"Good luck, buddy!" Ralph declared. He smiled down at Felix, who was sitting in the train car next to him, both headed for Game Central Station.
"Thanks, Ralph," Felix replied. He had a nervous, though happy, expression, and his hand rested protectively over his right shirt pocket. "I may need all the luck I can get," he added more quietly.
Ralph gave him a pat on the back, which was perhaps a bit more forceful than intended. "I'm sure you'll be fine!" he said. "She's crazy for ya', Felix. She's just got a different way a' showing it."
The train came to a stop. Ralph stepped over the side and waited for Felix, who was stepping carefully over the edge of the train rather than just hopping out like he usually did.
"I'd walk ya' over to Hero's Duty, but I'm running late already, and I promised Vanellope I'd be there to help her practice her speech for the next Sugar Rush Presidential Election," Ralph told Felix once he'd caught up to him. "But I'll be waiting to hear all about it once you get back!"
"Alright, friend," Felix agreed. "Have fun with President Von Schweetz!"
They parted ways, headed for different games in the Central. Felix paused at the entrance to Hero's Duty. He took a few deep breaths before he finally hopped into the game.
"Took ya' long enough, Fix-It!" He heard the voice before he could place her, and he jumped slightly at the sound. He calmed down significantly when he saw her; his smile widened and his cheeks glowed.
"You look beautiful tonight, Tamora," he said, the honey glows around his cheeks proving that he meant every word.
Sergeant Calhoun had abandoned her armor for dark jeans and a black shirt that left her left shoulder bare. After the beacon once the arcade had closed, there was no danger of cybugs; however, she still had a small handgun at her waist, just in case. She'd learned the hard way that you could never be too careful.
"Don't look so bad yourself, Fix-It! Ya' clean up nice," she answered, smirking. Felix had traded his work shirt and hat for a more formal outfit, although the belt holding his hammer was still strapped to his waist. Perhaps Calhoun was rubbing off on him.
He blushed again at the compliment and took her hand in his. "Right this way, milady!"
They walked hand-in-hand across the game's environment. Felix was used to the harsh terrain by now, but when he had first begun to visit her, the eeriness of it had him on-edge even without the threat of cybugs.
Not too long after being plugged in, one of the soldiers had stumbled upon a small cluster of abandoned buildings. They weren't accessible during gameplay, and they assumed it was left over from the full-length console version of the game.
In one of those buildings was an abandoned restaurant that, with some supplies from Tappers, had been transformed into a bustling establishment by a group of soldiers whose programming apparently also included cooking. It had quickly become a date spot for Calhoun and Felix. The other soldiers- although they'd never say it to her face- found it rather charming- adorable, even- and would often stop by to eat there themselves if they knew Felix had stopped by Hero's Duty.
This time, though, the place wasn't too crowded, which calmed Felix down a bit. He showed Calhoun to her seat, pulling it out for her before he sat down himself. Their dinner went by more quickly than Felix would have liked; it went off without a hitch, though; Calhoun told him of the best and the worst of the first-person shooters, and Felix responded with comments, smiles and the occasional confused expression.
The night seemed to go well for him and for Calhoun, in the eyes of Tamora and in the eyes of the bystanders in the restaurant, but Felix's smile as the dinner slowly drew to a close- their conversation started to dwindle with the fatigue of food, their long days at work, and the comfort of each others' company- was only partially sincere.
As nice as the dinner went, and as much as he adored her company, it just didn't go quite as planned. The moments weren't quite right; instead of taking initiative and seizing the moment, he lost his nerve in the presence of her bombasticity.
Finally, when the last of her wine was long drained and the rest of the restaurant was beginning to clear out, Tamora rose from her chair and nodded towards the soldiers working the restaurant. Felix followed, pushed her chair in for her as she stood, and smiled at her.
"I had a lovely time with you as always, Tamora," he said, although his tone was slightly distant.
"You too, Fix-It," Sergeant Calhoun replied, smiling at him.
"I'll, uh, be on my way back to my game, then," he added, not without hopping up to give her a quick kiss on the cheek before he turned to exit the restaurant. As he headed for the door, his hand again rested on his shirt pocket, and he looked far less happy than usual for leaving after a date with Calhoun.
He was nearly at the door when she called him. "Hey! Fix-It!"
He turned. "Huh-?"
"You gonna' propose, or do I have to do it?" A smirk spread across her lips.
Felix beamed, but stood there a few seconds, unable to move or speak. After his few moments of stupor, he hopped the distance between them in half the time it had taken him to saunter across the room the first time. He knelt to one knee, removed the box from his shirt pocket, and looked up at her with adoration in his eyes.
"Tamora Jean Calhoun, I would like nothing more than to spend the rest of my days with you. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
The sergeant smiled. There was a pause- just long enough to cause Felix doubt for a split second- before she spoke. "Wouldn't want anything else, Fix-It."