This story is a birthday gift story for zeroa5raven on Deviantart. Happy Birthday, Amiga! :) Hope it's a blast! :)

Cuphead belongs to Studio MDHR. I own nothing.

A Friendly Shoulder For You

Specter was heading for the house he shared with his best friend, Cagney Carnation, when he heard someone call his name and turned to find his nephew Mugman running up to him. "Why, hello, Mugman," the ghost said with a smile, scooping up the young one in his arms. He then noticed the blue mug's face was an expression of being upset. "What is wrong?" He asked, wondering what had upset his nephew.

"Uncle Specter," Mugman began but then hugged him hard and his shoulders shook a little as he tried to keep his sobs down. "It's Uncle Cagney," he managed to choke out.

The ghost was now worried. "What happened?" He asked gently.

The little mug looked up at him, tears running down his face. "Someone hurt him. Badly," he said.

Specter froze in shock. "Who?" He asked

"I don't know. I found him outside your home and helped him inside, but he really looked bad. Elder Kettle fixed up some tea for him and I was heading back over there when I saw you."

The ghost accepted the tea from his nephew. "Thank Elder Kettle for me, Mugman," he said gratefully. "I'll go see what's wrong."

"I hope Uncle Cagney's okay," the little mug said softly.

"I hope so too," said Specter. "Hey, how about you and your brother come over in a couple hours? I bet a visit from our favorite nephews would cheer him up."

Mugman perked up at that. "Okay," he said, hurrying off as the ghost flew for home, going inside and searching for the flower.

"Cagney? I'm home," he called out, but didn't get a reply. Worried, he searched the house and found the carnation in his room, his petals drooped and looking wilted. Having never seen his friend like this before, he floated up to him. "Cagney? What happened? Who did this to you?" He asked.

Cagney's head drooped more as the flower didn't respond. Specter sat down beside him and wrapped an arm around his friend, gently pulling him into a hug. Cagney didn't resist and his head was soon resting on the blue ghost's shoulder as a blue hand gently rubbed the back of the flower's stem very similar to how someone would rub someone's back in comfort. It was very quiet for a bit and Specter moved his hand up to gently brush his hand over the drooped and wilted petals, being very gentle. "Cagney," he whispered. "What happened, my friend?"

Finally, the drooped petals opened a little to reveal Cagney's face and Specter gasped when he saw his friend had a black eye. "It was that monster," the flower finally said. "He showed up here looking for our nephews and I told him to leave. He punched me and I fought back. If it hadn't been for Mugman coming up the path, that monster would have finished me."

Specter's face registered shock. "Did Mugman see him?" He asked.

Cagney nodded. "Told him to back off and surprised him with some exploding balloons that knocked that monster off his feet and made him retreat fast," he said. "I think it was the balloons that Beppi gave the boys."

Making a mental note to thank the clown later, the blue ghost let his friend rest his head on his shoulder. "Elder Kettle made some tea for your injuries," he said softly.

The flower sighed. "That was nice of him," he said.

Specter gently helped Cagney lay down. "You rest and I'll bring up the tea," he said, floating out of the room, returning not too long after with a hot cup of tea, handing it to his friend, who gratefully took it and sipped it, sighing in appreciation.

"I'll have to thank Elder Kettle for his kindness," he said. "This was nice of him to do."

Specter sat beside him, his hand again gently rubbing the petals in a soothing manner. While Cagney's petals and stem were his tickle spots, if rubbed in a soothing manner, it was relaxing and that and the tea were helping him to feel better. "Specter," the carnation said, getting his friend's attention. "That monster's been coming around a lot lately."

The ghost was shocked. "For how long?" He asked.

"A few months," Cagney said. "I managed to keep him back, but he always tried to bring me down and today, he just succeeded in making me feel…feel like he could trap me again."

Specter shook his head, but didn't say a word as he gently pulled his friend into a hug, holding him to try and comfort him and Cagney clung to him, tears falling down his face and onto the blue ghost's shoulder.

After a while, Cagney sniffled and lifted up his head, wiping at his face before feeling a cold washcloth being placed in his leaves and he gave Specter a grateful look before wiping at his face, the cold water helping him feel a little better. The ghost then handed the flower the half-full cup of tea. "Come on, Cagney, drink up," Specter encouraged gently.

The flower finished the tea and Specter got a basin of cold water and put a small bit of mulch in it before bringing it over to his friend and Cagney's roots extended from the ground and dipped into the water and mulch mixture and he sighed in relief, leaning back. His drooping and wilted pedals started to look healthier and gaining back their orange color and his stem was looking less droopy too. Cagney looked at his friend. "Specter, thank you," he said gratefully.

The ghost smiled. "I've always got a friendly shoulder for you whenever you need to vent or let go of your stress," he said gently.

A knock came at the door. "Oh, I bet that's our nephews," Specter said. "I'll go let them in."

Cagney smiled and closed his eyes, grunting in surprise when he felt the bed dip a little just a moment later as if someone had jumped up on the bed. "Uncle Cagney, are you feeling better?" Asked a voice he recognized and he opened his eyes to see Mugman looking at him in worry.

He nodded. "I'm feeling better, kiddo," he said, very gently tweaking the young mug's nose in affection.

Cuphead was also beside him and stood up. "The next time that monster shows his face, I'll kick him to Kingdom Come," he said, puffing out his chest.

Chuckling in amusement, Cagney gently poked the cup's stomach, making him squeak in surprise. But Cuphead didn't mind and settled down beside the flower. Mugman did the same as Cagney's leaves gently came around him, hugging them in affection. Specter smiled and lay down on the other side of the bed. Cagney turned to him. "Thank you again, Specter," he said with a smile.

"Anytime, Cagney," the blue ghost said, returning the smile. "Anytime."

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GoldGuardian2418