#oncelerfanfiction

[cottagecore-onceler]

Chapter 1 / Onceler x Reader

(Reymour - De ma tour playing in the background)

You sat comfortably in your leather, Vitra chair and gazed outside the tall windows of your mansion. The sun was setting. It was early June, when Truffula trees were the most colourful. You love this forest. You’ve always loved it.

Except it’s not a forest anymore. Behind the pink and orange tufts you could still notice the thick, stone walls. You tried planting more trees in that area to make it less visible, but there it was, constantly trying to make you feel guilty about the life you had chosen. 

“It was the natural way for things to go”, you thought to yourself. You had spent years muting the guilt that came with deforesting the Valley. And it actually worked. After all, you were genuinely happy. The two of you were genuinely happy.

You both loved the power you had over everyone. You loved seeing your company grow. You loved the people of Thneedville admiring you. You loved the little things as well; custom Miu Miu outfits, designer furniture, vintage cars and fine dining. But most importantly, you loved each other. You fell in love with him before he became successful. The two of you would be just as happy without all these things. The two of you were just as happy without all these things. Years ago, when all you had was a little cottage. And that cottage was enough.

“How could it be enough?”, you’d sometimes catch yourself thinking. You gazed dreamily outside the window, sipping a Tom Collins. Life couldn’t get better than this. These warm days you’d find yourself wandering around the garden and reading books. Sometimes you felt like redecorating or painting some landscapes. You cooked, maybe put on some music and danced a little. You liked to keep yourself occupied. So you didn’t have to think about what could’ve been if things didn’t happen the way they happened. It wasn’t guilt, you’d tell yourself. It was just curiosity and a tiny bit of sentiment.

The moment you’d let yourself go back to these events, your mind spiraled out of control. You caressed those memories so intensively in the past that you remembered everything in perfect detail. You remembered his smiling face in the movie theatre, holding his waist while biking through the forest, the long phone calls, your first kiss or the first night you two had spent together. You remembered the feeling of anxiety-filled uncertainty or the way you wanted to fix everything and everyone. You remembered your anger and the exact moment you let it go. And you wondered what could’ve happened if you didn’t.

“It wouldn’t change anything”, you’d think, hoping one day you’ll believe that. You liked to imagine yourself as his saviour, as someone who fixed him. But he wasn’t the one to be fixed. After all, you were an equal part of this. The two of you did it together. You loved to think of yourself as his accessory, as a beautiful, little fool who had to act the way they acted because of love or… any other emotion, really. But after all these years you had trouble keeping that version of reality believable, even if it was meant for your own perception exclusively.

- Onceler - you’ve noticed your voice shaking slightly - do you think we’d be happy without the company? 

You surprised him with this question. He came up to you, sat on the soft, thneed rug and gently laid his head on your thighs.

- Aren’t you happy with your life right now? - he kissed your leg and smiled.

- Is anyone ever?

You closed your eyes and took a deep breath. And then, seemingly out of nowhere, the memories came like a rope let down from heaven to draw you up.

[cottagecore-onceler]

Chapter 3 / Onceler x Reader

As it turned out, your mom was actually in a pretty rough shape. She fell off her monocycle driving way too fast, as usual, and broke her leg in 3 places. She couldn’t walk on her own, so you had to help her when your dad went to work. Doctors said she should be almost completely recovered in 6 months. You did your best hiding frustration and discontent. You missed the peace and quiet of your cabin, you missed your daily bike rides, you missed your cosy bed, you even missed the movie theatre and its tacky, vintage ceiling, and… well, you also missed Onceler.

Your parents' house was around 2 hours away by bike from his cottage, in a small town, surrounded by hills a little bit higher than the ones next to Greenville. After leaving Onceler’s cottage it took you 3 hours to get there, because you’d constantly stop and check your phone. “Something might’ve happened to mom”, you rationalised it in your head, but deep down you knew it wasn’t the case. You wanted him to call and it killed you that he still didn’t. When you arrived, you forced a smile and tried to be as helpful as you could. But you still waited to finally hear from him. “Maybe this was a mistake?”, you kept asking yourself.

He called. In the evening, exactly 11 hours and 32 minutes after you had left him. You were excited, but also frustrated. What took him so long? Didn’t he care about you at all?

- Hear me out - his voice sounded extremely tired - I am so, so sorry for calling so late. But you’ll never guess what happened.

- What? - you asked, trying to stay at least a little bit cold.

- Clients! A lot of clients! They want to buy my thneeds - he raised his voice with excitement - I woke up, you weren’t there, so I panicked and then… - he had to take a breath - they started pounding on my door! I had to knitt all day! You wouldn’t believe it.

- Wow - you were actually surprised - that’s amazing! Told you it takes time.

- Yea, I guess - he laughed - so, how’s your mom?

- She’s… fine - you sighed - I’m gonna have to stay with her for the next 6 months. She ummm… can’t walk on her own. But she’ll recover.

- Good! - he shouted - I mean, that’s terrible, obviously, but I’m glad she’ll get better.

- Yea - you muttered - me too. 

- And ummm… what about you? - he asked with a hint of curiosity in his voice.

- I’ll be back as soon as she recovers. I already miss my cabin. This town really sucks.

- It sure does - he agreed, obviously, as he grew up there as well - I can’t wait for you to be back then, I guess.

- I can’t wait to be back as well - you said - can’t believe I still don’t own a thneed.

- I can make one for you! - he said and, even though you couldn’t see him, you just knew his eyes were sparkling with excitement - it will be the best one so far.

You heard your mom calling your name.

- I gotta go - you stopped - talk to you tomorrow?

- Same time?

...

(Air - Playground Love playing softly in the background)

For the next 6 months you’d speak to each other on the phone every day. He’d tell you about his business growing, you’d tell him about your family and the town. 

- I know I’m surrounded by family and friends, but I’ve never felt lonelier.

- Yea, I think I know what you mean.

You’d talk about your childhood friends and how their lives turned out, about your goals, their goals and life in general. 

- My family came to visit, ya know? To help me with the thneeds. It brings back a lot of memories.

- Good or bad?

- Um… a little bit of both.

- Same here. You won’t believe who I bumped into today!

- Tell me.

He seemed to be excited about the business, but also extremely overwhelmed. You wished you were back there to help him somehow. His family’s presence couldn’t have been a positive influence.

- I’m exhausted. We were biggering the workshop today.

- What’s it like now?

- Um… bigger?

- How big!

- Not that much.

- So… you must be excited?

- I mean, I guess!

It really felt like no time had passed since you two were best friends, running around the Truffula trees. You’d tell each other secrets, ask for opinions and laugh like neither one of you had laughed in years.

- Tell me something you’ve never told anyone before.

- Okay, let me think… I sometimes fantasise about my brothers never being born. 

- That… does not surprise me at all. 

- No way! Your turn.

- When I was 13 I used to steal things, like, a lot of things.

When you talked to him, the loneliness vanished. You felt like everything was in the right place, like you finally belonged. You really missed him and you knew he missed you too.

- You know, I sometimes feel like… like I suck at life? 

- What do you mean?

- I feel like I will never accomplish anything meaningful and I’m actually okay with that. Like, that’s just the way I’m programmed. I don’t do real life.

- Well, then don’t. Who’s gonna stop you?

- Literally the anatomy of my body? I need food to stay alive.

- I can make pancakes when you get back.

He’d call every day, no matter how tired he was. It soon became obvious that the both of you just wanted to hear each other’s voice, no matter how much you’d have to say.

- So… I got a new suit today!

- No way! Describe it.

- It’s… green. And I made matching gloves. From thneed.

- A suit and gloves? You’re kidding.

- No sir. I look like a proper businessman now.

- God, I wish I could see that.

- I think you’d like it.

Even though you wouldn’t physically see each other, you’d constantly fantasise about him being there with you. In your imagination, Onceler sat next to you while eating breakfast. He helped you with the laundry and disinfected your bleeding finger after you accidentally caught it. When you went on walks, he seemed to be walking next to you, holding your hand. When the two of you weren’t talking over the phone, you had imaginary conversations in your head. You had created infinite alternative universes, all of which included living a happy life together. In some of them, Onceler became successful and the two of you were filthy rich. In others, his business flopped and you ended up growing your own vegetables and fruit. One of them was particularly interesting and exciting - it took you a while to perfectly develop each and every detail. In this fantasy you were diagnosed with a non life threatening, almost asymptomatic chronic disease, which made you incapable of doing regular work. For some reason this mysterious illness didn’t affect your bike riding abilities. Onceler was stunned - he promised to take care of you forever. The two of you got married. He worked hard so you could spend your days walking around the forest and foraging mushrooms, learning how to make a perfect risotto ai funghi porcini. As cold, winter months were passing, you spent more and more time in your head.

These moments were the highlight of your time back home. Each morning you crossed a day off on a calendar: 4 months left, 8 weeks left, 22 days left… Finally, you woke up and there it was: tomorrow. You were going back to your cabin tomorrow.

That day was particularly boring. You washed the dishes, cleaned the windows, vacuumed. When you finished your chores it was already dark, so you decided not to rush and leave first thing in the morning. You sat in an old, mustard armchair and waited for your daily call.

But he didn’t call.

It confused you a little bit, but, hey, you two were probably gonna meet the next day. Maybe he’ll surprise you at your cabin? Or come pick you up at your parents’? You became a little anxious - after all, you had only spent one evening together, what were you expecting? A grand gesture? You weren’t even dating. It was the moment when you realised you weren’t really sure what the two of you were. Pen pals? Friends? Future lovers? You needed to come back to get answers. 

You couldn’t fall asleep that night. And when you finally did, you kept waking up, covered in sweat, hyperventilating. Around 3 in the morning you finally managed to get some rest. You dreamed about him. He was sitting in a ridiculously large chair, in a top hat and a suit, with giant, endless piles of money behind him. You weren’t in the room with him. You were standing outside, among Truffulas, observing him through a window, unable to move or speak. Then you woke up and decided to finally hit the road. 

Your mom made you cookies, your dad thanked you for your help. And that was it, you left on your bike heading for the Truffula Valley.

[cottagecore-onceler]

Chapter 2 / Onceler x Reader

You woke up. Your bedroom was filled with extremely bright, warm light, which only seems to be appearing in the mornings of cool, early October. You had the eeriest dream about your childhood friend. Wait, who was that? The more you tried to remember, the hazier it became, eventually slipping away entirely. Could it be Onceler? You haven’t seen him in such a long time, since his family moved. You gave up trying to grasp the details. It was time to get ready for work. 

You dropped out of college last year. Your mental health had suffered a lot after the incident, but you were getting therapy and overall doing better. On one of your beloved hiking trips you saw a child disappear into a waterfall in the Truffula Valley. It was never seen again and you couldn’t even imagine what the family was going through. You weren’t able to put it into words at the time, but you needed to slow down a little bit and take some time for yourself. So you decided to quit school and move to your parents’ old cabin, located in the outskirts of Truffula Valley. Having spent the best moment of your childhood there, it was still your favourite place in the entire world. The cabin was old and almost unrecognisable from the wild nature surrounding it. Your parents told you it was built by your great-grandfather, a biologist studying these amazing trees. The bookshelves were filled with notebooks he kept writing until his death, which happened somewhere in the early 70s. You loved reading them as a child - what he wrote felt more like a fairytale full of magic creatures than academic analysis. After he had passed, your grandmother, his daughter, tried donating them to a university library in town, but they very rudely declined the offer, calling his writings “pseudo-scientific gibberish”. This made you very angry when you were little - you wanted to experience his world and everything in it. As you got older, you realised he probably lost his mind living here, entirely on his own for decades. The forest got the best of him, but you weren’t going to follow in his steps. You have never, ever been happier.

(Vashti Bunyan - Diamond Day playing softly in the background)

During mornings like these you’d wake up extremely early to watch the sun rising from in-between the colourful Truffula tufts, all accompanied by the sky changing its color every 3 minutes or so, from hazy, purplish blue to light lilac and soft pink. You sat outside your cabin and gazed at it calmly while drinking an oat milk latte. After finishing your coffee and breakfast you had to start preparing for work. You recently got a part-time job in Greenville, the hours were ok, the pay was ok, and - since it was an obscure movie theatre - sometimes you could sneak in and watch some niche, old films. Early October in Truffula Valley was your favourite time of the year - the tufts were still colourful yet already fading into the most beautiful, warm shade of orange. You put on your favourite outfit and biked to town, feeling the soft, autumn breeze on your rosy cheeks.

Work was really dull that day and you actually had to cancel two screenings already, because - surprise, surprise - no one came. “People in this town are really uncultured these days” you thought, wondering what happened to the customers who used to storm the cinema on a daily basis. You took a deep breath and realised it really wasn’t your business and you shouldn’t get irritated. “Only two screenings left”, you thought, uncontrollably yawning. One of them was definitely going to take place - it was kind of a big event, management posted flyers all over town a month ago already. The movie was Citizen Kane, an old, black and white classic, which’s hype you never really understood. “Who cares about the problems of some rich, white dude”, you’d always chuckle when anyone mentioned it. It was just so outdated. The second screening, sadly, could actually get canceled. It was an Agnès Varda 1962 movie called Cleo from 5 to 7. You saw it last year and thought it was really ahead of its time.

As you predicted, more and more people started coming in for Citizen Kane. You were extremely bored, yet polite, handing clients their tickets. At some point, the line disappeared, you looked down and started remembering that eerie dream. Was there a cinema involved? You still couldn’t get yourself to remember the hazy details. Suddenly, a loud voice brought you back to reality:

- Can I get a ticket for Cleo? - you heard and looked up.

- Oh my god! - you shouted way louder than you should’ve - Oncie! 

Such a coincidence, you actually thought about him this morning. And there he was, standing in front of your counter. It really seemed like he hasn’t changed at all since you saw him at the age of, what was it, 8? He seemed to only have grown in terms of height, being so exceptionally tall you had to take a second, searching for his round, bright face somewhere around the tacky, vintage ceiling. He smiled at you, showing off that wide, extremely cute smile, which was one of the most vivid images of him left in your memory. 

- No way! Y/n? - Onceler seemed excited - so good to see you! Do you live around here?

- Yes, well, actually no, not exactly in town. I moved to my parent’s cabin in the Truffula Valley, you remember it?

- How could I forget? - his face brightened up - that means we’re sort of neighbours right now! I just moved down there too.

- Really? - you smiled - moved away from the ranch? 

- Yea! I’m actually, sort of, starting a business? Or at least trying to - you could see his smile turning awkward and forced, so you decided to drop the subject immediately.

- Your ticket! - you suddenly remembered you’re supposed to be working - Unfortunately, I think we’re gonna have to cancel that screening. You’re the only person who showed up and there needs to be at least 5 people.

- Aw! I was really excited to watch it - he sighed - Are you playing anything else then?

- Yeah, Citizen Kane. A bit overrated for my taste, but it’s a classic.

- Okey-doke, then I’ll have one ticket and… - he stopped abruptly and a subtle blush appeared on his cheeks - will you still be here when the movie ends?

- Yea - you said, a little bit surprised - company policy, you know. It might seem pointless, but we had a popcorn machine stolen once. 

- Yuck, really? - he flinched and laughed - then maybe we can grab a beer after the movie? I haven’t seen you in ages.

- Okay, sure, why not - you replied with surprising confidence, which must’ve been a result of his incredibly calming presence.

- Then, um, see ya later! - he waved at you and disappeared into the big door on your right.

The movie started and everyone vanished. You noticed yourself being a little bit nervous and couldn’t really figure out why that was. Were you developing a teeny tiny crush on your childhood friend? “Not again!”, you thought to yourself, “you literally spoke to him for 2 seconds”. He got really handsome over the years - his eyes were big and blue, his smile was heartwarming and kind with something unexplainably sexy about it, his hair… ah, his black hair. Accepting the invitation was definitely a good choice. After all, you haven’t really spoken to a friend in months. 

Wondering about all these things and replaying that short encounter in your head, over and over, you didn’t even notice when the 119 minutes passed. People started walking out. You tried not to stare too much, but couldn’t really help yourself. You spotted him in the crowd and he immediately looked at you as well. 

- Hey! - Onceler shouted approaching - let’s get going!

You biked slowly, as he walked next to you. The nearest bar was about 20 minutes away, but the evening was warm. The whole town was covered in a lovely, dusty blue fog, successfully covering its hideous, decaying buildings. You didn’t like Greenville. The northern half of it consisted of creepy suburbs, where all houses looked exactly the same and costed way more than a normal person would earn within two lifetimes. The southern half was simply neglected, deprived of life, joy and culture. This is where the movie theatre was located. It was once a popular spot, where teenagers would go on dates and parents would take their children on sunny weekends. However, since streaming services became an option, people stopped coming whatsoever. Its days were numbered, you were sure of it. 

- How’d you like the movie? - you asked.

- I liked it! It was… interesting.

- Really? - you asked with genuine curiosity. That was an unexpected take on Citizen Kane.

- Well, no - Onceler replied and laughed - I fell asleep at the beginning and woke up when the lights turned on. I’ve been so exhausted recently. I feel stupid.

- Don’t! - you smiled at him - I once fell asleep on Nosferatu. Black and white movies tend to do this to your brain. 

- There is something weirdly soothing about them - he agreed.

- So… - you decided to push the topic a little bit - why are you so tired? Is it because of the new business?

- Yea, it is - he said, looking down - Let’s just say it is not going very well. 

- Explain - you asked and suddenly noticed a red spot on his white shirt - hey, you got a…

- Yea - he interrupted and laughed nervously - I know! So, uh… I’ve been knitting. I had this amazing idea of a thing that could be used in so many ways! - you noticed his eyes sparkling - I call it a thneed. I keep trying to sell it, but anytime I show up at the town square, people start throwing things at me - he shrugged his shoulders irritatedly - I guess I should just quit and move back to my parents.

- Um - you sighed loudly, not really knowing what to say. You never knew what to say when people were sad around you - are you sure? Maybe you just… - you smirked - thneed some more time? 

He looked at you with a heartwarming, pathetic half-smile and for a moment it kind of felt like no time had passed since you saw each other last.

- I don’t even know anymore if that’s what I wanna do - he sighed - I thought I had it all figured out, ya know? - he took a deep breath - enough about me. How are you doing?

- Ummm, fine - you mumbled looking down. He caught you off guard. For some unexplainable reason you weren’t prepared to be talking about yourself - nothing out of the ordinary. I go to work, I leave work and bike around. That’s all, I guess.

- Is it? - he grinned - I can’t believe that’s true. What are you hiding, y/n? 

- Nothing, I swear! - you laughed - Seriously, I have retired. And I’m enjoying it.

- So, how do you spend your days in retirement? - he asked.

- So… - you took a moment to think about the right words to make your daily routine sound at least a little bit interesting - I wake up early. I walk around the forest a lot. I read. And if I don’t have any chores or work I bike to the lake and swim a little. 

- She swims a little! - he scoffed - You come to town a lot?

- Only when I have to - you replied - For work, I mean. I don’t really like it here. 

Suddenly he stopped and grabbed the handle of your bike. His hand brushed against yours, which immediately set off a tingly sensation in your chest.

- We don’t need to stay here if you don’t want to - he gave you that heartwarming smile again - you could come see my cottage. I’d show you the thneeds. 

- Sure, why not  - you looked at him curiously. You weren’t expecting this. Although you probably should have; “he was always so kind and understanding”, you thought, “unlike the rest of his family”.

- Can we use your bike? 

- Yea, sure! I don’t think I’ll be able to take you on the trunk though, with umm…

- My abnormally long legs? - he laughed - it’s okay, I can drive. My cottage is not that far away, we’ll manage somehow.

(Porridge Radio - Eugh playing softly in the background)

He hopped on the bike and you sat on the trunk, putting your arms around his waist. It felt good - your breath slowed down, your heartbeat was calmer now, the anxiety had vanished completely. You laid your cheek on his back - it felt almost like a natural reflex - and gazed into the evening sky. You exited the town and rode through the forest. The sunlight was dim, almost non-existent, and a perfect full moon was emerging on the horizon. The cool, fresh air gently caressed your cheeks with a soft evening breeze. You took a deep breath, smelling various types of flowers which grew all around the Valley. Your eyes closed - seemingly out of their own, independent will - and for a moment it felt as if every little thing in the world ceased to exist, besides the two of you, speeding through nothingness. You rode in silence, as the breeze became cooler. You noticed yourself gripping Onceler’s waist tighter, as you got a little cold in your dress and he really seemed like the warmest thing in the universe. Suddenly, you saw a cottage rising from the forest.

- Here we are! - he announced - Welcome to my humble headquarters.

You became a bit pensive during the ride and didn’t even notice you were still holding on to his body. You finally let go of his torso and the both of you hopped off the bike. He didn’t seem to mind.

- Oh! - you gasped - wow, it looks pretty! I don’t think I’ve ever been to this part of the forest.

- I’m really glad you like it - he unlocked the door and turned on the lights - soo… this is my workshop.

It was warm inside. Not only in terms of the temperature, but the overall vibe. The interior was simple and cosy, which made you feel at ease. You sat on a chair next to what seemed like a desk, covered entirely in crochet needles and pink Truffula tufts.

- Oh… so you make them from Truffula trees? - you asked curiously.

- Yea! - he said, opening a beer and handing one to you - they’re extremely soft, don’t you think?

- Yea, I guess so. But don’t you have to like… cut down the trees to get them?

- At first I thought so too! - he raised his voice and suddenly you remembered he actually used to do that a lot as a kid. Whenever he got excited about something, he’d practically yell at you - but then, since it came out I’m not gonna be knitting that many of them… - he looked down and took a sip from his bottle - I found a way of harvesting them, which doesn’t disrupt their growth at all. I made this.

He went up to a wardrobe and started throwing things out of it, looking for something. 

- Aha! There it is.

It looked like a giant pair of pliers with an extendable handle.

- Impressive, Once - you laughed, taking a sip from your bottle.

- Buuuuut… - Onceler looked down again, shrugging his shoulders - can you imagine I haven’t sold even one thneed? It’s crazy! 

- You still haven’t shown me what a thneed looks like - you said - or even told me what it is.

He headed back to the wardrobe and took out a pink, fluffy something. It looked a little bit like a scarf, but had a lot of holes in it. 

- Look, it has all-natural microfibers. It’s super absobernt. You can wear it as a scarf - he put it around his neck - you can use it as a hat, as a top, as a carpet… I think it’s a revolutionary product and I really want people to notice it too! Try it on.

- Okay, show me.

You stood up and straightened your arms along your waist, not knowing what to expect. He came up to you, put the thneed around your neck and started adjusting its numerous holes so it fit perfectly. You felt that tingly sensation again. His face was focused, but so incredibly close to yours you could feel his breath on your cheeks. 

- It suits you - he finished styling it and looked at you with a smile - so, since you’re such a hermit now, maybe we can sit outside? It’s not that cold.

- Yea, you don’t have to ask. There’s a full moon tonight.

- Keep the thneed - he said, opening the back door. 

(Totally Mild - Nights playing softly in the background)

You adjusted the thneed wrapped softly around your neck and followed him outside. He laid a blanket on the grass, carefully, and sat on it, crossing his legs. You noticed your heart rate go a little bit up when you glanced at him in this scenery. You couldn’t stop wondering that this could be your life now. Knitting these weird things, living in the forest… together. You couldn’t stop imagining other things as well. “Stop this”, you thought immediately, “let’s just enjoy this evening”.

- So… what’s on your mind? - you asked, sitting next to him.

- It’s just… I’m working so incredibly hard now and I’m still failing - he said - I wish I was more successful. 

- It doesn’t always come right away, Onceler - you said, sipping your beer - sometimes you have to wait. 

- But I’ve already done so much - he sighed.

- I know what you mean, but, you know, don’t worry - you didn’t know what to say - at some point someone’s definitely gonna buy one, just give it time - you smiled at him. This thneed was really growing on you.

- Maybe you’re right - Onceler sighed - but I really want to make it big. To see everyone using them. Everyone! A world filled with thneeds.

- Do you really? - you scoffed - and how exactly would you do it? You’d need a lot of help, do you realise that? And what about the trees? 

- I guess I would figure it all out along the way. I just want to be the successful one, for once - he looked down with a miserable half smile - are you happy with your life right now?

- I don’t know - you laughed, a little bit confused - is, like, anyone ever?

- I believe so - he smiled - that’s what I want, to be proud of my life.

- Being happy and being proud are two different things.

- To me they’re the same. 

- Wouldn’t you just prefer - you stopped for a second, thinking of the right words - like… just peace of mind?

- I will have peace of mind, when I become successful - he explained - I’m sure of it.

- Seriously? How are you so sure? - you pushed him.

- I just am - he replied.

- Wouldn’t you want something more like… a slow life in the forest? - you laughed - I know it sounds cliche, but imagine it. Taking long walks, enjoying the views, the fresh air. Every day. You know, I feel like living in my parent’s cabin turned out really good for me. I feel like - you sighed and looked him in the eyes with a half smile - I feel like I always knew it subconsciously. That this is supposed to be my life. Here, in the Valley.

- I used to dream of that too, ya know? - Onceler looked at you, when an unexpected, soft blush appeared on his cheeks - actually, when we were little I thought we were gonna end up that way. I mean, the both of us, together...

The look on his face changed slightly. He was now gazing into your eyes with this soothing, dreamy expression. 

- I guess I thought so too - you said - it seemed like… it was the natural way for things to go.

He laid on the blanket, facing the sky. You laid next to him.

- This feels right, doesn’t it? - he asked, closing his eyes.

- Yeah... I think so - you whispered, yawning.

- I’ve missed you, y/n.

Hearing this was the last thing you remember before the both of you dozed off, right under bright, October stars, wrapped in a warm, cosy thneed.

...

You woke up to the same, bright, warm light, which you enjoyed so much every morning. Only this time it was way brighter than before.

“Oh my god”, you thought to yourself, “why am I outside?”. Before you managed to make a quick recollection of the series of events which led the two of you to falling asleep, so peacefully, on a blanket in Onceler’s backyard, you’ve noticed his hand was holding yours, with great intensity at that. The initial anxiety had left. The tangly sensation returned. It was cute.

He looked so at ease. His hair was messy, falling into his eyes. Considering the stress he’s been going through with the new business and all, you decided not to wake him up. You thought about making some breakfast, maybe coffee. You carefully freed your hand from his grip and went inside.

You found your phone on the tuft-covered desk. “Oh no”, you thought as you noticed numerous missed calls from your parents. You opened the texts: “Baby, where are you? Your mom broke her leg and we really need you to come home and help her. Call us asap”. Your heart started pounding again. You had to go, leaving so many questions unanswered. You looked at Onceler through the window, still sleeping, completely unbothered by the sounds of nature waking up. You found a piece of paper, scribbled a note, “phone number!”, you thought frantically, “he needs my phone number”, took your bike and left for your parents house. 

(Alexandra Savior - Can’t help myself playing softly in the background as y/n rides away)