A/N: Sorry it's late guys. I decided to take a day off.

Chapter 21: Bad Anon

Vanellope was pouting again.

After their discussion Ralph had kicked her out. Said she was making him nervous. He also said that there was no way he was going to trust her to make a decision while she was looking at him like that and to go away and think about it seriously.

Ralph apparently thought this was a big decision, but Vanellope didn't think it was. Not really. Well... Maybe that wasn't exactly it. Not hanging around Ralph anymore... that seemed like it would be a big decision to make. Having to make restrictions on her behavior... that also seemed like a big decision. But this one, this one seemed like an easy choice.

"And the right choice always seems easy." Vanellope thought with conviction. "...even if it's not always the easiest to do." She suddenly thought as she remembered the other half of that saying.

This thought made her wonder about what it would be like to actually date Ralph. She couldn't imagine that it would be much different, especially not at first. It took Ralph forever to get used to anything. She predicted that the first little while would be exactly the same as what they'd been doing. Only this time if she stole a kiss Ralph wouldn't have the right to be annoyed. He might not even stop her either. That would be a definite plus.

But what about after? Once Ralph actually got used to the idea, what might change? Ralph was a sort of private person. Not with her, because she forced herself under his skin on purpose. But she had to work to get him to open up. So there were a lot of things that they probably wouldn't do. Like Taffyta and Rancis getting all giggly and flirty in front of the fans before a race... or Tammy attempting to drag Felix into her lap after having a few too many drinks at Tappers. No, Ralph might take some offense at that sort of behavior.

In private things might change. Vanellope blushed to think of it. She didn't even know where to start when it came to that. Well... bits of her seemed to have an idea. But she felt completely clueless. What was worse was that she had a sneaking suspicion that this was something she couldn't depend on Ralph to take the lead in. He seemed too nervous about all of that in general.

Vanellope waved all of those thoughts away. All of that would come later. Spontaneity was definitely the way to go with that. It would, theoretically, happen on it's own. If she planned anything out Ralph would probably figure it out and nix it anyway. He was weird like that.

"I wonder if dating is going to be really difficult?" Vanellope mused. It didn't seem like it would be. But then again, Ralph made some things awfully... counter intuitive.

+++[Pac-Man...]+++

"Ralph! It's nice to see you again. You haven't been visiting lately." Satan greeted when he saw Ralph enter the room.

"Wasn't I here just last week?" Ralph asked.

"You haven't been to a meeting in over a month." Satan answered.

"Life has been really busy lately." Ralph mused as he sat down.

"Well, lets hear all about it Ralph." Clyde offered. Everyone had already trickled into the room and found their seats.

"I... don't even know where to start." Ralph commented. "I guess the beginning would be Sugar Rush's update."

Clyde nodded sagely, like he knew exactly what this was about. That knowing look didn't sit well with Ralph, but Clyde always had that face when people were 'sharing'. He was old and wise amongst the games, Ralph gave him that, but he just didn't think Clyde could relate to this one.

"Vanellope's change in appearance must've been an interesting change for you." Clyde commented.

"It was..." Ralph said hesitantly, like he didn't really want to admit it.

"Zangief see your dancing. Very sexy. Zangief is thinking Ralph is very lucky." Zangief commented with a knowing smirk.

"You were there?" Ralph asked. He didn't actually remember anything about that night, except for Vanellope herself. Maybe a little of Ken in there when he thought about why he'd been so eager to dance with her in the first place.

"Yes. There were many people who are seeing the dancing. All very impressed." Zangief answered with a sage nod. Ralph bit the inside of his cheek to keep from saying anything, but the look on his face probably said it all.

Had everybody seen them? This wasn't all that everyone was talking about, was it?

"Umm..." Ralph couldn't think of anything to say.

"You and Vanellope have always been very close. It's nice that this upgrade has allowed you two to take that to another level." Clyde said softly. Clyde said everything softly. That was another thing that bugged Ralph sometimes.

"That's not exactly what either of us were expecting to happen." Ralph thought to comment.

"Well, these things sneak up on the best of us." Clyde excused. Ralph took that to mean that Clyde hadn't seen it coming either.

"Is sometimes hard to form lasting relationships, especially for 'bad guy'. So is useful to have that foundation of unprejudiced little girl eyes, yes?" Zangief commented.

Zangief had a point, Ralph supposed. There was almost no way that he and Vanellope would have a relationship the way things are now, if he hadn't met her when she was little and an outcast in her own game. On the other side of things, Ralph would never have approached Vanellope in the first place if she'd looked like she did now. But it sort of sounded like Zangief was suggesting that it wasn't worth trying to form a relationship with anyone else, because he had Vanellope. That thinking seemed flawed to Ralph, but he couldn't think of an argument.

"So, how are you and Vanellope doing?" Clyde asked, getting back to the point.

"We're doing okay." Ralph answered. "It... it took us a while to find a balance. To figure out what was going on. I guess you could say that my initial reaction to her new look wasn't the best."

"But you've worked everything out?" Clyde prompted.

"I-I think so." Ralph answered. "I think Vanellope might still be a little confused, but once she figures out what she want..." Ralph wasn't sure how he wanted to end that.

"Women are so indecisive, you might be going back and forth forever if you don't put a firm hand in." Bowser warned. Everyone in the circle nodded sagely. Everyone knew that Bowser had women troubles. Princess Peach was always wishy-washy in her relationships. One day being completely infatuated with Mario, the next wanting to run away with Bowser.

Ralph had to think about that one. He thought it was important to let Vanellope make up her mind on the relationship parameters. He didn't think it was the same thing as letting her lead him by the nose through the whole thing. He also didn't think that he'd have the same troubles with it that Bowser had, even if he did. Vanellope was flighty, but not as conflicted as Peach was. He was certain that Vanellope's affections were limited to him, as weird as that seemed.

"That's not exactly what I meant, but I guess I'll keep it in mind." Ralph said, sounding unsure.

"Are you having doubts?" Clyde asked. Ralph sighed as he thought about it.

"That isn't exactly how I'd put it." Ralph said. "It's just that I don't know what to do. I've never even thought of being in a romantic relationship before. Then this comes up all of a sudden and it's just there. Where do you start?" Ralph asked, somewhat rhetorically. He wanted an answer, but he didn't really think anyone could give him an answer that he'd like.

"I think your problem isn't 'where to start'."Clyde mused. "It's more that you're already in the middle of one and you don't know what to do or how you got there."

Ralph nodded at that one. There wasn't any denying the truth of that statement.

A/N: So yeah. I took a day off. Writing a chapter a day can get a little difficult. And before you ask the question... Yes. I did just say I think Peach/Bowser is a think. If you ever read about the original backstory of Mario and Donkey Kong then you'd wonder about it too.

Review Response:

To lots of people - I got a lot of compliments in the last round of reviews about how well I've been keeping everyone in character. To which I can only say... thanks? It's a big compliment, I just don't know what to say to it. Particularly because I keep going back through the fanfic and wondering whether or not I really HAVE. But I'm glad everyone thinks so.

Reader - I'm glad that that went over so well. The lack of more adult words was really more of a character thing than a lack of will to actually say or type them. Ralph doesn't, or rather didn't, like thinking about Vanellope in those terms. Vanellope could only think about it in abstract. So... yeah. It had purpose other than just being hilarious.