Fic: "Park Closed," Parks and Recreation
Title: Park Closed
Fandom: Parks and Recreation
Characters/Ships: Leslie/Pawnee, Ron (gen)
Word Count: 525
Rating: G
Summary: Leslie and Ron close the parks.
Author's Note: This is just a little mini-fic that sprang into my mind after re-watching "Master Plan" and "Freddy Spaghetti" today.
Scrrrp. Scrrrp.
Leslie winces at the sound of Ron pulling the bright yellow caution tape from the roll. She watches, the ache in her stomach growing, as he uses it to cordon off the picnic pavilion.
She sighs. There's nothing she can do to stop it. This is her duty, no matter how much it hurts.
She pulls out her own roll of tape, and uses it to hang a carefully laminated "Park Closed" sign to one of the pavilion support columns.
As Ron finishes taping off the pavilion, she walks to the trail along the neighboring creek and closes the gate, padlocking it shut. With the snap of the lock engaging, she feels something snap inside her chest.
This is wrong. This is so, so wrong.
The people of Pawnee need this trail-and this park. How else are they supposed to exercise all summer? The one gym in town barely stays afloat. And the kids get fatter every year.
How can those auditors put a price on Pawnee's physical fitness? Not to mention the lifelong family memories that are never going to happen because a couple of jerks from Indianapolis insisted the parks be closed.
She'd just been starting to like them, too.
Her arms feel heavy as she tapes the "Trail Closed" sign to the gate.
She turns back to the park, and sees Ron wrapping caution tape around and around the playground equipment with an expression akin to glee on his face.
Tears start to prick at the corners of her eyes. She can't help it. She feels like it's her whole life-all her hopes and dreams-being mummified in that awful yellow tape.
She ambles back toward Ron, reaching him just as he finishes his last circuit of the playground.
"Ready for the next park?" he calls cheerfully, striding up to her.
She grimaces, and nods. "Sure. Let's get it over with."
Ron's smile fades, and his brows knit. "Leslie-I can drop you off at your house, if you want. This isn't really a two-man job."
She shakes her head. "No. I need to be with you at the public forum in two hours, anyway. I'll stick it out."
Ron gently places a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to do this, Leslie."
"Yes. I do." She hardens her voice. Sure, it might be easier on her heart to let Ron take care of the dirty work. But these Parks are her life. She's here for them when they're thriving, and she'll be here for them when they're hurting, too. What kind of caretaker would she be if she turned her back on them, now?
Ron seems to understand. He nods. "Okay. Let's get going."
Ron doesn't smile so much at the rest of the parks. And the sun overhead is just as cheerful and bright as it was yesterday.
Maybe things aren't so bad. Maybe the auditors will turn out to be decent guys, after all. Who knows-the parks might be open again in a week.
One thing is certain-Leslie won't give up on them. And they'll be waiting for her when she gets back.
Fandom: Parks and Recreation
Characters/Ships: Leslie/Pawnee, Ron (gen)
Word Count: 525
Rating: G
Summary: Leslie and Ron close the parks.
Author's Note: This is just a little mini-fic that sprang into my mind after re-watching "Master Plan" and "Freddy Spaghetti" today.
Scrrrp. Scrrrp.
Leslie winces at the sound of Ron pulling the bright yellow caution tape from the roll. She watches, the ache in her stomach growing, as he uses it to cordon off the picnic pavilion.
She sighs. There's nothing she can do to stop it. This is her duty, no matter how much it hurts.
She pulls out her own roll of tape, and uses it to hang a carefully laminated "Park Closed" sign to one of the pavilion support columns.
As Ron finishes taping off the pavilion, she walks to the trail along the neighboring creek and closes the gate, padlocking it shut. With the snap of the lock engaging, she feels something snap inside her chest.
This is wrong. This is so, so wrong.
The people of Pawnee need this trail-and this park. How else are they supposed to exercise all summer? The one gym in town barely stays afloat. And the kids get fatter every year.
How can those auditors put a price on Pawnee's physical fitness? Not to mention the lifelong family memories that are never going to happen because a couple of jerks from Indianapolis insisted the parks be closed.
She'd just been starting to like them, too.
Her arms feel heavy as she tapes the "Trail Closed" sign to the gate.
She turns back to the park, and sees Ron wrapping caution tape around and around the playground equipment with an expression akin to glee on his face.
Tears start to prick at the corners of her eyes. She can't help it. She feels like it's her whole life-all her hopes and dreams-being mummified in that awful yellow tape.
She ambles back toward Ron, reaching him just as he finishes his last circuit of the playground.
"Ready for the next park?" he calls cheerfully, striding up to her.
She grimaces, and nods. "Sure. Let's get it over with."
Ron's smile fades, and his brows knit. "Leslie-I can drop you off at your house, if you want. This isn't really a two-man job."
She shakes her head. "No. I need to be with you at the public forum in two hours, anyway. I'll stick it out."
Ron gently places a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to do this, Leslie."
"Yes. I do." She hardens her voice. Sure, it might be easier on her heart to let Ron take care of the dirty work. But these Parks are her life. She's here for them when they're thriving, and she'll be here for them when they're hurting, too. What kind of caretaker would she be if she turned her back on them, now?
Ron seems to understand. He nods. "Okay. Let's get going."
Ron doesn't smile so much at the rest of the parks. And the sun overhead is just as cheerful and bright as it was yesterday.
Maybe things aren't so bad. Maybe the auditors will turn out to be decent guys, after all. Who knows-the parks might be open again in a week.
One thing is certain-Leslie won't give up on them. And they'll be waiting for her when she gets back.