#oncelerfanfitction

[cottagecore-onceler]

Chapter 5 / Onceler x Reader

Your head was spinning.

The blueprint you found between Onceler’s things was a project of an unimaginably giant factory. This complicated machinery’s purpose seemed to be remaking Truffula tufts into thneeds. Maybe it wasn’t his? Maybe it was an outside project which he, certainly, wanted to reject? Margin notes suggested otherwise. There it was, written in his handwriting: “smogue?”.  

“Fuck this”, you thought hysterically, immediatelly wanting to dump his ass. How come he didn’t mention building a full-size, XIXth century style factory? What else was he hiding? You couldn’t believe you let him continuously lie to you. Suddenly you realised what the point of your vacation was. He was keeping you in here so you couldn’t see what was happening with his workshop. That’s why he didn’t want you to go to Greenville or pretty much anywhere else. You felt tears falling down your cheeks. You gave yourself permission to be vulnerable and it bit you back. You shouldn’t have done this.

You sat on the bed, closing your eyes. Breathe in, breathe out. Maybe this wasn’t so bad? Maybe it was just a practice drawing or some twisted form of a surprise? Building a giant factory doesn’t even compare to cheating, it’s just a… factory? Confusion replaced anger. You didn’t know how to feel about this. No one has ever built a secret factory without telling you. And where the hell was he anyway?

You knew you should confront him. Honest communication is the key to a healthy relationship. But he wasn’t honest, so why would you be? You quickly went back to his drawer and stuck the blueprint back between the shirts. You poured yourself a glass of wine, wrapped a thneed around your shoulders and went outside. Exceptionally bright, full moon emerged among the clouds, while you sat comfortably on your wooden porch. 

You decided not to confront him. Moreover, you decided not to tell him anything at all. You wanted to see how it plays out and investigate a little on your own. If he didn’t want to talk about his work, you were gonna find other sources. After all, you were one theatrical bitch. 

The sound of a car approaching brought you down to earth. You tossed the wine glass in the sink and ran back to bed, pretending to be long asleep. “This is definitely not a cab”, you thought as the engine was quiet, rather like a sports car than an old taxi. What was he doing driving around in the middle of the night?

The door opened and closed. He was extremely quiet while changing into his pyjamas. It couldn’t have been the first time he was sneaking out like that. He crawled into bed gently, trying not to wake you up, and put his arms around you. 

You felt a sudden warmth in your chest. Your feelings toward him didn’t change. You knew there must’ve been a good reason he wasn’t telling you about this. But you weren’t gonna sit patiently and wait for him to finally tell you all about it. You needed to know, now.

...

You woke up. For a moment it felt like every other morning. Like everything that happened last night was just a dream. You quickly realised that wasn’t true.

- Good morning, y/n - Onceler was up and ready, making pancakes - how’d you sleep?

- Good - you lied - and you?

- Alright - he said with surprising confidence - what do you wanna do today? It’s the last day of my leave, we could do something fun.

“This is your chance”, you thought, “this is your chance to catch him in a lie”. And since you’ve established that he was keeping you here so you couldn’t see what he was building…

- Let’s go to Greenville - you proposed - I could use some human interaction.

- Really? That’s what you wanna do on the last day of our vacation? - his response was quick and almost nonchalant, but you could clearly notice a hint of anxiety unfolding in his eyes - let’s go to the lake.

- Again? - you sighed.

- How come you don’t want to go swimming? - he laughed nervously.

You shrugged your shoulders and decided to push it a little bit more to see how he handles it.

- I wanna go to Grenville. We could watch a movie.

- Actually, I just remembered - you could see him getting more and more anxious - I have to swing by work today. I’m not exactly sure how long it will take, but maybe I’ll get us some wine and we can watch a movie in the garden when I get back?

“Damn, he’s a good liar”, you thought. Suddenly, you came up with the most brilliant idea.

- That does sound good.

He seemed to be relieved.

- Okay, um… a coworker will pick me up in 15 minutes. Is that okay?

- Sure - you smiled at him. 

You had to act quick. You put on a hoodie and leggings, dived into your wardrobe looking for a backpack.

- I think I’m gonna go on a little hike - you said, trying to sound natural.

- Cool! - he replied with a mouth full of pancakes, completely unaware of the true purpose of your comfortable attire.

You put on your hiking shoes and packed a big water bottle. “Maybe I should bring a raincoat?”, you thought, weirdly excited about your trip.

- Have some pancakes! - he looked at you with a smile - it’s the best source of energy.

“God”, you thought while quickly stuffing things into your backpack, “how can he act so natural?”. You finished packing and sat at the table next to him.

- Have some of mine - he stood up, put on a coat and gave you a kiss - I’ll be back soon.

- See you later, Once.

He went out. You quickly ran for your backpack and looked outside the window. You could still see him between the trees. You opened the door, as quietly as humanly possible, grabbed your bike and followed him. 

(Broadcast - The Book Lovers playing in the background)

“If he sees me, I’m screwed”, you thought, trying not to breathe too loud. Your heart was pounding outside your chest. Was this a mistake? You walked behind him for about 15 minutes until you heard the sound of a car unlocking.

You quickly hid behind a tree as he looked around, stepping into a brand new Audi A5, on the driver’s side. “Fuck”, you thought, “that’s a nice car”. You hopped on the bike.

You rode right past him. It wasn’t exceptionally difficult as he seemed to be struggling, driving between the trees extremely slow. The picture of a giant factory appeared in your head. Was it built already? Or was he still working in it? Was there a tower with a secret office? Maybe a medieval style dungeon? You needed to know.

What worried you the most were the trees. You remembered the conversation you had half a year ago:

- Don’t you have to like… cut down the trees to get them?

- At first I thought so too! But then, since it came out that I’m not gonna be knitting that many of them… I found a way of harvesting them, which doesn’t disrupt their growth at all.

He wasn’t knitting that many of them. What if he was now? What if he started cutting the Truffulas down? You still couldn’t really picture the size of this in your head. How well was it going that he was building a factory? He must’ve been selling… hundreds per day? Thousands? Then you thought of another vital question: what kind of money was he making? The car, the suit… the bracelet.

You looked down your wrist. There it was, suddenly filling you with guilt. Tears went down your cheeks. What a fool you were, trusting someone so much, thinking everything could possibly turn out so perfect. You should have…

A sudden, sharp pain emerged somewhere around your forehead. Everything froze.

(Sin Fang, Sóley and Örvar Smárson - Citrus Light playing in the background)

For a few seconds, nothing was real. The world was spinning. Your body was… on the ground? It seemed like it. You grabbed your head where it seemed like the throbbing was coming from. It was a natural reflex meant to stop the pain. Instead, it intensified. Your hand was warm and sticky. You looked at it. It was blurry. And red. 

The last thing you saw before losing consciousness was a weird, sort of car-shaped machine with axes attached to its front.

- Are you okay?

- Someone come here, quick!

- Call the ambulance!

- No, let’s call the boss.

- Are you sure? That’s a lot of blood.

...

You woke up blinded by the harsh light of fluorescent fixtures. The pain in your head was excruciating. 

- She’s awake! - an unidentified female voice screamed. You looked in its direction. A blurry figure was staring right at you - are you feeling dizzy, honey? Try not to move too much, you’ve had a terrible accident.

You opened your mouth to reply, but what came out was completely unintelligible. A big tide of nausea went through your entire body.

- Shh - the blurry figure gently put its hand on your shoulder, keeping you from getting up - You’ve had a concussion. It’s much better now, but you still need to rest. Are you feeling nauseous? Nod for yes.

You nodded.

- I’ll get you something that might help. Just try not to move too much.

As the blurry figure disappeared, you had a look around the room. Your vision was slowly getting better; you noticed white furniture and sterile, medical equipment. You were in a hospital. It wasn’t the Greenville Hospital though, you were sure of it. You’ve been hospitalised there once, due to a bike accident. This room was small and much nicer than the ones they had. 

You decided to get up and have a little look around, but shortly realised you couldn’t really move your arms and legs. For a moment, you felt pure panic. Were your injuries that bad? Then you realised this wasn’t the case. You were strapped to the hospital bed.

- No, no, no, no - you whispered. Suddenly you remembered what happened last night.

- Y/n! - you heard Onceler’s voice. He ran toward you and kissed you, holding your face tighter than ever before - I was so worried.

He was wearing that green suit again, with a top hat. You pushed him away, as much as you could with your hands tied.

(Elita - Sour Switchblade playing in the background)

- You were worried?! - you yelled - you did this to me! I know everything.

- What exactly do you mean by “everything”? - he smirked, sitting next to you.

- I know you’re building a huge factory and cutting the trees down - your memory was getting better as well - you’ve been lying to me.

- I had to - he said with a smile - I needed to show you.

- Show me what?

- The life we could have! - he stood up and started walking around the room - just look outside the window. It’s all ours!

- If you haven’t noticed yet - you replied with discontent - I’m not exactly able to move.

- Were you following me? - Onceler asked, changing the subject - yesterday. How did you get here?

- I’m not talking to you until you untie me - you said angrily. 

- That might actually come in handy - he smiled - you shouldn’t be moving too much.

- What is wrong with you? - you almost screamed - untie me!

Onceler kneeled next to you and grabbed your hand.

- And what are you gonna do? Run away and get yourself in trouble again? I don’t think so.

You didn’t know what to say. It felt like a dream. The few seconds of silence felt like eternity.

- I’ll tell you what you’re gonna do - his smile was getting more and more creepy - you’ll stay here and get better. Then I’ll show you around. There will be no more secrets between us. Then, I think you’ll prefer to stay here with me. But we’ll see. How does that sound?

You looked him in the eyes.

- Get away from me - you whispered - you disgust me.

- It’s normal to feel a little agitated after a concussion - he stood up - but with all the medical professionals I’ve gathered here, you’ll get better in no time! Get some more sleep, I’ll be back in the morning.

- I don’t recognise you - you said - this isn’t you, Onceler.

- Don’t be stupid, y/n.

- Untie me! - you cried.

- Y/n, I won’t let you go back to your cabin, so don’t even try.

- Why? - you asked genuinely.

- Because now you hate me - he kneeled next to you again, putting his hand on your cheek - and I don’t want you to act on it. But I’m pretty sure you’ll stop hating me soon. And then we can talk.

You stared blankly at the wall, trying to figure out what to say.

- How do you know I’ll ever stop hating you? - you asked - after all this.

- Because I know you - he kissed your hand - you will want to stay here with me.

- I won’t - his face was inches away from yours.

He smiled.

- You will.

[cottagecore-onceler]

Chapter 4 / Onceler x Reader

(Laura Les - Haunted playing in the background)

This time, the journey was quick. You weren’t making stops or looking back, you just wanted to get to your cabin. April was particularly warm, but that day the morning air was cold and you were shivering in your light jacket. You didn’t care. Over the past half a year you and Onceler had become so close, you needed to see him to know it was real. Nothing could stop you now. 

You felt anger. Not at him, at yourself. But it wasn’t necessarily a bad feeling. It felt empowering. Like you owned the world and had the power to do anything you pleased. Haunted was blasting on your airpods, practically shattering your eardrums. You felt hysterical, in a sort of good way though. As if you felt everything at once. As if you felt everything at once and it wasn’t an issue at all. The anger quickly vanished, leaving you energised. You felt good. You were gonna get him, no matter what.

You could see your cabin on the horizon. There it is, your little corner of the world. And there he was as well. Standing in front of it, looking at you with a smile. There was something different about him. For starters, he seemed taller, which you initially thought was absolutely impossible. His clothes were different as well - he was wearing green, tailored pants and an elegant shirt with a green tie. What seemed like a matching coat was laying on a bench at your doorstep. He ran in your direction.

- I didn’t expect-

He didn’t let you finish as he grabbed your face and pushed it into his. His lips were soft and tender, as was the unexpected kiss. His hands were warm and precise, caressing the back of your neck. You put your hands around his waist pushing him closer, as if muscle memory took over your body, still dwelling in the memory of that bike ride 6 months ago. You felt calm. No questions had to be answered. This was all you needed to know.

- 6 months - he said after what seemed like eternity of kissing - we’ve lost 6 months. But we’ll get them back. Just don’t leave, ever again.

- I won’t - you whispered, holding onto his body.

...

(Carol - So Low playing in the background)

You shed a single tear.

Onceler’s head was still lying comfortably on your lap. He looked confused.

- Y/n? Why are you crying? - he sat next to you and wrapped his arms around you - it’s okay. It’s good. 

A big, fat lump emerged in your throat. Unable to speak, you curled up in his arms.

This memory. This particular memory hurt the most. As years passed, it felt increasingly more like a cancer, growing in your brain, taking over bigger and bigger parts of your neglectful mind. It was the beginning of your new life and the end of a version of you which died with it. You had every reason to hate her - she was weak and unambitious. She couldn’t have accomplished what you have. You had to let her go. Nevertheless, that week the two you had spent together when you came back was the best time of your life. All of the joyful, naive innocence of your past self was preserved in it, forever.

...

(strongboi - honey thighs playing softly in the background)

You woke up to the smell of pancakes. 

- Where are you sneaking off to? - you yawned, stretching your arms. 

Onceler was fully dressed and preparing breakfast, while you were still lying in bed. He looked adorable with an apron over his suit. Last night assured you about the realness of your relationship. You two were definitely a thing now. 

- I think you might’ve forgotten that I need to go to work - he laughed - but I’ll be back around noon.

- Can’t you take a day off? - you insisted.

- Not today - he flipped a pancake - I have a very important meeting. But we could go to the lake when I get back.

- I’ll consider it - you grinned - wait, when did you get groceries? Everything in the fridge must’ve rotten when I was away.

- Yesterday, before you arrived - he said with a smile - your kitchen is now fully equipped, no need to thank me.

- Wow, okay - you were impressed - you can take my bike to work, it’ll be faster than walking.

- You can’t bike in a suit - he laughed, handing you a plate of pancakes - I called a cab. You get some rest and unpack, I’ll be back as soon as I can.

- You need to show me your new workshop - you said, biting into your breakfast.

- Yeah, sure - he replied with a hint of anxiety in his voice - but it’s under construction now. We had an accident last week.

- What accident? Everything all right?

- There was, um, a fire. But it was small, we just need to… repaint the walls. That’s all, nothing serious.

- Okay - you said - then we can go see it together when it’s ready.

- We will - he put on his coat, came up to you and gave you a kiss. You didn’t want him to go anywhere - but in the meantime, get some more sleep.

You finished your breakfast and took a shower. It was 6 A.M. “Why would he wake up so early?”, you thought. The thneed business must’ve been going well. You cleaned up around the cabin, unpacked your stuff and went outside. You laid a blanket on the freshly grown grass and started reading a book. Spring in the Truffula Valley was beautiful - the trees were blooming and you could hear birds chirping all around. You put the book aside and laid on your back, gazing at the sky. Subtle rays of sunlight had reached your skin from in-between the blossoming Truffula tufts. You missed this place so much. It seemed almost unreal how everything was suddenly going your way. 

- Y/n! - you suddenly heard Onceler’s distant voice - where are you?

- Backyard! - you yelled.

- Meeting finished earlier than I expected. And guess what! - his slender silhouette emerged from in-between the trees - I took a week off. 

- That’a amazing! We can pretend to be on vacation - you grinned.

- Hey, I’m not pretending! - he laughed and sat next to you - this actually is a formal vacation.

- Don’t remind me about my unemployment - you sighed - I don’t think the cinema will take me back. I should start looking for something soon. 

- Not yet - he kissed your forehead - let’s just enjoy the vacation for now.

- We could stay at your cottage as well, you know - you covered your eyes with your hand, as sunshine brightened -  I don’t mind.

- I actually think I prefer it here - he smiled - this part of the forest is way nicer.

- As you wish - you smiled back at him.

- Aaaand… before I forget - he reached into the pocket of his coat - I thought it would be nice to get you a little welcome home gift.

- You shouldn’t have! - you got up, excited.

He took your hand and put a bracelet around your wrist. It was a string of big, irregular pearls, each different from another, all glimmering in the sunlight.

- No! - you looked at him, stunned - no way! It’s beautiful!

- It’s hand made and one of a kind - he said, still holding your wrist, surprisingly gently, as if he was afraid he could break it - I’m glad you like it!

- I love it! - you kissed him, wrapping your arms around his waist.

That was the first time you noticed he smelled different. His usual perfume was spicy, with a little hint of tabacco leaf sweetness.You remembered it exceptionally well after the night you had spent together in his cottage and you could swear you smelled it in the morning, when he was getting ready for work. You really liked this scent. Now he reeked of something industrial, like car fumes or tar. It was almost suffocating.

- Hey, what is it? - he asked, noticing your wry expression.

- Um - you tried to be delicate, but the odour only seemed to intensify becoming more and more nauseating - you stink.

- Ouch! - he laughed nervously and for a moment you felt really stupid - it’s probably because of the construction. After the fire. You know, paint smells.

- What are you painting with? Sulflur? - you covered your nose mockingly.

- Now that’s just mean - he scoffed - I promise to wash my suit, happy?

- Very much so - you replied - so, what’s in the itinerary?

- How bout that trip to the lake?

- We could do that. But first I need to go to Greenville for some oatmilk.

- You don’t drink regular milk? - he seemed surprised.

- Do I not look like I’m lactose intolerant? - you laughed.

- Well, since you eat cheese, I assumed you’re not - he scoffed.

- Cheese doesn’t count. It’ll take me an hour tops. Then we go to the lake.

- How about - he kissed your bare shoulder and made that amazingly adorable smile - we go to the lake now and I’ll get oatmilk tomorrow morning. I need to get something from my cottage anyway.

- Can I come with you? - you asked.

- I’m pretty sure you’d hate it - he replied - the construction workers are everywhere, it’s a huge mess.

- Okay then, let’s go to the lake - you said - just, please, change your stinky clothes.

...

(The Cranberries - Dreams starts playing in the background)

Just like that memorable evening 6 months ago, he hopped on the bike and you sat behind him, wrapping your arms tightly around his waist. This time you didn’t feel nervous at all. For the first time in your life you were truly, fully happy. Everything was going your way and nothing could disturb your new-found peace of mind. Moreover, for the first time in your life you felt calm thinking about the future. It wasn’t mysterious and anxiety-filled anymore. Future looked fun.

The lake was only 30 minutes away from your cabin, in the opposite direction to Onceler’s cottage, which was also why he’d never been there. 

- Turn right! - you screeched as he almost hit a tree, not knowing his way around this part of the forest - if you break my bike, I’ll break you.

- Will you relax for a second? - he laughed - I know how to ride a bike.

You were relaxed. How could you feel any different? Holding onto him, your entire body felt at ease. You dreamed about this moment for half a year, entrapped in this stupid town with no one to talk to. The tingly sensation in your chest which accompanied your daily phone calls was now spread all over your body. You’ve never felt this kind of joy. You’ve also never been truly in love before. It was a new kind of high, completely unknown to your confined perception of reality. As moments passed, you forced your brain to focus and remember each and every detail. The softness of his hands, the tone of his voice, the warm wind in your hair and the way he’d constantly look around his shoulder to check if you were still there, as if you could just vanish into thin air. You wanted to experience everything as intensively as humanly possible.

When you arrived at the lake, Onceler was amazed.

- This is the most beautiful place, okay, I have ever seen - he said, looking into the clear, turquoise water. 

You smiled - that was your exact same reaction when you accidentally found this place almost two years ago now. The lake itself wasn’t very big. It was connected to a stream which ran through the entire Valley, from the eastern parts, near the lake and your cabin, to the west, close to Greenville and Onceler’s cottage. Its water was extremely clean as there was no city nearby. Actually, pretty much no one would come here at all. Truffulas growing in this area were way taller than regular ones, their tufts were also slightly bigger. Must’ve been something about the water and its healing properties. They grew densely around the clear, perfectly blue lake, making the scenery exceptionally charming.

You immediately took your clothes and the bracelet off - exposing the prettiest set of lingerie you could find in your closet -  and jumped into the water. You got so warmed up during the ride, the cold water felt exceptionally refreshing. 

- Come on in! - you shouted to Onceler sitting calmly on the shore.

- Na-ah, not yet - he winced - isn’t it freezing?

- It’s perfect.

You relaxed your arms and legs. Your body was floating on the surface of the lake, gently, undisturbed. The sun was shining directly into your face, which made the cool temperature of the water feel slightly warmer than it really was. A weak current was slowly sweeping you away from the shore.

“He seems anxious”

This thought appeared out of nowhere, almost as if someone else said it in your head. You took a deep breath and dived into the water.

“Why does he seem anxious?”

You really couldn’t shake off this sudden, intuitive feeling that something is wrong. You knew you were probably just overthinking, but he really did seem different. Like there was something he wasn’t telling you. Could it be possible that he changed his mind about you? It really didn’t seem likely - he gave you all the reasons to trust him. You knew damn well that if you let yourself worry about it too long, your mind would spiral out of control. God, what if he only started dating you as a prank? “You’re better than this”, you thought, deciding to simply confront him about this instead of succumbing to your anxiety-filled brain.

- Hey - you stepped out of the water, wrapping a thneed around your shoulders - you seem nervous.

You sat next to him, feeling his warm hand grabbing yours.

- Nervous? I’m not nervous - he scoffed.

- What is it then?

- First of all, your hand. It’s super cold - he smirked - I’m pretty sure you shouldn’t be outdoor swimming in April, I know it’s really warm in the sun, but it’s just not the same…

- Stop joking - you interrupted him - I can see you’re worried about something. Be honest with me.

- Is it that obvious? - he looked at you with a half-smile.

- I guess - you sighed - is it, um… something about me?

- No! - he grabbed both of your hands and looked you in the eyes - don’t ever say that. Don’t ever think that - he took a deep breath - This… us… it’s the best thing that ever happened to me.

- What is it then? - your face was inches away from his. 

- Let me finish - he smiled - I am crazy about you, y/n. I have been ever since that evening half a year ago. Do you… do you feel the same way about me?

- I do - you whispered - but you’re changing the subject again.

- I’m just… worried about the company. That’s all, really.

- You can go back to work if you want to.

- But I don’t. I want to spend this week with you. I’ll try to stop worrying, I promise - he laid his soft hand on your cheek and brushed it through your hair.

- You could talk to me about it too, you know? - you said with reproach.

- Yeah, and bore you to death? - he laughed.

- It’s not that boring. I mean, when we talked on the phone it seemed pretty exciting. 

- It’s not… that exciting - you could sense that peculiar hint of anxiety in his tone - no work talk yet, okay? I promise to let you in on every possible detail of my business next week - he smiled before his lips pressed softly against yours with a short, but tender kiss - now let’s just enjoy our vacation.

...

The next 5 days felt almost unreal. You passed time walking around the forest, swimming in the lake and playing cards in the dim sunlight of early Spring evenings. Each morning you woke up wrapped securely in his arms, covered in warm rays of sunshine coming from your curtain covered windows. Your cabin was soaked in the smell of pancakes he made every morning. 

You used to think you were happy before. You used to find comfort in your loneliness, seeing yourself as perfectly self-sufficient. You really thought letting anyone into your small, sheltered world would shatter it forever. He became such a vital part of your life so quickly, you couldn’t imagine living this way anymore. Suddenly it seemed like there had been a longing in your soul and body to which he was the only right answer. Everything has changed.

You fell asleep with your head on his chest. You had some wine this evening, which must’ve been the reason why that nightmare returned. Onceler was once again 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. Once again, you were standing outside, watching him through a window. Paralysed, unable to move or speak. Suddenly everything started spinning.

You woke up covered in cold sweat.

- I just had the worst…

He wasn’t there. You were in your bed alone.

You immediately stood up, startled. His book, his clothes and toothbrush were still there. His coat was gone. Your heart was pounding out of your chest. Maybe he went outside for a midnight stroll? You went outside - he wasn’t there.

- Onceler! - you screamed hysterically. 

Dead silence.

You went back inside, started brushing your teeth, preparing for organising a search party. Feeling completely and utterly helpless you decided to go through his stuff. Between what seemed like hundreds of dirty, plain white shirts your fingers stumbled upon a creased piece of paper. It was a blueprint.

The toothbrush fell out of your hands.

(Mareux - Perfect Girl playing in the background)