Moss (Crossposted from AO3)

In Which Moominmamma Nudges

"You may as well just say it," Snufkin said, unprompted.

"Say what?" Was Moomin's perplexed and slightly offended reply.

"You've been walking along for the past twenty minutes looking like you have something to say. You might as well."

Moomin stopped in his tracks, fidgeting with his tail. It was a delicate subject, potentially contentious. But if Snufkin was asking...

"Well, it's been a long time since we went for one of our...walks."

Snufkin furrowed his brows at that. The statement sounded absurd to make on a hike if one didn't know the deeper meaning. He popped his lips on the bit of his pipe before speaking.

"It has, yes."

"I've been wanting to ask," Moomin said, "what if we did something that we knew was, ah, safe ? Would you be interested?"

"Safe as in...?"

"We could do something that won't..." Moomin hesitated, not knowing what Snufkin's comfort level was about the word, but unable to find his way around it, "make you pregnant."

"Ah," Snufkin said, turning away, debating whether to resume walking. He admitted he couldn't think of much along those lines and he wasn't keen on it these days. The way that they used to fool around when they weren't pawing at each other had felt natural and uncomplicated. Somehow, despite how long it had taken him to situate himself with the idea of trying anything like that with Moomin, it seemed like they had almost effortlessly fallen into it. But it was risky, and he wasn't keen on that risk. Not until he had sorted out his thoughts on how he would approach becoming—he noticed himself balking when he came too close to that word, as well—pregnant, should it happen again.

Again . The fact that this was always mentally tacked on to it was probably what made the word so disorienting.

"I have to think about it," Snufkin finally said. Moomin, simply satisfied that he had an answer, resumed walking.

"Oh, not that I need it, of course," Moomin added after a lull, stopping again. He sounded so apologetic that Snufkin debated for a moment whether to interrupt him with reassurances, but he caught himself. Moomin was insistent that he was a responsible adult. Snufkin wasn't well and truly convinced, but it was only fair to behave accordingly. He started walking again, prompting Moomin to follow suit.

"Nor do I, but," the bit of Snufkin's pipe clicked against his teeth as he pulled it from his mouth. "I think we can agree that it was a nice arrangement."

Moomin was visibly flustered at that.

"It was indeed."

"And I wouldn't object to it in the future. Just...not now."

"No! No, of course." Moomin pointedly looked off into the distance, hoping Snufkin couldn't read his expression. "Just in general."

Snufkin returned the pipe to his mouth and clambered onto a boulder, holding out his hand for Moomin. He was perfectly capable of doing it himself, of course, but Moomin's snout showed a great deal of embarrassment over the conversation. The least one could do, Snufkin figured, was offer him a little show of acceptance.

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Snufkin stared through the trees, giving his eyes a moment to adjust to the dark. When he couldn't sleep he traced the path of the stream, but he indulged himself by wandering off from that trajectory once in a while. He was reasonably confident that he wouldn't get lost in doing so, as it had yet to happen. Not that he couldn't eventually work his way back. And at least getting lost for a bit might add some excitement to his late night walks.