Two Sides Of The Same Coin- Once-Ler X Reader

Two Sides Of The Same Coin- Once-Ler X Reader Chapter Thirteen

Taking Sides

(Name) was sitting by the stream with the Lorax, Pipsqueak and the large Bar-Ba-Loot (The Lorax had explained that the closest thing he had to a name was, ‘Big Loot’), nibbling on a packet of marshmallows. “Here, catch!” She tossed one into the air in-between the three of them. There was a mad scramble before Pipsqueak sat back, cheeks stuffed with marshmallow and a wide, smug grin.

Suddenly, there was a yell from the trees. (Name) turned to see Brett and Chet charging through the forest, swinging axes and lopping down trees left and right, carelessly trampling over the tufts and sending animals running in terror.

(Name) jumped to her feet. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!” She yelled, stamping her foot.

Brett rested his axe on his shoulder. “Cuttin’ down trees. Once told us to.” He replied.

She gaped. “Lorax, Pip, Big, go make sure none of the other animals got hurt.” She instructed, striding in the direction of the cottent determinedly. "I'm gonna go talk to him."

When she got there, Once-ler was sitting calmly on the couch drinking a cup of tea. She plonked down next to him. “Hi.”

He grinned. “Oh, (Name)! Guess what?”

She noted with more than a little unease that his eyes were a bright, sparkling green. “Uh… what?” She asked carefully.

"I figured somthing out that's gonna help us heaps with making Thneeds!" He bounced excitedly.

"Yeah, Oncie, what is it?" She asked.

“Well, there’s so many trees out there, nobody’s gonna miss a couple, right?” He swept his arm around grandly. "So, it makes sense that we cut them down the get tufts faster to make more Thneeds!"

She bit her lip. “Uh, I-I don’t know…”

He narrowed his eyes, and she reminded herself bleakly that this was green-eyed Oncie. “Look, (Name), either you’re with me or you’re against me.”

She stayed silent.

“C’mon, (Name). I thought you wanted to help me with this. We’re business partners.” He said cajolingly.

“We’re also friends, and friends tell friends when what they’re doing doesn’t feel quite right!” She blurted out. “I can’t take an axe and chop down a tree when it could be home to some unfortunate Bar-Ba-Loot!”

He nodded. “I see how it is.”

She sighed. “Okay, good, because-”

“Then you’re against me.” He interrupted.

She shook her head quickly. “No, no, Oncie, that isn’t the case, if you’d just listen for a moment, I just-”

He shooed her out the door. “No, (Name). Just get out. If you’re not going to help me, then I don’t want anything more to do with you.”

(Name) turned around, but he slammed the door in her face. She sadly shuffled away back towards the Lorax.

“Hey, hey. What happened?” He said, catching hold of her arm.

“He’s cutting down the trees.” She confirmed.

“What else happened?” The Lorax raised a bushy yellow eyebrow.

“Nothing.” She said quickly.

“(Name)… you’re crying.” He said gently.

She scrubbed the back of her hand over her eyes. “I-I’m crying because I’m sad for Pipsqueak and Big Loot, and all the other Bar-Ba-Loots, and the Humming Fish and the Swoomie Swans. N-nothing to do with a-anything he might’ve said about m-me.” She replied weakly.

The Lorax cracked his knuckles. “What did he say?” He asked, eyes narrowed. “If he was being insulting to you, I’ll-”

“Oh, please don’t do that!” She wailed. “He said he didn’t want anything to do with me anymore, ok?”

The Lorax blinked. “He what?!” He exclaimed.

(Name) nodded, feeling tears come to her eyes again. “He basically kicked me out of the house.” She added.

He heaved a sigh. “(Name), I promise you, whatever happens, I won’t leave you, alright? You and me, we’ll get through this.”

“But what about Once-ler?” She asked quietly.

The Lorax stared at the running water of the stream for a few long moments before he answered. “I don’t know, (Name). I honestly don’t know.”