Chapter 16 — Stuff (Exes, Echoes & Emotional Clutter)
Ted Mosby believed love meant starting fresh.
Robin Scherbatsky believed love meant not apologizing for your past.
And Ivar Scherbatsky? He believed love meant accepting the mess — or admitting you weren't strong enough to carry it.
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The Fight Begins
At Ted's apartment, Robin noticed a box labeled "Karen."
"What's this?" she asked, eyebrow raised.
Ted stammered. "Oh… just stuff from my ex. Mementos. Memories."
Robin frowned. "You kept this? That's… weird."
Ted crossed his arms. "Well, what about that dog-shaped lamp in your apartment? Didn't your ex-boyfriend give you that?"
Robin bristled. "It's a lamp, Ted. It lights things. It's not an altar to his memory."
The argument spiraled fast.
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At MacLaren's
Ted ranted to the booth.
"She's surrounded by ex-boyfriend gifts! Lamps, scarves, even her blender!"
Robin shot back, "At least I don't have a shrine to Karen's poetry notes!"
Marshall, caught in the middle, muttered, "Wow, glad I'm not dating either of you."
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Megan & Yvonne's Roast
Megan leaned across the table.
"You two sound insane. They're objects. Lamps don't hold grudges. Blenders don't whisper love poems at night."
Yvonne smirked. "Correction: if they do, you've got bigger problems than exes."
Robin groaned. "It's not about the objects. It's about the principle."
Ted snapped back, "Exactly!"
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Ivar's Verdict
Ivar, who'd been quiet, finally spoke.
"Correction. You're both wrong. Keeping a gift doesn't mean keeping the person. It means it mattered once. Erasing it doesn't erase history — it just proves you're insecure about it."
Ted frowned. "So… you're saying it's okay?"
"Yes," Ivar said. "Because the past doesn't disappear just because you're uncomfortable with it. You either accept it, or you admit you can't handle who they are."
Silence. Robin shifted uncomfortably, but didn't argue.
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The Resolution
Later, in Ted's apartment, he quietly boxed up the Karen stuff.
Robin asked, "Because of me?"
Ted shook his head. "Because of me. I don't need reminders anymore."
Robin smiled, softer. "Then I'll get rid of the lamp."
Ted chuckled. "Good. It was hideous."
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Closing Beat
By the end of the night:
Ted and Robin made peace — temporarily.
Marshall sighed with relief.
Barney tried to claim he never kept gifts ("except lingerie, which doesn't count").
Megan and Yvonne roasted everyone.
And Ivar? He left the booth with his usual calm, knowing he'd been right again.
Because gifts weren't the problem.
Insecurity was.
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End of Chapter 16.
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👉 Next is Chapter 17 ("Arrivederci, Fiero") — Marshall's car finally dies. Do you want me to keep it canon with the flashbacks, but add Ivar paying to restore it into a luxury retro ride by the end?