*Chapter 69*

The evening was filled with long talks, smiles, good food and a large amount of laughter. Everyone was slowly warming up to the idea of Rancis being around, but they still kept a sharp eye on him. He eased into whatever crazy conversation the group got into, but he remained his shy, quiet self. He often would catch eyes with Taffyta across the table, but was disheartened to find that each one of his friendly smiles were rebuffed with an almost annoyed smirk. He figured remaining patient and calm through this hardship was the only thing he could do for himself, and for everyone. He knew he had hurt everyone he was chumming it up with, and he knew gaining back everyone's full trust wasn't going to come easy.

After a few hours of constant chatter and family bonding, Westwind Acres slowly began to light up with speckles of cinnamon fire flies. Little clusters of hot orange dotted the moonstruck landscape. Sugar Rush's constant winter breeze was lulling and moist with nighttime dew. Calhoun, Candlehead and Taffyta began to clean up dishes and pack whatever food they had left away. Tammy looked sleepy, but she forced her eyes to stay eagerly awake. She gave Vanellope and Taffyta an excited look after tearing her eyes away from the gorgeous scenery down the hill from the dimly lit gazebo they were still at.

"Can we go catch some fire flies?" Tammy eagerly asked as she looked between Vanellope and Taffyta.

"We can certainly try," Taffyta beamed as she looked at Vanellope expectedly, "You wanna come with, Vin?"

"Why not," Vanellope smiled as she stood. She felt as if she had to pry herself suddenly from Ralph's close presence next to her. She gently stood and gazed down at him curiously; his eyes were gently and loving. Warm, brown eyes that peered into her soul. Vanellope smiled a little and tilted her head curiously, though she knew that look in his eye meant he was up to something. She suddenly felt her heart swell as his hand continued to hold onto hers in a cling of want and tease. She scrunched her shoulders just barely and was thankful Taffyta and Tammy were too busy chatting to notice their lingering string of knowing body language and eye contact.

"You wanna come with, Ralph?" Vanellope asked. She suddenly felt giddy and nervous, as if she was struck with cupid's arrow all over again.

"No thank you, that's okay. You girls enjoy yourselves," Ralph said softly with a small smile before he looked around the messy table, "I'll stay and help clean up."

"You sure?" Vanellope prod.

"Yeah," Ralph breathed before he squeezed her hand with a small, gentlemanly smile, "It's a nice night. Not a single storm cloud to be seen."

Vanellope felt her face get hot at Ralph's insinuation. She bit her bottom lip just barely before giggling a silent, girly giggle. She glanced out to the open sky, past the gazebo, and was thrilled to see nothing but thousands of sparkling stars. She looked back to Ralph gently and heaved a soft sigh.

"Guess we better make good use of it, then," Vanellope said teasingly and softly as she slipped her hand out of his and gave him a smoldering look. She tucked her hood over her head, to give herself a bad girl kind of look, before she began to take a few steps backwards. Taffyta and Tammy babbled on to each other but quickly began to follow Vanellope out of the gazebo. Ralph raised his eyebrows in surprise before heaving an almost trembling sigh. He shook his head just barely before tilting his head to find the whereabouts of his friends. He practically jolted once he caught eyes with Calhoun, Candlehead, Felix and Rancis. All four of them stared at Ralph with sheepish smirks of knowing. Ralph scrunched his shoulders as his face practically turned pale.

"What," Ralph choked. All four of his friends burst out in happy laughter. Ralph rolled his eyes and looked away, grumbling something to himself.

"That was intense," Calhoun laughed as she tucked her short blonde hair behind one of her ears. She quickly zipped her black hoodie up all the way as the night time air sent a chill through the gazebo. Felix put his hands on his hips and beamed at his brother.

"It's as if you guys haven't seen each other in decades," Felix chuckled in his usual charming voice as the three steadily began to clean again.

"Oh, cut me some slack. I didn't think I'd ever see her again," Ralph barked as he carefully stood, his face was beet red.

"Thankfully it's a 'nice night'," Calhoun mocked playfully as she pretended to act nonchalant. Ralph scoffed and opened his mouth to protest, but Calhoun inhaled sharply to continue, "We wouldn't want another power surge."

"Hey, that was purely accidental," Ralph barked with a small laugh. He tried his hardest not to smile.

"Power surge?" Rancis asked softly as he furrowed his eyebrows. Ralph instantly felt the blood leave his face.

"Can we drop it?" Ralph laughed as he rubbed his face with his large hand. Calhoun and Felix laughed quietly as Ralph quickly began to help clean up.

"Ralph and Vanellope caused a massive power surge in a fit of joy," Candlehead stifled a laugh as Felix and Calhoun chuckled to themselves. The five finally got the place cleaned up. Ralph heaved a long, impatient sigh and figured no matter how much he protested, there was no way he was able to worm himself out of this conversation. He sat down at the large table with a loud chuff of annoyance.

"I don't know how good it'd look if you gave Sugar Rush a little prince or princess without being married to Sugar Rush's queen, Ralph," Calhoun said through a chuckle as she finally sat down at the table across from Ralph. Felix sat down next to her.

"Oh come off of it," Ralph said through a tired sigh, his face beet red.

"Y-You mean, you guys actually code swapped?" Rancis suddenly asked with a surprised tone, "I thought you all were joking."

"Joking," Candlehead scoffed as she motioned towards Ralph, "You saw the look Vanellope gave Ralph. No jokes there."

"Odd," Rancis said, half to himself before he peered at Candlehead, "I always thought Vanellope was old fashioned when it came to that kind of stuff. Especially with being princess of Sugar Rush."

"I guess no one knows Vanellope better than Ralph, these days," Candlehead sneered playfully at her big brother with a smile. Ralph rolled his eyes in playful return, though his smile was bashful and shy.

"Stop getting all embarrassed, Ralph," Calhoun spat, though in a loving way, "This isn't news to anyone."

"It is to me," Rancis chuckled as he shrugged his shoulders, Calhoun lulled her head.

"You'll be familiarized with it shortly, no danger there," Candlehead giggled and covered her mouth.

"I heard, you'll be proposing to Vanellope this New Year's," Rancis said started softly as he tilted his head a little towards Ralph. Ralph gazed at him almost nervously, "I hope you know what you're getting yourself into. Sugar Rush houses a crazy bunch, here."

"Yeah," Ralph smiled as he looked down. He breathed a small laugh of nostalgia and nodded, "Believe me, I am well aware."

"It's about time Sugar Rush had a King," Rancis said, his tone humble, "Vanellope is a great princess...er, President, and she has done well for Sugar Rush, but I think it'll be good that she can finally rely on someone other than herself in this crazy kingdom of smarties."

"You're actually okay with all of this?" Ralph asked softly after a few moments of lulling silence between the five.

"Well, yeah," Rancis started before a small, knowing smile crawled across his face. He looked down and sighed, "I know I would've been a terrible King for Sugar Rush. If Vanellope fell for me and I became King of Sugar Rush, I know the kingdom would go south…"

"Why do you think that about yourself?" Candlehead prod curiously.

"Because if I know one thing about myself, it's that I don't like too much responsibility," Rancis said with a sheepish smile, "I'd be one lazy King. I'm positive Vanellope would've grown tired of me slinking into the background when it came to ruling Sugar Rush."

"Well," Felix sighed cheerfully, "Looks like this mess worked out for the better, then. Even if we all had to go through a lot of strife to get here."

"I'd say we did alright," Ralph chuckled as he smiled at each one of his friends. Candlehead nodded softly before giving Ralph a curious look.

"Have you thought about how you're going to propose yet?" Candlehead asked softly.

"No," Ralph said through a frustrated sigh, "I don't know what I'd be able to do. I want to surprise her. I want it to seem as if it was out of left field."

"You want to sweep her off her feet," Calhoun said knowingly as she nudged her husband with a knowing smile. Felix blushed with a grin. Everyone chuckled at the two.

"You should propose at the ball," Candlehead suggested.

"Should I?" Ralph asked curiously, "Would it be better if we were alone?"

"I think you should do it in front of a crowd, make it known to everyone your intentions for your guys' lives," Candlehead said, her voice getting more and more excited.

"Not a bad idea," Ralph said as he rubbed his chin in thought.

"Geez, Aunt Vanellope," Tammy started as her, Taffyta and Vanellope slowly moseyed down the large sloping hill from the gazebo, "I know you haven't seen Uncle Ralph in a month, but your guys' flirtatious conversations are not as subtle as you guys may think."

"Tammy!" Vanellope squealed as she and Taffyta gaped in shock at their niece. Tammy beamed and roared with laughter.

"I may only be ten months old, but I'm not stupid!" Tammy giggled as she nudged Taffyta, hoping she'd unglue her surprised eyes from her soon.

"You're growing up too fast, there, kid," Vanellope chucked as she lulled her arm around Tammy's shoulders.

"It's nice having another woman in the group," Taffyta said kindly to Tammy. Tammy's innocent eyes gleamed with happiness and poised shock at the compliment.

"I-I don't know if I'd say that," Tammy said bashfully with Felix's charm.

"I have a question for you guys," Vanellope asked gently as the two began to mosey out into the dark, vast fields. The cool wind was gentle and soothing as Sugar Rush's moon lit the area. Vanellope opened her palms a little and let a cinnamon fire fly tenderly land on her hands.

"Shoot," Tammy snapped with a smile, mocking Calhoun's abrasive mannerisms. Taffyta followed Vanellope's idea and opened her palms out for the fireflies.

"H-how do you guys feel about Ralph actually becoming King of Sugar Rush?" Vanellope asked innocently.

"Do you think he's going to propose?" Taffyta asked. She pretended to act as if she didn't know about Ralph's New Year's secret.

"I-I doubt it, at least anytime soon," Vanellope chuffed as the small fire bug crawled around her palm a few times; a dozen or so cinnamon fireflies burned a dull, orange glow around the three. They lit the area in a lulling, soothing tint of night time peace.

"I think Ralph would make a great King," Taffyta said seriously as she focused her attention on her sister, "He's here a lot. He cares about all of us, and, most importantly, he cares about you."

"I-I've just, never had to share my duties as the core of Sugar Rush," Vanellope worried, "We briefly talked about him being King, the other night, and we both seemed positive about it, but I'm just worried that, he'll…Oh I don't know."

"You're worried he'll wreck everything?" Tammy asked softly as both girls gazed at Vanellope in understanding.

"Well," Vanellope breathed, "Not wreck everything per se, but maybe realize that this isn't the life he wanted after all. It would kill me if we finalized things, and half way into it, he realizes that he doesn't want this kind of responsibility."

"I'm sure that wouldn't be the case, Vanellope," Taffyta assured, "You guys will have each other, and all of us, to lean on. You're thinking of all those flaws again," Taffyta said in a playful, motherly tone as she wagged her finger at Vanellope knowingly.

"I guess you're right," Vanellope said as she heaved a long, exasperated sigh.

"He needs to get on with it," Tammy suddenly barked quietly as she huddled a cinnamon fire fly into her hands, "I want cousins!"

"You are adamant about that, aren't you," Taffyta laughed as Vanellope looked down, her cheeks red.

"In due time," Vanellope said with a smile, "I promise we will give you cousins, Tammy. You can't rush this kind of stuff."

"I knowww," Tammy said just a above a whisper as she lulled her head. She caught eyes with Vanellope and gave her a genuine smile, full of love and excitement.

"We're all bursting at the seams, Vin," Taffyta chuckled as she linked arms with Tammy, "You can't blame us for getting antsy."

"Welp," Vanellope said as she heaved a sharp sigh with a playfully annoyed look, "If you guys want us to have kids so bad, then tell Ralph to get on with this whole proposal stuff then. Cause believe me, I'm just as antsy as you guys are."

"Really?" Taffyta squealed in surprise.

"Of course," Vanellope scoffed as she gave Taffyta a shocked look, "I'm sitting here, telling you guys to be patient, but in reality, I'm just about ready to propose to him myself."

"Man, that would definitely be a game changer," Tammy giggled.