Work Text:
It had been another typical evening at MacLaren’s Pub, but tonight, there was something different. Ted had been trying to ignore it, trying to focus on his conversation with Barney, but his attention kept drifting back to Marshall, who sat across the table, who always looked so effortlessly at ease with his beer in hand and that familiar smile on his face.
“Man, I’m telling you, this is how you meet hot women,” Barney said, leaning forward with a grin as he explained his newest plan to get Ted to hook-up with someone.
Ted wasn’t listening. His mind was too occupied with Marshall, who was laughing at something Lily had just said. His laugh was light, easy, and yet… it sent a rush of warmth through Ted’s chest. It was just Marshall being Marshall, but Ted couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed.
Ted quickly forced his attention back to Barney, trying to focus on the conversation, but his gaze kept flicking back to Marshall. Marshall’s eyes sparkled with amusement as he glanced up at Ted, and that smile… Ted was certain it was a smile just for him. His heart skipped a beat, but he brushed it off.
“Right, right,” Ted muttered, not fully processing what Barney had said. “Sure, sounds great.”
Barney, however, wasn't fooled by Ted’s lack of focus. He raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you’re paying attention? Because you’ve got this… weird look on your face.”
Ted blinked rapidly, realizing he had been staring at Marshall. He laughed nervously, leaning back in his chair. “Yeah, just thinking about… you know… stuff.”
Barney smirked, eyes narrowing in on him. “Uh-huh. Stuff.”
Ted quickly changed the subject. “I just— I was thinking about how much I need a drink,” he said with a forced chuckle.
Barney didn’t let up, but he didn’t press either. He just leaned back, studying Ted with a knowing expression, before turning his attention back to the conversation at hand.
Ted, however, couldn’t focus. He glanced again at Marshall, who was still smiling and chatting with Lily. Ted’s breath hitched. Marshall’s eyes met his briefly, and something passed between them.. a quiet, unspoken understanding. But just as quickly as it came, it was gone.
Later that night, the group moved to the couch in the apartment. Lily had gone to bed early, leaving Marshall and Ted alone. But tonight, something was different. Marshall sat beside Ted, his leg brushing against Ted’s, and Ted couldn’t bring himself to move.
Marshall was talking about some random story, but Ted couldn’t focus on the words. He could only focus on the way Marshall’s voice felt, the warmth of his shoulder just inches from Ted’s. Every time Marshall laughed, Ted’s chest seemed to tighten. His fingers twitched, wanting to reach out and touch him. But he couldn’t.
It was just Marshall. His best friend. The guy he’d known for years. But tonight, it was different.
Marshall shifted, his arm brushing against Ted’s as he made himself more comfortable. “You okay?” Marshall asked casually, his voice light, but there was a softness in his eyes that Ted couldn’t ignore.
“Yeah. Just… thinking,” Ted said, trying to force his words out normally, but they came out strained. He hated how awkward it felt.
Marshall didn’t seem to notice—or at least, he didn’t acknowledge it. He just nodded, leaning back with a grin.
Ted’s heart was racing now, his thoughts jumbled. “Yeah, well, I tend to overthink everything,” he said with a small laugh, his hands instinctively clasping together.
Marshall didn’t say anything at first, but his eyes lingered on Ted for just a moment longer than usual. Something flickered in them—something Ted couldn’t name. But before Ted could figure it out, Marshall turned away, shrugging as if nothing had changed.
But something had changed.
Ted could feel it. The air between them was charged with something unspoken, and neither of them was willing to acknowledge it.
Later, when Marshall stood to grab another drink, Ted found himself staring at the empty space beside him on the couch, as if Marshall’s absence had left a hole in the air itself. He didn’t know what was happening. He didn’t know how to deal with it. All he knew was that things had changed, and there was no going back.
He didn’t know what he wanted from Marshall, or even what Marshall wanted from him. But there was a horrible feeling that kept him up at night, one that told him there was more to this friendship than he was willing to admit.
Maybe, just maybe, he could keep pretending. Maybe things would go back to normal, and he wouldn’t have to face whatever it was growing between them.
But deep down, Ted knew the truth. It wasn’t that easy. It wasn’t something that could be ignored forever.