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crack_van2013-06-12 10:40 am
stars-inthe-sky.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2013-06-12 10:40 am
Entry tags:
"How Ben Wyatt Quits the Government and Finds Himself" by jncar (R)
Fandom: Parks and Recreation
Pairing: Leslie Knope/Ben Wyatt, background other canonical pairings
Length: ~47K words
Author on LJ:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
jncar
Author Website: Master List
Why this must be read: This fic has long since been jossed and then some, but when it was written (in between "Li'l Sebastian" and "I Am Leslie Knope")...well, the potential of a Ben/Leslie breakup was on everyone's minds, and this fic delivered better than almost any other on both the angst and character-development fronts. I think a lot of us were convinced that Ben would indeed quit the government and follow Tom to Entertainment 720--and if things had gone that way, I'm still sure it would've looked like this, with expansive worldbuilding, lots of introspection, and the creativity and cooperation that define all of our favorite Pawnee citizens (native and otherwise).
Monday at lunch Ann finds him in the courtyard eating his sandwich. She scowls and looms over him—as much as any woman that petite can loom.
"You're a jerk," she says.
He raises his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. Leslie was miserable all weekend. I could hardly get her to eat—and you know she never loses her appetite. All when she was trying to make things right with you. How dare you?" She rests her fists on her hips, glaring down at him.
This is the final straw. "I'm the jerk? After she chooses her career over our relationship, strings me along for three months so I can't get over her or move on with my life, and then tries to talk me into another meaningless secret relationship, all I do is tell her that it's over. And that makes me the jerk?" He shakes his head and stands up, gathering the remnants of his lunch, while Ann's mouth hangs open.
"Look—" he says, "I get why you're loyal to your friend. But I'm over the whole Leslie-worship thing. I'm ready to move on, and she needs to do the same." He stalks away, ignoring Ann when she calls his name. He's through with this. He'll never be able to start fresh in this place.
The remains of his lunch end up in the nearest trash can, and he pulls out his phone, hitting the speed-dial for Tom's cell.
The first thing he hears is pounding music, followed by Tom's chipper, "Hey dude! You were totally right about the personal touches. We just installed a killer sound system, and it's made this place 100% better already."
"Glad to hear it." Ben can't help but smile. There's something about Tom's earnest enthusiasm for life that's always appealed to him. Maybe that's why he says something monumentally stupid. "Hey—are you guys still interested in hiring a financial guru?"
"Hell yes! Are saying you want in?"
"I want in."
Tom hoots in triumph. "When can you start?"
"One or two weeks. I'm on my way to give Chris my notice right now."
"Awesome! You are not going to regret this, dude. Trust me."
Ben hangs up, feeling absolutely certain he'll regret it. But what the hell—he's already given up his career and ambitions for a shot at the woman of his dreams, only to be dumped by that same woman after just two months for the sake of her career and her ambitions. What else does he have to lose?
Entertainment 720, here he comes.
How Ben Wyatt Quits the Government and Finds Himself
Pairing: Leslie Knope/Ben Wyatt, background other canonical pairings
Length: ~47K words
Author on LJ:
jncarAuthor Website: Master List
Why this must be read: This fic has long since been jossed and then some, but when it was written (in between "Li'l Sebastian" and "I Am Leslie Knope")...well, the potential of a Ben/Leslie breakup was on everyone's minds, and this fic delivered better than almost any other on both the angst and character-development fronts. I think a lot of us were convinced that Ben would indeed quit the government and follow Tom to Entertainment 720--and if things had gone that way, I'm still sure it would've looked like this, with expansive worldbuilding, lots of introspection, and the creativity and cooperation that define all of our favorite Pawnee citizens (native and otherwise).
Monday at lunch Ann finds him in the courtyard eating his sandwich. She scowls and looms over him—as much as any woman that petite can loom.
"You're a jerk," she says.
He raises his eyebrows. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. Leslie was miserable all weekend. I could hardly get her to eat—and you know she never loses her appetite. All when she was trying to make things right with you. How dare you?" She rests her fists on her hips, glaring down at him.
This is the final straw. "I'm the jerk? After she chooses her career over our relationship, strings me along for three months so I can't get over her or move on with my life, and then tries to talk me into another meaningless secret relationship, all I do is tell her that it's over. And that makes me the jerk?" He shakes his head and stands up, gathering the remnants of his lunch, while Ann's mouth hangs open.
"Look—" he says, "I get why you're loyal to your friend. But I'm over the whole Leslie-worship thing. I'm ready to move on, and she needs to do the same." He stalks away, ignoring Ann when she calls his name. He's through with this. He'll never be able to start fresh in this place.
The remains of his lunch end up in the nearest trash can, and he pulls out his phone, hitting the speed-dial for Tom's cell.
The first thing he hears is pounding music, followed by Tom's chipper, "Hey dude! You were totally right about the personal touches. We just installed a killer sound system, and it's made this place 100% better already."
"Glad to hear it." Ben can't help but smile. There's something about Tom's earnest enthusiasm for life that's always appealed to him. Maybe that's why he says something monumentally stupid. "Hey—are you guys still interested in hiring a financial guru?"
"Hell yes! Are saying you want in?"
"I want in."
Tom hoots in triumph. "When can you start?"
"One or two weeks. I'm on my way to give Chris my notice right now."
"Awesome! You are not going to regret this, dude. Trust me."
Ben hangs up, feeling absolutely certain he'll regret it. But what the hell—he's already given up his career and ambitions for a shot at the woman of his dreams, only to be dumped by that same woman after just two months for the sake of her career and her ambitions. What else does he have to lose?
Entertainment 720, here he comes.
How Ben Wyatt Quits the Government and Finds Himself