Soulmates

3 - Penguins

Leslie just sat down at her desk in City Hall when she felt her phone buzz in her back pocket.

Ann texted her that she was coming to help Leslie set up the concert in ten minutes, and that she had some important news to share. 

Leslie shot a quick text back, and made her way over to Chris and Ben's office. She wasn't sure how she felt, because yesterday she felt a connection to Ben when they were at the bar. Well, it was probably nothing. Definitely nothing. Ben is a common name. She wanted to believe that. 

Ann nearly ran her over in the hallway when she saw her, completely exited. 

"Leslie. You remember how I thought I kissed that guy the the Snakehole Lounge?" Ann said, sitting down under the wildflower painting on the second floor with Leslie. "Well apparently that man was named Chris! My soulmate name! And he has my name on his wrist too! I found my soulmate!" 

"Holy hell Ann!" 

-

After the two talked for awhile about Ann's soulmate, the pair eventually made their way to the pair of auditors' office.

"Hello Leslie Knope! And hello my soulmate, Ann Perkins!" Chris said, sorting out his extensive collection of multivitamins on his desk. "This is literally  the best thing that could have happened this morning. What brings you by?"

"Oh, well I just wanted to talk to you about the children's concert happening today-" As soon as Leslie spoke, Ben came out of his little desk corner.

"Oh, ahhh no can do Leslie. You see, the government is shutting down indefinitely." Ben said, looking at her, almost grinning. 

"Ben Ben Ben Ben Ben Ben please no." Leslie begged.

"I'm sorry Leslie, but for right now, all government funds are frozen." Chris responded, sharing Leslie's sorrows. 

Leslie left in an angry hurry, Ann right behind her. 

"Leslie, calm down." Ann spoke to her all while rubbing her back.

"What can I even do? We're screwed." Leslie ranted.

"Look, we can just do it in the lot behind my house!"

"YES! That'd be perfect!" Leslie nearly shouted, excitedly. 

Then the Parks and Rec Department got to work putting together the best kiddie concert Pawnee, Indiana has ever seen.

-

Soon the concert was all put together, and the only thing that was needed was Freddy Spaghetti himself. 

But then Ron came running to the center of the lot, slipped and fell on his ass.

"THE STATE AUDITORS." He breathed out "They're coming. I accidentally mentioned it during that meeting." 

"Shit" Ann said, seeing the pair (including her soulmate, mind you) approach. 

"Alright, the kids concert is shutting down." Ben said making eye contact with Leslie. 

'Wow, he's really being a jerk today.'  Leslie thought.

"Look, all the vendors are donating their time, we already have the stage set up, and Freddy Spaghetti should be here any second now." Leslie tried to bargain with him.

"Actually, Freddy won't be singing today." Donna sighed, "I tried to pick him up but he got another job at the library."

Leslie, looking only slightly dejected, immediately stormed up backup plans for singers. Even though 'Sex Hair' might not be the most child friendly song, she had no other choice but to hire her own friend, Andy Dwyer. Unfortunately, on his way to grab his guitar, Andy ended up jumping on his motorcycle and getting hit by a car fifty feet away. (lol rip)

-

And while Leslie was taking Andy to the hospital, Ben was thinking.

'Should I just shell out some money and do hire the singer back?' Ben thought, 'Might as well. I mean, the kids should have their concert.'

He definitely wanted to get closer to his potential soulmate, and fighting her on everything obviously wasn't cutting it.

So he drove Freddy Spaghetti from the library to the lot for the children's concert, with his wallet 500 dollars lighter. Yeah, he might regret this, but to make Leslie happy (and the kids), it was totally worth it. 

-

Leslie stood on stage, unsure what to do, no singer for the kid's concert in sight. So she did what she had to. 

"If you're happy and you know it clap your hands." She sang terribly into the microphone. Somewhere in the back only Chris clapped in response. 

"If you're happy and you know-"

And she was cut off

"Clap your hands for a good time." Freddy Spaghetti came out from behind her and the kids went wild as she breathed a sigh of relief.

-

"So," Leslie spoke as she walked towards Ben "I'm pretty sure you had something to do with this?"

"Well, I'm not a monster, I want the kids to have their concert." He responded, happy with the smile he put on Leslie's face. "Plus, with the government shutdown, things are gonna get tough."

"So maybe you have a heart after all" Leslie said "Wanna go out for a drink with Ann, Chris and I?"

-

The pair sat a bar while Ann and Chris were dancing. 

"So, how'd you end up a celebrity at a gay bar?" Ben asked, curious about the posters with Leslie all over them. 

"I married two penguins at the zoo, turns out they were both male." She spoke, looking at Ben a little differently now. The butterflies were definitely back.

"Awww... that's cute." 

"Yeah" Leslie was having a hard time trying to figure out what to say next. "I guess they were soulmates." 

"I guess they were."