Chapter 2

We Meet Again

Ok. It's been a week and I'm getting more and more engrossed with this story. I had to divide this into two chapters because at 18 pages, it was pretty long! But I'm really like writing this love story.

It was the morning after and Cuphead yawned as he entered Cloud 9. After last night's incident, he and the staff were called in by the police for questioning. Cuphead, himself, had given an honest answer and not left a single detail out or word it so that it would accidentally incriminate the wrong person. He even told the police about that jaguar's other "visits" and what he would do to him. Thankfully, that spotted ass gave the same treatment to the other strippers and staff, so they were singing like canaries on Cuphead's behalf. It was one of the things that Cuphead loved about them: they were loyal and caring.

After the questioning, the boss-lady closed the place for repairs, leaving him and the others time to pick up and rest up before the club opened again. Of course, these sorts of things happened before and thankfully, the boss-lady got insurance to cover most of the damage. Still, there was the clean-up and that was why Cuphead was there in the morning when he could've been in bed sleeping. It was amazing that he was able to dress himself in a red t-shirt, a black sleeveless hoodie, and black jeans that morning. He'd only gotten a few hours in, but at least his dreams were pleasant that night.

And it was because a certain demoness was in them.

Oh, yes. Ever since the incident, Cuphead couldn't get Benny out of his mind. Her eyes, her smile, her fighting spirit, and especially her kind heart. He replayed every interaction he had with her over and over in his mind, absorbing every single detail as if he was carving them into stone. Even the bad parts he made sure to remember them as long as she was in them. And he honestly admitted that was pretty turned on at how chivalrous she acted towards him. It was like he was in one of those fairy tales involving a gallant knight and beautiful princess. Except the roles were reversed and the demoness was his knight that night.

Needless to say he was so glad Mugman was fast asleep when he came home as the rest of Cuphead's night would've been really awkward for the two of them. Though he knew he was going to have to tell his younger brother about what had happened once they were both home. Mugman hated it whenever bad things happened to Cuphead and always wanted to support his big brother. But this time, Cuphead had some very good things he wanted to share with him.

Now, as he was finishing up replacing the tables, Cuphead began to daydream about his demon knight.

"I wonder what's she's doing right now? Maybe asleep or having breakfast depending on the time. I wonder what she likes? Eggs? Pancakes? French Toast? Does she like coffee? Does she-?"

Cuphead shook his head as he realized he was rambling in his head again. It was usually rare for him to do that, but there was so much he wanted to know about her. And with that desire, his heart yearned for her more.

"What spell have you placed on me, Benny Stein?"

"Cuphead? Yo! Cuphead! You there?" a familiar voice brought Cuphead out of his thoughts.

Looking around, he saw Felix wave him over to the booth where that magical meeting took place the night before. Confused, Cuphead approached the table. Felix was sitting there, dressed in torn jeans and a wide-neck crop top along with a smile plastered on his face.

"Something's up." Cuphead thought.

"Yeah, Felix? You needed something?"

Felix nodded and gestured him to sit.

"Actually, yeah. I wanted to talk with you about something."

Confused, Cuphead took a seat across from the cat toon.

Felix was one of the older strippers and had been Cuphead's best buddy since Day 1. He was there for him when he was getting started, taught him the ropes, and even took care of him when he got hurt by the clientele. He was the kind of guy you could not believe chose this profession. If anything, Cuphead would've pegged Felix for show-business. But nope. He was here, dancing for the customers and then some.

Felix's tail wagged as he began to speak.

"So? How was last night?"

Cuphead raised an eyebrow at the cat.

"What do you mean? You saw what happened, didn't you?"

Felix's grin remained as he shook his head.

"No, no, no. I mean with that cute troublemaker you kissed last night."

Cuphead's cheeks immediately flushed at the mention of the demoness and what Felix had stated.

"You…you saw that?!"

Felix's tail wagged faster, a sign that he was in a very bubbly mood today. And of course, this gave Cuphead an answer before Felix even opened his mouth.

"You bet I did. And I got to say, you've really pick 'em."

Cuphead tilted his hair down in front of his face, embarrassed. He hated it when Felix got all nosey-sister on him. As much as he loved the guy, Cuphead wished Felix would stop teasing him like this.

"So? Who is she? What's she like?" Felix asked, wanting to know about the mysterious Cinderella who stole his pal's heart.

Cuphead frowned at Felix with an accusing look in his eyes.

"Why? She saved me! You can't turn her in for that, Felix!"

Felix waved his hand nonchalantly, dismissing Cuphead's accusation.

"As if! After what she did last night, I like her already. So does most of the staff. Hell, we ALL genuinely want to know who she is."

Seeing that his friend was honest about not turning her in, Cuphead sighed as he regaled what he had learned about the demoness.

"Well, her name is Benjamina Stein, though she likes to be called 'Ben' or 'Benny.' And she's the conductor of the Toon Town Symphonic Orchestra."

Felix's eyes widened at the information.

"Wait! That was The Benny Stein?! Bro! The music she conducts and writes is incredible!"

Cuphead blinked in surprise at Felix's praise.

"Wait! You heard of her?"

Hearing the question, Felix placed a sturdy hand on Cuphead's shoulder with a serious look in his eyes.

"We need to get you a ticket to one of her concerts, man! The moment you see her conduct the orchestra, especially with music that she wrote, you might as well be looking at the Angel of Music, herself!"

As Cuphead listened to this, he found himself marveling at the demoness even more. Of course, when he heard the last part, he let out a laugh.

This action made Felix raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"What's so funny?"

Managing to calm himself down, Cuphead answered the cat toon.

"When I first spoke to her, I called her 'angel.' Apparently, I didn't know how accurate I was."

Hearing this made Felix chuckle before noticing Cuphead going into that dreamy state he saw the night before.

"She told me that she lives with her younger brother like me, so it makes me wonder if he and Mugman go to the same school. We also told each other our favorite drinks. Hers is Coconut Rum and Cola. She also told me that the reason she was at the club that night was because she lost a bet with that cat friend of hers."

Felix blinked in surprise at this information.

"So what made her so interesting to you, if you don't mind me asking?"

Cuphead paused at his friend for a moment before going back into his thoughts and smiling at the visage in his mind.

"Well, first, I noticed that she was giving me a sad look after I finished dancing. Then, when her friend paid for me to spend time with her, I was surprised that it wasn't for sex. Hell, she admitted to me that she was still a virgin, which made things understandable. But she also noticed that I wasn't feeling happy and was genuinely concerned for me. When I went over to her, I saw she was writing music. Music that, according to her, was inspired by me of all people! We understood being the older sibling who has to take care of their younger brother as well both having experienced the loss of a parent. She told funny stories that actually made me tear up in laughter."

Then Cuphead's dreamlike state grew as his grin grew more and more lovestruck.

"Then when that asshole Percy came in and tried to take me out back, she got angry and stood up for me. And when he slapped me, she beat the crap out of him. For me! I actually got scared a couple of times when she got hit or scratched, especially when he smeared her face against the wall, but she never gave up. And she won! All so that he wouldn't hurt me!"

Felix's own grin grew as Cuphead sighed dreamily in thought.

"I never met anyone that cared about me that much. And that's not counting you and Mugman. When she saved me that night, I just…I just wanted…"

"You wanted her to be yours and yours alone?" Felix asked with a smirk, his tail wagging in delight.

Cuphead nodded stupidly, confirming Felix's thoughts. But he had one more test to pull.

"I'm surprise you didn't reward her with a night together."

The sentence snapped Cuphead out of his thoughts and immediately his face shifted into anger.

"I would never impose that on her! Yes, I was sorely tempted, but even after a few minutes with her, I can tell she's a woman who I should respect! If she comes to me, then yes, I would take her right on the spot! But if she says 'no,' then I would respect her wishes!"

He then sighed sadly as he began to trace a circle on the wooden table.

"Besides, a classy dame like that would never go for someone like me."

Hearing this saddened Felix. He knew being a stripper was a degrading job, but he would never think of being considered too low for someone! Especially when that one person made them happy! Sighing, Felix scooted next to Cuphead and smacked the back of his head. Sensing the tiny pain, Cuphead clutched the back of his head and glared at Felix.

"Ow! What the hell, cat?!"

But Felix was having none of it and pointed a finger at Cuphead's face, causing the toon to jump back a bit.

"Now you listen here, Cup. Don't you EVER think like that! I know about what people say about strippers, but you shouldn't let that get in the way of what makes you happy! And right now, that demoness is what makes you happy! She may be the conductor of the TTSO, but I bet she's a regular person like the rest of us! And if you don't believe me…"

He then pulled out a grey messenger bag with music notes embroidered on it from behind him and placed it in front of Cuphead.

"…then talk to her again after you deliver this to her."

Seeing the bag, Cuphead raised an eyebrow again.

"What's this?"

Leaning back, Felix answered him.

"It's Miss Stein's bag. She must have left it here last night without knowing it. I figured it out who it was thanks to her driver's license. I've also put the music sheets she was working on along with her glasses in there. I was thinking of calling her to let her know so she could come pick it up, but now I think you should deliver it to her."

Hearing this, Cuphead blinked in confusion.

"Huh? Why me?"

A devilish grin crept on the cat's face.

"Oh, come on. Don't tell me you don't want to see her again."

Again, Cuphead jumped.

"N-no! I-I do! I-I just-!"

"Then stop babbling and let's go, you dork!" Felix replied as he got out of his seat.

Cuphead, confused, also stood up.

"Go? Go where?"

Felix held up a piece of paper in his claws. Upon seeing it, Cuphead's stomach began to churn. Whether it was from anxiety or excitement, he wasn't sure.

"I already got her address out of the phonebook. She lives in the outskirts of Toon Town. Now come on! I'm driving."

With that, Felix turned around and headed out towards the door. Realizing what Felix was doing, Cuphead got out of his seat and raced towards him.

"But what about the club? We're still on clean-up." Felix, however, waved his hand nonchalantly as he continued to walk.

"Pfft! It's a minor clean. The only big thing we need to worry about is fixing the hole your Angel of Music created. And I'm pretty sure Adelina has already called a contractor to fix it. So we have the rest of the day off. And what better way to spend it than to get you to the Angel's domain."

He then smirked at Cuphead.

"Unless you're too chicken to try."

Felix held back a snicker as Cuphead narrowed his eyes in response.

"You know I'm no chicken!"

Still smirking, Felix opened the door and motioned to Cuphead.

"Well then. What are you waiting for? Prove it."

Cuphead knew Felix was baiting him. The disadvantage from being friends with him for so long was that he knew how to trigger his friends. And deep down, he wanted to do it. Looking at the bag in his hands, Cuphead took in a deep breath and stepped out the door. He was both scared and enthusiastic at what he was going to do.

He was really going to do it.

He was going to see his Angel of Music again.

Stein Residence, an hour later…

Benny groaned as she stepped out of the bathroom, now showered and dressed in a long olive-green sleeveless dress and in bare feet, a lime green cast on her left wrist. She remembered the events from the night before and realized that she had left her bag at the club. Which mean a special trip into town despite it being her day off. She was so spacy at the end of the incident that she had forgotten the one thing she'd never forget.

"I just hope I haven't been banned before I can get it back. All my stuff's in there." She muttered as she walked down the stairs.

The smell of bacon and orange French Toast caught her sense of smell. It smelt like Heaven's court came down and prepared a feast to both make her feel better and to commemorate her actions the night before. The only thing that topped such a happy smell was…

A grey blush came in full force as Benny touched her lips, remembering the soft petal-like lips that connected with hers. It wasn't until she woke up that she stopped feeling like a babbling idiot that she was able to process what had happened. Her tail began to whip wildly as she remembered the sensation of being kissed for the first time followed by the sincere smile that came from Cuphead's face when they parted.

She honestly loved his real smile.

Realizing this, Benny stopped at the middle of the stairs and grabbed ahold of her tail, trying to get it to stop flailing around. Why was seeing Cuphead so happy the best feeling she ever felt? Why did it feeling like there were butterflies in her heart, threatening to tear it out and fly off into the horizon whenever she thought of him?

Was she…?

Shaking her head, Benny mentally scolded herself.

"No, Benny! No! You are NOT feeling that! Look, he was grateful that you beat the crap out of that guy. Then again, you two did seem to connect when you were talking. But then again, it's his job! But then why did he look so sad toward the end? And don't tell me you weren't going to kiss him before you were interrupted! That's just crazy-talk!"

Benny sighed sadly as she walked down the stairs, feeling downtrodden and hungry.

"Besides, possibly the only time you'll see him again is when you go pick up your bag. And maybe after the concert. But even then, would he even look at you the same way you look at him?"

"Morning, Sis! Breakfast is just about ready and coffee's already made." A sweet male voice called out, snapping Benny out of her depressive thoughts and putting her back into the present.

She smiled happily as a toon wolf of 17 approached her with a cup of coffee, dressed in a green shirt and black pants.

"You're too good for this world, Boris! What would I do without you?"

Boris rolled his eyes as he handed the coffee to his older sister.

"Come on, Bendy. We both know you'd be eating nothing but bacon soup all day and you know it."

Benny snickered at Boris, using the nickname he gave her when they were children to tease her.

When they were really little, he caught a cold and a couple of times he called her "Bendy" by mistake. It was so funny that the nickname stuck. Even their late father would call her that when he was feeling goofy.

Taking the coffee cup, Benny inhaled the mystical aroma before drinking the black nectar that perked her up every morning. Nothing started the day for her like a good cup of coffee. Boris, on the other hand, had a glass of milk on the table while was getting the French Toast off the griddle. Once done, he placed some on a plate and, much to Benny's surprise, began to cut up the four slices that were on the plate.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Cutting up your food."

Hearing this, Benny raised an eyebrow.

"Why? I can cut my own food."

"But you have your wrist in a cast. Sheba told me that the doctors said you had a dislocated wrist from the fight last night and you can't use your left hand for a while. So, I'm helping out."

Hearing this, Benny looked at her cast. She wondered why she was wearing it, but couldn't even remember the doctor's visit.

"I guess I was too dazed to even pay attention. Hell, I didn't even know I had hurt my wrist in the first place. Must've been the adrenaline."

But the back of her mind told her that it was something else that was keeping her mind of the pain.

Or rather, someone.

Pushing back the thought, Benny resumed the conversation.

"I can just switch how I hold my knife and fork. Easy-peasy."

Hearing this, Boris turned his head around with an "are you kidding me" look on his face.

"Even so, I don't want you to move your wrist too much. If you do, you might never use your hand to play again. And you know how much I love to hear you play music."

That statement was like knife cutting into Benny. Boris was right. One of the worst things that could happen to a musician was not being able to use both hands to practice their craft. And she'd be devastated if she could never play the violin again. Knowing that he got through to her, Boris placed Benny's plate in front of her.

"Just take it easy until your wrist heals up. The doctor said since it's a small injury, it should take no more than a few weeks to heal. Just get physical therapy once the cast comes off and you won't have to worry about conducting the Toon Town Fall Festival Concert with just one hand and a tail."

Hearing this, Benny grinned as she ruffled Boris' hair. He was right. It was still spring. She had plenty of time to heal up before the Fall Concert.

"Yes, Dr. Boris. I'll take good care of my wrist. In the meantime, let's eat."

Hearing this, Boris breathed a sigh of relief as he sat down opposite of his big sister and began to eat. Still, she had a certain toon on her mind.

"I hope he's doing ok."

Unfortunately for her, Boris noticed his sister's face looking a little concerned as she ate. Usually, she ate with so much fervor unless she had something heavy on her mind. Remember what Sheba told him last night, Boris got curious. Thinking it was the topic, he decided to ask the questions he wanted to ask Benny since the night before. Of course, the wolf had to get a few of his own laughs in, as well.

"So? Can you tell me about your new boyfriend?"

Boris struggled to keep his laughter as Benny went bug-eyed and nearly choked on her food thanks to his words. He handed her his milk, allowing her to wash her food down before slowly grinning at her.

"Boyfriend?! What boyfriend!?" Benny asked in between breaths, shocked at what her brother had just asked her.

Boris answered as he got himself a fresh glass.

"Sheba told me about last night. I expected you to get into some sort of fight, but I never thought you'd fight so fiercely over a stranger you just met. And at a strip club, no less."

"I'm going to fucking kill Sheba!" Benny growled in her mind.

She didn't want to let Boris know where she went. Sure, he was nearly an adult, but still! A grey blush spread across her cheeks as Boris sat down.

"Come on, Bendy. I'm 17, for goodness sake. I can handle it when you get dragged into one of Sheba's antics. Both crazy and non-kosher. So stop holding back for my sake like I'm some pup and tell me about this guy already. He's gotta be quite something for you to actually use your Ink Demon form."

Boris was right about that. In some toons, they had certain powers. Whether it is to easily disguise oneself to even transformations. Some use these for comedy. Others, like her, for fights. Problem was that these powers were temporary, unstable, and when it comes to transformations, it was always a risk to shift into them, especially for toons with dark traits like demons. So it was rare for a toon to enter into another form these days, but it wasn't uncommon knowledge. And Benny's Ink Demon form, as she and her friends call it, was both strong and unstable.

Noting this fact, Benny knew she couldn't help but sigh in defeat.

"Ok. You have a point. But let me point out that he is NOT my boyfriend."

Boris nodded and eagerly listened as he ate his own breakfast. Sighing, Benny began to talk.

"First, his name is Cuphead. I saw him on the stage last night. He is handsome, I'll admit. But he also looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. That he was sad despite his trying to hide it with a fake smile. I could tell from his dancing, his eyes, and that smile. I actually felt sorry for him. Surprisingly, he inspired me to write some new music."

"Let me guess: you brought some music sheet with you."

Boris asked cheekily. Benny grinned back.

"You know me too well, Boris."

Her mind then drifted off as she remembered what happened next.

"Well, Sheba decided to 'help' me and sneakily asked our waitress to send Cuphead over while those two…*ahem*…went out back. I didn't notice until I heard him talk right next to me. He was curious about what I was doing and also noticed how sad I looked. Well, I explained myself to him, thinking I must have insulted him in some way, and turns out he was relieved that someone noticed."

Her smile returned as she played with her food.

"We talked about a few things. He has a younger brother that he is working to take care of, his favorite drink is Irish Coffee, and when I told him that Sheba dragged me there, he understood. We just talked about little things and it was enough for me to forget where I was. I was not talking to a stripper, but a guy who I found more comfortable to talk to as if I knew him all my life."

Remembering what happened next, Benny's grin turned into a snarl.

"Then that drunken prick of a leopard came over, grabbed Cuphead by the handle on the back of his head and practically began to drag him away to out back, calling him a 'slut!' I was not angry, I was pissed! That drunk then called me a bitch when I told him to leave Cuphead alone, which already got me all riled up for a fight. But what made me snap last night was when he slapped Cuphead for trying to stop me."

Boris' eyes widened as he listened to Benny's side of the story. He understood her anger. It was clear as a sunny day that she was still fuming at the memory that she actually swore in front of him. He knew her as one who tried to not to swear in front of younger people, especially kids. But when she gets too riled up, she might as well switch her career to a sailor at that point. It was amusing, but it also painted a picture for Boris. One that didn't blame his sister for one bit. He'd be angry if he was in her shoes when it happened.

"That's when you got into that fight?"

Benny nodded, stabbing her French Toast pieces as if they were the leopard himself.

"I tried to keep my cool, Boris. I really did. But I just…I just couldn't let him hurt Cuphead anymore! Just…the very thought of him getting hurt not only physically, but emotionally and sexually just triggered me something fierce! I managed to hold back my strength, not wanting to kill that drunk bastard, even if it was tempting. But since I was getting pretty injured myself and that it was hard to knock the guy out, I inadvertently triggered my Ink Demon power. Thankfully, I only just changed my shape and threw a powerful punch that knocked him out."

Seeing how angry his sister was, Boris waited until Benny was calm again before either of them could continue. Neither of them wanted to pay for new plates and with the way she was stabbing her breakfast, he was afraid that she would shatter the plate and accidentally eat a piece of ceramic. Noticing her own anger, Benny took the time to take in a few breaths to calm herself.

"Come on, Ben. Think about what happened after."

Once she was calm, Benny continued her story.

"After that, Sheba took care of the cops and Cuphead was extremely grateful that I helped him. I'm still surprised that he didn't find me scary."

Remembering what Sheba had told him, another cheeky grin grew on Boris' face.

"And that's when he took your first kiss?"

Hearing Boris' comment made Benny's entire body jolt up in shock, her entire face turning grey and her tail sticking straight out. The reaction was so amusing that Boris couldn't help but buckle down with laughter.

"Ha-ha-ha! You should see your face! It's like someone's covered it with ash!"

"D-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-did Sheba tell you that!?" Benny cried out, her shock making her trip her words.

Boris' laughter died as he continued eating.

"She brought you home with the most stupefied look on your face and barely any reaction to anything. Her telling me that you got your first kiss was what got me asking her questions once we got you to bed."

Benny groaned in embarrassment. As much as she loved Sheba, she wanted to kill her at that moment. Deciding to shift the subject, Boris decided to ask a question.

"So? Are you going to see him again?"

Getting a bit fed up with the interrogation, Benny answered him, though she was still in shambles over the mere mention of the kiss.

"M-maybe. I mean, I have to go back to get my bag. Sheba didn't grab it when she hauled me out." Benny admitted, shifting her thoughts to her messenger bag. "And then again, what are the chances I'd see him again?"

Hearing this, Boris shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, you know what they say. If it's fate, you'll definitely see him again. Still, you wouldn't mind, right? I wouldn't if he made you that happy."

Benny groaned as she decided to focus on her breakfast.

"If you say so, Boris. If he actually is interested in me, I guess I wouldn't mind."

But the blush on her cheeks told Boris something different.

"She SO wants to see him again."

Meanwhile, outside…

When Felix pulled onto the gravel driveway, Cuphead couldn't help but marvel at the two-story Victorian farmhouse they were approaching. It was a blue and white house that was small enough for a small family. The land surrounding it was covered by the canopies of tall trees save for the area near an old cobblestone barn that looked like it belonged in Europe. There were no animals, as far as Cuphead and Felix could see, but it had a certain charm to it. A way's away was the entrance to a forest further hiding the farm with nature.

The property surrounding the house was spacious with several gardens here and there. The most prominent were the ones that surrounded the house and barn. As they got closer, they saw what looked like a vegetable garden hidden next to a small shed next to the barn. When they got out of the car, they could smell the nearby lilac trees scent being carried by the wind.

"It's like we just pulled up into the Garden of Eden." Cuphead muttered as he marveled at the landscape.

Felix approached a lilac and inhaled the scent further.

"I'll say. And pretty ironic considering a demon lives here."

The mere mention of her sent chills up Cuphead's spine. When he left the club, he was ready. But after the drive from the city to the country, that determination waned. What if she thought of him as creepy for looking up her house? What if she was repulsed by what he did? So many negative thoughts ran through his mind that even Felix was picking up on them.

Sighing, Felix approached Cuphead and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"You're overthinking again. Just remember what I told you. Be calm, return the bag, and let her know that she left it at the club and that you wanted to return it to her. It's easy."

But that didn't ease Cuphead's worries.

"I just don't want her to think I'm stalking her. Or have her think I'm a creep for kissing her without permission."

Felix pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. For as long as he knew Cuphead, the younger male had a tendency to demoralize himself. He kept his thought to himself so as not to upset the rest of the staff, but even they knew that he always talked down on himself.

"You're not, Cup. You were genuinely happy for what she did and you went with your emotions. No one can fault you for it, especially not her."

Seeing that his words did little, Felix decided to try something else.

"When you two talked, was she grossed out at all?"

Hearing the question, Cuphead's mind replayed the night again.

"No. She wasn't."

"Did she, at all, called you a creep or a perv or anything of the sort?"

"No."

"And would she have even bothered to help you if she wanted nothing to do with you?"

Hearing the questions and his own answers, Cuphead's spirits began to lift.

"No."

Seeing the reaction, Felix grinned.

"She never pushed you away, so why should she now? Just be calm and polite. Talk with her again. Make conversation. Maybe, if all goes well, ask to simply hang out with her sometime. No dates. No sex. Nothing. Be her friend first before you become her lover."

The last statement made Cuphead blush furiously.

"L-LOVER?!"

Felix couldn't help but chuckle at how innocent Cuphead was acting. It was like he was a virgin all over again. But then again, this was new territory for him and Felix couldn't blame him.

All he wanted was his friend to be happy.

By the time Cuphead stopped stuttering, they were already at the front door. Cuphead's heart raced and grew louder and louder in his head. He was scared. But upon looking at the bag in his hands, he took in a deep breath.

"It's now or never."

With a nod from Felix, Cuphead pressed the doorbell.

With the Stein's…

Benny and Boris had just placed their dishes in the sink when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." Benny replied as she left the kitchen and approached the front door.

"Who could it be at this hour? If it's another damn salesman."

As she reached for the door, Benny calmed herself and opened it.

"Yes? How can I…" Her words vanished as she saw that the person on the other side was not a salesman, but Cuphead and some cat toon.

But her focus was on the male that towered over her with a stunned look of his own. Her heart raced as her eyes locked on to his.

"Ohmygodohmygodohmygod! It's him! He's here! But what the hell's he doing here!? Not that I'm complaining, but still!"

When Benny answered the door, all of the jumbled-up emotions Cuphead was feeling drained away as he saw the demoness. She was in a green dress that fit her form and almost made him think he was looking at a completely different girl. His heart rang louder as his eyes met hers once again. The eyes of his gallant knight.

"Oh, god! Here she is! My angel!"

Meanwhile, Felix was watching the show and couldn't help but snicker silently. This was too adorable!

At the same time, Boris looked from the kitchen door and saw the scene. He'd never seen Benny freeze up or go silent when answering the door. He left the kitchen and approached the door to see the two toons. Noticing Benny's expression and the description of the toon she was staring at matched what she and Sheba told him, Boris held back a grin.

"So he DID come to see her! Fate, sometimes I love you!"

Wanting to get the show to progress, Boris walked up and cleared his throat.

"Excuse me, fellas, but can my sister and I help you?"

The sudden sound of a new voice snapped the demoness and the stripper back into reality. Realizing he was making a bad impression, Cuphead, now blushing for a second reason, cleared his throat as he handed out the bag.

"S-sorry about that. B-but we were cleaning the club when we saw your bag. So, uh, I wanted to return it to you. That is, if you don't mind."

Catching sight of her bag, Benny breathed a sigh of relief, though her mind was still in scrambles over Cuphead actually being at her house!

"Oh! Th-thank you. I was planning to go back for it. That is, if I wasn't banned."

Hearing this, Cuphead shook his head.

"N-no! You weren't banned! F-far from it! In-in fact, you helped us all by punching that guy's teeth in!"

Benny's cheeks greyed at hearing this, relieved that what she did was helpful.

Seeing the interaction, both Boris and Felix bore shit-eating grins. They were SO going to tease them about this. Clearing his throat to gain everyone's attention, Felix spoke up.

"Cup's right on that. That creep Percy had been bothering us for a while. It was about time someone gave him a knuckle sandwich. The bouncers can only do so much, so you're the hero of the club." He said to Benny with a wink.

A bead of ink poured from Benny's forehead at the cat toon before her.

"Uh…thanks…uh…" The cat toon held out a hand towards her, gesturing for a handshake.

"The name's Felix the Cat. I'm Cuphead's coworker, best bud, and, for today, chauffer. Nice to finally meet you, Miss Stein."

Cuphead blushed in embarrassment at his friend as Benny awkwardly shook Felix's hand.

"Uh…Nice to meet you, Mr. Felix?" Benny responded, not sure what to make of this person.

Felix just continued to give her a cheerful grin as he spoke. "Oh, please! Call me Felix. Mr. Felix makes me sound like an old toon."

Boris, also reading the room, also held out his hand with a knowing look in his eyes.

"Well then, Felix. My name's Boris Stein. And I guess you already know my big sister, here."

Felix continued to grin as he shook Boris' hand.

"Nice to meet you, Boris."

At first, even Boris was put off by how friendly Felix was. He knew that when someone's too friendly the first-time meeting someone, there's a good chance they want something. But after he shook the wolf's hand, Felix's gaze sifted to the two toons next to them. Now Boris read a new look on Felix's face. It was one of curiosity for Benny and brotherly-care for Cuphead.

"I wonder…"

Getting an idea, Boris opened the door wider.

"Would you two like to come inside for some coffee? I'm about to make a fresh pot."

"And maybe I can see what this Felix-guy's angle is."

Benny gawked at Boris, Cuphead was unsure, but Felix got the idea.

"That would be lovely! I kinda skipped on my coffee today and we don't have a pot at work."

"I better talk with this kid privately if we both want Cup and Miss Stein to get together."

Confused, Boris tilted his head as he allowed the cat in, much to his sister's displeasure.

"But wouldn't you have one in the break room?"

Felix shook his head as he followed Boris to what he figured was the kitchen.

"Not when it's broken. We've been trying to get our boss to buy a new one for a week, now."

"Wha-Boris!" Benny called out, but her words were drowned out by the conversation between the wolf and the cat, leaving the demoness and the cup toon alone.

"…what just happened?" Benny asked, legitimately confused as she looked where the two toons walked.

Cuphead, however, pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration and embarassment.

"Sorry about Felix. He means well, but he tends to stick his nose in where it doesn't belong."

Hearing this, Benny let out a short laugh.

"Sounds like he'd get along well with Sheba. Maybe he knows her."

Cuphead shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, Felix is the kind of guy who, despite his mischief, likes to get along with just about everybody. So there is a chance he might know her."

But before they could go after the two toons, both Benny and Cuphead realized something: they were alone. And that revelation made them both nervous.

"Felix, you bastard! You planned this, didn't you?"

"Boris… If this was your idea, I swear you are so grounded!"

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Benny stepped to the side to allow Cuphead in.

"W-well, if you want, c-come on in."

Cuphead nodded to her, nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

"T-thank you."

As soon as Cuphead was inside, Benny closed the door and led him to the living room.

With Boris and Felix...

Meanwhile, as soon as Boris and Felix were in the kitchen, Boris immediately turned to Felix and narrowed his eyes at the male.

"Alright. So what's your game?"

Felix raised an eyebrow, but inside he knew that the toon before him would be suspicious of his behavior.

"I better be honest with him. Something tells me a lie or a flirt won't work with him. Guess it's because I need an ally."

Looking back to make sure Cuphead and Benny weren't eavesdropping, Felix became serious and whispered to Boris.

"Ok. So, I am interested in meeting your sister. I love her music. But I know for a fact that Cuphead has fallen for her, despite him not fully realizing it yet. He's a good guy and has been through a lot of crap in his life. Your sister actually made him seriously happy last night. Usually, he's distant or depressed depending on who he's talking to outside our fellow coworkers."

The cat then scratched his head nervously.

"I actually want to see if those two can get together. For Cuphead's sake, at least."

Boris raised an eyebrow as he scanned Felix. There wasn't any indication that he was lying and he seemed legitimately concerned for the cup toon. Sighing, Boris started up the coffee pot again.

"Well, your friend also seems to have some influence on my sister. Her friend tries to set her up on blind dates, but each one ended in some form of disaster. And as much as she and I love Sheba, it gets annoying when she tries to push guys that she likes to Benny. So when I heard that my big sister, the kind who tries to stay out of awkward situations like the plague, gets into a fight and even activate her power in order to protect a stripper that she had a decent conversation with, I'd have to say your friend's definitely special."

Felix raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Special? He had that effect on her?"

Boris nodded as he got two extra coffee mugs from the cupboard.

"Ben's the kind of girl who prefers that a relationship is based on trust, respect, and understanding. She looks for the beauty in a person's soul rather than their outward appearance. And with the world we live in, a beautiful face can hide an ugly soul. She's very cautious about being manipulated when it comes to relationships."

Hearing the words, Felix's ears lowered.

"Has that happened before."

Boris sighs as he watched the coffee brew.

"To a friend of ours. We…don't like to talk about it."

As much as Felix wanted to know, he didn't press. Judging from the look on Boris' face, it was a touchy subject. Deciding to leave that alone, Felix spoke up, careful so as to not let the two passing toons hear.

"I can assure you, Boris, Cuphead will not treat her like that. In fact, the poor guy has so much respect for her that he was nervous about coming here."

Hearing this, Boris turned around, surprised.

"Nervous? Because my sister's in the TTSO?"

But Felix shook his head.

"No. While it is true your sister's amazing in the orchestra, Cup, himself, had a series of bad relationships in the past. Not to mention the… 'hazards'… of our job. He's been beaten in more ways than you can ever know. Yet, it's the only job he's known and he puts up with it so that he and his brother wouldn't go hungry or live in the streets."

Felix's ears wilted as he trudged through his memories.

"I genuinely care for Cup and his brother as if they were my own family. And every time I see him dance for all those disgusting eyes, I hate more myself for not doing anything to make things better or prevent…certain things…from happening. I've gotten used to this life. But Cup?"

Shaking his head, Felix looked straight into Boris' eyes.

"I want him to have a happier life. And with what I saw last night between him and your sister, I believe he has a chance."

Realizing he was sounding too presumptuous; Felix cleared his throat.

"That is…if you permit it."

Not a single ounce of dishonesty was heard in Felix's speech. While he was right that Benny was amazing in the TTSO, Boris was even more amazed that, apparently, she had a bigger influence on Cuphead that he had thought. Then could that mean…Benny's growing feelings toward Cuphead…were mutual?

Boris went to his private thoughts for a while, wondering what he should do. He didn't want to meddle, but he also wanted to do something for his sister. The one who provided for him since…

"I wonder what you would've thought of this situation, Dad. Go into 'Dad-mode' and be more protective against Benny's potential dates? No. He would've trusted her decision and support her. And if things went south, he'd have his shoulder ready for her to cry on." Thinking this, Boris sighed. "I hope you're helping me with this from Up There, Dad."

"Ok. So we both want those two to develop a good relationship, right?" Boris asked Felix.

The cat toon's eyes widened. Could Boris be…?

"Yes. On their own, of course. But we'd be there in case they need us."

Boris nodded.

"I'm not my father, but I'll be here for Benny if something goes wrong. And since you speak so highly of Cuphead and concerning what my sister told me of last night, I'm willing to put my trust in you and him."

The wolf toon then narrowed his eyes, showing a rare instance of fierceness that his sister had shown on full display previously.

"And if he wrongfully hurts her, he'll have to deal with me."

Normally, a person would've been put off by such a statement. But not Felix. What he heard, instead, was the sound of a brother willing to be there for his sister for anything, be it good or bad. With a soft smile, Felix nodded.

"I understand. Though we may have to inform Cuphead's brother, Mugman, of our little 'shipping-alliance.' We can't exclude family, after all."

Hearing the name, Boris' eyes widened in shock.

"Wait! Mugman is Cuphead's brother?!"

Surprised by the outburst, Felix nodded.

"Yeah. You know him?"

"Know him? We're in the same class together! We've actually been a good team for things like gym class and coming up with ideas for school events!"

Hit with this realization, Boris slunk down onto his chair in shock.

"I can't believe it. My sister and his brother…"

Seeing the reaction, Felix couldn't help but laugh.

Fate was definitely playing an interesting hand.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.