Seafrightened

      “You aren’t a crowd pleaser here either. Which is good, I think. Those types aren’t so fun.” Ninny arched her back, stretching her shoulders. Snorkmaiden and the Mymble’s daughter were both lovely girls, but they were for sure crowd pleasers. No, Ninny couldn’t imagine Too-Ticky doing something just to appeal to the popular crowd. With her ragged clothes, bare feet, and shaggy hair, the selkie seemed an eternity away from the girls that followed trends. 

      “I never thought Scotland was cold! But I suppose it’s awfully north, isn’t it? No wonder you’ve got all this padding!” She teased, poking Too-Ticky’s belly. It was all in good fun to joke about the larger girl’s past until Ninny looked at her friend’s face– she looked apprehensive, something rare for the usually calm Ticky. 

      “Are you alright, Tuuti?” Ninny sat upright, tilting her head to the side worryingly. She looped her arm through Too-Ticky’s, squeezing them together. “If you don’t want to talk, that’s okay. Whatever makes you happy!”

      “You aren’t a crowd pleaser here either. Which is good, I think. Those types aren’t so fun.” Ninny arched her back, stretching her shoulders. Snorkmaiden and the Mymble’s daughter were both lovely girls, but they were for sure crowd pleasers. No, Ninny couldn’t imagine Too-Ticky doing something just to appeal to the popular crowd. With her ragged clothes, bare feet, and shaggy hair, the selkie seemed an eternity away from the girls that followed trends. 

      “I never thought Scotland was cold! But I suppose it’s awfully north, isn’t it? No wonder you’ve got all this padding!” She teased, poking Too-Ticky’s belly. It was all in good fun to joke about the larger girl’s past until Ninny looked at her friend’s face– she looked apprehensive, something rare for the usually calm Ticky. 

      “Are you alright, Tuuti?” Ninny sat upright, tilting her head to the side worryingly. She looped her arm through Too-Ticky’s, squeezing them together. “If you don’t want to talk, that’s okay. Whatever makes you happy!”

      “You aren’t a crowd pleaser here either. Which is good, I think. Those types aren’t so fun.” Ninny arched her back, stretching her shoulders. Snorkmaiden and the Mymble’s daughter were both lovely girls, but they were for sure crowd pleasers. No, Ninny couldn’t imagine Too-Ticky doing something just to appeal to the popular crowd. With her ragged clothes, bare feet, and shaggy hair, the selkie seemed an eternity away from the girls that followed trends. 

      “I never thought Scotland was cold! But I suppose it’s awfully north, isn’t it? No wonder you’ve got all this padding!” She teased, poking Too-Ticky’s belly. It was all in good fun to joke about the larger girl’s past until Ninny looked at her friend’s face– she looked apprehensive, something rare for the usually calm Ticky. 

      “Are you alright, Tuuti?” Ninny sat upright, tilting her head to the side worryingly. She looped her arm through Too-Ticky’s, squeezing them together. “If you don’t want to talk, that’s okay. Whatever makes you happy!”

      “I’m more than certain that Moominpapa would call me Nettles if he thought of it.” She beamed, shining with pride. Poor troll father– he’d received his fair share of sharp teeth and sass from the most recent Moominvalley resident. 

      Oh, Ninny couldn’t even hold eye contact. Perhaps she had found her newfound confidence in this Finnish valley, but Too-Ticky still gave her such butterflies at times like this, didn’t she? Attention from the selkie could make stubborn little Ninny dissolve into herself with flushed cheeks. 

       “Me too,” She shyly nodded, unable to not widely grin. “I like being in Moominvalley too. It’s better than the old times, that’s for certain.” The lutine timidly took Too-Ticky’s hand, strong and callused but soft, in her own tiny one. “You haven’t ever told me much about your life in Scotland, though. What was it like with other selkies?”

      “I’m more than certain that Moominpapa would call me Nettles if he thought of it.” She beamed, shining with pride. Poor troll father– he’d received his fair share of sharp teeth and sass from the most recent Moominvalley resident. 

      Oh, Ninny couldn’t even hold eye contact. Perhaps she had found her newfound confidence in this Finnish valley, but Too-Ticky still gave her such butterflies at times like this, didn’t she? Attention from the selkie could make stubborn little Ninny dissolve into herself with flushed cheeks. 

       “Me too,” She shyly nodded, unable to not widely grin. “I like being in Moominvalley too. It’s better than the old times, that’s for certain.” The lutine timidly took Too-Ticky’s hand, strong and callused but soft, in her own tiny one. “You haven’t ever told me much about your life in Scotland, though. What was it like with other selkies?”

      “I’m more than certain that Moominpapa would call me Nettles if he thought of it.” She beamed, shining with pride. Poor troll father– he’d received his fair share of sharp teeth and sass from the most recent Moominvalley resident. 

      Oh, Ninny couldn’t even hold eye contact. Perhaps she had found her newfound confidence in this Finnish valley, but Too-Ticky still gave her such butterflies at times like this, didn’t she? Attention from the selkie could make stubborn little Ninny dissolve into herself with flushed cheeks. 

       “Me too,” She shyly nodded, unable to not widely grin. “I like being in Moominvalley too. It’s better than the old times, that’s for certain.” The lutine timidly took Too-Ticky’s hand, strong and callused but soft, in her own tiny one. “You haven’t ever told me much about your life in Scotland, though. What was it like with other selkies?”