Chapter Text
Life in moomin valley carried on as it usually did. The days grew longer as it headed towards midsummer, the weather bright and hot. Folk moved back into their homes or built new ones, gardens laid out, life moved on.
With the summer weather as it was, moomin and snufkin often slept on their porch in order to catch the breeze. It was a good place to hang out and spend lazy afternoons.
Moomin and his friends were spending one such afternoon on the porch, coming up with ideas for the rest of the summer. Snufkin was curled up against moomin’s side, the weather a good excuse for a deliciously lazy nap rather than often being unable to much more than sleep. He was recovering, but it felt slow. The fevers ebbed away and the headaches eased off as long as he didn’t try to read. He ached, he was weak and tired easily, and moomin had made him a cane that helped out quite a bit. If only Little My would stop stealing it.
So on this afternoon, snufkin dozed while the others talked and lazily sorted through a pile of pebbles and shells.
“-and there’ll be a big pile of sweet rolls too, according to mrs. hedgehog.” snorkmaiden mentioned, stringing shells to make a necklace.
“It sounds so good,” moomin sighed. “I wish I could go.”
“Hm?” snufkin looked up from under his hat. “Where do you want to go?”
“Oh, um, the midsummer bonfire, there’s going to be a big party.”
“Well, we should go then.” he sat up carefully, his hips complaining about the movement. “It sounds like fun.”
“What? Really? You hate parties.” oh he did. But-
“You want to go, so we’ll go. I’ll wear my nice clothes.” he hated parties- but moomin deserved it. He needed an evening of fun without worrying about him.
“Oh snufkin-” moomin sighed. Sniff made a gagging noise, but snufkin missed it.
“That’s wonderful!” snorkmaiden turned a delighted yellow. “We’ll all go together!”
“Are you sure about it, snufkin?” moomin asked later in the half-darkness of the summer night. “We don’t have to go.”
“We’re going, moomin-dear. Where’s my cane? Groke take her…” he grumbled, using the kitchen table to support himself. His knee ached horribly, and he wanted to put as little weight as possible on it. “You like parties. We’ll eat the snacks and drink rum punch. Are we out of honey?”
“There’s sugar in the tin.”
“Good.” he grabbed it and their tea cups. “Is joxter coming in for tea?”
“No, I think he’s asleep already.”
“More for us.” he set the teacups down on the table with the tin of sugar, then made his way back to the stove to get the kettle. Moomin watched, it was important to his husband to do things, even when it looked like it hurt and he wanted nothing more than to fuss and do everything for him. “Could you cut the bread?”
Moomin nodded and sliced them a few pieces, buttering it heavily, then after a moment of thought, added a slice of cheese. Snufkin made it back with the kettle, pouring hot water into the pot to steep. He finally sat down heavily, rubbing his leg.
“Is it bad tonight?”
“Not that bad.” he lied. “Do you think momma will make the cheese and sausage balls for the party?”
“You are not stealing and eating the entire bowl of them.” moomin chided softly, pouring their tea. “Just ask her to make a dish for you and a dish for everyone else.” something relaxed in his chest. This felt… normal.
“I might do that, they are very good.” he put sugar in their tea, two for each out of habit. He took a sip, then added more. Moomin smiled into his own cup. Snufkin had gotten such a sweet tooth, just like joxter.
“What?”
“Nothing. Just thinking about you.” he smiled and nibbled on his snack.