AN: It's been a while since my last update and I'm sorry about that! I really had to edit this chapter over and over again because I felt as though it was too sappy for Swarkles. (But then again, later on I realised that there were some undeniably cheesy moments throughout the series - cough, Barney's proposal, Barney making that big confession speech, etc. etc. - so I thought I'd keep some of the gooey romantic stuff.)

It was Barney's turn to clear his throat. He shifted uncomfortably, wondering if he should be doing what he would be about to do next. Again, he was good at talking women into sleeping with him, but he was not the type to talk about his feelings so openly.

"Listen. I'm not going to deny the fact that I may want to be more than just a friend to you. When we're not with each other, I catch myself grinning like an idiot every time I recall something that's even mildly related to you. I know I've said all these things before, a long time ago, and for a while I even thought I've made a fool of myself because you didn't feel the same way."

She froze.

"And maybe I have. Maybe I have made a fool of myself already and I'm just digging deeper into that tunnel of foolishness, but you asked, so I'm telling you."

Barney paused for a deep inhale. Robin did not know how to react and for a long while, she just sat and stared, mouth slightly ajar. They had locked eyes then, and if they had not been in the dark, it would have turned into some kind of uncalled for staring competition.

"Look… I'm not good at saying these things off the top of my head. When I trick girls into going to bed with me, I have a plan and I make sure I memorise the script for a high success rate. But this is completely out of the blue, so let's just keep this short before I screw up somehow. Let's just say… I want to take care of you and I want you to take care of me too. I know I'm not this type of person, but when I'm with you, I want to be this type of person."

His voice came out as a tiny whine, like a young child would when he was trying to get what he wanted. She extended an arm and gave his hand a squeeze as hers found his.

"You make me want to stop going to strip clubs and stop tricking women into going to bed with me because I don't want anyone but you. I just… I just want to have food fights with you every Saturday afternoon and I want us to laugh at an inside joke until our stomachs hurt. You make me want to be a better person. Damn it."

Barney was inching in closer now, and she could feel his breath on her cheek, which only made her more anxious, yet excited, to what he was about to say next. And he did not disappoint.

"Okay. That's it…" He trailed off into silence before he continued. "I'm already beginning to feel stupid and embarrassed… So please, please, kiss me before I feel like vanishing off the surface of this Earth. Kiss me and tell me you feel the same now, even if you didn't before. Please-"

It took no time for Robin to sweep in and kiss him with such force he almost lost his balance, her lipstick smearing, tainting his lips.

"I do," she breathed as she placed her hands on his jaw and held him after the kiss. "I do. I feel the same." Her words were sharp cries, knocking down the walls that had stood between them for so long. "I don't know if you have the ability to read people's minds, but I wanted this too. I'm in this for the long haul… I am. I just didn't know if you still felt the same after such a long time."

"I do," he replied. He felt as though someone had set off the fireworks in his chest as his heart pounded rapidly and a tingling sensation coursing through his entire body, from the tip of his head to his little toe.

And that night, the two of them joined as one, passion filling the room with a mixture of sweat and perfume.