"Okay. First of all, how the hell has Day Four ended?" Robin had her hands on her hips and was standing by the corridor again, in the exact position on the night when Barney had first arrived.
"Well, I think, by logic… And I may be wrong, but I think it is Day Four because we've just gone through four days." Barney quipped sarcastically as he rested on the couch, once again rearranging his sleep surroundings.
She paused, squinting at him.
"I didn't mean it in that way."
And he paused, eyeing her.
"I did."
Throwing her hands in the air, she surrendered before the game of wits and sass got too far, which she knew would.
"Okay! Whatever. All I was thinking was what we were going to do tomorrow. We've been pretty much everywhere. And I do mean everywhere." She stared at the ceiling from the corner of her eye, crossing her arms and in desperate need of inspiration.
"Oh, come here. Look at you. Trying so hard to be a tour guide. Just calm down for now. I'm pretty sure we'll figure it out tomorrow or something." He extended an arm and patted the couch with his other hand, gesturing for her to come over and sit, and she did.
"I know, I don't mean to freak out, not even ever so slightly. It's just that… We only have two and a half days left and that sucks. I really want to make it a special two and a half days."
She sighed, distressed.
"I know."
His voice was gentle, and upon hearing the tenderness in his words, she knew she was being too hard on herself, and he thought so, too.
Why was she constantly trying to be that perfect tour guide who knew everything about every little alley in the city? She had barely stayed long enough in London on her own to discover all about the place. However, for the past few days, she had been whizzing him all around town on her motorbike, taking him here, taking him there, taking him everywhere; places ranging from the famous tourist attractions to the small cafés located on the ends of quiet streets she had found welcoming.
It was just then, at that moment, that something had dawned on her; the realisation that they have not yet had a proper conversation since the first night Barney had arrived.
Sure, they did talk about themselves, and to be honest, they have kept in touch for so long they really did not have that much catching up to do, but still, it was different talking in person. Talking in person somehow made her feel as though their friendship was more close-knitted and personal than what it had seemed talking online.
Robin rested her elbow on the back of the couch, turning on her side, and supporting her head with the same arm, she stared at him, lost in thought. And while she was doing so, she had failed to notice that he, too, was doing the same, deep in thought, and for a moment, it was peaceful in the room.
She was thinking about all the places they could see together tomorrow, still, and all the things they could talk and have a laugh about. It was not like Barney would expect things to be perfect, because as they had both learned, the more you try to plan things, the more things tend to run its own course. But, still. At least for now, she was – sort of – responsible for him.
At the other end of the couch, Barney was thinking too. He thinking about something far more complicated, complex and difficult to explain. He was thinking about that he did not dare speak aloud.