FF: Escape Hatch (April/Ben)

[cypanache]

Title: Escape Hatch
Fandom: Parks and Recreation
Pairing: April/Ben (seriously) with some background April/Andy and Leslie/Ben (but no cheating, see author's note)
Word Count: ~11,000
Rating: R (for sex, language, and screwed-up people)
Timeline: Up through 3x05 "Media Blitz"
Summary: "I don’t remember you being such an asshole in Pawnee." ~ "Yeah

Comments

[lunamystik]

I won't lie, I debated whether or not I would read this for 24 hours. Finally, I decided to give it a try, and so far I'm happy with my choice. Since you're my fave Leslie/Ben author, and because of your A/N about veering off canon, I'm here and still reading, and about to click on "part 2".

[cypanache]

Well I appreciate your willingness to give it a try (I figured it was probably a 40/60 shot whether people who read my leslie/ben stuff would read this or not), and I'm glad that you're enjoying it so far.

I can't actually write Ben without at least acknowledging and dealing with his feelings for Leslie (they're too integral to the character for me), so she's kind of like the ghost in the machine of this fic, driving this forward creating these motivations and issues and facets to the characters that wouldn't be there if Ben didn't feel the way he did about her.

I hope you still enjoy it through part 2 and like where it ends up.

[lunamystik]

Just finished reading part II, but dinner is to be served imminently... feedback before end of night, promise! But in a word: amazing.

[nut_shell]

No way! I read this the other day on nbckink and really liked it. I had no idea you wrote it! I love that it's twisted, but still totally believable. I think what appeals to me is that it's AU, but it circles back around to reality in a way that almost makes it fit right back into canon.

I was about to talk about a part that I love, but I just realized it's in part ii and I don't want to spoil it for anyone. Anyway, well done! It's not the first time you've made me stay up past my bedtime because I couldn't stop reading.

[cypanache]

I'm so glad you liked it (nbckink is really addictive). I had a blast writing it. Especially the twisted parts because it was really fun taking Ben places he wouldn't necessarily go with Leslie, but that I don't think are that much of a leap for him character-wise if he has a different catalyst (I'm not entirely sure what that says about me as a person, but it's probably nothing good). But I also really enjoyed setting them right, because at the end of the day there are just certain things that should be in my world.

I appreciate you not spoiling it for everyone, but I would really love to know what part caught your fancy if you'd be willing to share via pm or over in part 2 (Yes, I'm very greedy).

[janeausten4ever]

Wow. This is...wow. Your character development is insane! The way Ben kind of descends into darkness, how he becomes this different man because of April...I love how you build up this tension, so by the end you just want them to have sex already, almost as if it were the actual show. Love the AU, and I usually don't. The dialogue especially is so in character. Te sex was hot in the perfect, fittingly twisted way. Fantastic job. *Runs off to read part 2*

[cypanache]

Thank you. I am strangely fascinated by these two as a fandom only 'ship and how I think they would bring out completely different things in each other than their canon couples.

I hope you enjoyed part 2 and it kept within your hopes for the fic.

[janeausten4ever]

It certainly did! I, too, like them simply as a ship purely for the purpose of mulling over in my head...I don't actually want them to happen on the show, I'm far too attached to Leslie/Ben and April/Andy for that to happen, but I find the ships that I really am drawn to in fanfiction are those I don't feel are being fulfilled in canon. Anyway, sorry formy rambling, and fantastic writing here!