Chapter Text
There is only so much beauty a book can capture about the world. The ones Moomin had read to him as a child are but a sliver of the riches Snufkin exposes him to.
He sees mountains that stand taller than the clouds, fields of flowers exploding with all the colors of the rainbow, hot springs with mist sprinkled with silver light, river basins shaped like lopsided bowls of clay salvaged at the right moment for glossing, animals as broad and mighty as they are gentle and tame, and lilac sunsets straight out of a water coloring kit.
And these sights are to behold every day, for months .
Moomin feels rather spoiled by all this. He’s quite a bit more toned too, given all the wandering they’ve been doing. On a few occasions (when Snufkin isn’t looking), he’s taken to admiring himself in his reflection, normally pumping the biceps on his arms.
Snufkin’s appearance has also altered slightly. His hair has grown longer, now at a braidable length that Moomin has taken full advantage of. He’s also become more accustomed to both of his prosthetics, their journey as a whole serving as a bit of a boot camp. Though he still requires breaks in between strenuous bouts of traveling, it’s clear the mumrik takes pride in what he has accomplished.
Their time south has been one of the highlights of Moomin’s life. He will forever have a small-town heart, with adventuring such as this being a sparse occurrence. There’s no conceivable way he could picture himself going off as much as Snufkin does, but by golly does this not want to make him at least try to comprehend that lifestyle.
Moomin is enjoying their travels so much, in fact, that when Snufkin informs him it’s time to turn back he’s rather upset about it.
“It can’t be nearly spring already! ” he protests. In a fit of frustration, he shovels a too-large spoonful of beans into his mouth. It’s too much to swallow, and he’s forced to spit out half back into his bowl.
Snufkin snorts, unable to contain his laughter. “It’ll creep up on you, and it has for us. If we want to be back by the first day, we’ll have to leave soon.”
“How soon is soon? ” Moomin asks. Surely they can milk out this expedition for at least another week or so.
“Hmm…” Snufkin thinks for a moment. “By tomorrow, we’ll reach the last destination I wanted us to hit. After that, it’ll be time to go.”
Moomin’s ears droop down to the sides of his head. “Just two more days…?”
An impossibly tender expression falls over Snufkin’s face. He nudges Moomin with his foot, smiling softly. “Don’t worry, love. There’s always next year.”
Moomin perks up immediately upon hearing that. “N-Next ye-” He clears his throat bashfully. “Next year, you say?”
“Why of course.” Snufkin covers his growing smirk with a spoonful of beans. “You would like to come, wouldn’t you?”
“Yes, yes of course!” Then Moomin puts a cap on his happiness. “But...don’t you need your alone time?”
“There are ways for me to recharge besides going off on my own for so long,” his fiance assures him. “Besides...I don’t think I could go off without you, after what a joy this year has been…”
A blush creeps up Snufkin’s cheeks. Moomin can’t help but gush over him. “ Aww , dearest.”
Snufkin hides his face in his bowl. “Stop it!” he echoes out. “I can’t eat with you staring at me like that! I’m all flustered.”
Moomin chuckles. “Alright, I’ll stop.” He looks away just long enough for Snufkin to try and take another bite, then adds, “You’re rather cute when you’re flustered, though.”
Snufkin goes beet red and turns around fully in his seat.
They begin their last walk south on their last day in silence.
Not a tense silence, or an unwanted one. It’s a peaceful, welcoming silence. A chance for the world to whisper the last of its secrets to them before they part ways. The ocean sings the ballads of seaward adventures as they draw nearer to the shore, and the seagulls chat about their daily findings as if they were already good friends.
Salt freshens the air, almost sweet in smell. Moomin spares glances at Snufkin occasionally, heart warming at the contented smile on his fiance’s face.
Something has been freed from the cage inside Snufkin, something Moomin may not understand but will stand by his side through the aftermath. There’s a lot left to be released in the future (family matters to name a few), but more has been gained then there has been lost.
Snufkin takes Moomin’s hand suddenly. “Up there.”
He points at a change in elevation off to their left. From the grass emerges a chunk of rock that hangs over the shoreline. One violet stands tall enough at the top to act as their beacon.
It’s the cliff, one Snufkin has waited a lifetime to revisit.
The climb up isn’t inherently difficult, being that it is far less steep than to be believed. It only takes as long as it does because of their chosen pace. Slow, precise, devoted. This cliff is more than just a pretty view; it’s a milestone for something grand, something important.
The violets wave to them as they reach the peak, their petals glowing under the delicate sunlight. All around them, the ocean glistens with abundant joy, grateful for their arrival. The world celebrates this moment with them, this great and blessed victory of one’s spirit.
Moomin soaks up the view. He closes his eyes with a sigh, a weight lifting from his shoulders. When he opens them, he looks to Snufkin.
There are tears in the mumrik’s eyes. Large, shimmering, grateful tears. He wipes at his eyes and smiles at Moomin. “Want to give the flowers a smell?”
They bend down and give the violets a sniff. The aurona is sweeter than fresh-made marmalade.
The return journey goes by far too quickly, though Snufkin knows it’s only because he’s giddy over handing next year’s invitation over already. To think of all the travels they will have makes him only want to have them all at once.
Time forces them to pace out all the excitement, to their benefit. If all they ever did was travel, they’d never experience the happiness of reuniting with Moominvalley in the spring.
Moominmama and Papa barrage their son with endless hugs and relieved affections. They demand to know of everything the two did, mostly to know if there were any dangers on the way and to write it all down for story’s sake. Of course they give Snufkin this same amount of attention, the familiar bond developed over the years evident and clear.
All their dearest friends spring right from hydernation and into welcoming mode as well. Little My drags Sniff to the Moomin house bleary-eyed and groggy, but he is there nonetheless. Snorkmaiden gives the couple a hug each, tucking something weighted into Snufkin’s pocket as she does.
“For whenever you’re ready,” she whispers, and says nothing more. Though her amused smile says enough. Snufkin pats the rings in his pocket and tips his hat thankfully.
Later into the morning, as the festivities are dying down, Too-Ticky and Mymble emerge from wherever they had spent their winter months (presumably together ( finally )). Too-Ticky and Moomin are immediately enraptured in a conversation, both thrilled to share as to what they’ve been up to. Mymble, on the other hand, leads Snufkin a short ways away from the group. There’s a strained look on her face, and as expected Snufkin feels one stretching across his own.
“You didn’t go see her, did you?”
He shakes his head, but the hand on her shoulder makes it clear he’s not brushing her off. “I’m not ready yet. There’s still a lot I have to adjust to here in Moominvalley...but one day, I’ll make that trip. Have that conversation we’ve been needing to have. I told Moomin at least. Not the problem, per say, just...that there was one.”
Mymble smiles sadly. “She’s ready. She really is. To apologize, to try and make things better.”
“Good. Let’s hope she’ll still be in a few years time.”
Her gaze falls, defeated. Snufkin tilts her head up gently, smiling kindly.
“I’m still bitter. I can’t help it. But less so now than I was before. I’m willing to give her one last chance...And Mymble?”
He waits to continue until she looks at him.
“My family is here, in Moominvalley. But you’re still a part of that family too. So is Little My. I don’t expect you to understand my pain, and I don’t need you to. Because even I don’t understand myself sometimes. But I’m starting to. And I need to, before I go off forgiving anybody.”
Mymble nods, smiling again. “I do understand, at least that. Sorry if I’ve seemed pushy. I just...worry.”
Snufkin chuckles warmly. “As any good sibling should.” Then he pulls her in for a hug to make up for the last one he refused to share.
The first day of spring ends with a sunset, as all days do. Though the sky seems fuller than it ever has before.
Snufkin is sitting on the railing of his bridge, Moomin leaning against his side. They watch blissfully at the shifting palet changes above the wispy clouds, thinking of all the other sunsets they saw together before.
“I think I’ll bring a sketchbook next year,” he announces suddenly.
Moomin stirs slightly. “Oh? What for?”
“I was thinking...one day, we’ll return to Moominvalley from the south and won’t go to Moominhouse.”
Moomin sits up. “What do you mean? Did you hear my parents say anything? What’s happening to my house-?”
“Nothing dear, nothing,” Snufkin assures him with a laugh. “I meant...I meant we would return to a house of our own.”
A small time passes as Moomin chews on his words, then his face radiates like a lightning bug. “You mean-?! Oh Snufkin! ”
Snufkin almost falls off the railing as Moomin wraps him up in a massive, warm hug. They both start giggling, unable to contain their mutual elation.
“I need a sketchbook to capture parts of the world I want to build into it,” the mumrik murmurs into his fur. “The cliffside is one, the Enchanted Forest another…”
“Oh Snufkin,” Moomin muses happily, “It’ll be perfect.”
Love. Absolute love and affection flows through Snufkin’s entire being. After saying it out loud, their future together seems less like a construct and more a promised happily ever after. It’s reassurance after two long years of struggle and uncertainty.
And with this future, he’ll give Moomin the world. Not just a house, their perfect wedding, or maybe even one day children of their own...he’ll give him everything and anything, just as Moomin has already given to him.
As the sun finally sets and the moon fully rises, they sit on that railing, entwined with one another, brimming with a love that has made them both better.