Support me on pat_reon.com/kapur69 (Delete "_") and read for 15 chapter ahead or more.
Disclaimer, i own nothing but my own idea.
-----------------
3rd POV — 2005, Apartment
"It's physics, Marshall!" Ted said, staring at his friend who was still grinning like an idiot. "If the bottom bunk moves, the top bunk moves too. And yes—I was sleeping before my bed started shaking!"
Marshall chuckled, handing Ted a beer. "Yeah, sorry, dude. But hey—it was a big moment for me, right?!"
Ted sighed and lightly smacked his arm. "Yes, finally you're getting engaged to that woman." He rolled his eyes dramatically.
Marshall laughed again, then suddenly lit up. "How about you take Barney and hit the bar tonight?!"
Ted gave him a blank stare. "If that's your idea, it really sucks. Normal people say, 'Drinks on me!' when they get good news."
Marshall just burst out laughing.
{Yeah, kids… that was your Uncle Marshall.} — Older Ted's voice.
Ted shook his head, but he was still pulling out his phone as he walked toward the couch.
{Your Uncle Marshall took a big step forward in life. And me?} — Older Ted.
"Hey, Barney," Ted said once the line picked up. "…No, Barney, you like women with tight pussy!" He rolled his eyes.
{No, I didn't say that.} — Older Ted.
"…You like women, Barney. Just women." Ted corrected himself, exhaling in disbelief.
{That's better. Anyway, while your Uncle Marshall took the biggest step of his life… I hit the bar with your Uncle Barney.} — Older Ted.
"Oh, yes—Lebanese girls are beautiful," Ted said after hearing Barney's rambling. "Anyway, wanna hit the bar?"
He hung up and ignored Barney who kept saying wearing a suit, heading to his room to change. Marshall watched his single best friend walk away, shaking his head with a smile. "Honestly, Ted, I don't know how you're still single." he called out.
Ted came back out wearing a gray short-sleeve polo with buttons at the collar. The fabric clung slightly to his frame, outlining a lean, toned build — not bulky, but athletic in a subtle way. The shirt hugged across his chest, forming clean, square lines that made him look effortlessly put-together.
Ted gave him a confused look. "What? What did you say?" he asked while tucking his shirt into his jeans.
Marshall eyed him jealously. He'd tried copying Ted Mosby's style before but it never worked.
"I said, I don't know why you're still single," Marshall repeated, sipping his beer. "And seriously…why do you look so damn good in just a polo shirt?!"
Ted grinned, tightening his belt. "Marshall, please," he said with mock modesty. "Don't blame the polo shirt. I'm just hot."
He laughed at his own joke, while Marshall rolled his eyes.
"As for your question," Ted added, patting Marshall's shoulder before turning toward the mirror in the corner of the apartment room (a giant mirror, courtesy of Ted and Lily's combined taste). "I just haven't met the one yet…" He paused, fixing his hair, then smiled at Marshall through the reflection.
"…But I've got a feeling about tonight."
(This is just illustration of Ted Mosby from my Novel)
Ted turned around and caught Marshall grumbling while eyeing his classy "Ted Mosby" outfit.
"Well, I hope you find her," Marshall said, then smirked. "But seriously, why don't you just wear a suit like Barney? I'm sure you'd look way more handsome than him."
Ted lifted a finger like a professor giving a lecture. "It's in the Bro Code. Never compete with your bro… on a hoe. Get it?" he said with a grin.
Marshall rolled his eyes. Yeah, he got it. That's exactly why Ted never went after Lily back in college, even though he totally could've.
Back then, Ted was basically Barney before Barney became… Barney.
"So," Ted said, grabbing his jacket, "I'll leave you and Lily alone tonight. I expect great news when I get back!"
He opened the door and was about to step out, then turned back with a deadpan look.
"…Don't have sex on the kitchen floor. It's really dirty, I haven't cleaned it up today."
Ted shut the door behind him.
Marshall shook his head, sighing. "Of course not…" he muttered.
Then he grinned to himself.
"Heh. I'll have sex on top of the kitchen island."
—------
At the bar, Barney Stinson — self-proclaimed best friend of Ted Mosby — was on the hunt as usual.
Women.
Specifically, hot Lebanese women.
Of course, this was Barney — the man who loved challenges.
If he wanted a hot Lebanese woman, he was going to get a hot Lebanese woman tonight.
As Barney sipped his whiskey and scanned the room like a predator in a suit, he noticed something change — the women around him suddenly started whispering and glancing toward the door. One even pointed.
"Ted," Barney muttered, before Ted even greeted him.
Ted, who had just walked into MacLaren's, spotted his friend and chuckled. "How do you always know?"
Barney finally turned, eyeing Ted up and down — from his messy hair to his brown shoes.
"…Yeah, I guess the polo shirt looks good on you too," he said grudgingly, straightening his tie. "But! A suit is always cooler than a polo, Ted! When I say 'suit up,' it means you wear a suit!" he scolded, glaring with mock disappointment.
"Nah, I'm cool," Ted replied, smirking. "I'm entering my Uncle Ted phase, now that Marshall and Lily are getting married."
Barney groaned. "You forgot what I told you when we first met, didn't you?!"
Carl, the bartender, poured Ted a drink. "Nice polo, Ted," he said with a grin.
"Thanks, Carl," Ted nodded, lifting his glass. "Not married till thirty, right?" he said, glancing at Barney.
"Yes!" Barney exclaimed proudly. "You don't need to think about marriage yet. You haven't met your girl… tonight!" He added, turning to scan the bar again like a hawk.
"Yeah, I guess so." Ted took a slow sip, feeling the burn of the whiskey slide down his throat. "It's just… when your best friend gets engaged, it kinda makes you think about that stuff."
Barney froze mid-scan and frowned. "Ted… I'm your best friend."
Ted ignored him, chuckling. "Hey Carl, who's my best friend?"
"I'll give you twenty bucks to say me," Barney blurted, handing Carl a bill.
Carl pocketed it smoothly. "Barney, obviously."
Ted laughed, shaking his head — but his laughter was interrupted by a woman's voice behind Barney.
"You guys are unbelievable."
Barney spun around and saw her — a stunning woman in a red dress.
"Hey," he said, flashing his signature grin. Then, without missing a beat, he looked at Ted.
"Have you met Ted?"
He slipped away with an exaggeratedly annoyed look, still salty about Ted teasing him.
Ted just sighed, shaking his head at his friend's antics.
"Hey, Yasmin," he greeted, taking the seat next to her.
Yeah, what Barney didn't know was that Ted already knew Yasmin.
Yasmin was Carl the bartender's girlfriend.
So instead of awkward introductions, they fell into an easy rhythm, chatting like old friends. Carl even joined in from time to time before turning back to serve the other customers.
"So, Ted," Yasmin began, tilting her head playfully, "why the long face? I thought you always came here with a girl on your arm. Now it's the opposite, half the women here are eyeing you like a piece of meat."
Ted glanced toward the women she mentioned, then sighed. "I'm just… not in the mood tonight. I guess I'm trying to find something real for once — you know, true love."
Yasmin raised an eyebrow and she saw Barney from the corner of her eyes, who was currently being rejected by the girls who she mentioned to Ted before. Barney awkwardly shuffled away, fixing his tie as if nothing happened.
"Really?" Yasmin laughed softly. "That's fantastic, Ted! But… what brought this change?"
Her tone turned teasing as she narrowed her eyes at him. "Ted Mosby—the guy who used to hit hard on me—has suddenly changed? That's hard to believe." She giggled, brushing her hair back and placed her hand on Ted's.
Ted chuckled too. "Hey, don't worry, Carl. I'm not hitting on your lady anymore." he said before withdrawing his hands from her slowly.
"You better not," Carl called out, pointing at him with mock seriousness. "Or I'm cutting you off for a year."
Yasmin just chuckled, taking a slow sip of her beer.
She noticed the way Ted gently pulled his hand away from hers — but she pretended not to think about it.
To anyone watching, it was just a friendly gesture.
But she knew better.
"…But do you really think you're gonna marry someone?" Yasmin asked, leaning against the bar counter — her tone teasing but her eyes serious, a touch of effortless seduction in the way she moved.
Not that she was trying; it was just… natural to her.
"Well, I hope so," Ted said, gazing into his glass like it was his closest friend. "I keep trying to find her — my true love. But somehow, the wrong ones keep showing up."
Yasmin gave him a mock glare. "So I'm one of the wrong ones?"
Ted chuckled, meeting her eyes. "Of course not." He smiled softly, but didn't explain further.
Yasmin pouted and gave his arm a light slap. "You're terrible, Ted Mosby!" she giggled, letting her hand linger briefly on his arm before pulling it away.
Their banter flowed easily, warm, a little flirty, but comfortable, of course until Barney suddenly appeared, shattering the mood like a cymbal crash.
"Ted! Ted!" he hissed, nudging him desperately. "Please! Be my wingman!"
Yasmin frowned, clearly irritated by the interruption. Before she could say anything, Ted offered an apologetic shrug.
"Sorry, Yasmin. Bro-Code."
She sighed, shaking her head as Barney threw an arm around Ted and started dragging him away.
"Sorry I ruined your night," Barney said quickly. "But she's not the one for you."
His voice wasn't exactly subtle because Yasmin shot him a deadly glare that sent a chill down his spine.
"Uhh… come here," Barney muttered, pulling Ted farther away before lowering his voice.
Ted smirked and pointed toward Yasmin. "By the way… she's Lebanese."
Barney's eyes widened. His jaw dropped open.
"She's…?"
"Carl's girlfriend," Ted finished with a grin.
Barney froze. Then, slowly, he looked from Ted to Yasmin, then to Carl who's polishing glasses at the bar and then back to Ted again. He looks at them over and over again.
"…Noo… haha, Ted, that's a good one." He forced a laugh, waiting for Ted to smile back and telling that he's been joking…the jokes that are never funny to him.
Ted didn't.
Barney blinked again, looking at Carl with unbelievable eyes. "…Wait—how did Carl land a Lebanese girl?!" he asked, completely dumbfounded.
Ted just rolled his eyes, and didn't really care for Barney's dumbfounded face. "So what do you want, Barney?"
Barney snapped back to focus, grinning wide. "See that group of women over there?" He pointed toward the corner booth.
From Barney's point of view, it was a group of girls hyping up their newly single friend.
But from what Ted sees is not the group, it was the woman in the green turtleneck — the one who still stands from her friends.
"The one in the middle," Barney whispered confidently, "she's desperate — ready for a new daddy to tuck her in tonight." He took a sip of whiskey with a smug grin.
"An easy target for Daddy here." He winked, then realized Ted wasn't responding.
"...Ted?"
Barney snapped his fingers in front of him. "Come on, man! You're my best wingman! Well… aside from my gay brother."
Ted blinked, shaking his head out of his thoughts. "Uh… I'm not sure," he said, taking another sip while hiding his own emotions right now.
"Come on, Ted!" Barney pleaded. "I told you, you're the best wingman ever! Give them an example, Ted! Give me what I want! Let me get laid tonight!"
Ted sighed and shoved Barney's face away. "Okay, okay! Get out of my face, man!" He straightened his polo shirt.
Barney grinned ear to ear. "Ahaha! You're my best fri—"
"Marshall's my best friend," Ted interrupted flatly.
"—friend!" Barney corrected himself quickly. "Tonight, we're gonna make it legen—wait for it—"
Ted stared at him helplessly.
"…DARY! Legendary!" Barney threw up his hands dramatically.
Ted just sighed. "Drinks are on you, right?"
"Fine!" Barney said, waving dismissively. The drinks didn't matter — the mission did.
Tonight, he will be getting laid.