Chapter Text
“Mugs, look at this.” Cup elbowed his brother gently.
“What is it?” Mugs asked.
“It was in the damn book H gave me,” Cup said. “Does that writin’ look familiar ta you?”
Mugs frowned, then his eyes widened. “No.” Damnit, he recognized it too. “Let’s open it!”
“What if it’s a cussin’ trap?” Cup asked.
Mugs paused and frowned at him. “This is the Eye in the Crystalball, right? They gave us a bullet potion last time, Cup! Maybe it’s more help! Maybe the Eye can tell us more about these thieves. What kind of trap would they want to set up anyway?” Mugs asked.
“They just know too much, Mugs. We still ain’t sure what angle this weirdo is workin’ from. Remember, this is a person who told us we can’t spill the beans to the others,” Cup pointed out. He held the letter like he expected it to burst into flames. “What if they ask us ta do somethin’ cussed up?”
Mugs took the letter and carefully ripped it open. “Then we cross that bridge when we come to it.” Mugs smiled. He clumsily pulled it out with his bandaged hand.
Hello boys,
Fancy meeting you in this part of the world. Or something like that. I thought I’d tried to sound British, but they’re too fancy for me. Forgive the coffee stains; it’s been a long night. I suppose you’re wondering why I’ve gone to the trouble of contacting you again. That’s a really great question! I’m here to warn you about a little problem that may pop up soon. It’s not a big thing, but, uh, if it happens, people are gonna die. So nothing much, but could cause some problems in your future?
“Little problem! Cusser says people are gonna die, and it’s a little problem?” Cup snapped.
“Shhhh! Cup, people will notice ya screamin’. Let’s just see what the Eye has ta say,” Mugs placated.
Now, don’t get offended. I meant the problem is literally little. Stick your hand in your pocket, Cuphead.
Mugs looked at Cup expectantly. Cup scowled. He didn’t want to do it. Mugs saw his expression and frowned. “Are you really gonna be difficult and argue with a piece of paper again?”
“I was a piece of paper earlier today,” Cup snipped derisively.
“And?” Mugs asked.
“Cussin’ Eye and death threats. Cussin’ curses and creepy future stardust.” Cup continued to swear as he stuck his hand into his pocket. “Now what?” Mugs lifted the letter again.
Cup felt a stab of pain go through his hand as tiny teeth bit down on his finger. “Ouch! Cuss Lil’ Monster!” He yanked his hand out of his pocket, Lil’ Monster dangling from the digit.
See? Little problem. The other one too. You see, depending on how things go the next couple of days, you could lose both him and the other one. If you lose them, the Parts will be gone. Caput. Poof. Abracadabra! You’ll never find them or your tiny pets again. We can’t have that happen! It’d ruin Sunday dinner. And you won’t go to the dance club. You really want to go to the dance club. Trust me. So listen carefully as I explain what’s going to happen.
“This cusser is ramblin’ nonsense again,” Cup muttered as he got Lil Monster to let go of his finger and sit on his palm for a moment, glaring at the world around them. The tiny thing hunched down, narrowing his eyes at the world. He let out a growl before running up Cup’s sleeve and burrowing into his coat, making the dish jump.
“I dunno, a dance club sounds kinda nice after all the panicked runnin’ around we’ve been doin’. I mean, we’re still on American time.” Mugs looked away, into the park with a thoughtful expression.
“Don’t go daydreamin’ on me. We’re in the middle of a disaster.” Cup kept an eye on Lil’ Monster as he burrowed up Cup’s jacket to the shoulder and then back down his chest into a pocket. Tiny claws working quickly to bring the creature back to his dark haven. “Keep readin.”
The way to avoid the situation is pretty simple. Don’t go to the convention. Even if you hear about things blowing up or certain people . . . destroying buildings, just avoid them. Focus on the Parts. You don’t really need anything other than those two munchkins to find them again, though that’s not gonna be the easiest task either.
Mugs paused. “That sounds suspicious, doesn’t it?” Mugs asked. “Why ‘certain people’?” Cup tilted his head, agreeing with Mugs. This cusser was getting vague on them. It made him curious about what was at this convention.
To be fair, everyone involved in this madness sounds suspicious. I’d put the two of you at, at least, an 8 on the suspicious scale.
Mugs snorted. “They got us there.”
“Shut it! We’re charmin’ as hell.” Cup elbowed him playfully.
I’m surprised your bookish friend didn’t continue to stalk you longer than she did. I suppose that proves your point, eh, Cuppy?
Cup frowned. Cuppy? “Cusser even knows about that, huh? How long have they watched us?” It was creepy. It was like Marcus. Not that Cup could do anything about that freak.
It’s not about the length of time. That is the point. I know what I need to know because I need to know it. Or it’s relevant. It’s not like I was walking beside the two of you, enjoying the breeze. For example, this letter was written before the first one you got. What will I write to you there? I haven’t the slightest. Not relevant to me right now.
Mugs made a face. “You think they ever confuse themselves?”
Endlessly. It’s a good thing I keep notebooks. I can’t imagine how it’ll get later on . . . Well, technically I can. But it’s not imagining.
A notebook? Notebooks? For seeing the future because they can’t imagine how the future—Cup rolled his eyes. This was going to be a headache if he thought about it too hard. “Okay! Back on cussin’ topic! It’s a warnin’, but it sounds like there’d be somethin’ we’d be interested in at this convention.”
Sure, there will be interesting things at the convention. But not anything you really need. Please don’t make all our lives more complicated on account of your far too well-fed curiosity.
Cup scowled. Well-fed? He wasn’t cussing well-fed! Mugs saw his dark expression and tugged on his scarf. Before Cup said anything, Mugs decided to speak up. “I mean, we do need the Parts. Whatever’s at the convention, we can figure out later, right?”
Cup raised a brow. “What if it’s someone we know? Or maybe a new something or whatever that could help us? What at a convention could endanger Snowball and Lil’ Monster? They gave us a bullet, sure. Should we blindly trust ‘em, Mugs? Hm? After Lil’ John?”
Mugs frowned. “But what if it really is a warnin’ and they’re just tryin’ ta help? I mean, if we really do lose the dandehogs and Parts, that’s it for the sick. Cuss Cup! We don’t know what the boss will do to us if we cuss this one up. He’s really twisted up on this.”
Yes, what if I am really trying to help, Cupling!
“Stop callin’ me weird names!” Cup snapped. Mugs gave him an apologetic look. “Fine, what else? Is that all, or does this mook have more ta say?” Cup waved an impatient hand.
That’s the important part. But there’s one more thing. Mugs, tell your girlfriend to be careful. He is still in Toon Town. When she runs into him, tell her to hide. He will sense her, but she can still give him the slip if she manages to make it to the Copacabana.
That made both of them stiffen. “What!” Cup demanded. Mugs’ eyes started jumping lines. “Oi! Read it out loud! The cuss do they mean when she runs inta him? And why the hell would the Copacabana be the place to go?” What the cuss kind of situation was Cala walking into?
That place will have a myriad of emotions: fear, greed, anxiety, joy, and many others. She’ll be able to lose his scent if she can blend into the crowd. After she enters, there’ll be quite the crowd that will gather to watch the vocalist on stage, so once that woman starts singing, your girl will be home free. And that’s an essential point. The vocalist has to hang around to sing. If she doesn’t, your boss won't be distracted enough for your girlfriend to get away. It’d be best for her not to even talk to the vocalist, but she can still manage to get away as long as that woman sings.
Sweat dripped down the side of Mugs’ head. He gulped and looked up at Cup with wide eyes. His hands were strangling the letter. “She’s gonna see him and I ain’t gonna be there, Cup! She’s gonna be in the same damn room, and I’m—”
“Don’t flip your lid, Mugs! This is how she’s gonna dodge him! You have the answers in your hand. Here. Lemme.” Cup took the letter that was quickly being crushed in Mugs’ hand. “I’ll finish, you breathe. We’re still alright. Look, Mugsy, Cala Maria is still alright, okay?” Mugs gave a tiny nod, but he looked as pale as death. Cup patted his shoulder and looked down at the letter to find where he had left off.
As long as she follows my advice, he won’t notice her. I promise. She’ll get home, and he’ll never have the slightest clue.
Cup shook his head. “I mean, a crowd is good, but this is the cussin’ boss here. He ain’t just gonna stand there and let someone get away. Why would he get distracted by a singer? A pretty face? The boss? No way in hell. He’s a cussin’ demon. What’s in Copacabana that would help Cala specifically?” Cup tried to think of something. Mugs was strangling his scarf next to him, looking haunted.
. . . damn. You do have good instincts, don’t you?
Cup felt a spark of pride before he squashed it. This wasn’t the time to get distracted with compliments. Mugs was giving him a dark glare. Cup cleared his throat and kept reading like nothing had happened.
The truth is, her getting out of this situation won’t come without a price. That singer is an angel. And because he notices her instead of Cala, she’s going to end up in Hell.
Cup’s brows shot up in surprise. He looked at Mugs. Mugs looked horrified. “We have to do something!”
“What? If Cala stops her, it’s Cala that’ll end up in Hell, Mugs!” Cup said.
“Yeah, but an angel! Cup, you know what demons do to them,” Mugs said.
“And what is the boss gonna do to Cala? Slap her on the wrist and let her walk? Think Mugs! This is an either-or situation!” Cup shook Mugs. “We can’t save both!”
“Is that what the damn letter says? Isn’t there something else?” Mugs demanded. He shoved Cup’s hand away. “We can’t just sell some poor random person to the Devil because we wanna save Cala!”
He’s right. At this point, it is an either-or situation. If it assuages your guilt, though, they were already looking for her. There are many scenarios where she’s found, regardless of what happens to Cala.
Mugs’ shoulders fell. Cup sucked on his teeth. He wasn’t happy that he was right. He was half worried that Mugs would try to swim back to Toon Town regardless.
Cala could try not going out, but from what I’ve seen, Destiny is determined that she runs into him one way or the other. This situation is the most ideal I’ve seen. For both of them. I don’t pretend to promise any hope. But the angel has a chance to meet someone who could save her life in this situation. But that’s all dependent on her choices.
Mugs dropped his head into his hands. Cup nodded and lowered the letter with a sigh. They sat in silence for a while. “The angel is innocent. The worst they could do is kill her. Cala’s a debtor. Her soul is on the line.”
“You know they could do a lot worse than kill her.” Mugs didn’t raise his head. The silence returned just long enough to become uncomfortable. Suddenly, the last few months on the quest were swept away, and they were just debtors trying to survive this hell again. Cup shook off the weight he felt in his gut.
“She has a chance like this! And what do we care! It’ll save Cala!” Cup argued. He knew it was cold, but it wasn’t unfamiliar. He was used to choices like these. They just had to make the best of it and move on. It was out of their hands, really. The angel would have to defend herself.
Mugs’ head jerked up. Tears were in his eyes. “I care! I cussin’ care, Cup! Yes! I want to save Cala Maria! Of course I do! But I am so sick and tired of innocent people payin’ for our choices!” Mugs stood up and balled his fists against his head. “I want to be better than this!” He threw down his hands. “Damnit! We’re supposed to be turnin’ a new leaf!” Cup was taken aback by the pain in Mugs’ voice. Gone was the little brother who would frown and meekly nod. Hell, he didn’t even look relieved that there was an escape for Cala. That shock twisted into irritation.
“Hey! I cussin’ told you that keepin’ Cala around was a sunblazin’ risk! You took that damn gamble. You should be glad she can get away at all! This is practically a cussin’ miracle!” Cup snapped. They should be grateful there was hope at all!
“Drownin’ in someone’s blood!” Mugs shouted back.
A sting came with the sharp words. Cup stood up. “You don’t know that!”
“You just don’t care!” Mugs shouted back.
They panted, nose to nose, glaring at each other. How cussing dare he? He didn’t care? Mugs should know just how damn much Cup cared now. How much it cussing tore him to shreds! No, no. He was just upset! This was Mugman. Sweet, silly Mugman. He didn’t mean it. Cup was sure he didn’t. Mostly.
Cup pulled back first. The fire was gone from his voice; cold reasoning took its place. “Fine, Mugs. Fine. What the cuss do ya want me ta do about it? Abandon the hunt for the Parts and fly back to Toon Town? That sure ain’t gonna alert the boss. Maybe risk her not goin’ out even though the Eye said they’re gonna meet. The angel doesn’t sound like she has a great chance either. So what the cuss do ya want me to do about it?”
Mugs grimaced. Conflict sparked in his eyes as the difficult choices were laid out for him. “I—Damnit! I don’t know. Does the letter give us a name or something?” Mugs snatched it from Cup’s hand. Cup let him. He was begging for an alternative that simply wasn’t there.
I’m afraid I don’t know her name. Just that she’s appeared at the fringes of your and your friends’ futures in a bunch of scenarios. She’s a very . . . unique personality.
I’m sorry this is the situation you’re in. I’m even more sorry I had to be the one to put you in it. But Cala is really important to saving the world from this illness, too. You can’t let the Devil find her. Even if she weren’t your girlfriend.
Cup tsked. Saving the world? That was a bit dramatic for finding a cure. Saving the sick, sure, but the world? What a strange phrase.
As an apology, let me share these with you.
At this point, the letter seemed to have had some kind of sauce spilled over it. Neither Mugs nor Cup could figure out what it was.
Stars, that was bad timing. I have to go. Shake the envelope.
SIgned,
The Eye Cleaning up Noodle Sauce Inside the Crystal Ball
Cup and Mugs shared a look. “Should I shake it?”
“If they wanted to blow us up, they would have by now.” Cup sighed and waved his hand for Mugs to go ahead. Mugs got the envelope and shook it gently over his bandaged hand. It hadn’t felt like there was anything else inside of it when Cup grabbed it, so he watched curiously.
There was a clinking sound, like coins, then two small rings of metal tumbled out onto Mugs’ hand. The brothers leaned forward and narrowed their eyes. “What are they?” Cup asked. “Some kinda tube?”
Mugs rolled one around. They looked like circular clips that were open on one side. The precious metal glittered in the sunlight. On the curved body of the piece was a gem in the shape of a four-pointed star. Cup plucked the other one from Mugs’ hand and held it above his face. The same metal, but the gem on this one had a three-pointed star on it. The center point was slightly wider than the other two. There was a tingle across the metal. It was magical. Cup frowned.
Mugs gasped. “Cup! Cuppy! Cuphead!” He grabbed Cup’s arm and started shaking him. “Oh my stars, Cup! I know what these are!” Stars were in his eyes as he continued to shake his brother.
“WhaaAAAaaAAAaAAT?” Cup laughed in surprise at Mugs’ sudden turn in mood. The former tension seemed to be temporarily forgotten in light of these tiny bits of metal and gemstone.
Mugs stopped and held up the metal piece he had. “They’re knight charms!”
Cup’s brows flew up to his rim. “Knight charms? As in dish knights? You sure about that, Mugsy? These dinky things?” He rolled the tiny thing between his fingers. Sure, there was a spark to it, but knight charms? Those were supposed to be heavy hitters, right? This cufflink?
“Yeah! I mean, of course, they don’t look like nothin’ much. They ain’t bein’ used by a dish. Here, lemme show you!” Mugs turned his head and reached back to his handle. He clipped the metal charm around the handle with a satisfying clink. The jewel glittered and winked even in the dim light of the cloudy day. He looked around at the empty park. “Okay. Um, now what?”
“Why are ya askin’ me?” Cup snickered. Wasn’t he supposed to show Cup?
“Wait, wait, wait, I got this. I got this!” Mugs stood up and paced like he was getting ready for a run. Cup watch in silent amusement. He was relieved that Mugs could still be excited despite how he felt about this Cala-angel problem. Mugs held out his hand like he expected something to come flying into it. Nothing happened. Mugs tried a different hand gesture. Cup rested his head in his palm and just kept watching. Mugs summoned a bullet and made more random gestures and even started saying phrases. “Go! Activate! Awake! Uh, star up!” Mugs hummed and looked at his bullet like it disappointed him. Cup had to hold back a laugh. He disguised it as a cough. “Well, you do better!” Mugs turned on him.
Cup waved his hand. “No, no! You got this, Mugsy! Really! I believe in ya!” Mugs narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Cup gave him a thumbs up. Mugs went back to trying to figure out how the charm worked. Cup’s mind started to turn its cogs while he watched. The clip did seem to fit. It looked like it belonged on a handle. Cup had heard about the amazing charms and tools that knights used on their quests. Legendary weapons, bullets, armor, and even staffs. They were far superior in magic and quality to the trinkets he and Mugs used on the isles. The star jewels would line up with dish practices. The celestial bodies were a staple in their culture, which had started Cup’s interest in them. He even remembered the old story that the first potion was created out of the magic of a fallen star. So what did the three and four points mean? Sadly, Cup had no clue.
That shouldn’t even be his biggest concern. The Eye getting a genuine bullet potion had been impressive enough. The potion masters were scary and protective of their potions. A knight charm, though? The charm smiths were another beast of terrifying entirely! They were even more protective of their creations. Those weapons were deadly. The only thing more guarded were the Supers, and for good reason.
So how the cussing hell did this Eye fella keep gifting them these dish treasures? It wasn’t like just anyone could buy them. Could it be that the Eye was a dish? Maybe a former knight or a member of a council? That could make sense for the gifts, but foreseeing the future? Could the dishes do that? Quadratus seemed to have some kinda sight, but he wasn’t exactly a dish. Just a face in a puddle. Cup even remembered getting annoyed with him and his rhymes and how he rubbed their failures in their faces. Would Elder Kettle tell them about dishes like that? Then, why all the weird mystery and code name? How did the Eye know about the Devil? Was it just sight or magic? Cup frowned. He and Mugs were the only dishes he knew of that were debtors. Was someone working for the boss voluntarily? Why? Maybe the Eye just had a good spy network. No knight or council member would work for the demon willingly. It was against their honor code. Wasn’t it?
Cup tapped his temple as he thought himself into circles, trying to make sense of the Eye and what they wanted. A cure, sure, even ‘saving the world’, whatever nonsense that was. There had to be some other angle, though. Like the boss wanting to catch someone. This Eye wanted something and was moving them accordingly. The question was, what?
“Cup! CUP I DID IT!” Mugs squealed.
Cup looked up, and his jaw dropped. Mugs held a sword in his hands, eyes bright with giddy excitement. The handle and guards were patterned in familiar spirals. The blade had a slight glow to it. “Is that your cussin’ straw?” Cup stood up and circled around Mugs. His younger brother nodded wildly, his strawless head bobbing up and down.
“Isn’t it berries! Look at the details!” Mugs nearly shoved the weapon at him.
Cup took the sword, and in a flash, it was instantly a straw again. “Oi. How am I supposed ta look if you change it back?”
Mugs grimaced. “Oops! This thing is tricky. Here, give it back.” Mugs took his straw back. The jewel on the charm lit up, and the straw flashed again into an arming sword. Cup leaned in to look closer. There were symbols on the blade, and fixed to the hilt was the four-pointed star symbol on the charm. “Know any of the symbols?”
Cup shook his head. “No clue, but that thing looks deadly.”
“Yeah, it does! It’s the real deal, Cup! I have a knight’s sword!” Mugs grinned.
“And you just used your straw?” Cup asked.
“Yeah! Like making it into that axe, but these things have way more kick!” Mugs said. “Try it!”
Cup hummed uncertainly. He looked at the clip in his hand. Mugs was hovering like a kid hoping to see Santa Claus. Cup sighed and clipped the small thing onto his handle. He pulled out his straw and glanced at Mugs. He was bouncing in place and waved for Cup to go ahead. Cup rolled his neck and then pushed his magic. The charm warmed; there was a flash of light. Heat traveled out of his hand. The straw narrowed and lengthened. In a second, Cuphead was holding a spear. Cup’s jaw dropped again.
“OOOOOOH!” Mugs practically bonked his nose on the spear shaft. It spiraled up in his straw’s pattern. The three-pointed star was engraved at the center of the blade. The blade itself followed the shape, with a fourth point going into the shaft of the spear. The symbols were of a similar design to the intricate handle guard of Mugs’ sword. Cup turned and lowered it. He was surprised how light it felt. “Huh.”
“Right?” Mugs said. He spun the sword with his good hand. “They are super easy to wield, right? Like they just fit perfectly?”
“Yeah,” Cup muttered. He changed the spear back.
“What’s wrong?”
“Where do you think these came from?” Cup asked.
“Oh, well, the Eye gifted them to us,” Mugs said.
“And? Are they a dish?” Cup asked.
“Maybe? Or maybe they’re really good friends with a dish?” Mugs asked. Cup put the straw back and pulled off the charm. “You don’t think they stole them, right?”
“I dunno, Mugs. We don’t really know anything about this writer.” Cup shrugged.
“We can still use them, right? Train with them at least?” Mugs looked like he would hug the sword if it wouldn’t slice him into ribbons.
“It ain’t like I would be comfortable sellin’ ‘em. Sure, we can keep them. But be careful with them. We don’t know if there’s baggage attached ta these things,” Cup said. He pocketed the clip.
Mugs pouted. “We don’t want knights huntin’ us down.”
“Especially while we’re on the quest,” Cup added. “Now, we should prolly call Cala Maria and pass on that warnin’ before rejoinin’ the others. Don’t got a lotta time if those thieves are on ta us.”
Mugs put his straw away. Cup noticed he didn’t take off the charm. Cup smirked. Of course, he wasn’t going to take it off. He’d probably fight Cup if he suggested it. They gathered their things and started walking. Cup flipped the letter over and checked the envelope to make sure they hadn’t missed any other advice from their strange benefactor. Finding nothing of interest, he pocketed the thing. Mugs, in the meantime, called Cala Maria.
“Mugsy! Hi!” Cala greeted. She yawned.
“Sorry, did I wake you?” Mugs asked.
“No, you’re fine. Really. How are you?” Cala asked.
“Good, fine. How are you?” Mugs asked.
Cup refrained from rolling his eyes. He tuned out of their conversation to focus on the environment around them. Making sure they weren’t being followed and weren’t being watched. Listening in on people they passed by and the flow of traffic. Nothing seemed off, but it was good to stay in tune with the world around them.
Being in tune also meant Cup knew the moment Mugs broke the news to her, even without listening, because the tension spiked.
“What do you mean I have to hide!” Cala demanded.
“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry, Cala. I don’t want this either,” Mugs told her.
Okay, if Cup didn’t jump in, they were going to cry. The dish plucked the watch from Mugs’ hand. “Hey!” Mugs protested.
“It’s stardust, but there ain’t cuss we can do about it besides tell ya what we know, alright? None of us wants this, but if you want to get to the end of the day, you follow Mugs’ instructions to the T, yeah?” Cup said.
Cala scowled. “Of course I can do that, Cup. How in the world do you two know any of this? T-The Devil isn’t on to me, is he?” Cala looked just as haunted and pale as Mugs had earlier.
“No, and it ain’t that cusser’s left hand neither. Look, Cal, we were able to get this advice, and we’re sharin’ it with you. Ya trust us, right?” Cup asked. Cala nodded. “Good, now listen ta Mugs and be safe.”
Cup passed the watch back. Mugs was giving him a dark glare. Cup waved him off. They couldn’t have a soap opera on the street. Hell, yelling at a watch was already a strange sight. Cup was just watching out for them all.
Mugs told Cala the instructions that the Eye had given them. He hesitated but did tell her to avoid the singer at the casino if she could. The important thing was that the vocalist sang. Cala furrowed her brows at that. “Maybe I could just not go out.”
“You’ll run into him eventually. This is your best chance to shake him,” Cup chipped in.
“What if I don’t go alone? If I take Alice with me, she can cover me, right?” Cala asked.
“No!” both dishes exclaimed. Cala looked startled. Mugs chuckled. “Uh, best not to make it complicated. You don’t want to have ta explain everythin’ ta Alice, right? That’d put her in a pickle with the Upper and their politics.”
Cala winced. “You got a point.”
“Alice is back in Toon Town?” Cup asked.
“Yeah! She’s been trying to get ahold of you, but no one was answering,” Cala explained. The Cupbros grimaced. “I filled her in on why you were all busy. She’s planning to catch up to you all,” Cala continued. “Do you want me to get her?”
Oh yeah, the pipsqueak would love that they got to talk to her first. “Nah, that’s okay. It’s really early over there now, right? Let her rest. We’ll talk to her soon,” Cup said.
“Oh, okay. The pair of you are safe, right?” Cala asked.
“Worry about yourself,” Cup muttered. Mugs elbowed him.
“We’re doin’ great. Really. You need to be careful. Please. And again, I am so sorry,” Mugs said.
“Mugsy, I can take care of myself. Thank you for the warning. I’ll manage it from here, boys. I’ll talk to you later. Love you, Mugs.” She winked and blew him a kiss. “Bye.”
“Bye, Cala.” Mugs shut the watch and sighed.
“Love birds,” Cup muttered. Cala could put on a brave face, but it was obvious she was terrified.
“I still loathe this plan, Cup. I really cussin’ do,” Mugs said.
“Sorry, Mugs. Hopefully we all get to live in the end,” Cup said. He knew it wasn’t very optimistic. Cup wasn’t good at that. It was usually Mugs’ thing. Cup wrapped an arm around his brother’s shoulder to give a supportive pat. “We’ll get through it.”
“Like we have everythin’ else,” Mugs said flatly. Cup worried that wasn’t enough for his brother anymore.