#tapper

For Valentine’s Day at Tapper’s, the bartender had special surprises up his sleeve for any couples who strolled through his iconic double doors. Boyfriends and girlfriends got to enjoy their root beers with a romantic twist—dolloped with a puff of whipped cream covered in red and pink sprinkles. Pauline was strolling between the counters, crooning old love song standards. The warm candlelight emanating from the lamps on the wall added to the romance of the evening. 

The atmosphere was right. The music was right. Now he just had to wait until the time was right. 

“Wow,” Cyndra breathed, eyes widening as she looked around at the counters covered in cuddling couples, “this is…this is amazing, ‘Kowski.”

Markowski’s face lit up at his girlfriend’s awestruck expression, his crooked teeth falling into the goofy grin that had become less rare since he’d met her. 

“Yeah, they sure gussied up the place, huh?” He chuckled, taking a sip from the special brew.

“Sure glad the other boys aren’t here, huh, ‘Kowski?” Cyndra elbowed him. “They wouldn’t last a minute with all this lovey-dovey stuff.” 

“More like we wouldn’t last a minute,” Markowski rubbed the back of his head. “Those guys would be merciless if they caught us.”

“They’re used to us,” Cyndra argued, “aren’t they?”

“Oh, sure,” Markowski replied, “they’ve seen us flirting…but c’mon, Cyn, the night’s young. We gotta do more than sweet talk!” 

“Is that so?” Cyndra quirked a mischievous eyebrow with a smirk. “Well, what do you have in mind?” 

Markowski put an arm around her shoulder and gestured around the store. Mario and Peach, Ryu and Chun-Li, Dirk and Daphne—all of them were locking lips, oblivious to the world around them, the whipped cream of their drinks quickly losing its whip.

“What do you say we join the ranks?” Markowski grinned at her. 

“Affirmative, soldier.” Cyndra took his hand, her emerald eyes meeting his glistening brown ones. Markowski leaned closer, his lips beginning to pucker.

This was it…the strings of Pauline’s love ballad were swelling, the warm lamplight was making Cyndra’s already-bright eyes even more deliciously bright…it was the perfect moment, for the perfect kiss, and nothing could spoil—

URRRRRRRPPPPP!

Turns out something could spoil this moment. Or rather, someone.

Markowski swiveled his stool around grumpily to face the ones who had made the infernal noise. He found himself glaring at the only two people in the bar who weren’t a canoodling couple: Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope von Schweetz.

“Hey! What gives, guys?” He grimaced. 

“What?” Ralph retorted defensively. “Can’t a guy and his best friend have a burping contest to themselves?”

“Yeah!” Vanellope yelled. “We gotta distract ourselves from all this mushy, goo-goo garbage somehow!”

Markowski fixed them with as deadly a glare as his bugged-out eyes could muster, turning back to his girlfriend grouchily. 

“Aw, don’t let that dumb burping contest get you down,” Cyndra gave him her trademark encouraging smile. “Why don’t we try this someplace a little quieter?” 

Markowski’s scowl still hadn’t lifted. A deep sigh escaped his pursed lips. 

“I don’t think I’m in the mood, Cyn,” he replied, a slight grumble to his voice.

“Well, okay…” Cyndra gave a sigh of her own, this one light but full of disappointment. “Y’wanna blow this joint, then?” 

Markowski nodded. Cyndra plunked a few coins on the counter and took his arm. 

As they exited, Markowski hung his head, looking back at the canoodling couples.