Chapter Text
The sun was shining brightly in the sky, gleaming down its hot rays upon the valley. It was surprisingly still quite humid for it being so late in the afternoon. Moomintroll,a fellow who looks to be in dull spirits, walks beside a lovely Moominlady in a red and white striped dress with frilly white sleeves that flows out loosely around her perfect round figure and almost reaches the ground due to her short Moomin legs. This is of course Moominmamma. She, contradictory to Moomintroll, looks rather calm and pleased, holding a basket. The two of them are walking into the merchant area by the pier/docks. It's a place full of bustle and commotion and life from sun up to sun down. Creatures of all kinds sell food or trinkets or clothing from near and far, and there's many strange sights and sounds all around! However, none of this seems to interest Moomintroll. He seems to look quite bored, and is already a bit sweaty despite their recent arrival.
"Mama, why must you always bring me grocery shopping with you? It's so boring! And not to mention hot." Moomintroll groaned, fanning himself. He was wearing a long sleeved white shirt with a loose black tie. The shirt was tucked into dark teal pants and his tail flicked irritably behind him.
"Because dear," Moominmamma said calmly, picking up an apple from a fruit cart to inspect it. "I need help carrying groceries sometimes. Plus it must be more fun than sitting in your room all day." She smiled, handing the merchant a coin and putting a couple shiny red apples in her basket. Moomintroll sighed.
"I enjoy my room just fine."
"Since you find it so boring to get the ingredients I use to cook you dinner," Moominmamma chuckled "Why don't you go off and explore the shops yourself? You never get yourself a thing." She reached into the pocket off her dress to pull out three little coins, dropping them into Moomintroll's hand.
"Hm. I suppose that's not such a bad idea, Mama." Moomin looked at the coins with raised brows Moominmamma smiled and gave him a little moominkiss on the nose.
"Good, now be off with you dear. I'll find you when I'm done."
"Yes Mama!" Moomintroll smiled, finally, and turned to trot off in the direction of the trinket/clothing merchants. He rarely got to go off on his own, despite being a grown Moomin. He liked spending most of his time in his room or in the woods rather than near the ocean or the pier. He used to walk with his Papa and watch the ships go by from the pier, wishing he could get on one and sail on his own adventures like his Papa used to! However, Moomin accepted those are just silly wishes and it's much too dangerous to do such nonsense. With one of his coins, Moomintroll bought himself a little black fan with painted gold designs on it. He had to beat this summer humidity somehow. Fanning himself as he looked around for anything else that would catch his eye, he wandered over to the end of the pier where dozens of boats and ships of all sizes loaded up with goods or just sat floating with the ocean's waves bobbing them peacefully. Merchants, explorers, pirates, civilians- all kinds of people hurried about around him tending to their own business.
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, it was just a normal busy day in Moominvalley. However, something caught Moomintroll's eye. A shiny glint of blue grabbed his attention from where he stood idly fanning himself, and what he saw made his brows raise high. The blue thing Moomin saw was a bright blue feather that dangled from a gold string, which was some sort of earring. Then Moomintroll notices a head of shiny bronze hair that glistened in the late afternoon's orange light. A hand reached up to wipe sweat from a strong, dark brow. The hand lead to a frilly white ballooned sleeve. Moomintroll shook his head to snap himself out of staring, but then got right back to it.
The stranger was wearing a green coat that flared out in an interesting way, and was on one knee tying off a boat to the hook on the dock. He was also wearing an interesting hat, a tricorne hat with a long orange feather and a puffy white one. With an exasperated sigh, the stranger finished tying the knot and fell back onto his rear, pulling his hat off and fanning himself with it. His hair was very messy, but in a charming way. He stared down for a moment, then suddenly looked up at Moomintroll, his dark, coffee colored eyes piercing through Moomintroll and making the troll let out a gasp in surprise. He quickly turned away, blushing brightly and fanning himself aggressively, embarrassed and ashamed of staring as long as he did. He hurried back to the merchant area, sighing and leaning against a large wooden pole that kept the pier secure.
"Why ever was a staring like that? That was rather rude. Hm." Moomintroll thought, glancing out over the ocean. "That fellow was odd. Not- well not odd per say? There was just something about him that caught my attention. Hm." Moomintroll furrowed his brows and he remembered that bright blue feather and those piercing dark eyes.
"Was there something you needed?" A voice cut through Moomintroll's thoughts, causing the clumsy troll to let out a screech and jump. Stumbling back and losing his secure standing against the pole, Moomin shrieked as he fell back towards the water. Luckily, the stranger from before grabbed his arm just in time and jerked him forward onto the dock.
"Woah, easy there friend, no need to throw yourself into the ocean over a simple question." The brunette laughed, his long brown tail swaying idly. He must be a Mumrik by the looks of it. Moomintroll's face was bright red, and he was standing stiffly. His fan had fallen into the water and floated beside them.
"Ah- I- It's not- Um-" Moomintroll was interrupted when he was pushed aside by the Mumrik.
"You lost something, friend! I'll get that for you, no worries." The Mumrik reached back behind his shoulder, unsheathing a long and beautiful sword, which made Moomin's eyes widen. He used the sword to pick the fan up out of the water and toss it into his own hand, holding it out to Moomin with his sword at his side. "Here you are," he smiled calmly.
"Y-You're… You're a pirate?" Moomintroll cocked his head, reaching for the fan.
"Correct! And you're a stranger who was staring me down as if I committed mass genocide on your loved ones!" Moomintroll blushed more somehow.
"Oh! Goodness, I'm terribly sorry for staring! I didn't mean it, I swear!" Moomin took the fan and shook it off, shoving it in his pocket. He glanced at the bright blue feather, then back to the Mumrik's eyes politely. "I just thought you looked rather. Interesting?"
"... Interesting?" "Yes! But not in any bad way! I- well- your way of dressing is very interesting and I quite like it!" Moomin smiled nervously. The stranger raised his brows.
"Huh. I haven't heard that one before." He chuckled. "Your way of dressing is quite nice yourself." The handsome fellow smiled warmly.
"Uhh! Thank you! That's very kind of you….?"
"Captain Snusmumriken. Call me Snufkin. You are?" Snufkin took Moomin's hand and gave it a firm shake.
"Ah! Moomintroll! It's wonderful to meet your acquaintance, Snus- Snufkin!"
"Much the same." Snufkin grinned, then stepped away to put his sword back in its sheath. "If you happen to need anything, now you know who to call I suppose." He gave a little wave. "The sun is setting. I'd best be off to my ship to help unload. Enjoy your evening, Moomintroll." And without a chance for Moomin to return the goodbye, Snufkin was off on his way down the peer.
Moomin stood in shock by the interaction. He's always been a sociable Moomin and rather good with words, why with this fellow did he seem to trip over them? He pulled his fan out to fan himself idly as he thought.
"Was that your friend?" Moominmamma asked calmly from behind him, causing him to yelp again.
"Ah! Mama, don't startle me like that! And no, he was just some pirate I ran into." Moomintroll huffed.
"Oh, well that's lovely. It was very kind of him to keep you from falling like he did, he seemed like a real gentleman." Moominmamma chuckled and linked arms with Moomintroll, leading him down the ramp away from the pier.
"Hm. I do suppose you're right Mama. He seemed different than any pirate I've met before."
(Here's Snufkin's design! I'll edit and add Moomin's when I finish it!)
DO! NOT! REPOST!!
EDIT! Here's Moomin's ref! (He has an outfit change past chapter 1 so this is different!)
(Find me on Instagram! I'm @bigboy_riki over there too!)
