A/N: Well, everyone. You got me into doing this. Since the last Valentine's Day story was so fun to do, I decided to do one with more Ralph and Vanellope shenanigans at the expense of doing more stupid things with Nicelanders. In terms of if this fits in with all the stories I've been doing? Yes, yes it does. Consider this a story that falls in after 'The Only Pie' series, where Vanellope now trusts the Nicelanders from her pie-lessons with them and Gene is starting to open up more (begrudgingly) to our heroes.
So as an extra Valentine's Day gift, I present to you…..this.
It was surprisingly warm that Valentine's Day, the entire neighborhood showcasing its dedication to the day of unbridled love. Litwak's sat in the middle of the pink and red decked block, the little arcade plastered with hearts and ribbons on the outside…
And WITHIN as well.
Everyone within the games of the small establishment were abuzz with the holiday love, whether they had a significant other or if they wanted to head out to the nearest game to grab some sweets.
Whoever you were, there was something for you.
"Ya got anyone ya wanna give a special somethin'-somethin' too?" asked a certain grinning candy racer.
Ralph smirked "Naaah, couple's things ain't never really been my thing."
"REALLY?" Vanellope said, her brows raised "I'd think after becomin' a hero n' all, tha ladies would be linin' up to ya!"
"They kinda did…." The big man continued "But meh. It never really worked out, I guess. Just not tha type for that mushy-mush stuff."
"Well, I'll be your Valentine's then!" Vanellope said, determined, pointing a finger in the air "There won't be a person left lonely in this arcade while I'm around!"
"Ya don't hafta worry 'bout me bein' lonely anymore." The big man said, softness in his voice as he smiled at the girl "I got way too many friends ta worry 'bout that now."
"Well, in that case help me hand out all my cards ta tha guys!" said the girl, heading back to Sugar Rush "Candlehead already beat me ta tha punch when she gave EVERYONE life-sized chocolate versions of their karts! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TA TOP TH-?!"
"A necklace? A ring? New gloves?"
The two stopped, hearing a familiar voice walking behind them. A quick turn revealed one Nicelander Gene strolling down the station, his head lowered and the look on his face telling to his worry.
"Genie?"
The man didn't respond, walking right between both Wrecker and Racer as he kept to himself, mumbling a few words here and there.
"No, no. I can't do that! That is so gouache! So thoughtless! How could you ever think-?"
"Hey, Genie!" Ralph called out again, picking the man up by the back of his collar but much to the big man's surprise Gene KEPT walking, kept thinking to himself.
"Whoa. Does he have an off button?" smirked Vanellope.
Ralph seemed not as worried, Gene's little legs and feet still going as if they were placed on the ground. Curiously, Ralph placed the man on his palm and much to his surprise….
Gene walked up his arm….
Over his head…..
Down his sides….
And then took off back down the station floor.
"Think Genie, THINK! You love her!"
"Love WHO?"
"YEEP!"
Finally Gene took notice of the people around him, the little man letting out a squeak as he jumped off his feet, turning to see the confused looks of Ralph and Vanellope staring back at him.
"OH!" the man gasped, fidgeting just a bit "Since when did YOU guys get here?"
Ralph snorted, putting his hands upon his head "Somethin' heavy MUST be on your mind, Big Guy. Someone tell ya blueberries were goin' extinct?"
"What? NO." the little man said, straightening up "I'm just-! I'm just…."
The Mayor stopped, he hesitated, Vanellope seeing his already blushed and chubby cheeks flaring up even more. The ends of her pony tail twirled at the sight, amused that such a tiny man could look so child-like whenever he became upset.
"Heh, what is it Mayor Blueberry? What's got Litwak's greatest Pie Chomper all bustled up?"
The little man scowled, only making his child-like actions more pronounced but he knew better than to let the two get to him.
"If you MUST know…." He began in a tart manner, his voice breaking slightly "It's Valentine's Day…."
"As if all these gaudy decorations couldn't tell us, SIR." Ralph chuckled.
"And of all things to happen, I just….I just let things slip and I've forgotten to pick up a gift."
"For who? Felix?" Vanellope smiled again, Gene shaking his head.
"No, no, no…."
"Then who?"
The little man was so nervous, so bashful, his fingers twiddling away with his tie.
Why couldn't he say it? Why couldn't he say HER name?
"For….f-f-for…"
The two friends exchanged looks, surprised that Gene was holding himself back in such a manner. Usually, Gene was far more sharp and forward with his words towards them, especially since he found more comfort in talking to them but after a few moments….
Ralph's eyes widened.
Vanellope placed her hands to her mouth.
"MISS MARY!"
"SHH! SHHHHHHHHHHH!" Gene shushed the two, pushing them back towards a wall with SURPRISING strength "Don't say it out loud! I don't want anyone else finding out!"
"Um, what would be tha problem in that, Big Guy?"
"If anyone else finds out, I KNOW they'll make a mockery out of it!" Gene whined, shaking his head in frustration "They're always looking for ways to HUMILIATE me and the others so if they were to hear I let it slip TODAY of ALL DAYS, they'll use it as something stupid! I don't know, say I'm brainless or I don't care about-!"
"Miss Mary?" said Vanellope, watching Gene turn so RED he was GLOWING in the darkness of the corner.
"Gaaaah! Please, keep it low."
"Aw, don't feel bad 'bout that." Ralph smiled, trying to bring Gene back "Things have bene pretty busy 'round here so I don't blame ya ta get all caught up."
"But I NEVER let things like this slip my mind!" the Nicelander shouted, far more mad at himself than anything "And-! And with the things that have happened-?! Oooh, I just wanted to get her something to let her know that I L-"
The man stopped, his words going DRY in his throat.
"Gene?"
"Llllllllllla-!"
"Um, Blueberry?"
Gene held his stomach, eyes going cross, body shaking.
"Um, he's not gonna VURP is he?"
"LUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRV."
"Love?" Ralph said, Gene inhaling deeply.
"LOVE!" Gene finally exploded "I-! I LOOOOOOOOVE-!"
"Ah, Ralph! STOP HIM!"
Ralph took ahold of Gene, the chubby man's cheeks squishing out from the top of his giant hands as his nose and mustache rested atop his fingers.
"Ya just wanna make somethin' nice for her?"
Gene looked at Ralph, giving him a feeble nod.
"An' ya just don't know what would be perfect ta show it?"
The man shut his eyes in PAIN, nodding again.
"Aw, man Genie. Why didn't ya just SAY SO?" Ralph said, putting the man back on the ground, only to give a shout when Gene fell FLAT on his back.
"What can I give her?" the man moaned, the entire arcade feeling as if it were spinning around him "What can I give her to show her that I care? That she means the whole ARCADE to me?"
Ralph and Vanellope looked down, the man still resting on the floor.
"She has everything, but she IS everything. She is the sugar in my pie, the cream in my coffee. She is the apple in my dumpling. She is the heart to my beat."
"Should we take him?" asked Vanellope.
Ralph nodded "We should take him."
"She is the geological alignment that makes the Earth so perfectly formed. She is the central core of the universe that keeps everything from collapsing….."
"Yeah, you're coming with us." Ralph said, picking Gene up and carrying him like a doll, the man still babbling to himself.
"She is the code that keeps the game from crashing….she is the-"
Sometime later the trio were in Sugar Rush but not just ANYWHERE…..
"Wh….where are we?" Gene asked, not at all familiar with his surroundings.
"WELL, as you were goin' on 'bout how tha world was formed an' Mary was a part of it or somethin', we figured we bring ya ta tha bakery." Ralph said, his hands in his overall pockets. Gene was even more confused, not at all familiar with the surroundings.
"But….a bakery?"
"Yeeeea! Ya figured it out!" clapped the big man "Right after I told ya before…."
The little man looked down at the ENORMOUS bakery, amazed by the inner workings of the place as the giant mechanical arms went about their way stirring, baking, and all out creating things he had never seen before. He climbed upon the bars of the edges, getting a better view.
"Mayor Blueberry?"
"HUH?"
"Ya gots plenty'a supplies. SURELY ya can make somethin' for Mary from this!" smiled Vanellope.
"I-? I can?"
"Yeah, there's nothin' stoppin' ya!"
"But…but what can I make for Mary with….all this candy?"
"You're tellin' me that YOU, MAYOR NICELANDER GENE OF FREAKIN' NICELAND, doesn't know what ta do with FOOD?!" Ralph laughed "Oh my PROGRAMMERS! It is tha end of times!"
"It's not that I can't do anything with this, young man." Gene said with a pout "It's just that I don't know if there is anythin' Mary even LIKES here! And the last thing I want to do is upset her with something that would bring about her GREIF! She's had ENOUGH of that over the years and I refuse to bring her more and- NYYYAG!"
"Geeze, simmer down, Genie." Ralph said, picking Gene up once more by his collar "I know ya wanna give your lil bubbie somethin' special but that doesn't mean ya gotta run yourself ragged over it!"
"But Ralph-!"
"Gene, listen. Mary LOVES ya!"
Gene had NEVER turned so red when Ralph said those words, the man burying his face in his hands as tuffs of pixelated clouds popped over his head.
"UUuurgh! I KNOW!"
"So anythin' ya make? I know she's gonna love it."
"I mean, if ya don't EAT it before it gets ta her." Vanellope giggled.
"YOUNG LADY!"
"Look, over here." Ralph said, walking down the steps and towards the candy tubes "So many candies, so many sweets. Ya gotta know Miss Mary's favorite!"
"Yeah!" chirped Vanellope, jumping about "An' ya can make somethin' outta those! She'll love it!"
"Y-Yes, I guess that does sound nice." The man said, browsing what seemed to be a million different types of candies, from jelly beans to gummie bears.
"What kinda candy does Miss Mary even like?" asked Ralph, Gene turning around.
"Mary?" the man said "She loves…she loves anything strawberry flavored."
"Heh, maybe we should called Taffyta up for this one." Said Vanellope "SHE'S tha ULTIMATE expert on that!"
"But not just any strawberry candies, mind you. She likes….these sweet fruity jellies. Not like gummie bears or anything like that."
Vanellope listened in, wanting to see how far Gene would get.
"They were like little cubes and they were dusted with the SWEETEST of powdered sugar. Sometimes they had walnuts or almonds in them but I remember….whenever her dad would bring them home, she would get so happy. She loved them!"
The man stopped, looking a tad embarrassed.
"I ALSO remember being a baby and eating one and she rolled me out of her room."
"Wait, huh?" Vanellope said, confused "She ROLLED you out?"
"Things were different back in our backstories." The man said "I mean, love develops over TIME young lady! We were not PROGRAMMED to love each other."
"Ah, tis tha way of love…" Ralph smiled cheekily, shrugging his shoulders "I guess your Valentine's developed over time too?"
"You can say that." The other man said "Then again, the first thing I remember Mary saying to me when I gave her a Valentine's was 'NO, MOMMY. GET THE BABY AWAY FROM ME."
Ralph said nothing.
Vanellope said nothing.
Gene said nothing.
"Ummm….Cute?"
"Maybe we can try something else!" Ralph said, quickly moving the two along "If not candy, why not make a gift from candy! A necklace or something!"
"A candy necklace?" the man said "Do you have edible pearls and the like?"
"What?! Are ya kiddin'?!" Vanellope said "Do ya know how long those things take ta fish outta giant candy clams! I ain't doin' that!"
"Then why not sugar diamonds or somethin' ta tha like?"
"Oh! She might mix that up with a REAL diamond!" Gene said, panicking "And she'll try to eat it and-!"
"Oh, give her more credit than that, Genie!" Ralph said "Sides, we all know if someone were ta do that, it would be ya….only to find out that ya can break through diamonds with those crazy sharp Nicelander fangs ya gots…."
"REALLY?!"
"RALPH."
"Don't just stop at all tha fancy stuff, Big Guy! Be creative! Use your imagination! Have a bit'a fun!" said Ralph, putting his arms out "There has ta be somethin' ya wanna make her!"
Gene thought in worry, certain that no matter what he came up with, no matter what he suggested, it would never be good enough for her and why not? Mary, in his mind, was the absolute model of perfection in EVERY way and only the best gifts could suit her but he just couldn't think of anything, his mind running a million miles an hour to decide on something.
"Oooh, I don't know what! I don't know what!"
"He's not gonna EXPLODE is he?" whispered Vanellope.
"Nah…..but ya might wanna duck anyway."
"Of course I can't think of anything…" the little man in blue said, feeling defeated already "I….I just can't. I-!"
He inhaled again, the frustration and anger coming to a boiling point but he couldn't muster it up. He couldn't let it out like he wanted to because he knew that no matter how angry he got, no matter what he said it wouldn't solve the real issue at hand.
What could he get for Mary on Valentine's Day?
He exhaled deeply, slouching down "Ooooh, Mary."
Ralph and Vanellope looked at each other, knowing they had to do something to encourage Gene but what could they say to bring him back, to help in any way?
And then Ralph had an idea.
"Yo, Big Guy!"
The Mayor looked over at the giant Wrecker, discouragement all over his face.
"I think you're goin' bout this all tha wrong way…." The larger man said as he stooped down to Gene, placing a friendly hand upon his shoulders "You're thinkin' 'bout how FANCY tha gift should be, like tha gift is more important than tha person ya care about."
"Huh?"
"What ya SHOULD be thinkin' 'bout…." Ralph said "Is how much ya LOVE Mary, not how much ya LOVE tha GIFT."
Gene stopped, at first not understanding the meanings to Ralph's words.
"Think'a like this. A diamond looks pretty but it doesn't make ya as happy as Mary, right?"
"G-Goodness, NO!" Gene said, shaking his head "Of course it would not. A diamond? It's shiny, it glitters but….it's just a THING. It's just THERE. Mary's-! Oh, she's much more than that! Much, much more!"
Ralph could sense it; Gene was getting somewhere.
"An' pearls?"
"Pearls look BEAUTIFUL around her neck or on her fingers but even without them she would still be a BEAUTY in my eyes and my heart!"
"An' all those other fancy things?"
"HA! MARY makes THEM look good!" Gene said, excitement in his voice as he stepped away from the other two, twirling about on his little feet "She is radiant but not just for her cute little smile, those big blue eyes. No….what she does, what she says."
Gene wrapped his arms around himself, feeling such warmth and delight.
"She makes me smile so much. She makes me love life so much. Even at my worst, even at those times I felt as if I couldn't go on, whenever she would come, she would make it all better."
The man's cheeks turned a wonderful rosy shade of pink, Vanellope getting that his mood was improving GREATLY. She watched him rush over to the wrapping station of the bakery, pulling out a long strand of rose printed tissue paper.
"She is like a rose in the wind. So sweet, soft, but at the same time so STRONG. S-so much stronger than I could ever wish to be."
Gene rushed over to some ribbon, its color shiny and pink.
"Her touch is so silky and gentle but she is not weak. She can wrap you up and bind you together!"
"I think we're getting' somewhere, kid." Ralph winked at Vanellope, Gene finally able to let go and let his true feelings for Mary out.
"I-! I think I know what to make her!" the man said "I-! I want to make her something SWEET! But something she can keep! Something that is everything she loves and everything I love about her!"
"Yes! FINALLY!" Vanellope cheered "I know this is gonna be tha best, or your name is Mayor Nicelander Gene!"
"WELL-! AHEM…" the man said, straightening his suit "Technically, it isn't."
"Oh?" the girl said curiously "Then what-?"
"My REAL name…" the man said, his voice filled with VERY diplomatic and serious tone "Is Eugene Obzhora Nomenklatura, Nicelander added FIRST of course."
"What's that-?"
Ralph then pushed the smaller characters along, knowing that a long, PAINFUL explanation was only ahead of him should he allow the conversation to continue as is.
"ASK MR. ZANGIEF KID, LET'S GO."
And so the three began to work but soon Ralph and Vanellope took a step back and watched Gene go about, zipping and zagging throughout not just the bakery-
"Is there a flower shop here?"
But the entire game!
"Uh, yeah!" Vanellope said, finding she was having a difficult time catching up with the little man "Mayor Gene, wait!"
Gene went into one flower shop only to come out with a massive bouquet of candy roses and other pink petals. His head poked from between the blowers, grinning brightly the whole time.
"Maybe this! I know she'll love it!"
The two heroes were stunned, never having seen Gene so happy in his life but after a while….
They suddenly began to realize WHY.
This was Mary Gene was making a gift for.
His true love.
His one and only.
There was nothing the man WOULDN'T do for her and now that he was set free in the bright, sweet-filled game it was as if the flip had been switched in his head. He no longer held himself back, no longer let his pride and prudence hide his true inner feelings for what he wanted to do and how he wanted to do it.
He just wanted to make something for Mary to show her how much he loved her.
And the more Gene gathered the larger the gift began to look.
"Holy cow!"
Ralph and Vanellope looked at the piles and piles of items that Gene had gathered, from flowers to glitter, to candy to anything he could get his hands on that he wanted to put on the card.
"Yes. That's about right!"
The two friends exchanged looks, lost for words on just how to take Gene's mood. They were both so used to him being so grumpy, so fussy but to see him smile?
"Ooooh, okay-! Where to cut? Where to start?"
"Hey, Genie!"
The little man in blue looked up, Ralph walking over to him.
"Need a hand?"
And so the three began, each doing their own specialties to make the card. There was a lot of flowers to arrange, a lot of candy to organize but as the three worked together something was coming through!
"I gotta say, this looks pretty cool…." Ralph said, having to admit he never expected to create such a thing with Gene but the little Mayor started to get antsy.
"Does it look good enough?"
"Gene?"
Ralph turned, Gene biting his thumb "I mean….will it stack up? Will it be enough?"
"Genie, stop worryin'!" Ralph said with a smile as he placed a hand atop the man's head "We told ya before; knowin' this is from ya, Mary's gonna love it."
"I hope she does. I really hope she does…." The man breathed out, feeling some of the nervousness wash away "Yes. YES! You're right, Ralph! Mary is going to love-!"
Out of the blue, a massive gust of wind blew by, the three ducking at the mighty gale.
"OH!" cried Vanellope ducking down "Watch out!"
"NYAAAAUGH!" Gene cried out, watching as some of the flowers took off into the air, the pink and white petals dancing around him "Oh, no! They're being blown aw-!"
Gene reached out, trying to apply all his weight down upon the base of the card but the combination of the strong wind and the thick cardboard created a troublesome combo.
NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!
"GENE!"
The little Mayor was LIFTED into the air, the cardboard acting like WINGS as he was carried about many feet off the ground.
"Ah! Hang on Genie! HANG ON!"
"I-I'm trying to!" the man said, fearing for his life should he fall.
"I think I can get him!" Vanellope said, trying to glitch her way to Gene but whatever way she glitched, the wind took him in the OPPOSITE direction!
"ACK!"
"Someone! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALP!"
Gene was flying further and further away from the two, his flying exploits taking him places he could only fear off. He tried his best to steer but there was no control over it, his hands feeling like they were losing grip on the cardboard.
"No, please no!"
And then-
CRASH!
"NYAAAURGH!"
"GENE!" Ralph cried out, seeing the man fall headlong into a tree "Aw man, GENE!"
The Nicelander scrambled, his legs and arms kicking about before he realized what was going on.
"H-Hu, WHAT?!"
He tried to place his foot down but the twig under him was too weak and he started to tumble down, screaming loudly at every branch he bumped….
And the card was coming down with him.
"I'll catch you Gene, I'LL CATCH YOU!"
The Nicelander continued his descent down, hitting branch after branch as both he and the card took a spill. But once he was nearing the bottom….
SSSSSHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIP!
"OOF!"
Ralph managed to catch Gene but the drop was so sudden that he didn't take into account just how HEAVY the man could be when falling.
"WOW!" Ralph said, having fell on his back "WHAT A RUSH!"
"OH NO!"
The two friends looked up, Gene springing to his feet.
"The card!"
Everyone looked up, the card ripped and torn, the hole in the middle of it snagged upon a branch.
"Nooooo-!" Gene mewled again, trying to climb the tree "Please don't be that bad, please don't be that bad-!"
"Hang on a sec, Big Guy." Ralph said, pulling the Mayor back and reaching up for the card and when he saw it….
His heart sank.
It had been torn, completely BUSTED right in the middle and leaving a good hole within.
"Oh, no…."
Vanellope looked sadly at the card, peering up to see Gene looking bluer than his cardigan.
"I…I ruined it…."
Gene looked heartbroken, seeing all the work the three had put into destroyed thanks to him.
"All the flowers, all the candy, everything we got….it's RUINED!"
"Oh, don't be so hard on yourself, Genie. It was just an accident."
"One that I caused!" the man cursed to himself, very frustrated but even more saddened "Ooooh…of course someone like me would cause trouble. It's why people say Nicelanders can't do anything."
"Gene, don't say that!" Ralph said, going down to the little man "It's just a tear! We can have Felix fix it or-!"
"Wait…."
The men looked over, Vanellope taking the card and holding it.
"No way…."
"What is it, young lady?" Gene asked, sounding nervous.
"Genie! Turn around!"
"Um why?"
"Just turn around!"
Confused, the little man did as he was told, Vanellope holding the card in place. Her eyes widened, sparks fluttering above her head.
"Mayor Blueberry!" the girl said with a laugh "YOUR BUTT JUST SAVED US!"
"WHAT?"
"Yes…WHAT?!" Gene said, blushing brightly as he turned around, hands absentmindedly going to his behind "What do you mean my bu- BEHIND saved-?!"
"The hole! It's in the same of a PERFECT HEART!"
And as Vanellope held the card up higher….
Indeed it was.
Ralph had to take a second look, suddenly realizing that somehow during his fall Gene had indeed managed to get his bottom to go through the card in such a way that it punched out a messy yet perfectly designed heart.
"HAHA! This is AMAZIN"!" Ralph cheered, taking the card from the girl.
"How is this AMAZING?!" Gene shouted, still very much embarrassed.
"Genie, look at this!" Ralph said, showing the little man the hole "You can still use this! You can still give this to Mary!"
"If I broke it because of my be-! If I TORE IT, how is that ACCEPTABLE?!" the man protested, still very much pink in the face "I ruined it! I destroyed it!"
"Ya WRECKED it." Ralph said, picking Gene up by his collar and taking him back to the bakery "But ya WRECKED it good!"
"Is this for me?"
"Yup!" Vanellope and Ralph grinned, their hands behind their back as they held the massive card before Mary.
"Oh, this is so sweet!" the little woman said, her heart fluttering as she looked at the decorated cover of the card "And so BIIIIIIIIIG! I don't think I have EVER gotten a Valentine's gift this big!"
"Oh, there is more!" Ralph said, taking the card and holding it before the woman "Just read it…."
The little woman was curious, her tiny feet taking her forward as she read the lines of text on the cover.
Roses are red,
Strawberries are too.
Did I mention that I really love you?
Mary moved back, certain she heard the card squeak and when Ralph flipped the cover open-
"MWA!"
A kiss!
Before her stood Gene, the man's head settled in the middle of the heart cut-out, flowers now arranged around it.
"Happy Valentine's Day, dear."
Mary was stunned, surprised that Gene had caught her in such a way but after she looked at the card, after she saw the way Gene was smiling at her…..
Of course.
He WOULD do something like this.
"Oh, ya big BLUEBERRY!" Mary said, rushing into the man, Ralph pulling the card up just in time to prevent any more tears.
Gene gave a startled cry as he was knocked over onto his big bottom, landing with a whoomp as the pink Nicelander gave him another smooch.
"I saw you went all out this year." The woman snickered, poking Gene on his nose, the man blushing "It seems that your gifts are getting bigger and bigger each year."
"W-Well-!" Gene coughed, trying his best to play coy to his love "Only the best for you, dear-!"
He stopped, remembering just WHO had helped him make the card in the first place….
Ralph.
Vanellope.
Yeah, do the right thing, Genie-Boy.
"But if it hadn't been for Ralph and Miss Vanellope…." The man sighed, a smile coming through "I wouldn't have been able to do this."
"Aaaaaaw!" Mary said sweetly, looking up at the two "That's so sweet! Thank you all! You've made this day amazing!"
"Well, we can't take all the credit." Ralph smiled snarkily.
"Yeah, if there is someone who should take all the credit-!" said Vanellope, Gene grinning smugly.
"Now, young lady. There's no need to-!"
"IT'S GENE'S GIGANTIC BOOTY!" the girl hopped up in the air with a cheer.
"….WHAT?"
"His butt makes the PERFECT stamp!" Vanellope said, clapping her hands "He needs ta come ta my place ta be official heart-maker for cards! He'll make a killin' off'a it!"
"Young lady!" Gene shot shouted, embarrassment taking over again "I-! It was-!"
"Oh hooooooo-!" laughed Mary, clutching Gene's arms again to keep him from getting up "So it's not just your PRESENTS that are getting bigger, dear?"
"Mary?!"
"Gracious me, you're making it all apparent why we call you BIG GENE." The woman laughed, the others following suit "But all those pies and sweets have to go SOMEWHERE besides your stomach, right?"
"Mary, please!" Gene begged, his voice coming out in a whine "You know good and well that's NOT-! I-I Just-!"
"Oh hush…." The woman said, giving the man another kiss "And Happy Valentine's Day, Blueberry."
The man blushed as the others continued to laugh at him, feeling all efforts of escaping were in vain. But when one is in the arms of the one you love….
Where would you rather be?
