Chapter Text
It was three months ago when Robin Scherbatsky first stepped foot in New York City. Since then, she has found a good apartment, her job seems secure, but she doesn’t have any friends. She has dated around since arriving, but she doesn’t want to have a long term relationship just affairs, or one night stands is how she thinks of it. She had sworn off relationships because every guy she dates has been clingy or needy or wants a long term relationship. She prefers guys who just want a good night together and that’s it.
Her co workers have been trying to force her into liking them, they want to hang out with her. They ask her every Friday to go out to a bar or do something fun with them. But she likes being by herself plus she doesn’t really like them. They’re a bit too girly and friendly, she likes guys, she’s a guys girl. But every guy she’s met has been too emotionally attached or available and that’s not her. How can she live in a city with millions of people and yet she can’t find one man who is not clingy and needy.
“Hey, Robin want to come out with us tonight?” Amanda is one of the girls at the office who keeps asking her to hang out with her little girl group. But she doesn’t really fit in with those women.
“No, that’s alright I have plans.” Which she doesn’t have, she just doesn’t want to hang around people she doesn’t really like. These people are just her co workers nothing more.
“Oh, okay then. Have a good night.” It’s been like this for the last month. But she just doesn’t feel these women as anyone she’s going to befriend. They don’t mean anything to her.
Robin had this invitation in her desk draw that she didn’t think about since putting it in there two weeks ago. But, since she has no plans on a Friday night she decides to go to this event that’s on the flyer. It’s a laser tag tournament, so a half an hour passes work is done for the evening she goes to the bathroom and changes into a more comfortable outfit. She’s been wearing a dress skirt and high heels all day. She changes into jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers. She’s going to do a lot of running. She heads out to get a cab and heads downtown to the laser tag place.
When she goes to check in, she is told that the tournament is for pairs. Meaning, it’s teams of two or more, this information was in small print at the bottom of the flyer she had. She didn’t read that part and didn’t realize that the tournament is for pairings. She really wants to play but doesn’t have a partner.
“I’m sorry miss, but you can’t play in the tournament if you don’t have a partner.” The guy who has got to be a teenager at the desk tells her this, she sighs and says “but can’t you make an exception for me? I decided to go to this at last minute.” She desperately wants to play to blow off some steam, she would go to the gun range but she decided to come here because it’s more fun and she gets to run around with a gun and not kill someone. It’s safe, fun and it’s been a while since she played laser tag.
“No, sorry those are the rules.” Robin sighs again and walks away.
“Hey, I was listening to your conversation I happened to be in need of a partner as well.” A guy, about around her age. Which surprises her because she hasn’t seen anyone here that is her age only teenagers or preteens. Nobody is her age, but this guy walks over to her as she was talking to the reception guy overhearing that she needs a partner. She’s as desperate as he is so he goes over to her and asks her if she wants to be his partner for the tournament.
“Sure, absolutely I really want to play. I came to this not realizing you need a partner. I would be really grateful if we teamed up.” The guy smiles so widely that she instantly smiles as well. Both happy to finally have a partner for this event.
Neither know each other so they don’t know the other one’s laser tag skills. But both are desperate to play so they don’t care if they are good or bad at this game. They walk back over to reception desk and sign in as a team. This is the first time the two will have their names on a piece of paper together. Neither know each other but in the weeks that follow they will certainly be getting to know each other.
“Name’s Barney, Barney Stinson.”
They hadn’t told each other their names yet so as they start the game he tells her his name.
“Robin, Robin Scherbatsky.”
Usually both like to use anonymous names as to give someone they just met a fake name so that they won’t contact them in the future. They don’t know it yet but they are very similar in the way they act when meeting new people but today they decided to use their real names. This isn’t the only thing they have in common. They will get to know more about each other but right now they start playing, running around and already knocking out two teams, both teenagers.
“Wow, you are good at this game. So quick, nice reflexes Scherbatsky.” This is the first time he has used this name as a nickname and it sticks with them long into the future.
“Thanks. You’re not bad yourself… Stinson.” She smiles and his heart skips a beat. Already this woman is getting under his skin and in a good way. He likes her already, and she’s gorgeous so beautiful.
They continue to play and Robin actually knocks out three more teams as the hour rolls on. The game started with ten teams and it’s down to five.
“Got ya, you snot nose little brat. Yeah run to mommy.” Barney says as he knocks another team out of the tournament.
“Wow, that was very close. Thanks for getting my six.” Meaning he got her back when he knocked out another team.
Another half hour goes by and the tournament is down to three teams. One of the pre teens, another of girls (teens) and Barney and Robin. Who are just better in every way as they work together really quickly as a team it was quick how well they communicate and shot those other teams.
“Watch out Scherbatsky, on your right.” She turns around and sees a girl one of the teenagers right near her, Robin immediately aimed and shot her. Quickly getting her out. The teams are now down to two.
As they break for water, Barney and Robin sit down by barrels both sweating and breathing heavily.
“Wow, you were amazing out there. How’d you get so good at laser tag?” Barney is amazed by this woman, he just met her and already she makes him look the other way whenever he sees another woman. And tonight, he has seen zero women, because she is the only woman who’s here. There are no other women who are over the age of 20.
This woman is amazing and he has been attracted to her since they just met at the counter earlier. Seeing her kill it with this game makes him even more attracted to her. He’s already thinking about sleeping with her she seems like a woman who likes a good one night stand with no feelings or anything attached to it. Whatever happens tonight he wants to get to know this chick and sleep with her.
“I had good practice.” She doesn’t want to tell a guy she just met about her wild childhood, wild being an understatement for how she was raised. But, she will tell him that she can kick ass no matter who it is.
“Well, I’m shocked, amazed and in awe of you.” Robin for the first time in her life blushes, and it’s not because she’s sweating like crazy right now. She just meets this good looking charming man and already he’s got her blushing.
“Thanks, now let’s go kick ass for the last round of this. There’s a game we need to win.” For the first time since meeting they high five each other and it’s like they have done this for years, they are perfectly in sync. Who knew that tonight they would meet their soulmate. However neither know this and continue to play the game.
After a few missed shots Barney and Robin shoot the last contestant in the game. With his partner out it was down to one, with Barney shooting the last shot.
“And the winners of the 2005 laser tag team tournament are… Barney Stinson and Robin Scherbatsky.”
As their names are called as the winners of the tournament for the second time tonight Barney and Robin high five each other and yell out “we won” at the top of their lungs. As they walk up to the announcer to receive their trophy.
Robin adds on to that and says “suck it losers” Barney just looks at her in awe. This woman just helped him win this game and he is so happy and excited to have met her. In all of this big city, this one woman walked into this arena and immediately impressed him. He has never met another woman like her, but he is wildly turned on by her. She’s not only smart and beautiful but she kicks ass at laser tag. She is the best partner he ever had.
“Wow, that was so awesome. I can’t believe we won.” He says as they go outside with their trophy in hand.
“I can’t believe it either. You’re pretty good Stinson. Tonight was truly awesome. It was great meeting you. I was so close to leaving and going home but you made my night. It has been a while since I played laser tag but it’s like riding a bike once you get on that ride you can’t stop and just go and go until you beat everyone around you.” She hasn’t been this excited in ages. Or had as much fun as she did. Meeting Barney was some kind of fate. And she never believed in that sort of thing.
“Oh, it was a pleasure. Watching you kill those brats was hell of a turn on.” If he believed in fate, fate has definitely been with him tonight. Robin is one awesome and beautiful woman he has never been this turned on by anyone.
“Totally. I was on a roll.” They stare at each other after this. Neither believing that fate, in which neither believes in. Has found them, they don’t believe in it but maybe in the future they will. Robin has never believed in anything, tonight has made her find someone she was never expecting to find. And Barney, he came here tonight thinking he would play without a partner in which he found out just like Robin that it’s team night, the tournament was for pairs. But he had no idea he would meet the most stunningly beautiful woman he’s ever seen.
The two go their separate ways in two cabs but as they rode off to their destinations they couldn’t stop thinking about the events that happened tonight and the fate that led them to meeting. Neither knew that the night that brought two strangers together in the biggest city in the world would meet again…