Yes (Parks and Recreation Fanfic)

Part 18 - Ben

"So, all in all, we think that this rule is doing nothing to help Pawnee and only making select employees miserable. It should be removed." I say to the Council. The only one who claps is Leslie, which doesn't really help our case.
"Mr. Hyatt, is it?" Asks a man whose name plaque reads "Councilman Jamm".
"Wyatt."
"Don't care. You were the one behind the whole Ice Town shebacle, correct."
"Yes. Why is that dragged into literally everything I do?" I say, trying to keep my head.
"Why should we ever trust your opinion?"
"Because I've spent the last 12 years trying to regain people's trust after I made one mistake. I'm a fairly trustworthy person. " I see Leslie practically bursting to talk, but I asked her not to mention anything about us during this presentation.
"If I may" says the man I recognize as Councilman Dexhart. "You're doing this because you had an affair with a government employee correct?"
"A relationship. Not an affair. A relationship. But yes. I also know that I'm not the only one in this situation."
"May I ask who this employee is, and is she currently single? Or maybe just looking for a good time for a night?"
I see Leslie close her eyes at the comment and shake her head a little bit.
"I... uh... no. She's not single and not... just no."
"Are you sure? Because I recently just-"
"Bill! She's not looking for sex!" Leslie yells, finally bursting. "We're in a council meeting. Please."
"Just, take a look at our proposal. " I say. "Thank you for your time." I nod my head and walk out. Leslie nods a little and gives me a small thumbs up as I leave the door.

3 HOURS LATER
My phone starts buzzing from in my pocket. I told Leslie to call me once the Council had made a decision. I think this was in the bag. We're just removing a rule that opens up more dating around the office. What could go wrong with that?
"Hey, Leslie."
"Ben. Hi. Look, I don't have forever to talk, but they decided."
"What's the verdict?"
"They denied it."
"They what?!"
"You didn't write that proposal, did you?"
"Chris did. Why?"
"He talked about taking out the current rule and instead putting in the one to prevent having any one night stands. He was too eager. They were neutral about taking down the rule until that. Dexhart has Jamm and Milton on his side. That would never go through them."
"Oh my god..." I say, putting my head in my hands.
"It's gonna be OK. This just means that we have one of two options. We can hide our relationship again, or-"
"No. Leslie, no. I can't hide this again. I love you, and I don't want to hide that."
"Aww, Ben!"
I smile a little bit.
"If I change the proposal to just remove the rule, not add Chris' rule, would you still be interested in taking the job?"
"Yeah, but not if I have to lose you."
"God, I love you."
"I love you too."
"Ok. I've got to go. Some guy is proposing to make feeding pigeons a felony punishable by death."
"OK. Wait, are you kidding?"
"I wish I was. I'll talk to you after work."
"Bye."
"Bye."
I hang up the phone and call Chris.
"Ben Wyatt! Hello!"
"Chris, why did you change the proposal from the plan we talked about?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Chris, don't play dumb with me! You changed it!" I yell into the phone.
"Ben! There's no need to yell!"
"Why did you change it?!" I say, trying to rein back the volume of my words.
"I wanted to make the rule the way I wanted it to originally be: to prevent one from sleeping their way to the top."
"Then why didn't you say that's what you wanted when we discussed our plan for this? Besides, you know Dexhart would never go for that!"
"So what? The rule didn't pass! We'll have a greater influence when we're City Manager and Deputy City Manager. We'll just try again later!
"Chris, we're not be City Manager and Deputy now."
"Why do you say that?"
"I don't think you see that the only way I was going to take this job was if this rule passed. I'm not going to break up with or hide the fact that I love Leslie again. As for you, it's the Council's call whether or not you get the job, and you may have just lost their respect by doing this"
"Ben... I...."
"I'll talk to you soon." I say, disconnecting the call. I prop open my laptop and fire up my resume. The hours fly by as I search every possible place for job openings. I don't even hear Leslie as she walks in.
"Ben?"
"Huh? What? Oh, Leslie! Hi!" She looks like she's had a long day. I'm not sure if I've ever seen her tired before.
"Hey. I just wanted to come by and check on you." She sits down next to me and curls up into my side. "How are you doing?"
"A bit mad at Chris."
"Aw, I'm sorry."
"I just, I don't know. I was looking forward to the prospect of having both you and that job."
"Hey, there has to be another, even more perfect job out there for you, right?"
"Hope so. I've already sent out a couple of emails asking about potential jobs."
She wraps her arms around my shoulders and kisses me on the cheek.
"Someone's been busy today."
"I guess. Job hunting is never fun. You look like you've been busy today. How's work."
"Tiring. Annoying, considering that 3 out of my 4 coworkers are stereotypical white councilmen."
"Did I hear tiring? It's possible to tire Leslie Knope?" I say, laughing as I put my arm around her.
"They've done it somehow."
She talks for a while about how Jamm, Dexhart and Milton mercilessly tease her and make sexist comments towards her. Part of me just wants to punch them. Mess with my girlfriend, and you'll have to go through me. I in turn tell her about the job hunt.
"Do you want to stay a little bit? I could make dinner?"
"I should probably go. I promised Councilman Howser that I would type up today's meetings notes and send them to the governor. I'll come talk to you tomorrow
"Tomorrow? What am I gonna do until then?" I say jokingly.
"Unemployment is a beautiful thing. Find a hobby! Make something new! Explore!"
"Sounds good. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Bye."
My mind starts swirling with things I can do while I'm unemployed. The possibilities are endless!