Cuphead Taken For Debt au

This is my au, Taken For Debt. Where the twins were split up at birth, Cuphead was given to the devil in order for their father to keep his soul. Mugman lived with his grandfather since their mom and dad had died before they gained consciousness.

Mocha Mug: Birth father of Cuphead and Mugman. He sold his soul in order to achieve his selfish desire if having a famous actress fall in love with him and be his wife. They had children, and the devil came for his side of the contract—Mocha's soul. He begged and pleaded for him to make another deal, but the devil wasn't having it. Since the twins had just been born, his wife a few weeks dead from their birth, he begged to be left to raise his children. In a state of desperation, he offered his children instead of him, making the sacrifice of his twins. The devil took only one, Cuphead. Soon after, while leaving Mugman to his father, Elder Kettle, he was shot on his way home from the bar. He got his karma, Mugman got a more loving home with his grandfather than he'd ever get with his drunk of a dad.

Miss Margarita 'Tipsy' Tall: Birth mother of Cuphead and Mugman. She was unknowingly put under a spell by the devil thanks to Mocha Mug's deal, eventually running away from the Tipsy Troop and eloping with him. They had twins, but she passed minutes after holding her babies for the first time. They were both cups instead of margarita glasses, to her relief. Her last wish was to keep her memory alive.

Mugman: He grew up an only child with Elder Kettle. He never knew of Cuphead, but he had heard Kettle talk on the phone using that name in conversation. He was left out of activities because everyone else thought he'd break with the smallest pressure, and because they didn't wanna be seen with the trans kid.

Cuphead: Taken at birth, he had never known of or met Mugman. He lived with the Devil and King Dice. He was relatively good, but collected souls for his dads and did a fair amount of mischief. He spends most of his time in hell, but after seeing how beautiful the surface really was, he stayed up there in free time. Then, he met Mugman at midnight in the middle of the forest, they were tied together immediately. A blue hand print appeared on Cuphead's right arm, a prune colored hand print on Mugman's left arm.

Elder Kettle: He took care of Mugman growing up, and Cuphead for barely three months before he was taken. The old man never told Mugman about his twin brother, and he made sure to cherish and love the boy twice as much since he couldn't love both twins. He supported Mugman's hobbies and strange interests(bones, trinkets, needle felting, carving, etc...) and his transition journey.

King Dice: When he found out that the devil took the baby cup in, he was shocked. He may have been the man's number one, but he had no idea what to do with a baby! The first time he held the reddish cup, he instantly fell in love with the idea of being the boy's dad. He also fell in love with the devil himself, and they eventually got together. Cuphead grew up with two dads, and he couldn't be happier! When he asked why at around six years old, he got the answer that some men don't like women. He immediately understood and didn't ask again, and continued having a happy life.

Sorry I haven't posted, I've been busy, but I'll work on my au more🫪

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The night felt even colder as Mugman compared the marks. It felt unreal, like something out of a current fanfiction or book, something that shouldn't happen. Cuphead spoke up, tail brushing against Mugman's leg. "Soul tie. I could recognize it anywhere." He admitted, sighing and stepping back. He put his arms over his head for a moment and stretched, crossing one over his chest at a time.

"W-wait, SOUL TIE!? I barely know you!! Who are you to say what's what, huh!?" Mugman snapped, watching as the cup jumped up and climbed a tree effortlessly. He sat on a thick branch, tail flicking as he looked down at the mug. A smirk formed on his face, snickering before it turned into a devilish cackle. "Who am I? Why... I'm Cuphead! I thought you'd remember, dear Mugman." He teased, laughing again. It sent shivers down Mugman's spine, especially with the way this stranger was looking at him, mocking him. He started up in the trees, eyes locking onto the cup's, just staring. "You wanna know, don't you? Where I came from? Why I'm here?" Cuphead offered, leaning over to hang upside down on the branch, tail wearing around the wood to keep himself up.

I edited The Cuphead Show for my au, it looks stupid though😭

I like this the most, I actually remembered his tail in this one😭

The night was peaceful. The air was cool for a summer night, the forest rustling in the wind as creatures slumbered and hid in their homes. Mugman ran through the forest, clutching his satchel as he hurriedly put on his sweater. He had to be there...right? He ran for what felt like hours before he finally reached the spot from last night. He bent over and panted, gripping the brown strap around his chest tightly as he heard a slightly familiar voice.

Cuphead's side, back in hell with his dads.

The elevator tinged and opened with a small creak, the family stepping out. Cuphead jumped and playfully smacked Dice on the head, rolling it and running to sit on his throne before the older man even got his head straight. His other dad, the Devil, approached and sat next to the boy on his own throne. "Sorry, Dice. He beat you to it." He said with a teasing tone, watching his number one roll his eyes and walk over to their son. Cuphead just laughed and got up, bowing with a sarcastic sneer. He sat on the devil's armrest, taking a breath before leaning back and finally starting the conversation.

Mugman's side, up on the surface mere minutes after meeting the cup he had no idea he shared blood with

Arriving home after five minutes of running, Mugman finally reached his grandfather's cottage. He didn't bother going through the window, knowing Kettle was already awake. He sighed and caught his breath, rolling down his sleeves and opening the door, met immediately by a concerned grandpa cupping his face and looking at his ceramic head, checking for new chips or cracks. "Mugman!" He yelped, looking at his grandson and hugging him tightly once he saw the boy was alright. "I'm fine, Elder Kettle!" Mugman smiled at the hug and melted into it, closing his eyes as the old man pressed a kiss to his forehead. He put his bag down and took off his sweater, putting both items on the couch as he followed his grandpa into the kitchen, smelling food. "I had already finished cooking before I saw you were gone. Don't do that, Mugman!" He ordered, making a plate of biscuits and gravy for Mugman. When he gave the boy his food, he paused and looked at his arm. He had an angry reddish purple hand print, but it didn't look like it was from a slap or grab. It looked almost like a tattoo, or paint, maybe makeup. But it definitely wasn't normal.

It was their dad's!

Mugman stared for a moment, thinking back to all the times he had heard Elder Kettle talk about a 'Cuphead' to Cagney or someone on the phone. He looked at the reddish one examining him, both of them now sitting on the ground. "You're... Cuphead." He checked, earning a nod and a grunt of acknowledgement from the demonic cup. He was looking at Mugman's arm, looking at doodles the blue one had done that morning. He saw small cracks and a scar running down from his elbow to his wrist. It was healed, but clearly still new. He then moved onto looking at his straw and handle. His handle, like his cheek, had a chip in it. Small, but clearly there. "You seem clumsy." Cuphead said matter-of-factly, making Mugman's face burn. "Well, you don't look far from it, either." He returned, scooting away slightly to make some space between them.

Cuphead just let him, understanding the need for space. "What's a sweet cup like you doing alone in the woods? Dontcha got a family?" Cuphead asked, his tail flicking and wiping away some small pebbles from where Mugman was shifting over to. "Oh... I-I'm just looking for some supplies, is all. I live with my Elder Kettle, he's asleep right now. I...kinda snuck out." Mugman admitted as he started fidgeting with the strap of his satchel. "What about you...? What's got you in the middle of the woods?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Cuphead just shrugged, leaning to rest on his arm as the other scratched his neck. "Bored. My dads are busy, so I'm just wanderin' around. Gettin' bored with my parents means I get to do almost whateva I want. Within the law, sadly." He smirked and remembered what his dad's said about coming home at sunrise.

One day, after Elder Kettle had gone to bed, Mugman slipped from his bunk bed he had insisted on keeping from when his dad lived there with his aunt as kids. He got his shoes on and locked his door, climbing out the window and leaving it open with a stick and a few rocks between the seal just in case. He slid down the pillars to the canopy and ran off into the forest with his satchel. He wandered on and on, occasionally looking at woodland creatures and picking up flowers and rocks and sticks for his crafts. He even found a full roll of yarn!

Eventually, he heard laughter coming from behind a few thick bushes, along with a few grunts and thuds followed by breathless noises and more laughter. Too curious to walk away, Mugman found a sturdy, thick stick and walked around the bush. He was smart enough to arm himself and not reveal his presence. He learned to sneak around everywhere whilst being the way he was. He finally looked at the person behind the bush. It was another cup. A big bendy straw with a chunk taken out of it hung from his head, dark brown shoes on his feet below knee length shorts and a big black sweater. He looked...off, though. His eyes were yellow and red, his teeth sharp with one knocked out of the left upper side. His straw and nose were a reddish purple, matching his shorts and a chain around his neck. He was just...playing. running around and looking at the spot he was in. When he turned around, Mugman saw a long, thin tail that matched the color of his straw poking out of his spine at the bottom of his back, a large crack in his handle as well.

Mugman dropped his stick in shock, making both himself and the strange looking cup jump and look at where the wood had hit the ground. The reddish cup immediately ran over, an angry, accusing expression on his face. "Hey! Who are you!?" He yelled, rushing over to the stranger. He was shocked. Another cup! This was great! He looked the mug over immediately, stopping in his tracks to take in the slightly taller boy. He had a straight blue straw with a big nose and dark brown doe eyes. He had a small chip in his cheek and a satchel around his chest. He had black shoes and baggy blue jean shorts that fell just above the knees, a navy blue turtleneck sweater that hung off his frame like a blanket, definitely too big for him, but it suited him.

Mugman flinched and shielded his head, stepping away whilst whining out of instinct. "I'm sorry!" He squeaked, only to hold that pose for a moment. He eventually let up, looking down a little at the cup and peering into his eyes. They were beautiful up close, unique just like his other assets. He was pulled from his thoughts when the cup grabbed his arm to pull him down and examine him. "What's your name?" He asked, looking at the mug over and over again. He was so...different. much more different than what he looked like. "U-Uhh... I'm Mugman." The blue cup said in a nervous voice. He got an immediate response, saying a name he had heard only in 'secret' phone calls Elder Kettle took. "My name is Cuphead."