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It was a sleepy day in MoominValley, having just rolled into late afternoon. The sun was still high in the sky, with bumblebees floating from one flower to another and the river at a lazy crawl under the bridge. A little way up the river, lay Snufkin half asleep, his hat obscuring his face. He has been left to his own devices today as the others has rushed off to the beach in search of seashells and treasure. He'd simply requested if he could stay by the river and fish today, which Moomin had heartily accepted.
"Of course Snufkin, I'll bring you back a pretty shell, maybe we can weave them into a wreath for your hat?" Moomin had exclaimed earnestly.
Smiling to himself underneath his hat, Snufkin reckoned they'd be back soon, then they could get to work on the wreath, preferably alone. He was so busy in his own thought's, he had not heard the soft rustle of footsteps come up alongside him.
"Ah, I shouldv'e guessed you'd be down here, asleep." A soft yet slightly snarky voice came as Snufkin quickly removed his hat, only to see Mymble staring down at him with a slight smirk.
"Oh." He sounded disgruntled, not how he wanted to sound. Well...maybe a little, but he wasn't used to seeing Mymble without My to argue with, not usually at least.
"Charming as ever I see, can I sit?"
Snufkin quickly sat up, taking in surprise after surprise. "Uh...sure" Mymble? Outside? Sitting on the ground? Without a blanket? Was she ok? She didn't seem upset...no break up then.
As he was quizzing to himself, Mymble took a seat beside him, the space separating being broken up by Snufkins fishing bucket, holding a few lazily swimming minnows. She carefully adjusted her dress over her legs and boots, looking for the least dirty patch of grass to settle on, her tail helping her keep somewhat propped up. Mymble held her gloved hands as she sighed a little, taking in the smell of the wild flowers growing around them. Picked by Snufkin earlier after Moomin's request. He was back to glancing at her, taking in her heavily clothed appearance. He never quite understood that about Mymbles, head to toe had to be covered, masking away their more animal like features. It had been hot earlier that day, enough for him to remove his coat as he sat there in his shirt and trousers. His coat was placed ready to quickly be shrugged on if the others came back, quick enough to hide what he didn't want seen.
"Your still of few words then?" Snufkin snapped to attention as Mymble looked at him with slightly raised eyebrows.
"Uh-"
"Still" Cutting him off, Mymble looked out to the river, "I thought you'd be with your friends and My. I suppose their busy?"
"At the the beach...I need to fish for supper" Snufkin murmured, not quite used to small talk. Moomin either let him talk at his own pace or he listened along to his chatter.
"I see...that makes it easier then. Some of your friends are a little stubborn to leave you alone to talk."
"Alone?" Alone? Why alone? What was going on?
Giving a forced smile, she plucked a daisy and twirled it between her fingers. "I came to tell you Mother is visiting soon." She glanced towards him, trying to catch his facial expression.
Scrunched up in light disgust. Not Surprising.
Snufkin let out a small sigh and grabbed his fishing rod, about to reel in his line, ready to run off back to his tent. "Is she really?" His voice was at a monotone, how he liked it. Especially when talking about family. He wanted to run away, he could call Moomin later tonight and make wreaths under the moonlight, it would be quiet and he could tell him about the constellations-
"She wants to know if you'll be seeing her this time?" Butting in again, Snufkin thought to himself, annoyed. He remained silent as he began to reel in his line.
Mymble let out a laugh, "Running away is the answer I'm going to be getting isn't it?"
Silence.
I'll just run away, she can't follow me to my tent. Too dirty, she would want to dive into the river just setting foot near it. His thought's were getting the better of him again, a gloved hand quickly swiped the fishing rod from him as he looked up surprised. Mymble had leant over and now held it tightly.
"Im not leaving without my answer Snufkin."
"What if you don't get it?"
"Well, looks like I have a new fishing rod!"
"Hah!" Snufkin let out a laugh. "Please, you'd just fall in love with a fisherman rowing past, typical as always."
"At least I admit my loves, not keeping them hidden away...." Mymble took note of the coat laid beside him, his tail now loose and flapping in annoyance. "Still not told him about your tail? I thought you weren't one for secrets? Oh dear, lovers cro-OW OW OW!"
Snufkin had reached over and was now tugging her ear, hoping Mymble would loosen her grip on his fishing rod. Instead she tightened it and grabbed at Snufkins tail, giving it a hard yank. He let out a yowl and let go, scrabbling away from her. Typical.
"Your not running away like usual, your giving me a straight answer!" Mymble crossly said, rubbing her ear. "Mother wants to see you."
"Well what if I like running away, seems alot easier. You don't have to be at her beck and call like you always are you know!" Snufkin all but shouted back, having been pushed to his limits. Why did she have to be so...so....so much of a sister.
"What if I don't have a choice?!" Mymble angrily looked at him, forgetting to act civil. "Not every one of us is the golden child you know, some have to fight for our freedom away from the others!"
"I didn't have a choice in the matter! I was left behind! You try being left in a basket!" Snufkin spat.
"Please, Mother does that all the time. She always go back the kids she leaves behind, but she admired you of course, 'Just like his father', blah blah blah. You would've just ran away like you used to anyway, not giving consideration for those older than you. Trapped looking after the little ones until we could finally leave on our devices!" Breathing in out, the daisy now crumbled in her hand from tightly holding the fishing rod, she allowed herself to breath.
Snufkin did too.
Silence.
Staring at the daisy dotted grass below him, Snufkin plucked one. Then another. Then another. Clumsily tieing them together, he started a small daisy chain. Mymble glanced over, watching him lost in his thoughts again, as usual. He really was strange, typical of a mumrik however, like his strange father. Snufkin was missing his piercing eyes and dark hair though, along with the sharp features on his face. No, begrudgingly for Snufkin, he had the features of his Mother, down to the light dusting of freckles on his nose. His auburn hair wasn't the bright clashing orange of her own, but their were streaks of orange to be seen when he wasn't hiding under hat. His clothes were messy and unkept with holes, but normally clean, his green coat would often get a new patch on the daily and stunk of tobacco. Typical for Snufkin though, he did everything he wasn't supposed too, include smoke. She watched as messily tied the daisys together, one breaking. He swore. Typical.
Mymble let out a small laugh and set the fishing rod down gently, quickly shuffling on her knees beside him and taking the daisy chain from him. It was messily made, some petals had been crushed accidentally and gaps had been left along the chain at random intervals.
"I'd of figured we'd taught you better when we were small to make these"
"You know I never quite caught the hang of it..." Snufkin mumbled, the monotone having almost left his voice and back to his usual tone that Mymble used to know well.
Mymble laughed, "I suppose that's why you leave it up your friends to make them, Moomin does seem clumsy but he can be crafty when he wants to be." Quickly repairing the small chain, she fixed it together to make a small garland, dropping it over his hat. Snufkin gave a small nod to her.
Silence again.
Mymble breathed out a sigh, glancing back at the river. "I'm sorry I snapped a little...Mother visiting is always a busy time. Especially with her wanting to see our new home...she may be forgetful but quick to make judgements. Once an opinion sticks, it's hard to get rid of it...he hasn't been around much either. She's been a little lost..."
Snufkin breathed out. He. Joxter. His Father. He hadn't surprised Snufkin from a bush lately, in fact he hadn't seen him since winter....hiding in a tree as usual. Maybe he was trying to find something...or had simply lost sense of direction. That happened sometimes. He smiled sympathetically, thinking how much he doted on Mother.
"Mamma must be missing him then..."
"Mamma?" A smug smile creeped onto Mymbles face, her eyes lighting up with glee. Snufkins face flushed red, looking down quickly. Damnit. Caught off guard.
Mymble laughed loudly and knocked his hat off his head, ruffling his messy head of hair. "That cool demeanor of yours is so quick to be broken, as usual eh Snuf? Y'know your always goin' to be a Mamma's boy." Her laughing continued as his eyes glinted, noting her voice change.
"Just like the way your voice changes when your caught off guard?" Laughing into his hand as he noticed her snap to attention, clearly annoyed to be caught out herself. Mymble shrugged and crept beside the pail, looking inside at the fish swirling. "Well I hope this will be enough for you at least...maybe you can codger some food outta Moominmamma...". Removing her glove to expose her paw, she quickly swiped into the bucket, quickly pulling out a small fish into it. "Not even that big...." She noticed laughing behind her again and glanced back.
"Your so quick to drop your airs and graces!" Snufkin grinned, showing his teeth at their best. "Maybe we are more similar than we want to be...". He took a hold of his hat and placed it back on his head, the daisy garland still resting in place.
Mymble smirked and let go of the fish, adjusting her glove back on. "Never." They both let out a small laugh as they stood up, one dusting themselves down and grabbing their coat. Another grabbing the fishing rod and pail of fish.
Snufkin stretched and glanced to MoominHouse, seeing the doors opening and closing as he saw his friends running inside, back from their trip to the beach. Then a small white blob ran out the door again, starting down the hill towards them.
Sighing, she glanced at her brother as he stared after the Moomin. Typical, she thought to herself. "Anyway!" She exclaimed aloud, butting into Snufkins thoughts again as he glanced towards her. "I still didn't get an answer..." She waved his fishing rod at him, "And I still have this held hostage".
He laughed back at her as he shrugged his coat back on, quickly hiding his tail.
"Maybe"