AN: Spoilers - Getting in touch with sentimental Barney is awesome. At first I was actually worrying it may be a bit unlike him to act this way but since he had that 'holy-crap-I'm-so-vulnerable-right-now-and-gushing -over-Robin' moment with Lily in the early seasons and these are really just his internal thoughts I think that should be fine. :)

As they approached the front steps of the tiny café in the corner of a somewhat busy street, Barney paused, taking a step back from the entrance.

He noticed his reflection in the big glass window of the café and stood examining his appearance. He had his best suit on, his hair combed and his face washed and shaved. He did not smell, and not a single thing about him was out of place today. Normally, on a day like this, he would feel extra confident, going headfirst at new things, feeling invincible, unfazed by anything.

Yet today… He felt intimidated.

He stood there for a while longer, staring at his reflection.

Yeah, he had nice hair. But what if Luke had nicer hair?

Honestly, his teeth aren't bad. But what if Luke had perfect teeth?

And his suit… What if Luke's wearing a similar suit right now… Or worse, the same suit? And he was wearing it better?

Plus he had been hitting the gym frequently over the past few months and had achieved quite a build. But as Robin mentioned, Luke was a lot taller than he was, and what if he had been hitting the gym frequently over the past year and was in much better shape than he was?

God, what if he looked puny next to him? That would be such a turn-off, would it not?

Feeling a panic attack arriving, Barney almost choked on the next words he said aloud.

"We can't go in."

"Barney, are you being a wuss?" Robin mused, the edge of her mouth curling upwards, forming an almost smirk.

Staring at her in the eye, he snorted. "Me? Wuss? No, I'm not! I'm feeling utterly confident, by the way. Because today is my kind of day. Look, that even rhymed. Which just pretty much proves how awesome I am."

She smiled at his childlike behaviour and turned around, placing her hand on the door handle. "Well then, awesome man. Let's get in. Luke's waiting. Come on!"

He twitched nervously as he focused on his suit; the same way a teenager would when bought a simple three-piece suit for the first time. "Yeah… You know what? Let's not. Let's go back to your apartment."

Letting go of the door handle, she rested her hand on his shoulder, which just made him feel worse. "Gee, Barney Stinson. You're a grown ass man. And he's just another grown ass man. What is with you grown ass men being scared of other grown ass men?"

He chuckled. "That's a lot of the use of the phrase 'grown ass man' in one conversation."

"That's not the point. The point is you need to meet this guy! He's brilliant. You'll love him. I'm sure you will. That is, if you even get through the door in the first place."

Shrugging her hand off his shoulder, he breathed out, a little too loudly. "Fine. But don't let us sit there for three hours because I'd rather be dead."

Grateful to finally get into the air-conditioned café, she flashed him a quick reassuring smile to prove she would stay true to her words. "It won't happen."

Jutting his chin out, Barney looked at her disapprovingly, as if he were dealing with a professional liar. "You swear?"

Robin rolled her eyes. "I swear."

He squinted at her. "On what?"

Rolling her eyes further up, she sighed. "On my career or something. If I had to roll my eyes any further up they would have gone to heaven."

A satisfied smile grew on Barney's face.

"Good."