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“Alright. It’s 11:30, Zorp will be coming in approximately half an hour.” Ben announced as he pulled a bottle of champagne from Leslie’s fridge. “You wanna open this now?”
“Sure” Leslie replied as she walked to the kitchen and grabbed two champagne flutes. “If Zorp comes early then at least we’re prepared.”
Ben grinned and as Leslie passed him he wrapped an arm around her front and kissed her hair lovingly. They were still in the process of winding down after the campaign. Leslie had been officially elected ten days ago and in two days time Ben would be flying out to Washington to start on Congressman Murray’s re-election bid.
They didn’t have much time to act as a couple and do all the things they wanted to. But tonight they had dinner and watched movies. April and Tom drew the short straw of attending the Reasonabilists’ vigil in Ramsett Park and Leslie was quite relieved.
Ben had come over with a bottle of champagne and told her they could open it just before Zorp showed up, according to the Reasonabilists, Zorp would be turning up when the clock strikes midnight.
Leslie peered outside through her curtains. Her street was empty. People were either fast asleep and beyond caring that the world could be ending or were attending several parties around Pawnee. This whole thing was basically a huge excuse for people to go out and get wasted.
She walked to her front door and opened it; the air was cool but not freezing. It was a pleasant night, and Leslie wanted nothing more but to sit out on her doorstep with Ben next to her.
“Hey” She called to Ben who was about to pop the cork. “We should sit out here tonight, we’d get a good view of the show.”
Ben chuckled, “if there is a show.” Regardless he grabbed the bottle and glasses and followed her outside. Leslie had retrieved a blanket so they could cuddle up together.
Once settled, Ben pulled the cork out of the bottle with a loud pop and poured the two glasses. He handed one to Leslie and set the bottle next to him.
“To Zorp.” He joked as he raised his glass.
“To the end of the world.” Leslie replied with a smirk and they clinked their glasses together.
They both took a healthy sip in silence and looked out at the night sky, they could see fireworks in the distance. People in Pawnee really went all out for the end of the world.
“I should have really done some more packing.” Ben mused to himself. “I’ve still got so much stuff to take back to Indianapolis and Chris is holding some stuff for me so I need to get that sorted and –”
“Babe” Leslie cut him off, pressing a finger to his lips, “I really don’t want to talk about that tonight…I don’t want to think about the fact that we just got back to normality and you’ll be leaving in two days.”
Ben sighed, “I don’t have to go. Really, I can call Jen and turn it down.”
“That’s not an option,” Leslie told him. “What kind of horrible girlfriend would I be if I told you to stay here? That’s not how this is going to work. You put in so much for me during this whole campaign and I’m going to do the same for you, plus you’re kind of out of a job anyway now that I’ve officially been elected.”
Ben wrapped an arm around Leslie, “It’s going to be hard. But at least we’re still together. I’ll even pay for your first trip out, first class and everything.”
Leslie leaned into Ben’s chest with a sigh. “That sounds amazing, do you think you’ll be ok out there on your own.”
“Leslie, I’m a big boy.” Ben chuckled, “I’ve lived alone for years. I’ll be fine, plus I’ll have April with me. She won’t exactly be the greatest company but at least it will be a familiar face.”
He reached over to top up her glass, he had a feeling she’d definitely need alcohol tonight.
“But no more talking about DC, ok?” He promised, “We can talk about anything you want. You start in City Council in two weeks, that’s exciting.”
“Mmm” Leslie hummed into her glass, “I’m so excited. They’re still fitting out my office so I can’t move in there for another month but still it will be a nice transition being able to work from the Parks Department for a little while longer. I’ve already got so many great ideas, the river clean up project is going to be my first priority.”
“One of your best ideas.” Ben kissed the top of her head, “We’re both moving on to some pretty exciting things.”
“I couldn’t of done it without you.” Leslie put in, “I keep thinking what would have happened to my campaign if we were still broken up and William and Elizabeth were still running it, would I have won? I don’t think I would have. Because as soon as you started as my campaign manager and we got back together my whole mood just…lifted. My heart wasn’t fully in it without you by my side.”
Ben grinned, his cheeks tingeing pink. “Nah. You could have run the campaign by yourself and won. Everyone else around you doesn’t put in nearly as much energy and enthusiasm as you do. I just made you look good… and having me as arm candy didn’t hurt your chances either.”
Leslie cackled and shoved his knee, causing Ben to spill some of his champagne.
“Hey!”
“You totally deserved that.”
“Fine.” Ben agreed as he refilled his glass, the two looked back out onto the silent street, somewhere a clock chimed midnight and the church bells softly rang in the distance.
“Come on, Zorp. Where are you?” Ben hummed quietly as they both looked to the night sky. The minutes slowly ticked on and nothing. No Lizard-God turning up and destroying the world with streams of lava and there were no people running down the street screaming with their faces melted off.
The world would live to see another day.
She’d probably have Herb come to her office tomorrow claiming he messed up the dates again.
Right now she didn’t care. Because she was cuddled up to the most amazing boyfriend in the world. He might be going in two days to become a big DC hot shot but right now this was bliss.
She remembered last November when Zorp was supposedly going to arrive. And how she nearly cried as she told Ron that if the world was going to end then she’d wanted to be with Ben.
Now the pair were sat on her doorstep, watching the potential end of the world together. And if it did end right now she would die happy.
“I don’t think he’s coming.” Ben said after a good ten minutes of silence, “If he does come now well he’s late and that’s just rude.”
Leslie giggled and looked at her glass, “Let’s finish the bottle and we’ll go to bed, I’m not ready to go inside just yet.”
Ben’s hand moved from around her waist to her hair and carded his fingers through her blonde curls; he wasn’t ready to go in either.
“I love you.” He whispered, the moonlight twinkling in his brown eyes.
“I love you too.” Leslie replied with a gentle smile and the two moved in for a kiss.
If Zorp was going to show up late, he needed to wait another fifteen minutes or so. Because right now Leslie just wanted to french her amazing boyfriend outside where anyone could see.