After the Leap

Barney and Robin after the leap from each of the gang's point of view

Warning: Contains M/F sex

Ted couldn't help but watch his to friend more carefully lately. He has his suspicions that Barney had finally "bought the suit". Marshal, Lily, Barney, Robin, and he were all sitting at their both at the bar. For once he was sitting in the both; he and Marshal were on one side and the girls on the other with Barney sitting in the chair that was almost always pulled up to the both. Ted had been spending a lot of time in that chair lately (he had the impression that Marshal and Lily had been plotting to get Robin and Barney to sit together for the last several months) but this last week Ted hadn't gotten to sit in the both once. He was telling them all about his lecture ideas and couldn't help noticing that neither Barney nor Robin was paying him any attention. Barney wasn't even throwing in his usual sitcom phrases. This lack of attention really didn't bother Ted but he did have a strong urge to peak under the table. He was sure that Barney's right hand (which hadn't been seen for most of the night) was firmly in place on Robin's thigh. Then, finally, Robin just stood up and grabbed Barney's tie and pulled him after her to the lady's room. Ted smiled at Lily who broke down in to a fit of giggles. When the two of them reappeared twenty or so minutes later Ted noted that two of Barney's fingers were caught in Robin's. Both of them looked distinctly disheveled. Ted examined them both and found himself suppressing a smile and saying, "Well, that answers that question." To his surprise Barney actually turned beet red.

Lily was sitting on the couch with Marshal and Ted. They were watching Star Wars, again, but Lily wasn't paying any attention. It wasn't just that she had seen Star Wars about a billions times by now (she had) but Barney and Robin had disappeared somewhere around the time that Luke meet Han Solo. Lily found herself craning her ears to see if she could hear anything of what she knew was happening in the bedroom. She couldn't help but be curious, I mean, it's Barney. She had some how managed to resist the urge to question Robin. She was kind of afraid of breaking this spell that her friend was under. Lily thought that they were really, actually, literally, together, not just doing it like her class' pet frogs during play time (did Princess and Wart-Man only give each other "piggy-back-rides" right then or was it just the only time she noticed?). They were together, she was sure of it. Neither of them had stopped smiling for a good two weeks. But just incase she still was being cautious. Poor Barney had been pining for so long she didn't want to take any chances. He really was such a little teddy bear at heart. So she had resigned herself to remaining curious. Her eyes on the movie and her mind entirely focused on the back bedroom she heard a very slight creak of a door. She glanced quickly over at Marshal and Ted; they were both wholly engrossed in deep Star Wars mode. She peaked towards the kitchen and saw Barney, in the nude, quietly searching through the cabinets. He grabbed the maple syrup and went back to Robin's room. She could have sworn that he winked at her. "Well," she thought, "That answers that question."

When Marshal though about it he realized that despite the fact that Barney was, well, had been, a major player he had never brought any of his conquests to the office. Marshal had always imagined, or tried not to imagine, that this was the reason for couch. He had always avoided sitting on it. However, thinking back over nearly a year of working there Barney had never been thus occupied when Marshal came by regardless of the time. The only time that he had ever been turned away Barney had been yelling at someone on the phone in Japanese (or Korean, Marshal could never tell). So he had never worried about just walking in to Barney's office. That is why he had just walked in to Barney's office that afternoon. It was just passed noon, time for their daily "conference call" so Barney would be expecting him, right? But when Marshal walked in there they were on that couch. Robin's freakishly long legs were wrapped around Barney's waist and Barney pants were halfway down his butt. They were kissing passionately and Barney had a lock of her hair entwined in his fingers. As he backed out he thought perhaps they hadn't heard him. However, later when he ran in to Barney later and blurted out, "I saw you and Robin." Barney had replied, "I know, I saw you dude." Marshal couldn't help himself, "So are you actually dating?" "We're dating," Barney replied calmly. "Well, that answers that question," Marshal thought and made a mental note to knock from now on.

It wasn't that they necessarily liked getting caught. Barney wasn't nearly a kinky as everyone seemed to think. He just always had a tendency to over do things; he needed to put on a good show. But he wanted, needed, the others to know. They both secretly craved the approval of the group, especially from Ted. They needed that acknowledgement that he wasn't going to stop talking to Barney again like last time. That this wasn't going to cause a fight or make anyone unhappy. Besides it saved them from being questioned about things.

They had talked about it to each other but not that much. Just enough to clear the air and that was all they needed. After all, Barney thought, they were already best friends, told each other nearly everything. So not much changed accept that they didn't go out "bro-ing" they went out on dates. These outings were nearly the same as before except that they went home with each other, and he didn't have to hide his feelings anymore, which was a huge relief. He was so relieved to finally have that question, which had been taunting him for months, finally answered

He was in love and he didn't care who knew it. They were making love and he didn't care who saw. So they weren't just careless they were obvious. They were still them so they didn't have stupid pet names or call each other and tell the other what they had to eat that day. But he knew that they probably still looked like stupid love sick fools. He had worried about this for a while but soon he let it go. He didn't feel like a fool he felt awesome. Besides he was getting laid, consistently, with the most awesome woman he had ever met. They just couldn't hold back.

So they were sitting on the couch at Robin and Ted's apartment. They were watching a movie. They had started this one several time before but they hadn't made it very far yet. Once they hadn't even made it past the opening credits, thought he had made it through the end credits, what up! She was warm against his chest; his arm around her shoulder, her soft brown hair tickled his ear a little. She felt so right, fit so perfectly against him. He had already stopped watching the movie. His hand had claimed it proper place on her thigh and he was gazing down watching her breasts move up and down with her breath. As far as he was concerned this was a site better than any movie ever made. He let his chin drop to her shoulder and gave himself over entirely to this idle pleasure, absent mindedly blowing softly down her blouse. At this angle he could see her cotton bra and he tried to move her blouse a little with his breath to see more.

She turned her lips to his ear and whispered with a seductive voice, "You're staring at my breasts." "Yes," he said and moves her knees over his lap so she would be closer. She shifts a little and brings her right arm across her body under her chest and grabs the fingers of his hand on her shoulder. He smiled and chuckles a little in to her neck. Her movements had given him an even better view down her shirt and she obviously meant to do just that. Plus her left hand has a grip on his right hip and it tickles, just a little. He can see her nipple hardening through her bra. He moaned softly in to her collar bone as his body responds to this sight in similar way, then kissed her neck as she wiggled her legs just a little on his lap. She turned to nibble his ear. Barney is aware that they are still in the living room of Ted and Robin's apartment. He is aware that Ted will probably walk in any minute. He knows this but he doesn't care. They almost want him to. And in a moment he has her on her back on the couch and they're both unbuttoning each others shirts.

So when the door opens and Ted, with Lily and Marshal, walks in they had stripped each other totally naked. He is inside her and sucking on her nipples as she moans with pleasure. "Jesus Christ!" says Marshal, and Lily, "Oh my God!" and Ted says, "Hey! Come On!" Barney finds himself looking up at them for a moment then looks deep in to Robin's eyes. They can't help it. They both smile.

She had been vaguely aware of how weird Barney had been acting for months. He just kept staring at her. That actually wasn't all that unusual. Thinking back he realized that had always spent a lot of time looking at her. She just assumed that he was imagining her naked which was normal for a guy, especial one as horny as Barney. Then they slept together and it was amazing and the staring noticeably increased. Of course it increased, I mean come on, duh, and now he had an actual image to imagine. It really didn't bother her but sometimes she saw this look in his eyes that was almost sad and she vaguely wondered what that was about? But then she wasn't one to over-think things. She had been having increasingly frequent dream about him at night, and even a few day dreams but she just didn't think about it to much. Then she over heard Barney telling Ted about "a Canadian suit" and that answered that question.

The problem with "the Mosby" was that it generally worked. This was a problem because, much to her own surprise, she had meant it. She remembered that Barney had thought about it for three second nearly 4 year ago. Well, there had been nearly a hundred million seconds sense that moment and she had to admit that it did make sense. When he had leaped across the roof he had looked in to her eyes, his eyes were so blue, and she knew that they had to take the risk. When he landed next to her on the roof and they all jumped up down and then Barney wrapped her in his arms. He brushed her hair back and licked her ear and whispered "be mine?" in a low voice. "Yes." She had breathed what else could she say.

There brief confession of love on that roof didn't change who they were. So, they both had freaked out a few times over the next week. But they spent several confused and frenzied amazing nights together followed by a few mornings waking up shocked to be cuddling. Then a few dinners that turned into dates and they were able to get out enough of their feelings out in coherent sentences that they could calm down and just be them.

Robin had final felt the whole situation settle in as they were sitting at their both in the bar with Lily, Marshal, and Ted. Ted was talking. Probably about his new job, but he could have been talking about purple people eaters for all she cared because Barneys hand, his soft, slender, with meticulous fingers, which Robin had been fantasizing about all day, was on her thigh. She was pleased to have chosen a dress that day; he had just brushed under the hem of her skirt and Barney's hand still continued to edge up her thigh. It was then that she gave in completely, to her need, to Barney, to all of them really. She grabbed his tie without a word and pulled him after her.

After that they started to do it with the others in the next room, in his office, the couch in the apartment. It thrilled her just a bit to risk getting caught. She suspected too that subconsciously this was Barney and her way of bringing the group in-the-know without having to have big uncomfortable discussions about each of their feelings. She did want Ted, Marshal, and Lily to know and so did Barney. They both needed Ted's approval and Lily's delight but they could barely get through a conversation about this with just the two of them.

Besides, their growing lack of physical inhibitions around the group could be quite useful. She found herself on the couch with Barney listening to Ted ramble on about his new job. Barney looked at her and she could see him think "how fast do you think we can make him stop talking?" She responded by kissing him, Barney's tongue felt hot in her mouth. She softly bit down on his lower lip as his hands caressed her gently and he kisses her hungrily. She pushed him back on to the coach, climbed into his lap, and started unbuttoning his shirt. Barney submitted without question and grinned wickedly up at her. Ted stopped talking and groaned at them "come on guys, I am right here!" "That answers that" she though to Barney. He winked at her as Ted said, "Hey! ... Hey! ..." then gave up and left the room. She had already forgotten Ted had been there. She pulled her shirt off over her head then watched Barney as she popped off her bra with a little hop so her breasts would jiggle appealingly. She enjoyed watching the look on his face as they bounce before him. He could be serious and tender but at that moment he was like a kid on Christmas morning who had just found the tree nearly buried in gifts.

She giggled wriggling in his lap as he unabashedly ogled her. She smiled to imagining his "b"-peg files all filling up with her. A while later she lay on his chest listening to his heart beat as he softly rubbed the base of her neck.

He kissed the top of her head and sighed contentedly.

"I think that we should expect an intervention."