<Tr> <Td> ← Previous "Little Minnesota" </Td> <Td> Next → "Three Days of Snow" </Td> </Tr> <P> "Benefits" is the 12th episode in the fourth season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and 76th overall . It originally aired on January 12, 2009 . </P> <P> Ted and Robin become "friends with benefits" to deal with the stress of being roommates . Marshall catches them having sex while he's using Ted's bathroom . Marshall cannot use the work toilet, because his coworkers judge him . Barney says that he "reads a magazine" at work all the time, but he then asks for affirmation that they are talking about masturbation . Marshall blackmails Ted and Robin: he won't tell Lily and Barney about their sex, provided he can continue to use their bathroom, but gives in and tells about it . Barney breaks televisions outside MacLaren's to vent his anger, and when out of televisions, buys more to smash . </P> <P> Ted and Robin's arrangement hits a snag when they accidentally kiss each other goodbye on Ted's way out, an old reflex when they were together, and decide to bring it to an end, but this lasts less than a day . Barney solves all of Ted and Robin's household problems to ensure they have no reason to have sex . Ted realizes that Barney loves Robin . Barney tells Lily about his heartbreak in front of her kindergarten class . </P>

How i met your mother read a magazine meaning