If there was one thing Keoni hated about himself, was that he thought too much about what he could've changed in the past to make his present better. He would often find himself reflecting on what happened to his family, and how he just wished his father was still alive. Based on what he remembered of his mother telling him, his father was great at giving advice.
"Dad, if you're listening… please just give me some sign that mom and Huihana are okay…" Keoni whispered under his breath one evening. He stared at his reflection in the water, watching the ripples warp his face. He let his toes skim the water's surface while also trying to not strain his arm.
"Keoni?" He heard Moana's voice from behind interrupt his train of thought, "are you alright?" He blinked and turned to her.
"Wha-? Oh, yeah, I'm alright… just, thinking."
"Do you wanna talk about it?" He sighed heavily.
"Does your grandmother ever come visit your in spirit often?" Moana hid her surprise from his question, she nodded. She'd made mention of her grandmother and her guidance when she was alive to Keoni earlier.
"Of course. She comes to offer advice periodically. Why do you ask?"
"Mom, mom used to tell me my father was great at advice and he knew how to put his thoughts into words… and I'm in need of his guidance, a sign that my mother and sister are okay. That they're somewhere safe." Moana smiled sympathetically.
"Spirits have a weird thing with timing." Moana got up from her spot in directing the canoe to sit by him.
"Is there something else bothering you?"
"I just-" Keoni paused, unsure of how to say it, "how do I know I'm going the right way? I've never felt certain about much in my life, and I'm starting to feel that notion that I'll never know what I'm doing is right for me." There was a pause as they both processed Keoni's words.
"It will come, and who knows? Maybe it's already here, and… you just haven't felt it kick in yet. Instinct is a weird thing. Have you ever done anything to comfort your thoughts?" Keoni looked up at the night sky, smiling as he watched the stars twinkle down on them.
"I always looked at the stars… there's just something, oddly comforting about them." Moana nodded, leaning back. That was another thing they had in common.
"They are magical, and mysterious, and they do help to guide you. Just study the stars long enough, and you'll see something there." As she said this, Moana watched Keoni. She could feel something click inside her, she felt a new kind of bond with him, a bond she hadn't felt with any other young man she'd met.
As cliche as it was, Keoni was different. He presented something different that Moana hadn't seen before; an honest, deep, emotional side.
To be fair, she wasn't entirely certain whether this was attributed to his trauma, or he was really naturally like this. Regardless, the fact she could have conversations like this with him, she found quite attractive.
But she didn't think now was the right time to tell him these kinds of thoughts. She believed all of that would depend on how their journey together came to an end, and whether that would be a happy ending.
"Did your chief ever talk about wayfinding?" Moana blurted out, wanting to change the topic just a little bit. Keoni was a bit taken aback but chuckled softly.
"A little. He would casually mention it from time to time. But he didn't recommend anyone do it unless absolutely necessary. And when our village was forced to leave, we were leaving with limited knowledge of how to navigate the stars and the sea." Moana stood to get her oar.
"Well, since you're here with me, and we're on our way to find your family, how about I teach you wayfinding?" She playfully twirled her oar in her hand, trying to impress him and get his interest, "That way you have something to show off to your mom and sister when you see them again." She grinned playfully at him. He blinked, considered it, and then stood.
"I think that'd be fun! Since you basically kickstarted it again." Moana laughed and bowed.
And so Moana started off with the basics that Maui taught her. From learning what worked what on the canoe, to the viewing positions, and Keoni was an impressively fast learner, just like her.
"You're a natural at this, you know that?" Moana remarked as she watched Keoni work the ropes with one hand. He beamed at her, "even more impressive that you're able to do it with one hand."
"Hey, gotta work with what I have, right?"
Days passed, and while wayfinding, the two got to know each other even more, going deeper into their personal lives and the like. Keoni felt like he was soaring, he had a best friend again after all this time, who he felt that he could trust with his life, not to mention she was also a chief, so he an incredible respect for her and her position. She was a natural leader.
Teaching him how to measure the stars became a way for the two to get physically closer, which neither minded.
The stars and the sea were very happy.