Work Text:
December 25th was a normal day for Leslie. She loved that holiday, but this year she had no one to celebrate with. Pretty much everyone had left Pawnee to celebrate Christmas with their families. But she didn’t. So she was alone for Christmas day. It wasn’t sad, she was used to it. It didn’t mean it was going to be a bad day, because she had planned on going to work. Right now, work is her favorite thing along with JJ’s diner’s waffles and Ann. She couldn’t have Ann this year, but on her way to work, she couldn’t resist but stop at JJ’s to get some breakfast food.
She made her way to city hall, and noticed the door was unlocked, which was pretty unusual for Christmas day, she was usually the only one there. It was probably the janitor that had forgotten to lock the door on his way out or something.
She loved being alone in this huge building, everything appeared bigger and prettier when it was quiet.
She didn’t understand why people didn’t like this place, because for her, it was the most beautiful place on earth.
She walked down the corridors and finally got to the bullpen. Everything was clean and silent. She closed her eyes for a second, enjoying the moment.
She sat down at her desk to quietly enjoy her waffles. She flipped through the files on her desk, trying to decide on what she was gonna work that morning. She decided to get a head start on the project of a new park in an abandoned parking lot, on the other side of the city. It was near a school, which was the perfect place for a beautiful park instead of a dangerous dirty parking lot infested with raccoons.
But as she started working on it, she heard footsteps. Someone was walking in the hall. She left her office, she could hear the footsteps getting closer. She left the bullpen and shouted : “This is closed, you’re not allowed to be here, please leave before I call the cops, and you-” She immediately stopped when she saw who was in front of her. It was Ben Wyatt, the Indiana State Auditor. He was basically here to fire everyone and close the parks and recreation department. At least that was what Leslie was telling everyone.
“Benjamin.” She said with a serious look on her face.
Ben didn’t really know what to say, he frowned “Les- lie? What are you doing here”
Leslie crossed her arms “I don’t have to explain myself to you”
“I- I know, I was just curious. Aren’t you gonna ask me why I’m here?”
“I would if I care”
“Aoutch” Ben said while putting his hand on his chest, just like if he’d just been shot.
Leslie didn’t say anything else. Ben started to feel uncomfortable “I’m just- I’m just gonna go” he said as he turned around and went back to his office. Leslie couldn’t help to look at his ass. It didn’t mean he was not evil. “I mean, it’s common knowledge that demons are hot. Everyone in hell is hot, and Ben Wyatt isn’t an exception” thought Leslie before shaking her head and going back to her desk.
She started working again, but her mind kept wandering, she couldn’t concentrate on something. She was curious, she wanted to know why he was here on such a special day. She obviously knows she’s not like everybody else, she loves her job passionately, so it makes sense that she’d work on Christmas day, but Ben? Ben’s the most normal evil person she knows, so why was he here?
Part of her wanted to ask him, but she’d never admit it to him that a tiny part of her wanted to know more about him.
She went back to work, with enough concentration to actually get something done. She was so buried in her work that when she finally lifted her head to look at the time, it was already time to eat. Except that she had forgotten to actually take something to eat. She sighed and grabbed her purse to go and buy something at the bakery next to the building. She was in such a hurry that she didn’t see Ben in front of her and almost ran into him.
“I’m sorry”
“It’s okay” He smiled at her.
She looked at him and noticed he was holding two paper bags in his hands.
“I know you don’t like me”
Leslie whispered “That’s an understatement”
Ben didn’t pay attention to what she had just said “I have way too much food for just one person, would you like to share it with me?”
Leslie was ready to say no, but then she realized that “JJ’s diner” was written on the paper bags, and it smelled incredibly good. She hated herself for what she was about to say, but she couldn’t help it. It physically hurt her to say those words “Okay, sure”.
Ben gave her one of his brightest smiles as they sat down at the table in the center of the bullpen.
It was two sandwiches, and, of course, two waffles. Ben logically had planned to buy one sandwich and one waffle per person, but it wasn’t a surprise when Leslie almost threw herself on the two waffles while saying “That’s the best kind of meal”
Ben shrugged and took the two sandwiches.
They start eating in silence, but Leslie can’t take it anymore. “Okay, tell me” she asked.
“Tell you what?”
“Why are you here?”
“Because you are”
Leslie choked on her waffle. “What?”
“I heard you tell Ann you were gonna work today”
“I can’t believe it”
Ben was confused, Leslie seemed mad, which wasn’t the reaction he had expected.
“You really want to destroy us, huh? You’d be ready to work on Christmas just to spy on me, that just crazy Ben”
“Absolutely not Leslie, I didn’t come here to spy on you”
“Then why?” Leslie frowned. She looked at Ben. He didn’t say anything, but she noticed his gaze going from her eyes to her lips. She knew what was about to happen, but somehow she didn’t. She just looked at him.
Ben asked “Can I kiss you now?”
Leslie nodded and Ben got up to get closer to Leslie, gently put his hands on her cheeks and finally put his lips on hers. It didn’t last long, but long enough for Leslie to realize what was happening.
Leslie broke the kiss and looked at Ben, confused. “You- you like me?”
“Leslie I don’t want to destroy you nor your job, it’s the last thing I want. And yes, I like you”
“Really?”
“Really”.
It was Leslie’s turn to stand up to kiss the man in front of her. Maybe Ben wasn’t evil after all.