Winter break (Snufmin)

Snufkin returns to moominvalley

He arrived at moominhouse, panting.
He ran as hard and as fast as he could and it left him exausted, the river underneath the bridge was frozen, and the bridge itself was covered in snow, as you'd expect.
He walked across the bridge, this is where snufkin would find moomin waiting for him every year.
Sitting on the platform with a brown paper bag offering him a sandwich, it never failed to make him smile.
Before he decided to enter the house, he wiped away the snow and muck that covered him, he didnt want to give moominmama a headache finding a mess right after she was hibernating.
He decided that he should take off his shoes, so he did.
He put his boots inside near the door and stepped on the floor boards with his socks on.
He walked on the stairs and headed to moomins room, where moomin slept covered in pillows and blankets.
He walked towards him and placed his chin on the bed and stared.
Moomin looked peaceful.
He wondered if he should wake moomin up.
He would be quite happy to see him, wouldnt he?
He kept gazing at him.
Maybe i should let him sleep just a little bit more.
He stared and got closer up to moomins face, then kissed his cheek.
Afterwards he realized what he had just done then bounced backwards, turning his face red.
He covered his face, embarassed then lies on the floor for a bit until he decided that he wanted to wake moomin up.
He knew that moomin wouldnt like him back anyway, he has snorkmaiden....
But it would be a nice thought to think that maybe, just maybe. moomin liked him back.
He walked towards moomin and gently shook him
"Wake up moomin" he whispered
Moomin woke up sleepily and looked suprised, it wasnt even spring yet.
He still felt cold, yet snufkin was above him, trying to wake him up.
He got up, a bit shocked, although he tried to conceal it.
"Snufkin?"
"Is that really you?"
Snufkin patted moomins head
"Of course its me silly"
"Who else would it be?"
"But i thought you were heading up south again this year, have you changed your mind?" Moomin replied
"Yes, i have"
"But you never did before, even when i asked you not to leave"
Snufkin sighed
"I dont know what to tell you moomin, i kinda just......wanted to see you again, what it was like to be with you in the winter, what moominvalley was like around this time of year, you know?"
"I guess curiousity got the better of me, besides. Ive explored alot over the years" snufkin added
Moomin nodded
"Should we wake the others?"
Snufkin gripped moomin hand tightly, a bit desperate
"I thought maybe this year, it could, just be the two of us?"
Snufkins face was a bit red.
Moomins face started to flush, and he grabbed snufkins hand tighter.
"Okay, yes i get it"
For a second they turned their heads away from each other, then moomin grabbed snufkins arm and tugged at his sleeve.
"You must be hungry, mama made left over jam"
Moomin ran down the stairs while snufkin followed him.
Moomin pulled out a few jars filled with jam and placed them on the counter top, then soon later grabbed 2 spoons from the top drawer.
He dunked the spoon in the jam,then licked the spoon clean,  he slid the jar over to snufkin then handed him the spoon.
"Its really good!" He said over a mouthfull of cranberry jam, leaving his words a bit muffled.
They would usually share food, but it felt alot more humiliating with the context of what just happened over the last few hours, though he thought it would be rude not to accept
"Ya, i could eat"
He lifted the spoon and eat a few spoon fulls, then was too embaressed to continue.
He pushed the jam away from him slightly
"Sorry, im a bit full. I just had a few bowls of mushroom soup"
Which was still, true.
but he was ravenous which was contridictory to the words that fell out his mouth.
Moomin ate the rest of the remaining jam then him and snufkin started chatting, faster than they realized, it was already midnight.
"Oh dear, im sorry snufkin i didnt realize how long weve been talking"
He blurted
"We should probably head to bed"
"I guess we should" snufkin replied.
He and moomin once again headed up the stairs and moomin laid comfortable on the bed.
Snufkin laid out his packpack for him to use as a pillow, but moomin said that he shouldnt sleep on the floor
"Come on snufkin" moomin said as he patted on his bed, gesturing for snufkin to sleep next to him
"Its cold, and i only have one blanket"
"We could share"
Snufkin stared at moomins patting motion for a bit too long, and after a few seconds snapped from his funk
"Oh im sorry i must have spaced out"
"Well?" Moomin said
Snufkin gulped and sat next to moomin, who was already half asleep.
He patted snufkins back
"You should sleep with me, dont forget to wake me up tomorrow okay? I might sleep until spring if you dont"
Moomin giggled
Snufkin finally tried to sleep, he never actually slept on a bed before, only ever his sleeping bag.
It was nice, even better with moomin fast asleep beside him.
He was still having a bit of insomnia, and his thoughts blocked his mind for a bit until they were cut off by moomin arm being wrapped around snufkin, startling him.
Moomin fur touched snufkins face and he blushed, thinking whether or not he should hug him back.
He decided that was idiotic and went to sleep, with moomins arm still on him, which finally allowed him to sleep better then hes ever slept in a while.