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3rd Person POV
Ted stepped out of the taxi, smoothed his coat, and faced the place he had missed in these past few days.
MacLaren's.
Standing a few feet away, leaning casually near the entrance, was Robin with phone in hand, eyes glued to the screen. The city lights reflected faintly off her jacket as she scrolled, fully absorbed… until she felt someone staring.
She looked up and saw Ted standing there looking at her right now.
She immediately locked her phone and smiled at him.
"Hey, stranger!" she said, grinning as she stepped forward and punched his arm lightly.
Ted raised an eyebrow, glancing pointedly at her phone.
"What? Was that him?" he asked quietly. "The guy you were waiting for?"
Robin hesitated but it was just a fraction of a second. Barely noticeable for him.
She lifted her phone again, waving it dismissively. "Oh, no. No, no." Then she looked back at Ted, lips curling into a teasing smile. "...Are you jealous, Ted?"
She nudged him with her shoulder. "Relax. We're just friends, right?"
Ted blinked for a moment, then his expression shifted back into something familiar. Playful but annoyingly charming.
"Hey, I am your friend," he said calmly. "And as your friend, I feel it's my responsibility to meet your new guy."
Robin stopped dead and avoided him.
"What? NO!" she blurted, shoving her phone deep into her pocket like it was evidence she didn't want to share. "Why would you want to see him?! You can't see him!"
Her voice went up an octave as she glanced around, suddenly very aware of her surroundings like she became some kind of suspect in a crime scene.
Before Ted could respond, the apartment door swung open behind them.
"TED! I missed you so much!"
Ted barely had time to react before someone barreled into him at full speed.
This was not Lily.
This was Marshall with his arms wrapped tightly around Ted, nearly lifting him off the ground.
Lily followed behind, rolling her eyes fondly before punching Ted's other arm, mirroring Robin's earlier greeting.
Robin chuckled at the sight but it was only a second until she noticed Lily looking directly at her.
The chuckle… stopped immediately.
"So," Marshall said, finally releasing Ted and stepping back, "should we put your luggage upstairs first?"
Ted wanted to opened his mouth to answer, but then a taxi screeched to a halt right in front of them.
"TED! GET IN THE CAR!"
Barney's head popped out of the window, eyes wild, voice frantic.
"You just got back. I need you. NOW."
Everyone froze because it sounds serious right now.
"What?" Ted asked. "Why?"
Lily stepped forward, concern immediately kicking in. "Barney, what's wrong? Is there an emergency?"
"Yes!" Barney snapped. "A very serious one!"
Marshall frowned. "Is there anything we can do?"
"No. I only need my best friend." Barney locked eyes with Ted, deadly serious.
{Oh yeah. Totally it's not about Robin.} — Old Ted
"My brother got into an accident!" Barney continued, suddenly teary-eyed. "You know him. He likes you. Like….only you!"
He slapped the side of the taxi a little bit hard to make a point. "He just wants to see Ted! TED! GET IN THE CAB!"
Marshall's face fell. "Hey! What about me? I'm great too! I know your brother likes me too!" He puffed up defensively. "Maybe we should both go!"
Barney stared at him for half a second. "Fine. You both get in."
Marshall moved toward the taxi but then Lily grabbed his arm to stop him mid-step.
"Marshall," she said sweetly, dangerously, "don't you have studying to do?"
She gave him the look. No, it's not sex look, but the look to stop him acting stupid.
"…But I wanna come," Marshall whined.
"No," Lily replied firmly. "You need to study! Remember?!" She looked at Barney for a moment before she grab Marshall hand so hard and didn't want to let go.
Marshall deflated. "…Fine."
He turned back to Barney. "Sorry, man. Hope your brother's okay, Barney." Then to Ted, softer. "Don't worry. I am gonna put your luggage in your room."
"Alright!" Barney clapped his hands.
Ranjit, sitting patiently in the driver's seat, gave a subtle signal to Barney, whatever that meant but both of them nodded their heads.
There were a lot of signals happening tonight.
Ted sighed and climbed into the taxi. "I'll call you guys later!" he said, waving as the door shut and the car pulled away.
{That's how your Uncle Barney tricked me.
Fake brother. Fake emergency.
And yes, he paid Ranjit to lock the doors!} — Old Ted
Ted turned to Barney as the city blurred past. "Which hospital is your brother at?" he asked urgently. "Is he okay?!"
"Oh yeah," Barney replied casually. "He's fine."
Ted blinked for a moment, looking at Barney who's already calm right now. "…Then why are we—"
"We need to pick someone up at the airport first," Barney said, completely relaxed.
Ted stared at him.
Then at Ranjit.
Ranjit caught Ted's eye in the mirror and gave him a reassuring look: 'Everything's fine. Totally normal. Don't worry.'
"…Fuck!" Ted muttered.
Barney leaned back, a victorious grin spreading across his face.
"Sorry, Ted," Ranjit said, not sounding sorry at all. "Barney pay me very well."
The taxi sped on.
—----
Robin had been standing there quietly for a while now, watching the chaos unfold, the shouting, the sudden taxi, Barney's dramatics, Ted being dragged away without warning.
After the Barney fiasco, Robin headed toward MacLaren's.
Lily noticed almost immediately. She reached out to Marshall, grabbing Marshall by the arm and gently pulling him along toward the bar as well. But Marshall kinda hesitated.
"I should probably put Ted's luggage away first, and maybe go study for real now." he said, glancing back toward the apartment building.
So he did exactly that, carrying the suitcase upstairs before stopping on the stairs, turning back to face Lily… and Robin, who was already halfway to the bar's entrance.
"Honestly," Marshall said, voice low but heavy, "I don't really want to be part of this."
Lily paused for a second and looked at him.
"Ted is my best friend," Marshall continued. "I don't want to hurt him."
His eyes briefly flicked to Robin, standing on the steps of MacLaren's, her posture stiff and guarded.
Lily exhaled slowly, then waved her hand. "Fine," she said. "Girls' night, then."
She walked over again to Robin, looping her arm through Robin's before she could protest or saying something to Marshall.
"Don't worry about him," Lily added softly. "Ted is my best friend too. And… I really think this is what's best for both of you."
Robin didn't answer her. She only glanced back once, just long enough to see Marshall heading back toward the apartment, shoulders heavy, before she let Lily pull her inside.
Marshall sighed and disappeared to his apartment building, leaving the girls behind.
Inside MacLaren's, the familiar warmth wrapped around them. Lily was still smiling, as usual, bright and unfazed to the little drama before.
But Robin wasn't.
{Robin and Lily had grown surprisingly close by then. Robin was new to New York, but somehow, she'd already slipped into my world… and Lily's.} — Old Ted
"Lily," Robin said as she climbed onto a bar stool, her voice uncertain, "are you sure this is okay?"
Lily didn't hesitate and waved her hands to dismiss Robin's words. "Don't worry."
She called Carl effortlessly with her head and ordered their drinks. "Ted and I have been friends since college," she said confidently. "I know what I'm doing."
Carl nodded and immediately started preparing two dry martinis.
Lily turned back to Robin, her expression shifting just a little. "But… are you sure you don't want Ted?" she asked. "That kind of courage? Not many girls have it."
Robin let out a humorless laugh. "I know…. I'm being kinda stupid right now." She stared down at the bar. "I mean, the sex is great. He knows my body. He knows what makes my heart flutter." Her voice dropped. "But… I don't know."
Carl was still standing in front of them now, with two glass martinis but he listened to Robin's words too.
"What?" Robin snapped, noticing him didn't move at all.
"Nothing," Carl replied smoothly. "I just like hearing about Ted's sex life." He placed the martinis down and laughed.
"Oh, you want to hear more?" Robin called after him. "Because his di—"
Carl immediately covered his ears and retreated.
Lily snorted into her drink. "So," she said, sipping slowly, "what changed? What made you decide this?" She actually knows about this, and kinda knows why Robin is trying to stop Ted from liking her.
Robin hesitated for a second, but she continued to tell her. "...He gives me too much love," she admitted what stuck in her mind. What makes her kinda afraid to continue the relationship with Ted. Even though they're not dating.
She lowered her head. "I mean… for some women, that's perfect. But for me?" She shook her head. "It's suffocating."
Lily tilted her head, studying her. "Girl," she said bluntly, "you're weird."
"Yeah," Robin muttered. "It's killing me."
She took a long drink. "I'm the one who said we should keep it casual. Friends. Maybe friends with benefits. But I can still feel how much he loves me." She scoffed. "We're supposed to just be friends."
Lily nodded slowly. "Ted is a little crazy when he falls for someone," she said carefully. "He loves hard."
Then her tone sharpened. "But Marshall and I told you, once you start seeing someone else, Ted will move on."
She leaned closer. "There's just one catch."
Robin frowned. "Which is?"
"You have to stay strong," Lily said firmly. "And don't let Ted get inside you again."
"…Sex or love?" Robin asked for a moment because she thinks she can still have sex with him… yeah just a moment.
"Both."
Robin groaned hearing Lily shattering her delusion. "Fine…."
She drained her martini. "Seriously though, what's wrong with Ted? Was he always like this?"
Lily shrugged. "Not really. In college, he dated around. One girl after another." She paused. "But after Marshall and I got engaged… something shifted. He became… intense about love."
Robin squinted at her. "So this is your fault?"
"That's why I'm here helping you!" Lily shot back.
They both laughed. Of course they are just joking, and Robin knows that's not anybody's fault, it's just Ted being more extreme to marriage.
Robin reached for another drink, only to find a fresh martini already waiting.
"Compliments of that guy," Carl said, nodding toward a man watching Robin intently from across the bar.
The man lifted his beer in greeting and kinda smirked at her.
"He's a six compared to Ted," Carl whispered. "I don't know what's wrong with you. Even my ex wanted to sleep with Ted." He nodded respectfully. "But hey…respect."
Lily blinked after hearing that. "I thought you hated Ted because of that."
"Please," Carl scoffed. "Ted's rich. I paid my rent for a month after a two day party before. Tips well to the girls too. He's my favorite customer." Then he walked off.
Robin stared at her drink. "…Should I just date Ted?"
"Nah," Carl yelled from afar. "You should marry him!"
Robin glanced at Lily, genuinely unsure.
"...Oh my god!" Lily sighed. "What is wrong with you girl?!" she said before looking at the man who bought Robin's drink, "Anyway, forget about Ted for the night okay?!"
Before Robin could answer, the guy already approached her.
"Hey," he said smoothly, eyes roaming to Robin's body.
Robin glanced him up and down. "…Yeah, you're a six," she said flatly. "Buzz off."
She took another sip. "But thanks for the drink."
Lily burst out laughing.
The guy lingered, still trying to get Robin attention but Robin ignored him completely, her gaze drifting back to her glass.