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It's a slow afternoon around the casino. Customers come around night so there wasn't really anyone hanging out at the casino, so usually around this time the employees had free time to play a couple games themselves.
“Black Jack!” Cuphead exclaims.
“Way to go bro!” his brother Mugman cheers.
“Again? Really?!” King Dice slams his cards down. That was the 21st time in a row and that can't just be pure luck.
“I swear if I hear you made a deal with another demon…” the Devil growled.
“Ah don't blame me for having actual skills.” Cuphead smugly said leaning back in his chair.
That really got the Devil fired up.
Cuphead and the Devil then went back and forth in a heated fight about what are “actual skills” and poor Mugman was trying to break it up. King Dice just ignores their immature bickering and starts shuffling up the cards. He starts humming an old jazz tune.
“Hey Dice….why do ya always hum?” Mugman spoke up trying to distract the two from fighting. Everyone already quieted down to listen to the humming.
“Eh I just like the sound of my own voice.” He responded nonchalantly.
He honestly never really thought about it before. He always hums. He hums to himself, hums while gambling, hums while working on paperwork…
“If ya like it so much how ‘bout you sing?” the Devil suggest with a mischievous smile.
“Yeah! Sing for us, I'm getting tired of winning to ol’ furball here” Cuphead snickers.
If he doesn't stop everyone knows that all hell will break loose.
Literally.
“Please…” Mugman barely says above a whisper as he shrank back. There's fire in the Devil's eyes and looks like he's gonna blow.
“Alright fellas I'll sing for ya. I haven't had an audience in ‘while.” He stands up and straightens himself before heading to the stage.
The stage is for the casino’s own jazz band. It was an instant smash hit with the customers.
Of course it was, he did lead the band after all.
He learned from his pop. But he himself never actually sung before; his ol pop was a jazz singer himself but...that was a long time ago.
He still remembers some of his pop's songs. A good ol’ classic should do.
When he makes it to the center of the stage, he clears out his throat and hope for the best.
“Hey folks, here's a story ‘bout Minnie the Moocher~”
Everyone knew that song. Even the boys smiled from the nostalgia.
“She was a red-hot hoochie-coocher,
She was the roughest, toughest frail
But Minnie had a heart as big as a whale~
Hi dee hi dee hi dee ho!”
The guys join in.
(Hi dee hi dee hi dee ho!)
“Wooooooaaaah!”
(Wooooooaaaah!)
Even the devil couldn't help but smile. Cuphead was trying to hold back a giggle himself.
Some customers came in and sat down near the stage when they heard the singing. Then band slowly join in with the singing.
King Dice decided to tease them with a little dance. Getting low and swaying this way and that, as he waves his arms as though they had a mind of their own. No one in the whole audience can take their eyes off of him.
The whole room starts hooting and hollering and whistling.
And loudest ones came from the devil. Dear Lort what did he do to deserve a guy like Dice? That vibrating bass that you feel in your chest, and the way he hits those notes.That voice can bring angels to their feet.
Meanwhile, Cuphead just was in absolute awe. He never thought King Dice's voice could be this good. It was just majestic, elegant, loud, proud it was...King Dice.Honestly a blush was forming.
King Dice felt nostalgic. A full house, the band swinging, the hoots and hollers littered throughout the show reminded of way back then.
He was a waiter at the Cotton Club where his dad worked and every night he would see his dad perform. Everyone loved him, they just couldn't get enough of him. He being the lucky son of the star, got special privileges like going backstage and hanging out with the band and they even taught him how to play their instruments.
Everybody went on and on about how lucky he was to be his son. And how lucky he was. He would stay up after a long show to tuck him in, read him stories with that funny voice he used, and when he grew up, he would talk to him between breaks at work. He knew he loved him to bits.
And he loved his pop to bits too.
“Poor Min, Poor Min, Poor Min~” he bows as he wails out the last note.
The whole house stood up and erupted with applause. King Dice didn't even see the house was really packed. They seem to really love him, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
The dice-head gets off the stage walks over to the table where the fellas are at and sees poor Cuphead flabbergasted, his mouth hanging and his eyes blown wide open.
Dice lifts a finger,“Close your mouth, you're going to get flies in there~” and closes Cup’s mouth.
“Dicey! Why didn't you tell me you had a voice of gold?” The devil patted Dice on the back.
Dice only smugly reply with “You never asked~.”
He was glad that the fellas liked his singing. He was…ecstatic even. He was...
“Dice?! What's wrong?” Mugman notice tears welling up in King Dice’s eyes. Everyone at the table turned to look.
“Nothing, nothing just… being up on stage reminds me about my pops and it's been a long while since I-”
A tear or two drops down and spots his suit up but he uses his handkerchief to wipe his face.
He sighs,“Since I last thought about him”.
Suddenly, he felt someone grabbing his leg.
He looked down to see Cuphead hugging his leg tightly.
Then Mugman on the other.
Then a hug from the side from the devil himself.
King Dice sigh, shakes his head then smiles a genuine smile.
‘These idiots are going to get my clothes all wrinkled’
His hugs them back just this once. He really needed it.
~~
After the hug party was over, the Devil announces his plans.
“Ho ho ho We're definitely having you perform from now on”
“Boss, I possibly can't. I have to do too much work to do around here-”
“Your workload will be lighter. Hire as many employees you need.”
“Boss-”
“Dice! Nothing you can do will stop you from going up on that stage. The crowd loved you! And think about how many customers this will attract; business will go through the roof!”
That and he wants to hear Dice sing again but he won't tell him that part.
“By golly you'd knock them dead out there!” Cuphead chipped in.
“You really think I was that good?” he asked the little cup.
“Good? You were tremendous! I gamble all my money to hear your voice again.” Cuphead said with enthusiasm. Mugman nodded in agreement with his brother.
He patted Cuphead on the head.
“Ya know that's all the courage I need to do this. Thanks little cup.” He watches as Cuphead’s face grow red.
“Does that mean-” he said too excitedly “I mean… you'll do it?” the horned demon asks.
“Of course~ Since I know you're dying to hear my lovely voice again.”
Thank everything unholy that his fur cover up his blush.
~~
Later in the dressing room that evening, King Dice was preparing himself for tonight's show.
Everything was ready to go. Everything was perfect. Everything was just fine. So why is he pacing back and forth around the room?
Normal stage fright? Sure but… it was never like this.
‘What if I hit a sour note?’ I haven't sang in a long time. ‘What if the audience hates me? I'm not exactly a crowd favorite here…’ He peeked at the audience and saw that at least half the crowd were well known debtors. He can get through that but what he's mostly worried about is...
‘What if I cry on stage?’
He barely has his head above the sea of doubt and the thoughts are like the monsters, hiding just beneath the surface ready to drag him down into the abyss.
His thoughts are interrupted by 6 knocks on the door. Must be the fuzzball himself with his signature knock.
“Heya Dicey! We came by to wish ya good luck.” the Devil greets.
“Who's we?” Dice looks around.
Cuphead steps into view. He’s holding something behind his back.
“What ya got there little cup?” King Dice kneels down and asks curiously.
“A good luck charm” he said avoiding his eyes. He holds out a little red poker chip keychain.
King Dice picks it up and looks at it for awhile.
‘He doesn't like it? Man I knew I should of got the-’
“Aww Cup, even though it's an ugly color...”
‘You ungrateful little-’
“I love it. Thank You for thinking of me” he smiles and puts the keychain in his coat pocket.
Cuphead’s face was as red as his shorts. He rushes out with a quick “You're welcome” and high tails out of there.
'Gosh that cup is cute.'
The two remaining in the room just chuckle and move to sit down at the vanity.
“Dice, I know what happened to your pop.” the Devil said his voice sad. King Dice isn't even surprised to to hear that, he expected that he knew everything.
“He was a great guy my pop. The best there ever was” he said with a heavy voice.
“You are too and don't ever forget that.” the Devil pats his shoulder. He really appreciates that his boss cares about him.
“Aww boss, what made ya ever think that I didn't know that?”
“Nothing. But I can't have my right hand man running off stage now.”
“Oh? You thought that I would abandon my audience?” he puts a hand over his heart, offended.
“I bet that you'll run off before halfway through the show.” The Devil said showing his signature smile.
“I bet that you'll be in tears halfway through the show~” King Dice says right back.
“Whoever wins get the remote for a week~”
“Deal~”
After shaking hands, the Devil walks out of the dressing room, hoping that this is will be one bet that he does lose.
As soon as he closes the door King Dice heads right out to the stage.
He stops and tells the stagehand to bring the sax out and bring tissues for the audience.
He’s gonna make some people cry tonight.