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writer-rubes · 2 months

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Head in the Clouds

A Wholesome Fic

A/N: No need to worry, I’m still invested as heck in SAMS/LAES. I’m just gonna take a break from writing about it for a while. I can only take so much angst! Besides, I planned to do more with this blog anyway. It’s for all my obsessions, not just one!

But anyways, onto something incredibly self indulgent. I’ve been stupidly obsessed with @fluffyhare ‘s Avery! And their love, Casper, of course! They’re so sweet and cute. I adore them with all my being and all their tomfoolery. So that’s why I’m throwing in a third whe- I mean, doing some cute interactions with them with my own persona! Because honestly- I’m lonely

Casper and Avery belong to @fluffyhare ! No worries, I got their permission!

I hope you enjoy it! And I hope I did Avery’s character justice-

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Head in the Clouds

Chapter 1/3: The Meeting

CW: Drowning, Depression, Injury, Romantic Fluff, Teasing

(No real tickles yet, but they’ll come up, no worries)

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What was with that night?

Not words I’d typically use to describe supernatural experiences and almost drowning, but here we are. Those words were all I could think of to describe that night.

One week ago, I had nearly drowned. It was late at night, and I had gone out to the pier to think. I had been experiencing a lot of difficult feelings, so I figured staring out into the foggy, dark sea would allow for my mind to clear.

It did clear my mind for a while. The crashing of the waves, the smell of the salty sea, and the view of the moon just above the horizon… it was a perfect picture for a calm mind. Staring out allowed for the fog within me to part and give me the strength to go onward.

However, as I turned to walk back to my apartment, I was faced with a strange, shadow like figure. Since it was too dark, I couldn’t make out their face. I tried to walk away, but before I could even process what was happening, the figure grabbed me by the waist, and threw me over the edge of the pier, and I plummeted into the sea below.

I didn’t have time to process it, run, or even catch myself. It all happened so fast. As I fell into the cold sea, I struggled to swim up for air. However, every time I tried to reach the surface, another wave crashed on top of me, pushing me down further. Though I could swim, I wasn’t exactly a strong swimmer. Eventually, the lack of air started to get to me, and I felt my consciousness start to fade.

Suddenly, I felt air fill my lungs again. Something held onto my hood, and yanked my head above the water. I could barely see due to the salt in my eyes, but the figure who pulled me out wiped it away with a wet cloth. I got a good look at them.

Their head… it was the shape of a cumulus cloud. They had glasses, and a puffy sweater for the current colder months. Wearing a sweater in the ocean? Blasphemy!

This being… I wasn’t sure what they were. A deity? A guardian angel? Or something else? Did I die? So many questions were running through my head. The figure rested their soft hand on my cheek for a moment as I stared in awe. They looked like they were about to speak, but police sirens, ambulance horns, and worried chatter were heard on the beach. Before I could thank them, the figure dropped me off on the beach, and disappeared.

Doctors, bystanders, and police officers surrounded me, asking me hundreds of questions. I could hardly process them all. I kept assuring them I was alright. But I didn’t tell them how I fell in. Or what saved me. They’d think I was crazy! So I just told them I was walking at night and a stray dog chased me off the pier. I hoped they’d believe it.

Now, a week later, I had recovered just fine. But I stayed away from the pier. I didn’t want that figure to come back. But now it was early morning, and I was up and walking, long before businesses were open. Why? I couldn’t sleep. I was too focused on my own work to realize that it was already six in the morning. Now, I was walking through a mist so thick, I could barely see my own feet as I walked. Who would he crazy enough to be awake and out in this weather besides me?

A cry of shock answered my question.

Upon hearing this cry, it sounded like someone had gotten hurt. I hated seeing others harmed. I followed the noise, and saw someone I hadn’t seen, despite living in Port Oleander for a while. They had blue hair, a green hoodie, and a pair of jeans, plus a pair of blue sneakers on. They were on the ground, wincing in pain. I rushed over to them, and bent down next to them.

“Are you alright?” I asked them. They turned to face me.

“I-I’m fine. God, why did I decide to go skating when I can barely see the ground?” They asked themself. I noticed that beside them was a longboard. That must be why they fell. I frowned slightly. I saw that they had a pretty bad cut on their hand…

“Oh, my…” I whimpered, opening my purse. “I swear I have some bandages in here somewhere…” I dug around in my purse for a while, trying to figure out where they were. I found them, and pulled them out.

“Come here, this won’t hurt.” I assured them. They held out their hand, and I took it. I wrapped up their hand in bandages, preventing any bleeding or infection.

“Thank you… that’s better.” They muttered. I stood up, and I helped them stand up. I led them over to a nearby bench, and I got their longboard for them before sitting down next to them.

“So… what happened?” I asked quietly.

“Oh…” I could tell they felt slightly embarrassed. “Well, I woke up early, so I decided to go and skate for a while. I figured it would give me some energy. But I wasn’t watching where I was going, and I didn’t realize I was so close to the curb. My board fell off the sidewalk and I tumbled with it.”

I nodded as I listened. I could understand going out and doing something nice. Something to clear the mind a little. I certainly did a week ago. But then they broke the silence again.

“And what about you? Why are you out here?”

My cheeks turned slightly pink. “I… have been struggling as of late. I also woke up early, and I thought a stroll would make me feel better.” I shrugged. I was also thinking of that odd being who saved me… but I decided not to mention it.

“What’s your name?” I asked the one beside me. They smiled a bit.

“Oh, I’m Casper.” They said. I got a full grip on him when he told me his name, and I softly giggled.

“Really? You don’t look like a ghost to me.” I joked. Casper chuckled softly.

“I’ve heard that one before.” He said. “And you are?”

“I’m Rubes.” We shook hands. At least, I shook his hand that wasn’t hurt. “Nice to meet you, Casper.”

“Nice to meet you too, Rubes.” He responded.

We spent a little while talking. Getting to know each other a little. I told him about my library job, why I moved here, and what I liked doing. While he told me about his drawing abilities, his love of skateboarding, and his own hobbies. There was something about him I really enjoyed. He was just so sweet.

“It’s wonderful that you have such a muse, Casper.” I said during our conversation.

“He’s a perfect muse! I expected him to come running after I fell, but he is a scientist. So may-“ He was cut off when a voice rang out through the mist.

“Dewdrop!”

In a blur, Casper was picked up and carried off the bench, held in the arms of a mysterious figure that I couldn’t make out in the mist.

“Avery?” Casper said nervously.

“Oh, Dewdrop, I’m so sorry! I woke up sensing you fell, but I couldn’t get ready to come out in time! I tried to hurry, I promise!” Casper assured the figure.

“It’s okay, but…” He pointed to me, and I was just sitting there, staring at them.

“What?” The figure asked, before he turned to look at me. He was a bit surprised to see me. Maybe he thought only Casper was nuts enough to come out in this weather.

But he looked so familiar.

The figure approached me, and I shifted slightly on the bench. A soft smile appeared on their cloud-like face.

“I’m glad you’re alright.” He muttered. Then it clicked.

“You…” I whispered, shock lining my voice. “You’re the one who saved me.”

A slow nod followed from the cloud. He was so gentle. He bowed his head in respect.

“I am. I’m Doctor Avery Nimbus. It is an honor to finally meet you.” He said, taking my hand. “And I must thank you for helping Casper. He means the world to me, and I wish I could have been here sooner to help…”

“Oh, it’s okay.” I assured the doctor. “I’m Rubes… And really, thank you. Thank you for saving me.” I whispered as he helped me up from the bench.

“Wait… he saved you?” Casper added. I nodded, started to quickly explained what happened.

“I… went to think on the pier, and I fell into the sea.” I left out the scary figure part. “But he… pulled me above the water just in time. And got me to the beach where a search party was.” I explained. “If I’m being honest… I thought he was a dream.”

Avery let out a soft chuckle. He lifted his hand and stroked it across my cheek.

“Does that feel like a dream, Rubes?” He asked. I smiled and shook my head.

“No… But you do have soft hands.” I whispered. Avery chuckled again.

“All the better to tease my Dewdrop with~” He went over to Casper, and hugged him from behind. Casper let out a gasp, and a surprised, yet happy squeak.

“H-hey! Avery!” He cried.

“What? Is my touch just too much?” He started putting light kisses on Casper’s cheeks. “Does it make your cheeks red? Does it make you happy?” Casper whined and giggled as his cheeks burned a deep shade of red.

I was happy for them. It was clear they loved each other. And I wasn’t the type to interrupt sweet moments. So I picked up my purse, and slowly started to walk off. Before I could get even three steps away however, I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder.

“Rubes, wait… where are you going?” Avery asked me.

“Oh, um… I was hoping to return to my apartment so I could get ready for work.” I answered. Avery shook his head.

“Oh, that won’t do! Not at all!” He cried. “I still need to thank you kindly for helping Casper when he fell!”

“Avery, I’m alright-“ Casper tried to tell his cloud love, but Avery ignored it. Not to be rude to him, but to be nice to me.

“How about you spend a little time on the beach with us? It’s so foggy that no one will find us. I could get you some tea, and we could become more acquainted.” I smiled a bit at the offer. He was so sweet… Besides, Avery didn’t seem like the type who was going to take no for an answer…

“Oh, alright.” I answered. “But just for a little bit… I have work in a few hours. The library opens at around ten.” I muttered.

Avery clapped his hands together in delight. “Wonderful!” He pulled both myself and Casper down the boardwalk to the beach. A thick layer of fog covered the sea and sand around us. I turned to face Casper.

“Are you sure being on the beach like this is… safe?” I asked quietly.

“With Avery around, we’re in the safest hands possible.” He assured me. I wasn’t sure if that was true, but I decided I had nothing to lose. Well, besides my cat.

Avery pulled out a towel for us to rest on. It was big enough for all three of us to sit down on. Despite the clouds above and the fog surrounding us, the beach felt oddly tranquil. Like I was floating in an abyss, with no thoughts plaguing me. Just the mist around the picnic blanket, Casper’s calm expression, and Avery’s kindness. Avery looked me over for a moment, and smiled a bit.

“Please don’t tell me what your favorite tea flavor is. I want to see if I can read you.” I thought about that. If he picked a flavor that I had never tried, that would be okay. I loved tea.

“Okay…” I just went along with him. His body blended in with the mist around us, and he vanished. I was surprised for a moment. That was a fun party trick. I turned again to Casper, who was sitting next to me with a relaxed expression.

“You two are… dating, correct?” I asked. Casper nodded.

“I guess it’s obvious.” He laughed slightly. “But he means the world to me. He’s beautiful, caring, soft…” His cheeks turned red as he fawned over his cloud love. I smiled as I listened.

“He sounds lovely.” I whispered. “And you two make an adorable couple.”

“Oh, thank you…” Casper smiled slightly at my words. “He saved you from drowning?” He asked me, and I slowly nodded.

“It was horrifying.” My breath shook slightly. “I really thought I was gonna die… But he pulled me above water, and I could breathe the moment my nose and mouth resurfaced…” Casper nodded as he listened.

“Avery… he’s a very powerful being.” He explained. “He can shut power off with his electricity, he can control water, he’s an amazing swimmer…” He started to blush. “He can even make… ghost hands…” He trailed off at that, his face turning a deeper shade of red.

“So… what is he, exactly?” I asked. “Where did he come from?”

Casper thought for a moment before answering.

“From what he told me, he’s from a place called Cirropa. A world full of cloud people. He’s told me he’s an elemental. Which makes sense… He also has wind powers and ice crystals in him.” I nodded as he spoke.

“And… how did you meet him?” I asked quietly. He laughed a little.

“Similar way you did. I fell into the sea, and he saved me and took care of me. From there, we bonded, and we eventually fell for each other.” He sighed in contentment, tracing shapes in the nearby sand with his finger. “He’s always so gentle. And so kind with his words.”

I nodded as I listened. Now I felt bad. I was probably being a third wheel to them, when they clearly adored each other. I was probably in their way. I turned away, staring out at the mist, watching it fold over itself. Before I could get too deep in thought, Avery returned with two cups of tea in his hand, and one on his cloudy head.

“Here’s yours, Casper.” He handed the boy a cup. “It’s your favorite.”

Casper chuckled softly, taking a sip. I smiled a little. Avery was truly a gentle one. The cloud took the other cup off of his head, and handed it to me.

“This one’s yours, Rubes. I hope you like vanilla chai.” I smiled as I took it.

“That’s actually my favorite.” I admitted to Avery. “Thank you…” I took a sip from mu own cup. It was a gentle and sweet flavor as I expected, but it was just strong enough to get the full flavor, and light enough to not feel like getting smacked in the face with it.

“It’s perfect.” I whispered softly. Avery chuckled.

“Only the best for my guests.” He gently poked my nose, making me giggle slightly. “So you say you work at the library?” He asked me. I nodded.

“It’s a paid internship, but yes. And I don’t do anything special. I just clean and help others who need my help. I’m basically just a supporter.” I shrugged. “But it’s nice. My boss is really sweet, and she supports my dreams of being an author.”

“You want to be an author?” Casper asked. I nodded slowly.

“Yes. It’s been my life’s dream since I was young. I love to write… it’s an escape for me. It allows me to throw myself into other worlds, be in other people’s shoes… Creating new concepts just from the mind alone…” I smiled slightly. “It’s a magical thing. And I want to share it.”

“That sounds lovely.” Avery said, warming my heart. “What do you intend to write?” He asked. I smiled slightly.

“Well, I have multiple stories in my head at once, but I’m going to flesh them out, one by one…”

I didn’t even realize I was rambling. When someone asks about my work, I get spun into a tizzy. I loved writing fantasy stories, and as such, a bunch of words spilled out before I could process it. At that point, I was just talking because it interested me. I didn’t even notice they were listening. Interested, even! I was just talking about the work I spent years perfecting. Normally, I’d only reveal them to those I trusted. But right now… I just wanted someone to hear it.

After I finished rambling with my tea, we started talking as a group. Avery told me of his own work, and both of them told me of their relationship. They were so sweet together. I never had a relationship like theirs. I hardly even know what romantic love felt like. No one was ever interested in me.

“I’m sure that someone out there admires you for who you are.” Avery told me. “You are a kind person. And I hope to spend more time with you in the future.”

“And you’ll probably see me often.” Casper added. “I’m always going to the library to pick up books for Avery.”

A sharp gasp escaped me. How long had I been here? I checked my phone.

Shoot! I had work in thirty minutes!

“As fun as this was, I… really have to go! Thank you for the tea, Avery!” I stood up. “Hope to see you both around!” I ran off to my apartment, ready to get changed for work. However, as I rushed, a special notebook fell out of my bag. I called it my purse, but it was more of a messenger bag than anything else.

Casper tried to call to me about it, but I was too far out of earshot to hear him. When the notebook fell, it was forced open to a page held with a feather bookmark. Casper, curiosity getting the better of him, picked it up.

His face turned immediately red when he read what was within. Pages and pages of characters of my own design, getting tickled. And it was descriptive, too. Not just a one off. There were even little doodles on the sides here and there. He practically choked on air for a moment.

“Dewdrop? Are you alright?” Avery asked as he noticed Casper’s burning face.

“Avery… look.” He handed Avery the notebook, taking deep breaths to try and recover from reading it. Avery’s face lit up in amusement. I certainly spared no details when it came to this stuff. Normally, I never took that notebook out in public. But I didn’t think anyone would be around.

“Do you know what this means, Casper?” Avery asked. Casper nodded.

“We have a community member we gotta welcome in.” Casper finished. “Should we return the notebook, though?” He asked quickly. Avery nodded.

“I will return it in due time. It is hers, after all. But I want to hold onto it for a bit…”

“For research purposes.”