Something Like a Life

by Fadingsilverstar16

A series of short stories about the Once-ler, taking place in the first few years of his exile. And maybe it's fitting that he ends up with the one person whom he always cared about most. Oncest.

5. Year 5

Traditional Burdens

There were some days he just didn't get out of bed, and his companion, for once, understood.

They never really talked about it, or mentioned it when they did talk, so it wasn't hard to believe those days couldn't affect them, as spaced out as they were. It was either that or... do something, and for all of their so-called genius, neither of them had figured out how to go about that, yet. So of course it was just a casual thing for the Once-ler to wake up one of those mornings to find his pillow tossed off the bed, replaced by his younger self's lap and hands.

"Happy birthday," the man in gray would whisper, bending to kiss him on the nose. And like always, the other would smile sadly down at him, and it didn't matter his own answering smile was never too real.

"Yeah, you too," he'd say.

And somehow, it was always good enough.