Good as we Are

Good as we Are

Natasha and Barney had been together for ten years and still Barney hadn’t popped the question. He liked to say,

‘we are good as we are’ a lot. So Natasha had decided she should be the one to ask him.

Her plan was to wait until valentine’s week and try to get him to ask her, with the fallback of her own proposal to him.

She waited until February intending to celebrate the 7 days of Valentines, including proposing to him on the correct day.

The days ran from the 7th-14th as follows:

7th Feb - Rose Day

8th Feb - Propose Day

9th Feb - Chocolate Day

10th Feb - Teddy Day

11th Feb - Promise Day

12th Feb - Kiss Day

13th Feb - Hug Day

14th Feb - Valentine’s Day.

She had asked Barney to look up each day so they could celebrate it properly together.

When February came around here’s what happened between them.

7th February Rose Day:

“Barney honey here is your rose for today to start off our romantic week.”

“Nat you shouldn’t have”

“Why not?”

“Because I already ate the Cadburys roses I bought for you. I thought the roses were overpriced just to tell someone you love them. I’ll get you some after Valentine’s or when I can find some on sale babe.”

Natasha wasn’t impressed but she did agree on the pricing statement.

February 8th Propose Day:

This didn’t go much better.

When Natasha got down on one knee to propose.

“Barney dear I feel we have waited long enough to tie the knot, and so I have taken the lead in asking you to marry me with this titanium ring.”

“Oh you know I love that song, I’m bulletproof nothing to loose, I am titanium” Barney replied dancing around the room, intentionally ignoring her proposal.

“The point of today is to propose! Now Barney will you marry me?”

“Hmm I have a better proposal. Why don’t we use the money we would waste on a piece of paper to have a new conservatory.

Look I even wrote out this piece of paper and signed it to say I’m committed to you. Weddings are far too expensive. Why don’t you get up off the floor and come look at all the choices they have?”

He dismissed her again. She could feel the anger rising at his blatant dismissal of even considering accepting her proposal, but then she should probably not be surprised. After all they had been together 10 years already and he’d never proposed to her. Maybe she should just accept she would never walk down the aisle to him in a wedding dress. She sighed and replied.

“Well I would but my knees locked up and I can’t get back up.”

“ Come here let me help you my love”

Barney bent down and helped Natasha up, pulling her into a warm embrace as he did so. Whispering in her ear.

“You know me Nat I like things kept simple. We are good as we are aren’t we?” She nodded while he carried on.

“Well then I say if it ain’t broke no need to try and fix it is there? Chin up love, I’m more than happy to show you how much I love you.”

He wiggled his eyebrows as he led her towards the bedroom.

In the end her proposal wasn’t a complete flop and neither was he.

He did wear the Ring, and they currently have the piece of paper, with both their signatures framed and up on the wall.

February 9th chocolate day:

This was actually a success. Natasha gave Barney a huge crunchy bar. His favourite, and when it came to her he said.

“Nat I know I upset you on Rose day. So I’m hoping this box of roses will make up for it.

I didn’t really eat them. I saved them for today to say I love you”

“Thank-you Barney that’s very thoughtful”

He however ruined the mood with,

“yeah I know! I ate the bigger box. I got your box for half price on the buy one get one half price offer in Tesco”.

‘At least he finds the bargains’ she thought to herself, shaking her head at him.

February 10th teddy day:

Barney did good

“Nat I got this teddy bear for you” It was a big white bear holding a heart which said ‘I love you’.

“Wow Barney it’s beautiful!”

“I know and it only cost a couple of quid from the charity shop. Best bargain so far”.

Natasha showed him the teddy underwear she was wearing for him. This ended up with another trip to the bedroom to celebrate.

February11th promise day:

Natasha just asked one thing.

“Barney promise me you have at least put in some effort for Valentine’s Day?”

“Nat Sweetheart, you know I don’t believe in promises. They are far too easily broken. I will only promise not to make any promises to you”.

“Well at least you’re honest.”

“Of course, it’s the best policy, isn’t it? Do you have a Promise for me?”

“Yes after much consideration. I’ve decided to promise never to expect a wedding day, or a marriage proposal again. Like you said ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”.

Barney could see the sadness in her eyes and he knew his plan had worked.

However it hurt him deeply to see her glum look. He pulled her into his arms again and kissed the top of her head.

“Exactly babe! We are good as we are.”

February 12th kiss day: They started and ended the day kissing.

“One of my favourite two days Nat a kiss to show our love is true and it cost neither of us anything”

“Speak for yourself, my lipstick wasn’t cheap”

“Oh but I think the shade suits me better, don’t you?” Natasha slapped him playfully with a pillow and proceeded with a dare, for him to put her lipstick on. Which she kissed back away.

This was the happiest day she had had in a long time. Maybe she didn’t need a big wedding celebration after all.

February13th Hug day:

They spent the day in bed watching movies together. Their very own Netflix and chill day. At the end of the day they had the best hug and Natasha fell asleep. Contentedly cuddled up in Barneys arms .

February 14th Valentines Day:

Natasha woke up to a note on Barneys pillow, it read ‘Yes we are good as we are and things can only get better for us’.

She grabbed the valentines bag she had put his new watch in and went into the dining room.

Expecting a peaceful breakfast knowing Barney had work today, she planned on making a romantic meal for later on.

She was not prepared for what she saw instead.

There was a Candle lit full English breakfast prepared and set out thoughtfully for two. With a vase of what she guessed were a dozen red roses.

Behind her chair was a human sized teddy bear sitting under a huge banner on the wall which said Happy Valentines Day my love, with an arrow at the end pointing to the right.

As she approached the right there was Barney on one knee waiting patiently with a single chocolate rose in his hand.

“Please sit Nat” Barney asked giving her the chocolate rose. She did as he asked taking the rose from him.

“What’s all this?” She asked, daring not to hope for what it looked like it was.

“Well, the cooked breakfast is to eat. The roses in the vase are for rose day, the chocolate one for chocolate day. The teddy bear for Teddy and hug day. The sign celebrates today and points to me.”

“Yes I can see that”

He had already outdone himself.

“Well as you can see I’m one one knee for propose day. So I promise to love you every single day for the rest of our lives. Now could you do two things for me please.”

“Umm sure what’s that?”

“Firstly Nat, I may have disappointed you over the last week but I promise you from the bottom of my heart that I want to marry you.

I wanted to be the one to ask you and surprise you all in one day. Now will you accept my proposal and make our love official to the rest of the world by becoming my wife?”

Gobsmacked Natasha replied

“Yes of course I will, I thought you’d never ask. You always said

‘I refuse to marry because divorce is expensive. I won’t ask you to marry me because I can’t afford an engagement ring and I think the church is already overpaid. Not to mention I can’t stand your friends and family.’

But you know I will marry you, I’ve waited years for this.”

The beaming smile across Natasha’s face could have lit up the whole of London.

“Now that’s all true, but after 10 years of saving you the embarrassment. I finally decided it was time to make you Mrs Barney Glasscock”

“Well I was hoping we would take my surname instead, but I’d be happy to exchange it for Glasscock. Now what was the other thing you wanted?”

“Well I’ve been in this position for ages waiting for you to get up and my knee has locked. Could you help me up and seal the deal with a kiss for kiss day!

While I contemplate whether Mr and Mrs shuffle-bottom is a better option for us.”

The End.