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Forty Seven

continuation of October, 1999

As my eyes slowly fluttered open, I looked around at the unfamiliar, almost completely dark room. Although thanks to the TV static, it allowed for some light to illuminate the area. Shifting my body to get a better look of the room, I immediately became aware of the arm slung lazily over my shoulder. My head snapped to the side, instantly laying eyes on an extremely unconscious Marshall. He was completely slumped down against the back of the couch with his head rolled back, and mouth wide open creating those familiar soft snores that I had sworn to forget about a long time ago. 

"Fuck." I whispered to myself, realizing I had fallen asleep in his apartment, probably after our 3rd movie if I had to bet. I slowly began attempting to move myself from out of his hold, trying my hardest as to not wake him up so I could hopefully just sneak out. 

After successfully moving myself away from him and getting off of the couch, I began tip toeing towards the front door. Fuck, I hope it's not too late. Lord knows what could happen to me in a city I'm completely unfamiliar with, late at night. 

As I reached the front door, I internally patted myself on the back for sneaking out with so much ease, until the side of my foot hit something, I'm suspecting a shoe, causing me to trip and crash into the fucking door. "Shit!" I muttered as I quickly grabbed ahold of the door handle, my only saving grace for why I never ended up on the floor. 

"Ti?" I heard Marshall call out obviously confused, and probably still half asleep. 

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you!" I replied sweetly, still from the front door as I put my shoes back on. "I just fell." Within moments, I heard him move off the couch, and instantly a light was flipped on, revealing him standing five feet away from me. His eyes were low and his face scrunched up as soon as the bright light turned on, telling me he was not only unconscious on that couch, but in a deep deep sleep. 

"Fuck are you doin'? You leavin'?" He asked almost accusatory. 

I shrugged. "Well... Yeah. I mean I have to be up early tomorrow, and I didn't realize that I had fallen asleep otherwise I would have left at like nine or ten." 

"Ti, it's three am." He stated, glancing towards a clock that was hung up behind me.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry. I'll just get a cab." 

"Why the fuck are you tryna sneak outta here at three am?" 

"I just- I didn't wanna wake you up." 

"Y'know you ain't always have to run away from shit that makes you uncomfortable. You could just act like an adult and let me know you're leavin' instead of havin' me wake up tomorrow mornin' with you no where to be found. Or god forbid you just stay the night without thinkin' I got some sort of ulterior motive." 

"Marshall, this really isn't somethin' to fight about." I said, trying my best to just brush off his shitty attitude that I knew was likely just due to him being woken up so abruptly. 

"Nah, this is somethin' to fight 'bout 'cause you're doin' it again, and you know I fuckin' hate when you do!" His voice quickly became raised. 

"Doing what?! It's three am, are you really gonna yell at me right now?!" 

"Leave! Run out! Like I said you dip out when the smallest thing makes you uncomfortable and I'm pissed off you're still doin' this shit to me!" 

"Marshall it wasn't even like that at all-" 

"Bullshit it wasn't! I know you, Ti! I know how you're fuckin' brain works!" 

"Okay yeah! I'm sorry if I don't wanna spend the night at my married ex-boyfriend's apartment in L.A. where we're completely alone, essentially fucking cuddling on the couch while we're asleep! Like I think that's pretty fucking reasonable, Marshall?!"