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She tried her best not to snap any twigs or step on too many dead leaves. No, she needed to keep as quiet as possible so as not to ruin this. Ever so carefully, Little My, with a small pail in hand, clambered her way up a Norway Spruce at the edge of the meadow until she reached a branch in the upper half of the tree. Looking out into the flowers, her targets laid peacefully aside one another, hands clasped together, in a blissful sleep. Moomintroll and Snufkin had made themselves perfect prey. Her attention shifted now to the fat cones growing off the outer portion of the limb she sat on, still mostly green with the summer. If she could just work her way out to them, they’d make perfect projectiles to fling at a certain pair of sleeping lovers.
Determination flooded her veins. Ever so carefully, Little My scooted herself out further and further on the limb. As she went, she plucked cone after cone and was sure to quietly place them in her pail. The limb bowed as she reached for a cone above her, just enough to for her to knock it loose but not enough to grasp it, and it tumbled, hitting what seemed like every branch before falling into a pile of leaves that had blown under the tree with a particularly loud thud. Little My flinched, thinking her plan had been foiled, and her eyes darted to the couple for confirmation. Moomintroll rolled onto his side facing Snufkin before placing a paw on his lover’s chest. Little My gagged at the sight.
She knew she needed to act fast. Thankfully, the falling cone didn’t seem to wake them, but time was not on her side. Out she scooted, until she knew her throws would be good enough. She took aim, then, with a war cry, fired. One after another, the cones she picked pelted the boys, each awakening with groans and annoyed mumbles.
“Leave us alone, Little My,” Moomintroll called out with an indignant tone that scratched an itch in Little My’s soul.
“I came out here to innocently enjoy the sunshine when my eyes were suddenly assaulted by your insistent public displays of affection,” Little My chided.
“That sounds like your own issue,” Snufkin groaned. Little My could almost hear his eyes roll, and it was as satisfying as hot soup on a blustery evening.
“Of course it’s my own issue. So I’m dealing with it,” she teased and tossed another cone at her brother.
Moomintroll sat up. “Go find someone else to be a nuisance to.”
“Nope.”
“Snufkin, we don’t have to put up with her, she’s just the worst, y’know,” Moomintroll said. He always had a point where he’d become so annoyed he’d start talking about her as if she wasn’t right in front of him, and it seemed she reached that point. She reveled in it, but if they were going to leave, her fun would be over. And besides, there was something she wanted to talk to Snufkin about. Just to check in.
“Alright, alright I’ll stop. You just can’t blame me for acting like this when I see you two freaks being all hormonal and sappy.” She even grossed herself out a bit by saying that out loud.
Moomintroll’s fur was starting to stick up on the back of his neck. “Little My, if you don’t shut up I’ll—“
“Go away so I can have a word with my brother?” Little My interrupted as she scooted herself down the tree to the ground.
“My—“ Snufkin started, but Moomintroll spoke over him.
“And what if I don’t?”
He stepped up to her face in a challenge.
Little My smirked. “You really wanna go there, pal?” She asked quietly.
She could tell by Moomintroll’s shifty eyes that she had won. He sighed.
“Fine.”
He trudged his way over to Snufkin, who gave him a prolonged touch on his hip. Disgusting.
“I’ll come find you in a bit, dove,” Snufkin reassured Moomintroll. He clearly forgot he can’t just say things like that and not expect her to use it as ammo.
After Moomintroll was out of sight, she sat down in his place next to Snufkin.
“What kind of pet name is ‘dove,’ eh? Too smart and pretentious for something normal?” She teased.
“Little My, I don’t want this.” Snufkin started to stand but Little My caught his sleeve. He turned to her with a surprised look on his face then sat back down.
“I’m just surprised you chose to go the romance route. After how mother ended up,” Little My admitted. Family was a sore topic for them both, but she had a bit of a soft spot for her younger brother, and especially now that Mymble Jr. had moved on without them, she couldn’t help but feel a bit protective of him, feelings and all.
“I doubt Moomintroll and I have to worry about ending up with 37 children,” Snufkin said, deadpan as possible and without looking at her.
“No you dunce, I know how that stuff works,” Little My retorted. She gave a sigh, knowing he knew that. The expression on his face was telling of how uncomfortable he was. “I mean the love part.”
He was silent.
“It’s just, after all the trouble she put us through for love, men coming and going and such, you’d think it’d turn you off of the whole idea of it like it did me.” Little My said.
There was a period of more silence. Snufkin seemed itching to leave the conversation, but for reasons unbeknownst to Little My, he still hadn’t walked away.
He finally spoke. “From what I remember, she acted more like an addict than someone in love.” He whispered, hugging his knees tighter.
Little My wasn’t going to press it anymore. She knew Snufkin was left behind in a box during one of their many moves between men’s houses and she knew their mother didn’t even seem to care. Of course Little My cared, but they were both too young and not in a position to find each other again until they both ended up in Moominvalley.
She decided to fill the silence. “At least you didn’t inherit her taste in men.”
Snufkin turned to look at her.
She continued, “Moomin is a good person. Real big heart. If there’s any sorry chap out there for you do all this romance bull with, I think you chose the right one.”
He looked contemplative.
“And y’know what, Snuf? I think you’re braver than me for trying it out. I want it to work out for you. Now that’s all the compliments you’ll get from me for today.” She gave him a friendly punch to the knee and he smiled at her, though his expression was pained.
“You alright, Snuf?” She asked.
“Yeah, I will be, I just need a moment to think,” he replied.
Little My took the hint. She stood up and gathered her pail.
“I’m happy for you,” she said as she walked away.
Before she went too far, she looked back at her brother. Though he wasn’t watching her go, she could just make out a little smile and blush formed on his face.