Chapter Text
It was a pleasant summer evening in the valley, and Moominpappa was getting bored. He’d written a chapter of his memoirs, and built a model ship, and chopped firewood for the shed- but he still wasn’t quite satisfied. It would take a real adventure to quiet his restless soul, he thought. His mind drifted to the Hattifatteners, as it did whenever he was feeling this way, and he wondered what he could possibly do to stop thinking of them. Perhaps he’d need a sailing trip, or some grand opportunity to rescue his family from danger.
He looked at his display cabinet, full of things gathered from the adventures of his youth, and sighed. Perhaps that’s what he really wanted- another voyage with his old friends, who had long since gone their separate ways. He wondered if they ever got bored as well, and what they could possibly be up to now.
“Moominpappa, dear!” It was Moominmamma. “There’s someone at the door to see you!”
“Is there?” Moominpappa called back. “Who is it?” (He was a little worried it was someone he very much did not want to see, like his dreaded Aunt Jane.)
“I think you’d better come down and see for yourself,” Moominmamma said. “He’s come quite a long way to be here.”
His curiosity piqued, Moominpappa headed down the stairs, and stared at the open doorway. “It can’t be!” he exclaimed.
Leaning against the door-frame was none other than his old friend, the Joxter. His posture was relaxed as always, but his pupils were odd little pin-pricks that made him seem quite worried. Perhaps this was the opportunity Moominpappa needed- someone from his youth, here to invite him on one more adventure, even at this point in their lives!
“Why,” said Moominpappa, “you haven’t aged a day! How have you been? What can we do for you?”
“Mm,” the Joxter grunted, his pipe stuck between his teeth. “Close the door behind me, would you?” And he walked straight into Moomin House. With his boots still on, he immediately reclined on the couch and propped up his feet.
Moominpappa hadn’t seen his old friend in ages. He wondered what the Joxter could possibly want. Something was certainly off- if he’d chosen to enter a house, even a Moomin House, there must have been a problem. Even if he didn’t act like it.
“Is something the matter?” Moominpappa asked.
“Don’t tell anybody I was here. Especially my…” the Joxter waved his pipe vaguely. “Don’t tell Snufkin.”
“Really!” Moominpappa raised his eyebrows. “The boy practically idolizes you, even if he’d never admit it. He’s very proud to know he’s your son.”
The Joxter flinched. “Don’t-! You see, I had a cousin who had a family once. He wandered off a cliff and died.”
“Did that have anything to do with the fact that he had a family?” Moominpappa asked. (After all his years of knowing the Joxter, he was still quite gullible.)
“I’m sure it did. And that’s why I don’t have one.” The Joxter stretched out on the couch, then settled back down. “But unfortunately, that’s why I need your help.”
“My help? What for?”
“Ah,” the Joxter said, and emptied out the ashes from his pipe onto the floor. “You see, my darling Mymble came up with the splendid idea of inviting us all on a sailing trip. Herself and me, as well as the dear lad and his half-sister. Wanted to make the last several years up to them, I suppose. I thought she’d forget all about it, but she did remember to mark her calendar. And I would like to see them all- but I don’t know the first thing about being part of…”
“A family?” Moominpappa finished.
“Yes,” the Joxter seethed. “That.”
“I’m sure there’s not much you’d have to do,” Moominpappa said encouragingly. “Little My and Snufkin are both quite independent. I’m sure they’ll like you- Snufkin certainly does.”
“Yes,” the Joxter repeated dismissively. “But suppose they ask me for fatherly wisdom. Or fatherly stories. Or, worst of all- the lad wants to ask all sorts of questions about why I wasn’t around, and why we left him behind.”
“He is an inquisitive fellow,” Moominpappa said.
“And that’s not to mention The Mymble,” the Joxter continued. “I love her very much, but instead of a forbidden lover- which is very romantic, as forbidden things are- she will see me as something akin to an ordinary husband! How does one bear being husband-like, Moomin? How do you deal with the- commitment?”
“It’s quite a wonderful thing,” said Moominpappa. “But in any case, you’re only going to be out with them for a day, aren’t you?”
“Yes, and that is the most frightening thing of all. After I spend time with a- with one of those… what if I’ll want to do it again?” He pulled the brim of his hat over his face. “A Joxter is a Joxter,” he said.
“And you’re the only one,” finished Moominpappa (who never understood why this mumrik refused to call himself what he was). “I’m sure you’ll be all right. But if you’d like to prepare to be part of a family, at least for a day. I’m quite certain we can help you.” He was very pleased to be useful, and to have something to do. He held out his paw to shake the Joxter’s, but his old friend had already fallen asleep.