Major Update (10/21/2020): Added scenes and details in hopes it would make the story more alive. Polished and edited some grammar to get rid of the eyesores. Might update again in the future. I hope you like this rendition better than the last one :D.
Next story is coming soon. Am just busy with work and other of my personal writing projects. Enjoy!
Synopsis:
Mugman discovers Cuphead has a secret crush and the latter is trying his desperate best to hide it by stalling and running away. Mugman decides to catch his brother, tickle the secrets out and spend some quality secret-sharing with him, but things don't go exactly as planned.
Cuphead Fanfic "Butterflies
It was a quiet and peaceful morning inside the brown mushroom house where Cuphead, Mugman, and Elder Kettle lived. Mugman's gentle singing could be heard echoing and bouncing off the bathroom walls. Faucet knobs from inside the door squeaked as the sound of rushing water stopped. A few seconds later, the door creaked open and Mugman emerged from their only bathroom all dressed up with his black turtleneck and blue shorts. He wiped a few water droplets that stuck on his mug with his red towel while humming a song… probably something Elder Kettle played on the piano. Turning right, he entered his and his brother's small bedroom.
"Okay Cuphead! Your turn." He called as the rubbing towel squeaked his mug head.
Their bedroom was very simple. One bed big enough for the both of them occupied most of the room; a red, blue and white striped blanket covered the bedsheets of white, and two white fluffy pillows were laid by the headboard. A picture of both of them playing together as babies hung on top of the bed's headboard. Morning light shined into the room from the circular window on the left. A white clothing drawer stood on the wall on Mugman's right.
On Cuphead's side of the bed, the side near the wall, Mugman saw Cuphead sitting down on his bed giggling and grinning so widely at a small photo he was holding. Mugman hung the towel on a stray seat, came over to the other side of the bed, and crawled to Cuphead from behind. He caught a glimpse of the photo, it was a pretty pink girl.
Mugman smiled. "Hey who's that?"
Cuphead screamed in fright "Nothing! It was nothing!" He swiped the photo to the inside of his pillow.
"Whoa whoa!" Mugman crawled to sit next to Cuphead and chuckled. "Sorry to scare ya like tha-" He took one good look at sweating Cuphead and noticed that his cheeks were rosy. "Are you… blushing?"
Cuphead just tried his best to sit properly, looking straight at the wall while nervously fidgeting his fingers.
"Umm… is it my turn?" Cuphead said and looked at Mugman with a fake grin.
Mugman grinned, raised an eyebrow, and giggled. "Bro… who was that?" He scooched closer and put his arm around Cuphead, just like how Cuphead would if he wanted to probe Mugman himself.
"Huh?" He raised his arm defensively. "Who was who? I-I mean what was what?" His arms flustered around pointing in different directions. "And bro..." Cuphead gently pushed Mugman's face away. "Personal space?"
Mugman giggled and pushed his brother's pushing arm away with ease. "Well, you is you…" He pointed to Cuphead.
Cuphead folded his arms. "Are." He corrected with sass.
"Fine. You ARE you..." Mugman giggled as he pointed to Cuphead. "…and me is me…" He pointed to himself.
"I AM me." Cuphead corrected sassily again, and then his eyes bugged out in realization. "Wait wait!" He shut his eyes, shook his head and hands. "Why am I the smart one?" He opened his eyes, raised an eyebrow, and smiled playful and confused.
Mugman grinned and his eyes relaxed. "I don't mind." His eyes bugged out in realization a second later. His eyes widened and he smiled playfully as he caught on to his brother's plans. "Cuphead stop stalling!"
"Bro, I don't know what you're talking about." Cuphead smiled casually.
"Bro, I caught you looking at some girl in pink and then smiling and giggling like some idiot who got bitten by the love bug." He showed his best and exaggerated Cuphead-imitated lovestruck smile.
Cuphead froze and looked at Mugman with horror, and Mugman cringed as he noticed.
"Aww come on bro." Mugman touched his fingers shyly and apologetically. "I just wanna know. I mean... you did it to me once!" Mugman giggled. "So... you are you..." Mugman pointed to Cuphead. "...I am me..." He pointed to himself. "…but… who is she?" He asked teasingly as he pointed to Cuphead's pillow.
Petrified, Cuphead fake giggled nervously. "I don't know who you're talking about." He shook his head slowly while sweating, his voice hinting a trembling fear.
Mugman looked at him concerned... and then with boredom. He sighed. "Oh-kay…"
He looked away from Cuphead... for a brief moment at least, just to look like he dropped the subject. Eyes rolling around, he looked at different parts of his vision: their baby picture, Cuphead's pillow, nervous Cuphead, Cuphead's pillow, the light from their window, Cuphead's pillow, the wall on his right... Cuphead's pillow...
Every time Cuphead saw Mugman's bored eyes stick onto his own pillow his nervous smile would stretch and his hands would squeeze gradually until all his fingers were crossing each other.
Then, Mugman's bored eyes glared directly into Cuphead's eyes. They looked at each other for one second, two... three... four... five... six... when suddenly Mugman reached for the pillow with an excited smile but Cuphead let out a shrill squeak as he snatched it first.
"Cuphead..." Mugman said endearingly, fists rested on his hips and head tilted towards Cuphead.
"M-Mugs…" He called back nervous and endearing. "There's nothing in here."
"Then why are you clutching the pillow?" Mugman raised an eyebrow.
Cuphead's nervous grin stretched and he looked at the corner of his eyes. "Cuz… it's soft and fluffy?" He looked back at Mugman.
Mugman chuckled. "Just tell me who it is."
"No!" Cuphead clutched his pillow tightly.
Cuphead motioned forward to run but Mugman blocked his direction with open arms as if he was inviting a hug at the same time.
"Na agh." Mugman said endearingly while shaking his head. "Come on Cuppy."
"Uh uh!" Cuphead shook his head.
Cuphead jumped to the bed and crawled to the other side but Mugman followed him and pounced on Cuphead; hands pinned the latter's shoulders to the bed. Mugman giggled while Cuphead whined and panicked when he was caught.
Mugman leaned his nose in to touch Cuphead's nose. "Come on, tell me, your bro."
"Uh uh!" Cuphead shook his head.
Mugman rolled his eyes and grunted. "Fine. I'm checking it myself."
Mugman reached with his arms to fish within the pillow sheet, causing Cuphead to shiver and squeak in fear. Quickly, Cuphead thrust his hands into Mugman's armpits and then squiggled his fingers. Mugman laughed and trembled as Cuphead's fingers fiddled through his tingly armpits down to the sides of his body.
"No! C-cup-" Mugman's laughter cut in.
Cuphead rolled over, pinning Mugman to the bed while the blue boy let out his precious laugh. He chuckled, then while Mugman was busy laughing, he took the opportunity to take the pillow and sprint out of the room giggling.
"H-hey!" Mugman stumbled out of bed and fell to the floor laughing. "Not fair Cups come back here!"
Mugman's shaking hand struggled to grasp the bedpost but he pulled himself up and took a stumble as he started to run after Cuphead.
Cuphead ran across the hall into the living room. From the right to left the room had a couch by the window, Elder Kettle's rocking chair to the left of the couch, a circular carpet in the middle of the room where he and his twin brother played, an antenna TV on the left, a gramophone next to the TV, and a bookshelf above the TV. A few pictures of himself, Mugman, and Elder Kettle in either family, self-portraits, or some precious moments Elder Kettle caught of the twins, were either hung on the wall or standing on the shelf; a picture of Cuphead's laughing face splattered with snow while Mugman laughed off a splash of snow thrown to his right cheek hung on the wall. He looked around, there were no other exits; it was a dead end.
"Uh oh." Cuphead muttered.
He turned around only to scream as he was pounced by the grinning Mugman. Mugman tossed the pillow away and giggled menacingly as he wiggled his fingers in preparation. Cuphead tried to crawl away in desperation.
"No! Mugs Please!"
"My turn!" Mugman said as he thrust his fingers into Cuphead's stomach and wiggled them.
Cuphead laughed, his mouth gaped open unleashing a large holler. He tossed his body around the circular carpet trying to get away, but Mugman was sitting on his legs keeping Cuphead steady. Mugman giggled like it was music to his ears.
"M-Mugs! P-please-!" Cuphead continued laughing.
"Na agh." He giggled with endearment. "Show me the photo!"
"Nnngh! Nnn-hahaha" He said shaking his head while trying to push away Mugman's face.
"Nnno?" Mugman imitated Cuphead's head shake. "Nn-mmm-more tickles?"
Mugman wiggled his fingers even faster, causing Cuphead to laugh louder than now.
"O-ho! Hnghahaha! Okay! It's in th-Hnghahaha! Get it!"
Mugman let go of Cuphead as the latter laughed and rolled around the carpet. Giggling in victory, he walked over to the pillow by the TV, fished his hand in, and smiled as he felt a piece of paper brush his fingers. He pulled out a small pocket photo of the pink girl... A princess? No, it was Baroness Von Bon Bon!
Hand on his mouth, Mugman gasped and looked at the photo with admiration as he sat down on the carpet next to loudly and uncontrollably laughing Cuphead. Underneath the candy umbrella she was holding, Bon Bon smiled candidly as she posed elegantly for the photo. The sugars on her umbrella and her dress sparkled wherever the sunlight struck, making her smile even more adorable. Mugman giggled and then noticed a heart drawn in pink-marker surrounding the Baroness.
"Aww!" Mugman's big eyes adored the heart on the photo. "You have a crush!" Mugman said proudly as he wrapped his arm around Cuphead in a hug.
Cuphead's laughter soon relaxed into giggles mixed with huffs. His cheeks turned rosy pink as he smiled at Mugman, and he nodded.
"Okay okay." Cuphead touched his index fingers shyly. "So I got the hots for Bonnie. Big deal." He raised his hands up carefree.
Mugman's eyes widened. "You nicknamed her what?!"
In reaction, Cuphead quickly clamped his mouth shut, but then slowly his mouth trembled and curled into a cheeky bashful grin complimented with his blushing cheeks.
Mugman gaped as he shrieked in joy. His shrieking turned into laughing and then he thrust his arm to his brother's stomach. "Bonnie!"
Cuphead laughed and buckled his legs as he tried to protect his tingly stomach from Mugman's wiggly and fiddly fingers. He swatted Mugman's arms away and gave him a playful stare that told him to stop. Giggling, Mugman let go of Cuphead's head and looked at the photo.
"Hey, she is pretty cute here! But since when have you had an eye for her?" Mugman asked while observing more about Bon Bon.
Still lying down, Cuphead looked at the corner of his eyes, touching his index fingers shyly. "I guess as soon as we met her."
Mugman raised an eyebrow and looked at Cuphead. "In Sugarland Shimmy? When we were taking her contract at the time?"
Cuphead sighed, lovestruck. "I can still taste the strawberry from when I kissed her flying rolling head."
Heart-shaped bubbles floating out of his straw and milk, his arms and legs spreading out on the carpet, Cuphead sighed and laughed in a lovestruck daze. Mugman chuckled and rubbed Cuphead's forehead until his brother calmed down.
"So… what's it like?"
Cuphead peeked an eye open with its eyebrow raised. "What do you mean? Haven't you had a crush?"
Mugman giggled. "Yeah…"
Smitten, thinking about his crush, Mugman cuddled his chin with his knuckles and shook them while giggling. Cuphead's smile grew a grin as Mugman's head started to boil up heart-shaped bubbles that floated in the air.
"It kinda feels like… lying on a cloud and floating away..." Mugman said as he daydreamed.
Cuphead giggled, amused by his brother's mirroring. Thinking about his own, he tapped his lips. "Mine are… butterflies." He said with a grin.
Mugman snorted. "Butterflies?! On your tummy?"
His fingers darted into Cuphead's stomach as he said 'tummy', giving his brother another big tickle which caused Cuphead to laugh.
"No-!" Cuphead's laughter hijacked his sentence. He playfully swatted his brother's hand away. "Knock it off Mugs! And yeah, butterflies." He folded his arms while raising an eyebrow with confidence. "But not the ones that give you a nervous wreck, you know, like you on-stage?" Cuphead teased.
"Hey!" Mugman pushed Cuphead playfully and the latter just laughed. "I... I try my best ya know." He scratched his head shyly.
Cuphead laughed. "Yeah, I know bro. But not those." He raised his finger as he explained. "It's the ones that…" His cheeks turned rosy again as he looked at the corners of his eyes. "...make you..." He giggled as he daydreamed about that feeling. "...make you feel fuzzy, fluffy, and warm that it makes you wanna cuddle up in your bed and-"
Eyes squeezed shut, fists balled in the air, smiling as he daydreamed about that same feeling, Cuphead gradually heaved louder and started to squeak. He reached for the pillow behind Mugman and then squished it against his face as he lied down. He squealed and laughed into the cushy and soft pillow that tickled and amplified his feelings so much that a large heart bubble inflated from his straw. Mugman laughed and crashed his upper body on top of the pillow to squish his brother more, and Cuphead just rested his right hand on top of Mugman's head in response. The two shared their laughter and giggles while sighing about that dreamy feeling and unconsciously inflating more heart bubbles from their heads.
"C'mon!" Mugman gently shook Cuphead. "Tell me more!"
Cuphead giggled as he rolled his face out of the pillow. "What's more to tell?"
"Aw come on!" Mugman lied down next to Cuphead. "Look at her!" Mugman raised the photo up high for Cuphead to see.
Cuphead pushed his pillow down to his chest to look at the photo of... of Bonnie... Bonnie... Oh, Bonnie. Cuphead inhaled as he looked at her beautiful picture and then sighed very slowly as he smiled. A Pink aura faded into the background, and he wondered for a moment whether he was still in the house. She's just so pretty... wait... did she wink at him? Cuphead squeeze-hugged his pillow.
Mugman giggled as he watched, entertained by every reaction his brother had. He inched the photo closer.
Something tugged on Cuphead's chest, and it made his smile squiggle even more. The photo seemed to get closer all on its own; he had forgotten about Mugman. Butterflies. Their tiny little legs crawled all over the surfaces inside his stomach, which made him giggle. Cuphead delicately held the photo with his fingers and brought it close to his face. He looked at her: her smile, her dress, her sugars. He felt the butterflies start to flutter around the empty spaces of his stomach but some just remained to walk, rub, and tickle his surfaces. He laughed with a hiccup popping out at the end as he let his imagination drift away into whatever direction it took.
"Yo!" Mugman giggled. "Earth to Cuphead!"
The milky heart bubbles floating out of Cuphead burst as he heard Mugman's voice. Cuphead shook himself awake, and then looked at his brother who was beaming and looking back at him. He looked back at the photo he was holding and then smiled with his lips very curled.
"Was..." Cuphead tittered. "...was I-"
"Smiling like an idiot and making heart bubbles while looking at Bonnie?" Mugman inserted.
Cuphead let out a bashful laugh and facepalmed himself. "Golly I'm such a sucker."
Mugman laughed. He leaned his head on his right hand. "Whaddya like about her?"
Cuphead snorted and then looked back at the photo. He then laughed and started kicking the air in excitement. "Bro, I dunno where to start." He squeaked as he looked at his brother and put down the photo to his right.
"Well..." Mugman one-arm hugged Cuphead as they laid down on the carpet. "What about her that gives you the butterflies?" He asked softly.
Cuphead tapped his upper lip, hummed in thought, and pressed his head towards Mugman, making the latter chuckle. His eyes twinkled and he smiled as he remembered.
Giggling, Cuphead looked at Mugman and whispered to his non-existent ear. "Her… Her…" Cuphead's face turned red as Bon Bon's image became more prominent in his mind. He giggled then tried to get up and make a run for it but Mugman pulled Cuphead back into his firm hug and laughed as he kept Cuphead stuck to him.
"Come on!" Mugman encouraged.
Cuphead laughed and then slammed the pillow on top of both their heads. He rolled his head towards Mugman's non-existent ear while the latter leaned in to listen.
"Hnh Kerrves" Cuphead whispered.
Mugman blinked. "Huh?"
Cuphead giggled. "Her curves." He said in his normal volume.
Mugman's mouth gaped open a few seconds, causing Cuphead to grin to his cheeks and giggle.
"What?!" Mugman exclaimed.
Laughing, Cuphead grabbed the pillow and buried his face all over it while rapidly kicking the air. With a gasp for air, he lowered the pillow to his chest.
"It's just so cute!" He looked at Mugman with joy. "The way she walks around and bounces her hips like that in that fluffy cake dress, I just can't help but-"
Cuphead laughed in a lovestruck daze while Mugman let out a few chuckles.
"It… also makes her hot that way."
Cuphead's rosy cheeks and his lovestruck smile were so infectious that Mugman smiled too.
"What else?" Mugman shook Cuphead a little, his arm still hugging him.
As the question passed through his head and his eyes stuck to the ceiling, Cuphead squeezed his pillow through his fingers with a bigger smile, if it already wasn't big enough. Mugman snickered, noticing Cuphead's daydreaming eyes sticking to the ceiling above them.
"Her smile." He squeaked.
Mugman felt a little fluff in his chest, his smile beamed, and his arm-hug around Cuphead squeezed a little.
Mugman stared at the ceiling with his brother. "What about it?" He asked dreamily.
"Ohh, when I just see her smile my stomach butterflies just-" Cuphead hiccupped as he giggled. "Just start singing a choir."
Mugman felt his mouth squiggle. Floating on a cloud... being sung with a choir of angels... He sighed dreamily as he thought about her...
Cuphead giggled. "Yo!" He knocked on Mugman's head. "Earth to Mugman!"
Mugman's heart bubbles burst as his attention was brought back. He turned to see a cheeky goofy blushing grin from Cuphead staring back at him.
"You're not thinking about yours are ya, buddy?" Cuphead asked teasingly.
Mugman's squiggly mouth smiled back. It was obvious, to each other at least, they knew what the other was thinking as they held a goofy staring contest against each other. Out of the blue, Cuphead moved his eyebrows up and down and Mugman snorted as he closed his eyes laughing.
"Ha! You lose Mugs!" Cuphead pointed his finger to Mugman.
Mugman playfully pushed his brother and Cuphead just laughed in reaction.
"So... You gonna ask her out?" Mugman sat up with his hands on his knees.
Cuphead blinked in surprise. "On a date?!" He raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah! Wh-hy not?" Mugman giggled in the middle.
Cuphead's mouth began to squiggle at the possibility. He picked up the photo with his right hand, looked at it, and laughed. "I don't know." He squeaked as he closed his eyes and squeeze-hugged his pillow again.
Mugman laughed. "Golly you really are a different person when you talk about this stuff!"
Cuphead laughed and slapped his own face. "This is so stupid!"
"Golly ya think?!"
The two brothers laughed and kicked their clipped legs in the air.
"Well..." Mugman touched his fingers shyly. "I think you're so cool that she wouldn't say no."
Cuphead smiled, eyes twinkling with flattery. "Really?"
Mugman raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you're my brother?"
Cuphead grinned and squeezed his chin with his knuckles. "He's not in the building at the moment." He squeaked.
Mugman laughed. "Yeah I think you're really cool bro! You and your… butterflies!" He darted his fingers into Cuphead's stomach as he said 'butterflies'.
In reaction, many parts of Cuphead's body jolted as he laughed at the tingly spikey-like tickles his brother was giving him. Trying to hold back tears of laughter, He tried his best to fend off the tickles but his brother was too quick that it would slip past his arms.
"Hnh-! Mugman Sto-hnhhahaha!" Cuphead hiccuped in the middle of his laugh.
Mugman giggled as he tickled the helplessly laughing and giddily shouting Cuphead. With his left arm, Cuphead tried to push Mugman away, but he missed and instead pushed the air. It allowed giggly Mugman to dart his fingers into Cuphead's armpit, making Cuphead jolt and laugh. Suddenly, something made a crumpling sound, and they both abruptly stopped laughing and playing. They looked at each other, confused about what that sound was.
Something felt spiky and small on Cuphead's right hand. He rubbed his fingers at it out of curiosity... and then gasped as he remembered what it was. He brought his fist in front of both of them and unfolded it. Mugman gasped and covered his mouth with both hands in shock, while Cuphead just stared at it in petrified horror.
Cuphead's trembling left fingers approached the crumpled up paper, and suddenly he quickly unfolded it with both his hands. A wrinkled image of Baroness Von Bon Bon was shown, the sugars not sparkling as much, her pretty face distorted.
Cuphead sat up, looking at the photo in horror. He lowered the photo down and looked at kneeling Mugman who was starting to cry.
Mugman reached his hand out. "Cups I'm so sorry, I-I shouldn't have-"
"You little-!" Cuphead raised a fist, which caused Mugman to scream, whimper, and shield himself with his arms. He pulled his fist back to punch Mugman... but then he stopped, and remembered that it was his brother. Cuphead's fist tightened in frustration, but his anger turned to pity as he watched his brother cower and let him punch him as if Mugman knew he deserved it. Cuphead took one deep breath... and then sighed. He let his fist and then his body drop on the floor.
Mugman peeked from his own shielding arms and saw Cuphead lying down, looking all the joy was sucked out of him. Slowly he lowered his guard.
"C-Cuphead?" Mugman rubbed his nose as he sniffed. "I'm really sorry." He clutched his own elbow out of habit.
Cuphead sighed. "It's fine. You… you didn't mean it."
Mugman wrapped his arms around his knees in shame. Cuphead brought the photo of Baroness Von Bon Bon and took one good look at it for one last time. Pupils shivering in frustration, Cuphead then threw it on the ground and grunted.
"I hate it when good things get ruined!" He folded his arms grumpily.
Mugman sniffled. "Cuphead I'm-"
Cuphead grabbed the pillow and hit Mugman's head.
"Hey!" Mugman reacted.
"Golly Mugs, quit saying it's your fault!" Cuphead angrily looked at Mugman. "I'm the one who crumpled it by accident!"
Mugman was about to say something in response, but he just sighed and wiped his tears.
Cuphead sighed too. He looked at the crumpled photo he threw under the couch, but he knew that nothing else could be done.
He turned to Mugman, looking at him with concern, and the latter did vice versa. Although sad, Cuphead offered his hand.
Mugman looked away in hesitation, and then after a sniffle, he held his brother's hand, interlacing his fingers with Cuphead's. Together they swung their arms, and then let go at the same time, wiggling their fingers with an unenthusiastic "whoo!" and then dropped their hands to the floor.
Their silly little forgiveness ritual had at least let some of their frustration go.
"You okay Cups?" Mugman asked.
Cuphead sighed. "I'll be fine…"
Mugman nodded and went back to look down in shame while hugging his knees.
"…I just want my butterflies back." Cuphead said miserably.
Mugman's head jerked straight as he heard butterflies and his crying spell vanished. He looked at Cuphead who was acting like a lifeless body that stared at a lifeless crumpled up photo.
"Butterflies, the ones that make him feel fluffy and fuzzy." Mugman smirked at his idea.
Mugman knelt next to him. "So Cuphead…" He said with a little enthusiasm.
Cuphead sighed. "Yeah?" He said miserably as his body stayed still.
"You want your…" Mugman wiggled his fingers in the air, "Butterflies back?!" then thrusted them at Cuphead's stomach, causing the latter to jolt his knees up and laugh.
Cuphead swatted away Mugman's arms smiling. "No! No no no no no no, Mugman, I didn't m-hean those butterflies!" Cuphead was shook his head and crawled backward for a bit while looking vulnerable. Mugman giggled mischievously as he raised his wiggling fingers to Cuphead and crawled with his knees following his brother.
"What? These butterflies?" He darted his fingers on his stomach again, making his brother shout and laugh. "The ones that sing, what's her nickname, 'Bonnie'?"
Cuphead gasped and his eyes bugged out. "No! No no no no no, don't you dare Mugs!" He shook his head while he smiled and blushed. His head milk started to boil.
Mugman giggled. "Bonnie!" He wiggled his fingers fiercely, and Cuphead laughed. "B-O-N-N-I-E!" He wiggled his fingers on each syllable.
Cuphead kept laughing. "Mugs-nh! Stop! I'm thinking about her!" He squeaked as he cuddled his fists under his chin.
Mugman's grin grew. "Oh you are!" He tickled him more, making him laugh. "Gee, when you think of her does it go like this?" On each syllable, he wiggled his fingers as he sang "Cuppy and Bonnie sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
Cuphead's entire face turned pinkish. "Hn-Hn-stop!" His arms in vain tried to fend off Mugman who persistently tickled him.
"First comes love!" Mugman tickled.
"No-ho!" Cuphead's face turned red-pink.
"Second Comes marriage!" Mugman's head danced.
"Stahap!" Cuphead laughed as he buckled his knees and his elbows in. His face turned very hot red as he covered his face.
Mugman leaned in closer "Third comes a Cuppy Bonnie fusion in a carriage!" He cooed.
Face red as a tomato, milk inside his head boiling, Cuphead laughed as his thoughts swirled of Baroness Von Bon Bon giving him a smooch. The tickles coupled with his choir of singing stomach butterflies that skittered laughed and danced just made the fantasy all the more indulging. Cuphead's mouth squiggled as he continued to daydream about it, roll around the carpet, and laugh. Mugman leaned back sitting, and couldn't help but give in and laugh along with Cuphead's infectious laughter while being proud of his work.
Cuphead tried to control his fit of laughter but reducing it to snorts and snickers. "M-Mugs…" He managed to say, but the lingering tickles were so much that he laughed again.
Mugman tried to control his laugh into snorts as well. "Y-yeah? Woah, are you okay?" Mugman crawled to his brother with a happy curiosity.
Eyes squeezed shut, Cuphead pointed to his very red head. "M-my c-cup… i-it's" Cuphead snickered, trying to control his laugh. "it's s-still w-warm-" His snickers broke into a laugh until he clamped it back in. "I-If you w-want s-some." Cuphead detached his head from his neck and his trembling hand offered it to Mugman.
Mugman grabbed Cuphead's head handle and brought his brother's cheek in for a cheek cuddle; their heads clinked as Mugman cuddled. He was surprised to feel warmth, but soon it felt so comforting and relaxing that he smiled and began rubbing cheek-to-cheek with Cuphead's head while hugging it like a teddy bear.
"Ahh, so nice and warm." Mugman cooed.
Feeling the lingering tickles in his detached body and the tingly butterflies in his stomach, Cuphead laughed as he continued to daydream about Bon Bon. Amidst his laugh, his closed eyes peeked at Mugman, and for being grateful of what his brother did, he planted a kiss on Mugman's cheek with a very sweet and enthusiastic "mwah!"
Mugman giggled. "Aww!" For a moment their eyes looked at each other. "You're welcome bro." He squeezed his hug even more.
For a good long half-hour, they hugged; Mugman rubbed his cheek on his brother's warm head; Cuphead rested his head on Mugman's while trying to control his laughter and joy, but he couldn't help it, nor did he want to fight it off. Cuphead just let the daydream of him and Bon Bon take over. Mugman cherished every rub and every second he was hugging his brother, who was equally affectionate as he was.
Slowly his face turned from red, to pinkish, and then back to the normal white, while his laugh calmed to a stop at the same time.
"Was that a good cuddle?" Cuphead asked as he opened his eyes.
"Mmm-hmmm." Mugman nodded, eyes closed, not letting his cheek off of Cuphead's.
Cuphead smiled. "So… How's Cala?" He teased.
Mugman's eyes bugged out, his body stiffened, and then he blushed.
"H-how did you-"
Cuphead giggled slowly and mischievously. "Duh! I'm your bro, bro."
Mugman smiled with interest. "What's a bro bro?"
"It's a..." Cuphead looked around thinking. "It's when uhh, when one word isn't enough to call you bro- Hey! You little-"
Mugman giggled giddily and turned to run while carrying his brother's head, but Cuphead's arms caught Mugman's armpits, causing Mugman to shout giddily and laugh.
Cuphead laughed mischievously and he stared evilly at his giddy brother as his head reattached to his neck. "Your turn to tell Muggy boy."
"No! Cuppy N-"
"Cala…" Cuphead sang as he wiggled his fingers.
Mugman just laughed as Cuphead pinned him down and his armpits were helplessly tickled, and he didn't even bother to fight at all. Besides, it was his turn anyway.
Bonus:
Elder Kettle walked into the room casually and the boys covered each other's mouths as they laughed.
"Morning Elder Kettle!" Cuphead saluted.
"Yeah! Morning Elder Kettle!" Mugman saluted.
"Morning boys!" Elder Kettle greeted as he sat on the rocking chair across the room to read his book.
Cuphead and Mugman looked at each other with such fun that they just laughed.
"You know... girls like flowers and boys who can dance."
Cuphead and Mugman gave surprised looks at Elder Kettle who just casually opened his book.
Elder Kettle turned his gaze to the boys, smiled, and winked.
"Ohhh man." Cuphead slapped his own face.
Mugman giggled. "Busted."