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The sun was having the brief moments of sun rays where it lights the water enough to be painted as baby-blue, contrasting with dim of the over-looming subtle shadows.
The riverbank was lowly that day, it felt melancholic to gaze and even just be nearby. A solemnity cast over the body of water.
The two figures, Moomintroll and the mumrik Snufkin, were sitting by said lake, absent-mindedly. Snuf was loosely holding the firm thicker area of his fishing rod, almost to have thought to be carelessly dropped into the body of water if he faded into sleep then right there.
Moomin had only really stayed around because he didn't really have much to do around that day, so there wasn't any harm in spending some time with Snuf.
Besides, the weather was pleasant.
Moomintroll was having an offhanded conversation with Snufkin, as both were feeling drowsiness even though it was—at best—just around supper.
The river was nearly filled to the brim with lily pads and it's floral. Floating about, slowly drifting away and closer at the same time.
Around just a few minutes by now; Moominmama would have had called over for dinner.
“Don't you think the lily pads are beautiful, Snufkin?” Moomin still had a sliver of energy to speak. But Snufkin at the point only replies in affirming nods and—“mhmm”, “yes, Moomin.”
“The water lilies would look so nice in a pot, it's a shame it'll have to stay in places like the lake—” Moomin interrupted himself for just a moment to watch as a small silhouette of a fish swim past Snufkin's bait. “—I think Moominmama would think of them pretty enough to keep around.”
Even by the passing prey, Snufkin didn't seem to mind; at this point he was just holding the rod just to hold the rod. Patience was key for a fisherman of course, but he didn't seem to try anymore.
There was a lingering silence, one that almost spoke for them; many words left unsaid.
The drowsiness slowly crept up onto Snufkin, it was at that point he couldn't help but try to contribute to the conversation.
“I think water lilies would be nice to keep around.”
Moomin suddenly felt the need to clarify himself. “But I still think that they're neat just in the water too.”
Every unreply-able sentence would be followed by a deafening silence of pending thought.
Well, most that the two could really think.
Both were zoning out, the conversation was more a last priority to think about.
The water and how the lily pads intertwined; interfered each other, it all looked like Claude Monet had ransacked their own eyes; As their eyelids betrayed them.
Despite the silence, the lack of words, the loudest noise at that moment was of the water flowing down the bank.
Maybe the jitters of a ladybug's rapid wings.
Maybe even the crinkle of leaves drifting down the branch.
“You know, I've always thought of lilypads to be a little..Mundane. I've never quite given it a mind until you've brought it up.”
Moomintroll, in his regular animated over exaggerated fashion, was surprised at the fact Snufkin had a clear unappreciation of the botanical beauty!
“Snufkin, how could you? It's clearly deserving of attention those water lilies—and pads!”
Snufkin couldn't even really register a response, having had used up all that energy from those two full sentences, simply laughed a little at the disbelief from Moomin.
After just a while of sitting there,
Snufkin finally caved in.
He set his fishing rod aside before he nestled his head right into Moomin's lap, laying like a cat would.
Moomintroll didn't quite anticipate for Snufkin to suddenly just..do that but he didn't push him off either.
Besides, if he had where would Snufkin be right now? Wet, cold, and in the river; definitely not what Moomin would want. And the hassle of Snufkin catching a cold, that stubborn mumrik.
It was flattering how Snufkin's near instinct was to lay comfortably on Moomin, rather than to just lean (which, moomintroll wouldn't quite mind himself)
Even with nobody around, nobody to see the interaction, he felt embarrassed enough to refuse to even take a glance at Snufkin dozing off.
He looked at everywhere else but him: the sky, the water lilies and the pads alike, the flowers scattered around them, the weeds from across the river,
He'd eventually relish in the moment, melting just a little bit closer to Snufkin. Well, not before looking around to see if anyone was watching, of course.
As he was leaning closer, almost drifting off himself; he took another once-over of his environment. The beautiful landscape would be gone after he woke up, afterall.
It was still the beauty it was a few minutes ago: the baby-blue sky, the water lilies and pads, the flowers surrounding them, the weeds from across the river, and Little My—wait.
And of course, there would have had to be an interjection.
Little My was just about to open her mouth, it was probably another tease—so, on pure instinct, Moomintroll immediately went: “Don't.”
She got mildly annoyed by the immediate judgement she was given, spitting out what she was about to say before very rudely interrupted.
“Moominmama says it's time for supper.” she glared half-heartedly at the two.