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Little My started it.
Well, that was a bit unfair. Really, it was some of the “upper set” who started it, some of the people who lived on the far side of the valley. Mrs. Fillyjonk's other friends, the ones who either had money or wanted people to think they did.
Apparently, there was a trend among some of them recently towards betting on things. Horseraces, mostly, it seemed. Something that had started outside the valley but made its way here.
But there was a scarcity of horses around Moomin Valley, so if they wanted to participate in the trendy fad, they needed to find other things to bet on.
There...wasn't much to bet on in Moomin Valley at all, really.
But like most fads, it was catching across the Valley, and sweeping everyone up in it.
So if there wasn't much to bet on, they would make things to bet on.
---XXX---
Snufkin had been on one of his short trips when the fad started.
He was walking back into the valley when he was drawn to the sound of shouting. Walking towards the sound until he crested a small hill, he found people crowded around the sides of one of the steepest hills of Moomin Valley, cheering and chattering loudly.
He made his way down to the bottom of the hill, where he could see Moominmamma, hoping to find some sort of sense in all of this.
“Oh, Snufkin,” she greeted happily as he came to where she was sitting, in the shade of a tent. Whatever was happening, at least she wasn't being taken advantage of this time, he thought. He was about ready to start snapping at people about that, despite his hatred of scenes.
But honestly, people took advantage of Moominmamma's sweet nature far too often, getting her to run about serving them, and he wasn't going to stand for it anymore. Bad enough when Moominpappa got caught up in things and didn't notice until too late...
“What's going on?” he asked, shoving the thoughts aside.
“That's right, you've been out, haven't you? It's the latest thing, apparently,” Moominmamma said, gesturing to the chair next to her. “Betting on things. Since we don't have horses to bet on like the upper set do wherever this started, people are, ah, improvising.”
Snufkin leaned around Moominmamma, looking towards the top of the hill that she pointed to, seeing a row of what looked like wheelbarrows with extra trimmings along a line, with people in goggles sitting in them.
“...that looks...rather unsafe,” he said uncertainly. “Several of those look like they'll fall apart before they get halfway down the hill. A helmet or two wouldn't be amiss, either.”
“That's why I'm here, dear,” Moominmamma said placidly. “No one could talk them out of it – you know how people get around here with something new – so I decided to set up a first aid tent.”
“At least they don't have you acting like a servant again,” Snufkin muttered, his earlier thoughts resurfacing.
He knew Moominmamma heard him, but she let it drop without comment. “I'm glad you're here, I might need the help,” she said instead. “Snorkmaiden and Moomin are with Pappa, watching. I'm sure they'll come to help when someone gets hurt, but, well...”
Snufkin nodded understandingly. They got caught up in things almost as badly as Moominpappa sometimes, if not worse.
“Racers! Take your marks!” someone up at the top of the hill shouted over the crowd.
Oh boy, here it went.
---XXX---
Things spiraled from there. Betting began to happen on smaller things. (After the spectacular results of the race, with its poorly made carts, Snufkin and Moominmamma were rather thankful. Snufkin didn't want to be known as having medical knowledge, and patching people up alongside Moominmamma wasn't going to keep it secret. But it was too much for her to handle that day, and it wasn't like anyone was seriously hurt.)
They were still setting up races, but...they were taking more time about building the carts, now, after every single one either overturned or fell apart in humiliating fashion on that first run.
Which meant finding other things to bet on. Smaller things. Less...potentially injurious things.
Snufkin was trying to ignore it.
And he did – up until the day he was fishing and heard arguing from farther along the bank.
“I've got money on five!”
“I say two!”
He looked over and saw a group of people with their betting boards. They saw him looking and called back.
“Young man, how many fish do you usually catch here?”
“Asking is cheating!”
“No it isn't, it's research!”
“What...are you...doing?” Snufkin asked slowly, fairly sure he knew the answer but not wanting to believe it.
They looked back at him as if he were the one asking the silly questions.
“Why, betting on how many fish you catch today, of course,” the one who'd first spoken answered. “Everyone knows you're an expert fisherman. But even the best can have a bad day, so it's a perfect thing to bet on.”
Flustered, Snufkin pulled down his hat and pulled in his line, retreating quickly into the trees as the betters called after him, cajoling and demanding and entreating that he come back.
---XXX---
Snufkin told Moominmamma, Moominpappa, Little My, Snorkmaiden, and Moomin about it over tea.
“So I...don't even...” he slumped onto the table, a green mass with his face hidden by hat and arms. “I can't even fish in peace.”
“You're welcome to eat here as often as you'd like, of course, until you feel you can again,” Moominmamma reminded him, patting his shoulder gently. “Oh, but poor Snufkin, it's not about that at all, is it?”
Little My was nearly vibrating with fury as the hat shook back and forth. “Hey Snufkin, wanna bet me how many of them I can bite for you?”
The hat shook as Snufkin laughed before peering out from under it. “Little My, no.”
“Little My, yes!”
“Well, I think it's awful,” Snorkmaiden declared. “Things are going too far. I thought everyone knew Snufkin needs his privacy by now!”
Little My was still staring at Snufkin. “Okay, Snufkin. I bet you I can make people leave you alone so you can fish in peace by the end of the week.”
Snufkin lifted his head again, looking at her over his arm. “No biting?”
“Without biting.”
“...I can't believe I'm considering this. What do you get if you manage it?”
“I can't just want to see my brother happy?” Little My questioned, smirking.
A smile was playing around Snufkin's lips as he said, “Probably not, or you wouldn't make it a bet.”
“Fine. You have to share the first fish you catch after you can fish again – cooking and all,” she declared. “I want a full fledged Snufkin-cooked fish dinner.”
“But what does Snufkin get if you don't manage it by the end of the week?” Snorkmaiden asked. “Don't be like that, Moomin, it's a bet,” she said when Moomin began to protest.
“A week without being able to fish,” Snufkin said morosely. “Probably longer if this fad goes on. Not much of a bet when everyone wants you to do it.”
Moomin reached over and rubbed Snufkin's back. It wasn't just that fishing was Snufkin's main way of feeding himself – here in Moomin Valley, he was more than welcome to eat at Moominmamma's table and he was very willing to do that – but it was his main way of finding time to himself, to relax and just be.
Little My was thinking deeply. “I have to clean your fish next time you do get to go fishing, and I have to stand guard until they leave you alone.”
Snufkin looked at Little My levelly for a moment, eying her outstretched hand.
Finally he sighed. “It's worth it. Deal.”
---XXX---
That was how Little My brought betting from the main fad to the rest of them.
Many of them didn't have money to bet with – it wasn't very useful in Moomin Valley, and some, like Snufkin, hardly ever had any.
But doing things? That they could do.
Like how Snufkin made fish for Little My after she successfully made the betters stop betting on how many fish he'd catch in a day, or whatever other things they might have come up with.
Snufkin didn't ask how – he was pretty sure he didn't want to know. All he really cared about was the results.
And the results were being left alone. A fish supper – even with the amount of fish Little My could put away – was nothing compared to that.
---XXX---
Most of their bets were silly.
Bet you can jump this stream. (Three of them could, but Sniff lost his balance, dragging himself, Snufkin, and Moomin into the stream. Sniff had to pay the forfeit by himself, protesting that they'd all gone in the water the entire time while Little My pointed out snappishly that they only went in when he pulled them.)
Bet you can catch Stinky. Bet Mrs. Fillyjonk mentions Snufkin sitting outside, playing his harmonica, somehow during tea. Bet you can't wake Joxter up from his nap.
The sillier, the better.
---XXX---
Little My glanced up at Moomin. “Didn't you have a growth spurt over the winter?” she asked.
Moomin started, as he'd been dozing, listening to Snufkin's harmonica as he leaned against Snorkmaiden.
“I know it, and Snorkmaiden too, but Snufkin's stayed the same. He used to be able to carry you around.”
The harmonica paused, and Snufkin eyed them. “I don't think I'd like to try it now,” he said evenly.
“Aw,” Moomin said, ears drooping. “I loved when you did that.”
“...bet you tonight's dessert you can pick Snufkin up now,” Little My said, a devious gleam to her eyes that Moomin was oblivious to – but Snorkmaiden noticed. “Bet Snorkmaiden can, too.”
“Little My...” Snufkin began.
Moomin was already on his feet, turning towards Snufkin. Snufkin had about two seconds to decide if he'd go with it or run – and if he'd protested Moomin would have stopped, he was sure – before Moomin's arms were scooping him up.
Moomin lifted him easily, and hefted Snufkin in his arms, bouncing him gently. “Are you eating enough?” he asked in concern as Little My snickered and Snufkin hid his blazing face under his hat. “You're so light.”
Snufkin didn't have the words to answer. Everything had narrowed down to the feeling of being held, of having Moomin's arms around him and being held up as if he weighed nothing. Anyone else had tried this and they wouldn't have managed, finding themselves with an armful of furious, bitey, pointy mumrik, but for Moomin...
“My turn,” Snorkmaiden said eagerly, holding out her arms with grabby paws, and Snufkin was reluctantly passed over.
It seemed Snorkmaiden also made the list, as he couldn't bring himself to protest as the transfer was made beyond an embarrassed little noise he would forever deny making.
“Oh, he's right, we need to feed you more,” she said once Snufkin was securely in her arms. “You're a very cute little package, though,” she whispered.
“Okay, down now,” Snufkin said, feeling as if his face were afire.
Snorkmaiden hurried to set him on his feet, worried she'd crossed a line. Snufkin's face, what she could see of it under his hat, was still redder than she'd ever seen it, so she let it drop. He glanced up at her before hiding again, and she knew him well enough that if she had upset him, he'd let her know...but it wasn't upset she glimpsed on his face.
But even if she let it drop for now, underneath, she had a burning desire to do that again, and glancing at her boyfriend and the way he was looking at his paws, flexing them silently, she knew she wasn't the only one.
---XXX---
No one knew just what Little My and Snufkin had bet on – most of them hadn't thought Snufkin could be induced to bet on anything, given his attitude towards the whole thing.
And they didn't know how Little My got it.
All they knew was that Little My and her sister were very smug and, in Mymble's case, giggly while Snufkin wandered about the Valley in the frilliest, most be-ribboned dress any of them had ever seen.
His main complaint about the whole thing was that he kept getting it snagged on things. That, and between the tight sleeves and layers of petticoats, he could barely move.
If they were trying to embarrass him, it didn't work. But it seemed they were more concerned with playing dress-up with their little brother, who was tolerating it with a great deal of amusement.
A few words from Moominmamma, and an agreement from Snufkin, and a few days later there was a dress in his tent, not made of new fabric but of many patches of old, already feeling soft and worn, and another dress stored in Moomin House for him, green like his smock but with ribbons at neck and hemline in blue and gold.
Moominmamma did love to sew, and she rarely got the chance.
---XXX---
Snorkmaiden grinned at Moomin in triumph, and his stomach hit his throat as she prepared to lay out the terms of the bet to him. “You lose, and you have to tell Snufkin how you feel about him.”
“What‽” Moomin yelped. “Ah, Sn...Snorkmaiden, what do you mean?”
“I mean,” she said, her fur flushing toward an annoyed red, “that I've known you had a crush on him for years. I mean that I thought you were dating him about as long as you've been dating me, only to find out that you hadn't even told him how much you admire him. I mean, I want to date him too, and that can only happen if the two of you stop all of your pining and get your act together and tell him that you love him. Because I know you love me, and I love you, and I'm confident enough in that to tell you to go tell Snufkin that you love us both. Because he's so worried about how we all feel, he and I haven't hung out nearly as often as we used to, and I want my chaos team – do you have any idea what he, Little My, and I could do? That's what I mean. And if you lose the bet, you have to finally tell him!”
“But...but...Snorkmaiden...I...but...” Moomin sputtered.
Snorkmaiden planted her fists on her hips, glaring at her boyfriend. “Moomin, are you going to stand there and pretend like you haven't spent every year since we met Snufkin pining for him during the winter? Like you haven't been as in love with him as you have with me? Because I'm basing at least some of this on the way you look at both of us, and you look at him the way you look at me.”
Moomin flushed red, playing with his tail, and Snorkmaiden relented. “Maybe you'll win the bet. And then you could keep pretending like you don't wish you could cuddle up with both of us.”
“Well...I didn't say I was taking the bet!” Moomin said.
“Aren't you? Do you think I won't tell Snufkin eventually if you don't? You know what I'm risking, do you think it's worth it?”
Moomin considered it. It was a pretty big risk...
“How could I face Snufkin if he doesn't feel the same way? What if he decides to stop coming to Moomin Valley after I tell him because he doesn't want to be tied down or face me when he doesn't feel the same? What if, if he...”
Snorkmaiden grabbed Moomin's shoulders. “Moomin. You're spiraling. It'll be fine. I can just about guarantee it. And maybe you'll win the bet. It's a possibility.”
“Did he take it?” Little My asked, popping up from behind a rock and making both Moomin and Snorkmaiden jump with a yelp.
“Oh, come on,” Little My groaned when Snorkmaiden shook her head. “I want them to quit with the pining already!”
She glared up at Moomin. “Just take the bet already. You should know by now that Snufkin wouldn't want you to hide how you feel.”
“But if he doesn't...”
“He cares enough about you he'd let you down easy,” Little My said, rolling her eyes. “And he wouldn't stop being your friend. Do you know what he told me one time? I asked him how many places he goes back to regularly. Do you know what he said?”
“There have to be lots,” Moomin said, pulling at his tail.
Little My shook her head. “He only comes back to Moomin Valley. The others are a maybe, and he doesn't do it on purpose unless he has a good reason – like the little trading post he hits on the way back to pick up that tea Snorkmaiden likes so much. You know, the one no one else could get before Snufkin went out of his way to get someone supplying it to him?” Little My wiggled her brows at the suddenly very pink, very stunned Snorkmaiden.
(She didn't just like the tea – she loved it. It was almost something she'd wanted for the idea of it as much for how much she loved the taste of it. And she'd never told just what it meant to her, what it did to her heart, how much of the reason she loved it was that Snufkin went out of his way to bring it to her after that year when he'd picked some up with his random supplies and made some for them all, gifting her the rest of the bag later. But she'd thought it was a spot he had already made a habit of stopping at, not something extra special.)
“Just take the bet,” Little My shot at Moomin. “Why are you being so silly?”
“You're being silly!” Moomin shot back. “But fine! And I'll win your silly bet!”
“...he does?” Snorkmaiden asked into the silence surrounding Moomin's statement.
Little My grinned smugly. “Oh yeah he does. Gives you a bit more hope, doesn't it?”
“Wait...this is the only place Snufkin comes back to?” Moomin asked, that fact only now sinking in just as the ramifications of the tea were still sinking in to Snorkmaiden. “I thought...there's so many places to see...”
Little My nodded. “And he wants to see as many of them as he can. But every year, here he is, back in Moomin Valley. Must be something...or maybe a few someones...bringing him back, don't you think?”
“I...I can't think about it right now, I have a bet to win!” Moomin sputtered before racing off.
The two women watched him. “So...think he can win this one?” Little My asked.
“I don't think so. And I certainly hope not, or I'm going to have to take even more drastic measures,” Snorkmaiden said. “...about this trip Snufkin makes...”
Little My smirked. “Oh no, I said too much already. You want to know more, it's your turn to talk to Snufkin.”
---XXX---
Moomin took a deep breath.
This wasn't so bad. It was just a bet. He could do this.
...who was he kidding, Little My had to have come up with this, there was no way Snorkmaiden could have been this devious on her own! This was impossible to win!
He slumped onto the river bank, tossing a rock into the water, torn between irritation and anxiety.
He'd never hear the end of it if he lost the bet and didn't go through with his forfeit...and yet, what if they were wrong, and Snufkin did stop coming?
Wasn't it better to pine in silence than to drive Snufkin away?
But they were right, too...Snufkin wasn't very good with emotions, better with facts and logic, but he valued honesty. He'd rather know, wouldn't he?
Well...maybe Moomin would win this bet and he wouldn't have to find out until he was good and ready!
Once again determined, Moomin shoved himself to his feet and set off.
---XXX---
Moomin stared in dismay.
The bet was officially lost, and what was more, Little My and Snorkmaiden had seen him lose.
Not that he would have lied about it, really, it was just...he could have maybe bought himself some time?
The two of them stood watching him, smiling smugly.
Snorkmaiden took Moomin's hand and began to lead him away.
“Snorkmaiden, wait!” Moomin cried, pulling against her hand.
“You're not getting out of it, Moomin,” Snorkmaiden said sternly.
“But it should be special,” Moomin protested. “I mean...starlight and pretty words. He deserves that.”
Snorkmaiden paused. “He does,” she said slowly. “...but not too big, he wouldn't like the pressure. Oh, I didn't think this would be so complicated,” she complained. “We should have just demanded you do something silly.”
“No we shouldn't,” Little My snapped. “I'm sick of the three of you pining. We have enough trees around here as it is. Look, I know my brother, all right? Give him the pretty words but not too fanciful or he's not going to be sure you mean them.”
The two looked at Little My in surprise.
“You're...actually going to help us?” Moomin said.
Little My rolled her eyes. “You're all going to be insufferable if you mess this up, so somebody has to make sure you do it right. Look, he doesn't think it's fair to care about him since he has to leave every winter. I don't think he could hibernate.”
“It's not fair of us to ask him to,” Moomin said. “He...he has to travel. We can't ask him to stop.”
“Good!” Little My snapped. “Make sure you tell him that!” She paused, scowling. “He's told me things I can't tell you, but you make sure you tell him you love him and that you're not going to try and tie him down, and that it's up to him. Just...you be careful with my little brother. And you tell him tonight, got it? There's a good view of the stars from the beach, try there. Two of the things he loves best in one place.”
“Little My, you're a genius!” Snorkmaiden exclaimed. “Come on, Moomin, let's go talk Snufkin into going for a walk with us tonight.”
---XXX---
Snufkin glanced up from what he was doing to look at them oddly when they invited him for a walk on the beach, tonight after dark, but after a moment he shrugged and agreed to meet them.
---XXX---
He was waiting by his tent for them, and they walked to the beach together.
The moon shone gently over the waves, reflecting back the starry sky until one could barely tell where sea ended and sky began.
They walked along the shore, just out of reach of the waves, until they came to a small outcropping that they settled down on.
The night was chill, so they got up after a bit to collect driftwood for a fire. The driftwood flames burned in shades of green and purple, reflecting off of Moomin's white fur and Snorkmaiden's hopeful gold, and they all were careful not to breathe in the smoke.
“Ah, Snufkin...” Moomin began, playing with his tail when Snufkin turned to look at him for a moment. “I...you know, right, that no matter what, we wouldn't try to make you stay if you didn't want to? That we get now that you need to travel and see things? And have time alone?”
Snufkin made a little hum, looking into the dancing colors of the flames. “You used to say that. But I think you understand it more now than you did then,” he said.
“I just...wanted you to be sure,” Moomin said, still picking at his tail. “I know you said once about not wanting to get attached or be tied to someplace, and...oh, I don't know if I can do this.”
“I did. And...” Snufkin paused, staring into the flames, while Snorkmaiden and Moomin waited with bated breath. “I don't feel tied down anymore. It's changed from an anchor to a home port.”
Moomin's ears perked up. “That's great!” he said.
Snufkin smiled gently and reached over to pull Moomin's tail from his paws. “What did you need to do? You should before you pull your tail bald.”
“Oh, I, ah,” Moomin faltered. “I...When we first met, I had a really strong crush on you. And I thought it went away, but it didn't. It just got stronger. Until I finally realized that I...I'm in love with you, Snufkin. With you, not an image but the real you.”
It was one of the few times Moomin saw Snufkin taken aback. “Ah, but...” he glanced over at Snorkmaiden. It was difficult to tell what color she was in the many colors of the burning driftwood, but she didn't seem upset...which, considering she'd just heard her boyfriend express love for someone else, Snufkin thought she should have been.
“Snorkmaiden knows. And she knows I love her, too. It's...I love both of you, Snufkin. You're so different, but I'm so in love with you both. And I'm scared of losing either of you, and I...Snorkmaiden got me to tell you so you don't leave trying not to come between us, and even if you leave now at least you'll know. I mean, I don't know how you feel and if you don't feel the same then we can try to pretend it didn't happen but I had to tell sooner or later.”
There was silence on the beach, broken only by the crackle of the fire and the soft crashing of the waves.
Moomin bit his lip, trying to hold the tears at bay.
And Snufkin leaned against him.
“How are you so sweet?” Snufkin said quietly. Moomin went still as he felt Snufkin's smaller paw entwine with his, and Snufkin brought their clasped paws up to press a small, mumrik kiss to the back of Moomin's.
“Does that mean yes?” Snorkmaiden asked, almost trembling with eagerness.
Snufkin held out a paw for hers, and she shuffled closer to take it, flushing a deep pink as he pressed a kiss to the back of hers. “It does, Princess. I've been in love with both of you for so long, I just hid it so I wouldn't hurt either of you or get hurt.”
“I guess we'll all need to work on communicating,” Moomin said softly. “Or this could be really hard.”
“That's already going to be hard, Dove,” Snufkin said, his blush half hidden by the fire as he finally said the nicknames he'd kept close to his heart out loud. “It's not...something I'm good at.”
“Wait, you already had nicknames for us?” Snorkmaiden exclaimed.
Snufkin chuckled, blushing harder. “Well I didn't want someone like Little My figuring out who I was talking about in my notebook.”
“Oh, that's so unfair, you're so far ahead of us,” Snorkmaiden teased. “Moomin, we have to come up with one for Snufkin!”
“Starshine? No, too long, hm,” Moomin said as Snufkin laughed and protested.
Snorkmaiden joined in, testing out names as Snufkin blushed harder and kept laughingly protesting. “Kitten? Bird? No, wait, he comes back in spring, so something springlike...”
“Blossom!” she and Moomin chorused. They leaned in, and kissed Snufkin on the cheeks as he giggled.
“Do I get a vote in this?”
“Nope! We didn't vote on ours, either, and you're pretty as a blossom,” Snorkmaiden said brightly.
“It's better than kitten, my mother keeps calling my father that,” Snufkin said. “Then again, he keeps calling her Sunshine, so there's that.”
Snorkmaiden cooed as Snufkin made himself comfortable, leaning against Moomin once more.
The three of them sat there until the fire died down and the skies began to lighten, sleeping in a soft pile until woken by the sun.
The next morning, when the three of them appeared together at breakfast and Little My finished whispering something in his ear, Moominpappa quietly slid something small to a silently smug Moominmamma while the three of them gaped at her.
She chuckled softly and stroked Snufkin's hair, as he was closest to her at the moment, before disappearing into the kitchen.
Never bet against the house – or Moominmamma.