Chapter Text
Moomin understood that Snufkin left the valley in the winter because he needs some time to himself, he didn’t when they were younger, but he did now, yet as they trudged through the deep snow he smirked to himself as he considered there may be another rather large reason Snufkin always travelled south every winter.
He hated snow.
He hadn’t said so, of course, and when asked he’d say it was neither here nor there, but he’d been grumbling under his breath about it almost constantly the entire time they’d been walking through it. It was adorable.
Moomin himself found it equal parts wonderful and awful. His winter wakings had provided him with a fair amount of experience with snow, it was fun to mess about in but it did have the tendency to make everything so much more difficult and a lot slower. They’d worked out it was easier for Moomin to take the lead, he could make a path through the drifts for Snufkin to walk a little easier, his long skinny legs meant he sank far too easily.
The decision had been made when he sank for the hundredth time and ended up laying in the snow, scowling at the overcast sky and declaring he was not going to move from that spot until it all melted. Moomin had to essentially pick him up to get them moving again.
“It won’t be too long until spring now Snuf, it’ll be strange having a spring without sitting on the bridge listening for your song.”
Moomin heard a grunt from behind him, a break in the grumpy whisperings Snufkin was giving to himself. He couldn’t help smiling.
“Aw c’mon, there’s plenty of things to enjoy here to cheer you up!”
Moomin gestured widely with his arms, stopping to make a grand flourish and turn to look at Snufkin, who shuffled up behind him and raised an eyebrow.
“You mean the bare trees? Or the endless expanse of snow?”
“Uhh… well. There’s blue sky right now!”
Snufkin glanced up at the sky, which was indeed clear and blue right now.
“See?”
Moomin was grinning, but Snufkin maintained his unimpressed expression.
“Grumpy Snufkin is fun, don’t get me wrong, but I do miss cheerful Snufkin.”
“I’m not grumpy.”
“You are. Very grumpy.”
“I’m not. I’m displeased.”
“There’s a difference there?”
“Yes.”
“Well then, displeased Snufkin is fun, but I still miss cheerful Snufkin. I’m sure he’s in there somewhere.”
“No he’s not. The cheer has been buried under miles of snow and shan’t be seen again until it melts.”
“We can make the snow cheerful!”
Snufkin scoffed.
“We can! I shall find a way to make snow cheerful by the end of today.”
By this point Snufkin had pushed him into continuing their trek, which Moomin was enjoying making a show of looking like as much fun as possible.
“I’ll hold you to that.”
Moomin was busy thinking hard about another way to make snow cheerful when he heard it. A muffled thump, like someone dropping something very heavy. His ears swivelled around, listening as closely as possible. He picked up a low humming sound, like machinery, and an intermittent swooshing sound.
Snufkin had picked up that he was listening for something and was doing the same.
“What d’you think it is?”
Snufkin tilted his head.
“You know, I’m not sure.”
For some reason Moomin was a little surprised that Snufkin didn’t know.
“Let’s go check it out!”
Moomin altered their direction slightly to head in the direction of the noise, Snufkin hovering close by his shoulder.
It took them about half an hour to find the source of the sound, breaking the treeline on a slope and watching a hemulen in bright clothing skidding downhill on skis.
“Wow! A ski slope!”
Moomin was thrilled, he’d met a hemulen that liked to ski in winter before on his many winter adventures in Moominvalley and had always wanted to see an actual ski slope, one intended for skiing on. Snufkin was just content that it was nothing threatening.
It was hard going, through the snow and climbing up the slope. They kept to the tree line where the roots helped make footholds and the branches made the snow not quite so deep, but it was still hard work. It was worth it when they reached the top though.
There was a chalet up here, with a bunch of skis propped up outside and some other things that looked like they were probably meant for sliding down snowy hills on.
“Greetings fellows!” A hemulen in a bright orange outfit waved to them from the porch of the chalet, “Come to enjoy the slope?”
“More like stumbled upon it, really.”
“But enjoying the slope sounds like a lot of fun, now we’re here! I’m Moomin, and this is Snufkin.”
The three all shared a shake of paws.
“I’m Eddie, welcome to our little winter paradise!”
Eddie gestured with his arms to the chalet and slope, looking incredibly proud of the whole thing. Before either of them could really reply he led them on a tour of the place, pointing out the various things available to use for having fun on the slope, the strange ski lift that had been the cause of the humming noise they heard that pulled them back to the top, and offered them a spot inside to stay the night that they eagerly accepted. A warm place to sleep for a change was most welcome.
After the impromptu tour they joined a few of the others at a long dining table for an early supper of hearty soup and warm bread.
“So who owns this place?”
Moomin had never seen a place like this before, it didn’t seem to be anyone’s home and he was incredibly curious about the whole thing.
“No one really.” Eddie explained around a mouthful of bread. “It was built as a collective effort to provide a nice safe shelter for all us ski enthusiasts, this is just the perfect spot for it and having a proper place to stay while we’re here is invaluable.”
“Open doors for all winter sportsmen and intrepid travellers!” Another one of the residents chimed in.
“It’s beautiful, I’m glad we stumbled across it.”
Almost everyone went right back outside after the meal, not wanting to waste the last of the daylight, and after dropping their packs onto the large sofa they’d been offered to sleep on both Moomin and Snufkin shot back outside too.
“Y’know, it looks a lot steeper from the top like this…”
Moomin was hovering close to where the slope began, leaning over to look down.
“I suppose, although no steeper than Lonely Mountain in winter I imagine.”
Snufkin joined him, looking nowhere near as cautious as Moomin did.
To their left a group of 3 whooped loudly as they jumped onto some large tubes to slide down. The boys both watched them go, Snufkin with an amused smile and Moomin with curiosity.
“Wanna go too?” Snufkin looked back at his friend.
“Well. Yes, I do but it’s a bit nerve wracking…”
“Remember that time we had to go rescue your parents from the Groke, when Moominpappa decided to spend the night camping?”
Moomin remembered it very well. As scary as it had been, he’d had fun.
“Yes?” He had a feeling he knew where Snufkin was going with this.
Snufkin grabbed Moomin’s paw and tugged him along until they began to slide.
“Bend your knees and lean forward, remember?”
Moomin had begun laughing, following Snufkin’s lead and mirroring the pose he’d had back then.
They skidded and twirled with the winding ridges in the snow of the slope, laughing and holding each other upright. There was no way Moomin was letting go of Snufkin’s paw, not until Snufkin let go himself. He was having too much fun and enjoying it far too much for that.
Using the ski lift was an experience. It had strange swooping handles to grab onto that looped around the back of their legs to pull them back to the top, which had taken a few tries to master. Made all the more difficult when they were both wheezing with laughter at each other’s stumbling so much they could hardly focus.
On the third go down they joined in a couple of the others using the tubes, which went a LOT faster than just sliding down on their feet. The tubes were nearly impossible to control or steer, which resulted in one of their companions falling out of their tube entirely and sliding the rest of the way down on their back, with the rest of them colliding with each other in a desperate attempt to avoid also being flung from their tubes.
Their other companion ended up sprawled across 2 tubes, and Snufkin had ended up clinging onto Moomin in the same tube, everyone laughing loudly enough to echo off the hills.
All in all, it was a wonderful day and Moomin was reluctant to let it end, but the sun had set and everyone else had retired to the lodge for the night leaving just him and Snufkin lazily chasing the reflection of the lights dancing across the sky on the snow. It was a silly game, and utterly pointless as the movement of the aurora was erratic and unpredictable, but the colours were beautiful and if it meant he got to admire how very cat-like Snufkin looked sometimes when he leapt around and it was possibly the cutest thing he had ever seen then Moomin could quite happily ignore how childish it probably was.
They stumbled and danced back to the door of the lodge, revelling in the carefree joy of it all. It was a shame a day had to end, but any thought of prolonging it any further was chased away by the deep yawn that rattled through Moomin’s chest.
He flopped onto his blanket that he’d laid out on the large U-shaped sofa earlier that day and sighed, only just now noticing how tired and sore he truly felt from all of the excitement. He watched Snufkin kick his boots off before dragging his overcoat over his head without bothering to remove his hat and scarf first, resulting in him getting stuck for a few seconds before he grunted and shoved the offending articles of clothing off in a pile.
Moomin smiled.
Snufkin was such a wonderful creature. Even something as simple as dropping his clothes on top of his pack and boots on the floor he managed to make look cute. Sure, that was definitely just his love-sick heart tripping over itself because this is Snufkin and he thinks everything about him is wonderful, but right now he could not care less.
He shuffled himself into a more comfortable position, leaning back against the wall behind him with the pillow so he could see the whole room; the large windows that showed the icy mountains lit by the lights still dancing in the sky, the big fire that was the center-piece of the U-shaped sofa and was doing a wonderful job of keeping the place warm, the long dining table that now sat empty, and Snufkin sitting with his elbows over the back of the sofa and his chin resting on his arms, peacefully gazing out of the window.
That was the only downside to getting to sleep in the warmth and comfort of the lodge for a change. There was no excuse of the cold to use so that he might curl up with Snufkin in his arms to sleep, and he was going to miss it.
It was ridiculous, really. He’d slept the whole rest of his life without cuddling Snufkin and it really was plenty warm enough inside with the fire and blankets, but now he’d had a taste of what it felt like to fall asleep with his love so close he couldn’t help the feeling of cold he had despite it, nor the feeling of emptiness.
He supposed he’d have to get used to it. Once the weather warmed back up again there’d be no need to share a tent anymore, let alone sleep huddled together, and that particular thought stung a lot more than he had thought it would.
If he didn’t cut himself off from these thoughts soon they’d ruin what had been such a wonderful day, so he shuffled himself down with a final glance at Snufkin, sitting so close just beyond his own feet and yet seeming so very far away.
“G’night Snuf.”
Snufkin allowed himself a smile at his friend’s sleepy voice.
“Night Moomin.”
He didn’t dare turn to look at him. His gaze remained fixed on the scenery outside with bitter determination.
It wasn’t that he hadn’t enjoyed the day, he had, quite thoroughly! It was just that now it was time to sleep he had to face the fact that he had no excuse to bury his face in the softness of Moomin’s fur and enjoy the feeling of his arms around him. It was horribly selfish, taking advantage of his best friend doing his best to keep him warm in the icy winter temperatures in such a way, but they’d rather fallen into the routine of it and no one needed to know how much he enjoyed it. It was no one’s business but his own.
He was still coming to terms with it himself, if he was honest.
He’s Snufkin. Solitary vagabond who neither needs nor wants to be stifled by too much physical affection, and that is still true.
But… well, perhaps there were exceptions he himself had not previously been aware of. Physical affection from Moomin didn’t feel stifling. He thought it might, worried about it even, but the feeling of being suffocated by the closeness never came.
He supposed that it was because Moomin understood Snufkin.
It had taken him some time, particularly when they were younger and his friend was significantly more clingy, but they’d created their own kind of melody together that only they could hear. Moomin always seemed to just know when Snufkin was finding things a bit too much, or when being touched would make him uncomfortable, or even when what he really needed was a reassuring paw on his shoulder even when he didn’t know it himself.
The magnetic pull of his best friend finally proved too strong in the midst of such warm thoughts and Snufkin turned to gaze at him with a smile.
He really was a remarkable moomin.
A frown creased his eyebrows, glancing at the space between them. It was barely even a foot between where Snufkin’s knees were curled up and Moomin’s paws peeked out from under his blanket but it may as well be a mile.
Arguing with oneself was truly a tiring and ultimately futile pastime and Snufkin had had quite enough of it. Moomin would tell him if he was uncomfortable, he was sure of it. If he didn’t like Snufkin overstepping his boundaries and crawling over to lay with him then he would say so, very kindly he knew, but he would say so.
The only thing stopping him was the knowledge that it would crush him if he did ask him to move away. He wasn’t sure his heart could cope with that.
It wasn’t faring so well forcing himself to write the idea off either, though. In fact Snufkin rather thought he might cry soon, and that wouldn’t do at all.
His tail flicked anxiously and he glared at it for daring to express his turmoil.
Snufkin looked at Moomin again, admiring how utterly adorable he looked, and sighed.
You know what? To hell with it. His father had once told him that it was better to ask forgiveness than seek permission, for what fun is permission for a mumrik?
Constantly battling his own thoughts was frustrating and he was finding it difficult to come up with a good reason to deny himself something that made him happy.
And it did.
It did make him happy.
Thinking about how romantic their surroundings were right now, a warm lodge with a comforting fire and a beautiful mountain scene outside. It had even begun to gently snow.
Gingerly, Snufkin leaned over Moomin, looking for any sign that he might have noticed him moving closer and be uncomfortable with it.
None came.
He crawled up beside him, sliding down gently between Moomin and the back of the sofa and tucking his arms up against Moomin’s chest. It was exactly as warm as he knew it would be, and Moomin’s fur was blissfully soft under his paws.
He didn’t even try to suppress the smile that crept onto his face, there was nowhere else he’d rather be right now.
Moomin shifted a little and Snufkin went still, barely daring to even breathe.
He waited, for a confused exclamation or for him to kindly move away and put some space between them again, but neither of those things happened.
Instead Moomin seemed to look up and process how he found himself, before tucking his chin on top of Snufkin’s head and wrapped his free arm around his waist to settle back down.
Snufkin could have cried with joy. He didn’t mind this. Moomin didn’t mind his weird friend going against everything he had ever told him about himself and choosing to tuck himself against him.
A remarkable moomin indeed.
He took a deep breath and let his eyes slip closed, looping his tail over both their legs.