Rancis knew he was attractive. It was literally embedded in his code. He was supposed to resemble the sculpted cherubs of roman mythology, baby-faced and bright-eyed. Freckles sprinkled across the bridge of his nose, contrasting well with the rue of his cheeks. He had the classic blonde hair, framing his face and bringing out the blue in his eyes. His clothes were well-pressed, his shoes were shined, his hat snug on his head. Everything about his physical appearance shouted out "charming." The perfect companion to any eligible princess.
So why, if she had to choose between the two, would his princess choose that oaf?
Sure, he did save their game from that sleazeball Turbo and he did help the kingdom regain their memories. Also treated her like a friend when Rancis and the others treated her like a crinkled up candy wrapper in her moment of vulnerability. But, did that mean every time he asked to hang out, her excuse would always be her plans with that goof? Couldn't she make some time for him? They were supposed to be friends. Good friends! In fact, Rancis would consider her the closest thing he had to a best friend ever since the recollection of their memories. They went off-roading, improved their karts, came up with new dessert recipes for the chefs at the castle to implement into their daily menus….he couldn't remember doing any of that kind of stuff with Taffyta or Candlehead when they were supposed to be his "best" friends during their memory lock. All they would ever do is race. And while racing was fun and thrilling and Rancis's favorite thing to do in the whole wide gaming world, there were times when he needed to take a breather and find other outlets and activities to try.
Vanellope understood that.
Other stuff, like thinly-veiled invitations to a dinner date? Less so.
"Oh come off it, Rancis! I'll be back in a few hours," Vanellope leaned her head towards him, her lips forming a pout. "Geez, why do you always do this when I'm about to hang out with Ralph?"
"In a few hours, the arcade is going to open," Rancis said through gritted teeth, tapping his foot against the cinnamon dirt. "We haven't hung at all this week."
"Excuse me?" Vanellope crooked an eyebrow, "We've seen each other every day!"
"Races don't count, Vanellope," Rancis countered.
She threw her head back and grunted, curling her hands into tight fists. "Uggh, why does everything have to be so complicated with you?"
"It's not!" Rancis countered. "What's so complicated about wanting to spend more time with you and hoping you want to in return?"
"All kinds of things!" Vanellope turned away from him, crossing her arms and taking a few steps forward. "Until Ralph came along, I didn't have any friends. Neither you nor Taffyta nor Candlehead didn't want anything to do with me. And now, everyone is nice to me and wants me around, especially you and Ralph and it can get a little frustrating sometimes when you're so persistent."
Rancis's eyes widened and he felt a tight ball wad up at the pit of his stomach. Frustrating? He frustrated her? That could mean a lot of things, and very few of the cases positive.
"Does that mean…." Rancis trailed, his throat tightening. Maybe this was it. What he needed. He wasn't as important to her as she was to him. Since the day they'd assemble the RV1, she'd been the source of light to his gaming experience. She was charismatic, earnest, witty, and brutally honest about the areas he had trouble in excelling at (modesty first and foremost). Everything he never knew he needed until she befriended him. But perhaps…she didn't feel the same way. Had never felt the same way. She was just doing her duty as their leader, helping a fellow racer and subject out of a rough patch.
And why would she feel anything different besides that? She couldn't just forget the countless times he had called her a freak or a glitch, keeping in line with the rest of Candy Kingdom. All the pain she had suffered and endured under his harsh bullying…he'd like to think she could forgive and forget (would like to think that despite it all, he really was worth any source of affection she gave him because he was charming and handsome and loyal and suave), but really, how could he ever ask that of her? There was no reason for her to redeem him and no reason she should ever have to pick him over Ralph, the beloved hero of Sugar Rush.
"Does that mean you don't like me?" the words finally escaped him, his voice low and quiet as he firmly kept his stare on his shoes.
"What?" Vanellope whipped around, "What did you say? I couldn't hear – "
For a moment, a silence thickened between the two, Vanellope cutting herself off as she took in his wilting form. Rancis must have looked pathetic, failing to conceal the tears beginning to form in his eyes. Crying was not charming. Crying was not heroic. Crying would only be a step further from Vanellope and obtaining her affections.
Yet the overwhelming sadness at such revelations only brought him more tears, falling from his eyes and landing on the cinnamon dirt below.
"Rancis!" he heard footsteps scramble to his side and saw two hands curl around his wrists, pulling them away from his rigid body. Rancis looked up to meet Vanellope, eyes wide in concern and disbelief, "Rancis, are you okay? Did I say something wrong?"
He shook his head and tried to turn away from her, but her hold on his wrists was strong and no matter how defeated he felt, he couldn't help but to continue looking into her eyes. Full of worry and warmth…for him. It was more than he deserved given how selfish he had been before.
"What…what did you say before I turned around?" Vanellope asked, turning her eyes away from his face to his open palms.
"I said…" Rancis blinked several times before continuing, doing his best to get most of the lingering tears out of his eyes. "I said do you not like me?"
"What?" Vanellope snapped her back up to meet him. "I never said I didn't like you. Where would you get an idea like that?"
"You called me frustrating," Rancis's voice was still low and he noticed Vanellope leaned in to listen. His breath almost hitched at the close proximity. "And…you always prefer to hang out with Ralph rather than me. I know he's your best friend and I know that you two and Calhoun and Felix are a kind of group now…and that you might like them more than you ever will me…especially Ralph, I don't think I could ever catch up to him when it comes to you."
Vanellope first quirked an eyebrow at his words, confused and unsettled. However, as the words sunk in, a knowing smiled graced her lips and he noticed her shaking, resisting the urge to giggle out loud.
"Oh, so you think this is funny?" Rancis leaned in further, his nose inches away from her. At his remark, Vanellope continued to shake, a few chuckles escaping her. "This isn't funny to me, Vanellope! I think of you as my best friend and it hurts that you don't – "
His words were interrupted as Vanellope closed the gap between them, pressing her lips against his. Rancis gasped, his skin being encased in goosebumps at the contact. He pushed back, trying to free himself from her lips, of the fireworks bursting within him. But her hold on his wrists remained tight and as he continued to wiggle around, his foot caught onto one of her ankles. Vanellope squealed and tripped over him, causing the two to collide and fall. Rancis's back plopped onto the ground and Vanellope consequently landed on top of him.
"Why you go and do that, buttercup?" Vanellope groaned as she pushed off of him, her hands pinning his arms against the ground.
"You were – you were kissing me!" Rancis exclaimed, panicking as she once again laughed. "I've never been kissed before! And you're only supposed to kiss someone if you – "
"Like them," Vanellope finished his sentence. "Of course I know that Rancis. Duh!"
"Then why'd you do it?" Rancis felt like crying all over again. If she knew that, why did she kiss him? It made no sense! She liked Ralph and wanted to kiss him instead, right?
"Wow, you're really dense, you know that?" Vanellope sighed and shook her head. "I can't believe you thought I liked Ralph like that this whole time. I guess I'm rubbing off on you a little then. The Rancis I knew before would have definitely just assumed I had to like him over stinkbrain any day."
Rancis gulped, his heart hammering. Was she being sincere? Did she really…?
"You like me?" Rancis raised his head off the ground, getting as close to her as he could despite still being pinned. "As more than a friend?"
"Of course!" Vanellope exclaimed. "I thought I made it pretty obvious when we hang out, honestly. But you're such a cute dummy that I had to spell it out for you."
"But then why do you always insist on hanging out with Ralph when I ask you out?" Rancis countered.
"Wait, wait," Vanellope paused, contemplating. "Those were date invites? Could've fooled me! It just sounded like the typical things we do together."
"I specifically remember asking you to a picnic in the candy-heart meadow," Rancis said. "That is not something we typically do. Ever."
"Okay, okay, so I might be a little dense too," she admitted. "It was just a little miscommunication on both our parts. But everything is all cleared up, right?"
Rancis remained silent. He licked his lips, the faint taste of vanilla enthralling his tongue. She liked him. She had kissed him.
Vanellope von Schweetz genuinely liked him as more than a friend. Maybe their bond wasn't as strong as hers and Ralph's, but it could get there someday. He still had a chance to be just as important.
"Right?" Vanellope pulled away from him and crossed her arms, skepticism etched into her lips and brows.
Rancis smirked, his confidence returning tenfold. He grabbed the drawstrings of her sweater and pulled her in for another kiss. It was chaste and soft, the taste of vanilla overwhelming his senses. He pulled away after a few more lingering moments and watched with mild bemusement as Vanellope's cheeks brightened up like a Christmas tree.
"Well then," Vanellope started, fidgeting with a loose lock of hair as she stood back up. "I guess I should be going now."
"Oh no," Rancis shook his head. "You're not getting away that easily."
"Ugh, Rancis!" Vanellope whined. "We can do gushy couple stuff later! I really do have to meet Ralph before it's too late."
"That's not it," Rancis walked up to her and took her hand, leading her to the main portal for central station. "I'm coming with you. It's about time I met your dear friend again and introduced myself properly."
"You don't have to do that," Vanellope rushed the words out, her voice shaky.
"Yeah, I do," Rancis insisted. "How rude would it be of me if I didn't have some fun and acknowledge my girlfriend's best friend?"
"Aren't you getting ahead of yourself, Prince Charming?" Vanellope deadpanned.
"No," Rancis smiled at the new pet name. Perhaps it wasn't in flattery or affection, but he'd take it. That's who he intended to be for her after all. "I don't."