Chapter Text
Snufkin had never really been bothered by his solitary life. Sure, he did enjoy the occasional companion on his adventures, a clever Moominmanma more than willing to get her hands dirty, a fair Snorkmaiden to notice the more delicate details in nature, or an idiot named Sniff who just so happened to be good at spotting shiny things. But if he were never to have a companion on his adventures again he'd be more than fine with that.
In all honesty, Snufkin didn't understand how others didn't go insane surrounded by people. 11 o’clock brunch, 3 o'clock book club, o'clock tea time, it all seemed so overwhelming to him.
No Snufkin was just fine on his own, no one to tell him what to do or who to be, just him and the starry night sky.
Yet every spring he found himself heading back to the same valley with the same people. He didn't know what exactly it was that dragged him back to Moomin Valley each year, but again and again, he found himself coming back. Perhaps it was the beautiful views that the valley held, or perhaps it was the excellent fishing spots all over the valley, or maybe even the endless beautiful hills overrun with every color of the rainbow.
Or maybe it was Moomintroll.
Moomintroll was Snufkin's best friend, and the only person Snufkin truly deeply cared about. They would spend hours sitting on the edge of the creek fishing together and talking about everything and nothing. They were kindred spirits, two of a kind, peas in a pod.
Although Snufkin was adamant about wanting to be alone, a tiny small spec of him wished to stay with Moomintroll each wither. Cuddle up against his fluffy white fur as the two of them slept peacefully through the winter months.
But Snufkin knew better, he knew to push those kinds of thoughts to the deepest depths of his mind.
Spending the winter with the Moomins would make him miserable! Spending all this time in the same place curled up with one all safe a warm with one person, that would be utterly unbearable. He should know better than to let himself get too attached to the Moomin family.
He had learned the hard way he wasn't the family type.
So this spring just like all the others that came before, he headed towards the familiar silhouette of the Moomin house on the horizon, reminding himself he was there to enjoy the scenery and nothing more.
And like every spring he found Moomintroll waiting for him on the bridge, who's eyes lit up as soon as he saw him.
He jumped up excitedly running to the murmiks side eager to hear tales of his winter adventures. Snufkin could see him almost vibrating with excitement.
Snufkin couldn't lie, it was admittedly pretty nice to have someone care about him so much. To have someone overjoyed at the very sight of him, it was sweet. But he also understood that if Snufkin were never to return to the valley Moomintroll would quickly learn to move on.
He wasn't that important.
“Snufkin your back!” the Moomin said excitedly as Snufkin sat down to fish.
“How very observant of you, yes it does appear i have returned to the valley how about”
“Oh right of course s-sorry Snufkin” Moomintroll said awkwardly puffing out his chest slightly which caused snufkin to chuckle softly.
Things seemed perfect, just the two of them.
“so how was hibernation?” Snufkin asked casually looking at the calm river water.
Moomin groaned “Oh Tove, it was totally agony! I couldn't get a wink of sleep”
“How unfortunate a maiden like you needs their beauty sleep”
“Hey! i'm a masculine and mature Moomin thank you very much”
Snufkin chuckled slightly “i'm sure”
“Listen i wouldn't be having this problem if The Mymble hadn't shown up with all 30 of her children in the middle of winter!”
Snufkin stiffened up, his mother was here? That was definitely a less than ideal situation. He hadn't seen any of his family in almost four years, not since the fight with his pappa. And honestly he didn't plan to see them again any time soon.
“I see” Snufkin said awkwardly “How long will she be staying here”
“Me and Little My built her like a houseboat kinda thing? I don't know admittedly” he said with a shrug “but unfortunately we're still stuck with Little My, the ringmaster of the Mymble circus”
Snufkin cleared his throat, “how unfortunate”
Moomin tilted his head slightly confused “Do you know her? Met her on your travels or something?”
Snufkin shook his head as he quickly started to get up “What no of course not, listen don't worry about it Moomintroll”
“oh umm okay”
“Hey you know what, i haven't even set up my tent yet how forgetful of me, i should uhh go do that, yes i'm uhh going to go and uhh set up my tent”
“I thought you were fishing?”
“oh you know the fish aren't biting see you later Moomintroll” Snufkin quickly gathered his things heading off before Moomintroll could start asking any more questions.
How could he be so stupid! And why out of all his siblings did it have to be Little My!
Out of all his siblings Little My was the most gremlin like, which was honestly saying something. Seemingly never able to grow an inch she was the very definition of tiny but mighty, she'd completely annihilate you and then make you thank her for it. But that wasn't really what Snufkin was worried about.
Out of all his siblings, Little My was the only one who called him out for his actions.
Snufkin layed alone in a field not really motivated to put up his tent as he just mindlessly stared up at the sky, trying to think of something to do. Should he flee the valley? He definitely would miss the beautiful landscapes, but there plenty of other beautiful places in the world, and of course he'd miss his dear friend Moomintroll, but Moomintroll would move on eventually. They both would.
Just as Snufkin was considering running away again never to speak of his time in Moomin Valley, he was so rudely interrupted with an unwelcome, but familiar voice.
“Joxterpappa misses you you know” Little My was standing over him, her face an uncomfortable mix of anger and disappointment.
Snufkin rolled over to avoid her gaze trying to hide from the guilt hiding in his chest “well that's his problem”
“You're really not coming back are you”
“I don't intend to no” Snufkin sighed “besides your one to talk aren't you? I don't see you staying with mamma”
“I'm 18! Besides she knows where i am and knows i need some space” she popped into Snufkin's vision unexpectedly causing him to flinch slightly “You just ran away at age 12 without every saying why!”
“You wanna know why” Snufkin started as he started sitting up looking down at his significantly shorter sister, “it's because i like to be left alone! I don't want some annoying older sister telling me what to do! I want to do what I want when I want it! So why don't you just leave me alone!”
Little My tried to keep her normal face of mild annoyance at life itself, but snufkin knew his sister. He could tell she was hurt by what he had said.
But in all honesty Snufkin didn't really care.
Little My stormed off, and he didn't bother to watch her go.
None of this would have happened if he hadn't gotten so attached to this cursed valley! If he hadn't gotten so attached to Moomintroll!
He was supposed to be a traveler wasn't he! He should know better than to get so attached to people and places, he’d be moving onto new ones before he knew it.
So maybe, it was for the best if he gave Moomintroll some space, for both of their sakes.
Weeks passed and Snufkin didn't say a word to Moomintroll. Theyd occasionally meet eyes from the opposite side of river as Snufkin fished, but outside of that had had no interaction in the slightest.
This is what Snufkin wanted was it? Complete and total peace and quiet, no older sisters to tell him what to do, no mamma telling him when to go to bed.
No Moomintroll to worry about him.
He pushed the loneliness away, it was for the best, he and Moomintroll had incompatable lifestyles. It was foolish of him to ever have gotten so attached.
If only Moomintroll could understand that.
Although they'd rarely see each other face, that didn't stop Moomintroll from trying to contact him. He'd wake up to handwritten letters taped onto his tent asking him what was going on, begging him to come back. Snufkin prayed after a couple weeks the letters would subside but they didn't, they just piled up higher and higher, feeding into his guilt more and more.
Why couldn't he understand he had to do this!
And for the second time this curseded year, Little My decided to pay Snufkin an uninvited visit. He had just headed back to his tent after a fishing trip only to find her eating up his food supply, Snufkin yelped a bit before tripping on his own feet and falling butt first onto the ground.
This resulted in a crackle from Little My, “Oh my what a cool and independent loner you are, no wonder Moomintroll looks up to you so much”
“What do you want Little My”
“What! i can't just give my baby brother a visit”
“Not after i made it clear i didn't want to ever see you again” he growled, his cat like tail wagging dangerously.
“Listen i'm worried about you okay! Moomintrolls poor little heart is broken, he hasn't seen you in months!”
“I can't see him anymore, it's for both of our sakes”
“Oh so you ran away from Joxterpappa for his own sake too did you?”
“he was trying to control me!” Snufkin started to pant unaware of how much he had raised his voice.
“He was a father being protective!”
“Well I don't need a father to protect me!” Snufkin defended as he began to back towards the entrance of his tent.
“Snufkin-”
“What i'm just a kid? I'm going to get hurt?i'm going to make myself miserable? Stop beating around the bush and say what Pappa said why don't you! Why can't you just leave me Alone!”
Little My started to say something but Snufkin didn't hear what it was, he had run away.
Snufkin didn't really care where he was running to, he just needed to get away. Away from a sister who wouldnt just let him live, away from friends he didn't deserve. Just away from all of it.
He took a moment to crouch down to catch his breath before realizing he was completely and utterly lost. He had run deep into the forest where all the trees looked the same and the thick treetops made it impossible to see the sky.
It was beautiful, but a dangerous place to get lost in. There where many stories of people to enter the forest and never return.
At the very least he wouldn't have to worry about Moomintroll finding him here.
Carefully Snufkin took a step forward, the sound of rustling leaves beneath his feet. He observed his surroundings he had gotten himself into deep woods before, i'd be easy doing it again, he was the traveling tramp of nature wasn't he?
That's when he noticed it, a faint blue glow.
Hesitantly Snufkin walked to it trying to see if he could find some sort of landmark. As he pushed back the bramble to get a look at the origin of light he saw a truly magnificent sight. Glowing blue crystals of many different shapes and sizes bolting out the ground, he couldn't quite explain why but something drove Snufkin to get a closer look.
Loosing any and all thoughts of self preservation Snufkin picked up a crystal on the smaller side, roughly the size of his thumb resting it in his palm.
And then, everything went white.