#and finally i can also explain why mugs is afraid of fire :3c

[mugvvham]

Caffeine and Sugar were good people. Not the most social ones, probably, but people in Isle Three knew well that newly married couple would’ve done anything for anyone. They were nice, kind, so different from those who lived in the big city. They loved helping whoever needed, but most importantly, they loved eachother.

Caffeine Rubiaceae was a good man indeed. He would’ve done anything to bring joy in his wife, the young Sugar Kettle from Isle One, a kind and reserved woman so different from the way more outspoken husband - even leaving his own family when they tried to make him consider marrying someone else.  There are two kind of people, they kept saying. Those who can live happily, in their high class apartments, partying and having fun whenever they wanted - and then there’s anyone else. But Caffeine didn’t care. She was the only one who could really make him laugh, who could bring genuine happiness in an otherwise rich, yet terribly dull life. She didn’t care about his social status, she accepted him for who he was, not for a stupid surname. They loved eachother, more than anything else.

However, their life wasn’t always happy. They made eachother company, and they had plenty of support from Sugar’s family, but they felt like something was missing. All they could ask for to make their little family even better were children, but no matter how much they tried, nothing seemed to work. Maybe it was bad luck. With time, Caffeine almost started thinking his family cursed them. By the time they lost their second child, Sugar accepted the idea of having to wait, but her husband couldn’t ignore the hint of sadness in her smile.  They loved eachother, but he wasn’t ready to give up on her.

One more week passed before they recieved an invitation. They knew about the Casino, and while Sugar wasn’t sure about the situation, Caffeine seemed quite into the idea of getting a little distracted. Changing a little the usual routine, just for a day - he assured her that money weren’t goign to be a problem, that he had quite some luck when it cames to gambling. After all, what could’ve possibly gone wrong? It took a while, but eventually Caffeine had to accept the idea of going alone. They both knew that he was the one who would’ve had fun with those things anyway - and admidetly, they needed some time alone, maybe. The night was indeed a blast for most of the time, the man managed to win enough times to get approached by one of the empolyees - a fancy man with a Die-shaped head. They started to have a little chat, and between the friendliness of the man and various shorts of acohol Caffeine actually started to vent. About his family, about his concern for the wife’s mental health, to how he could’ve give anything to finally let her have a child. “Anything, you say?”  King Dice’s smile widened, and before Caffeine could understand what was going on he was brought to the owner of the Casino and lend a pen and a contract.  “A life in exchange of another. You’re going to have as many children as you want, but in return I get a Soul for each one of them. It’s a fair trade, isn’t it?” In another moment, maybe, the man would’ve refused that offer. That was insane, isn’t it? But Caffeine wasn’t sober enough to think about the consequences. He loved his wife, and giving up his own Soul, if necessary, would’ve been indeed a fair trade if that meant making her happy.

And so, nine months later, Cuphead was born. An energetic kid, always ready to make himself heard by as many people as he could. A loud kid who completely changed the couple’s life, and who managed to bring back happiness in Sugar’s heart. Caffeine did all he could to make their days as full as possible, growing more and more worried on the Deal. He was quick to remember about his choice, occasionally reminded that his days were numbered by the Casino employees. Every moment could’ve been his last, as far as he knew, but he wanted to be sure Sugar and Cuphead had anything they needed before he was gone. He loved his family, and if dying was going to be the price he had to pay for having a son, so be it.

An year and a half passed since the Deal when Sugar approaced his husband with a big smile, announcing that she was pregnant again. Caffeine’s first reaction was pure joy, before he could realize how bad the situation could’ve been. Was this still part of the Devil’s plan...? With only Cuphead, he could’ve been suree he had to give up only his Soul, but with yet another child... did it mean Sugar was doomed as well? A life for a life. That was genuinely terrifying, now that he was thinking about it.  He started asking if, pheraphs, they needed a bigger house for the ever-growing family, or maybe straight-up leave Inkwell, starting from zero somewhere else, but without the necessary money where could they hide? By the time he thought about actually telling Sugar the truth, it was too late. He didn’t have the guts to break his wife’s heart, not now that finally she was getting the children she always wanted. Mugman was born in a sunny, warm day, just like his brother, and the house was once again filled with joy. They loved their family, but Caffeine couldn’t but ask himself when that happiness would’ve faded away forever.

Caffeine would’ve loved to see the kids grow.  He had Cuphead in his life for only eighteen months, and Mugman barely saw the beginning of his third one when the Devil reclaimed his debt. Those who saw the tragedy from outside could swear they saw a shadow surrounding the happy family’s apartment before a fire suddenly sparkled, starting from the children’s room. No other apartment got even slightly touched by the flames that, instead, took Sugar’s life. The last time Caffeine saw her was when she jumped in the flames, reaching for the kids and shoving them in his arms, offering a smile despite being caught by the fire. He could get out of that alive, but knowing well that was his fault.

She loved her family, enough to give up her life in order to make them survive. He loved her family, enough to bring the children to Sugar’s family before personally walking back to the Casino filled with nothing but guilt and sadness.