FIC: The Art of Looking for Trouble (Parks and Rec, Leslie/Ben)

[annakovsky]

I keep meaning to make a big post about how Parks and Recreation is the best thing happening to my TV every week, isn't it great, you guys, I watch every episode at least six times, etc, but then I always get really lazy and... don't. Instead, will you accept this Ben/Leslie fanfiction co-written with tearupthesky?

Title: The Art of Looking for Trouble

Comments

[lalejandra]

LOVE IT. LOVE IT. You know what Leslie/Ben makes me think of, Kovsky? MAKING OUT WITH YOUR WORST ENEMY BEHIND A DUMPSTER. YEAH, I SAID IT.

(PS, Did I ever tell you that it is YOUR FAULT I watch P&R? Like, you posted about those Yuletide stories or whatever, and I read them and liked them and decided to give the source another try. YOUR FAULT.)

[annakovsky]

!!! DUMPSTER MAKEOUTS! OMG THAT HAD NOT OCCURRED TO ME BUT IT TOTALLY IS!!!!!!! This just added so many new layers to my enjoyment of Leslie/Ben, haha, wow.

(You did not tell me that! That's delightful!! Man, isn't the source so much better than it was back in season 1? I was so ambivalent when it started and I love it so hard now.)

[lalejandra]

Yeah, something about the first season really stressed me out -- well, a lot of things. Like how we were supposed to be laughing at Leslie, which I hate, etc. But I stuck with it, especially because I love April and Ron (shocking no one, I'm sure), and I'm glad I did, because now it is genuinely funny almost all the time! With bonus Sam Seaborn!

You should write Leslie/Ben dumpster makeouts :D :D :D

[annakovsky]

Oh man, yeah, one of my favorite things the show has done is totally flip it so you're not laughing at Leslie anymore -- I love how the show actually APPRECIATES her for being super optimistic and competent and caring about her job and being feminist and stuff! And not even in a way where it's all, BUT SHE CAN'T GET A BOYFRIEND, BLURG, because actually she has a pretty awesome normal love life and also that doesn't define her, WHAT IS EVEN GOING ON THERE, IS THIS SHOW ALLOWED ON AMERICAN TV? But ahahaha, oh man, I hadn't even thought about how April and Ron are kind of the default characters of your soul -- God, they are so my favorites.

HEEEEE, that is a very good idea! FUTURE LESLIE/BEN BEHIND THE DUMPSTERS.

[luna_dove]

I love this fic, I love this ship and I love you and tearupthesky from writing this awesome story. In case you haven't noticed, there's a lot of love in the room right now. I blame in on my massive sleep-deprived state right now. (Although I'm sure I'll still love the story once I get a full night's sleep).

By the way, you guys nailed the dialogue - a lot of this fic could have been an episode.

[annakovsky]

Oh man, thank you so much! Hahaha, I was obsessing about the dialogue like a crazy person, I literally said to tearupthesky "Can we get some alts for this line?" as though we were actually writing an episode of the show.

(Though then I got too lazy to actually think up any alts, obvs. Eh, it's fanfiction, it's good enough.)

[grenadine]

AUGH OMG THIS IS THE MOST PERFECT THING I HAVE EVER READ.

I-just-okay, Ben and Leslie being antagonistic bureaucrats in love! the return of the chart! and all the Star Wars references! and Leslie breaking off sex to go and get candy, omg, so perfect, and the two of them being SUCH DORKS and yet the sex being really, really super hot. I-this is perfect, I am drunk on life right now, HAVE I SAID THE WORD PERFECT ENOUGH YET?

The next thing Leslie knows, Ben's mouth is warm and open under hers, and, wait, oh no, who did that?!

ahahahaha, LESLIE KNOPE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. <3333

[annakovsky]

OH MAN, thank you so much!! God, I love them, I cannot wait for them to make out dorkily on the show. I AM SO EXCITED TO HAVE A NORMAL SHIP TO SHIP ON PARKS!

[free_reverie]

I literally spent the entire time reading this with my hand over my mouth, giggling like a 12-year-old on a sugar rush.

LESLIE KNOPE, WHY ARE YOU THE GREATEST WHO EVER LIVED?

Also, BENJY WYATT, WHY ARE YOU THE HOTTEST AND DORKIEST EVER?

That was simultaneously one of the hottest and most adorable stories, and now I can only hope that the show will board the Leslie/Ben train and ride it all the way to Funkytown, where this awesome piece of AMAZINGNESS lives. Where is it?

Whoomp! There it is!

(These two make me stupid, I swear to God.)

[annakovsky]

Oh man, thank you so much! Hahaha, God, true story, the other day Whoomp There It Is came on the radio and my delighted reaction was, like, WAY OVER THE TOP, like Benjy Wyatt had come and kissed me on the mouth through the radio. THE SHOW REALLY BETTER GET THEM TOGETHERRRRR, I need it!

[annakovsky]

Thank you so much, I'm so psyched you liked it! And ahahahaha, man, I know, Star Wars dorkiness will always get to me, Leslie Knopppppe thank you for that Han and Leia imagery!