letters and emails.
Boy, did it feel good to finally be reunited.
"Okay, enough talking. I'm boring you." Robin decided as they continued studying each other's faces, though in honest words, neither of them has changed at all in terms of physical appearance. "Let's head to the car and we'll get you settled in a heartbeat! London is amazing and I need you to be here with me." Turning her heel, she giggled at the idea and took his arm, almost dragging him across the vast sea of people and disappearing into the distance.