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“Just a little farther, dear, you can do it!” Moominmamma said, worriedly watching Moominpappa try and hang the fairy lights up on a tree, the other end of it already attached another tree.
“And-there we go!” Moominpappa exclaimed, finally hanging it on a hook they placed in the tree and hopping off the table he had climbed.
“Do we really need all of this?” Moomin asked, carrying a table out with Snufkin’s help, nearly dropping it once they made it out of Moominhouse.
“Of course it is!” Moominmamma responded, unfolding a tablecloth and spreading it out, “Today is a very important day for both of you, and I think we should all celebrate it with a hearty meal.”
“It hasn’t even been that long…” Snufkin muttered, embarrassed by all the work the Moomins were putting for him as well as Moomin.
“Hasn’t been that long? Why, It’s been one whole year since you’ve started dating Moomin, Snufkin!” Moominmamma, ever the supportive mother, happily said, adjusting the tablecloth, “I think that’s something we should all be excited for.”
“And excited we are.” Moominpappa said, nearing the group to hold Moominmamma’s paw and spinning her around, “Oh, it reminds me of when I first met your mother, Moomin. The drama, the passion, the love once my eyes met hers!” He dipped his wife, nuzzling her as she chuckled.
Snufkin and Moomin chuckled as well, moving the chairs so they can make space for their friends. Moominmamma wanted them to celebrate, but she understood that Snufkin wouldn’t be very comfortable with so many guests, so she chose to just have her, Moominpappa, Sniff, Snorkmaiden, Snork (if Snorkmaiden can get him to actually come) and Little My join them.
The sun had already gone to sleep when the celebration really did start and everyone (even Snork) came just in time for Moominmamma to set down the last bowl of food down. It was a meal that could fill the entirety of Moominvalley and everybody was very excited to have a bite of each and every food.
While everyone ate and spoke to one another, Moomin and Snufkin spoke to each other as if they were in their own little world. Sometimes, Moomin laughed at something Snufkin said or Snufkin would laugh at something Moomin said and no amount of leaning in or hiding in teapots could let anyone hear what it was they were saying.
(What they were talking about didn’t matter much either, as they were just happy to repeat “I love you.” and “I love you, too.” and anything else they could come up with that others would have just found to be very cheesy.)
They all gave up after Moominpappa told them to leave the two lovers to their own devices because “It’s just how sweet young love is, you see.” and the two lovers being spoken about pretended not to hear that as they felt themselves flush.
Moominpappa walked back to his house and came out with a surprise. The gramophone, the same one that Sniff had brought with him in the past, was repaired. Some parts of it were replaced with completely new parts as the ones that were already there were completely rusted over and useless.
Everybody oohed and aahed over the new parts, the gramophone itself a shiny new silver instead of the old gold it was. Then, the music began to play the tune they heard before and they spent their time eating listening to it, rocking back and forth to it and some humming as well.
Snufkin was whispering something, but not even Moomin could hear it, though the whispering followed the beat of the song. “Itsumo tsuyo gari bakari itteiru kimi demo...tama ni wa namida wo kobosu koto moaru hazu…”
“I didn’t know that Snufkin recognized this song,” Moomin muttered to himself, entranced by Snufkin’s voice. “Must be something else he learned while he was away.”
Before Moomin could ask Snufkin about it, Little My popped out of the other end of the table and Moomin yelped in surprise while an angry Sniff ran after her as she cackled. It turned out that she was tried and succeeded in putting salt in Sniff’s tea and Sniff wasn’t too pleased about it. As the two ran, everybody was left laughing until their sides hurt.
They all returned to eating, and Moomin and Snufkin began reminiscing about the (not so distant) past.
Now that they’ve time for themselves, they could recall the moment they confessed their love to each other so clearly.
(A guest recently left Moominhouse after they stayed there for a week, an arm that was once broken after falling down a section of the Lonely Mountains having finally finished healing itself. They thanked the Moomins and played the flute as they made their way out.
Moomin and Snufkin were together when the guest left, Moomin watching the stars and listening to the song that rang throughout the valley.
Snufkin, who seemed to recognize it, hummed, missing a few crescendos and decrescendos, but being able to keep up with it.
Moomin saw that the wayfarer’s eyes were closed, an expression on his face so peaceful he would’ve thought he was asleep if not for the faint humming. The moonlight reflected his face perfectly and Moomin couldn’t help but imagine just holding his freckle filled (and lovely, lovely ) face and kis-
Why was he thinking about that?! He slapped his face loudly enough for Snufkin to hear him. Snufkin opened his eyes and looked at Moomin, one eyebrow raised, “What’s wrong, Moomin?”
“Oh, uh, n-nothing.” Moomin stuttered out, “Just remembered something a little embarrassing is all.”
“Would you mind sharing it with me?” Snufkin asked.
Moomin knew that if he said no that Snufkin wouldn’t push him to say it, but maybe he was just tired, so he spoke anyway.
“Well, I was just thinking about how when Snorkmaiden and I were still dating we used to do this a lot, sitting under the stars I mean. We spoke a lot about the future, ridiculous as some of the things we wished for were. And now, I thought of the time I kissed her and I thought of kissing y-” Moomin felt like he was about to say something stupid and slapped his paw over his mouth. He must be even more tired than he thought if he were spilling his feelings right now!
The music didn’t stop, but Snufkin stopped humming to it, his eyebrow raised a little higher, “Kissing who, Moomin? Do you have an admirer I’ve yet to see?”
“No, no, not at all!” Moomin said frantically, waving his paw in the air in frustration. Oh, if he could just say it then maybe this entire ordeal can be buried and never seen again already! “B-but there is someone I’ve been trying to confess to…”
Something in Snufkin’s posture shifted, but Moomin wasn’t a master of body language, so he failed to notice it. Snufkin’s voice sounded as if his throat were closing up, “So you’re the admirer, huh?” He weakly teased, “Who’s the lucky one?”
“You! It’s always been you! I’ve always loved you so deeply and I don’t know how to say it to you!” His mind yelled, but his mouth was still shut. “I...I think you would know them.” Is what came out instead.
“Do I now?” The mumrik questioned, paw on his chin, “Are we friends?”
“You could say that,” Moomin said, paw scratching the back of his neck.
“Well, Moomin, you seem to be holding a lot of things back and, only if you’d like, you can tell me about this one you admire so much,” Snufkin said.
“Maybe if I’m careful enough, he won’t notice.” Moomin thought and it was very true that he had been holding this all back for so long, he was surprised that he hadn’t burst yet.
So, with a sigh and a deep breath, he spoke once more, “They are just so pleasant, Snufkin!” He started, “Since the day I met them, they’ve always been so kind to me and everyone else. They always do things to make me happy, even when I know that it goes against their nature at times, and they always treat me like I’m one of, if not, the most important creatures they’ve ever met! Everything about them is so perfect, too, from the music they play to the words of wisdom they have for me. I’ve always wanted to admit how much I love them, but I can’t do it! We’ve been friends for so long that I’m afraid that if I tell them they would reject me and I don’t think I could stand it if they did.”
Snufkin wiped away the tears that Moomin didn’t notice were there, “Now, now, Moomin, don’t cry. I’m sure that person loves you back dearly, and if they didn’t, then they may not be the one for you, after all."
“But that’s the problem!” Moomin yelled, “Because it’s you! ”
Oh.
Oh.
Oh.
Snufkin’s paw stopped, mouth open in shock. Moomin was doing the exact same thing, eyes wide and mouth open in a mix of horror, shock, and embarrassment.
“Moomin, I-”
“You don’t have to say anything, Snufkin, really," He said, his voice sounding as if his heart would break, "I...I know t-that you don’t feel the way I do, and it’s fine! It. It really is. You need your freedom and I-”
Before Moomin could continue, Snufkin paws were on his face, his own eyes beginning to tear up before he shyly gave a kiss to Moomin’s cheek, “You lovely moomin, you lovely, lovely, moomin. I...I’m sorry, for making you feel as if I didn’t return your feelings.”
Moomin’s mouth was still wide open, the music they listened to far away, his mind going a hundred miles a millisecond, “Wh-...wha-”
“Moomintroll, from the moment I met you I-” Snufkin gulps, “I had already fallen in love with you. You were so brave and so kind and so unlike anyone I’ve ever met in all my years that I found the chances of me falling in love with you so inevitable. And inevitable it was, because you are such a splendid thing and the thought of me being separated from you makes my heart ache so dearly. I love you, I love you so much, and I don’t know what to do.”
Moomin had never seen Snufkin cry so much. In fact, he’s never seen Snufkin cry. He began to wipe Snufkin’s tear, hushing him and hugging him tightly.
After a few minutes passed, both still in tears, Moomin said, “I’m...I’m so happy that you feel the same way. You have no idea how happy I am right now.” Moomin chuckled faintly.
Snufkin chuckled back, “Maybe even more than me?”
“Maybe. Maybe we love each other just as equally, too. We may never know.” Moomin replied, still refusing to let Snufkin go.
“Maybe.”
And just like that, the music seemed to return while the last embers of Snufkin’s campfire turned dark.)
“Snufkin! Moomin!” A voice snapped them out of their thoughts, “You’ve been staring at each other for ten minutes. Any longer and you both would probably be turned into stone already.”
“What is it, Little My?” Snufkin asked.
“Moominpappa got the gramophone to use the same record again and he’s been trying to ask you if you wanted to dance.” Little My tapped her foot, waiting for their response.
“Of course, we’ll be there in a second.” Moomin and Snufkin nodded and Little My was satisfied with their answer enough to leave and go to the dance floor,
The dance floor was a space a little farther from the table and most of the fairy lights hung there. Moominpappa and Moominmamma were already dancing together, while Snorkmaiden did her best to teach Sniff how to dance the samba. Snork preferred not to dance and sat on a hay bale, leaning on the tree behind it. Little My danced by herself.
“Shall we then?” Moomin asked Snufkin, paw outstretched.
“We shall.” Snufkin took Moomin’s paw and let him lead them to dance floor, where the middle of it all was empty, most likely on purpose.
The familiar song played as Moomin and Snufkin held each other, Snufkin’s paw on Moomin’s shoulder, Moomin’s paw on Snufkin’s waist. They weren’t the masters of the actual moves, so they opt to just move back and forth, left and right, spinning at random points. Moomin would hold Snufkin’s paw and let him twirl out of his arms then back now and then, too, and they would always giggle when they did.
During all this, Snufkin’s head was on Moomin’s shoulder, the song’s lyrics leaving his mouth in a language Moomin didn’t understand but found to be pleasant to listen to.
“Saa oide boku no tokoro e...chiisana sono te wo nobashite goran...yume no sekai e tsureteyuku yo sunao na kokoro dake ga areba ii...” Snufkin whispered.
Moomin did his best to copy his father and dipped Snufkin the moment the last lyric came out, making the mumrik yelp in surprise. He clung to Moomin, his claws digging into Moomin’s shoulder momentarily before he quickly let go.
“You have a beautiful voice, Snufkin,” Moomin commented.
Snufkin smiled, “All the more reason for me to continue singing, just for you.”
Moomin smiled back, lifting Snufkin back up to kiss him, eyes crinkling, “And all the more reason for me to love you even more.”