"Barney..?"
Fred asks as they watch the fight on TV
"Yeah, Fred?"
"h-how's come we stopped so suddenly when we... y-know..?"
He responds after shyly contemplating if he'd ask his question or not
"Hehehehe- I just figured we'd get too wrapped up in things- ...and forget to make dinner."
"Wilma'd be mad, huh?"
Fred smiles
"Heh-heh- she'd probably just yell at me for being on my lazy butt instead of cooking."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The house is dark, no lights on besides the kitchen light and the glow from the television.
Barney wraps himself up in a blanket that was folded on the back of the couch
On TV, the fighters continue hitting each other on the head with clubs- the crowd cheers behind them
*bonk*
"Take that!"
*clunk*
"No! Take THAT!"
*smack*
*ka-bonk*
"Now you're getting me mad!"
*POW*
The announcer calls
"It's a knock-out"
and a big, tough-looking guy falls over, laying on his back in the middle of the ring
"Wow! I wasn't expecting the skinny guy to win, but he did"
Barney says to Fred
"He's so aggressive- look at that technique- bonkin' like no other guy on the roster."
Fred's comment on the winner causes Barney to laugh
"I was gonna 'bonk' you earlier, but I had to stop before I got the chance-"
He picks up on the joke and laughs along
"Oh yeah?"
"I thought we were just gonna kiss.. don't hit me over the head with anything or I'll be afraid to..."
Fred puts on faux-innocence
"We'll do a lot of that, too."
"Don't ya worry, Fred."
Barney does the same innocence act
"It's not fair for you, Barn... you, uh... haven't had a chance to... er... finish-"
"Hehehehe."
"Only you can fix that..." He smirks at Fred
"You little rascal! -you mean, now..?"
"Whenever, wherever, when you want to, Fred."
They both chuckle
Fred takes a moment to check his watch
"Hmmm... I think we have a little time before the girls get home..."
"O-kay then, hop to it-"
Barney perks up, hoping for some more attention from Fred.
The straightforwardness of the scenario makes it difficult for Fred to initiate any sort of thing- so he just sits there, awkwardly. While silently hoping that Barney will do something first.
His fear of Wilma coming in as he and Barney are... comfortable... takes over him and he freezes up.
"You okay, Fred?"
Barney asks, looking at him with a concerned facial expression
"You know, I was just jokin' right?"
He adds, but not exactly honest. Being turned on by Fred in general brings him some sort of buzz- even just to think about anything between them. But Barney didn't want to stress Fred out. Especially since they're in plain view of the front door... and the trouble that'd arise if it were to open.
"I-I'll make it up to you later, 'kay Barney?"
He musters up a smile
"You don't have to- hehehehe- I'm just bein' difficult on ya." He pats Fred on the back before sharing the blanket with him.
They both cover up and doze off into a little nap
[30 minutes later]
"Fred, We're home!"
Wilma calls out
She steps through the threshold before realizing that Fred and Barney are both asleep on the couch
Wilma whispers to her best friend as she's sitting their bags down on the floor
"Come here- it's cute"
Betty joins her in the doorway and sees the unusual sight
"Look, they're getting along!"
She nods
"More than that"
They laugh in unison but try to keep it quiet
"I'd hate to wake them- let's go see if they made dinner- or if they forgot..."
"Right with you, Wilma"
The food is still sitting on the table, neatly prepared and covered- waiting for them.
Just like the guys had promised
"Now would you look at that.."
"They didn't forget."
"...and they even got us beers, how cute."
...
Betty and Wilma sit down and uncover the food
With silverware and plates already laid out for them, they immediately dig in
"Hmmm.. not bad! Maybe we should get them to cook for us more often-"
Wilma suggests
"You think they would?" Betty follows up
"Oh, probably... unless it's a Wednesday bowling night or if there's a fight or ball game on TV..."
"Can't forget about the Water Buffaloes-"
Betty adds
"Those guys crack me up"
"They're annoying... but I still adore 'em."
...
Fred rolls over to get more comfortable, placing his arm back around Barney before drifting off again.
Barney's head rests on Fred's shoulder as he's peacefully sleeping
...
Wilma and Betty find the bottle opener and crack open their beers
They chat over their food and sip their drinks, enjoying their evening- also enjoying the generosity of the guys.
After all, they proved to be pretty good cooks, and they didn't cause any trouble while they were gone.
...
Usually, one shenanigan or another leaves something to be dealt with when Wilma gets home- but today was different.
Food on the table, beers left out for them, and most excitingly for the girls- Barney and Fred are getting along.
Nothing serious ever came between the two, although they'd find pathetic little reasons to bicker.
Almost like sibling rivalry, but between friends.
Wilma wonders if something has enlightened them to change so suddenly... or if they've gotten into trouble and are trying to butter their wives up- with hopes to lessen the judgment against them.
Betty thinks more about how cute the guys look when they're snuggled up together. Her feelings partially being fed by how she finds Barney especially adorable when he smiles in his sleep.
Something she admires in Fred is that he's proving to be a gentle giant. -she feels the need to take back all the mean assumptions that she's made over the years... most of which she kept to herself- luckily.
Between the four of them, the connection has been already unbreakable... but things have felt stronger as of late.
Neither of the girls- nor the guys- could place a finger on where this emotional aura stems from.
That being what they want to figure out.
...
Wilma decides to go join them and see what's on television
The remote sits on the end-table and she reaches for it- Fred snaps awake, startled by the random arm reaching past his face.
"gAHHH-! oH-"
"...hello Wilma." He feels bad for screaming at his wife
"Hello Fred."
"I was just reaching for the remote, scaredycat-"
She tries not to impulsively laugh in his face
"...and hey Barney." Wilma adds, seeing as his eyes are now wide open
He looks confused but takes the blanket to cover back up. Silently waiting for one of their wives to make some sort of comment about why he's sleeping on the Flintstones' couch.
Although, with Fred being there too, it seems less random.
"Heh- uh, sorry Wilma I got tired."
"I-I'll go home right now if you wan-"
"No, no!"
Betty interjects
"You two looked so cute all bundled up together.. -Wilma! Why'd you have to wake them up..?"
She laughs
Barney blushes and covers his head with the blanket
"You're funny, Barn"
Fred tells him before putting him in a headlock- pretending to roughhouse with him like they do when they play around
"Grrrrrrr... what're you gonna do now?!" He teases as he holds Barney captive in his strong arms
"Ahh!"
"Fred-"
Barney uses his free arms to bop Fred in the nose, making him let go slightly
"A-ha! I'm free- now it's your turn, Fatty!"
He leaps onto Fred, landing directly on his belly.
(Much like the way they were sitting when they kissed earlier)
"GET HIM, BARNEY!"
Betty cheers as her husband pins Fred down, seemingly beating him at his own game.
Instead of hitting him, he decides to tickle him- as he couldn't seem to bring himself to smack Fred.
Even a brute like Fred can't resist laughing when his neck is tickled.
Wilma steps up and shuts it down before anything gets broken
"Okay- we get it, you want to play like children."
"Now get up off that dirty floor, you two."
Barney hops off of Fred and falls back on the floor. Both of them lay there, trying to laugh but struggle from being out of breath
"Do you... think... Barney could... sleep here at our house... tonight?" He asks through his panting, before sitting up and gathering himself.
Wilma looks at Betty in search of her approval
"He'll only be next door..." She starts to say before being interrupted
"Just let em' Wilma- this is our chance to see if they're really getting along or not." Betty whispers in her ear
"Remember last time he stayed over and they got in an argument? Let's see if it happens this time, or not."
"Okay Betty, we got a deal."
...
"Yes, Fred."
"Where's he going to sleep, though?"
"...I suppose he's proven that the couch is adequate.."
"Yeah, that'll work." Barney assures them
Fred joins
"-And I'll sleep on the floor out here to keep him company- I-I think he's afraid of strange sounds in the night... or at least he was when he slept over last.."
Barney look flustered and blows raspberries at Fred, picking on him for saying he's scared of the dark.
"Just go along with it, Barn!.."
He whisper-yells
...
"You going home, Betty?" Wilma asks
"I suppose so, yes" she answers
"But you'll be all by yourself, won't it be a little lonely?"
"Hmmm.. maybe, but I'll be alright."
Betty starts towards the door
"Wait!"
"Since Barney's staying, why don't you stay?"
Wilma senses the sadness in the air, the rejected feeling in Betty's heart makes itself clear through her facial expression
Besides, if her husband gets to stay with his friend- why can't she stay with hers?
"Okay."
"I'll go get my night clothes, thanks again.
...
A night full of laughter and good times is now beginning to take shape..