It was mostly silent when Moomin pulled away, no smile but his eyes were tender. Snufkin's heart wouldn't stop drumming loudly. He felt it in his throat, which was dry and the lump choked him.

His hip was in agony from all the movement of the day, so running like he used to would be hard. He couldn't. He couldn't process what had happened. Moomin just…did-did he realize what that was?!

Everything came to a boil for him. Before he knew it, his eyes were blurry with tears that fell to cool his still burning cheeks when he blinked them away rapidly.

He was mortified!

He ran, as best he could with his old prosthetic. He had to get away. To sort his feelings. Moomin couldn't have known that was the equivalent of a Moomin kiss!

He ran until the pain spread to his chest, constricting his lungs with it's grasp like a snake with prey. He collapsed onto the drying grass. He was hopefully far enough where he could be alone. "You're alive…" he covered his face with his arms and let the tears fall, even as his cheeks kept burning from the feel of Moomin's lips on his.

"What were you thinking?!" Little My yelled at the troll who was now looking towards where Snufkin ran. Moomin was becoming not himself with all the stress of being a pirate. He had changed the last few years, since his wounds healed. Looking over, she saw Sniff was biting his claws, just observing.

My sighed, looking to the troll. "Hey! Answer me!" She was about to bite the bastard when the child she saw Snufkin with, decided to walk over and claw Moomin to get his attention.

"Why'd you do that?! My Papa was saving that kiss for the one he likes! You don't just go up and kiss people, you big! Stupid! Meanie! Head!" She kicked at Moomin, who was looking down towards her, his ears flitting about.

"Your…Papa? Snufkin?" 'Did he take in a creature like the Woodies again?' Moomin observed the small thing, who was now puffing her cheeks at him with a scowl.

"Yes, my Papa! So you better go apologize for making him so upset and if my Papa isn't happy when he comes back…you are dead meat!" She crossed her arms, giving Moomin a stern look.

Little My wasn't sure what Moomin was going to do. She knew he'd never harm a child, but even growing up with him and traveling on the seas with him, she was still clueless since Moomin had changed since he was healed.

He'd done many things she never knew he had the capability to.

To her relief, he smiled wide, a familiar sight, and patted her head, fingers grazing the bright yellow ribbon.

"I will do that now. I was just so excited to see him again." He tapped her nose and handed her his hat. "Look after that for me, please, miss…?"

"Toivotroll. No miss, thank you. No sudden kisses unless my Papa wants any!" She put her scaly finger up, quite serious with the tall Moomin. This scary troll had to take responsibility for making her Papa cry. Using all her strength, she pushed at his leg to get him moving, the troll chuckling before following orders.

Little My looked to the scaly beast. "So…Snufkin adopt you or something?" The Murmrik mix was taller than Little My, but looked to the Mymble curiously. She shook her head and it seemed while in their bubble, Moominmama and Moominpapa had gotten everyone to leave and convince their crew to head back to the ship or set up their bearings for the night somewhere.

"No. Papa's had me since I was a kitten." Toivo said as if it were obvious.

My walked with the small creature to her tent, deciding to keep an eye on her. Maybe the Moomin's could fill her in. "What about your Mama?" She always figured Snufkin would only love Moomin in his life. She didn't see her brother as the fool around type.

The Murmrik mix grabbed some water to splash on her gills. "Don't have one."

My assumed that meant it was a touchy subject, so she dropped it, deciding to chat with the kid while her idiot brother and "adopted " brother figured their shit out.

Snufkin felt exhausted. His eyes felt swollen and throat raw. His hip felt like it was being rammed with a hammer each time he tried moving it to move his fake limb. He wasn't as upset as he thought…about the kiss. He was startled and there were far too many emotions after seeing Moomin again for the first time in a long time, that even if it were just a hug, he might've reacted the same…right?

"Snufkin?"

Snufkin felt his heart leave his body as he yelped, looking over to the voice, seeing it was Moomin, leaning against a tree but not too close. "What is it?" He looked down, hand over his heart, a weird feeling growing in his belly. It felt like worms wriggling.

"May I come near? I just…I wanted to talk." Moomin said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck, eyes averted.

Snufkin sat up, looking at the stars and he could almost pretend they were kids again. "I don't own anything here, so you can do as you like."

It was silent as he heard Moomin's steps get closer, slowly. He'd forgotten that Moomin could appreciate silence just as he could. Moomin sat beside him, giving him space, but close enough for some form of closeness. Closeness they both had been missing for over half a decade. "I rarely see the stars in a different point of view. It's usually always the dipper to the right, Little Dipper to the left. There were many days and nights that I wondered if you made it to shore. If you were gazing lovingly at the same stars I was. Was I close to you, but barely out of reach? Or was I so far off the mark, that I should've given up?"

Snufkin had to snort passed the hurt he'd felt. "Moomintroll? Give up? What a notion. I've never met a Moomin who would give up." He turned his head, lowering his hat to better obscure him.

"I didn't give up though. Once the party was over and my crew got rested, we were going to set out again." There was a pause, though Snufkin didn't dare turn to look at him. "You'd think I'd give up on you?" Moomin's tone was hurt.

Snufkin didn't speak. Not for a long time. He took a deep breath, settling on what he'd say. He didn't like his choice. "I wouldn't blame you. An old wandering tramp like I am. With how I'd leave each Winter, I figured you'd grow sick of me."

He didn't expect the loud, tired sigh. "If I didn't give up through our childhoods, do you really think I would've been discouraged? Be honest."

Snufkin gulped and clenched his pants. He refused to look at Moomin. Why? Why did he think…no. He hadn't been sure what to think. "I'm always honest. Though…If I were lost at sea? Down in the depths, buried under sand and so far down no light could shine? Would you have searched? With no trace, how could you have been sure I was alive or well?" What was he doing?! He was burying himself deeper into this. It was often like this with Moomin. He'd find the right questions or the right answers that got Snufkin talking, thinking, or growing feelings and rooted attachments.

Moomin didn't skip a beat. "I would've kept searching. Even if I had no boat to sail, I would've searched on as much land as I could until I died. I would love to say that I could feel if you were alive…but that's more of a childish answer."

Snufkin could feel himself growing angry. "And saying you'd waste your life on searching for a beast that probably wouldn't be anywhere, having your stubbornness set on them instead, isn't childish?"

"I don't think it's childish." Moomin said softly. "Did you give up on me?" He asked it more so as a curious question.

Ah.

That's what Snufkin was afraid of. Snufkin bit his lip, his own accusations against him. He had hoped Moomin would've said he did. Or would. "I…I don't get close to others, you know that." He tried avoiding, still hidden behind his hat as he tried shrinking away.

He gasped as he was forced onto his back, his hat ripped from his hands and Moomin's body over his. There was a stern look and it was obvious Moomin's body was tense, the muscles quivering under the thick fur. Snufkin's body shivered at feeling Moomin's body over his own, despite their bodies not touching. His scent was so close, a scent he'd almost forgotten how special it was. He heard Moomin's own breathing trying to be calm, just as Snufkin tried to reign his own in.

They both stayed silent, unmoving. Snufkin's nails dug into the grass and soil beneath them. He wasn't sure what to think when Moomin's eyes went from tender to hardened. He gulped.

"Tell me to my face that you would've given up. That you didn't allow yourself to get so close that you could move on as if I meant nothing to you. Look me in the eye and say it." Moomin spoke lowly, serious, searching Snufkin's own frightened brown, grabbing Snufkin's jaw with one paw.

Feeling a bit indignant, Snufkin opened his mouth to say just that…but the words caught in his lungs, not even able to force the lie out. His eyes darted to the scar on Moomin's chest, unable to look away as it came flooding back. He tried to swallow down the lump in his throat and bite down the lip threatening to quiver.

He opened and closed his mouth like a gaping fish.

"Snuf…" Moomin lifted one paw to grasp Snufkin's hand and laid it flat against Moomin's chest. Against the scar. Against where Snufkin could feel the erratic beating of his heart, his breath, his muscle twitching.

He was alive. Moomin was alive. It was real. His paw was tight on Snufkin's. He was breathing. He was healthy and warm.

"Nghk…" he choked, forcing Moomin all the way down against his body, ignoring how much heavier Moomin was as he dug his fingers against the back of Moomin's head and around his nape as he choked out noises and blubbers into Moomin's neck. "You bastard! How-how could you ever think I'd move on that fast?! I thought you were dead this whole time! I was so frightened that everyone hated me for what I done that no matter how much I yearned to return, I kept myself away! What reason…" his voice quivered, "what right did I have to return if you weren't here?"

He hadn't meant to blurt that out and he regretted it almost immediately. He clenched his teeth to stop more words.

Moomin didn't speak as he gave Snufkin a Moomin kiss on his forehead and his tear streaked cheeks. "Can I tell you something without you being tied to it?"

Snufkin pulled away slowly, Moomin's body still flush against his own, but he pulled away far enough so he could look into his eyes. He knew he must look like a complete wreck. He sniffled but looked to Moomin questioningly.

"Do you know how much I'm under your spell?" Moomin smiled, kissing Snufkin's hand. "I-"

"No!" Snufkin suddenly kissed Moomin, his lips crashing into Moomin's. It was more of a way to stop Moomin from finishing what he was about to confess than a actual kiss. He squeezed Moomin's snout to keep him in place as he panted for breath before kissing him again, his emotions running haywire, unlike they ever had. Elated that Moomin was there. Frightened of the words he was going to say. Angry they were even having that conversation. Anxious of what he would do once Moomin's weight was off of him. Shamed that he'd left his child alone as he ran.

Moomin seemed to be getting lost just as Snufkin began to forget why he rushed to kiss Moomin in the first place. He pulled away, letting his back once again hit the ground. He panted to try and get his breathing back to normal and his cheeks not as red. He could still feel Moomin's lips on his, it was a confusing feeling. His mind began to return to reality, but he shuddered when the chilly air hit him as Moomin leaned off of him.

Oddly, he felt too exhausted to move and run, which Moomin could probably tell.

"What was that for?" Moomin asked, catching the drift of not confessing things, trying to fix his fur where Snufkin got it messy.

Snufkin covered his face, trying to hide since his hat was out of reach. His face was burning! "…hormones…?" He tried, since he couldn't really explain himself.

He didn't expect Moomin to break into loud laughter. He put both paws over his mouth to try and stifle it, but it was futile. His nose crinkled with his laughter and tears came to his eyes from it. "We're too old for it to be teen hormones, Snuf." His eyes were bright and shimmering, laughter still in them.

Snufkin liked that look in Moomin's eyes. He gulped, leaning onto his knees to reach for his hat, when he heard splintering and he toppled to the side. Even Moomin stopped to look. His prosthetic had broke right above the knee. Did he really wear it down that bad? He groaned. "Well…I did come here to get a new one originally."

Moomin chuckled, bending down and picking up Snufkin suddenly, who flailed. "At least this gives me the excuse to carry you back."

It was silent for a bit as they went down the mountain, until Moomin nuzzled Snufkin's cheek and chuckled lowly, sending that pinch to his gut again. "Just you wait. I have plenty of options for you to try. If none are to your liking, then just ask and I'll provide."

The serious tone and the determination in blue eyes sent Snufkin's heart deeper into the soil. "You should learn not to make me depend on you too much. A Snufkin isn't a Snufkin unless he's independent."

"We wouldn't want that now, would we? Too bad though…" he drifted off, causing Snufkin to try and look at him. Moomin sent him a dangerous look with a rotten grin. "…I may be a Moomin, but I'm also a pirate. I should let you know, my darling Dove. I'm not content in staying still and awaiting your return anymore."

Snufkin kept his mouth shut, unsure of what to reply, his emotions being shaken up like a firefly in a jar.