Title: Afterglow

Author: WriterGirl89 (who the hell else?)

Pairing: Ben/Leslie

Rating: PG-13 (there's a first!)

POV: Third-Person

Author's Note: Okay. First 'Parks and Recs' story. I hope I do well and satisfy the readers. I think Amy Pohler's a genius and Adam Scott is comic wonder (other than that, just look at him!) and their characters are an adorable duo. This is also my first non-M/NC-17 fanfic (don't worry, I'll get there, just haven't come up with an appropriate scenario for these two yet) so, this is two firsts for me. Be nice!

Summary: After spending a night with a certain state auditor, our favorite peppy parks director tries to play it cool. But, certain signs give her away. Of course, watch for an appearance by said auditor and... well, others.

Disclaimer: Own nothing (awww Ben).

...

"Does Leslie look different to you?"

Ann Perkins stood outside her best friend's office in the Parks department. She had gotten there and had been waiting 10 minutes for Leslie to finish up some work before going to lunch together. She'd ended up walking around the desks before she was distracted by the sight of the hard-working blonde in her office.

Leslie Knope looked... different. A good different. She was wearing her favorite red work blouse and a nice black skirt. Yes, skirt. That was the first oddity in this picture that Ann saw that gave her pause. Nowadays, Leslie preferred slacks. Then again, it was spring and nice out so, Ann swiped that thought.

Moving on.

Her bestie, as per usual, was working on some papers at her desk, her brows knitted in concentration. But, the nurse noted with couriosity that her friend was... smiling. And it was a nice, warm, secretive smile that made suspicion flare inside the pit of Ann's stomach.

Her blonde hair was pulled up in a messy bun with buttery strands framing her face and she even caught her twirling those strands unconsciously in her work.

And she was glowing. Boy was she glowing!

Even in the sorry lighting in the office, her best friend looked lit up like a Christmas tree.

Which led her to ask this to Tom Haverford, who sat at his desk, doing nothing as usual at this hour.

He took one look at Leslie and said nonchalantly, "She looks like she got laid."

She peered at her friend closely. Carefully. "Tom, are you-"

"Yup, I'm pretty sure."

"But, how do you-"

"Your not the only one who noticed. She's been that way since morning. Believe me, she got laid." She turned to see him shake his head firmly, clearly confident in his words, rolling his eyes in annoyance at her disbelief.

She looked at the office again, seeing Leslie get up from her desk and grab her blazer and purse.

No, it couldn't be. Could it?

It just wasn't like her friend to do one-night stands. The last time had been with Mark. And that had been distratrous, to say the least.

She put on a tight smile as Leslie came out of her office, grinning brightly.

Dear Lord, my best friend got laid!

...

Ben Wyatt stretched his arms out to loosen up before standing up from his chair. He was hungry and a little tired. Nothing a good sandwich and a great cup of coffee can't fix.

Or maybe a little visit to a certain Parks director.

He barely fought the smile that crossed his face at the thought of her.

Last night, he had told her how he felt finally. He told her he had taken a job to be a budget consultant for the Parks department and that he wanted to be with her. And had made it a point to let her know that she was the big reason for him staying. Not Pawnee. Well, Pawnee was a great, eccentric little town. And if he would of left, he would have honestly missed it. It was different. But, he would move on.

But, Leslie was... Leslie. She was beautiful, energetic, and smart. And god, he wanted that. Wanted her. In an intense, cannot-possibly-be-helped, fantastical way. She was everything he didn't know he was looking for but, as it turns out, has always needed.

She had been surprised. Speechless. So, he did the one thing he had thought of doing since she first yelled at him.

He kissed her. And the kissing was reciprocated. And the reciprocation led to escalation. Which led to...

Well, you know.

I should go see her. I really wanna see her.

Making his decision, Ben left his office so fast, it looked like a fire was lit under his ass.

...

"What's going on Nerd?"

Ben rolled his eyes before facing Tom. He was standing outside and had just spotted Leslie having lunch with Ann.

"What can I help you with, Tom?"

The darker man shrugged and Ben turned his attention back to the duo eating together.

He heard shuffling of feet and suddenly felt Tom much closer near his shoulder. "So, how'd you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Make her all happy and glowy like that." He waved his hands around and pronounced 'happy' and 'glowy' like they were foreign words he'd never heard of.

He kept his eyes ahead, trying to keep his cool. "I don't know what you mean."

Tom, of course, scoffed. "Please, even Ron is asking what's up with her since she got in this morning."

Ben ignored him, gazing at the woman they were speaking of. Trying to figure out exactly what the hell he-

Oh.

Oh.

He'd only got a glimpse of it when they had woken up next to each other that morning but, didn't really realize it until now.

She did look happy. Well, happier than usual. She was laughing at something Ann had said and threw her head back, the movement making the sun glint in her golden hair. She looked looser and more relaxed than ever. She radiated a happy, sunnier than normal glow about her. Her smiles were also wider and looked like they hurt to maintain so geniunely.

Good Lord, I did that?

He heard chuckling next to him and bit back a grin.

I did that.

Awesome.

...

A/N: Hope you liked it. Again, my first in this fandom so, be gentle with me.

Reviews are loved in my world.