Coalescence - HIMYM fic - 3/7
Title: Coalescence
Author: modernxxmyth
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Barney/Robin, Robin/OC (only temporarily, I'm sorry!), ensemble
Warnings: None.
Spoilers: None officially, but based on speculation for season eight.
Summary: In the aftermath of Barney's engagement, Robin does what she can to convince herself she's moved on.
Chapter One. Chapter Two.
Chapter Three
"That was fast."
"What was?" Ted asked Robin as they sat in their usual booth in MacLaren's.
Robin nodded her head at Barney, who was across the bar, wearing a fake beard and glasses, gesturing wildly to an attractive young redhead.
Ted's eyebrows shot up.
"I'll never understand the way that guy deals with break-ups," he agreed.
Robin took a sip of her beer and shrugged.
"At least he's rocking the break-up beard," Ted said.
"I'm not sure it counts if it's fake. And to pick-up women. Not that I have any clue what the hell play he's working on right now. That beard is ridiculous. I can't believe it's working on her."
The last part came out significantly more bitter than she had originally intended.
"Somebody jealous?" Ted asked carefully.
"God no. Just…it's disheartening to see, is all. He wanted something serious so badly, and now he's off searching for bimbos to bang again. I don't get it."
"If you don't understand Barney, there's definitely no hope for the rest of us," he replied.
Robin let out a sad laugh.
Well, really, she thought that maybe she did get it, if she gave herself the chance to think about it. But not understanding Barney Stinson was a hell of a lot easier than understanding him, so she just did her best to ignore it.
Barney left with the woman ten minutes later, and Robin finished her beer quietly.
* * *
He was at it again the next night.
And the one after that.
And the one after that.
In fact, Barney picked up so many women within the next few nights, Robin thought he may be on his way to another perfect week.
He wasn't, of course. That was a once in a lifetime kind of achievement. There were a couple nights where he struck out and left alone or joined the group to hang out at Lily and Marshall's place.
But it would seem the legendary Barney Stinson, playboy extraordinaire, was back in full swing.
On one hand, Robin was glad. She knew what to do with this version of Barney. She'd become very familiar with him over the years. On the other hand, she was admittedly a bit disappointed in him. Not for a sleeping around. She didn't really see anything wrong with that. He was a free agent. But for going back to his old ways after making a real effort to change. After deciding to find something real and then giving up once he lost it. Giving up is what he was doing, and Robin didn't like watching it. Not one bit.
* * *
"I was thinking we should talk about the future."
Robin choked on her wine.
She was out to dinner with Ryan. They'd now been together a couple months. She'd been trying to put off this conversation as long as possible, but she should have expected he'd bring up the talk sooner rather than later.
"Oh?" she replied hesitantly.
"I really like you, Robin. A lot. I just want to know where you think this is going. You seem…resistant. Or am I misreading things?"
She took another sip of wine while she collected her thoughts.
"You're not misreading things. I'm sorry. I'm just…in a weird place right now. It's not you…."
He gave her a look that clearly said, 'Seriously?'
"Sorry." She sighed. "You're a really good guy, Ryan. You're sweet, you're attractive…you're a catch. And you deserve better than a girl who is terrified of commitment and...hung up on her ex."
Robin was fairly certain those were the most honest words she'd ever spoken to him.
"It's Barney, isn't it?"
She cringed. "Am I that obvious?"
"No. He is, though."
"What are you talking about?"
"He clearly hated me when everyone else seemed to like me. It wasn't that hard to figure out."
"I'm really sorry."
"Me too. You're an amazing woman, Robin. Give me a call if you're ever ready for something different."
* * *
"Not trying to pick anyone up tonight?" Robin asked Barney later that night after he sat down across from her in the usual booth.
He shook his head. "Hooked up a hottie at the gym this afternoon. You could say I gave her quite the work-out."
She rolled her eyes.
"What happened to trying to find 'The One?'"
"I was never trying to find 'The One'." He cringed just saying the words. "I'm not Ted."
"Then explain all your serious relationships lately. I thought you wanted something real?"
He shrugged, trying to play it casual. "Sure, I thought I wanted something more. Fine. But I don't think it's for me anymore, if that's how it's going to end every time. It's not worth the trouble."
Those words hit Robin like a punch to the gut. She could nearly feel the ache of it. Not worth the trouble. He'd thought she was worth the trouble once, hadn't he? But what about now? she had to wonder.
"You're just going about it the wrong way," she told him. "I mean, I'm not exactly one to talk. You know that."
He pressed his lips together and gave her a thin smile.
Robin continued, "But from my experience….you're trying too hard. You're going crazy trying to find someone to settle down with that you're not even getting to know them. You're missing the important part. You're rushing these relationships because you're so eager for someone to want you. You have to let it happen naturally if you want it to be real. Relationships are a process. You can't just skip to the step you want to be ready for. You need to really know the person before you know if you can love them. If you can be with them forever…or something like it."
The underlying tension was palpable. Both of them knew he had only been with one woman where he'd taken the proper steps and really known her, and she was sitting across from him.
Robin bit her lip.
"But it hurts more when that kind of relationship ends," he admitted in a low voice.
She tried hard to swallow the lump that was developing in her throat.
"Yeah," she admitted. "It does. Supposedly it's worth it if it lasts, though. Do you think?"
He smiled softly. "Not that I have a lot of experience in the area, but…yeah, I think it can be."
Robin stared at the table.
The were both silent for several moments, similarly lost in thought and avoiding eye contact.
Barney cleared his throat. "Good talk, Scherbatsky. I'm gonna head out."
She flashed him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes and bid him goodbye.
---
Author: modernxxmyth
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairings: Barney/Robin, Robin/OC (only temporarily, I'm sorry!), ensemble
Warnings: None.
Spoilers: None officially, but based on speculation for season eight.
Summary: In the aftermath of Barney's engagement, Robin does what she can to convince herself she's moved on.
Chapter One. Chapter Two.
Chapter Three
"That was fast."
"What was?" Ted asked Robin as they sat in their usual booth in MacLaren's.
Robin nodded her head at Barney, who was across the bar, wearing a fake beard and glasses, gesturing wildly to an attractive young redhead.
Ted's eyebrows shot up.
"I'll never understand the way that guy deals with break-ups," he agreed.
Robin took a sip of her beer and shrugged.
"At least he's rocking the break-up beard," Ted said.
"I'm not sure it counts if it's fake. And to pick-up women. Not that I have any clue what the hell play he's working on right now. That beard is ridiculous. I can't believe it's working on her."
The last part came out significantly more bitter than she had originally intended.
"Somebody jealous?" Ted asked carefully.
"God no. Just…it's disheartening to see, is all. He wanted something serious so badly, and now he's off searching for bimbos to bang again. I don't get it."
"If you don't understand Barney, there's definitely no hope for the rest of us," he replied.
Robin let out a sad laugh.
Well, really, she thought that maybe she did get it, if she gave herself the chance to think about it. But not understanding Barney Stinson was a hell of a lot easier than understanding him, so she just did her best to ignore it.
Barney left with the woman ten minutes later, and Robin finished her beer quietly.
* * *
He was at it again the next night.
And the one after that.
And the one after that.
In fact, Barney picked up so many women within the next few nights, Robin thought he may be on his way to another perfect week.
He wasn't, of course. That was a once in a lifetime kind of achievement. There were a couple nights where he struck out and left alone or joined the group to hang out at Lily and Marshall's place.
But it would seem the legendary Barney Stinson, playboy extraordinaire, was back in full swing.
On one hand, Robin was glad. She knew what to do with this version of Barney. She'd become very familiar with him over the years. On the other hand, she was admittedly a bit disappointed in him. Not for a sleeping around. She didn't really see anything wrong with that. He was a free agent. But for going back to his old ways after making a real effort to change. After deciding to find something real and then giving up once he lost it. Giving up is what he was doing, and Robin didn't like watching it. Not one bit.
* * *
"I was thinking we should talk about the future."
Robin choked on her wine.
She was out to dinner with Ryan. They'd now been together a couple months. She'd been trying to put off this conversation as long as possible, but she should have expected he'd bring up the talk sooner rather than later.
"Oh?" she replied hesitantly.
"I really like you, Robin. A lot. I just want to know where you think this is going. You seem…resistant. Or am I misreading things?"
She took another sip of wine while she collected her thoughts.
"You're not misreading things. I'm sorry. I'm just…in a weird place right now. It's not you…."
He gave her a look that clearly said, 'Seriously?'
"Sorry." She sighed. "You're a really good guy, Ryan. You're sweet, you're attractive…you're a catch. And you deserve better than a girl who is terrified of commitment and...hung up on her ex."
Robin was fairly certain those were the most honest words she'd ever spoken to him.
"It's Barney, isn't it?"
She cringed. "Am I that obvious?"
"No. He is, though."
"What are you talking about?"
"He clearly hated me when everyone else seemed to like me. It wasn't that hard to figure out."
"I'm really sorry."
"Me too. You're an amazing woman, Robin. Give me a call if you're ever ready for something different."
* * *
"Not trying to pick anyone up tonight?" Robin asked Barney later that night after he sat down across from her in the usual booth.
He shook his head. "Hooked up a hottie at the gym this afternoon. You could say I gave her quite the work-out."
She rolled her eyes.
"What happened to trying to find 'The One?'"
"I was never trying to find 'The One'." He cringed just saying the words. "I'm not Ted."
"Then explain all your serious relationships lately. I thought you wanted something real?"
He shrugged, trying to play it casual. "Sure, I thought I wanted something more. Fine. But I don't think it's for me anymore, if that's how it's going to end every time. It's not worth the trouble."
Those words hit Robin like a punch to the gut. She could nearly feel the ache of it. Not worth the trouble. He'd thought she was worth the trouble once, hadn't he? But what about now? she had to wonder.
"You're just going about it the wrong way," she told him. "I mean, I'm not exactly one to talk. You know that."
He pressed his lips together and gave her a thin smile.
Robin continued, "But from my experience….you're trying too hard. You're going crazy trying to find someone to settle down with that you're not even getting to know them. You're missing the important part. You're rushing these relationships because you're so eager for someone to want you. You have to let it happen naturally if you want it to be real. Relationships are a process. You can't just skip to the step you want to be ready for. You need to really know the person before you know if you can love them. If you can be with them forever…or something like it."
The underlying tension was palpable. Both of them knew he had only been with one woman where he'd taken the proper steps and really known her, and she was sitting across from him.
Robin bit her lip.
"But it hurts more when that kind of relationship ends," he admitted in a low voice.
She tried hard to swallow the lump that was developing in her throat.
"Yeah," she admitted. "It does. Supposedly it's worth it if it lasts, though. Do you think?"
He smiled softly. "Not that I have a lot of experience in the area, but…yeah, I think it can be."
Robin stared at the table.
The were both silent for several moments, similarly lost in thought and avoiding eye contact.
Barney cleared his throat. "Good talk, Scherbatsky. I'm gonna head out."
She flashed him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes and bid him goodbye.
---