CupTale (Cuphead x Undertale)3

Brotherly Love Fills You With Determination!

[cuptalecupheadxundertale]

Cuptale (Cuphead x Undertale) Cover Photo

Synopsis: Mt Abott suddenly appears out of nowhere and Cuphead, dragging Mugman along, runs to the mountain to investigate. Soon they fall into the chasm and are attacked by the monsters of the underground. As they explore, they discover a tragedy that befell the underground, make friends along the way, and have a bro jolly fun adventure of a lifetime.

Read the fanfic Now! (https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/cuptalecupheadxundertale/665197697031192576?source=share)

Table of Contents (https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/cuptalecupheadxundertale/683556798922358784?source=share) 

This has taken me weeks to finish but I'm finally done! Please enjoy this eye candy while you wait for the next chapter. (But please don't devour it like Mugman and Cuphead did).

Will post something on Thursday again (I think).

Enjoy!

[cuptalecupheadxundertale]

Looking for Aeldari Voice Actors to voice some characters for a passion project!

Instructions are above on the posters.

Please send your sample clips to this email:

[email protected]

See you soon!

[cuptalecupheadxundertale]

Read it here:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/32617768/chapters/208373751

[cuptalecupheadxundertale]

Chapter 10 (Sans & Papyrus

Retcons/Patch Notes:

Chapter 2 “Tu-Toriel”

Changed: “Duh I’m an A-student, and I help ya with her math homework” “Well, I ain’t an A-student, but I still help ya with yer math homework.” Mugman booped his brother’s jellybean nose. 

– Reason: It doesn’t feel right that Mugman would be ‘really’ smart. Cuphead and Mugman are two cups of the same idiot. If Mugman is too smart, it would probably cause a rift between their relationship (which I don’t want). And Mugman’s core quality in my opinion is empathy and kindness instead of intelligence.

Chapter 7

Changed: “AH! FOUL HEY! YOU DON’T KICK ME IN THE FACE YA MUGHEAD!” Reason: Just sounds better. And ‘Foul’ is too strong.

Chapter 9

Changed: They looked down and gasped to see that their necks were wrapped with scarves, blue and red with respective colors both which are green with yellow stripes.

Reason: Won’t tell.

Changed: “I thought I was the only one…” Flowey rolled its eyes playfully. “But you!” Its eyes turned pale white, and it smiled with sharp teeth again. “It’s because of you I can’t do it anymore!” It chuckled with its triple-pitched menacing voice. “On top of that…” It stared smug at the boys. “Looks like you’ve done a little twist to it!” (Read this part on Chapter 9 for more). – Reason: Flowey was supposed to notice this change in how ‘Saving’ was done.

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Chapter 10 (Sans and Papyrus)

Howling-blizzard wind blew through the boys as a narrow gap slowly opened between the doors, which scraped against the stone floor. The wind blew against their flapping straws, their yellow and green striped scarves, and their clothes. Teeth chattered and they shivered as the chill enveloped them… until a great warmth, starting from their necks, shielded their entire bodies. Gasping, they looked down their necks to see orange flames flickering from their scarves, but nothing was burning them… they were more like warm hugs… like Toriel’s. They looked at each other to see that they had the same scarves of burning fire, and then looked up to each other’s eyes that were starting to water.

Through the tiny gap in the middle (of the doors), a blue gray sky was above and a long stretch of icy silver and white carpeted the ground. With grunting effort, they pushed the heavy doors on ‘til it was wide enough to get out, and the long lines of pine trees on the flanks started to show.

Altogether, they ran to the snow, crunching with each step, but with each lift of their feet, their soles dripped with water that steamed away as the flame tongues touched and shielded them — leaving trails of footstep-shaped puddles behind. On and on they ran without looking back, her voice echoed in their heads…

“The puzzlezz are waiting for you my childrenzz.” She greeted with her smile as she leaned towards them, after helping them up from the creek.

“Well as long as you take care of each other, you’ll be fine.” She said, back in the hallway, when she reminded the boys of Elder Kettle.

“Please don’t hurt yourselves after I’ve just healed you my children.” She looked at them strictly. “This is exactly why I told you to stay in that room! So that you wouldn’t get hurt! Why didn’t you listen?!” She said after healing them with a green-colored aura of magic.

“Be good… and be good to each other… won’t you?” She then placed her hands on top of their heads and gave soft rubs to both while they watched her body turn to dust. “M y …. c h I l d r e-! If you truly wish to leave the ruins… I won’t try to stop you any longer…” Her right hand grasped the chest of her toga tightly. “And if you do…” She showed the right side of her face to them, where a tear streamed from that closed eye. “Please… don’t come back.”

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“We changed what was… right?” Cuphead thought as he smiled a little nervous.

“Did we really change what was… did we?” Mugman kept running, frowning anxiously in thought.

A large twig snapped beneath their feet — first Mugman’s, then Cuphead’s — and it split into three sharp branches. Amidst their on and on running footsteps on the snow, a big thump of snow thudded from behind, like feet landing on the snow from some height.

The boys’ straws turned into exclamation points.

“W-wha-!” Mugman’s shaking eyes side-looked at Cuphead. “What was that?!” Mugman looked at Cuphead with terrified eyes.

“Do ya really wanna know?!” With a raised eyebrow Cuphead side-looked at Mugman with the same terrified eyes and a squeaky voice.

“Nooo!!!” Mugman’s voice squeaked a little higher than Cuphead’s, as if he were either competing with him again or endearingly imitating him… or both.

In sync, they both hopped into the air, their feet spinning like pinwheels. Then — poof! — they dashed off like gunshots, leaving behind a white cloud of snow-dust.

Eyes closed and while in the air, the boys kept running and running and running… but as they opened their eyes, they screamed with eyes popping out of their sockets as they saw they were heading towards the narrow horizontal ravine, instead of the boardwalk bridge in the middle.

Like airplanes releasing their wheels, the boys stomped their heels screeching in the snow. They gritted their teeth and grunted in effort to stop themselves, and just by the edge of the ravine they stopped. They both peeked one eye open, and then panic-stumbled backwards realizing they were almost over the edge. Huffing and puffing breaths slowed down into big sighs of relief. They both smiled at each other and gave each other a thumbs-up. Then…

Bones rattled from behind, accompanied by the sound of snow-crunching footsteps approaching very slowly. Sitting on the snow, Cuphead and Mugman shivered in fear, their skin vibrate from their shoes (yes, shoes) up to their necks, their teeth chattered cartoonishly loud and fast, and their straws straightened into exclamation points.

Feet and hands on the ground, the boys leaned forward about to get up and scram until-

“I  w o u l d n ‘ t  r u n  i f  I  w e r e  y a.” The deep voice spoke slow and sinister.

The boys froze… and they turned their shivering heads behind them (with just their heads alone).

“Y o u  c o u l d  s l i p  i n  t h i s  w e a t h e r.” The shadow figure stood, it was relatively their size, and looks like it wore a hooded cloak. “A n d  y o u  c o u l d  r u n  i n t o  m o r e  t r o u b l e.” It tilted its head to the left (its right).

“W-we, we dun’-!” Mugman gulped. “We dun’ want a-anymoh t-trouble!”

“Y-yeah!” Cuphead gulped. “Not for now at least.” He slyly nervously smiled while looking down the corner of his eyes

“Cuphead!” Mugman hissed, eyes staring at him.

“T h e n , l e t ‘ s  b e  p a l s!” The shadowy figure grinned, a pearly white smile from the pitch-black figure.

From shoes to head, the boys shivered at the creepy grin.

It stretched out its hand. “C o m e   o n.  S h a k e  m y  h a n d.”

The boys squinted, leaning forward with their eyes—though their bodies (facing the opposite opposite of their heads) leaned as far back as possible. The hand was white… and all bones! The boys shivered, their butts (below their faces) shaking a bit more now, and they both patted their own to a steady stop.

The figure chuckled. “G o  o n, p a l.” Once pitch-black, two eyes flashed open in the dark — yellow irises, light blue pupils. “L e t ‘ s  m a k e  i t  o f f i c i a l. S h a k e  o n  i t. O n e  o f  y a  w i l l  d o.”

With just their heads turning, the boys gave nervous looks to each other.

Mugman chuckled nervously, and only his right lip squiggly smiled.  “Y-yer Big bro. Remembah?” He winked his right eye, and he gave a right thumbs-up.

Fumes puffing from his tiny nostrils and his straw, Cuphead growled and stared him down. Cuphead then looked back at the bone hand. Looking at the glowing eyes, he smiled, crooked and squiggly with the heeby jeebies and then reached out his trembling hand… but then realized that his right hand was reaching the opposite direction. After a quick glance down, he panic-rotated his body, feet knee-high hopping while at it, til his front was facing the right direction. He chuckled apologetically, and then once again, he reached out his shivering hand to the bony hand, slowly… slowly… and then clasped-

*PFFFFFFFGGFFFFFFFFHHHHHHFFFFTTTTTsssssss… *squeaky baloon fart noises*!

Cuphead and Mugman’s eyes widened to the sudden sound of fart of different pitches lasted for about 10 seconds.

The pitch-black shadowy figure let out a snicker, and then let out a dorky low-pitched “Ehehehehe!” laugh, his head leaned back, and the shadows obscuring his entire figure faded, revealing a skeleton with his eye sockets ‘closed’ (as if they were his eyelids) and a cheekbone to cheekbone smile.

“The old whoopie-cushion-in-the-hand trick.” The skeleton opened its eye sockets, raised its left hand to reveal a pink whoopie cushion taped to the palm.

“Can’t believe this has EVERY time a-“ The skeleton’s gaze fixated onto the boys; the skeleton was wearing a blue winter coat zipped open, with a plain white T shirt underneath it, then black cotton shorts with a white stripe on each leg and pink sleeping sandals on its feet.

The boys on the other hand, were fixated with the whoopie cushion.

The skeleton lowered its right hand. “A… ‘cupple’ o complete strangers… come around he— “

“PBBBBFFT!” The sound of fart erupted. Cuphead giggled in excitement after pressing the whoopie cushion on the right hand, followed by Mugman (body now facing the right direction) who just giggled and danced his feet in place excitedly.

Cuphead pressed the whoopie cushion again making a short fart noise, and they both laughed so loud that they hugged their stomachs leaning back (Cuphead) and forth (Mugman).

“Oh!” Cuphead looked to the skeleton. “Hey!” Cuphead reached out to the skeleton’s hand. “It’s nice tuh-!”

*PBFFFFT!* as Cuphead clasped the skeleton’s hand.

“Ooooh!” Cuphead raised his rear high, acting as if he farted. “Ohh yeah, ‘bettah out than in’ I always say!” He smiled, eyes half-closed, and in confident teeth-sparkling pleasure.

“Eeeehehehehew!” Mugman leaned away and swished his right hand in front of his nose as if he were swishing away the scent of fart.

Mugman then turned to the skeleton, walked closer, and reached out his hand. “Heya pal, I’m-!” He clasped the same hand.

*PBFFFFFFT!*

“Oh!” Mugman raised his rear to the air. He pretend nervous-laughed. “S-sorry, must’ve been the jellybeans.” He rubbed his head handle behind, and smiled sheepishly.

Cuphead laughed so loud his mouth opened wide and unleashed it to the sky, while hugging his stomach and raising his right foot. Mugman giggled and peeked at Cuphead’s direction.

“THO-THOSE ARE-!” Cuphead laughed and then heaved. “THOSE ARE SOME STINKY JELLYBEANS!” He gave a light slap to Mugman’s raised behind.

Mugman squeaked, his body stood stiff & vibrated in shock, and he winced (eyes shrunk, fists stiffened at his hips, his teeth gritted and he blushed in embarrassment).

Mugman glared so furiously that steam puffed out of his straw, while the latter was laughing loudly while hugging his stomach leaning forward, with his behind pointing towards the former.

Mugman huffed. “Well, it’s like ya said.” He smirked, rolling his right sleeve. “Bettah-“ He slapped Cuphead’s raised behind a little hard.

Cuphead, like Mugman earlier, squeaked, body and fists stiffened (at the hips), eyes shrank, and winced.

“OWWWWW-ut!” Mugman growled furiously at Cuphead. “Than in!”

Cuphead turned around and glared furiously at Mugman, straw puffing with steam while at it. They stared and growled at each other for a good few seconds… then they smirked, then grabbed each other’s hands and started pushing and wrestling each other with just their arms and stepping back forth trying to overpower each other, all while growling battle cries while at it. They then locked noses and clinked foreheads, and then they started pushing those foreheads trying to overpower each other. But abruptly, they stopped as they remembered the skeleton was there watching them. Without breaking head contact, they both slowly turned their glances towards the skeleton.

It was staring with a slightly bigger smile to the point that its cheekbones were creasing under his eyesockets, like a real smile would. The skeleton sighed, closed its eyes and then let out a chuckle.

“And it hasn’t even been five minutes.” It then opened them again. “So, you’re brothers right?”

Heads still in contact, they side-eyed each other, and then smirked. They then stood like gentlemen, buddy-hugged each other, and pulled each other in for a clink. “Yeah?” They both smiled at the skeleton, Cuphead was more confident and teasing (as if saying ‘ya jealous?’) and Mugman was more proud and happy (as if saying ‘by golly I do!’).

“Now, that’s…” The skeleton winked and pointed a phalange gun at them. “Hilarious.” It chuckled. “Trust me, I’d know.” It reached out its right hand, the one with the whoopie cushion. “I’m Sans by the way, Sans the skeleton.”

“Cuphead.” The cup with the red shorts reached for Sans’ bony hand, and squeezed it that the whoopie cushion made fart sounds, and they both shook on it making the sound pitch high and low at every movement.

Mugman giggled. “Mugman.” The mug with the blue shorts reached for Sans’ hand and, after the latter released Cuphead’s hand, he (Mugman) squeezed the whoopie cushion and gave each other a good shake.

“Aaaand, how’d you know we…” Cuphead buddy hugged Mugman and clinked the latter’s head, making the latter laugh, and they both locked eyes with brotherly endearment. “Were brothahs?” He raised an eyebrow and smirked at Sans.

“I mean…” Sans placed his hands in the pockets of his winter jacket. “Takes one to know one right?”

“Meaning…?” Cuphead raised that eyebrow higher while pressing the other into a deeper scrunch.

Mugman gasped. “YOU’RE A BROTHAH?!” Using Cuphead’s shoulders, he boosted himself above Cuphead’s head and looked at Sans with big sparkly eyes, while Cuphead was shock-annoyed to have his shoulders suddenly pushed down.

“Eyy!” Sans winked. “You win a prize!”

With Mugman still boosting himself from Cuphead’s shoulders, the boys gasped, and then squealed in excitement while looking into each other’s reverse starry eyes. “HE’S A BROTHAAAAH!” They both squealed behind their smiles.

“In fact…” He placed his hand above his eyesockets and squinted towards the direction behind the boys. “I think that’s him right there!”

Cuphead and Mugman looked at the direction behind them, and couldn’t see anyone in the snow.

“Ya see that tall bug hunk a’ muscle running towards us like some marching superhero?”

As Sans said it, From the hazy white air in the center of the forest, a tall figure with a tall skull-shaped head and a jacked upper body but thin legs, was running towards them; his arms were jog-swinging so exaggeratedly to his head-level back and forth, his steps were too springy that he was practically flying as he ran with what looked like boots, and his cape flapped behind him up and down with every springy march.

“That’s Papyrus. He’s the cool guy.” From his forehead, Sans placed his hand to his right jacket pocket.

“Aww!” Cuddling his hands together at his face, Mugman smiled at Sans (while Cuphead raised an eyebrow at Sans). “He called his brothah ‘cool!’… wait what?” He raised an eyebrow and stared into space.

“Are ya shuuh (sure) that’s yer brothah?” Cuphead raised an eyebrow and turned his face that his squinted eye was the one facing Sans.

“Oh! Well, in your language…” Sans looked to his right in thought. “He can sometimes be a… pain in the butt?” He winked (his right eyesocket closed like a regular eye would).

In beaming smiles biting their lower lips, the boys snickered and blushed at the joke. Mugman facpalmed himself and then bursted into laughter, while Cuphead laughed to the sky while pointing at Mugman.

“Yyep!” Cuphead laughed as he buddy hugged Mugman. “He’s a brothah alright!”

“Shut up Cuphead.” Mugman playfully pushed Cuphead’s head, and the latter just took it proudly.

“Wanna meet ‘im anyway?” Sans peeked his winked eyesocket open and then raised the ‘eyebrow’ of the other one.

“Yyyeah!!” The boys leaned forward; Mugman had his hands gliding backwards, while Cuphead put his fist on his hip; their voices were enthusiastic and had a mixed tone of ‘ya betcha!’ and ‘duh!’

“Welp, let’s go then! Through this gate thingy that Papyrus made.” Sans said lazily (instead of being showman-like) while he presented his right hand to the direction behind the boys.

The boys turned around, and only now noticed there was a tall fence that was about three times taller than the three of them; it was about 12-15 feet vs. their 4-ft height.

“Yyyep!” That’s the one!” Sans said, smiling with his eyes half-closed as he placed his hands in his jacket pockets.

“It’s supposed to be a gate intended to keep humans out, but he built it too high, and made the gaps too wide, eh!” Sans shrugged his shoulders and walked circling past the boys and stepped on the boardwalk. “Said somethin’ about making the ‘Greatest Fence’ of ‘The Great Papyrus!’”

Sans chuckled, then looked back at the boys. “Come on, let’s go see ‘im.” He nudged his head a bit, inviting them to come over.

For a moment, Cuphead and Mugman smirked at each other, and then Mugman playfully pushed Cuphead away but he countered by pushing Mugman away, and then Cuphead took the head start and ran up to Sans. Cuphead danced his feet victoriously as he was first, and then Mugman caught up and gave his brother a light punch to the shoulder.

As they crossed the large fence, they looked up at the fence architecture in wonder curious about how the fence this tall was built in the first place.

Stepping off the boardwalk, they entered a large space of snow where less forest covered it.

On the far left was a light brown wooden booth, with the roof only covered in snow. Slightly closer to them was a lamp about the same height and size as the three of them; it had a purple body, and an aqua colored shade with dark aqua colored stripes.

Sans hummed as he tapped his jawbone. “I got an idea.” He looked back at the Cups. “I wanna prank my bro a bit.” He winked at ‘prank’, and the boys chuckled (Mugman covered his mouth, while Cuphead just folded his arms listening). “Could you hide behind that lamp for me?” He pointed his bony phalange at the purple lamp.

The boys briefly smiled at each other, then ran over to the back of the lamp. From the shade, thanks to the downward-trapezoid shape, the edges of their porcelain heads stuck out from the upper left and right, and their straws were taller than the lamp.

Eyes closed, Sans chuckled and shook his head. “Figures. Not so conveniently shaped this time.”

Mugman peeked his head out and took a curious look at the shade. Clap-placing his hands on the sides of his ‘mug head’, he twisted it left and right and then ‘popped!’ it out from his neck. Cuphead peeked out, curious, to see what his brother was doing. Holding his head away, Mugman’s body then stepped into the cover of the lamp, and smiled as his body was completely hidden.

Sans’ eyes relaxed, half-closed. “Grats’ you figured out one part of the solution.” He chuckled, and then tapped his jawbone in thought. Then, he closed his eyes and snapped his right phalanges. “I got it. Hey Cuphead.” He looked at the cup, who then raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Pop your head out too, then bring both of yer heads here.” He splayed his hands out.

Cuphead snickered. Imitating Mugman, he clap-placed his hands on his head, twisted it left and right, and then ‘popped!’ it out from his neck.

The boys readied their fists to their side, and in a blink of an eye, dashed to the front of Sans (who just calmly looked at them), and then handed their ‘cup heads’ to him. As they dashed back, they tripped over each other.

“Ow!” Their heads, on Sans’ hands, squeezed their eyes shut due to the hurt.

“Uhh, could ya turn us around?” Mugman peeked an eye open.

Using his arms, Sans held the cups close to his chest, then got a hold of their handles from alternating hands, and then held them facing their bodies.

Gritting their teeth, Cuphead and Mugman shivered.

“Man, being held by bones feels weird.” Cuphead side-eyed at Mugman.

Mugman just nodded in response.

The two headless bodies wearing black turtlenecks got up from the snow, and then hid behind the lamp.

From Sans’ right, jog-marching footsteps crunched to a stop on the snow.

“Brother…” A nasally high, squeaky, and peculiar voice spoke; somewhat like a squeaky unoiled door with a personality.

The boys froze into their smiling faces.

Sans turned to the direction of the tall skeleton, glaring down at him with his fists on his hips. He had a tall skull, thin oval eye sockets with lines crossing their tops like eyelids, an upside-down heart-shaped nasal cavity, and teeth that inherently smiled even if he was supposed to look annoyed.

He was wearing a white football jersey with red spherical shoulder pads, a red cape slightly torn on the center of the v-shape on his collar, blue shorts the size of an underwear so tight that his abdominal spine, upper pelvis, and his entire bony legs were exposed, and finally red boots with 3 horizontal black laces at the front.

“Why are you looking at that lamp?” He raised an eyebrow (in this case, his upper ‘eyesocket lid’).

“Oh! Hey Pap!” Sans turned his body to face his taller brother. “I was just thinkin! If a human had the exact size as that lamp…” He side glanced the lamp and nudged Mugman’s still-as-a-statue smiling head towards its direction. “Would that be called a conveniently-shaped lamp for the human? Or would the human be a conveniently-shaped human for the lamp?” Sans shrugged his shoulders, raising the two cups he was holding a bit.

Still in the same posture, Papyrus’ right eye socket (Sans’ left) began to twitch, and so did the right end of his smile. “And… what are you holding?” His stare narrowed at the cups.

Sans made quick glances at the two cups. “Oh these? I found a… ‘cupple’” He raised the two cups to his head-level and lightly shook them; meanwhile Cuphead and Mugman couldn’t help but snicker and giggle while still trying to maintain their still-as-a-statue faces. “Of happy cups.”

A ‘ba-dum-tss’ track played somewhere, and Sans winked to the fourth wall, while Cuphead giggled and snickered louder, their faces becoming more noticeably moving.

Sans turned back to Papyrus. “You want one?” He extended Cuphead’s head to Papyrus, and it earned a nervous squeak and a squirt of milk from each of the boys’ straws. “You can take the red one, it goes with your cape and boots.”

Papyrus bowed down to Sans’ head level. “You know what would make me really happy?” His eyes half-closed and he smiled with endearment.

“Oh! What would that be Pap?” Sans just smiled his usual self.

“If you…” Papyrus recoiled, raised his right foot, and took a suction of air from above. “STOPPED SLACKING OFF AND GOT BACK TO WORK!!!” Stomping the ground, he launched himself to the air and began trembling with fury while standing stiffly straight, his eye sockets grew bloodshot eyeballs that looked at opposite directions.

As Papyrus shouted, Sans also shook in the air, and Cuphead and Mugman’s faces broke into shock and nervousness.

Papyrus landed on his feet, while Sans landed sitting on the snow just carefree smiling at his brother, and the cups began to tremble as they resumed their still-as-a-statue smiles act.

Eyeballs disappearing back inside their sockets, Papyrus pointed his thumb behind him. “I’ve been doing my rounds checking if my setups have been functioning properly, and that also included yours!!” He booped Sans’ forehead.

“Aww Pap!” Sans took a glance at each cup he held. “Now they’re a cupple of ‘scaredy cups’.”

Another ba-dum-tss track played, and Sans winked at the fourth-wall again, and the cups, from nervous trembles, began to snicker and giggle again.

“Saaaaans!” Papyrus stomped his right foot the crunching snow.

At the back of the lamp, the one with the red shorts grabbed the hand of the other. Back At Sans, Mugman’s head’s eyes widened a little and side-peeked at Cuphead only for an instant, then resumed his still-as-a-statue smile.

Letters was being finger-drawn on Mugman’s palm. ‘SO.” There was a momentary pause. ‘BA-!’

Mugman’s head snickered. Before Cuphead finished, Mugman’s body then turned Cuphead’s hand and then drew on its palm. ‘I. NO. à’

“Not only have you not: recalibrated your puzzles…” He extended a left index phalange while his right touch-counted it. “But you’ve also been neglecting! Your! Responsi-bilities!” He extended a phalange on each word, extended a phalange on ‘responsi-‘ and another on ‘bilities’, making a total of four extended phalanges. “I mean look!” He stomped left, right, left — punching the air down with each furious beat. “You’re not EVEN at your station!” He pointed both hands towards the wooden booth with a mound of snow on the roof.

“And it’s already covered in snow…” He put his gloved hands on both sides of his face as looked at it pitifully (his dark eye sockets turned glossy, as if they were his actual eyes). He sniffled and wiped a tear that streamed from his right eye.

Still sitting down, Sans also looked at the stand. “Welp, I guess that’s what you call a…” He looked at Papyrus. “Snowed-in, Outpost!”

Papyrus growled. “Saaans!” He stomped his foot down and faced Sans, his eyesockets grew eyeballs again.

The cups snickered again, but then Mugman made an ‘eh’ sound.

Cuphead’s finger-drew on Mugman’s palm. ‘I. DUN. GET. -!’

Mugman’s hand gently the wrist of Cuphead’s drawing arm, turned it palm facing-up, then drew on it with his index finger. ‘ME. 2.’

“Aww, c’mon Pap.” Sans winked to Papyrus and then pointed to his brother with his left index phalange (the hand holding Mugman). “You’re…” He tinked that index phalange on the side of Mugman’s mouth. “Smilin’!”

The cups snickered again.

Papyrus growled and then folded his arms. “I am! And I hate it!” He pouted looking away from Sans.

As they heard the exchange, Cuphead and Mugman then gasped.

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“Aw come on!” With a sly and confident smile, Cuphead wrapped his arm around Mugman’s shoulders while clinking his head on Mugman. “I know how much you love punny puns.”

A few seconds of pausing happened with happy Cuphead and irritated Mugman staring at each other... until Mugman’s mouth broke into a few giggles but more tears came out of his eyes.

“Ahh! You giggled bro.” Cuphead winked and pointed his finger while he pressed his cheek against his giggling brother’s.

“I-hi did! I did!” Mugman giggled, and then grunted in regret. “And I hate it when ya do that when I’m still mad.”

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The boys’ eyes glossened and the smiled very wide, with their dirty teeth showing, their eyebags creasing up, and their giddy ‘Eeeeeeee!’ voices cheering.

Papyrus sighed and held his forehead. “Why does someone as great as me… have to do so much just to get some recognition.”

“Wow…” Sans said sarcastically, then he stood up. “Sounds like you’re working yourself… down to the bone!”

Another ‘ba-dum-tss’ track played, and Sans looked to the 4th wall, while the two cups giggled, not even trying to maintain their statue faces anymore.

“Arrrgh!” He stomped his foot. “I will go back, and keep thinking of ways to make my puzzles brillianter!” He pointed a thumb to himself. “And as for your work…” he pointed a phalange at Sans. “Put a little more…” He snickered. “Backbone into it!”

A ‘ba-dum-tss’ sound played from somewhere, and Papyrus looked to the 4th wall and winked at it.

“NYE-HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEH!!” Papyrus cackled as he ran back to where he appeared from… but then he ran back a bit and looked at Sans. “EH! Eat that brother, I can do your 4th wall looking too!”

Papyrus then ran off.

Sans chuckled. “So he can.” He then looked at the cups. “Alright. You two can speak now.”

The boys began in snickers, and then they burst out laughing.

“Told ya, he’s the cool one.” Sans winked at the cups he was holding.

Cuphead suddenly started growling, and Mugman squealed in surprise.

“CUPHEAD!” Mugman laughed. “WHAT’RE YA DOIN!”

“THUMB WRESTLIN’!” 

Mugman grunted. “WHY IS IT EVERY TIME!”

The cups’ bodies stepped out of the lamp and then begin pushing and wrestling each other, both their bodies and their thumbs, which were just pressing and pressing but missing and dodging.

“Aaaand we’re back in business.” Sans just watched calmly with his eyes half-closed.

The cups just stuck their tongues out as they concentrated and watched their bodies go at it from a distance. Eventually, their bodies fell into the snow, with their hands still locked on. Back forth back forth, their thumbs were pressing and missing each other, until one thumb dove in and then the other pressed down and caught it.

“YEAH! I WIN!” Mugman beamed with his eyes closed. The body with the blue shorts punched high into the air.

“HEY!” Cuphead yelled at Mugman’s head with a smile.

“Oh ya wanted it, ya really wanted it!” Mugman looked at his brother teasingly.

Sans chuckled. “Good job kid.” He looked at Mugman. Then, he tossed their heads towards their bodies.

“WHOA!” The boys’ heads screamed, and their straws turned into exclamation points.

With thuds, their heads landed on their backs.

“Hey!” Cuphead and Mugman’s heads stared at Sans.

“Whoops! Should’ve said…” Sans pocketed his hands into his jacket. “’Heads up!’” He gave a wink.

Another ‘ba-dum-tss’ track played he winked at the 4th wall again; the 4th wall zoomed-in on his face.

Cuphead snickered, while Mugman gave a disapproving grunt and stare.

“Now you two better get goin’.” Sans’ eyes rolled to the direction Papyrus went to. “He might come back. And if he does… Ya might have to listen to more of my funny jokes.” He winked at the cups.

They both screwed their heads into their necks, though the last twist was more like they were cracking their necks to correct them.

Cuphead giggled. “No thanks! Wouldn’t want that anymore, right Mugs?” He buddy-hugged his brother.

Mugman huffed. “It wouldn’t be funny anyway, ‘specially since we’d be smashed tuh peesus!” He folded his arms, as they walked away.

“Relaaax!” Cuphead held his buddy-hug tighter. “We’re both in one piece ain’t we!”

“Still, it was joirk move!” Mugman’s straw puffed steam. “Couldn’t ‘e ‘ave handed us ah ‘eads instead?!”

“Heh.” From behind the boys, Sans chuckled. “Sorry pal. I woulda but… I was too lazy to do it.”

“WELL GROW A BACKBONE!” Mugman turned around and lunged towards Sans.

Cuphead gasped, and his eyes widened as he smiled. “MUUUGS!” He held his brother’s shoulder.

“WHAT?!” He snapped a look at Cuphead. “If anythin’ ‘appened to yuh I oughta-!” He caught his punching right fist with his left hand.

Cuphead snickered. “You made a bone joke!”

Mugman’s eyes widened and then his mouth squiggled. “N-no-!!” He snickered. “I’m still mad-!” A laugh escaped from his mouth. “Don’t do this to me again!” He shook his brother’s shoulders.

“Ahhhh!” Cuphead smiled very cheekily. “Yer smilin’!” He booped Mugman’s nose.

Suddenly Mugman burst out laughing to the sky. “I haahaha-hi-, Hh-hate youhuhuhuahahaha!” He pushed Cuphead away.

Cuphead laughed. “Hey! Hey Sans! Ya bettah apolo-“ As he turned around, his smile disappeared.

Noticing Cuphead’s voice trail off, Mugman turned around — and his eyes widened as…

Far in the distance, a tiny yellow flower peeked up — just for a moment — then ducked back into the earth.Sans was nowhere to be found.

Cuphead formed a fist. “What is that Flowah-!” He growled, and steam puffed from his straw.

“He…” Mugman’s eyes began to shiver. “He’s still following us?...” He put his fist to cover his mouth.

Altogether, the both of them gave a deep inhale, then an exhale to the mouth; Cuphead’s was strong as if letting out his frustration, while Mugman’s was more shuddering as if trying to relax.

“Mugman!” Cuphead raised his voice.

Mugman’s chest jolted and he looked to his brother, who marched to the front of him and clasped his shoulders.

“That stupid flowah ain’t seen nuthin’ of what we can do!” Cuphead smiled with confidence.

“B-but-“ Mugman rubbed his nose as he sniffled, and he wiped his watery eyes with his backhand. “We just fought ‘im and we almost died!”

“Uh-uh!” Cuphead shook his head. “We gonna win! Ya know why?” He leaned closer to Mugman, to the point they were one centimeter from being nose-to-nose.

Mugman blinked, confused. “Wh-why?!”

“We’ve got bro powah!” Cuphead gently firmed his grasp onto Mugman’s shoulders and he beamed his smile.

Mugman blinked. “B…bro powah?” He repeated, slowly smiling.

“Yeah bro!” Cuphead’s eyes crunched, more confident. “As long as we stick togethah, we can do anythin’! That’s bro powah!”

Hearing those words, Mugman’s eyes glistened  “Yeah bro… I like that.”

Cuphead let go of Mugman’s shoulders, and altogether, the both of them clap-grabbed each other’s hands, interlacing fingers, and they let out playful giggles.

At that moment, a yellow star shone brightly between them, and they both gasped. It shined and twinkled on and on, and the boys stared into it with caution and curiosity.

-End of Chapter 10-

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

 (End Notes)

Hello! Hisashiburi, long time no see!

Just please enjoy this chapter I dropped.

Leave a comment, let me know you're there.

You can also ask questions to any of the characters.

Have fun! See you again in the future!

[cuptalecupheadxundertale]

Chapter 8.5 “Heartache Pt 2”

Warning: Might be a heavy chapter for some. Won't give any more details to avoid spoiling. If there are some grammar, spelling, or any other editing mistake, I apologize in advance, I've been working for this draft for months last year, only when I had time.

Author's Comment: Sorry, Chapter is 2 weeks late, but I got it done. Again, might not be posting for a long time, probably by July again after my next exam.

Without further ado, Enjoy... or you know, bring tissues.

Chapter 8.5 “Heartache Pt 2”

Dozens of scribbles and strokes were heard from Cuphead’s intense & messy, and Mugman’s calm & concentrated waxy crayons pointed towards their respective papers. Mugman wiped his paper of the excess wax with his right backhand and then he held it up to get a good look.

It was a waxy drawing of Cuphead eyebrows scrunched and smiling with confidence while shooting his light blue peashooter to different directions to the air.

“What did you draw Cuphea-“ Mugman turned to his brother, but his eyes-widened glaring at what he saw.

Cuphead, who was holding back tears behind his happy-squinting eyes and his laughter behind his left hand, showed the drawing of Mugman having a big open mouth while scattered around candy was being sucked into it like some black hole.

Mugman just stared at it with his jaw dropped, confused whether he should be laughing or be annoyed.

Cuphead burst out laughing as he pointed his finger at Mugman’s dropped jaw. “YOU LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THE PICTURE HAHAHAHAHA!”

“Man, that is not fair.” Mugman then flipped his paper to look at his drawing and smiled sadly at it. “I even made ya super cool in this.”

Cuphead came over, buddy hugged Mugman, and looked at his brother’s drawn picture of himself.

Cuphead sighed. “Aw man, now I feel like a joirk.”

Mugman giggled. “Nah, not really.” He said as he looked endearingly at his brother.

“Aw come on!” Cuphead let go of his buddy arm and used it to nudge Mugman’s elbow. “Make me silly!”

Mugman picked up a black crayon, put the waxy tip on the paper, and then confidently smirked at Cuphead with a raised eyebrow.

Cuphead folded his arms and smirked. “Bring it on Mmmuggo.”

Starting from Cuphead’s smile on the drawing, Mugman drew long squiggly lines to make a tongue three times longer than it actually was. He then shaded the inside of those lines with a red crayon.

Cuphead snickered. “Since when did I get a long tongue?”

Mugman tinked his chin with his crayon, then smiled as he had an idea. He picked up a brown crayon from the table. “Since ya did this.” He drew a brown ball at the tip of that long tongue.

Cuphead raised an eyebrow. “What’s that?”

“The pie duh!” Mugman nudged Cuphead’s elbow.

Cuphead snickered, and then he burst out laughing together with Mugman at their drawings; the former had his forehead facepalmed, while the latter buddy-hugged the former and held up his drawing proudly.

When they were done, they let out a big sigh.

Cuphead smiled at his brother. “Bud, I still think yer nose is big.” He casually booped Mugman’s nose.

Mugman’s eyes focused on his brother’s finger that booped his nose, and he grunted as it was booped. “Cuphead! We made a deal!”

“I ain’t a jokin’ Mugs.” He wiped his right hand left to right as if saying ‘no’. With confidence, Cuphead pointed his thumb to himself. “I think it’ll be a whackin’ good look on me. Watch!” He suddenly yanked Mugman’s nose off his brother’s face.

“Nhey!” Mugman said with his voice sounding like he pinched his nose. He tried to grab his nose back, but then he suddenly had a small red nose pinned onto his face.

Closed eyes, Cuphead put on the big blue nose onto his face, giving it a small wiggle as he attached it in place. “How do I look?” He said with his deep nasal voice. He wiped his hand down his nose so that when he released it the nose bounced back and wobbled until it was still as straight.

Cuphead looked back at Mugman with a raised eyebrow and his flashing confident smile; the big blue nose was blocking the middle line of his eyes.

Mugman’s mouth squiggled, and then he laughed out loud as he pointed at Cuphead. “YOU-HUHU L-HOOK SILLY!” His voice sounded squeakier.

Cuphead snickered and put his hands on his hips. “Yeah?” His voice was deeper and more nasally. “Well what does that make ya?”

Mugman wiped a tear of laughter. “W-hell that makes me…. Me….” He frowned, realizing that he was ridiculing his own nose. Abruptly, he started to sob; tears came out of his eyes, his mouth began to tremble, and his red nose started to run with colds.

Cuphead’s chest jumped and his straw formed an exclamation. “NO! MUGS!” He shook his hands trying to stop his brother from crying. “I DIDN’T-! WHAT DID I SAY?!”

In a loud voice, Mugman started to wail again, with waterfall tears coming out of his eyes. He then ran away to the hall.

“MUGS!” Cuphead groaned with his deep nasally voice. “Not again! BUDDY WAIT UP!” He ran after his brother.

As he ran, Mugman wailed and left a trail of tears behind him. He ran past the railing on the left, and turned left at the end of it where the mouth of the stairs was.

“MUGS!” Cuphead now shouted frustratedly. “COME BAC- WOAAAHH!” He slipped from the trail of tears Mugman left behind, and then fell to a sit on his bum. He grunted, and then got up. “MUGSYYY!!!” He yelled angry.

Downstairs, along the eerily quiet hallway of purple walls with brick patterns and pink floors, Toriel stood there watching the end ahead and numbly wondering if she should keep going.

She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. She kept quiet… and quiet… and quiet… holding her breath during this time… and then she exhaled, and a tear poured down her right eye. “No… not again…” Her eyes opened with renewed determination. “I have to do this.” She took a step forward-

“WAAAAGHHAAGHHH!!” The wails of Mugman echoed from above the stairs behind her; his voice sounded squeakier and higher pitched than usual. Soft footsteps started running down echoing & bouncing on the walls, and they (with the bouncing echoes) got louder as they got closer.

“TORIEL!” Mugman clung onto her robe.” C-CUPHEAD HE-!” He sniffled.

Slowly, Toriel turned her gaze towards Mugman and she blankly stared at his face which had Cuphead’s tiny red nose attached on his face.

Noticing her blank and numb stare, Mugman released her robe and took a step back. “T-Toriel?”

“MUUUUGGS!” Cuphead furiously yelled with his deep nasally voice from the stairs, followed by running steps towards him.

For a moment, Mugman turned to notice Cuphead running towards him, but then turned back to Toriel in concern.

Cuphead punched Mugman’s arm.

“Ow!” Mugman said, mostly out of surprise.

“WHY CAN’T YA STOP BEING A WIMP AND JUST PLAY ALONG FOR…. Once…” Cuphead slowed as he noticed Mugman not paying attention to him, and instead looking at Toriel with deep concern.

Cuphead looked up, and saw Toriel looking back at them with a numb stare.

“Uhhh…” Cuphead proceeds to whisper to Mugman with his right backhand covering his left sidemouth. “Ya think it’s the noses?”

“Oh! Right!” Mugman giggled.

They pulled out each other’s nose out of the other’s face, and then attached it to their faces.

“Tah dah!” They both said, while doing their jazz hands with their center hands forward and their outer hands spreading outwards that they looked like they were forming a big Y.

Numb, cold, and indifferent, Toriel just stared at them for a few seconds of silence… and then she took a deep sigh and closed her eyes. “You are too innocent…” She shook her head.

The boys frowned. From a stop, they slowly retracted their jazz hands to an uncomfortable stand.

“What…?” Mugman said, confused and more worried than ever.

Toriel looked towards the end of hall. “You wish to return to your home, do you not?”

Still worried, Cuphead and Mugman looked at each other, and then they slowly turned back to Toriel while saying “Yyyyeeeaaaah….?”

Toriel paused in silence, still staring at the end of the hall ahead.

Mugman’s mouth squiggly smiled nervously. “W-we’ll stop by more often!” He shyly raised his index finger.

“Yeah!” Cuphead buddy hugged Mugman, and the latter smiled in relief. “So we can have more pie!” He splayed his hand in explanation.

Mugman’s eyes widened. “Cuphead!” He glared at his brother.

Cuphead blinked as he noticed Mugman’s reaction. “Oh! Right.” He smiled at Toriel. “We’ll bring Elder Kettle too!”

As if to argue with his brother, Mugman opened his mouth and raised a finger, but then began to tap his chin in thought with that same finger.

“Actually… Yeah!” Mugman smiled. “What he said!” He pointed his thumb to Cuphead.

In their buddy hug, Cuphead and Mugman clinked each other’s heads and winked at each other.

“Thoughtful… as usual.” Toriel said numbly as she kept looking onwards. She took a deep sigh. “But no… that’s impossible.”

Smiles fading, Cuphead and Mugman started to worry again. They looked at each other and saw they were thinking the same thing.

“Oh-kay… Toriel you’re startin’ tuh scare me.” Cuphead’s eyes squeezed in worry.

 Toriel took a step forward, and then stopped with her feet together. “Ahead lies the exit to these ruins.”

Cuphead and Mugman gasped, then looked at each other, and squealed while they held each other’s hands and danced their feet by running in place quickly.

“Golly that’s swell!” Cuphead looked at Toriel.

“We can go home!” Looking at his brother, Mugman gently squeezed his brother’s hands with his own. Cuphead looked back, met his brother’s eyes, and nodded.

“I’m going to destroy it.” Toriel said, her back still turned towards them.

Once full of hope, Cuphead and Mugman’s smiles turned into horrified frowns as they turned to Toriel. “Wh-what?!”

“No one will ever try to leave again.” Toriel turned her head a quarter towards the boys just so she could see them in her right periphery. “Children. Please be good and go upstairs.” With that, she looked forward and walked on to the end.

A few seconds of shock passed, but then Cuphead and Mugman gasped as they noticed her moving away. “NO!” They leapt forward and grabbed onto her dress.

As she felt the tug, she stopped taking another step. “You don’t understand… my naïve children. I am only trying to protect you.”

“From what?!” On the floor, Cuphead looked up to Toriel. “The monsters?!”

“From Asgore.” Toriel said the name in a deep blood-curdling voice

Cuphead and Mugman shuddered at his name and it made them let go of Toriel’s robe. They mouths were left wide open, wanting to gasp, but they were so scared that nothing came out.

“Every human that falls down here meets the same fate.” Toriel held out her right-hand face up, representing the human.

“They come.” She brought her right-hand to her left-hand that caressed it.

“They leave.” Her right-hand slipped from the grasp of the left-hand.

She took a long pause, her right-hand shivered as she did. She then closed her right-hand to a fist. “They die.”

On the ground, holding their breaths in fear, Cuphead and Mugman stared at Toriel’s right-fist. They held each other’s hands and felt a comforting warmth in this cold and anxious tale that had overpowered their auras once full of energy and fun.

“If you leave the ruins…” Toriel turned her head a quarter slowly. “They…” She kept turning, now half-towards them. “Asgore…” She now looked at them, who were still holding hands and looking back worried.

“Will kill you.” She spoke the last words slowly and heavily.

Whimpering. Squeezing their grasps on each other’s hands tighter. Gulping. Mugman started to crawl back a bit, but Cuphead was staying put trying to be brave and be the front for his brother.

Toriel’s eyes looked down in a sorrow. “I am not going to let that happen.” She looked back to the end of the hall far ahead. “Not again.”

Cuphead and Mugman (who was slightly behind the former) looked at each other.

“A-again?” Mugman looked back at her.

Toriel did not answer to that question, and just looked on. “This is your final warning.” She shot a strict stare at them. “Go to your room.”

With that, Toriel hurriedly walked on.

Scared, Cuphead and Mugman watched her go, and they even looked at each other just silently asking what just happened.

Trying to muster courage, Mugman took a deep breath, and then got up.

“W-WAIT MUGS!” Cuphead raised his whispering voice. “WHAT’RE YA DOIN?!”

While looking back with an insecure look at Cuphead, Mugman took a step forward. “I-I’m-!” He took a deep breath. “I’m gonna be brave.” He looked forward to Toriel. “M-ms Toriel! E-Elder Kettle might be-!”

As she walked forward, Toriel’s hands blazed with orange fire, then she turned around and swiped her right backhand behind her, drawing a horizontal line of fire on the floor between them.

Cuphead and Mugman screamed, and the former got up to catch Mugman into a protective hug while they shivered in terror.

The line of fire grew into a tall wall reaching up to Toriel’s chest.

“Don’t make me ask again.” Toriel said coldly with the flickering fire reflecting on her numb eyes.

After turning around and walking a few steps, Toriel went left where the corner turned, and she disappeared from view.

Still hugging, Cuphead and Mugman panted as they watched Toriel go.

“She….” Cuphead panted. “S-she tried tuh-….” He looked in concern at Mugman, who was shivering and whimpering in the hug.

Mugman buried his face onto Cuphead’s chest. “M-maybe…” He started to cry. “M-maybe w-we should just do what she says… I-it’ll… i-it’ll… I dunno…” He started to wail again.

“Okay…” Cuphead panted as he patted Mugman’s back gently. “Okay… w-we should just…”

While in their hug, guiding Mugman, Cuphead slowly turned them around and they slowly walked towards the stairs.

“Y-you…” Cuphead looked at Mugman. “Y-you okay pal?”

In response, Mugman buried his face onto his chest even more, shivered more violently, and tightened his hug even more, to which Cuphead just patted his brother’s back and took the intense tightness like a brother.

They walked on and on, back to where they’re being kept… but they knew they could not call it ‘home’ anymore.   

Laying in the small twin-sized bed, Cuphead and Mugman hugged each other, numbly staring at the walls over each other’s shoulders. Lost… confused… conflicted…

But then… there was Toriel… she took them in when they needed help… she healed them when they were hurt… she laughed and played with their jokes… but now… with the fire and the warnings… was this really the same Toriel?

Asgore… The name sent shivers over their spines. They imagined a beast more vicious than the Devil… a bloodthirsty smile with the silhouettes of the cups on his sights… would it be right to just listen to Toriel? Leave Elder Kettle forever… leave Inkwell Isle… stay here… Elder Kettle…

Mugman just tightened his hug just to snug in comfortably. “Good night.” He said glumly as he closed his eyes.

Cuphead tightened his hug in response, and closed his eyes as well. “Good night.”

Warmth… in this cold dark room, they could only feel some form of relief in each other’s hugs… much like the warmth of home... home…. Home…

Home…

Home… the humble brown mushroom house, the crackling fire, the creaky rocking chair of Elder Kettle…

The forest where they ran around, laughing and playing together… Mugman desperately trying to catch Cuphead while the latter just spit raspberries and then ran into a tree in their game of tag, making the former tag the latter and laugh to his heart’s desire… and then, them playing hide and seek but with the unfortunate discovery of a beehive in Mugman’s hiding spot within the tree, which then got them all stung all over.. and then, them counting stars and drawing constellations on the roof when Elder Kettle supposedly tucked them in for the night…

The Root Pack... Hilda… Djimmi… Ribbey and Croaks… Ms. Chalice… Everyone… Toriel?

She stood there in the constellations. “The puzzlezz are vaiting for youzz my childrenzz!” She then flapped her arms like wings and began to squawk like a crow.

‘Asgore!’ A loud whisper echoed from around the boys, making them sit up at the roof in vigilance.

‘Asgore. ASGORE! A-ASGO-ASGORE!’ The voice echoed again, with the last being the loudest, and this time the boys held each others’ hands and readied their finger guns with the other.

“Cu-…her….” A fatherly voice spoke with its second syllable being muffled.

“Huh?!” Cuphead and Mugman looked around trying to find the source.

“Please…” The fatherly voice grew more desperate. “Wake up!”

Mugman looked at Cuphead, who also looked back. “Wh-what?!”

“You are the future of humans and monsters…” The same fatherly voice spoke desperately.

“Oh-kay…?” Confused, Cuphead looked to Mugman, who shrugged his shoulders while still staring in confusion.  

The voice made them so uneasy that they went back to hugging each other, and closing their eyes.

“C-cuphead?!” Called out an endearing elderly and familiar voice. “Mugman?!”

Popping their eyes open, Cuphead and Mugman turned and shifted their gazes everywhere to find the source of the voice in the now dark void.

“E-Elder Kettle?!” They called out.

“Boys! Boys?!” His voice sounded very worried.

The void turned into Elder Kettle walking in the rain while wearing a raincoat in the forest.

 “It’s time to go home! Where are you?!” Elder Kettle’s voice cried out in despair.

In panicked waking, Cuphead and Mugman’s eyes popped open, and they gasped. “ELDER KETTLE!” They yelled as they jumped out of the blanket and shook in the air (like they were shock-electrocuted) with their straws turned into exclamation points.

They both scrambled out of bed, banged the door open, rushed to the main hall, ran back down the stairs, sprinted through the long purple hallway that now, near the end of the corner, had a horizontal black ash mark on the middle of the floor, held hands, and then they turned left to see:

Like deafening rocket booster engines blasting off, powerful and colorful fires blazed from Toriel’s two hands towards the large arched door that was about a foot higher than her.

“Hey!!” Cuphead stomped his foot furiously.

Immediately, Toriel’s hands stopped blasting fire, revealing a violet door charred black on its upper-half; whatever design the door had in the middle, it was covered by black.

Toriel sighed. “So… you really do want to leave so badly after all…” She slowly lowered her hands and turned only a quarter towards them; she was facing the upper right corner of the room.

Mugman took a breath and took a right foot forward. “Ms. Toriel ma’am, thanks for everythin’…. But we really gotta go! Ya can’t keep us in here!” He jabbed his index finger to the floor.

“Yeah!” Cuphead pointed an index finger at Toriel. “It ain’t all about you lady!” He jabbed that same finger to her.

“CUPHEAD!” Mugman glared at Cuphead as he gripped the latter’s hand tighter.

“WHAT?!” Cuphead yanked his hand away from Mugman’s slightly painful grip. “It’s like ya said Mugs, we can’t stay here! Elder Kettle’s waitin’ for us back home!”

Closing his eyes, Mugman sighed. “Well… yeah!” He opened his eyes and faced Toriel. “Like my brother said, Elder Kettle’s prolly worried sick ‘bout us so we really have to go!”

“And I’ve told you already…” Toriel sighed, and kept looking at the upper corner. “If you leave, you will die…” She made a long pause. “…just like the others.” Her voice weakened and sounded it would break.

Looking down, Mugman shuddered at the thought.

“Pfft! We’re not like the others!” Cuphead flicked his left hand down. He then buddy-hugged Mugman. “WE have a brother.” He winked at the latter.

Mugman snickered. “YOU…” He touched his brother’s chest with his pointing index finger. “Have a brother. WE…” He pulled Cuphead closer that they clinked. “Have each other.” He winked.

Cuphead grumbled, his cheeks blushing from embarrassment. “Not now Mugs!” He pushed Mugman away (while Mugman grunted slightly annoyed). He then smirked at Toriel. “We’ve beaten the devil and won!”

Mugman gasped and beamed. “Oh yeah!” He snapped his fingers. “We could definitely give a wallop tuh any dum dum who gets in our way!”

“Yeah buddy!” He smiled with confidence at Mugman. “It’ll be easy as pie!” He giggled. “Get it?” He elbowed Mugman.

Mugman groaned. “Cuphead.” He rolled his eyes with a smile on his face that he’s trying to wipe off.

Toriel glared coldly at them. “Even if it were me?”

“Yeah!” Cuphead and Mugman said confidently while raising their fists and held hands to the air… but then their smiles faded into frowns of horror.

“I’m in your way…” Toriel slowly and eerily turned to them. “Would you fight me?” Her cold and numb eyes stared directly at them. “Would you…” She looked at the corner of her eyes for a moment, and then back at them; her body was now facing them. “Hurt me?”

Cuphead and Mugman made a shuddering gasp.

“If you want to leave… Prove it to me then.” Toriel elegantly and gently flipped her palms face up and laid them at the ready. “Prove to me that you are strong.”

Their breaths grew into shudders. Cuphead and Mugman took a couple of stutter steps back. “N-No…” They shook their heads in disbelief.

PING! Their pink hearts beneath their chests popped into visible.

Out of thin air, above each of Toriel’s palms, two sparks grew into candlelight fires, then flickered into larger multicolor flames.

Shocked and confused, Cuphead and Mugman’s faces turned into cold and sad frowns respectively; they knew there was no way of changing her mind. They held each other’s hands and, with each of their free hands, they formed finger guns with the tips of their index fingers humming with power and glowing with a red spread shot for Cuphead and a blue peashooter for Mugman.

The fireballs on Toriel’s hands blazed into flames two-times larger. She swirled her hands clockwise and then pushed forward while joining her fireballs together into a blast of two long-tailed spiraling comets flying and hurtling towards them.

After an alarmed gasp from each, letting go of each other’s hands, Cuphead and Mugman jumped into a curled-ball front flip to dodge the spiral through the gap on the center… but as halfway through their front-flip, their butts touched the multicolor fire from the top of the ring.

Midair, Cuphead and Mugman goofily screamed in panic and pain with tears rushing like waterfalls out of their eyes, while their legs flailed around, and their hands were covering the sides of their bums.

On the floor, the two brothers ran around in a frenzy of screaming while trying other ways to put the fires out on their own (such as sliding their bottoms on the floor, bouncing them, or patting them out). Then, still screaming, they ran around circling each other for about one, two, three times until they quickly pulled their heads popping up from their necks, and then (like buckets of water) threw the milk from their own heads towards each other’s backsides. As the fire hissed into steam and left big charred spots on the tush of their shorts, Cuphead and Mugman’s eyes (on their detached heads that their hands were carrying) squeezed shut and their teeth gritted as they felt the sting lessen… and finally as the sting receded, they sighed with smiling relief.

“Thanks buddy.” Cuphead and Mugman said in sync as their straws, that were facing each other, formed into fists that bumped into each other.

They opened their eyes, and then those eyes bugged out, and then they screamed, with their bodies shivering, as they saw a colorful fireball blazing towards them. Feet spinning like super-fast bicycle pedals, their bodies ran, but then they grunted as their bodies slammed into each other, causing them to drop their heads clinking and rolling to the floor.

The fireball blasted just above their necks (where their heads were supposed to be).

Toriel grunted coldly and unimpressed. She crisscrossed her wrists and conjured more fires on each hand.

Heads on the floor, Cuphead and Mugman whimpered and shivered (their straws formed into exclamation points, and their pupils shrunk and shivered).

“SHE’S GONNA TOAST OUR BUTTS AGAIN!!” Mugman cowardly yelled.

Their bodies grabbed a head and plugged it into the X spot on their collarbones.

Wrists crisscrossed, Toriel whipped her backhands spread apart, and the fireballs from each hand multiplied into eight fireballs that hovered in the air for a while and then dashed towards the boys in the middle; four each were homing for either Cuphead or Mugman.

The boys dashed and tumbled in opposite crisscross directions, dodging the fireballs as they dashed towards the back of the room. Cuphead and Mugman willed their bodies to aim their finger guns of where they saw Toriel, and then they fired… but their shots hit the walls respectively in front of each of them on opposite sides. The boys looked at the walls they fired at confused, and then they looked at their bodies to see they were wearing the opposite-colored shorts; their heads were on the wrong bodies.

Meanwhile, the eight fire balls that divided into two pairs of four bounced on the corners of the room back towards the boys.

The boys tumbled to the center, each knelt on one knee closest to each other while their other legs were lunged to opposite side; they posed like action stars holding their guns up. Smirking, they then held their own head handles with the use of their bodies, pulled their heads out of the wrong neck, hovered it over their respective necks, gave each other a light clink, and put their heads back to their respective necks… but then the fireballs that bounced from the corners behind them blasted onto their butts again, and they jumped up screaming and crying in pain while flailing their legs around and covering their bums with their hands.

Side by side, they landed on their chins with their butts pointing to the ceiling, while flames kept burning on their bums like they were brazens, and Cuphead and Mugman just stared annoyed, unamused, and uncaring.

“Alright we get it…” Cuphead said annoyed. “We’re really hot!”

Mugman groaned. “Not now Cuphead.”

Cuphead and Mugman licked the tips of their index fingers and pressed the flames on their bottoms, extinguishing them with a ‘tssss’ sound from the steam.

“Yeah, tell that to every joirk that made puns while we got our butts kicked back home.” Cuphead said, still staring at space unamused.

As he chance-glanced at Toriel, Mugman’s eyes bugged out in shock. “LOOK OUT!” He pushed Cuphead to the side and he dashed away opposite of him, leaving a puff of white smoke behind, to dodge a fireball that instead exploded on the ground they were on.

Toriel brought her wrists together, palms forward, and hands spread open horizontally. From the center, where the wrists met,  she shot a continuous shower of smaller fireballs towards the boys.

Standing up after their roll, Cuphead and Mugman grabbed their head own handles, and gave them a hard spin that their heads spun very fast. Meanwhile, their straws turned into hands glowing with pink energy; their heads turned into spinning helicopters with a pink spinning energy ring which then parried the fireballs that flew towards them.

Toriel gasped as she saw her attacks being swatted away like flies.  

The boys then jumped up with the pink energy ring from their straw hands being seeped inward the tubes of their straws and into the milk in their heads. Their heads stopped spinning, and they looked fiercely at Toriel while their bodies were twisted to the right with their fists pointing towards that direction as if to wind their own bodies up like toys. Then, they aimed the mouth of their cup-heads towards Toriel and spun their bodies counterclockwise really really fast and unleashed a spinning blast of milk towards her.

Toriel’s eyes widened, and with fast reflexes, she unleashed, one from each hand, two powerful multicolor fireblasts towards each blast of milk that was coming towards her. The fireblasts and the milk blasts met in the middle gap between, and it resulted in a thick steam building up between Toriel and the boys. Each of her fireblasts were being pushed by the blasts of milk, the boys’ power was stronger in this attempt, but even if she could be stronger otherwise, Toriel willed her blasts to weaken instead and then frowned in acceptance.

The milk blasts hit her hands, and then her body, and they were powerful enough to slam her body towards the door behind her.

Cuphead and Mugman landed on their feet on the ground and watched the wall of white foggy steam cautiously with their finger guns glowing with their respective red and blue energy pointing towards it.

I’m… I’m determined too…

In the steamy fog, two colorful fires blazed from within, and those two fires were wiped sidewards to dissipate the fog and reveal Toriel with sharp canines on her teeth and a fiercer stare towards the boys, who then gasped and backed off a bit.

Toriel blasted the ground, and a wave of large pillars of fire came towards them in one… two… and three. The boys split up (Cuphead ran forward, while Mugman backflipped) and Cuphead just stood in the gap between the first and second pillars of fire as he kept firing with his red spread shot, while Mugman just stood in the gap between the second and third fire pillars as he fired his blue peashooter shots from afar. The bullets pierced through the fires creating gaps within the fire, and they kept hitting Toriel, who just stood there secretly gritting the teeth beneath her fierce frown, bearing the pain.

Mugman saw the suffering expression Toriel bore on her face, and in a compassionate look, he stopped firing his shots. “Cuphead!” He started to run forward to his brother.

Hands drawn together, from the gap between her palms, Toriel formed a big multicolored fireball twice the size of the boys. She launched it forward, and Cuphead gasped as the fireball was hurtling towards him, but then he was tackled from behind (by Mugman) and they both disappeared in a puff of white smoke, and then reappeared on the other side of the fireball behind it. They both fell to the floor with Cuphead below, and Mugman’s head stacked on top of Cuphead’s.

Cuphead smiled at Mugman above him. “Thanks pal!”

“Cuphead!” Mugman gently raised his voice to Cuphead below him. “Toriel! We-!”

Just then, Toriel conjured another huge fireball and then fired it at the boys.

Mugman gasped. “Look out!” With his arms and legs, he pushed Cuphead to the right, all while the fireball hurtled towards himself.

KABOOM!…SHATTER!

As he landed and heard the explosion, Cuphead looked back to where Mugman was, but what was left was a big black burnt mark on the floor with smaller rays of black burns spreading radially from the center (shaped like a sun). He gasped. “M…Mugs?” he crawled to the ash slowly, his eyes shivering in horror.

A groan came from the left side, and Cuphead looked towards its source. He found Mugman slumped on the corner wall, still intact with no burns on his face or his clothes, but his head handle was chipped off and he fell to the floor on his right; the fireball didn’t hit him, but the force of the explosion pushed him to the wall.

“MUGS!!!” Cuphead yelled with tears trickling from his eyes as he stood up and ran to him.

Toriel gasped, her eyes shrunk, and she covered her mouth with both her hands.

Cuphead reached Mugman. “Buddy?” He held his brother’s shoulders.

Mugman just groaned in pain.

Breathing stopped… and then intensified into raging deep breaths. “That does it…” Cuphead turned to Toriel with a furious stare; his pupils turned crimson red with a sinister energy.

From his right pocket, Cuphead brought out a plastic toy knife with the blade colored in gray plastic and the handle in orange.

As she saw the knife, her terrified gaze turned softer, as if she was accepting it. From covering her mouth, Toriel spread her hands wide to her sides and conjured two-multicolored flames that were smaller than they usually were.

Growling, huffing, and puffing, Cuphead then dashed forward and ran towards Toriel with a finger gun on his left hand and a toy knife on his right.

Toriel pushed her hands forward and unleashed another showering fireball attack.

Cuphead kept running forward, even if he knew he could get hit. But the showering fireballs just hurtled to the side, leaving a large gap in the center for Cuphead to run safely to.

With a sinister bloodlust smile on his face, Cuphead leapt to the air, held his toy knife high in the air, and stroke a vertical overhead slash right down the middle of Toriel.

For a moment, Toriel’s body turned into dust while retaining its shape, and she yelled in pain.

Slumped on the wall behind Cuphead, Mugman groaned as he rubbed his head. Blinking his eyes open, a blurry figure of someone with a black top and red shorts ducking under a multicolor fire attack, which was fired towards the ceiling from the white arms of the figure wearing purple in front of the black and red one; the sound of the fire attack was slightly muffled due to his dizziness. The finger gun from the black and red one glowed yellow and an ascending ‘zhooming’ sound was beaming up.

Vision clearing. Hearing stabilizing. Mugman blinked to see Cuphead firing a yellow charge-shot at Toriel, whose body, for a moment, turned to dust but retained its shape, only this time the dust form stayed longer before it reformed back to her stable default, and she screamed in pain.

Mugman gasped, and his eyes widened in horror. “CUPHEAD NOOO!”

He ran to Cuphead, who started to give a sadistic giggle as he held his finger gun and toy knife proudly.

Mugman grabbed hold of Cuphead’s hand which held the finger gun. “BRO WHAT’RE YA-!” He gasped as he saw Cuphead’s crimson pupils and toothy carnivorous smile.

“OUT OF THE WAY WEAKLING!” With his voice sounding demonic (lower pitched and as if gurgling with blood), Cuphead pushed Mugman away very strong that the latter fell to the floor, but did not show any sign of pain due to how scared he was.

“Cup…” Mugman reached out his hand to Cuphead but…

Laughing like an evil maniac, Cuphead ran forward with his hands gliding to his sides like an assassin; he held his toy knife on the right and finger gun on his left.

Toriel unleashed another attack of tiny showering fireballs, but the quantity of the fireballs is fewer, and were all moving away from Cuphead as he got closer.

With his haunting maniacal laugh, Cuphead spun horizontally and slashed Toriel across her stomach, and again she screamed in pain.

Her body turned into dust form again, this time retaining for about longer seconds, but then her body kept flickering back and forth from dust to her regular body as she panted and tried to catch her breath.

Mugman did his ‘dash’ move towards Cuphead and tackled him with a really tight hug from behind. “CUPHEAD WHAT’S GOTTEN INTO YA?!”

Cuphead squirmed and struggled from Mugman’s hug; the white in his eyes were turning yellow, and the red color in his shorts and the two stripes in his straw were turning purple. “I need… TO BE STRONGER!” His voice turned demonic on the last phrase. “YOU’RE NOT GONNA BE A WIMP ABOUT THIS AND GET IN THE WAY AGAIN!!”  He gave two hind kicks towards Mugman’s legs, and Mugman yelled in pain as he let go of Cuphead due to losing control of his arms.

Mugman tried to catch Cuphead with his arms again, but the latter was too fast. “NOO!” He yelled with his strongest voice. He fired a shot of his peashooter to Cuphead, aiming for his foot, but Cuphead jumped over, and the shot went to Toriel instead. Toriel screamed in pain again, this time weaker from all the hits, and her body was flickering from dust to stable.

Mugman gasped at what he did, and tears started to form in his eyes.

A sinister cackle came from Cuphead. “Thanks pal!” He looked behind him with a demonic carnivorous smile at Mugman.

The sound numbed everywhere, and only Mugman’s voice echoed. “CUPHEEAAD!!! PLEAAASE!! NOOOOO!!” He ran towards his brother.

Cuphead leapt up held his toy knife overhead, and prepared to strike.

Panting from all the pain, her body flickering in and out of stability, Toriel just stared numbly at Cuphead, at the knife he was carrying… and then closed her eyes.

SLASH!

…

…

Huffing…. Panting… Groaning in pain…. Toriel held the part in her chest which was slashed, and her body just continuously flickered from dust to stable… dust... stable… dust…

Huffing… Panting… Cuphead just smiled devilishly at the deed he has done. Then… He was punched in the face from his left by a white-gloved fist.

“OWW!” Cuphead yelled in pain, but then he was punched again with the other gloved fist, and he was knocked to the ground.

Huffing… Panting… with tears in his furious eyes, Mugman approached Cuphead who was groaning on the floor and grabbed his shoulders. “WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!” He shook his brother.

Huffing… Panting… With a blurry vision in his eyes… Cuphead blinked repeatedly to see Mugman with tears streaming from his furious eyes staring back at him. “B…Bro?”

PUNCH!

“OW! MUGMAN!” With an angry face, Cuphead caught Mugman’s fist before he punched him again.

“WHY DID YA DO THAT!” Mugman tried to pull his fist back but Cuphead’s grip was too strong. “WHY DID YA DO THAT WHY DID YA-!” He blinked his eyes and started to sob.

Cuphead stared at him, bewildered at what his brother was talking about.

Urgh….  

Turning towards the direction of the groan, Cuphead gasped to see Toriel was hurt.

“TORIEL!” Mugman yelled. He dropped his brother and ran to her.

Cuphead just stared in horror, confused as to how it happened. He used his right hand to start pushing himself up from the floor, but he felt a rod-like item was held in it. He flipped his right hand open, and gasped as he dropped the dusty-blade toy knife and hurriedly crawled away from it. He looked at Toriel again to see that her physical form was flickering from dust to stable more and more; she had a slanted vertical slash on her robe.

“You…” Mugman held her arm right arm. “Ya gotta get back up. Ya-ya need to rest.” He tried to lay it behind his shoulders.

“No…” Cuphead’s breathing started to panic. “No, I-I couldn’t have-!”

Mugman tried to walk, but in addition to his exhaustion from the fight and Toriel’s weak state, he could not support Toriel to move. “Toriel! Come… ON!” He gasped, as suddenly the weight of carrying her became lighter.

From the other side, Cuphead took Toriel’s other arm and carried it over his shoulders. “On the count’a three Mugs.”

For a few seconds, Mugman just looked at his brother confused, but then nodded in agreement. “One.”

“Two.” Cuphead counted.

“No….” Toriel breathed heavily, and gave a weak chuckle. “My sweet children…” She just kept breathing.

Cuphead and Mugman just looked at her in confusion.

Cuphead shook his head out of distraction. “Come on!”

“No!....” Toriel kept panting, her form was still flickering. “Please…. Just listen…”

A tear streamed down of Cuphead’s left eye.

“You… you are both stronger…” She kept panting, and her dust form kept lingering for longer seconds. “Than I had expected…”

Sobbing, with tears falling from both his eyes, Mugman looked at her. “T-Toriel?...”

“But you… you cannot… waver….” She kept panting. “You cannot lose focus…”

Cuphead closed his eyes, and tears streamed from his face, but he stubbornly motioned to start carrying Toriel.

“If you go beyond this door…” Toriel kept panting, and her dust form kept persisting. “Eventually… you will find an exit…”

Both of them gasped and opened their eyes wide.

“Home…” Mugman whispered.

“Yes my child…” Toriel smiled, she gently turned Mugman’s head from the top to face him to her, and she wiped a tear from his left eye with the back of her right index finger. “Home-!” A sharp pain came from her abdomen, and she quickly covered the slash on it with her right hand.

“TORIEL!” Cuphead and Mugman raced to catch her elbows and stopped her from falling by letting her shoulders lean on their chests, while the boys carried her with their hands.

She panted. “Asgore…” She breathed more slowly, her form started to flake and dust started to fly away from her body. “Do not let Asgore take your soul. His plan…” Her voice became softer. “His plan… cannot be allowed… to succeed…” Toriel groaned in pain.

Her arms faded into dust for a moment, and they went through the boys who tried to catch her in vain, and then her arms caught the floor, stopping her from falling.

The boys held her arms as more tears started to form.

“Toriel….” Mugman gave a light tug at her arm. “Please…”

She smiled and gave a weak chuckle. “Be good… and be good to each other… won’t you?” She then placed her hands on top of their heads and gave soft rubs to both while they watched her body turn to dust. “M y …. c h I l d r e n…” Her face turned gray and dusty as she spoke.

As if a gust of wind had blown, her entire form dissipated into dust, and the boys gave shivering gasps as they watched her dust fly. The thick dust that formed Toriel’s body grew thinner and thinner… until a white upside-down heart was left behind floating before them. The white upside-down heart trembled violently for a few seconds, then broke into two halves… which then dissipated into bits. 

Silent. Panting. Horrified eyes wide open. Toriel… Toriel she… Slowly, they both looked at each other.

“Wha…” Mugman kept panting. “What have you done…”

“I…” Cuphead panted, his head shook, his shocked eyes had tears falling (but fewer due to adrenaline), and his heart pounded of guilt and fear (especially with Mugman in front of him). “I-I didn’t…” He stuttered a step back.

“Ya didn’t?” Mugman’s cold voice matched his cold and heartbroken stare. He walked towards Cuphead and aggressively snagged the collar of his black turtleneck (and Cuphead shivered and whimpered loudly as it happened). “YA DIDN’T WHAT?!” He screamed; he stared furiously straight into his brother’s eyes while they were practically in face-to-face proximity.

“I-I-I-I DIDN’T-! I-MEAN-!” Cuphead’s voice shuddered as he sobbed. “I-I DUNNO WHAT HAPPENED I-?!

“WHADDYA MEAN YA DUNNO WHAT HAPPENED?!” Mugman violently shook Cuphead once.

Cuphead wailed. “MUGS STOP-!” He managed to plead out of his whimpering scared-to-death voice.

“I KEPT TELLIN’ YA TUH STOP!” Mugman shook him again.

“I-I-!” Cuphead gasped for breath (the grab on his collar was a little tight), and he grabbed hold endearingly on Mugman’s wrists. “Y-YOU WERE-! I DIDN’T!”

“QUIT YER SCRAMBLIN’! SPIT IT OUT!” At the last three words, Mugman yelled at the top of his voice while he shook Cuphead with trembling force.

“YA GOT BEAT UP PRETTY BAD MAN!” Cuphead yelled at the top of his voice too, as if he were pleading for his life. “Y-YA G-GOT BLASTED, A-AN-AND I SAW YA, Y-YA CHIPPED YER HANDLE!” From his left pocket, he brought out his brother’s head handle.

Mugman gasped. He let his right hand go of Cuphead, and then touched the back of his head to indeed find that it was broken off.

“I-I-I GOT SO BOILED UP I-I-I-!” Cuphead heaved for breath again, this time from sobbing. “I-I-I LOOKED AT ‘ER AND THEN…” His eyes looked left and right, trying to remember what happened. “I-I DUNNO I BLACKED OUT! I ONLY THOUGHT ABOUT YA AND-AND- THEN TORIEL AND-AND- THEN…” His eyes suddenly looked towards the floor on his right.

Mugman’s shocked gaze followed the direction Cuphead looked, and he gasped as he saw the plastic toy knife laying on the floor. The grip from his left hand on Cuphead’s collar loosened, and then he looked at his brother.

“Mugs… After everythin’ Toriel…” Heavy streams of tears fell from Cuphead’s eyes. The desperate grip of his right hand on Mugman’s left tightened. “Why would I do that Mugs?... Why would I…” He looked down at his shaking hands. “Why… did… I…” He started to sob. Slowly he knelt down to the floor and covered his face with his hands in shame.

Mugman’s breathing slowed down, and his gaze at his brother turned more understanding as the seconds went with Cuphead’s sobbing filling the silent room. He remembered the red eyes that replaced Cuphead’s when he was on a rampage. Somehow… he knew it wasn’t him. But how it happened… he didn’t know. He knelt down and watched Cuphead while the tears in his own streamed down once again.

Never in his life did Mugman see Cuphead saw so devastated. Even when they had lost their souls to the Devil, Cuphead always kept a smile on his face. They sang songs, they buddy walked to every debtor they had to face (some walks hippy-happy, while others were miserable), and even with this dread they felt within them, they kept reminding each other how sticking together would get them out of every trouble they were in.

Cuphead kept beating his thoughts with questions. Did he do it? Was it all a trick? Was he controlled? He didn’t know anymore. He just knelt there sobbing and sobbing while in deep shock and shame of what had happened… of what he did. He was alone, he felt so alone… he felt that he deserved not to be saved from this misery… for once, he felt he needed to answer for what had happened… and this was it…

And then… he felt a tackling hug.

Cuphead opened his eyes and saw that Mugman was hugging him.

Mugman had his eyes shut tight and his hug wrapped even tighter.

Shocked, Cuphead’s eyes welled with new tears. “M-mugs? No… Wh-why?”

“I…” Mugman took a pause, and then sniffled. “I would’ve done it too…” He whispered as tears fell from his eyes.

Shocked eyes widened, and Cuphead’s chest started to shudder. “Wh-what?!”

For a moment, Mugman’s eyelids squeezed shut… but then opened with tears falling from them. “If she hurt ya… If ya weren’t the same again…” He just looked down… and kept silent while he let more tears fall.

Cuphead’s tears fell. “No…. no ya wouldn’t Mugs stop…” More tears fell as he squeezed his eyes shut. “You wouldn’t… You’re not… You’re…” He started to wail.

With that, they just wrapped each other in their desperate hugs, not caring how painful they were being to each other. It was usually funny when they did stuff like this, hugging each other ‘til the other choked… but now, they felt the world was against them; they needed to be sure that they weren’t alone, and that they would have someone to hold on.

“I never wanted this Mugs…. I never wanted this.” Cuphead kept sobbing.

“Me too Cuphead.” Mugman sniffled. He tried to be just silent, and strong. “Me too….”

They just stood there clinging to each other’s hugs; Cuphead was practically leaning and giving all his weight to Mugman, and the latter was trying his best to stand strong, even though he wanted to break down too. Their thoughts circled and circled over what could’ve been, what they could’ve changed, and what would it take to stop this from happening… not like this… not like this…

Not like this…

The room got darker, and darker, and darker… until it was pitch black. Their sobs were echoing in the darkness louder and louder. The boys opened their eyes to see what was causing the echoes, and they gasped and broke apart as they discovered they were no longer in the same room.

They looked back at where the hallway they came from was supposed to be, but it was not there. Mugman looked to where the door was, it was not there.

“C-Cuphead?” Mugman asked nervously.

Looking in opposite directions, they both took a step closer to each other… but then the floor vanished and suddenly they were falling and screaming at the top of their lungs as they did. Falling and falling, and screaming and screaming into the bottomless black void, Cuphead and Mugman flailed their arms around in search of something to grab hold of… and then they saw each other.

“CUUUUPHEAAAAAAAAAD!!!” Mugman screamed as he reached his arms for his brother.

“MUUUUGMAAAAAAAAAN!!!” Cuphead screamed as he reached his arms for his brother.

Reaching and reaching, they kept swiping the air almost catching each other’s hands… and then they finally grabbed hold of each other’s right wrist.

Cuphead pulled Mugman towards himself, and the latter caught Cuphead as they both hugged each other very tight and fell… fell… fell…

Their tears were falling upwards due to the speed at which they fell.

“Don’t let go buddy.” Cuphead said as he kept holding Mugman. “Don’t ever let go.”

Mugman made his hug as tight as he could. “I won’t…” He sobbed. “I’ll never.”

They fell… and fell… and fell… alone in the silent void… alone without anyone to save them…

They fell…

And Fell…

…

And fell…

…

And fell…

…

Until a whisper came.

“Wow….” That same whisper of two familiar voices said.

Surprised, Cuphead and Mugman opened their eyes, and instead of an infinite black void…

A giant 360-degree image of the majestic door that marked the entrance to the ruins with Cuphead and Mugman holding hands as their eyes filled with awe appeared before them. The fall of gravity did not feel treacherous anymore, and instead it felt like they were in a dream.  Without breaking their hug, they kept watch of the image as it shifted into another.

“And… our cupbrohood.” Mugman’s voice echoed loudly in the space.

“Just… don’t. Say. The L-word.” Cuphead’s pretend-fearful voice echoed into space.

The giant 360 image changed into that of Cuphead and Mugman (with leaves sprinkled onto his head like it was cereal) holding hands after the latter took the oath.

Mugman suddenly giggled, and it caused Cuphead to giggle to.

“Heeey! Why’re ya laughin?” Cuphead smiled to Mugman, who just shrugged his shoulders in response.

“You know bro, I believe some day he’ll be brave enough to get the cheese.” Cuphead’s echoing voice said.

“Yeah… me too bro… Me too.” Mugman’s echoing voice responded.

The 360-image changed into Cuphead and Mugman holding hands while they watched the mouse hole on the bottom of the pink wall patiently.

Cuphead and Mugman smiled with relief at this vision.

““Uhh, what did I say?” Cuphead’s echoing intrigued voice said.

The 360 image showed them by the leafless tree with red leaves on the ground, and Mugman was just leaning closer to Cuphead’s non-existent ear.

At this, Cuphead and Mugman’s mouth started to squiggle-smile a bit, and they snickered.

There was a long pause… until

“Piss a cake.” Mugman’s whispering voice said.

Starting from loud snickers, Cuphead and Mugman burst into their loudest laughter they ever had to the ceiling, and that laughter echoed through the halls… a really loud laughter that they had felt really really familiar with. As they felt strange with this all too familiar laughter, they opened their eyes.

In front, they saw a wide purple wall. They looked below them and then sidewards to each other, and they saw that they were not standing, but slumping and leaning cheek-to-cheek side-by-side each other looking like an upside-down V.

“Whoa! WHOOAAHH!” They yelled as they lost their balance and fell backwards.

Leaves rustled beneath their heads as the boys crashed into the pile of them. Looking up, they saw the top branches of the leafless tree.

They both gasped.

“N-no way!” Mugman made a whispering exclaim.

Mugman got up hastily, followed by Cuphead who just followed his brother’s lead.

Turning to his left, Mugman gasped, his pupils shrunk, and his hands covered his mouth in shock. Cuphead followed behind Mugman, and he gasped too.

Before them, was a small rectangular castle-like house standing in front of them; it had a doorless castle doorway with large cubes of rocks lining the arch, crenels lining the borders of the roof, and two long red beds of leaves flanking the left and right of the doorway… they were back in front of Toriel’s castle-house.

“Wh-….” Cuphead turned to Mugman. “What’s goin’ on?...”

Mugman blinked repeatedly, trying to clear his vision for any chance that it might be blurry or it might be tricked. “C-c’mon…” He started to walk towards the entrance of the house.

Cuphead stood there watching and wondering what Mugman was doing, but as soon as he noticed they were gaining distance, he scrambled and ran to catch up with his brother.

“M-Mugman? Y-yer freakin’ me out…” Cuphead held his brother’s hand.

For a moment, Mugman looked at his brother. “S-sorry… I just… I just had a strange feeling…”

Cuphead raised an eyebrow. “’Bout what?”

“Well… if we’re back here…” Mugman kept walking to the entrance of the house. “If we woke up there… like that… ‘exactly like we did yesterday… wouldn’t that mean…”

They entered the house, and immediately they were greeted with the same familiar scent of butterscotch cinnamon seeping into their nostrils. They felt a familiar hunger and craving that had gotten them all goofy… but it didn’t feel right to them.

“Surprise!” By the door, a familiar motherly voice said from behind as she stomped her foot forward towards the boys.

Cuphead and Mugman screamed, hugged each other, and they pointed their finger guns towards the direction of the voice and stomp.

There, Toriel was enthusiastically and happily smiling as she was shaking her jazz hands towards the boys. “That’s butterscotch pie you are smelling!” She let out a giggle as she covered her mouth with her right hand. “It turned out, you were right! Those two flavors do mix well together!” She placed her hands on her lap as she leaned closer to the boys and smiled at them endearingly. “Like two best friends!”

Slowly lowering their finger guns, the boys looked at her with tears in their eyes.

Toriel’s smile faded into an astonished frown. “Wh-what’s wrong?” She looked back outside, then back at the boys with her thumb pointing towards outside. “A-a while ago you two were so curious about my surprise, and then now- OH!”

She was suddenly given a really big hug on her legs by Cuphead and Mugman, and her arms backed away in such surprise. She looked at the boys, confused by their sudden behavior, then smiled at them endearingly, and then gave them her own warm hug as well.

Toriel chuckled. “I’m glad you really like the surprise my children.” After a few more seconds, she then lets them go, and sets her hands on each of their shoulders. “But! I have another big surprise for you!”

From bending forward, Toriel stood straight and then headed towards the hall on the right.

With confused and disbelieving frowns, Cuphead and Mugman just watched her go as if she was a ghost. Then, they looked at each other, held each other’s hands, and just followed her along the familiar hallway they knew. They walked past the light torch, and then stopped behind Toriel, where she stopped before the first door on the left.

“Here it is!” Toriel said as she took a deep breath.

Gently, she grabbed their hands and together they looked at the door in front of them.

“It’s a room for the both of you! I hope you like it!” With that, she rubbed the top rims of their heads endearingly.

Toriel looked at the door with such hope, while Cuphead and Mugman looked at it still in shock, but now with a bit of numbness.

A warm scent came before them, and Toriel took a few loud sniffs. “Oh my!” She covered her mouth with her left hand. “Is something burning?!” She looked alarmed towards the direction of the kitchen. “Oh my… Uh…” She turned towards the boys. “M-make yourself at home!” She said as she was making a run towards the kitchen.

Cuphead and Mugman ignored her, they just kept staring at the door.

They felt… numb, miserable, confused… this scene was all too familiar… like it was… scripted… and they were the only ones who knew… but… they looked at each other… and with that look alone, they silently agreed that they felt the need to follow it somehow.

Exactly like before, Cuphead and Mugman opened the door, with the latter turning the knob, and the former pushing it. Before them, was the familiar warm room that had filled them with excitement… but now it didn’t feel real anymore.

“So…” Cuphead felt obliged to speak. “Wh-what do you wanna do?” He slowly looked strangely at Mugman.

“I…” Mugman took a shuddering breath, and then slowly looked at Cuphead. “I wanna cuddle.” He said numbly.

Numb, Cuphead looked a few seconds more at Mugman, and then slowly turned to the bed. Like it was scripted, like it was a scene he just had to reenact for the sake of it, he walked over to the bed, sat on it, looked at numb, miserable Mugman standing in the doorway (where he used to used to see his brother’s devastated face turn into cute pure joy), and then he opened his arms for a hug.

Mugman saw his brother’s arms, remembering how excited he was to see his brother’s prank turning into a dream come true. But this time, like an empty soul, he just walked over to Cuphead hugged him, and together they laid in that same bed that was too small for either of them.

Mugman just stared at the wall in front of him (behind Cuphead), trying to understand what just happened. Fighting Toriel… Toriel dying… and then Toriel welcoming them into her home as if they had just gone back a few steps… how did it happen? Was this really Toriel? He didn’t know anymore. He was ready to shut his eyes… but then Cuphead squeezed his hug really really tight on Mugman, then he sobbed and crashed onto his brother’s shoulder. Mugman felt his eyes water so much that he couldn’t help but crash into Cuphead’s shoulder as well.

Horrified, confused, devastated… Toriel… Toriel…

They never wanted it to happen again.

­End of Chapter 8-

(Cutscene)

“A-as-g-gore huh?!” Mugman looked up to Toriel. “W-well… Me and Cuphead could take ‘im!... I-I think!”

Cuphead giggled. “Nice!” He smirked and nudged Mugman’s elbow.

Mugman gasped and stars formed on his eyes. “Thank you!” His fist cuddled on his chin.

“Buuut, lose the ‘ya think’ next time?” Cuphead teased as he raised an eyebrow.

“I know, I know.” Mugman blushed and he mumbled, to which Cuphead just giggled.

(Cutscene)

Mugman turned to the stairs, and saw Cuphead furiously catching up to him. Quickly, he hid in front of Toriel, using her as a cover while he peeked at Cuphead. “Y-YOU’RE BEING A BIG MEANIE!”

“HUMBUG!” Cuphead pointed at Mugman while trying to get closer (but Mugman was just going around Toriel away from Cuphead). “I DIDN’T SAY NUTHIN’! I SAID YA NOSE’LL LOOK GOOD ON ME! YER THE ONE WHO’S MAKIN STUFF UP!”

Mugman mumbled nervously. “Y-you…” He started to peek his head more. “You weren’t sayin’ nuthin ‘bout my nose?”

Cuphead made a snarky laugh. “Come on! Look at me!” He stood proudly with his fists on his hips, and his big blue nose held high. “I dun’ care whatcha say, I’d keep this look forevah.”

Feeling his heart warm, Mugman couldn’t help but smile. He slowly came out of hiding with his index fingers touching together repeatedly, and he walked to Cuphead.

When Mugman was close enough, Cuphead playfully punched Mugman’s arm.

“Heey!” Mugman rubbed his arm and frowned at Cuphead.

Cuphead giggled. “Just messin’ with ya bud.” He opened his arms.

Mugman immediately took the hug. “Yer such a joirk.”

Cuphead smirked and shrugged his shoulders. “L-word.” He tightened his hug.

Author's Comments: Yep. Sorry if it wasn't what you guys expected, but I wanted to continue to capture the essence of Undertale, where you had the choice of venturing into either Genocide, Pacifist, or Neutral types of endings.

I was considering if I would include the warning 'Character Death', but it would be a spoiler if I put it above.

Almost done with this arc, and I promise I won't make a single arc as long as this in the coming chapters.

See you next time!

[cuptalecupheadxundertale]

Chapter 9 “The Yellow Star” (Act I Finale)

Author’s Note

Hello! This will be my final chapter for now, before I enter into hiatus again. The major priority for me right now is to finish my book, so I probably won’t come back to this project for a couple of years.

It’s been really fun writing this project, I wish I had a lot more time and energy to finish this project at the same time my novel, but I have to set my priorities straight. See you all again after a couple of years!

Chapter 9 “The Yellow Star” (Act I Finale)

Clear blue skies. Fluffy white clouds. The yellow sun shining with red orange rays and smiling down to earth with its red puffy cheeks and freckles. Blue birds chirped and flew around each other, playfully chasing each other. The sun watched these birds play around with glee… until-ZHOOM!

From behind the birds, two airplanes (the left red, and the right blue) SHREDDED and SHAVED through the bird like barber’s razors, leaving behind four pinkish bare-naked birds spinning in the air. As if by will, the birds stopped spinning, and then looked in shock at their featherless bodies, and right in front of them were the blue feathers falling down from above.  The birds scrambled and frantically collected all the feathers, then covered the front of their lower bodies with them, and then smiled at the fourth wall with their cheeks flushed in red… only after then did they obey the laws of gravity and fall down with goofy ‘gunshot’ sounds.

The sun watched horrified at what happened, and then glared furiously (that he turned red) at the two airplanes that were piloted by no other than: Cuphead and Mugman!

With their confident and playful smiles, and flying airplane sounds spitting from their mouths, they flew towards a lady in red, hovering on her back in the air and laughing with her backhand covering the side of her mouth and her “Hee, Hee, Hee” that unleashed black bold ‘HA’ words all over the air.

“Come to collect my contract?” She stared with her snarky smile and menacing yellow star-pupilled eyes. “I’ll just blow you away, you no good brats!”

Hildaberg stirred the air in front of her, and the wind twirled into a small tornado. She pushed the tornado forward with her hands, and blew with her mouth, making the tornado grow larger, taller, and catastrophic. The tornado collected trees, cars, boulders, and houses, cows, birds, and other debris with it.

Cuphead and Mugman screamed in fright, with their straws turning into exclamation points. But they smiled as they pressed a button from the right of their steering wheels, and their planes shrank into tinier sizes as they flew through the tornado.

All while screaming with such joy and thrill like he was in a roller coaster ride, tiny Cuphead corkscrewed under a clay-tiled roof, over a cow, and through a hole within a large tree trunk. Cuphead looked to his left, and saw that Mugman with his arms out, was zipping, zigzagging, and corkscrewing through scattered bricks , branches, and  stars with ease.

Tiny Mugman grew back to normal size, and then he tipped his ‘Mug’ head out as if he were tipping his hat.

Tiny Cuphead grew back to normal. “Show off!” His hands cupped into a megaphone surrounding his mouth as he shouted over.

“Last one tuh the contract’s a leaky cup!” Mugman pointed his finger to Hildaberg, and then his plane retracted like a caterpillar and then dashed ahead like a speeding race car.

Cuphead pulled his shorts up. “Oh it’s on, Donkey Kong!”

Out of the tornado, the two planes (the first blue, and the next red) shot out of the tornado like bullets and raced zooming through the sky.

Ahead of the boys, a swarm of tiny flies were flying towards them zigzagging like angry bees, and some grinned evilly while others grinned cheerfully. Hildaberg had transformed into a frog-shaped monster with yellow star pupils; it was a Froggit imitation of her cloud Zodiac transformation. The boys fired their bullets from the planes. The swarm of flies screamed, and then parted, leaving perfect-circle gaps in between, and the bullets hit Hildaberg who growled irritated.

The boys flew through the circles of flies, but as they did, the flies transformed into mixes of butterflies and roaches. Hildaberg’s cloud shape transformed into a cockroach-like monster (Migosp) and a ghost-moth hybrid (Whimsun), both shapes were morphing erratically as if competing which morph would commit, and all the same time she was firing ‘HA’ projectiles from her laughing mouth. But, each and every attack was either shot down, dodged, or parried by the two confident-grinning cups on red and blue planes.

“Is that all ya got?” Cuphead yelled with his left hand cupped in a megaphone.

“’Cuz ya missed us by a lot!” Mugman yelled with his left hand cupped in a megaphone, in imitation.

With his hands on his tummy, legs above the steering wheel, and his head lower than the headrest, Cuphead laughed hysterically. “Ni-hihice one pal!”

Mugman looked back at Cuphead with his knuckles squeezing his ‘chin’ and his pupils turning into stars.

“Oh!” Hilda smirked. “Ya startin’ tuh have fun? Why dont’cha play with the sun?” Her right palm showed above her.

A bright or red-orange light loomed over the boys, who then squinted, shielded their eyes with their left hand, and started to sweat. As their eyes adjusted to the light, their eyes bugged out, their straws turned into exclamation points, and their bodies trembled.

Mr. Sun himself came to Hildaberg’s side and stared angrily at the boys with his freckled puffy red cheeks puffed red, while Hildaberg just slyly covered her evil smile implying to the boys ‘You’re in trouble hee hee hee.’

Mr. Sun blew into his closed mouth, making his cheeks puff larger, and the sun rays around his body radiate two dozens of hot solar beams. The bases of their planes caught one of the beams, and the planes themselves bounced up in pain yelling ‘HotHotHotHotHot!’. Cuphead and Mugman aimed their straws at the fires, then pinched their noses and then blew into them, making the milk spray from their straws into the fire like fire extinguished. The fires on the planes extinguished into white steam, and the planes themselves sighed in relief and resumed their inanimate plane forms.

This sun rays then started rotating clockwise, and the pulled their plane controls up to avoid the hot beam. After a few seconds, Mr. Sun took an inhale, and the sun rays disappeared and the sky returned to blue for a moment.

“Go down!” Mugman called.

The boys pushed their controls down, making the plane drop by a few feet.

The sun puffed its cheeks again, and blew into its mouth again, repeating the rotating sun beam attack pattern, and the boys flew upwards avoiding the beam; meanwhile Hildaberg was just cackling at the supposed demise of the boys. After a while, Hildaberg pushed her hands again, and out of her hands shot rows of stars, and the boys sweated nervously as they evasively flew into the safe gaps that were made narrow.

“Keep shootin’!” Cuphead called.

Both Cuphead and Mugman began shooting

Hildaberg cackled. “Ready to call it quits? ‘Cuz  yer about to be…” Hilda took a big inhale and then screamed and her body trembled as if she was transforming. Mr. sun also vibrated very rapidly and puff its cheeks even bigger. The two entities swirled into each other and then popped out of thin air with puffs of white smoke into an…

 “EEEH-CLIPSED!” The hybrid voice of Hilda and a deep male spoke.

The boys gasped as they basked before a yellow-orange-red-black clockwork mechanical eclipse into a red & black crescent clockwork mechanical moon; The crescent bottom-right represented Hilda’s crescent moon, while the quarter top-left represented Mr. sun, but their colors and clockwork gears were mixed together in different places.

For a good long seconds, Cuphead and Mugman stared at the freakishly gigantic fusion. Like super long rubber bands, Cuphead and Mugman stretched their arms to each distant other, then pulled each other for a hug as they (and their squished together animate planes) screamed like girls.

The ecliopse puffed its cheeks like Mr. Sun, but then unleashed a chilling cackle (like Hilda) at them as it unleashed a flock of… angry Toriel’s with fairy wings holding fireballs on her hands.

Cuphead stared at them with confusion and then looked at Mugman beside him to check if he had the same reaction, but Mugman smiled with confidence.

Mugman pointed his finger at the eclipse. “Ya ain’t gonna win that easily Hildaburger! We’re the Cupbros!” He then smiled at Cuphead.

Cuphead snickered. “Yeah! And the Cupbros will win against any h-“

“Foe!” Mugman glared at Cuphead.

Cuphead covered his mouth. “Foe! I meant foe!” He giggled.

Mugman rolled his eyes, and together they sped forward.

The fairy got lady Toriels raised their hands and then shot fireballs of black and white colors, and they cut off the various safe spaces the boys could fly into.

The boys licked their fingers, and then pushed the same shrink button, and their planes shrunk, and they were able to corkscrew and maneuver through the various fire blasts with ease. After the volley of attacks, the Eclipse and the Toriels started to huff and pant due to exhaustion. The boys then grew to normal sizes and then fired their volley of bullets.

The Toriels shrieked and then vanished in puffs of white smoke to avoid the bullets, but those pellets led to the Eclipse which started yelling in pain as they took the full volley. The eclipse looked weary, tired, and beaten up; it had black eyes and bandages all over. It then exploded in a white puff of smoke, and as the smoke cleared, it revealed Mr. Sun and Hildaberg were separated. Mr. Sun was crying with black eyes as it floated back up to the sky; his crying turned the sky gray and caused it to start raining. Hildaberg fell to the ground like a leaf, swaying, and twirling left and right as the wind kept slowing her descent.

The boys dove in and followed her.

“Great job Mmmmugsy!” Cuphead winked to his best pal and gave him a thumbs up.

“You too Cccccuppyy!” Mugman winked back and gave him a thumbs up.

Hildaberg landed softly on the rustling grass that was wet from the rain. Laughing (with snorting from Mugman and hiccups from Cuphead) soon closed in as their motor planes landed near Hildaberg onto a spot of wet grass with some water splashing from the wheels of the planes. 

The boys hastily hopped off their planes, splashed their shoes onto some wet grass, and (with splashing footsteps) raced each other to Hildaberg.

The boys hastily hopped off their planes and raced each other to Hildaberg.

Hildaberg was lying down on her back on the ground with swirly circles for eyes, and miniature versions of Cuphead and Mugman flying their planes and circling around Hildaberg’s head.

Cuphead stopped a few inches away from her, and pointed his finger gun at her. “Alright! Give us yer contract lady! Or yer-!”

Meanwhile, Mugman approached her, unpocketed a toy knife, held it in his right hand, and then stabbed to the ground.

Cuphead’s eyes widened in horror. “Y-you’ll…” He then looked at Mugman.

Mugman cackled in a sinister demonic voice.

“Well… she got it didn’ she…” Mugman turned his head 180-degrees to Cuphead and revealed a creepy looking smile; his eyes were two crimson vertical lines, and his mouth was a curved closed-mouth cheeky smile. “Right buddy?” He spoke with his demonic creepy voice.

Cuphead shivered and took a stutter step back.

“Aww, what’s the matter best friend?” Mugman raised his finger gun. “Didn’t ya want us to be free?”

Mugman’s smile showed sharp teeth and he unleashed a demonic creepy laugh like Flowey’s.

From the bed, Cuphead jumped up to the air screaming “AAAAAGH!” with his arms and legs shaking.

“AAAAAGH!” At the same time, Mugman also jumped up to the air. His arms and legs mirrored Cuphead’s.

Back on the bed, Cuphead squeezed his head as he screamed. “AAAAAAAGH!”

“AAAAAAGH!” Mugman was hiding his arms and chest under their shared blanket, and his eyes looked left and right trying to find the danger.

“AAAAAAAAGH!” Cuphead spun his head alone for three quick rotations.

“AAAAAAAAAGH!” Mugman held Cuphead’s head, stopping him exactly on his face looking back at him. “WHAT’S-?!”

“AAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHH!!!!” Cuphead grabbed Mugman’s shoulders and shook him like a doll.

Annoyed, Mugman slapped Cuphead’s face, making his head spin round and round and round really fast.

Cuphead held his head with both his hands to stop it from spinning, but his eyeballs kept spinning in various other directions, and his straw kept stirring clockwise until they both slowed into a stop. His eyes looked sideways towards Mugman.

Mugman’s stern eyes softened into endearment, then he gently held Cuphead’s left cheek, turned it to face him, and then sandwiched the sides of Cuphead’s head with both his hands.

“Ya okay bud?” He asked softly.

Trembling, Confused, Cuphead could not say or do anything but stare. Then, his eyes scrunched, determined to challenge his inner thoughts.

Mirroring Mugman, he sandwiched both sides of Mugman’s head with his hands, and the latter glared confused.

“W-what?!” He blinked.

“Smile for me bro.” He said, as he seriously looked into Mugman’s eyes.

Mugman paused and raised an eyebrow. “Huh?!”

“Just do it Mugsy!” Cuphead gave Mugman’s head a very light shake. “Just do it!”

Mugman blinked again, still quite unsure what Cuphead was on about, but he just smiled with his best smile anyway.

Cuphead scanned his brother’s face from top to bottom; Mugman had the same round eyes with with pie-cut shaped pupils, his cheeks were so puffy that they covered the lower part of his eyes, and his smile was showing his square, decaying, and candy-covered teeth.

Cuphead took a deep breath, and sighed in relief.

“You’re…” He huffed. “You’re not creepy.” He rested his forehead onto his brother’s, earning a clink, and his nose was resting on his brother’s big blue on one because it was too big to ignore… and it was squishy. “You’re not a creepy buddy.”

Mugman’s eyes widened in surprise, then he raised an eyebrow in confusion, then he made a big curly smile as the brotherly heart on his chest melted with a dreamy sigh as it watched the both of them touch foreheads. He then pressed his forehead back towards Cuphead in return, and then he closed his eyes. They both smiled, hands on each other’s sides of their heads, leaning their foreheads to each other like real brothers would.

“You’re a dorky buddy.” Cuphead said softly.

Mugman’s eyes popped open, then glared unamused at Cuphead. “What was that?!”

“Nuthin’.” Cuphead’s right lip smiled bigger.

Mugman pushed his nose and forehead deeper. “Oh ya said sumthin’.” He narrowed his glare.

Cuphead giggled. “Nah, yer just hearin’ stuff.” He pushed Mugman’s face back to its comfortable pose, and then kept resting his forehead and nose onto his brother’s.

Mugman just kept glaring at him suspiciously, waiting for a sign that Cuphead would say any humbuggery and dum dumness… and then he just closed his eyes and resumed his curly smile. The brotherly heart in Mugman’s chest meanwhile hugged a picture frame which contained Cuphead and Mugman’s buddy-hugging picture. It even planted a kiss on it in the middle and then continued hugging the frame.

“…dorky buddy…” Cuphead whispered.

Mugman recoiled away as far as Cuphead’s arms could reach, his eyes glared unamused, his mouth gaped as if non-vocally saying ‘Ahh… so that’s how ya wanna play it’ and ‘I can’t believe ya just did that!’ at the same time.

Seeing Mugman’s face, Cuphead started to giggle louder and giddier with a few hiccups.

Mugman leaned a little closer and narrowed his stare. “Oh yeah? What does that make ya?”

Closed eyes, Cuphead held his hips proudly. “I’m the cool one remembah.”

“Uhh uhh!” Mugman shook his head, and folded his arms. “Yer the sippy one.”

Cuphead’s eyes widened and his mouth slowly gaped open… and soon Mugman’s eyes did too as he realized what he just said.

His eyes narrowed. His smile smirked. “What did’ja call me?”

Mugman smiled with a nervous scrunchy mouth, his shoulders shrunk and shivered, and he retreated back under the blanket a little… but then he closed his eyes, bit his chin, and gulped his fear down. He then opened his eyes, held his head high (higher than Cuphead’s in fact) and stared him down.

“I called ya a sippy!” Mugman jabbed a finger down Cuphead’s stomach.

Jolting and squeaking from the finger jab, Cuphead giggled and recoiled. “Oh that’s how ya wanna play it huh?!” He scrunched his eyebrows, rolled up his black sleeves, exposing his white arms, and then wiggled his fingers in front of Mugman’s face.

Seeing the wiggly fingers, Mugman’s body shivered with goosebumps, he bit his lower lip, his smile squiggled, and his straw straightened into an exclamation point. But then he shook his head, then pushed his smile to be bigger & more confident, and he raised his hands. “Yeah. I DO!”

Fingers straight onto his stomach, Mugman tackled Cuphead down to the bed, and the Cup laughed and laughed as Mugman’s fingers wiggled round and round, over, under, and even in the center of his stomach. Cuphead tried to push away his brother’s arms, but laughing Mugman kept jabbing them back or dodging his brother’s pushes.

As Mugman jabbed his right arm, Cuphead’s left hand jabbed into Mugman’s armpit, causing the squeak in laughter and move his right shoulder away from Cuphead’s hand, but Cuphead took the opening and jabbed his brother’s right hip. Mugman’s body curled in, trying to cover his hip, but Cuphead’s hand was still in it and was wiggling its fingers.

Growling, laughing, and battle yelling, the boys went on and on in this back and forth rumble and tumble fight cloud in this tiny wrestling ring of a one-person bed, with both of them either giving it their hardest tickles yet, or laughing their hearts out as they were tickled. In one instance, Mugman managed to snatch Cuphead’s head off his neck and then tickle the base of his ‘cup’ head, leaving Cuphead’s body to jolt on the bed while the head laughed with squeaky hiccups. In another, Cuphead kept wiggling onto Mugman’s side stomachs, and Mugman kept laughing and laughing with snorts while his body jolted. In another, Mugman was sitting on Cuphead’s tush, and tickling Cuphead’s right foot mercilessly, and the latter kept laughing with tears while he pounded the pillow with his fists. Back and forth, dominating each other, this fight cloud of laughter went on and on.

Eventually, they rolled off the bed, and crashed down to the floor with their heads rolling on the floor (literally) in a half-circle each, Cuphead rolled to the left, and Mugman rolled to the right, laughing with their respective snorts and squeaky hiccups. Their heads clinked together, completing the full circle with each of their half circle rolls, and the clink tilted their heads upright, jiggling ‘til the bases of their ‘cup heads’ were flat on the floor.

Finally, after a long while of laughing, they both made big sighs. Closed eyes, their bodies grabbed their heads from the floor, then held it on top of their stomachs facing the ceiling.

Opening their eyes, they saw a ceiling full of plastic green stars, and they both smiled.

“Guess that really wasn’t ya back there…” Mugman’s eyes kept looking at the stars.

Cuphead blinked, and his mouth opened a little in surprise. “Whaddya mean Mugs?” His eyes kept looking at the stars too.

“I mean, it wasn’t ya who dunnit ya know?” Mugman looked at Cuphead momentarily. “Back there… ya did stuff ya wouldn’t normally do, ya said stuff ya wouldn’t yap about…” His hand opened while explaining. “Ya had this… creepy smile on ya face…”

Cuphead’s eyes widened. ‘Creepy smile…’ Two crimson vertical lines for eyes… A closed curved mouth smile, as if delighting in what it had done… Was that connected?

“I haven’t been freaked out like that ever since we met the devil or…” Mugman took a breath. “Ya prankin’ me tuh thinkin’ ya were gonna give the soul contracts tuh the devil.”

Cuphead snickered. “I got ya pretty good didn’t I?” He elbowed Mugman.

Mugman grumbled. “Cuphead, ya were turnin. Yer teeth were sharkin’, yer straw was chippin’, yer eyes turned yellowy with red… fiery circle thin’s in em.”

Cuphead snickered. “’Circle’ thin’s?”

Mugman grumbled again. “Look, I dunno the werd for ‘em okay?”

“I thot ya ‘ad good comblahblahsion?” Cuphead looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

Mugman’s cheeks puffed and his eyes twitched in annoyance. “W-well-“

“Ah! Ah!” Cuphead beamed, his head was sitting on his stomach and his fingers were pointing straight to Mugman. “I gotcha!”

Eyes twitching, straw puffing with steam, mouth scrunched in annoyance, Mugman grumbled as he slammed his head back onto his neck. “Well at least its bettah than yers!” He poked Cuphead’s stomach as he said ‘bettah’.

As he was poked, Cuphead’s body jolted and he squeaked in laughter, and in retaliation he poked Mugman’s side stomach, which caused him to squeak in laughter as well.  Giggling, they both raised their hands, ready to block any finger jab to be thrown at either of them, and then they lowered their hands down, silently agreeing to stop. They both looked back at the stars, while Cuphead was putting his head back to his neck.

“I just…” Mugman looked at the lower cornoer of his eyes. “I just know ya that’s all. It dun make sense but, that cup who dun’ all that back there….” He looked at his brother and smiled. “I know that wasn’t ya.”

While Cuphead twisted his head secure, his eyes were locked onto Mugman’s and he smiled as well. They both held hands and then looked up at the ceiling.

“I dun…” Cuphead turned his head slightly to Mugman. “I dun remember anythin’ after I got ticked off. I just woke up aftah ya smacked me ‘n the face.”

“Well…” Mugman looked at Cuphead. “What ticked ya off then?”

Cuphead paused for a moment, and looked at Mugman. “Toriel hit ya pretty square. She sent ya flyin’ tuh the wall, and then yer…” His eyes widened. “Yer handle!”

Mugman raised an eyebrow. “What about it?”

“It’s fixed!” Cuphead pointed to it.

Looking behind him. Mugman reached and grasped his handle, and gasped as he could feel it whole. “It is!” His eyes widened as he looked back at Cuphead.

Then… creamy golden-brown wisps of air seeped into Cuphead and Mugman’s nostrils, and they sniffed in the scent of butter and cinnamon. At the same time, the boys sat up… and there they saw the source.

Two creamy brown pies (with golden brown crust and creamy brown filling) were set on the floor in the middle of the rug blessed by the warm white light peeking from the narrow open doorway.

“Woah… De ja vu…” Cuphead stared at the pies with a raised eyebrow as he scratched the top of his bendy straw.

“Cuphead…” Mugman stared at the pies in epiphany. “I think we’re way past de ja vu ville at this point.”

They both stared at the pies, trying to grasp what’s going on.

Out of the semi-open door, Cuphead (above) and Mugman (below) peeked their heads out and looked around the brightly warm-lit hallway. Knowing it was clear, Cuphead walked out with Mugman following behind him, reaching his hand for a hand hold, but Cuphead, annoyed, swatted it away with his back hand.

As they walked, Mugman looked up to see a series of glowing orbs that were painfully as bright as the sun. His eyes squinted as they passed him… he wondered what they were called.

The growing sound of fire crackled as they approached the living room. They peeked in to see Toriel sitting on her reading couch, wearing her reading glasses, eyes focused on the brown book she held up to her eyes. She was humming a tune similar to what the music box was playing.

Toriel chuckled to herself. “Snails, snails, snails… I do really miss snail pie though.” She sighed longingly as she kept reading her book. “Snails cannot survive in-“ She was about to read the rest of the passage, but then caught a tint of blue and red at the bottom right periphery of her vision.

“Oh!” She exclaimed as she moved the book away to the left, to see Cuphead and Mugman standing there with their blank faces. She smiled. “Up and about I see. Did you sleep well?” She tilted her head playfully. “In fact, you slept like a…” She closed her eyes. “Cupple of angels!”

She laughed out loud to the ceiling, but the boys only kept silent, looking at her, remembering what had happened to her. Toriel’s laughter awkwardly died down as she looked at them strangely.

“Is there…” She cleared her throat. “Something wrong?”

Cuphead and Mugman’s straws turned into exclamation points and their eyes widened.

“Oh! Err… n-nuthin!” Cuphead nervously smiled as he scratched his head.

“Y-yeah!” Mugman began touching his fingers. “W-we just-“ Mugman stretched his arms wide, accidentally hitting Cuphead with his right fist. “Woke up!”

After he was hit, Cuphead looked at Mugman annoyed, but then smirked. “Yeah! We-“ He stretched his arms wide and hit Mugman with his left fist.

“Ow!” Mugman yelled.

“We’re still feelin’ the mornin’ blues!” Cuphead continued.

“Hey! Watcha do that for!” Mugman rubbed his right shoulder, comforting it from the pain

“Hey!” Cuphead shrugged his shoulders, then raised his hands as he smiled carefree at Mugman. “Ya started it foirst.”

Mugman’s fists tightened as he grunted loudly, and stomped his left foot as his straw puffed with steam.. “That’s not how it woirks!”

Cuphead grinned, with fists at the ready to fight.

Toriel sighed and rolled her eyes. “Children, just because I have healing powers, does not mean you can just fight each other over and over.”

“Aww.” Cuphead looked at Toriel with a sad face. “Why not?!”

“Cuphead!” Mugman stared angrily at him, with tears welling in his eyes, a little betrayed knowing that his brother wanted to fight him.

“What?!” Cuphead put his fists on his hips as he smiled at Mugman. “It’s fun tuh have a lil’ rumble!”

Mugman’s eyes widened. “Oh yeah that is fun!” He nodded as his fists pounded the air excitedly.

“No!” Toriel held their shoulders. “No fighting as long as you are living in this house!”

Smiling, Cuphead and Mugman looked at Toriel, but then they slowly frowned as they heard what Toriel said. ‘Living in this house.’

Toriel’s eyes widened as she caught herself saying that.

“Oh! F-forgive me.” She gave a forced chuckle. “Only if you are willing of course!” She clapped her hands.

Cuphead and Mugman looked at each other worried, and then back at Toriel.

Toriel forced her smile. “Don’t worry my children. I have it all planned out!” She held her index finger pointing up. “In fact, I have prepared a special curriculum for your education!” She clasped her hands together. “You could learn about monsters magic, snails!” She touched-counted her index, middle, and ring finger, counting each subject that was mentioned. “Oh!” She spread her hands. “Let’s not forget your basic subjects like Math, English, and even your arts!” She counted the subjects with her left hand.

She closed her eyes and sighed as she rested her hands on her lap. “I have always wanted to be a teacher you know?” She looked at the boys, who just listened to her blankly. “Actually… perhaps that wasn’t much of a surprise…” Her eyes looked at the corner, as she chuckled nervously. “But still.” She glared intently at space.

“Oh!” She smiled at them as she clapped her hands together. “Would ya like to get started?”

Cuphead and Mugman just stared at her not knowing what to say. They looked at each other trying to find something, but they could not.

Toriel huffed. “Well, I think we can start by reading a book. Mugman, could you go to the shelf and choose a book for us to read?”

For a few seconds, Mugman looked at Toriel with worry, and then he walked towards the bookshelf. His eyes scanned left and right at the bookshelf to find something interesting… and then he came across a golden title in a black leather book spine.

‘The Underground: A History.’

Mugman pulled out the black book and then brought it to Toriel with the front cover facing her.

As she looked at the book, Toriel’s expression numbed into a frown. For a few moments she kept staring at it, and then suddenly shook her head awake.

“Why… this particular book my child?” Toriel faked a smile as she held the book with her hands.

“W-well…” Mugman touched his fingers. “I wanna learn more about this place. Ya- ya know it’s… it’s…” Mugman looked to the side thinking what to say.

“Home!” Cuphead raised his finger.

Mugman gasped and smiled at Cuphead’s answer.

Cuphead winked at Mugman, and looked at Toriel. “It’s like ya said Toriel. It’s home!”

Toriel’s smile warmed and stretched up to her eyes. “Alright.” She set the book down above the fireplace shelf, and then patted her hands on her knees. “Come up here my children.”

Cuphead and Mugman made half-smiles, and then climbed up to sit on her knees. Toriel picked up the book again from the shelf, brought it between the boys, and then opened it.

Toriel began reading. “Long ago, two races ruled over earth: humans and monsters. And apparently…” She chuckled, and looked at Cuphead. “Some of them were cups!” She booped his tiny red nose with her left finger.

“Hey!” Cuphead smiled, raised an eyebrow, and swatted the finger away gently.

She looked towards Mugman. “And mugs!” She booped the tip of Mugman’s nose, and he giggled bubblily with a few snorts.

Toriel looked back to her book. “One day, war broke out between the two races.”

“What kind’a war?” Cuphead leaned forward to the book, his hands held his knees.

“A terrible one my child.” Toriel said, smiling.

“Was there any ‘kaboom!’” Mugman spread his hands, mimicking an explosion. “Choo Choo!” He pretended to fire his finger guns.

Cuphead laughed at Mugman’s comment. “Or any ‘Wham!’” He punched the air with his right fist. “’Bam!’” He punched with his left fist. “’Ka-pow!’” He spread his hands to mimic an explosion.

“He-hehey!” Mugman giggled. “That’s what I said!” He pointed his thumb to himself as he leaned towards Cuphead.

“Nah, ya said, ‘Kaboom!’” Cuphead folded his arms as he smirked at Mugman.

Mugman rolled his eyes playfully.

Toriel chuckled. “Yes. There were plenty of those my children. Plenty….” She looked back at the book and frowned. “And terrible.”

Cuphead gasped in amazement, while Mugman frowned.

“After a long battle…” Toriel’s eyes started to tremble. “The humans were victorious.”

“Woohoo!” Cuphead punched the air in celebration.

Glaring at his brother, Mugman lightly punched Cuphead’s side-stomach. “Cuphead!”

“Ow! Hey!” But then, Cuphead gasped and his eyes widened in realization. “Oh! Ummm…” He smiled apologetically to Toriel. “Sorry.” He scratched the back of his head.

Toriel smiled numbly. “It’s alright my child.” She closed her eyes, feigning a happy smile. “You won.”

Mugman and Cuphead frowned… then shivered; it creeped them out, especially remembering what they did to her.

Toriel opened her eyes and looked back at the book. “They sealed the monsters underground with a magic spell.”

Cuphead and Mugman looked at the book with gloom; this wasn’t their fairytale… it was the beginning of their dark fate.

“Fearful of further human attacks, we retreated.” Toriel’s voice became gloomier. “Far far into the earth we walked, until we reached the cavern’s end. This was our new home, which we named… Home.”

Toriel stopped, and she just stared into the book eerily and silently.

Mugman looked into the page, and read the last sentence.

‘As great as our king is, he is pretty lousy at names.’

Worried and confused, Mugman looked back to their caretaker. “Toriel?”

Her hands gripped the book with tension, and then shut the book gently. “Excuse me for a moment.” She set the book down to the right armrest. She picked up Cuphead and Mugman’s handles and set the boys down standing on the floor.

With gloomy faces, Cuphead and Mugman just stood there and watched her leave, just like she did before.

“This is the part she tells us she won’t let us go. You know… when we go down theeh’” Mugman pointed his finger to where Toriel left.

Cuphead just silently listened, not reacting to something he should’ve known already. He put his hand into his right pocket, and then unpocketed something. Bringing it out and unfolding his fist, he gasped as he saw the toy knife, and he dropped it to the floor in shock. 

When Mugman looked at it, his eyes widened and he gasped in shock too.

They both looked in horror at the toy knife on the floor.

A Froggit squeaked in shock. “Where did you get that?!”

Cuphead and Mugman, holding hands and standing side by side, looked at the Froggit standing by the corner of the doorway they exited from.

“Oh! Hey there fella!” Mugman smiled and waved hi.

“We found it lyin’ around back there.” Cuphead pointed his thumb towards the doorway behind them.

The Froggit squeaked horrified. “Y-you’re” It croaked, as if gulping anxiously. “You’re not gonna use that are you?!”

Cuphead and Mugman stared in shock and confusion.

“What fer?!” Cuphead’s grip on Mugman’s hand squeezed a bit as he stared with a raised eyebrow.

The Froggit croaked. “Oh… a long time ago that was used for some unspeakable horrors…” Its eyes looked at its lower left corner in remembrance.

The boys looked bewildered at the Froggit, but then their cheeks puffed accompanied with snickers, and then they each unleashed a squeaky and snorty laughter; Cuphead had his hands on his stomach as he leaned back, and Mugman had his hands on his lap as he bent forward.

“Hey look Mugman!” Cuphead raised his toy knife and looked mischievously at his brother who was raising an eyebrow back at him. “I’m gonna get’cha with this!”

“AGH!” Mugman’s body jolted as Cuphead poked his toy knife into his right armpit. “C-Cupheadd-AGH!” He made another loud squeak loud as he was poked again. He raised his hands trying to swat away or block the jabs, but Cuphead just kept jabbing into openings he saw. “PLE-HEehease!” He laughed. “Ss-stohaHAHAHAHA!” Merciless and relentless jabs kept poking to his tickle spots while Cuphead just kept giggling like a menace.

Furious, and holding back tears from its eyes and stomach, The Froggit grumbled and stared the boys down with all four eyes. “Oh you can make fun of it all you want but it’s true! YOU DIRTY SCUMBUGS!” It SHOUTED, then hopped towards them.

Mid-laughter, they abruptly fell silent, and the boys stared wide-eyes offended at the Froggit that was trying tower over them despite his small size. Mugman’s eyes started to moisten, and he made a sniffle. Cuphead’s eyes widened as he noticed his brother’s reaction.

To the Froggit, Cuphead stomped forward while clutching the knife on his right hand. “WHAT DIDJ’A CALL US?!”

Squeaking in alarm, The Froggit stuck its back against the wall, and its fore and hind webbed feet grasped it for life.

“CUPHEAD NO!” Mugman yelled as he grasped his brother’s wrist, the one Cuphead was clutching the knife with.

Though enraged, Cuphead looked at his brother, and after hearing his brother’s plea, his eyes and hands softened. After an angry huff, Cuphead yanked his hands away from his brother’s, and folded his arms as he looked away in some corner.

Mugman smiled with gratitude and sympathy at his brother, then turned to the Froggit. “W-we’re sorry, we just thought-“He began to touch his index fingers.

“Well you thought wrong!” The Froggit leaned forward, with his webbed feet still clinging to the wall. “That thing was used to torment us monsters! Just like what you just did right now!” It pointed a webbed finger to Mugman.

Mugman just covered his mouth with his hands, and looked away with tears on his eyes.

The Froggit croaked and then sighed, closing its eyes for a moment. “Please… as much as you can..” It croaked, and then opened its eyes. “Have mercy on us monsters.”

From looking away, Cuphead and Mugman stared in horrified confusion at the Froggit. For a second they looked at each other, and then back at the Froggit.

“M-Mercy?!” Mugman’s eyebrows creased with concern and worry, the shaking fingertips on his hands were about to touch together.

“Golly we’ah sorry!!” Cuphead swung his fists behind him. “We ain’t gonna hurt ya pal, quit yappin about that stuff!” He folded his arms again.

“Oh…” The Froggit croaked, its body started to relax. “That’s what they all say.” It croaked again, and then relaxed onto all fours. “Trust me humans. One day…” Its eyes looked at the corner of them, and then back at the boys. “You will have to exercise mercy. Even if they don’t ask for it. Even if-!” It croaked again. “Even if they don’t deserve it.” It shook its head.

Cuphead and Mugman looked at each other, biting their lower lips creeped out by this advice and unsure how to respond.

The Froggit croaked, it hopped a little closer to the boys. “By the way… Toriel came by here just a while ago.”

From creeped out, Cuphead and Mugman gasped and smiled at the Froggit. “She did?!”

The Froggit croaked and smiled. “Yes! She was carrying some groceries.” It croaked again. “I didn’t ask what they were for, unfortunately…” The Froggit looked left and right and then whispered with its backhand covering its sidemouth. “We’re all too intimidated to talk to her.”

Cuphead and Mugman snickered and snorted into giggles.

“Yeah, she tends to do that sometimes.” Mugman rolled his eyes to one side.

The Froggit nodded and croaked. “Indeed.”

Looking back at the doorway, Cuphead and Mugman saw a majestic view of castle towers, walls, and the star-like glowing lights coming from the windows and the summits of those towers.

Still holding hands, the boys walked past the doorway into a balcony with pink-bricked battlements on the walls. They walked ‘til their hands touched a crenel, and they took a deep breath as they basked at the view.

The castle was huge! Two tall castle towers flanked each side (one on the left, and one on the right), and there was one shorter tower in the middle. Behind the short middle castle tower was a dome tower; the top had a small lookout room with crescent-arched windows, lines etched from base of the lookout room down to the baseline of the dome radiating from the center outwards, and finally there were three small crescent arched windows below the baseline of the dome. The dome was flanked by four tall towers, two on the front of it, and two from behind, and they all looked smaller from this distance. From each flanking tower, there was a hall that had thin pillars supporting the thick ceiling/roof, each hall spread apart from the dome like they were its wings. Behind the castle, were numerous villages and communities, and far beyond was a tinier castle they could barely see.

The Froggit hopped close beside them and then jumped up several times to at least get to see the view beyond the wall taller than him. Letting go of Cuphead’s hand, Mugman looked down at the Froggit, picked him up, and held him close to his chest as they looked at the view together.

The Froggit croaked. “No matter how long we’ve been trapped here… I can never deny that this…” It croaked again. “Is a majestic sight to behold.”

Cuphead and Mugman sighed dreamily. They sidestepped close to each other, then Cuphead buddy hugged Mugman, and then they gently let their heads clink together.

“Righty-ho pal.” They said in sync. “Righty-ho.”

Their eyes were glued to the floor with heavy thoughts looming over their heads as they walked the long pink hallway. They left the toy knife behind on the floor in the living room, not daring to touch it again.

As they walked, Toriel had been speaking to them about destroying the door, about Asgore, and how she insisted them to go upstairs, but these words fell on their deaf ears as their minds circled over heavy thoughts.

“One day… you will have to exercise mercy. Even if they don’t ask for it. Even if-!” The Froggit croaked. “Even if they don’t deserve it.”

Killing her… Cuphead not remembering how… Mugman trying to stop it but failing… and just at the thought of it, they erased all that by going back in time… and now they’re afraid of making that same mistake again… of seeing her die again…

They stopped walking. Their eyes looked up.

Far ahead, Toriel stood there looking at the door in front of her, with her back turned towards the boys.

“You want to leave so badly?” Toriel spoke in her numb voice. “Hmph… You are just like the others.” She began to turn slowly, and she stared back at them with her numb eyes. She gave a deep sigh and closed her eyes. “There is only one solution to this… Prove yourself…” She opened her eyes, and laid her palms to her left and right at the ready. “Prove to me you are strong enough to survive.”

Cuphead and Mugman looked at Toriel with such sorrow, this was the moment before Toriel… before they…

“Why are you looking at me like that?”  Toriel’s numb eyes squinted little.

Confused, Cuphead and Mugman’s eyes squinted. “W-what?!”

“Why did you just look at me as if you saw a ghost?” Her numb but soft voice spoke. “Do you know something I do not?”

Mugman’s eyes widened and he gasped. “C-Cuphead!”

In response, Cuphead held Mugman’s hand as he stared in shock-realization at Toriel. Mugman looked at his brother, who noticed his focused stare.

“No… that is impossible.” Right then, Toriel firmed her stance at the ready.

Cuphead and Mugman’s mouths straightened numb, and they stared at her, accepting the inevitability. Mugman looked to Cuphead, waiting for him to say something. Then… Cuphead smiled with cheery bright hope. Cuphead looked at his brother and winked at him.

Mugman’s eyebrow arched, confused why his brother was smiling… but slowly… Mugman smiled too. They didn’t know why, they didn’t know how… but as they looked at Toriel with brave and determined faces, they tightened the grip on each other’s hands with one idea in their minds.

‘We’re gonna save Toriel.’

A yellow star glowed from between their hands.

From Toriel’s palms, two candlelight fires sparked from thin air and grew into fireballs. Like before, she circled her arms clockwise ‘til she brought her wrists together and then thrusted them forward, unleashing a colorful spiraling fire blast.

Mugman stared at the spiral of fire with a sweat on his brow. “Backflip!” He looked at his brother urgently, and he nodded.

Cuphead and Mugman made continuous backflips until they reached they were a meter away from the wall behind them. But then their eyes widened as the fire blasts kept approaching them.

They jumped away from the center trying to dodge it, but the fire blasts hit the wall, and the flames bounced and spread sidewards. When they turned, the flames were already in their faces.

Far ahead of Toriel who was gritting her teeth while maintaining her power, the hallway was engulfed in rainbow-colored bright flames. After a while, the boys emerged screaming, bodies charred in black except for their eyes, flailing their arms around and running in panic.

“CUPHEAAAD!” Mugman turned to Cuphead behind him.

“MUGMAAAN!” Cuphead turned to Mugman behind him.

They both ran into each other’s arms, but as their chests bumped into each other, their bodies dissipated powdery ashes, leaving their shivering pink hearts or SOULs behind. Before their eyes dissipated, the boys caught a glimpse of Toriel covering her mouth and watching in horror at what she had done.

Falling… falling… into the darkness. Closed eyes, into the null, silent void…

“C-…” A faint voice echoed.

They kept falling… and falling…

“You have to wake up…” The faint voice said.

Their close eyes stirred for a moment but remained shut.

“Boys…” Elder Kettle’s voice spoke, in his warm, caring, and playful nature. “I’ve got hot chocolate for your Mugs if you’ll come home!”

Cuphead and Mugman’s eyes opened with fresh determination in their eyes. They both turned to the bottom of the void, which then turned into the image of Toriel standing at the ready to fight. They both held hands and they dove straight to the image. The boys’ voices spoke in the void.

‘We’re gonna save Toriel.’

Their eyes opened to the moment when Toriel laid her palms open at the ready.

Toriel, like before, twirled her hands spiraling towards the center, then prepared a fireball from the center of her coned palms. This time, she spread her arms open in quick whips of her arms, unleashing eight fireballs arranged in a curved row.

Cuphead leaned in towards Mugman. “Mugs…” He whispered.

Mugman turned to him. “Yeah?”

“Ya saw that look Toriel gave us?” Cuphead he raised an eyebrow to his brother.

Mugman paused for a moment of thought, a moment of dark, hibby jibby thought, and then nodded. “Yeah.”

Toriel pushed her hands forward, and the fireballs launched towards them.

Mugman’s left eye reflected the fireballs that were coming to them, but his right eye showed the memory of Toriel’s shock.

Cuphead jumped to the side to get out of the way. As he landed safe, he turned around and saw Mugman, closed eyes, and arms wide open… while the fireballs were hurtling straight towards him.

“MUGMAN!” Cuphead screamed, his straw turned into an exclamation point, and his eyes shrank and shook with terror.

All eight fireballs landed onto Mugman and exploded. Cuphead covered his eyes with his arms, because of the bright light of the explosion. When he opened them, he saw a dark ash spot left behind with a mound of ash.

From the ash pile, Mugman’s ghost came out floating up unconscious.

After swinging his fists to the right and lifting his left foot to the right in cartoony fashion, Cuphead sprinted to Mugman and, using his gloved hand that popped out from the tip of his head-straw, gave a loud clapping high-five to Mugman’s pink heart on his chest.

In ghost form, Mugman gasped for air and opened his eyes, and then his body (starting from his torso to his appendages, to his mug head, and finally to his circular straw halo straightening back again) popped back into its solid, physical form. From midair, Mugman fell down, and was caught laid across Cuphead’s arms; some milk splashed out of Mugman’s head in the meanwhile.

“Mugs!” Cuphead yelled as he looked with watery eyes at his brother. “Speak to me buddy!” He shook his brother.

Mugman moaned. He turned his weak half-open gaze to Cuphead.

“Nice… catch…” With a deep exhale, Mugman slumped onto Cuphead’s arms.

Cuphead smiled, his watery eyes streamed down tears to his face. “Don’t scare me like that ya dum dum!” Arms holding Mugman’s knees and torso, Cuphead hugged Mugman very very tight, and the exhausted latter just wrapped one buddy arm to Cuphead’s neck and clinked his head.

A sigh… a very heavy, heartaching but relieved sigh… followed by a desperate gasp for air.

Shaking and shivering breaths in and out... in and out… Tears streamed down from Toriel’s horrified eyes… Her trembling hands were lowered to her chin… and then, her knees crashed to the ground, and she buried her face within her hands. (Get draft from other laptop)

Cuphead and Mugman looked her way and saw her panting, breathing in shaking, shivering, and heartaching breaths. Her eyes flowed with tears, and her hands lowered to her chin after covering her mouth in shock. Her knees shook, and then crashed to the floor. She buried her face into her hands, and began to sob to the point tears flowed through the gaps of her fingers.

To see her so broken like this… eyes wondering if there was any other way, any lesser evil they could’ve used to convince her… but the boys sighed, knowing that this was the best chance they’ve ever gotten.

Cuphead set Mugman down, and together they made two steps forward.

“Pleeaase…” Her shuddering whisper was like a ghost’s. “Go upstairs…”

The boys paused and froze just to look at her. But they took a breath, held hands, and took another step.

“PLEEAASSE!!” Toriel screamed, her hands covered her eyes, leaving only her mouth open.

Mugman shuddered while Cuphead’s chest jumped.

Breathing in and out… shuddering… in and out… Toriel made a cold and forceful chuckle. “Ironic… is it not?” Shuddering breath in and out. “…I couldn’t save a single child… and now…” She made a sob. “It’s as if I killed one… no… all of them…!” Her forehead dropped to the floor, and she wailed so loud, her voice echoed through the halls.

“A-all-!” Mugman gulped.  “All of-f th-them?!” His legs began to jelly tremble.

Knowing there was no point in delaying, Cuphead shook his head to clear his mind. “Come on Mugs!” He started to walk around Toriel.

With his glossy caring empathetic eyes, Mugman turned to Cuphead, and then glanced back at Toriel, as if to say they could not just leave like this.

Cuphead just shook his head in response. “Mugs!” His eyes pointed at the door, then he looked back at him. “We can go now! Let’s just go!”

“Oh…” Mugman glanced at Toriel again, and he made a sniffle. “O-okay…”

They walked around Toriel who kept wailing in the meantime. They made it to the door, and pushed it open (Mugman on the left, Cuphead on the right). They took their first step past the doorway, until-

“Wait!” Toriel called.

The boys turned around.

With her back turned, Toriel had stood up, wiped her face with her paws, then wiped the skirt of her toga with her hands. “This… this isn’t your home.” She took a deep breath and let out a deep sigh of regret. “Even if I were to convince you to stay… you won’t be happy here… and…” Toriel turned her head back to them. “There is someone… waiting for you?”

Cuphead and Mugman nodded.

“Elder Kettle…” Mugman responded.

She looked at the corner of her eyes, then closed them, and then turned away from the boys. “If you truly wish to leave the ruins… I won’t try to stop you any longer…” Her right hand grasped the chest of her toga tightly. “And if you do…” She showed the right side of her face to them, where a tear streamed from that closed eye. “Please… don’t come back.”

Cuphead and Mugman’s eyes widened. They glanced at each other, and Cuphead rolled his eyes, frustrated that it wasn’t right to go, while Mugman just gave a look of sympathy. The boys walked to Toriel.

Cuphead tugged on her toga. “Hey… we dun’-!” 

Toriel suddenly turned around and hugged them on their backs, and the boys gasped in response. “Please… try to understand.”

The boys looked with wide eyes at her after this sudden act of hers, but then their eyes began to well up and they began to sniffle with runny noses. With big arms, they hugged her back and they began to cry.

She then pulled away, wiped a tear from each of their eyes, and smiled at their booger-infested runny-nosed sobbing faces.

The boys touched their necks, and their eyes widened to feel cloth wrapped around them. They looked down and gasped to see that their necks were wrapped with scarves, blue and red with their respective colors.

“Goodbye… children…” With a smile, she stood up and wiped tear from her right eye with her thumb. “Be good, alright?”

Toriel then took a step away, and then sprinted back towards the direction of home.

“W-wait!!” They both shouted as they reached their hands towards her.

Her footsteps faded, and faded… and faded… into silence. She was gone… she was gone… Only the breaths of the two boys staring at the empty hall could be heard. Their eyes met, communicating a mix of ‘what just happened’, ‘what do we do?’, and calling each other’s names, all in just that one look. And then… they just turned around and ran.

Side by side, footsteps echoing through the halls, they ran in this long narrow hallway towards the darkness ahead. While they were running, Cuphead’s eyes widened suddenly remembering, then he angrily looked at Mugman, and punched him on his left shoulder.

“Ow!” Mugman recoiled away. “Hey, what was dat foh?!” He glared at Cuphead while he rubbed his own shoulder.

Suddenly, Cuphead gave a tackling hug that almost tipped Mugman over to fall, but he held his ground.

“Why’dja do that ya big joirk?!” Furious, Cuphead finger-jabbed Mugman’s side stomach, causing the latter to squeak in laughter. “Yer gonna gimme nightmares with dat stunt ya pulled!” He hugged Mugman really tight.

“Aww…” Mugman smiled heartwarmingly, and returned the hug. “Well, ya saw how she looked at us when we got toasted…” He opened his eyes and looked at a corner in deep thought. “So I figyad it was what we needed tuh get outta heeya.”

“Clever…” From the darkness, a triple-pitched demonic, sarcastic voice spoke.

Eyes widened, frozen in place, the boys slowly turned towards the direction of the voice.

Over the center of the room, where a sunlight spotlight shone over a large circular spot with grass, Flowey was there puffy-cheeked making a ‘jolly-sarcastic’ bubbly giggle.

“Veeeery clever.” Flowey’s stare narrowed narrowed. “If only every solution to yer problem involved killing yourself.” With its carnivorous smile, it unleashed a demonic cackle straight up the ceiling that had a large hole where the sun light came through.

Cuphead grunted, broke his hug, and pointed his finger gun at Flowey. “Ya shut yer yap ya stupid pansy!” He stood in front of Mugman to shield him.

With its sly smug, Flowey leaned away. “Ohoohoho! Veery scary!” It tilted its head left and right. “Of course… I would be too after finding out what you did.” It leaned forward and gave a sly cunning smile at them.

“Yer babbling Flowey!” Mugman stood beside Cuphead and pointed his own finger gun at Flowey.

“Oh…” Flowey’s face morphed into Toriel’s. “Am I really my stupid idiots?!” Its demonic voice imitated Toriel’s voice.

Eyes wide, they gasped, and their finger guns were lowered slightly.

“Thaat’s right! I know what’cha did!” His face became gigantic, and towered over the boys, who fell sitting and leaning away from Flowey. “You MURDERED HER!” He shouted, and his voice echoed to the top. “MURDERED HER! MURDERED HER! MURDERED HER!”

“But theeeeeeen…” While menacingly rolling his eyes, Flowey’s face shrank back to normal. “Ya both had a cuute brotherly fight ‘bout how that Cup went berserk, and then hugged it all out and cried like wittle babies!” Speaking as if towards a baby, Flowey wagged its face left and right, and pouted its lips “…‘Til ya woke up back at that stupid tree!” It spoke in its normal tone.

Mugman’s eyes widened, while Cuphead just stared horrified and furious.

“W-… wh…” Cuphead uttered.

“You…” Mugman pointed his finger.

“Thaat’s right!” Flowey tilted its head to one side, teasingly. “I saw the whole thing! I guess you could say I’ve been… ‘stalking’ ya!” With its sharp carnivorous teeth showing, Flowey unleashed a demonic cackle to the ceiling. “Ugh! I can’t believe I sound like that trashbag.” It sneered, looking to the side.

“Get away from us ya creep!” Cuphead pointed his shivering finger gun at Flowey.

“And ya ain’t supposed to know that!” Mugman yelled while also pointing a shivering finger gun at Flowey.

“Oh yeah…” Flowey stretched its face really close to Mugman, that the latter gasped, shivered, and backed away.  “Yer SUPPOSED to be the smart one here!” Flowey said in mocking imitation of how Mugman said it before. “NOT!” With its demonic pupil-less eyes and carnivorous smile, it stretched closer to Mugman, making the latter yelp in fear.

Mugman ran behind Cuphead, and hid behind him while they both pointed their finger guns at Flowey.

“Going back in time to save poor Toriel…” Flowey hummed in a mocking tune while it shrank itself back to normal size. “You think yer the only one who has that power?” It raised an eyebrow and tilted its face to the boys.

Finger guns still pointing at Flowey, Cuphead and Mugman narrowed their stares trying to understand.

“The power to reshape this world…” With its leaves for hands, Flowey traced a rainbow starting from the center then ending to the sides. “All by sheer determination…” It then scooped up the air and held up an imaginary thing on the tip of its leaves and lifted it up to the light. “The power to play God! The power… to ‘Save’.”

The boys’ stares narrowed even more. “The power… to ‘Save’.”

“Those visions you saw while you were falling down that dark abyss that suddenly opens up when ya simply ‘want to go back’?” Flowey raised an eyebrow, then giggled. “That was every moment you ‘Saved’. And you could only go back to the last one ya did it. Never the others.” It shook its head.

With widened eyes, Cuphead and Mugman gasped. They flipped their palms facing themselves and looked at them, then looked at each other.

“I thought I was the only one…” Flowey rolled its eyes playfully. “But you!” Its eyes turned pale white, and it smiled with sharp teeth again. “It’s because of you I can’t do it anymore!” It chuckled with its triple-pitched menacing voice. “And once I kill ya, Imma have a nice CUPPLE of warm milk as I drink up your SOULS!” It chuckled, its leaves covered its mouth as if mimicking a playful child.

Feeling threatened, the boys pointed their finger guns at the flower.

“Awww, did I scare ya wittle babies??” Flowey wagged its head and puckered its lips. “Well buckle up! ‘Cuz that’s not even the most interesting part is it…?” It smiled with its sharp-toothed grin, and it leaned towards the boys. “I mean, the dummy phasing through the wall…” Flowey tilted its face and rolled its eyes from one side to the other as it enumerated “The pineapple spike beds, star-shaped beams from Loox, Toriel’s fire pillars…” Flowey stared at them with his narrow eyes. “They never did those before… You’ve changed the game haven’t you?” Its smile widened as it chuckled.

“What’re you yappin’about?!” Cuphead yelled as both he and Mugman made a step back.

“YOU!” Its face suddenly bloomed into gigantic size, and it smiled with its tongue out and its carnivorous teeth showing like a giant snake. “YOU ARE FROM ANOTHER WORLD! Every ‘Save’ I’ve loaded!” It pushed forward to the boys, and the boys stepped back. “Every Reset I’ve ever run in this world!” It pushed forward again, and the boys fell sitting and crawling back, while pointing their guns, wanting to fire but hesitant to even start a fight. “Froggits, Whimsuns, Vegetoids, Toriel, even that stupid rock!” On each Flowey enumerated, it pushed forward, and the boys kept crawling back to the foot of the hall. “They’ve all done and said the same things, in every Pacifist, Neutral, or Genocide run I’ve ever done! But You!” It chuckled. “Ever since you came along, they’ve all done something they’ve never done and said something I’ve never ever heard!” It cackled maniacally to the sky, its voice echoed in this dark chamber.

The boys charged their finger guns, and a ball of bright yellow energy formed at the tip of their fingers.

As his cackle ended, Flowey’s size and its loud voice shrank back to normal. “It figures.” It smirked at the boys. “Every human that ever tripped into that pit of buttercups was all flesh and bones… and they never had fingers for blasters… but you’re human alright! ‘Cuz in every monster’s eyes… your SOULS are actually upside down.” It raised its leaves as if it were shrugging its shoulders.

Cuphead raised an eyebrow. “Upside… down?”

Mugman gasped, and entered a flashback. As Toriel’s body dissipated to dust, an upside down heart hovered in the air, trembling very violently, then cracked in half and crumbled to bits of dust that dissipated to nothing.

“The monsters…” Mugman’s eyes trembled in realization. “Their hearts…”

Cuphead raised an eyebrow at Mugman, still confused.

“Whatever it is you’re ‘doin in here, it sure is shaking things up a bit!” Flowey tilted its head playfully, and chuckled. “I can’t wait to kill ya, and see what world you got up there!” It pointed its leaf to the hole above them. “What power I could get by beating every single weakling in your world!”

The boys growled, stood up, and pointed their finger guns to Flowey.

“JUST TRY IT!” Mugman charged his finger gun, converting a large ball of yellow energy to his finger tip.

“Ohoho! The baby boy’s learned his first word!” Flowey mocked as he rocked his head sideways.

Cuphead growled, and stepped beside Mugman. “Shaddup and leave us alone!” Mugman stepped his foot forward, mirroring Cuphead.

“Oh don’t play innocent you idiot!” Flowey gave Cuphead a sly look. “You’re the one that killed her in the first place!” It then smiled with its sharp teeth.

Cuphead growled, held the wrist of his right hand with his left and charged his right finger gun.

“And you!” Flowey looked at Mugman. “Are you sure ya should be pointing that gun at me? I haven’t killed anyone right?” It raised an eyebrow at Mugman.

Mugman’s eyes widened, he gasped, and his finger gun was unconsciously lowered with its charge weakening.

“Hmm your best friend on the other hand…” Flowey slid his eyes teasingly pointing at Cuphead

Mugman growled and fired a bright yellow ‘Charge’ blast to Flowey, who then, after a squeak, quickly dug the ground, and the shot flew overhead.

From the ground, Flowey started with a demonic giggle, then sprouted from the ground cackling with his shark-like smile, while his face grew two times larger. “So you do have it in you…” It narrowed its stare at Mugman while it smiled. “You’ve got what it takes to kill!!” It cackled to the sky.

Mugman growled, and together with Cuphead, they both charged their guns.

“Just one last question… Would ya do it when he turns again?” Flowey nudged his head towards the direction of Cuphead when it said ‘he’.

The boys’ eyes widened again. Cuphead’s crimson eyes and creepy smile… Waking up, seeing Toriel in a critical state…

Flowey gave another cackle. “I’ll be watching you, you stupid hot-headed cup!” It looked at Cuphead. “I’ll give her time to settle in… ‘cause when the time comes… you’ll be my best friend now!” Its creepy smiling face protruded from the flower, and then gave a demonic tri-pitched cackle that echoed through the chamber.

Flowey then plunged itself to the ground digging deeper… and deeper… and deeper… until the sound of digging dirt was gone.

The boys stood there petrified at the thoughts Flowey had planted in their minds. Then… they both gave a deep exhaling huff. They looked at each other, searching their shivering eyes for answers... and then, they just ran forward.

Before them, two giant double doors stood with two marble pillars on each side, and an arch on the top with the same ensignia of three triangles, the same that was on Toriel’s robe. They both pushed it, Mugman on the left, and Cuphead on the right, and from the middle a bright blinding light seeped in… The boys stared into it anxious of the unknown.

-Undertale-

Epilogue:

A bed of yellow buttercups bloomed over a mound of earth beneath the yellow sunlight, and swayed as they were blown by the wind from above the hole. From the darkness a panting a voice grew louder… and louder… followed by loud running and thumping of feet on the soil… her white feet emerged, then her purple robe, then her tearful face: it was Toriel.

At the foot of the bed, she stopped, then crashed her knees down to the ground, and then bowed down forehead to the ground, and wept.

“Oh Chara…” She sniffed. “My child… I’m so sorry…”

-End of Chapter 9-

-End of Act I-

Edited passage:

While Mugman was tickling… … … … … Cuphead mercilessly poked Mugman’s armpits left and right, poking wherever it was open.

In the middle of the poking, Mugman managed to snatch Cuphead’s head off of his neck. Mugman then kicked his body gentle enough to just knock him down to the body. 

“Hey!” Cuphead stared with a competitive smile, but then he started to laugh.

Mugman rubbed under the base of Cuphead’s ‘cup-head’, and his body jolted while his disconnected head laughed with hiccups.

Still jolting from the tickles, Cuphead’s body crawled towards Mugman and then poked his stomachs, making the latter jolt and drop Cuphead’s head to the bed.

“Gotcha now!” Cuphead yelled.

Cuphead’s fingers kept wiggling onto his side stomachs, and Mugman kept laughing and laughing with snorts while his body jolted. Meanwhile, Cuphead’s foot hooked onto his own head handle, and he kicked the base of his head towards his body and it landed back onto his neck.

Mugman grabbed his brother’s shoulders and used it to flip himself up, and then he landed sitting on Cuphead’s tush. He grabbed Cuphead’s right foot, and then wiggled his fingers on it, making Cuphead pound his fists onto the bed as he laughed really loud.

[cuptalecupheadxundertale]

Where do you read CupTale?

Tumblr (Here)

Archive of Our Own (AO3)

Fanfiction.net

DeviantArt

Voting ended onJul 12, 2023

[kalebishop96-blog]

CupBromance Headcanon or AU (Cuphead)

Motto: Life is a 2-Player Game. 

Cuphead and Mugman have a super close relationship to the point that they are really really fond of each other.

They:

- Share the same brain milk (brain cell). Even if they do not agree on every idea, they tend to see each other eye to eye, telepathically, and non-verbally. No matter how stupid they are, they laugh and ride on the same humor, tease each other for fun, and no matter what never drop the conversation.

- Are Super rough players. They wrestle, arm-wrestle, roughhouse, tickle fight, pillow fight, horseplay, etc. 

- Have secret handshakes and bro body language. They clink their heads… in the most extreme ways at times (because they’re the only cups in the world),  they high-five with their straws, they have a high-five combination of their own, they hold hands, etc.

- Support each other. For example, Cuphead is stronger and tougher, while Mugman is sensitive and empathetic. Their differences are each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and they’ve definitely got all of those covered. 

What makes them unique out of every brotherly dynamic out there is there will be a large amount of “cartoon logic “ in their brotherly love. Like inflating their fists with their thumbs for arm-wrestling, and others. Just imagine if Looney Tunes, Mickey Mouse, Fleischer Animations, and other types of cartoons were solely focused on brotherly love, that’s this relationship for me.

Some characters I would like their personalities and dynamics to have:

I WANNA MAKE THIS HAPPEN SO BAD! MAKE IT CANON!

[cuptalecupheadxundertale]

Support Bromance, normalize dude relationships. I mean if sisters can, why can’t brothers?

[cuptalecupheadxundertale]

CupTale (CupheadxUndertale) Ch 8: Heartache

Author’s Note:

Finally got this done after a half-year hiatus! This fic is still in hiatus sadly, but it’s slowly progressing. It’s my birthday today! And soon it will be my Japanese test on Sunday. Thank you so much for sticking around, even if it’s really taking this long. Enjoy!

Music box melody playing. The peaceful darkness. A cushy pillow on the back of your head… well, half of it for Cuphead at least. The other half was taken by a baby cooing and moaning Mugman, and Cuphead felt his brother snuggling on his right face, as if he was a pillow.

 Opening his eyes, Cuphead glared annoyed at his brother’s big and goofy smile, and his rubbing snuggles on his face… but he also felt the end of his lip curl into a smile and felt a heartfelt stiffness on his right arm that is stopping him moving away from Mugman’s shoulders. Looking down and realizing he smiled, his eyes widened, then he shook himself and growled at Mugman for making him feel like this. They weren’t flexing. They weren’t wrestling. They weren’t chest bumping, fist bumping, butt bumping, or clinking… They weren’t manly at all.

 Closed eyes, Mugman moaned and squeezed his hug a little. “Cuphead is red… Mugman is blue…”

 Cuphead couldn’t help but chuckle. “Flowers are stupid. So Cagney is too!” He continued to giggle which got a little louder and then ended with a sigh mixed with fun and disappointment. Annoyed, he glared at Mugman who was still on his face. “Ya awake yet?!” He said with a hiss on his voice.

  “Nope.” Mugman said jokingly.

 Cuphead grunted. “Well, when are ya awake?” His right hand on Mugman’s shoulder splayed.

 Mugman opened his eyes and smirked. “When I open my eyes.” And then he closed his eyes again.

 Cuphead moaned and rolled his eyes. “How long will that be?”

 Mugman squeezed his hug a little more. “Few more minutes.”

 Cuphead grumbled and pounded his left fist on the bed, causing the mattress to shake. “That’s gonna take ferever!” And then looked at the ceiling, waiting for that forever to finish… but then his eyes widened. “Wait a minute…”

 Mugman started to snicker, then bubbly giggle, then bubbly laugh. “Yer such a dum dum bro.”

 Cuphead growled. “Get off!” He pushed Mugman but he didn’t move.

 “N-ho!” Mugman giggled and tightened his hug.

 “You’re being super icky right now!” With his hands, Cuphead pushed his face off.

 “Aww come on!” Mugman pushed his head through Cuphead’s hands and clinked the head of his brother, who squeaked startled in reaction. “You like this ickiness!”

 Milk boiling, straw steaming and whistling like a kettle, Cuphead readied his hands. “I. DO. NOT!!!” At the last word, Cuphead pushed Mugman’s face away very very hard.

 “OW! HEEEY!” Mugman swatted Cuphead’s hands. “YA DIDN’T HAVTUH PUSH SO HARD!”

 “THEN GET OFF ME!” Cuphead pushed Mugman’s chest.

 “NO!” Mugman pushed Cuphead’s chest back. “I’M NOT DONE!” He placed his hands on Cuphead’s shoulders and hit his forehead onto Cuphead’s.

 Cuphead’s furious eyes glared straight into Mugman’s. “YES!” He put his foot on Mugman’s stomach. “YOU-“

 A wisp of brown creamy curly air waved and seeped into the nostrils of Cuphead and Mugman who then sniffed, sniffed, closed their eyes, and then followed the scent with their sniffing noses. The trail led to the floor behind Mugman and they both leaned their noses towards it while sucking the scent with their giant nostrils at the same time. They opened their eyes and gasped.

 Two creamy brown pies (with golden brown crust and creamy brown filling) were set on the floor in the middle of the rug blessed by the warm white light peeking from the narrow open doorway.

 Dog-like tongues dripping with drool stuck out of the brothers’ mouths and they used them to lick their own entire faces. They looked at each other, cheekily grinned at each other, and then scrambled out of bed while growling, laughing, and playfully pushing each other, to get to the pie. Along the way, they pushed each other so hard they crashed sitting and laughing on the floor next to the closest pie they each had.

 They both looked at the pie with their black pupils reflecting the pie’s image… but then Mugman raised an eyebrow confused.

 “Huh…” Mugman continued to stare. “No forks.”

 “Heh!” Cuphead elbowed Mugman. “Relax, we can eat it on the floor.”

 Mugman glared at Cuphead. “On the floor?! Like animals?!” Then suddenly Mugman’s eyes widened. “Ohhhh…” He said in realization, picked up his plate of pie and smiled at it. “Toriel-! THAT’S WHY THERE’S NO FORKS!” He held up the pie like it was gold.

 Cuphead glared confused at Mugman “Uhh, yeah!” He smiled. “Forks are borin’ anyway.” He motioned his right hand to pick up the pie until-

 “HEY HEY HEY!” Mugman swatted Cuphead’s hand.

 “Hey!” Cuphead glared surprised at Mugman.

 “Didja wash yer hands?” Mugman pointed his right finger at Cuphead while looking at him with his squinted right eye.

 Cuphead snickered and then swatted Mugman’s right index finger away. “Who cares?” He splayed his carefree hands, while Mugman just looked at him annoyed. “We’ve got gloves.” He presented his hands wiggled his fingers.

 Mugman scoffed and rolled his eyes. “The same gloves you drooled on and fell on the dirty creek! You’ll wind up buzzed by germsville! I’ll go find the bathroom.” He placed his right foot down, ready to stand.  

“Mmmmokay!” Cuphead smiled smug and picked up his pie. “I hope ya don’t mind if I eat that other slice if yer not havin’ it!”

 After a moment of staring cautiously at Cuphead, Mugman picked up his plate and moved the pie away. “No way! I just need clean hands!”

 Cuphead shrugged his shoulders. “Alrighty!” He offered his hand. “I’ll just hold onto yer plate while ya go wash yer hands!”

 Mugman gasped and beamed. “Thanks buddy!” He was about to lend his plate to Cuphead. “Hey wait a minute…” He pulled back his plate to the middle and squinted his eyes at Cuphead. “Ya tryna pull a fast one on me?”

 Cuphead snickered while biting his teeth together and holding back tears. “Whaddya mean bro?”

  “Yer gonna wait until I’m outta sight.” Mugman pointed his left finger at the door. “And then when I come back” He pointed his finger to the floor. “Both pies’ll be gone and in yer stomach!” Mugman stretched his left arm two times its size to poke Cuphead’s stomach, causing him to squeak in laughter.

 Still giggling, Cuphead swatted his brother’s left hand away. “Soooo… Let’s eat em togethah!” He presented his plate to Mugman. “Come on!” He smirked and raised an eyebrow at Mugman. “Don’t leave me hangin’ pal, or I’m getting that slice!” He winked and pointed at Mugman’s pie.

 Mugman grumbled at Cuphead for this idea… but then he rolled his eyes. “Fine.” He laid his right foot to a sit, and (together with Cuphead) picked up his pie with his right hand while his left held the plate.

 They lifted their pies to the middle between them. “Cheers!” Then bumped them together “Clink!”

 Both with their biggest open mouths, they chomped their pies almost finishing it with one bite leaving only the crust they held on their fingers. They both chewed the pie with their cheeks puffy and lumpy.

 Cuphead elbowed Mugman. “Hnn Mhhgmhhn!” He talked with his mouth full.

 Closed eyes, enjoying the pie, Mugman peeked his right eye to Cuphead.

 “Thish ish howsh ya eatsh yush candish!” Cuphead spoke with salivary crumbs spitting out of his mouth. He closed his eyes and then vocalized “NGAM NGAM NGAM NGAM!” as he made very big chews with his teeth showing, saliva spitting everywhere, and the gooey pie in his mouth breaking down to pieces as it was being tossed around his mouth.

 “EEEEEHHEEHEHEHEEEEEEWWW!” Mugman giggled as he smiled disgusted and intrigued at his brother. He then gulped down his pie. “I love ya buddy.” He then bit off a part of the crust.

 Eyes popped out open, chewing stopped, and mouth scrunched at the same time. The words of the last phrase echoing in his mind. Cuphead’s horrified eyes slid towards his right looking at his innocently smiling brother who locked eyes with him for a few seconds.

 “LEAUGH!” Cuphead let his ball of pie roll out of his tongue down to his plate like a ball rolling down a red carpet.

 “EEEEHEHEHEHEEEEWW!!” Mugman laughed and pointed at the ball of masticated pie.

 “Mugs!” Cuphead said disgustedly. “I know!” He splayed his right hand. “Ya literally just told me the day yester!”

 Mugman giggled. “You mean yesterday. Wait was that yesterday?!” His eyes scrunched in surprise and then his eyes looked left and right as he tapped his chin in thought. “I thought it was a few hours ago.”

 Cuphead grumbled. “Mugs, you were literally on my face fer like ferever!”

 “Really?” Mugman raised an eyebrow. “I thought it was just a nap.”

 Cuphead uttered a sound but then stopped to look left and right, thinking about how long they slept, but then he shook his head. “It doesn’t mattah ya literally tell me that gross L-word more often than not, it’s like ya think I don’t know.”

 Mugman smirked. “Aww come on, I know ya like it!” He winked at him.

 Cuphead’s eyes twitched, his milk boiled, he blushed and even the beating brotherly heart on his chest glared annoyed at Mugman. “NOO I HATE IT!”  He he stood up at the same time.

 Mugman’s smile faded into a disbelieving frown. “Wh-what?!”

 “YEAH!” Cuphead stomped his foot down. “Y-YEAH Y-YA HEARD ME! I-I H-HATE IT WHEN YA USE THAT GROSS L-WORD A LOT!”

 Tears started to form on Mugman’s eyes, but then he scrunched them angrily. “I DON’T BELIEVE THAT ONE BIT!”

 “YOU SHOULD TOO!” Cuphead pointed his finger at Mugman.

 “OH YEAH?!” Tears welling on his eyes, Mugman splayed his arms. “WHAT’S WRONG WITH IT?!”

 “WHAT’S WRONG IS THAT YER ACTIN’ LIKE A BABY BRO!” Cuphead jabbed his finger once at Mugman.

 “WELL I LIKE ACTIN LIKE A BABY BRO! IT’S WHAT WE DO!” Tears fell from Mugman’s face as he spread his arms.

 “NO IT’S NOT! YA SEE THIS?!” Cuphead flexed his left arm, and a lump of muscle appeared. “AND THIS?!” He flexed his right arm. “THESE…” He alternately flexed his arms left, right, left, then right. “ARE WHAT REAL MEN DO! THEY ACT TOUGH! THEY ARM WRESTLE!” He arm wrestled both his hands together. “THEY BURP!” He puffed his cheeks and unleashed a loud trembling burp to the ceiling while spreading his arms wide like he used inner power to do so. “AND THEY DO…” His eyes looked left and right at his hands. “OTHER MANLY STUFF!”

 “I DO THAT!” Mugman pointed his thumb at himself.

 “NO, YA DON’T! YER ALL-“ Cuphead formed two fists that were cuddling his chin. “’Hee hee, I’m a baby bro, I like tuh cuddle with my brothah and get lotsa tickles all day!’” He grunted and dropped his fists into demanding open hands. “Come on ya gotta man up bro!” He smirked and folded his arms. “Or we might as well start callin’ ya Mugbaby!”

 Fists clenched. Mouth trembling. Tears falling from his furious eyes. Mugman took a sobbing breath. “NOOOOOOOOOO!” Shutting his eyes, Mugman stomped his foot forward, and punched his fists behind him as he screamed as loud as he could in front of him.

 Cuphead gasped and trembled at his brother’s sudden scream; his straw turned into an exclamation point. He took a step back and raised his hands in caution.

 Fists lowering. Eyes open and glaring at his brother. Breaths shuddering and turning into sobs. Mugman pointed his finger at him. “I LIKE WHAT WE-! NO!” He stomped his foot again, making Cuphead shiver. “I LOOVE WHAT WE DO!” His sobbing became louder. “YOU’RE MY BEST FRIEND AND MY BROTHER!” He pointed his finger at Cuphead, whose eyes started to crease in sadness. “I-I-I COULD BUILD A BLANKET FOHRT WITH YAH A-AND-AND READ OUR FAVORITE COMIC BOOK ALL NIGHT! I-I COULD WRESTLE ON THE BED WITH YA ‘TIL ELDER KETTLE COMES! A-A-AND I COULD CUDDLE UP TUH YA I-IF THERE WAS LIGHTNIN’ OR I-I HAD A BAD DREAM OR-!”

 Mugman grabbed his head grunted in frustration, and Cuphead took a step forward reaching out his hand.

 “ANYTHIN’ CUPHEAD!” Mugman spread his open ‘crying out’ hands. “ANYTHIN! I-I-ITS LIKE EVERY DAY’S A SLEEPOVER W-WITH MY BEST BUD AND-AND I-I DON’T HAVETUH INVITE YA OVAH CUZ WE’RE BROTHAHS! WE LIVE IN THE SAME HOUSE! I-IT’S LIKE MAC N CHEESE” Mugman brought out two index fingers representing each food. “A-AND CHOCOLATE AND VANILLA” He pumped each of those two fingers each again. “O-OO-OR SUGAR N SPICE TOGETHAH! TWO OF OUR FAVORITES IN ONE! WE COULD DO ANYTHIN CUPHEAD! ANYTHIN’! WHY WOULD YA WANNA MAN UP FROM THAT?!”

 Eyes creased. Pupils trembling. Cuphead started with a stammer. “B-because…” His eyes looked down in defeat. “B-because…”

 Sobbing turned into open-wide loud wailing and the tears fell like rushing waterfalls from Mugman’s eyes. Cuphead’s creased eyes looked up apologetically at Mugman, he reached his hand and opened his mouth to try talk to him, but then Mugman covered his eyes, turned around, and ran while pulling the door open.

Cuphead gripped the hem of his shorts, and grunted while kicking his plate, which flipped over and then spun on its rim on the floor to a noisy shaking stop. Closing his eyes, He slapped his own forehead with both hands, grunted as he looked up at the ceiling, and roughly wiped his face down with his hands.

 “WhydoeshehavtuhbelikethisIcan’tbelieveit!” He gave big heavy sigh and opened his air-patting ‘calm down’ hands. “Alright. All I gotta say is…” He took a deep breath, and opened his eyes pretending he was there. “Mugs… I’m…” His mouth shut uncomfortably, it gradually puffed up, and it struggled to open to say something... but then he unleashed a loud raspy whine as he stomped his feet left right left then right. “WhydoIhaftuhsaythes-word” He walked towards the door and yanked it very aggressively that it banged onto the wall. “AllIevahwantedwasfuhMugstuhmanupforonceandnotbesoickyandsobabyishandsoftandstuff.” He kept grumbling other jibber jabbers while walking towards Toriel’s living room/dining room. “Whydoeshehavtuhbesuchababywhycan’themanup.”

 “Why couldn’t he just go with it and have fun?” The sound of Mugman’s sniffling being wiped could be heard. “It’s not like I’m hurtin him or nothin.”

 Toriel hummed endearingly. “Well, if I may suggest, based from experience, maybe you’re giving him too much love.”

 “Too much?!” Mugman exclaimed.

 As Mugman ranted, Cuphead entered the mouth of the room and saw Toriel wearing her eyeglasses while sitting on her couch by the fireplace and Mugman sitting on Toriel’s left knee by the crackling fireplace.

 “Well, what did you do with your brother yesterday?” Toriel rubbed Mugman’s back handle endearingly.

 “Well, we went lookin’ for ya.” Mugman said as he was touching his index fingers together.

 “And… did the search, by any chance, involve lots of hugging?” Toriel teased and raised an eyebrow.

 “What?!” Mugman started counting with his fingers on his right hand. “Noo, there was running, and parrying, and we played tag n’ uhh… ghosts, and spiders and…” He counted his left fingers while looking at them nervously and a curled mouth. His left fingers unfolded one by one, ‘til all four of them were splayed.  “S-sure… there were some hugs here n there but… they weren’t too much!”

 “Uhh, yeah they were!” Cuphead interjected.

 Mugman’s chest jumped, and looked his under right to see Cuphead with his arms folded and blankly staring at him at the foot of the couch.

 “Ah!” Toriel smiled. “Good morning Cuphead!”

 “NUH-UH!” Mugman furiously leaned in closer to Cuphead and stared him down.

 “UH-HUH!” Cuphead stood on his toes closer to Mugman and stared him down... or up rather.

 “NUH-UH!” Mugman leaned in very close to Cuphead.

 “UH-HUH!” Cuphead stood even taller and pushed his nose against Mugman’s as he stared straight into his eyes.

 “AW COME ON YOU STARTED MOST OF ‘EM!” Mugman poked a finger on Cuphead’s chest.

 “I-!” Cuphead blushed from embarrassment, and then swatted his hand off furiously. “THAT’S NOT THE POINT!”

 “HA!” Mugman poked that same finger on Cuphead’s chest, while pushing his nose forward. “SO YOU DO ADMIT IT!” He poked his chest a second time.

 “DON’T YA ‘HA’ ME OR I WILL ‘HA HA’ YOU!” Furious-eyed Cuphead pushed back with his nose and poked Mugman’s chest.

 “WELL DON’T YA ‘HA HA’ ME OR I WILL ‘HA HA HA’ YOU!” Furious-eyed Mugman with steam erupting out of his straw pushed back with his nose and this time he pressed hard Cuphead’s chest with his finger.

 “WELL DON’T YOU ‘HA HA HA’ ME OR I WIL ‘HA HA HA HA’ YOU!” Furious-eyed Cuphead with steam erupting out of his straightened straw pushed back with his nose as he pressed Mugman’s chest back as hard.

 Growling Cuphead and Mugman pushed each other by their noses in some sort of push-o-war with an intense stare down.

 “CHILDREN!” Toriel yelled, and then sighed. “Please! No yelling!” Without breaking their nose connection, she picked up Cuphead and sat him on her left knee. “And…” Toriel giggled. “Do you have to literally be at each other’s noses when you argue?”

 As they broke apart, Cuphead and Mugman blinked and they both looked at Toriel unamused and confused respectively.

 “Uhh…” Mugman scratched the side of his head. “What’s wrong with that?” He said while briefly stealing a peek at Cuphead.

 “She doesn’t have a brother.” Cuphead spoke to Mugman while his backhand was hiding his sidemouth

 Toriel’s eyes widened, she frowned, her eyes stared in anger and her head pulled back pushing against the couch.

 Mugman gasped and covered his mouth with his right hand. “Aww… that’s so sad.”

 Snapping at Mugman, Toriel made a loud flaring inhale, and gritted her teeth under her closed mouth.

 Cuphead giggled. “I know right.” He winked at him.

 Mugman giggled in response. “Yeah, she don’t get what we do.”

 “Yeah. Only we do buddy.” Cuphead buddy hugged Mugman and they both shared a moment to giggle.

 Cuphead ended with a sigh. “Now… where was I?” He raised an eyebrow.

 “Ha ha ha.” Mugman said casually as he tilted his head three times, one on each ‘ha.’

 “No no, what’re we beefin’ about?” Cuphead swished his free hand on front of him.

 “Oh! Uhh…” Mugman tapped his chin twice. “My hugs are too much. Which THEY’RE NOT BY THE WAY!” Mugman bumped his forehead and pressed his nose onto Cuphead’s, who stared back furiously.

 “YA THEY ARE!” Cuphead pushed back with his nose.

 “NO! THEY’RE! NOT!” Mugman pushed forward with his nose and forehead on each syllable.

 “YA! THEY! ARE!” Cuphead pushed forward with his nose and forehead on each syllable.

 They both grumbled as they kept pushing in this nose push-o-war again.

 “Toriel!” Cuphead and Mugman turned to her they pointed their fingers at each other.

 Then, they gasped in shock.

 Before them were two crimson-piercing eyes looming and staring back at them furiously. Toriel’s mouth scrunched and she took one fiery fuming breath.

 “Apologize… Now. “ Her irises burned with fire within them.

 “W-we’re…” Cuphead and Mugman hugged each other very tightly as they shivered. “W-we’re-!”

 “Say. It.” She hissed with every word.

 “WE’RE SORRY!” Cuphead and Mugman yelled as they kept shivering and hugging each other.

 She glared at them, turning her eyes slowly to Mugman, then Cuphead, then Mugman, and then Cuphead.

 Then, she sighed in relief, and chuckled. “I guess it’s not too much when you are taking care of each other!”

 Cuphead and Mugman’s eyebrows creased with confusion, and then they habitually slid their eyes to each other to check if the other understood… but then those same eyes widened and they gasped in shock. They were hugging each other, and Mugman quickly pushed Cuphead away.

 “WHA-! HEY!” Cuphead splayed his palms open.

 Mugman folded his arms and looked away. “I don’t wanna hug you anymore. You ruined everything!”

 “I-!” Cuphead growled, gritted his teeth, squeezed his fists, and his milk boiled. “FINE!” He turned away and folded his arms, mirroring Mugman’s posture.

 “Oh children…” Toriel gently placed her hands on their heads, covering their milk completely, but not the straws. “This is all a misunderstanding. Can’t we talk it out?”

 “No!“ They both said as they bumped their folded arms onto their chests and stuck their noses higher to the air.

 “But… you’re both right!” Toriel smiled.

 Cuphead and Mugman’s eyes opened, and they looked at her confused. “What?!”

 Toriel’s smile showed teeth as she chuckled. “Yes! You’re both right!...” She raised and index finger as she explained, but she tapped that same finger on her lips thinking for a few seconds. “But you’re also both wrong.” She giggled. “Does that make sense?” She looked at them with a kind and patient smile.

 Cuphead and Mugman kept staring at her with their silent speechless mouths open. “Nnno!”

 Toriel chuckled. “Alright, I’ll explain.” She cleared her throat. “Cuphead. Don’t be so harsh on your brother. Just tell ‘im.”

 “I did!” Cuphead thrusted his showing hands towards Mugman. He then glared at him. “But he wouldn’t gimme a break!”

 Mugman spit raspberry sounds at towards Cuphead.

 “Well in that case, Mugman.” She looked at the blue mug with a gentle smile. “Don’t blame your brother. You fed him too much pie.”

 Eyebrows creasing more confused, Cuphead and Mugman looked at each other for a moment, and then back at Toriel.

 “But… I didn’t feed him any pie!” Mugman raised right eyebrow.

 “Yeah!” Cuphead raised his left eyebrow, mirroring Mugman.

 Toriel chuckled, with her hand politely covering her mouth. “Your hugs ARE the pies.” She endearingly booped Mugman’s nose.

 “Hey!” Mugman’s eyes looked at Toriel’s finger booping the middle of his nose, earning a slight chuckle from Cuphead who thought Mugman’s crisscross pupils were funny.

 “Yeah, I still don’t get it.” Cuphead scratched the top of his bendy straw.

 “Yeah!” Mugman looked up at Toriel. “Why would anyone get tired of your pie? It’s delicious!” He smiled and began moving in some forward kicking-like action alternatively with his left foot, then right, then left, and then right.

 Cuphead stared with a confused raised brow at Mugman. “Uhh… that’s not it, but he’s not wrong though.”

 “Aww, that’s very sweet of you!” Toriel smiled with his hands together with thumbs touching her mouth. “Come here my child!” She opened her arms wide enough for Mugman to enter.

 A big smile spread on Mugman’s face and he made a quick tackling hug on Toriel’s stomach earning a surprised “Oh!” from her. She chuckled, and then hugged Mugman very fondly, and Mugman stuck his tongue out with a loud “LLLLLLHH!!!” at Cuphead who growled and folded his arms in reaction… until Toriel tightened her hug that it caused Mugman to squeak at the sudden tightness.

 “Ughh-!” T-Toriel!” Mugman made a grumbling sound as he pushed Toriel’s stomach away trying to free himself of the tight space. “Too tight!”

 “Oh?” Toriel chuckled. “I thought you said you wouldn’t get tired of my pie!” She maintained her tight hug on Mugman.

 As he watched Mugman struggle, Cuphead’s mouth turned from a curious ‘o’ into a right-lipped giggling smirk.

 “Wait!” Mugman grumbled louder and pushed harder. “I get it!” He brought his feet to her stomach and pushed. “TORIEL!”

 Cuphead laughed and pointed his right finger towards Mugman, who then growled at Cuphead.

 Toriel chuckled and let go, but it made Mugman push himself too far that he wobbled with a “WOAHOAHOAH!” and he spun and spread his arms trying stop himself from falling over her knee.

 With a sly smile, Cuphead leaned over to Mugman and tapped the back of his head with a “Boop!”

 “WOAH!” Mugman wobbled forward and was finally balanced sitting on Toriel’s knee.

 Mugman looked at Cuphead to see that he was smug smiling.

 “You’re welcome.” He showed a cocky white-teeth sparkly smile.

 Eyebrows scrunched, Mugman gave a slightly hard pat on Cuphead’s face.

 “Ow!” Cuphead covered his nose with his right hand as he recoiled backwards.

 “Mugman!” Toriel glared shocked. “He just saved you!”

 Mugman’s eyes widened in realization. “Oh yeah…”  His eyes looked down in regret.

 “Yeah…” Minorly grumpy Cuphead rubbed his nose with his index finger. “No thanks buddy.”

 Mugman’s eyes began to water, and he rubbed his sniffing nose with his right back wrist.

 “Aww… Mugman.” Warm smiling Toriel opened her arms wide enough for Mugman like before. “Come here.”

 “Not…” Mugman sniffled and a tear dropped as he blinked. “Not too tight.”

 Toriel nodded and gave an endearing hum. “I think you’ve already learned your lesson.”

 After one last sad look, Mugman let himself fall towards Toriel’s stomach, and they shared a tender hug.

 “MMm Sorrrmmm.” Mugman said, muffled by her stomach.

 Toriel chuckled. “Not to me my child.” She gently turned Mugman’s handle ‘til he faced Cuphead who was just pouting.

 Mugman took a breath and sighed, realizing the hassle he must go through.

 “Oh.” Toriel stroked Mugman’s handle with her right hand. “It’s alright my child.” She gave a gentle smile to Mugman, and he looked back with his frown turning into a hopeful smile. “Nothing wrong with trying to fix something… especially if it’s with your best friend.”

 Grumpy Cuphead looked away for a moment of thought, and then looked back at Mugman.

 Smiling more hopeful, Mugman let go of Toriel and placed his hands on his knees. “Hey. Bro…” He looked at the corner of his eyes and scratched the back of his head. “I-I’m…” He took a breath, closed his eyes, exhaled, opened his eyes again and then faced his brother properly. “I’m sorry.”

 Cuphead’s right lip smirked. “Heh. No biggie.” He closed his eyes and shrugged his shoulders. “It’ll just gimme more reason to get back at ya later.” As he spoke, He opened his eyes and punched his right fist onto his own left hand at ‘get back’.

 Mugman’s smile curled, nervous about the anticipated revenge.

 “See!” Toriel gently placed a hand on Mugman’s left shoulder, and Mugman’s nerves calmed to a genuine smile. “Even after all that fuss, he still loves you!” She playfully tapped Mugman’s nose, causing him to giggle.

 Eyes bugged out. Chest jumped. Bendy straw turning into an exclamation point. “WHAT?! NO!!” Cuphead glared at Toriel.

 With a big smile, Mugman gasped. “AWWWWWWWWWWW!!!” His glossy eyes sparkled and shimmered as he looked at Cuphead.

 “SHADDUP!!” Cuphead lunged his nose against Mugman’s, earning a surprised squeal that soon turned into a snorty bubbly laugh.

 “Aw-!” Mugman snorted.  “Come on buddy!” He snorted and giggled some more. “Embrace the brotherly love!” He snorted with a giggle as he opened his arms. “Get it? Embrace!” His smile got bigger as he laughed, even as Cuphead continued to glare at him annoyed.

 “Oh I’ll show ya some BROTHERLY LOVE in a minute!” Cuphead rolled up his right sleeve, showing his white arm, and he pulled back ready to punch.

 Mugman’s pure smile turned forceful as he stared with a sweat drop back at Cuphead… but then the latter’s right lip trembled as he snickered, and then he threw his head backwards as he made a loud laugh.

 “I HA-HA-HA-HATE YOUHUHUHUHUHU!” Cuphead playfully pushed Mugman, who just closed one eye as he was pushed, and he laughed with his brother.

 “No you don’t.” Mugman folded his arms and he smirked at Cuphead as he danced his head left and right sassily.

 The three of them threw laughing fits. Toriel laughed while hugging her stomach, and then eventually placed her hands on Cuphead and Mugman’s shoulders. Cuphead hugged his stomach, Mugman accidentally rested his hands on Cuphead’s knees instead of his own, but Cuphead placed his left hand on the back of Mugman’s right hand, and then playfully pushed it away starting a small pushing of hands game as they laughed.  

 Finally, Toriel sighed. She turned to both each. “You two remind me so much of…” She looked at the corners of her eyes in thought. “a couple of… faces I used to know.”

 With curious big eyes, Cuphead and Mugman looked at her, then at each other for a moment, then back.

 Turning to the right, Toriel looked at the dining table behind her. “They made me so happy.”

 Mugman turned to his left, while Cuphead leaned forward to look past Toriel.

 Three chairs were arranged on the long table; one was the smallest about the size of the Cups by the far head of the table, next was the biggest on the right side, and lastly across the smallest was just the size of Toriel’s.

 “Who were they?” Mugman kept looking at the table with his brother.

 Toriel looked at Cuphead and Mugman’s hands, held them each with her own hands, and softly clasped them together. “Two best friends.” She looked at both, who then looked back at her with curiosity. “Just like the two of you.” She turned back with a proud smile at their holding hands.

 They smiled at each other; Cuphead had an excited and big smile while Mugman had a warm, endearing, and awestruck smile.

 Still excited, Cuphead looked at Toriel. “Where are they?”

 Her smile turned into a sad and longing one. “I...” She slowly turned to the fire on her left. “I will tell you… another time…”

 “Aw come on!” Cuphead gave a light tug on their held hands, earning a smile from Mugman. “Tell us!” He smiled with his white teeth at Toriel.

 “Not now my child!” Toriel snapped a glare at Cuphead, and they both gasped in reaction. She then returned her gaze to the fire and then let of their hands. “Not now.”

 Still holding hands, Cuphead and Mugman looked at each other, and then shrugged their shoulders.

 “What about you two?” Toriel smiled at them. “I’ll be honest, you’re a cupple of unexpectedly delightful surprises that dropped-in!”

 “Hey!” Cuphead smirked.

 Cuphead and Mugman laughed in reaction to the puns Toriel made.

 “Well, thanks a bunch for taking care of us Ms-! I mean!” Mugman shook his head so hard, it splashed tiny droplets of milk in different directions (Cuphead chuckled as he covered his face) and shook his head straw. “Toriel.” He finished smiled.

 Toriel chuckled with her hand elegantly covering her mouth. “You’re a very sweet gentleman you are Mugman.”

 “Or should I say…” Cuphead smirked as he leaned towards his brother. “Muggentleman?” He winked at Mugman, earning a snicker from him.

 They all laughed together.

 “So…” Toriel leaned in with a curious enthusiastic smile. “is everyone a cup or mug in your world?”

 “Nah!” Cuphead and Mugman said in sync. They gasped at each other. “Jinx!” They booped each other’s noses and laughed.

 “We’ve got all sortsa fellas!” Mugman explained with his right hand splayed open.

 “Yeah!” Cuphead raised his index finger. “We’ve got Beppi!”

 “A, uhh…” Mugman tapped his chin repeatedly, then widened his eyes with an ‘aha!’ expression. “A balloon clown!” He smiled.

 Toriel’s eyebrows creased confused. “A… balloon clown?”

 “Yeah!” Cuphead and Mugman said in sync. “Jinx!” They both booped each other’s noses.

 “But I said that.” Mugman smirked with his eyes closed and arms folded,

 “Yeah!” Cuphead winked and nudged Mugman with his elbow.  “That’s what I said.”

 “No! I said that!” Annoyed Mugman pointed his thumb to himself.

 “Yeah!” Cuphead glared at him annoyed. “That’s what I said!”

 “No!” Mugman bumped his nose against Cuphead’s nose again while he stared him down. “You are stealin’ what I’m sayin’!” He poked Cuphead’s chest.

 “No! I’m sayin-“ Cuphead pointed his thumb to himself. “What ya said-“ He poked Mugman’s chest. “Is exactly what she’s ask sayin!” He splayed his hands to Toriel as he explained.

 Mugman uttered a retaliating tone, but then tapped his chin and hummed in thought. “So what you’re sayin’ is-“ He poked Cuphead’s chest. “What I was sayin’-“ He pointed his thumb to himself. “Was exactly what she was askin fer?” He pointed to Toriel.

 “Yes!” He pressed his clinking forehead forward as he pressed his point, regardless of how ‘in-your-face’ he was with Mugman.

 “And in addition to what you’re sayin’-“ Mugman poked Cuphead’s chest again. “Yer not tryinna snatch my sayin’-“ He snatched the air to demonstrate. “And yer actually sayin is-“ He poked Cuphead’s chest again. “What I was sayin-“ He pointed his thumb to himself. “Is exactly what she was sayin’?” He pointed to Toriel.

 “YES!” Smiling Cuphead pressed his forehead even further, goofily making Mugman lean backwards (which he didn’t mind), and he spread his happy exclaiming hands high to the air. “OH MAN!” Placing his head on Mugman’s shoulder, he used those same hands to hug Mugman tightly. “It feels so good to be on the same page again buddy!”

 Mugman’s mouth scrunched smiling. “Awww! You’re huggin’ me again!”

 Cuphead’s eyes bugged out. “LEAUGH!” He spit his long tongue out as he pushed himself off of Mugman, earning a bubbly laugh from him, and he panic-wiped his shirt off like he was cleaning off a disgusting infection, and then he folded his arms. “Hmph!”

Toriel joined in on Mugman’s snorty bubbly laughter with her own endearing and gentle laughter.

 “See my child?” Toriel raised a finger in front of Mugman’s nose, and he looked at it with his crisscross eyes. “All you need… is patience.” She booped Mugman’s nose.

 Mugman giggled, his shoulders excitedly tensed as he was booped, and then he nodded.

 “Now…” Toriel looked at Cuphead. “You were talking about balloon clowns? These are humans who are clowns, who sell balloons right?”

 Cuphead glared confused at Toriel. “Uhh… No. He’s walkin’ n talkin’ balloon… human. Right Mugs?” He looked at his brother.

 Mugman giggled. “Yeah!” He nodded. “Uhh, Then we’ve uhh…” He tapped his tinking chin. “Baroness Von Bon Von.” His eyes shrunk and his straw turned into an exclamation point (Cuphead giggled in reaction). “No no!” He shook his head. “I mean uhh, Baroness Bon Von Von! NO I MEAN-!” He grunted to the sky.

 Cuphead laughed. “No it’s Baroness Von Bon Von Bon Bon Von Bon!”

 Mugman laughed, in chorus with Cuphead’s. “No it’s Bon Bon Von Von Bon Von!”

 The brothers laughed together with their respective squeaky hiccup sounds and snorts.

 Amused, Toriel watched them as they laughed. “And, what kind of person is this Baroness?”

 “She’s a candy-! No, I mean… a cake human?” Mugman looked to Cuphead.

 Cuphead shrugged his shoulders. “She’s got the candy cane though so you’re not wrong.”

 Mugman smiled and held his hand high, and Cuphead high-fived it casually.

 Smiling Toriel raised an eyebrow intrigued.

 “Then there’s Djimmi!” Cuphead raised his index finger.

 “He’s a ghost human!” Mugman raised his index finger in imitation.

 “Uhh…” Cuphead raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t that ghost train thingy-!”

 “The Phantom Express?” Mugman raised an eyebrow too as he smiled.

 “Yeah the phantom train thingy! That one!” Cuphead pointed to Mugman as he smiled. “Isn’t that ride full of ghosts?”

 Mugman gasped. “Oh yeah! That mean’s Djimmi’s uhhh, uhhh…” He stirred his head milk with his own straw as he tapped his chin; his eyes went whirly as he stirred.

 “A djinni?” Toriel raised an eyebrow.

 Stopping his stirring, Mugman snapped his fingers. “Oh yeah! A Djinni!”

 “Yeah, like that one story Elder Kettle tells us about?” Cuphead was wagging his pointing finger.

 Mugman giggled and shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t remember which one, there are so many!”

 “Pfft!” Cuphead flicked his hand down. “Yeah, until he-“ He pretended to snore with his head tilted down and his bendy straw inflating a big bubble at the tip of it.

 Mugman laughed loudly and bubbly. “He’s the best!” He spread his hands in the air.

 “Yeah!” Cuphead also spread his hands in imitation… but then he looked at the lower corner of his eyes. “Yeah…” His smile started to fade.

 Mugman noticed his fading smile, making his own smile start to frown as well.

 They looked down to their laps, and felt a peculiar familiarity. Sitting down on the knees of someone else. Fire crackling from the fireplace. If they looked up, they could probably see Elder Kettle smiling with wonder with his right hand in the air wiggling with magic wizard fingers and his left hand holding a book picked from a shelf of dozens of storybooks arranged on the shelf above the fire. If not stories, then they listened to the radio, and would sing a hippy happy song they would know.  

 Their minds raced. Elder Kettle giving them the blue potion of their powers… them training in Kettle’s magic drawing board with Elder Kettle himself gently guiding them from above.… Him catching up to Inkwell Isle II to give them hope of defeating The Devil… and finally celebrating in a hippity hoppity group hug after everything was over… with a few back breaks from Elder Kettle that they had to take him to the hospital.

 They both looked up to the headrest of the chair, but Toriel, instead of their beloved guardian, rested her head on it while watching them with curiosity. They both looked at each other, and gave a sad smile and a sigh of longing.

 “Toriel…” Mugman slowly looked to her, who just blinked. “It’s been a real slice…”

 “Literally!” Cuphead raised his index finger and giggled. “That pie was the bee’s knees!”

 Mugman gasped. “Aw man no fair!” He pushed Cuphead a little roughly.

 Cuphead and Toriel just laughed.

 Cuphead put his hands on his hips. “Ya gotta be faster buddy!” He winked.

 Mugman rolled his eyes. “Anyway, yeah it’s been a real-“ He paused, and then slid his glaring eyes at Cuphead who was just smirking at him. “Real.” Mugman said smug.”

 Cuphead snickered. “Jealous.”

 Mugman rolled his eyes again. “Toriel, when can we go home?”

 Cuphead smiled at Toriel.

 Toriel blinked confused. “Home?”

 “Yeah! Ya know, our reeaal home!” Cuphead he spread his arms as if he was demonstrating a huge place.

 Mugman chuckled apologetically. “Yeah! Elder Kettle might steam his spout if we’re gone for too long.”

 Eyes shut, Cuphead shuddered. “Wouldn’t wanna see that.”

 Toriel chuckled. “You’re very thoughtful to think about your grandfather like that.”

 Mugman raised his finger. “Well technically he’s-!”

 “Don’t.” Cuphead put his index finger on Mugman’s mouth. “Just don’t.”

 Mugman just nodded.

 “But first…” Toriel raised her finger. “You mentioned you had… cake humans…” She started counted with her fingers. “balloon humans, djinnis, ghost humans, and Elder Kettle, which I think is a walking kettle or… a kettle human?

 “With a cane and a jolly good ‘ol sense of humor.” Cuphead made a hook punch in front of him.

 Toriel hummed in amusement. “I see. I suppose there are other cup humans in your world too!”

 From smiling, Cuphead and Mugman looked at each other, and then frowned looking down.

 “We… um…” Cuphead started.

 “We don’t know.” Mugman finished.

 “Oh…” Toriel put her hands on their heads. “I’m sure there are my children.”

 Cuphead and Mugman looked at her and smiled.

 “And I also suppose that… in your world, there are other kinds of ‘humans’” She wiggled her fingers to make quotation marks. “Not just candies, balloons, and ghosts?”

 “Oh yeah!” Cuphead and Mugman said. “Jinx!” They pointed at each other.

 “There are plant humans!” Cuphead raised a finger.

 Mugman raised an eyebrow to Cuphead. “Are those humans?”

 Cuphead blinked confused for a moment. “Well.. there are human humans.” He shrugged his shoulders and smiled with uncertainty.

 “Yeah but… plant humans?” Mugman smiled with cringe.

 “Well… there’s Goopy.” Cuphead pointed to Mugman.

 Mugman stared in space, thinking about what he said. “Good point.” He then smiled at Toriel. “There are mermaids and fish too!”

 “Fish in the water?” Toriel smiled with curiosity, though her tone sounded more suggestive than surprised.

 “Nah! Fish walkin!” Cuphead smiled. “And fish… fishin’….” He cringed in realization.

 Mugman cringed in realization too, and their eyes met.

 Toriel chuckled. “Are you sure you know what a human is?”

 Cuphead and Mugman looked at each other confused. “Yes?” They then looked back at Toriel.

 Toriel chuckled. “Only one way to find out.”

 She carried Cuphead by his body and put him down and did the same with Mugman. She stood up, held their hands, and walked towards the dining table.

 “Wait here please.” Toriel let go of their hands and walked towards the kitchen.

 Cuphead looked to Mugman confused but the latter just shrugged his shoulders with the same confusion as his brother.

 As the big soft footsteps approached, Cuphead and Mugman turned to see Toriel carrying in her hands paper and a box of crayons which the two brothers cringed at the sight of.

 Mugman leaned to Cuphead. “What’re we babies?” He whispered with his sidemouth.

 Cuphead spoke back with his side mouth. “I’m not, but you are.” He smirked

 Mugman’s eyes widened for a moment, then he glared at him sideways, and then pushed him. “Stop it!”

 Cuphead laughed as he was pushed.

 Toriel went to the table and laid down the paper and the box of crayons she carried onto the table.

 Cuphead and Mugman cringe-smiled. “Yay…” They said unenthusiastically.

 Toriel sighed. “I’m terribly sorry my children, these are the only arts and crafts supplies I could find.” She hummed and tapped her chin to herself. “Maybe I could find or buy more once you get settled in.”

 Mugman blinked and stared at her cautiously. “Once we what?”

 Toriel’s eyes widened. “Oh! I mean, I have a favor to ask both of you.”

 “Oh! What is it?” Cuphead smiled while gliding his hands backwards.

 Taking a sheet from the stack on the table, Toriel placed a piece of paper to her left in front of Mugman, and placed another to her right in front of Cuphead.

 “Could you draw yourselves…” Toriel opened the box of crayons, and rolled the crayons in the middle. “But with your own hearts?”

 Cuphead and Mugman raised an eyebrow confused and looked at each other. “Hearts?!”

 “Yes! You know…” Toriel picked up a black crayon and drew an upside-down heart on the paper. “Like that!”

 Cuphead and Mugman kept staring at the heart example with their raised eyebrows.

 “Uhh…” Cuphead looked at Toriel as he pointed at the heart. “I think ya got it upside down.”

 Toriel’s enthusiastic smile turned into a shocked eyes widened frown.

 “Yeah!” Mugman then smirked. “Wow Cuphead you’re not so dum dum after all.”

 Cuphead playfully pushed him. “Shut up.”

 Mugman giggled and rotated the heart right-side up. “And his heart is pink!” He grabbed a pink crayon and colored the once black-lined heart.

 Toriel’s shock slowly turned into despair.

 “Ew!” Cuphead glared at Mugman. “Ya make it sound like I have a gal’s heart!”

 “Wha-!” Mugman glared at Cuphead confused. “No! It’s the same color as mine!”

 “EW WE BOTH HAVE GIRL HEARTS!” With a playful smile, Cuphead leaned away from Mugman.

 “EW CUPHEAD!” Mugman playfully pushed Cuphead and they both laughed.

 Amidst their laughter, Toriel slowly became numb and it turned into a frown of indifference.

 “You have a stupid tiny nose.” Giggly Mugman drew a cup for a head with a black crayon and put a red dot on it.

 “Oh-ho yeah?”  Cuphead confidently raised an eyebrow. He snatched the black crayon from Mugman. “Well you have a giant nose the size of a football!” He drew a mug for a head and then picked up a blue crayon and drew a huge oval that covered most of the mug.

 “Hey!” Mugman snatched the blue crayon from Cuphead, who then was surprised at first but then glared back at him annoyed. “It’s not that big!”

“And my nose ain’t that small!” Cuphead pointed his thumb to himself. “Ya started it!” He tapped his brother’s chest.

 “Okay okay!” Mugman raised his ‘stop’ hands. “No nose jokes.” He wagged his finger.

 Cuphead smiled. “Deal!”

 They bumped their backhands to each other.

 “Excuse me for a moment.”  Toriel said with an empty voice.

 “Okay!” Cuphead and Mugman said together as they continued to finish their drawings of each other; Cuphead grabbed a sheet and started a new Mugman drawing, while Mugman just normalized the size of Cuphead’s nose on the drawing.

 -End of Part 1-

  (Cutscene)

 Once they were done, they ran out to the main hall and looked around to find her.

 “I think… she went to her room?” Mugman pointed towards the hallway.

 Cuphead smiled. “Come on!” He grabbed Mugman’s hand and they happily ran to the end of the hallway to the last room on the left.

 They opened the door, but Mugman screamed, jumped towards Cuphead and hugged him, while the latter then caught his brother by his back on one and his back knees on the other.

 “F-f-fl-! F-F-F-Flowey!!” Mugman pointed above ahead.

 A bunch of bright yellow flowers in a vase glowed in the upper part of the dark space.

 Cuphead snickered at Mugman who just blushed and looked away.

 “Hey, flowers can be horrible. Like Cagney for one!” Mugman looked at his brother, hoping the explanation was enough.

 Cuphead put his mouth closer to Mugman’s ear side. “Baby br-!”

 “AM NOT!!!!!!” Mugman yelled with his mouth opened three times larger than its actual size, showing its sharp shark-like teeth, and unleashing a strong wind that blew onto Cuphead’s smug face.

 Cuphead laughed and began to sing. “Rock a bye baby on the tree top!” He began to sway Mugman left and right.

 Mugman growled and wrestled Cuphead down to the floor, who laughed in reaction, and then laughed louder as evil-smiling Mugman was wiggling his stomach.

 “OKAY!” Cuphead kicked the ground repeatedly with his heels as he laughed. “OKAY OKAY YOU’RE BIG BRO!”

 Mugman held his fists on his hips. “That’s right, and dontcha forget it.”

 Mugman looked to the room, leaving Cuphead to just laugh the tickles off.

 It was a mostly dark room, save for the things lit by the hallway light. On the dark parts (after his eyes adjusted) there was a bed on the far left corner, a tall flower vase on the right of it, a four-space bookshelf full of books right of it, on top of the book case was the yellow glowing bunch of flowers on the left side and a tall cactus in a pot on the right, on the right of the bookcase was a two-drawer dresser with a lamp standing on its left-side on top, and a mirror on the wall behind the dresser.

 In the lit parts of the room, closest to Mugman who stepped in, was a desk with an unlit lamp on the upper right, some scratch papers below it, below that off the desk was a pulled-out seat, and to the left of the scratch paper was an open written journal with one paragraph encircled in red. Mugman tiptoed to read the journal.

 ‘Why did the skeleton want a friend?’ Mugman read in Toriel’s voice. ‘Because she was feeling BONELY…’

 Mugman raised an eyebrow and smiled in reaction.

 “What’cha readin’?” Cuphead approached Mugman.

 “Eh, just some of Toriel’s jokes.” Mugman shrugged his shoulders.

 Cuphead tiptoed to read, and just snickered. “Where does she get these bad jokes?”

 “Speaking of who, where is she?”

 (End of Cutscene).

[cuptalecupheadxundertale]

Cuptale Chapter 8 “Heartache” Part 1. Release Date June 30,2023 (My birthday). 7PM EST. See you there!

[cuptalecupheadxundertale]

GOOD NEWS &.... SOMEWHAT REALLY BAD NEWS

Hi guys, sorry havent posted in a very long time, but I wamted to drop an announcement.

Good News:

The Draft for Chapter 8 has been completed... since December. The final page is here below.

I hadn't posted this because

1. I've been busy with work and life

2. Social media can be stressful

3. This next part:

The Bad News:

I'm going on hiatus :( .

There are two things occupying my life right now:

1. My novel: I'm writing my very own novel right now, and I've decided to dedicate a lot of my time on it. I'm working hard and pacing myself carefully to get the project done but I can't write the novel and the fanfic at the same time.

2. My Japanese: I'm hoping to accomplish my certification in this language so it could elevate my career.

BUT, I'm not planning on officially leaving this fanfic unfinished. I'll come back, I just need to finish some things that are a priority right now, I love this story too much.

My timetable right now is I'm planning to finish 50% of my novel by April, and we'll see if I can insert time to edit the chapter. Or maybe I can step away from my novel and work on this fanfic, just to reignite my passion in writing.

Cuphead and Mugman are still sleeping in Toriel's home in the meantime, and the story lives on in my head, so dont worry, we'll see each other soon.

Thank you guys so much for enjoying this little project of mine. See you later!!

[pjackk]

[aurorathepheonix]

Count me in! ^^

[bucket-animatez]

I appreciate u all UwU

[cuptalecupheadxundertale]

Hello everyone :P 

[kalebishop96-blog]

Cuphead Fanfic "Say it!"

Photo is a work in progress

Summary: Cuphead won’t admit it, but he loves Mugman and Elder Kettle very much. His family on the other hand wants him to just ‘Say it!’ He does 'Say it’ once, but Cuphead also shows the different ways to express that, especially to his best friend and partner in crime.

———————————————————————————————–

Crickets sang upon the starry night sky, and the white moon smiled down upon the isles. The brown mushroom house within the dark atmosphere had light shining from the windows and smoke coming out of its chimney. Thunder rumbled from the living room, particularly from the TV.

The happy brothers Cuphead and Mugman were in the living room sitting on a couch side by side, watching Frankenstein on TV. Elder Kettle peacefully rocked back and forth on his chair knitting a half complete mystery cloth of red wool.

On the black and white TV image, the scientist flicked the switch allowing the lab roof to open to a stormy sky. Lightning wreaked havoc on the atmosphere, and the scientist laughed maniacally at the sky. A stream of lightning struck the antenna sticking out in the middle of the opening, and electricity surged through a complex network of makeshift wires connected to the metal bed, into the cloth-covered corpse on top that sparked and jittered.

On the couch, Cuphead leaned on his knees, grinning in awe, while Mugman grasped his knees nervous, gently biting his lower lip as the blinking images fill their eyes.

After a long laugh, the scientist flicked the switch off, which closed the creaky doors of the metal roof in slow agony.

Lightning sizzled through the corpse as it was cut off from its source; leftover sparks of electricity surged through every stray wiring and every material that could conduct it. The scientist coughed from his long fit of laughter and the smoke as he hastily put his specs down on his research table. He took a step towards the cloth-covered corpse, mantis-like hands motioning forward as if he wanted to touch the corpse itself.

The corpse’s arms jolted up, accompanied by sudden loud violin music. Everyone in the living room was startled. In an agonizing low moan, the corpse sat up, the white blanket dramatically fell from its upper body, and its ugly distorted face growled onto the screen.

“Aaah!” Mugman clutched both his hands to Cuphead’s nearest arm, causing Cuphead’s chest to jolt at the sudden grasp.

Cuphead and Mugman looked at each other, then to Mugman’s clutching arms, to which Mugman then let go in an instant. Snickering and then laughing, Cuphead pointed his finger at his brother.

Mugman rubbed his arm in embarrassment and fake chuckled. “Whoops.” He said unenthusiastically.

Cuphead pushed his brother’s shoulder. “You were scared.”

“I wasn’t scared!” Mugman looked at Cuphead irritated.

“Yeah you were. You were like 'Aagh!’” He imitates Mugman’s sudden arm clutch to Mugman’s left arm, causing Mugman’s chest to jolt as well.

Cuphead slapped his knee as he laughed, while Mugman just looked away and rubbed his left arm up and down, ashamed and upset. While laughing, Cuphead’s arm rested on his own forehead trying to compose himself. As his eyes peeked at Mugman, he stopped laughing, noticing Mugman was upset.

Eyebrows creasing in concern, Cuphead reached for his brother’s shoulder. “Hey… Mugs.”

“Don’t touch me!” Mugman pulled his shoulder away, eyes strict on his brother.

“Mugs! I’m sorry!” Cuphead said louder, fingers splayed out in offering.

“You know how horrible I feel about teasing and laughing about my scaredy-cat feelings and you do it anyway!” Tears flowed out as Mugman blinked; his eyebrows scrunched in anger.

Cuphead breathed in and folded his lips to speak out… but no words came to him. He knew his brother was right. He sighed and looked the other way rubbing his forehead in frustration, while Mugman just looked down and tried to relax his shoulders.

Cuphead looked at his brother. “I’m sorry Mugs. I… I was just…”

Mugman rubbed his nose sniffling. “Trying to have fun…”

Cuphead blinked in surprise, but he felt slight comfort to be understood, although frustrated.

“I just…” Mugman sighed. “I just can’t help it bro. I'm… I’m really trying.”

“I know.” Cuphead smiled with empathy. “I know.” He rubbed Mugman’s back gently.

Mugman breathed in and sighed. “This isn’t even a horror movie and I just jumped like that…” He grunted and palmed his forehead. “I'm… I’m such a-”

“Shh!” Cuphead put his finger on Mugman’s open lips. Strict eyes looked straight into Mugman’s eyes. “You know how I hate it when you do that to yourself.”

Mugman just looked at his brother surprised and gently let his lips fold to a smile.

Cuphead grinned endearingly. “Hey. You know what’s scarier?” Cuphead raised an eyebrow, to which Mugman responded with an eyebrow raise of his own. “Beppi.”

Cuphead waddled his arms sideways, and his tongue in a circular motion while making annoying tongue sounds, causing Mugman to half-cover his mouth as he snickered and grinned.

“Beppi?! Nah bro.” Mugman flicked his hand downwards. “Cagney.” He pointed to the air.

“Oh yeah. He goes like this.” Cuphead leaned back with his best Cagney grin impression and then spearheaded forward, sticking his tongue out with a noisy “Bleaugheaugheaugh!”

Grinning and giggling, Mugman leaned back pretending to dodge it as they did back when they fought the said flower; Cuphead’s drool sprayed on his brother’s happy face. Cuphead retreated back and sat with one leg over the other, his finger tapping on his lips while he thought of other things scarier.

“The Ghost Train.” Mugman suggested, eyelids relaxed.

Cuphead shivered as he grinned. “Which part?”

Mugman giggled and then gently grasped Cuphead’s head handle. “May I?”

Cuphead shrugged his shoulders, held the sides of his head and pulled it up, detaching his head with a 'pop!’ Mugman held his own head handle and then lightly yanked his own head out of his neck with a 'pop!’ Mugman’s hands hid both of their heads behind Cuphead’s back.

“Ohh I get it.” Cuphead said from behind his own back. His body’s right index finger pointed up in realization.

They giggled together.

“On three.” Mugman signaled. “One, two, three.”

Mugman’s arms jerked out both of their heads and Cuphead and Mugman roared. Mugman chomped his teeth like a shark while Cuphead stuck his tongue out and waddled his face with the same noisy “Bleaugheaugheaugh!” causing Mugman to laugh again.

“Why do you do that?” He asked amused.

“I dunno, it’s my mood. You like it?’

"Ye-heah!”

Together they waddled their faces, flayed their salivating tongues out, and made “Bleuagheaugheaugh!” sounds with their silliest faces. They both laughed as they put their heads back to their necks, patting them attached and secure.

“Who else?” Cuphead thought more.

Mugman’s smile frowned seriously. “The Devil.”

Cuphead gasped as his mind flashed back to their fight with the devil. Giant fires blazed from the bottomless pit below, rocks crashed from above, bats swarmed the air, and giant fiery casino chips dropped on them.

Screams of townsfolk erupted from the TV; the image now showing Frankenstein seemingly attacking the people. Cuphead shivered as his flashbacks ended, and he huffed to the fear he felt. Mugman rested his hand on Cuphead’s shoulder and he smiled at him, proud. Cuphead smiled back with endearment. Arms behind each other’s necks, hands on each other’s shoulder, they jerk-pulled each other’s heads together for a loud toast of their heads.

Mugman offered his hand, and Cuphead held it, interlacing fingers, swung it around, and let go with wiggling fingers and a soft “whoo!”

Deep inside Cuphead felt warm and fuzzy, and he felt silly that all it took to feel that way was to be forgiven by his brother. Mugman just gazed back at him, his eyes full of trust and his smile just… full of joy and pureness… It bugged him that he doesn’t deserve him at all and yet he has him as a brother.

“Hey…” Mugman giggled. “I know that look.” He teased.

Cuphead raised an eyebrow. “Wh-hat?” He asked with a chuckle.

Mugman shook Cuphead’s shoulder. “Say it.”

“Say what?”

“You know.” Mugman rolled his eyes. “How ya feel right now.”

Cuphead grinned, amused, his eyebrow still raised. “I do-hon’t get it.”

Mugman giggled. “Come on! Don’t tell me those goo-goo eyes you just gave me right now didn’t mean anything.”

Cuphead leaned back away a little, lips straightened in surprise and blushed a little, but he also felt the end of his right lip smile, impressed.

Mugman laughed. “Yeah.” He tilted his head towards Cuphead. “I can read you like a book bro. I know that look you give when you become affectionate, so just spit it out. Say it!”

“Uh uh.” Cuphead shook his head, smiling playfully.

“Why not?” Mugman gently shook his brother.

“Cuz…” Cuphead scratched the back of his head. “It’s so cheesy.”

“Aw c'mon.” Mugman rolled his eyes, grinning. “You give me cheek kisses sometimes.”

Cuphead’s chest jolted up while his arms shivered and jerked away from Mugman. He thrust his hands to cover Mugman’s giggling mouth, strict eyes looking at his brother.

“You never say that out loud!” He hissed.

Mugman’s gentle hands remove Cuphead’s hands with ease. “We’re in the house genius!”

“Yeah but grandpa is there!” Cuphead hissed; he nudged his head towards Elder Kettle as he said 'grandpa’.

Immediately after Cuphead spoke, Elder Kettle chuckled. The twins looked at Elder Kettle; Cuphead was curious while Mugman was smiling. They both expected he was paying attention, but he seemed busy knitting the red cloth which now looked like an unfinished scarf.

“Was he listening?” Cuphead whispered.

“Oh yeah.” Mugman smiled, eyes calm.

Cuphead slapped his forehead groaning while Mugman giggled. Meanwhile, Elder Kettle looked at Mugman, stopped his knitting, and tapping his index finger on his lips mutely saying 'shh’. Mugman snickered and imitated Elder Kettle by placing his index finger on his own lips. As Cuphead sighed and lowered his hand to his knee, Mugman grinned in sweat and swiped his hand behind him before his brother could notice.

“I’m still not saying it.” Cuphead pressed his brother’s big blue nose. Mugman smirked and folded his arms while Cuphead kept pressing.

“Hey, grandpa!” Mugman peeked past Cuphead.

While continuing to knit, Elder Kettle chuckled. “I thought I told you boys to call me Elder Kettle.”

“Nah!” Mugman flicked his hand down. “Grandpa sounds cuter and more affectionate.”

“And it’s two short syllables.” Cuphead interjected sassily.

Elder Kettle chuckled as he put his knitting down on his lap. “You want me to say it?”

Mugman beamed. “He-yeah!” His fists pumped in excitement.

Elder Kettle smiled. He spread his arms inviting a hug. “I love you Mugman.”

Mugman’s eyes moistened and glimmered, his pupils seemingly shaking with awe and affection. He jumped off the couch and ran to Elder Kettle to catch his anticipating arms into a big warm snuggling hug.

“Want me to say it?” Mugman tilted his head up, making eye-contact with Elder Kettle using his own big cute and precious eyes.

“Hotdawg do I?!” Elder Kettle tilted his head.

Mugman cherished and kissed Elder Kettle’s nose spout. “I love you grandpa.”

“Aww.”

Mugman and Elder Kettle shared one big hug mixed with soft moans of 'Mmmmmm…’ All of a sudden, little Mugman was scooped up into Elder Kettle’s arms and the latter began pecking giggly Mugman while cradling him.

“Grandpa-!” Mugman giggled. “Let me!” His arms trying to get hold of Elder Kettle’s cheek.

“No.”

Elder Kettle continued pecking all over Mugman’s head, while Mugman just gave up, cuddled up, and giggled.

Amid the pecking, Elder Kettle stopped abruptly. Feeling a little short of the sweetness, Mugman looked to Elder Kettle to ask why he stopped but then noticed Elder Kettle was smug. He looked towards his right, the direction where Elder Kettle smugged, and then smirked as he caught Cuphead resting his head on his palm, elbow on the couch, smiling like an idiot at him and Elder Kettle.

A few seconds later, Cuphead blinked back to reality and shook himself awake.

“What?!” Cuphead looked at them strictly, a slight blush on his cheeks, his fists placed on his own hips.

Mugman and Elder Kettle laughed and then looked at each other.

“I think he’s jealous.” Elder Kettle suggested.

Mugman gasped. “Yeah!” He smirked at Cuphead.

Cuphead’s mouth squiggled as his body backed off and his arms were raised defensively. “Nnn-no!”

Mugman and Elder Kettle giggled.

“Come on Cuppy just say it!”

Cuphead’s cheeks flared red as he heard Mugman say his toddler nickname. “No!” He pumped his fists down in defiance.

“Say, it!” Mugman moved his fists up and down while chanting. “Say, it! Say, it! Say, it!”

“Say, it!” Elder Kettle joined in the chanting and moved his fists up and down as well. “Say, it! Say, it! Say, it!”

Cuphead cringed as the chanting continued, and he tried to muffle it out by covering his ears while ducking behind the cover of the couch’s armrest. 'Say, it! Say, it!’ the chanting echoed in his mind.

“No! No no no no no! Get out of my head.” Cuphead squeezed his ears, trying to shut out the noise.

“Say, it! Say, it!” “Say, it! Say it!” The voices shifted from the actual voices of Elder Kettle and Mugman to his own thoughts. He began to giggle.

“Oh no…” He giggled to himself, admitting defeat.

“Say, it! Say, it!” “Say, it! Say, it!”

Cuphead sighed. He peeked his head from the cover of the armrest. “I… love you.” He said weakly.

Mugman and Elder Kettle stopped chanting. “What?”

Cuphead laughed, rubbing his face and grunting as if he was going crazy. He popped his head up. “I love you!” He grinned.

Mugman and Elder Kettle smiled at each other, then back to Cuphead. “Who?”

Cuphead slapped his forehead and laughed. “Both of you!” He splayed his palms as if he revealed it was them.

Hearts warmed, they smiled and took an inhale as if they breathed in the words that echoed towards them.

“Really bro?” Mugman asked with a smile, flattered.

Bashful laughter came out of Cuphead as he kept hiding his face behind his own hands. It was so infectious that Mugman and Elder Kettle laughed too.

“Come here Cuphead.” Elder Kettle invited.

As Cuphead peeked from his fingers, he saw Mugman and Elder Kettle, the former lying across Elder Kettle’s legs, spreading their arms and inviting him for a hug. He sighed, feeling that his guards were broken.

Mugman giggled. “Come on bro. Give us some!”

Cuphead grinned cheekily, and ran into the arms of Elder Kettle and Mugman’s, giving each other a big hug with a loud 'Mmmmmm!’ Mugman sits properly on Elder Kettle’s knee while Elder Kettle scoops up Cuphead to sit him next to his brother.

“I love you Elder Kettle.” Cuphead Elder Kettle’s cheek while the latter hugs him back.

From his hug, Cuphead opened his eyes to look at Mugman who just looked at them smiling in affection while patiently waiting. Cuphead smiled and spread his arms to invite a hug, to which Mugman gave into in an instant. The two twin brothers cheek cuddled each other.

“I love you bro.” Cuphead said.

Mugman chuckled. “I love you too bro.”

Elder Kettle then wrapped the two boys into a hug and kissed both their straws, causing them to feel a slight tickle.

“Well, that wasn’t so bad was it?” Asked Mugman.

Cuphead just glared at his brother, slightly irritated. “Don’t ruin it.”

“Aw come on you like it.” Mugman teased.

Smiling, Cuphead exhaled two puffs of 'flaring’ air from each nostril as his brother just giggled. “I hate it when you get to enjoy teasing me. I mean, since when do you do that?!”

“Aww.” Mugman kissed Cuphead’s cheek. “Give and take bro. Give and take.”

“Heh. Whatever bro.” Cuphead just kept cuddling.

————————————————————————————————-

“Clink it! Pt 1”

Mugman yawned and fluttered his eyes open to a completely sky blue world, he waved his arms and could feel the resistance of water slowing his movements. Curiously looking around, there was really no way to tell which direction was up, down, left, right, or where the centre of gravity was.

“Wow.” He managed to say and as he did bubbles came out of his mouth, which made him cover his mouth in surprise. Slightly uncovering it, he sang a tone, and bubbles came out, followed by a few giggles of excitement.

A shadow towered over his head. Looking towards the source, he saw Cuphead from a distance swimming towards bubble to bubble in a network of large bubbles the size of their heads.

“Cuphead!” Mugman greeted, waving to him.

Cuphead noticed him and grinned mischievously.

Amused, Mugman folded his arms and wondered what crazy idea his brother had in store this time.

Snickering, Cuphead pulled out a large bubble from the network and then rubbed it like glass. A colorful image played out, with the sound of the echoing laughter of Mugman’s own voice… and someone else… a pretty girl? Cuphead laughed hysterically.

Curiosity bit him like a bug and Mugman eagerly swam towards Cuphead who lost his balance and began slowly spinning backward while laughing. The bubble was released from Cuphead’s grasp, and it floated idly towards Mugman. Mugman held it and rubbed the bubble. An image of Cala Maria faded in, smiling at him. Mugman blushed. Cala Maria slowly moved her finger back and forth, beckoning him to come closer; Mugman swore he felt her finger rub under his chin, but as he looked under, it was actually Cuphead grinning mischievously while his finger scratched it.

Cuphead laughed while Mugman scrunched his eyebrows and smiled in amusement. As Cuphead flicked his fingers towards himself, the large network of bubbles zoomed towards them and surround them. Small schools of bubbles swirled around Mugman’s head as his eyes try to follow their movements in wonder.

“I love tickle fights!” His own voice echoed near his head.

He turned towards the direction of the voice, but he only saw more bubbles twirling around him; some bubbles fiddled on Mugman’s sides of his body causing him to laugh at the tickles. A large bubble to his left faded in an image of Cuphead tackling him and tickling him with glee while Mugman himself just laughed, his mouth gaped wide open.

Mugman gasped as he looked at the image.

“I wish I could be as brave as you Cuphead!” His own voice echoed from another bubble.

He turned and saw him having a tender moment with Cuphead; both of them sat side by side on a bench watching the moon.

“I… just think Cala’s pretty.”

Another bubble fades in an image of that same day Cuphead tried to hide his photo of Baroness Von Bon Bon and Mugman himself tickled all the secrets out of him.

Mugman covered his mouth in shock realization, feeling a sense of being exposed. These bubbles were all memories of the secrets he had shared.

Cuphead laughed villainously and captured his brother’s head around his one-arm hug. “Tell me more.” He said intrigued, eyelids narrowed to Mugman.

Mugman blushed and gently shook his head.

A giant shadow towered over them, and as the boys look towards the source, Cuphead grinned villainously and Mugman gasped, covering his mouth behind his knuckles while his eyes bugged out. Cala Maria floated by and waved at them. Mugman’s breath slowed into heart-stopped exhales.

Cuphead laughed menacingly. “Or better yet show me.” He held his brother’s shoulders and pushed squeaky and panicky Mugman towards Cala.

“No! Bro-!” Mugman’s mouth squiggled as he smiled and squealed giddily.

“Aww come on. Look at her bro. Grrr.” Cuphead clawed the air in flirt.

Mugman sighed dreamily. “She’s perfect.” His pupils shook, beholding Cala Maria herself. Her sea-green tail, her purple lips, her charming eyes, her soothing songs…

Cala Maria swam closer. “Hi boys.” She greeted with her smooth voice.

Mugman took an inhale. “H…H-” His arm shyly reached out to wave hi.

“Heya!” Greeted Cuphead, his arm wrapped around his brother’s neck. “I think my bro wants a suh-moo-chah (smooch).”

Mugman squeaked in fright, looking at Cuphead in shock.

“Sure!” Cala swam closer and put her finger under Mugs’ chin to rub it. “Come here cutie.”

Mugman’s smile gaped open and he squealed like he was gonna cry. Cuphead giggled and swam behind his brother, back to back. Cuphead held Mugman’s hands, interlacing fingers. Mugman looked behind to Cuphead, following him curiously.

“Pucker up pal.” Cuphead winked.

With the back of his handle, he pushed Mugman’s head, sandwiching his brother into Cala Maria’s sweet squeaky kiss. Mugman’s entire body jolted like he was electrified and his hands squeeze Cuphead’s hands; Cuphead laughed as he felt every shivering sensation his brother made on his hands, his back, his butt, and even his head handle. Cuphead teasingly pushed Mugman’s entire back including his head and his butt with all three of his own and rubbed them against Mugman like he was dancing a lindy hop while he cooed a teasing tune and he sandwiched Mugman more into the kiss.

Paled pupils in shock, Mugman thought of so many things, but all of them constantly being blurred as he felt Cala Maria kiss him, and his brother’s constant pushing, rubbing and singing. He wanted to hit his brother with a punch… well, one that wouldn’t hurt him, but at the same time, he was heart-meltingly grateful for how supportive he has been. With all things considered, he couldn’t help but give in to the sweet bliss and close his eyes.

Cala Maria let go with a sweet “mwah!”

“Boop!” Cala Maria poked Mugman’s nose gently and swam away.

Heart-shaped pupils, and a squiggly mouth, Mugman sank down swaying like a falling leaf towards Cuphead’s ready arms. Mugman sighed as the feeling of a dream come true lingered. Cuphead smiled and saluted goodbye as Cala passed.

“So…” Cuphead’s eyes narrowed. “How does it feel?”

Mugman sighed. “Awesome…”

Cuphead giggled and bumped his cheek on Mugman’s. “In more detail please.”

Mugman sighed, his eyes glued to the infinite blue above which turned into the night sky full of stars.

He sighed on every other description he could say. “Floating away on a cloud… your butterflies… my choir of angels… fireworks… electric sparks… and a little bit….” His eyes closed and he grinned on the last thought… but then flashed his eyelids open realizing the last thought would prompt Cuphead to do something crazy.

And Mugman was right; Cuphead was grinning at him evilly while wiggling his fingers in the air at the ready.

Mugman’s mouth squiggled into a wide smile. “No…” He shook his head slowly.

“Aw come on… you deserve it, pal.” He winked. “And with Cala on your mind… you know-” Cuphead playfully poked the sides of Mugman’s stomach, causing him to laugh. “you…” Cuphead poked, and Mugman laughed again. “… wuv it.” And again.

Mugman inhaled and tightened his fists that squeezed against his chin. “A teeny…” He squeaked. His head winced backward, smiling in excited anticipation. “Weeny…. Itty-bitty-little bit… tiny…”

Cuphead giggled. “Come on!”

Mugman grinned. “Tiny winy….. tickl-”

Bam! Fingers poked into Mugman’s sides, causing him to laugh and snort with tears coming out of his eyes.

“I heard tickle! I heard tickle!” Cuphead teased.

Tossing and turning his body on the cradling arms of his villainous grinning brother, Mugman laughed, snorted and jolted multiple times away from the fingers that fiddled through the tingly parts of his side body, but whichever direction he jolted to a finger would poke at him. He was practically pincered. If Mugman would try to reach his fingers for Cuphead, his brother would raise his eyebrow and just slyly slide his hand to his armpits, forcing him to clip his arms just to try to stop Cuphead’s hands from moving… but Cuphead would still wiggle his fingers with his mischievous grin and Mugman would laugh with more tears.

“Ya thinking about her yet buddy?” Cuphead teased.

Mugman responded with a large laugh and a head shake of defiance.

“Nnno? Aww but Cawa wuvs you.” Cuphead put more force in his tickles as he said 'wuv’.

Louder than loud Mugman laughed and snorted as he felt his cheeks flare up and his milk boil while cushioning his jolting head on his brother’s stomach, causing Cuphead to laugh in reaction.

“Calaaa….” Cuphead sang.

Tired of laughing, but just letting his brother’s fingers kept tickle him, Mugman just laid his heavy head on his brother’s stomach, letting himself get lost in all the tickles and all the laughter.

Suddenly… his forehead was covered with a hand. The tickles were gone, Cuphead went silent. In fact, he felt he wasn’t cradled on Cuphead’s knees anymore. He awkwardly stopped laughing.

“Uhh… Okay.”

The mysterious hand kept patting and pacing around his closed eyelids and forehead. Occasionally the hand would grasp. It then patted its way to Mugman’s nose, and then grasped it gently, making it hard for Mugman to breathe.

Mugman’s eyes popped open to see Cuphead in the dark bedroom, wearing his barely distinguishable blue and white striped pajamas, kneeling on the bed, eyes closed, grinning while patting Mugman’s face with his right hand and Mugman’s chest with the other, grasping Mugman’s red and white striped pajamas periodically as if he was looking for something. All this time Cuphead was dreaming… Mugman stared blankly in annoyance at the ceiling.

Cuphead let out a giggle. “Come out Mugs…” He whispered.

Mugman raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

Cuphead gasped and then tossed his body away from Mugman, back onto his own pillow, facing the wall across him. Mugman let out a sigh, and watched his brother carefully, feeling the annoying obligation of watching out for his brother in case he falls… though, on second thought, he smiled knowing it would’ve been hilarious to see. Cuphead raised his hands close to his chin and wiggled his fingers. Amused, Mugman smiled showing a partial grin, knowing that his brother does that when he wants to tickle him.

Still dreaming, Cuphead laughed weakly. “C'mere Mugs…” Cuphead began grasping the air and moved his arms up and down as if he were climbing.

Mugman grinned. “Aww.” He let out a couple of chuckles.

Cuphead stopped climbing, rested his hands on his legs as he huffed, and groaned, but was still smiling. “No fair… I found you.” Cuphead inhaled as if he were catching his breath after a long run. “Come here and… get what you deserve.” Cuphead chuckled softly.

Mugman just kept grinning, trying to figure out his brother’s dream.

Cuphead then gasped. “Oh… it’s on!”

Suddenly, Cuphead kept kicking the bed with his heels, causing the mattress to shake. It caused Mugman to giggle.

“Go get 'im bro.” Mugman whispered, and as he remembered that it was himself being chased in the dream, he cuddled his own pillow, shutting his eyes while giggling.

Cuphead suddenly made two big kicks to the mattress and started sucking the air. Mugman’s eyes widened and he grinned in excitement.

Cuphead’s arms pounced forward. “Gotcha!” He whispered. Wiggling fingers fiddled the air as if he were tickling it, and Cuphead giggled as he did so.

Mugman’s eyes relaxed, and his mouth calmed back to a smile as he saw a happy ending. “Good job bro.” He said softly as he relaxed his head into the comfort of his own pillow.

Cuphead giggled, his last giggle ended with a hiccup. “Snorts.” Cuphead kept fiddling his fingers.

Mugman snickered, a snort escaped from his nose at the end, and it prompted him to cover his grin of embarrassment as he giggled. Sighing, his eyes drooped back into drowsiness. He let his mind back into that dreamy state and hoped he wouldn’t think of dreaming the same dream and give his brother a reason to attack him with tickles the following morning.

Tickles. Bubbles. Cuphead’s naughty laughter. Cala. Clouds….. panting. Panicking. Grunting in pain. Mugman popped his alert eyes open, to see Cuphead panting in a cold sweat.

On his pillow, Cuphead began tossing his body more quickly and even waved his finger gun around, all while whining and groaning in fear.

Mugman jolted to a sit, untucking his blanket. Mugman gently shook his brother’s shoulder.

“Cuphead, I’m here!” He said, urgent.

Only the silence heard him. Cuphead’s finger gun waved and pointed in every direction, flicking it as if he were firing. In one instance Mugman ducked when it pointed to him, but in other instances, he ignored it and only focused on his brother. And then Cuphead froze petrified… he stopped breathing.

“Cuphead!” Mugman said louder, hands at both his brother’s shoulders.

Still like a statue, closed eyes glued unknowingly towards his brother, a tear poured down Cuphead’s face. He sobbed. His fists balled in anger, regret, and frustration.

Mugman shook his head, it was getting worse.

“Cuphead, snap out of it!” Mugman shook Cuphead’s shoulders with more force.

Huffing, breaths filling with rage, Cuphead started growling. His right-hand finger gun glowed yellow and hummed with power.

Mugman gasped, he knew Cuphead was going to fire. He grabbed Cuphead’s arm, turned around, mounted it over his shoulder like a rifle, and aimed for the corner of the wall above their cabinet. Cuphead’s yellow charge shot fired in a loud “zhoom!” and exploded the cement wall, blasting a hole on what probably was also their bathroom wall.

Huffing. Scared. Face flushed with adrenaline. Mugman let out one last big exhale, knowing he averted a disaster. Mounted over his shoulder, Cuphead’s arm trembled. Mugman shook his head awake, this wasn’t over yet.

Turning around, Mugman brought his arms back to Cuphead’s shoulders and gave him a hard slap on his face.

“Ow!” Cuphead reacted.

“Cuphead!” Mugman yelled.

Cuphead blinked his eyes open as he panted awake. His eyes squinted, focusing on what was in front of him.

Mugman brought his hand to rub on his brother’s face, on the spot he just hit. “Cuphead.” He said gently.

As Mugman spoke, Cuphead’s blurry vision cleared into his brother looking at him with worry, rubbing the aching part of his face. Eyes widened in disbelief, Cuphead reached his trembling hand to the same hand of his brother’s which rubbed his face.

“B…bro?” He managed to choke out.

Mugman smiled, calm. “Yeah… Yeah it’s me.”

Cuphead’s hand, on Mugman’s hand, reached towards Mugman’s face, and then he stopped midway; the latter watched his brother’s hand curiously. In doubt, he closed his hand, but then extended his index finger and poked Mugman’s nose, causing Mugman to blink in surprise.

“Hey!” Mugman smiled, amused.

Surprised. Relieved. Overjoyed. Cuphead’s mouth turned from gaping disbelief into a trembling, curling, forced smile that let out a forced laughing fit like it was some sick joke that he felt obliged to laugh at. Smile fading into a frown of concern, Mugman tenderly held his brother’s face, and Cuphead held his brother’s caressing hands in trembling desperation as tears flowed down his closed eyes, trying to take in everything. Laughter… turned into sobs… into wails. Cuphead crashed into his brother’s chest, screaming into it as his hands desperately clung to Mugman’s shoulders.

Mugman felt his eyes well up too, but he knew he couldn’t cry now, he wiped off the tears with his fist knowing he had to be strong. He wrapped his arms around Cuphead’s neck, gently bringing his brother to his left shoulder, and he leaned his head towards Cuphead, and Cuphead did the same. Their heads looked like two cups brought to a toast.

“Shhh… shhh…”

Cuphead snuggled on his brother’s shoulder and he hugged his brother’s stomach, while he let Mugman cradle and gently sway him. Mugman tightened the hug carefully as his brother wailed his heart out, a level of crying which he never thought he would hear.

From behind Mugman, the light switched on from the hallway. Slow walking footsteps approached, with the echoes of a walking cane.

As the shadow of the person approaching loomed over them, Mugman slowly looked behind him to see the dark figure of Elder Kettle in front of the light looking back with worried eyes. Elder Kettle leaned forward to inspect the wall on his right, which was damaged with a hole still dripping off tiny rubbles. Mugman just looked at him, confirming what had happened, and then turned back to resting his head into his brother’s head while closing his eyes.

Elder Kettle, with his walking stick, walked over to Cuphead’s side of the bed and sat on it, making the bed sink a little.

Noticing the sudden weight on the bed, Cuphead looked back from Mugman’s shoulder and hugged Elder Kettle as his wails turned into practical screams.

“Shhh…” Elder Kettle cooed as he patted the back of the boy’s head.

Mugman rested his hand on Cuphead’s shoulder, and as Cuphead looked back, he looped both his arms around his brother and his grandfather. Tight and desperate, Cuphead’s arms clung onto both his family. Mugman tenderly hugged his brother, cuddling his cheek on Cuphead’s cheek. With his long arms, Elder Kettle wrapped both the boys into one tender and a warm hug. Mugman and Elder Kettle closed their eyes as Cuphead wailed.

————————————————————————————————

“Clink it! Pt 2”

In the living room, on the couch, eyes closed, wearing his blue and white striped pajamas, a warm blue towel draped around his shoulders, Cuphead sat trying to relax from the big crying spell he let out earlier.

Elder Kettle walked in with a Japanese cup of hot tea and handed it to Cuphead. The boy took the cup gently into his hands, inhaled the fragrant aroma, and hummed in enjoyment.

“Jasmine.” Elder Kettle said.

Cuphead inhaled the tea one more time, letting himself chuckle and grin. Taking the string of the teabag, he pulled it out of the cup and placed it into his 'cup head’. He shivered a little while the sensation of a foreign object touched his very soul, and then relaxed as the flowery flavor and aroma filled it.

Elder Kettle chuckled, and placed his hand on the boy’s shoulder. “If it gets bitter just pull it out.”

Cuphead grinned, calm and a little tired. “Thanks grandpa.” He took a sip from the Japanese cup and hummed in relaxation.

Sitting next to Cuphead, Elder Kettle patted his grandson’s back with his free hand, the other still holding his walking cane.

“I’m sorry grandpa…” Cuphead squeezed shut his eyes, feeling regret. “You were right about the casino.”

“Shhh…” Elder Kettle smiled gently as he rubbed Cuphead’s back. “All that matters, is that you’re safe at home m'boy.”

Cuphead smiled and tilted his head towards Elder Kettle, snuggling under the caring hug of the old kettle.

“Where’s Mugs?” Cuphead looked up to Elder Kettle.

Elder Kettle looked behind. Outside their window, Mugman is sitting on the edge of the island, looking up to the sky.

“Outside m'boy. Stargazing.”

Cuphead giggled. “I thought you’d put 'im in bed by now.”

Elder Kettle smiled. “After that fright you gave 'im, I wouldn’t be spooked if he couldn’t doze off.”

Cuphead frowned, remembering what had happened about half an hour ago. He tried to look out the window, concerned for his brother, but Elder Kettle’s body was too big. Elder Kettle turned back to Cuphead, noticing his attention towards the window.

Chuckling, he Elder Kettle shook Cuphead’s shoulder. “Tell 'im.”

Cuphead made eye-contact with Elder Kettle. “What will I say?”

Elder Kettle shrugged his shoulders. “Everything.” His smile grew to his cheeks. “I think your brother knows you better than I.”

Heart-warmed. Grateful. Cuphead closed his eyes and smiled as he recalled how close they were as brothers.

“Just… say it.”

Cuphead turned to Elder Kettle, scrunching an eyebrow while raising the other and smiling, intrigued.

Elder smiled cheek to cheek. “There’s nothing wrong with saying it m'boy.”

Relaxing his eyebrows, he smiled at his grandpa. He took one last look to the outside window.

—————————————————————————————————-

Outside the house, Cuphead closed the door as his slippers stepped into the grass, stained with orange candlelight from the hanging lamp by the front door. A cold wind blew into his sky blue and white striped pajamas, causing him to take a steady grasp on them to keep them from flapping.

“Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket

Never let it fade away…

Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket

Save it for a rainy day…”

In wonder, Cuphead watched the music notes from Mugman’s gentle song ride along the wind currents, which carried the song up to the smiling full moon that bobbed gently to the rhythm with closed eyes. He looked back at Mugman smiling. He walked towards the gentle song, bobbing his head along with the rhythm while the grass crackled beneath his slippers.

Arms and legs spread wide like a star, Mugman laid on the grass watching the star-struck sky while humming the verse of the lyrics he forgot.

“Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket

Never let it fade away…

Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket

Save it for a rainy day…”

His eyes traced the constellations of blue stars while trying to avoid some red and orange stars mixed with some milky and some energy-filled nebulas. Clouds floated on by, blocking some of those he traced, and although annoying, he shrugged his shoulders and shifted his eyes to the next constellation… which was blocked by the towering shadowy figure of grinning Cuphead peeking in.

Mugman giggled and grinned. “Hey! You’re all better.”

“Yeah…” Cuphead scratched the back of his head. “Almost.”

Mugman’s grin closed into a relaxed smile.

“You…” Cuphead knelt down. “You wouldn’t mind if you sang me that to sleep would you?”

Mugman shook his head. “I’d love to.”

Cuphead beamed, grateful. “Though to be specific…” His voice sounding more teasing. “I like the one you just sang. No rock, pop, hip hop, or jazz.”

Mugman laughed. “Gee Cuphead, I wish I had your sense of humo-oh!” His smile widened as his mind clicked with a joke. “Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!” Mugman covered his excited laughter, which caused Cuphead to laugh as well.

“Come on!” Excited, Cuphead shook his brother’s right shoulder. “What is it, what is it?!”

“Uh!” Mugman raised his two hands, the index and middle fingers joined together, the thumb sticking apart, and the ring and pinkies were folded. “Catch a falling star! Uhuh Uhuh! Put em in your pocket! Uhuh Uhuh!” He started to bob his hands up and down like a rapper.

Cuphead unleashed a large holler of laughter, which was probably loud enough to wake the neighbors. Mugman laughed too, letting snort after snort out, which caused Cuphead to laugh even louder.

“Shhh!” Someone yelled from behind.

Laughing still, Cuphead and Mugman covered their mouths, muffling them. Looking behind, Cuphead saw Elder Kettle lowering his finger from his shush while the other hand pushed the circular living room window open.

“Sorry!” Cuphead whispered loud, hands coned on his mouth like a megaphone.

Satisfied, Elder Kettle smiled and raised his two curved hands together to form a heart.

“Aww.” Cuphead placed his right hand on his chest, flattered.

“What?” Asked Mugman.

Cuphead grinned at Mugman and showed his own heart-shaped fingers to him. Heart-melted, Mugman’s smile curled. Doing the same, he curved his own fingers into a heart and raised it high above, making sure Elder Kettle saw it.

Looking back to Elder Kettle, Cuphead showed his own finger heart as well. Elder Kettle smiled and nodded. He turned his gaze back to the full moon, which winked back at him.

Smiling, Cuphead turned his attention back to his brother to show his grin. Mugman patted the grass on his left, inviting his brother to lay next to him. Cuphead got up from his knees walked over to the spot his brother patted. Carefully, he moved his feet so as not to step on his brother’s hand, which moved out of the way, and laid down with his arms spread wide like a star, however, his backhand hit Mugman’s chest by accident, to which Mugman just chuckled it off.

“Sorry.” Cuphead whispered.

Cuphead moved his right hand to the grass, next to Mugman’s open palm. Casually, as if out of habit, Mugman, whose eyes were fixated on the stars, flipped that same palm onto Cuphead’s right hand to rest on it. Cuphead then folded his fingers to hold it.

In awe and wonder, Cuphead watched the starry night sky, trying to make sense of the complex star system before him, but with how much he knew he could only draw a snake.

“Quite the dream you’ve had.” Mugman said, amused.

Cuphead huffed. “You have no idea.”

“Bro, I think you were playing hide and seek with me.”

Cuphead shot a glance at Mugman, surprised, while the latter rolled his head to Cuphead to connect eyes with him.

“Okay, creepy.” Cuphead teased.

Mugman giggled.

“Like, I get it when we coincidentally say the same thing and we try to out 'jinx’ each other sometimes…” Cuphead rolled his eyes in different directions while remembering. “But this is some witchcraft mojo going on.” His eyebrows scrunched in intrigue while his eyes looked straight to his brother.

“Or…” Mugman’s pupils looked at the upper corner of his eyes, then back to Cuphead. “You move and talk when you sleep.” Mugman stated as if it were a fact.

Cuphead blinked in realization. “I was that into it?” His eyebrows scrunched in curiosity.

Mugman grinned. “Like a dork playing superhero.”

Cuphead grinned, intrigued. “Like you, after reading a comic?”

Mugman laughed and nudged his elbow to Cuphead’s elbow causing the latter to chuckle. They both turned their gazes back to the stars.

“How…” Cuphead turned his head slightly towards Mugman, eyes still fixated on the stars. “How much do you know?” Cuphead asked.

“Well…” Mugman did the same, turning slightly to his brother without looking away from the stars. “You were climbing after me, then running,” He nodded. Grinning, Mugman focused his eyes at Cuphead. “Then you caught me…” Mugman said, amused, causing Cuphead to grin and make eye-contact with him. “Tickled me!” Eyebrows scrunched, Mugman jerked his free arm to tickle Cuphead’s stomach, causing his brother to jolt and laugh. Cuphead, eyebrows scrunched too, raised his free arm ready to tickle him, until he noticed Mugman was looking downwards with a face of worry, which caused him to stop and frown in concern. “…And then you started crying…. And-” Mugman’s pupils shivered as he tried to form the words… but he just sighed.

Worried. A little heart-broken. He knew the face of his brother that usually teared up seconds later; spaced out, pupils shaking, and a much frowned Mugman. But Cuphead did not see his brother shed any. He gently tightened his grip on his brother’s hand. His index finger poked between the gap of his brother’s fingers, and Mugman opened the gaps of his fingers, allowing their fingers to interlace with each other.

Suddenly Cuphead pointed towards the bush on Mugman’s right with his free left hand. Mugman rolled his head to look at the direction his brother pointed at.

“It happened there.” Cuphead started. “I was fondling and pushing away the branches to check if you were hiding…” He scratched his chin, confused. “Funny, in my dream, there was this giant berry on the bush which looked so plump and juicy.”

Unamused, Mugman rolled his head stiffly and glared at Cuphead. Cuphead squinted his right eye, confused at his brother’s reaction… but then gasped in realization a few seconds later.

“Ha Ha Ha bro.” Mugman said sarcastic, waving his head left or right in every syllable he spoke.

Like a hyena, Cuphead laughed in high pitches. He began patting his Mugman’s nose, inspecting it, grasping it, and lightly squeezing it as he did in the dream, causing his brother to snicker at everything he did to his nose, and then he gasped. “Golly, that really was you!” He then continued laughing in the same pitch.

Mugman smirked and fake yawned, his free hand patting his open mouth. “I’m going back to bed.” Mugman pushed himself up.

“No!” Laughing, Cuphead tugged his brother’s hand, the one which was still holding his own. “Come back come back come back I’m sorry-” He squeaked into a hiccup then continued laughing.

Mugman, halfway up, looked back to his brother, smirking and scrunching an eyebrow. Cuphead, using his free hand, held steady his own forehead as he laughed.

Mugman laid back down as Cuphead’s laughter calmed. Cuphead looked at his brother, beaming.

“That better be your last.” Mugman said.

“Aw come on.” Cuphead booped Mugman’s nose, causing the latter to blink. “I know you like it when I tease you.” Cuphead giggled.

Mugman’s smirk grew an involuntary grin. “Then what?”

Trying to remember the story, Cuphead tapped his lips. His head jolted, and he grinned as he remembered. “You peeked out from that tree” He pointed towards the tree, behind the bush, which Mugman turned his attention to. “I think I said something like 'Come out, I know you love what comes next when I find you’.”

Hand covering his grin, Mugman let out a chuckle. He turned back to Cuphead.

“I turn around from the bush, and I catch you grinning like a goofball, but as soon as I did you ducked back into the leaves a little.” Cuphead giggled. He raised his left hand. “So I just grinned like a devil and wiggled my fingers at you to hint at what’s coming!” He jerked his left hand at his brother’s left armpit, causing Mugman to buckle it, laugh, and grip the hand that held his brother’s hand tighter.

“And then… you started climbing the tree, throwing some raspberries at me like 'pbffftbfft!’” Cuphead his tongue out and made raspberry noise while waddling his goofy face, causing Mugman to laugh.

“And I climbed after you, like a lion!” Cuphead formed his left hand into a claw, scratched the air and growled while leaning towards Mugman. Mugman’s shoulders jolted up while he grinned. Cuphead continued. “Clawing his way up and growling at it!”

Mugman’s grinned stretched in excitement. “Until you reached the top, right?” Mugman asked.

“Uh uh.” Cuphead shook his head. “You kept climbing… and climbing, and climbing.”

“What?!” Mugman’s head leaned closer in reaction.

“He-yeah!”

Mugman’s mouth gaped. “How tall was it?”

“Taller than the clouds!”

Mugman imagined himself, laughing and giggling while climbing the foggy branches of the tree, and Cuphead growling and climbing after him.

“Wow…” Mugman said, his eyes fixated at the sky in wonder. “Then what?”

“You jumped off.” Cuphead casually shrugged his shoulders.

Mugman’s eyes bugged out and he shot a glance at his brother. “Golly what?!”

“Yeah!” Cuphead grinned. “Well, you landed on a cloud.” He said as if it was something unexciting.

“Oh for crying-” Mugman began tickling his brother on the stomach, causing the latter to laugh.

“Made ya-! Made ya freak out!” Cuphead managed to squeak, trying to point his trembling his finger at Mugman who just giggled and tickled his brother more, making his brother laugh louder.

Mugman stopped and held his brother’s shaking hand steady while waiting for him to calm down. Sighing, Cuphead looked up to the starry night sky.

“Okay, so I was on a cloud, then what?”

“Hmm” Cuphead tapped his chin. “As soon as I got to that branch you jumped from, I shouted something like… 'Come back here! I found ya so ya gotta get what ya deserve!’ Aaand, as I said that ya threw more raspberry tongues at me.”

Mugman giggled, spit his tongue out, and made raspberry sounds. “Like that?”

“Ye-heah! That annoying sound which was enough to trigger this cup.” Cuphead pointed at himself.

They both shared a laugh.

“So I said 'Oh it’s on!’ and then I jumped after ya and then you…” Cuphead hummed while tapping his chin in thought. “What do you call that you…” He gritted his teeth in cringe. “You kinda panicked?”

Mugman cringed. “I don’t think I panic when we play.”

“No no no.” Cuphead swished his hand as if he were erasing something. “It was like a panic… but you do it when I chase you… and you laugh while you’re at it.”

“Ohh, you mean when I’m having fun and I try not to get tagged?”

“Yeah, that. What do you call it?”

Mugman tapped his mouth. “I think you mean 'thrill’?”

“So…” Cuphead pointed his index finger as if trying to make a point. His pupils on the lower left corners of his eyes in thought. “You shivered in thrill, fell on your butt on the cloud, crawled and scrambled through the puffs… with thrill, and then dropped to the edge falling to another cloud below.”

“Uhh… we’ll workshop that.” Mugman waved his hand laid flat on the air.

“Okay, just pretend I didn’t suck at storytelling for a sec and we’re good.”

Mugman snickered.

“So then… we went cloud hopping! You bounced off cloud after cloud away from me while I chased after you… in your case you hopped with thrill.”

Mugman laughed.

“And then Grim Matchstick flew by, he was flapping his dragon wings and waving at us with his paws.” Cuphead waved hello as he did in the dream. “Followed by Hildaberg, laughing with her 'Heh heh heh heh heh'… like a villain… no thrill.”

Mugman laughed and nudged his left elbow on Cuphead’s arm, which was strong enough to push him a little.

“St-hop abusing that word!” Mugman grinned.

“What?! I learned a new word from you… it’s so thrilling!”

Back heads pushing the grass, they both laughed, almost as loud as when Elder Kettle shushed them, but they immediately covered their laughs before they could reach that level.

Cuphead sighed out his laughter. “And then… where was I?”

“Heh heh heh heh heh.” Mugman imitated Hilda while his head danced.

“Oh yeah. So while I was hopping after you, Hilda noticed that I was chasing you, came close to me and then said 'pss wss wss wss wss’.”

Mugman’s smile gaped, his eyebrows scrunched. “Wh-hat?!” Mugman laughed.

“Bro!” Cuphead giggled. “I’m not kidding. That’s exactly what she said. Aaaand for some reason I understood that as 'suck in the clouds.’”

“Maybe it’s because you understand 'psswss’-glish. You’re quite the natural bro.” Mugman laughed.

“Pss wss wss?” Grinning, Cuphead tilted his head closer to his brother.

Mugman tapped his chin twice. “Psssshh” Mugman shook his head, apologetic.

Cuphead inhaled. “Pbbfft!” He said like a sigh while sticking his tongue out and making raspberry sounds.

Mugman laughed. “We are soo doing that later.”

“Wiiith… Elder Kettle?” Cuphead raised an eyebrow.

Mugman gasped. “Yeah! But… what if he doesn’t get it?”

“What if he does?” Cuphead teased.

Mugman’s mouth gaped. Their mouths, in sync, grew into a big grin and they laughed, shaking their fists in excitement without breaking their hand-holding.

“Buut… if it doesn’t-” Cuphead pointed his index finger in the air.

“We’ll just tell 'im!” Mugman interrupted, smiling calmly.

Cuphead gasped and then grinned.

Giggling, Mugman shrugged his shoulders. “I doubt we’ll have to. Now that ya mention it, he’s been really good at catching our humor lately.”

Cuphead laughed softly. “Now… where was I?”

“Pss wss wss.” Mugman danced his head.

“No!” Eyes bugged out, grinning with thrill, Cuphead’s free hand pushed Mugman’s shoulder, causing the latter to laugh. “After I said- 'Suck in the clouds!’”

Mugman laughed. “You really do understand that.” His voice squeaked.

“Shut up!” Cuphead laughed as he pushed his brother again. He kept knocking his own head, trying to remember the story. “Suck the clouds, suck the clouds… Ah!” He snapped his fingers. “You were cloud hopping!”

“Pssswss!” Mugman nodded.

“Damn it Mugman!” Cuphead pounded the grass with his left fist.

They both shared a loud laugh, Cuphead with his high-pitch clownish laugh and Mugman with his gentle giggles that would either squeak to high-pitches or turn into snorts occasionally as he held his forehead back trying to compose himself.

“Go back to bed!” Cuphead pointed to the house door.

Shaking his brother’s shoulder apologetically, Mugman laughed. “You su-hucked in the clouds!”

Cuphead’s lower lip clamped shut trying to hold back his titter and grin that stretched end to end, trying to hold in his stupid idea…. until he shut his eyes and said “Psswsswss!”

Hollers of echoing laughter, fast and hysterical. Mouths gaped wide open. Fists banging on the ground. Heads and bodies rolling around, trying to control their funny bones. Milk splashed and spilled on the grass. Breaths heaved for air to try not to suffocate themselves. Their laughter calmed a little… And then… creeping in their minds…

'Psswssswss’

With hyena-like laughter, Cuphead’s back head pushed into the grass, his gaping mouth pointing to the sky. Mugman’s gentle and innocent laughter rattled on, turning into high squeaks and snorts, causing Cuphead to laugh louder and faster with his hiccups and squeaks. Tears were being wiped off before the other could see. Their hands were still holding each other, desperate for an anchor to hold onto, and in the midst of their laughter they decided to pound them together on the grass. Their heads hit each other, making a clink sound, and they just rubbed the pain away with snuggles. Although they were still laughing, the thought of Hilda was fading, and they wanted to finish the story.

For a moment they looked at each other and sighed from the laughter… and then Cuphead sneaked in a “Psswssswss.”

Grips of their hands tightened as the joke danced back in their heads and they burst out laughing. Teeth ate back their hollers, and they gritted they tried to hold back their laughter until it was too sweet to hold shut and they burst out laughing again. To hell with the story. Cuphead started coughing, causing Mugman to laugh even more and eventually cough as well, which caused the former to laugh even more. Laughter, which was fast and hysterical, turned into sighing and quick heaving. Hands sweaty and aching from the strong grips they’ve shared. Heaving for breath turned into soft giggling, with occasional inhaling, and a very tiny bit of crying from so much laughter.

Eyes opened towards the night sky, and in a half-second, a shooting star dashed across the milky nebulas.

They both gasped, caressing each other’s grip gently. They looked at each other grinning.

Mugman nudged Cuphead’s elbow with his own. “Make a wish.” He whispered.

Eyes glistening in gratitude, pupils shaking, Cuphead rubbed his sniffling nose. He looked back at the sky, the spot where the shooting star was, and closed his eyes. He thought of the things he had wanted the most: all the money, all the ice cream, all the rides… 'psswssswss’.

Cuphead giggled. “I… I don’t what else to wish for Mugs…” He opened his eyes. “I’ve got everything I need to be happy.”

Mugman raised an eyebrow. “Not even money?” He asked in disbelief.

Cuphead grinned and then snickered. Eyes watched the stars. “Why bro?… Why do you make me feel like I don’t need it right now? We could buy all the candy with that!”

Mugman smiled and felt himself tear up a little. He looked back at the constellation and watched the stars in awe.

“I’d like to think… That shooting star was us though.” Cuphead turned his head towards his brother. “Just… you and me laughing like that… probably forever… and it wouldn’t hurt because it was never too much.”

Mugman turned to Cuphead and smiled.

Cuphead made eye-contact with his brother. “So… I sucked in the clouds…” The eye-contact, the pause, and their smiles growing in sync again made it so distracting that he was thinking about the annoying whispering sound they invented.

“Do-hon’t say it!” Cuphead pushed his brother’s shoulder.

“No you don’t say it!” Mugman pushed back, grinning.

Cuphead laughed, soft and tired from his fit earlier. “You ran in place on the cloud with thrill…” Cuphead paused, realized what he just said, and cringe-bit his lip. He couldn’t help but grin and share a few giggles with Mugman. He squeezed his eyes just to force the thought off. “I mean, you were running in place because I was sucking in the- Argh! Damn it!”

Mugman and Cuphead laughed; the former heaved one big sigh in the middle of his laugh and pointed his finger to Cuphead, while the latter cried tears of defeat.

“Okay okay!” Cuphead puts his free hand up. “The wind kept pulling you back, and all the clouds with it. You were getting giddy…” Cuphead’s pupils paced around his eyes, wondering about what he just said.

Mugman giggled. “Yeah, I think that’s the right word.”

Cuphead’s grin stretched, his lower lip clamping his mouth again.

“Cuphead no!” Mugman giggled as he pushed his brother.

Cuphead snickered. “Just… one more.”

Mugman laughed. “We-he’ll never finish.”

Cuphead sighed. “You were getting giddy over the fact you were being pulled towards me. I swallowed each and every cloud I saw, and you just kept running on air while the wind kept pulling you back. And when you were near enough… 'Gotcha!’” Cuphead’s free hand tackled Mugman’s right shoulder, causing the latter to giggle.

“Ohh…” Mugman realized. “We were falling?!” He asked, excited.

“Yeah! And… falling, and falling and falling. Nothing to fall into but the blue sky.” Cuphead grinned, mischievous. “All the more reason to tickle you…” Cuphead poked Mugman’s armpit, causing him to giggle. “and tickle you…” He poked Mugman’s side stomach, making him giggle again. “and tickle you…” This time, he wiggled his fingers on his brother’s stomach.

“Aaaand you started snorting.” Cuphead said as if it was a normal unexciting thing.

Coincidentally, Mugman let out a snort, which he covered with his hand in surprise.

Cuphead laughed. “Yeah, like that.” They both shared a gentle giggle. Eyes looked down, Cuphead smiled, cherishing that same dream. “I really wished… at that moment, we’d stay like that… even for just a dream.”

Pupils shaking in flattery, Mugman smiled calmly. He moved his left hand, the one which had been holding his brother’s this entire time. He made them stand on their wrists and began to slowly dance it left and right. Cuphead took notice too, and began to dance it as well, making their hand-dance lighter and more festive-like, though occasionally he would reverse direction or make it heavier and cause Mugman to giggle while he pushed and tried to maintain the dance momentum. Cuphead, however, with a smirk, made it unmoveable, and Mugman grunted and giggled as he tried to force it to move.

In longing, Cuphead sighed. The game started becoming easier; Mugman danced and wrestled his brother’s practically lifeless hand. Concerned, Mugman looked at his brother, who now wore a face of regret… and his eyebrows creased in fear. Fingers began to tremble in between the fingers of Mugman’s firm and supportive hand that slow-danced to a still-standing stop.

Mugman slow-blinked as his fingers tightened and 'hugged’ his brother’s hand. “When did it… get bad?”

Cuphead’s pupils were shaking, focused on their hands. “We were laughing… but someone else was laughing too. The sky turned sunset orange… no it was more… fire orange… with hints of blood red. We stopped laughing, we both got scared.”

Cuphead paused.

“His voice was everywhere… just laughing… like he was happy we were going to… to die… we looked above our heads… and he was there. King Dice’s giant head, probably as big as one Inkwell Isle.”

Cuphead’s hold firmed.

“We both fired our finger-guns to his head, but our bullets weren’t chipping 'im… and he just kept laughing, while we kept falling into his mouth full of fire.”

Mugman shivered, and Cuphead felt his brother’s shiver with his hand. Cuphead rubbed his index finger on the back of Mugman’s hand, comforting it.

“Everything went black for a moment. The next time I opened my eyes… we were back on those floating islands that kept us from falling to that bottomless fire pit below. I’ve never been so afraid and so… careful in my life… And then, the devil’s giant head rose from the fire, laughing at us… and his body, his arms, and his… giant fork materialized…” Cuphead huffed as if he tried to chuckle but nothing came out because of the heavy fear. “I might’ve butchered that word.” He tried to smile.

“No no. Keep going.” Mugman’s eyes remained serious and concerned.

Cuphead exhaled. “He raised his fist, about to squish us. We jumped off to the next island and dodged the blow while we fired at his face… but then… he made a fist with the other… we were still midair… he was gonna hit us.”

Mugman noticed his brother’s pupils shake more.

“And then you-” He exhaled abruptly as if he sobbed instead of breathing. “You pushed me back! You… you saved me you…. You…” Tears started forming in his eyes. “You smiled as you kept going…” Cuphead sniffed. “You landed, and… just like that he…”

Mugman imagined himself being crushed by the devil’s giant fist. He wasn’t scared, but he was more concerned for his brother.

Cuphead sobbed, and forcibly wiped his tears away. “I wanted to save you… I jumped to your ghost to parry you but… The devil he… swatted me away… I just watched you float up… and…”

“…I couldn’t do anything…” Mugman thought of what Cuphead would’ve said.

Mugman reached his hand to hold Cuphead’s left side of his chin, to which the latter leaned on to rest.

“And I believed it… you were gone. Those…” Cuphead blinked off tears, and he slowly shook his head in regret. “Those same words just kept echoing in my head… 'he’s gone…’ 'he’s gone…’ 'he’s gone…’”

Sobbing. Trembling. Cuphead held for dear life onto his brother’s hand that held his own chin. His breathing became rapid heaves for a moment, and as Mugman rubbed his fingers to calm him, Cuphead took a deep breath.

“I just…” Cuphead’s grip on their hands tightened in anger, to which Mugman gritted his teeth in pain until it lessened into a tolerable level. “I had nothing left to lose… there was only one thing left to do.”

Flashback. Cuphead’s growls of rage. His finger gun humming with power. The scream of anger. Mugman aiming his finger at the wall. The explosion.

In silence, they both shared, laying on the grass. The chirps of cicadas filled the air. Ocean waves bobbed on the island.

“And then…” Cuphead’s grip on his brother’s hand softened, giving Mugman’s hand relief. “I woke up… with a slap to my face.” His eyes rolled, saying the last phrase with sass. He looked to Mugman, who was smirking. He grinned. “And you were alive.”

From a smirk, Mugman smiled relieved as he heard the happy ending. He let go of his brother’s hand and wrapped Cuphead in his hug while the latter caught Mugman and snuggled his chin on his brother’s shoulder.

“You okay?” Mugman smiled.

Cuphead sighed in relief. “I’ll be fine. It was… it was only a dream.”

“Yeah.”

With one last tight embrace, they shared a sigh and laid back onto the grass with arms and legs spread like stars.

“So… that dream was… quite the thrill.” Mugman grinned cheekily at his brother.

Frowning. Unamused. Cuphead rolled his head slowly on the rustling grass to look at his brother while Mugman just grinned wide, with a drop of sweat coming out of his forehead. Mugman felt insecure, self-doubting if he did something wrong, or he told a really bad joke, and apparently, Cuphead’s blank face was showing him he did…. At least… until a smile slow curled on the left side of his lip and struggled to stay frowned. A snort escaped from his mouth. His chest, shoulders, head jiggled as if he was laughing. Soon, the tiny smiling lip curl spread as if it fought its way to Cuphead’s entire stubborn mouth. Cuphead covered the curly smile with his hand.

Mugman giggled in mischievous 'hee hee hee’, his confidence growing. He flashed his best Cuphead-like grin of confidence while snapping his fingers and pointing them to Cuphead with an “Eyy! Winky winky!” He winked twice.

Looking at Mugman, Cuphead burst one big snicker which then continued into muffled laughs and squeaks. His eyes squinted in repeated blinks as he tried to divert eye-contact, but his stubborn annoying curiosity for more would bring his attention back and forth. His lower lip seemingly devouring his upper lip trying its best to keep his laughter in.

Mugman giggled. He moved closer to his brother. “Come on bro.” He smirked, wrapping his arm around Cuphead’s neck; Cuphead looked at his brother, happy eyes half-begging him to stop. “You know you want to.” He poked Cuphead’s stomach.

In reaction, Cuphead’s legs buckled as tears started welling in his eyes. Defiant and stubborn, he shook his head.

Mugman giggled. He tapped his chin in thought, and then snapped his fingers as he thought of an idea.

“So…” He said softly to his brother’s non-existent ear. “What did Hildaberg have to say to make a tornado?”

As he listened and as the question swirled into his head, Cuphead’s lower lip folded over his upper lip even further up to his nose. His muffled laughs became louder as the answer became clear. His tears flowed down as he closed his eyes. More intense, more defiant, his head shakes caused his milk to splatter on the grass and some to his giggling brother. Mugman just laid there, grinning and waiting until his brother stopped shaking his head. Meanwhile, Cuphead’s left fist started pounding the grass again. Tiring out and due to headache, Cuphead stopped shaking, but his stubborn silly snickers continued. Grinning mischievous, Mugman pulled his brother’s head closer, clinking their heads.

Mugman turned his head and brought his lips close to his brother’s ear…. Silence. Snickers. Cuphead’s fists closing; his right squeezed his chin while his left arm squeezed close to his side. He squeezed his eyes shut. Listening… Waiting… Waiting… Waiting… Wai- “Psss wsss wss!”

“AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” Cuphead jolted up into a sit, his mouth gaping wide open.

All the laughter he had tried to contain burst into one huge hysterical hyena-like holler that escaped into the night, startling the once calm, relaxed moon now irritated. Mugman, in grinning glee, covered his ears with his hands from the loudest laugh that he has ever heard, all while sharing a few giggles and laughs himself. His grin stretched as he listened to the sweet and rowdy music of victory.

Cuphead crashed his back onto the grass, laughing and pounding the ground with his two fists, trying to get the tickling joke out of his brain. Yelling, laughing, yelling, rolling around then laughing again. Wrapping his arm around Cuphead’s neck, Mugman tugged his brother closer as he shared their loud laughter.

“Noooohahahahaha!” Cuphead yelled as he pounded the grass. “I refuse! I refuse! I re-!” His laughter hijacked what he was supposed to say.

“Yeahhhahaha!” Mugman pumped his fist in the air. “Eat that bro!”

Cuphead landed one very weak punch to his brother’s stomach, to which Mugman just proudly took.

The house door creaked open. Immediately Mugman hugged his brother’s head close to his chest, muffling the sound of his laughter, leaving Mugman’s soft, innocent, high-pitches to laugh alone.

Elder Kettle stood by the open doorway, annoyed that they did not obey him.

Mugman controlled his laugh into snickers. He held two 'peace’ fingers in front, towards Elder Kettle. “I’m sorry-” He managed to speak before he snickered into laughter and collapsed on the grass.

Elder Kettle sighed, then took notice of Cuphead, who looked like he was either smothering himself or cuddling on Mugman’s chest while he laughed, body shaking while at it. He smiled, knowing that Cuphead was very okay, shrugged his shoulders, and then closed the door.

As he heard the door close, Cuphead popped his head off of Mugman’s chest, took a deep inhale, and let out a cackling fit.

“Why-h-! What did Hilda have to say to make a torna-Hahahaha!” Cuphead slapped his forehead, trying to sit upright.

Mugman laughed. “What?”

They both inhale. “PSSWSSSWSSS!” Tongues and faces waddled around, splashing milk and saliva.

Laughing. Crashing. Rolling on the grass. Cuphead laughing and squeaking with hyena-like pitches. Mugman laughing and snorting with his innocent low pitches. Clinking; their heads accidentally bumping into each other while they were rolling around the grass. Gasping for air. Mugman holding his own forehead trying to keep himself from rolling out of control. Cuphead just rolling, wherever he pleased carelessly until he managed to lay on top of his brother’s stomach.

Their laughs calmed into slow heaves, with the occasional cackles, and then eventually the noise settled into exhales and sighs after having a good laugh. Cuphead, although struggling, wrapped his arm around Mugman’s shoulders and managed to pull his brother in for a clinking hug.

“Golly-!” Mugman laughed. “This is -! The happiest-!” Mugman laughed. “You’ve ever been!”

Cuphead laughed, gasping for air. “My-!” He inhaled. “My stomach hurts.” He squeaked.

They shared laughter and a head toast; the rims of their heads touching. The last of the tickles in their funny bones finally started to rattle out, although they did long for a bit more fun.

Cuphead glanced at his brother, who had his eyes closed and was letting out a few laughs while heaving steadily.

Mugman opened his eyes, smiling at Cuphead. The latter, after looking away in hesitation, cuddled up to his brother’s cheek. Mugman brought his arm around Cuphead’s shoulders, mimicking his brother’s hug.

“Say it.” Mugman said enthusiastically.

Cuphead chuckled. “Wh-hat?”

Mugman lightly shook his brother’s shoulder, laughing. “Say it!”

Cuphead blinked, smiled, understood what his brother was talking about, and looked away feeling shy.

Mugman giggled. “Say, it! Say, it! Say, it! Say-!”

“Okay! Okay!” Cuphead sighed. “I…. I….”

Cuphead kept his mouth open, trying to say something but then sighed, defeated.

Eyes searching Cuphead, Mugman’s eyebrows creased, confused. “What’s stopping you?”

“Okay… hear me out.” Cuphead held his hands up. “Honestly, I’d really love to say it…” Cuphead paused, while Mugman smiled and patiently waited. “But… I don’t think it cuts it you know?”

Mugman blinked. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…” Cuphead’s grin stretched wider. “You’re my bro! My best pal! My… my hero!” He grinned. “You get it? Three words aren’t enough.”

Flattered, Heart-melted, Mugman felt his smile show a grin. “Well… how do you wanna say it?”

Cuphead tapped his lips in thought. “Like… a high five.” He raised an eyebrow and his right hand.

Eyes glinting with excitement, Mugman high fived his brother’s open hand.

“And… a low five?” Cuphead brought his open palm low.

Mugman clapped his brother’s palm with his hand.

“And… a parry five?”

Mugman giggled. He consciously formed a hand at the top of his straw and waved it to Cuphead. Grinning, Cuphead morphed the tip of his straw into a hand and then high-fived his brother’s straw.

“Then maybe… a clink?”

Mugman giggled more. They lightly bumped their foreheads together.

“Hmm…” Mugman’s eyes brightened with an idea. “Do all four?” He grinned.

Cuphead grinned too. “Yeah!”

The boys jumped from laying in the ground to a stand.

“High five!” Cuphead shouted.

They both high fived, giggling.

“Low five!”

They both low fived.

“Parry!”

They both jumped into a front flip, their straws morphed into pinkish hands and high-fived each other, and then they landed on their feet.

“Clink!” Cuphead opened his arms, inviting a hug.

They both ran to each other and toasted each other’s heads into a cuddly hug.

“Bro!” They both yelled out.

They both laughed and closed their eyes to indulge in their hug.

“I love you.” Cuphead tightened his hug, as he pressed against his brother’s cheek.

Mugman squeezed his eyes shut and grinned wider as he heard those words. “I love you too bro.” He pressed back to his brother’s cheek.

They hummed in comfort as they tried to squish each other in their hugs. Crickets and cicadas chirped. The bobbing ocean waves. Exhales of relief as they relaxed their hugs.

Cuphead yawned, his mouth opened wide.

Mugman peeked his left eye open. “Sleepy?” As he said it, Mugman yawned.

Cuphead smiled, opened his eyes, and offered his arm to Mugman. With open eyes, Mugman smiled and hooked his arm around his brother’s arm and then they buddy-walked back to the house.

“Hey.” Mugman whispered.

“What?” Cuphead whispered.

“Catch a falling star. Uhuh-uhuh. Put it in your pocket. Uhuh-uhuh.” Mugman whispered while bouncing his head and pointing his right index finger down as if he was rapping.

Snickering, Cuphead used his buddy arm to push his brother away, as he began laughing again. Mugman just grinned and put his fists on his hips proudly… but he wished he had some shades to wear to look cool on his victory.

Bonus:

“Mugs?” Cuphead asked.

“Yes?”

“Where did you get that 'uhuh-uhuh’ from?”

“Well…. You have my heart. And we’ll never be worlds apart…” Mugman sang.

Cuphead snickered, pushed his brother away and began laughing again.

[cuptalecupheadxundertale]

Hello! Just as part of the plan, here is one of those Cuphead fanfics! 

Please enjoy while I am writing and finishing my draft for the next chapter.

Thank you!

[cuptalecupheadxundertale]

November Blog Post

Hello everyone!

I havent been posting I'm so sorry :)). I've struggled to find time to post and managed to squeeze some time this weekend!

The October Plan was another bust, doesn't mean I won't stop trying 'til I get it right.

Let's try posting every weekend this time, when I don't have work and I can sleep :)). Don’t hesitate to message me if you are anticipating anything!

Anyway, here are some of my activities I did this month.

Very big ocean artwork. Not sure if I will continue, it’s too big. I just wanted to experiment on how to colour ocean very well. 

This is a fanfic. Will be posting this hopefully this Saturday. whether or not I color it in.

Just some color and blending experiments

That’s it! See you next time!

[cuptalecupheadxundertale]

October Plans:

-        Tumblr Website Update OR Study How to update website design. The website might look a little different.

-        Bro, You’re The Best Short Story Collection. There are 4 Chapters of this published already, it’s not yet uploaded, but it’s just other fanfic I have written in the past which is uploaded on other sites such as AO3, DA, and FF.net.

-        Surf (Colored Pencil Drawing)

-        List of Other Potential Cuphead Stories

Will be posted this week!

-        CupCops AU

-        Moby (CENSORED) Comic

-        (CupRocket AU: Cuphead x Pokemon, an original idea) Team Rocket: Cuphead & Mugman

Still trying to figure out what content to post every day or every week. Not really savvy with social media, but I just wanna post enough.

Please leave a like or comment, it really helps with my performance with my content! Regardless, thank you for reading!

See you in the next post!

[its-actually-ash]

here are the boys!!! it's september 29th,,,

celebrate the cupbros bday..

[cuptalecupheadxundertale]

Piggyback Buddy Barrage (Happy Anniversary Cuphead!)

HAPPY 5TH ANNIVERSARRY CUPHEAD! Good morning to you all! I shall celebrate today with this colored pencil sketch of Cuphead and Mugman.

Title: Piggyback Buddy Barrage

Enjoy!

I shall (try to) be in the Amino party later at 5:30pm (if i can wake up because that's 5:30am here).