Winter Orchid

The Goodbye

No matter how hard he tried, Moomintroll couldn't sleep. Snufkin had spent the whole day with Moomintroll, and now he would leave. He would leave when Moomintroll was asleep so Moomintroll wouldn't notice. But Moomintroll lay awake, listening intently to the desolate silence. He kept looking over at his drawer.
"The whole day gone," He thought, "and I didn't give them to him. I couldn't even tell him it." He sighed loudly and watched as the shining stars caused a melancholic blue light to seep into his room. He then heard a clunk from three stories below. The shifting of materials, and a loud sigh. Then he heard a door open. This was it. Snufkin was leaving. He looked over at the drawer that housed the gloves he failed to give Snufkin. Snufkin would be so sad if Moomintroll followed him out, but it was now or never. Moomintroll got up and opened the drawer. He took out the gloves and stared at them. His heart jumped when he heard the front door open and close. Now or never. Now or never!! Snufkin's voice echoed through his mind.
"I told myself, I've told others.. if you admire someone too much, you can never be free. Yet I still can't stop thinking about you." Moomintroll swung his bedroom door open and clumsily ran down the stairs. He fell down one staircase, but got back up and continued running. He opened the front door and ran to the bridge as fast as he could.
"Stop!" He shouted. Snufkin turned around with a gloomy look in his eyes that said, "I had a feeling this would happen."
"I have to.." Said Moomintroll, breathing heavily, "I have to give you.. give you the.. the..." Without finishing his sentence, he held out the gloves and Snufkin gasped.
"Did you make these?" Asked Snufkin.
"Yes," Replied Moomintroll, "I was worried you'd get too cold, so I thought I'd.. I know you don't like new things and I totally understand if you don't want them, but.." Snufkin took the gloves and slipped them on his hands.
"A perfect fit!" He said admiringly, "How'd you make them so perfectly? I love them. I won't take them off all Winter."
"Really?!" Asked Moomintroll, who was now crying, though he was ever so happy.
"Of course," Said Snufkin with a smile, "Well, I'll be sure to see you next spring. And I'll make a new tune just for you." He turned around and began to walk away, but Moomintroll shouted and stopped him.
"I'm sorry," Said Moomintroll, "but I have to tell you something." This was it. He was going to finally tell him. It wasn't now or never anymore, it was now.
"I.." Moomintroll whispered, "I really love you. I always have and I always will." Snufkin was silent for a bit.
"Me too," He said, "no, I don't think I should've said it that way. But I don't know how else to say it. So do I. I love you too." Moomintroll hugged him, and they stood there for so long that the snow began to pile on their shoulders. Moomintroll wished Snufkin good luck, and Snufkin left, already having ideas for a new tune. Moomintroll was so sad to see him go, yet so happy. He'd finally done it. He told Snufkin how he felt.