Huffing and puffing could be heard from a very exhausted girl.
Moana stood and tried to gain her normal breathing back. Never had she thought that running from a slightly pissed demigod was this hard, but then again maybe she was out of practice. 'And to think after all these years he is mad about an insignificant statue. Woaw.'
With ragging breath, she dared to look. Eyes were wild when she peaked out from the tree she was hiding behind. Because of the blood pumping in her ears from the running and her heaving in small dose of air, she didn't hear a small rustle that came behind her.
"Buh."
Maui had put his mouth right beside her ear and from that he was rewarded with a loud scream. Holding his ears, he waited for Moana to shut up again.
"Geez Moana. I'm sure that ya could wake up the dead from that scream."
Moana had been so scared that she had tumbled forward and now on four, sucking more air in. She glared angrily back at Maui through her hair that was hanging like a curtain over her face. Maui was amused of her flaring expression she had on now. She was pissed and had been scared for those precious five seconds it had lasted. And he treasure all those five seconds to his grave.
"Sorry princess, But I didn't want to miss the opportunity." Folding his arms, he leaned up against the tree she had tried to hide behind and smirked.
"Not funny at all!" grumbled, she looked straight ahead and slowly began to raise to stand on her feet's.
"Well thank you. I'll do try to be."
He stood and bowed. Maui knew it would only irritate his friend more, but he couldn't help it.
"Ouch."
Moana had smacked him just as he had closed his eyes in his elegant bow. Maui rubbed his head.
"Was that really necessary?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't want to miss the opportunity Hero." Moana shrugged, but just before she turned her back to him she gave him the same smirk back he had giving her prior.
Still rubbing his skull, he watched Moana walk out to the ocean. He hadn't really paid much attention to what she wore before now. Bathed in the little sunlight that was left, he let his eyes wander over her. She wore a red dress with the back open, revealing her sun kissed skin. Bare shoulders with a single strap on each side to hold the cloth up. Traveling down Maui saw it stopped just above her knees. Gulping, Moana turned around. He saw how the dying sun illuminated her body. She smiled back at him and he couldn't help but let his eyes trailing to her neckless, smiling at the sight of it. 'Really shouldn't have been a surprise.' It pointed down to her cleavage. A lump was formed in his throat when he watched how well the dress sat on her, showing all her curves. 'She's grown more since the last time.' Maui was brought out of his trance of thoughts when Moana called him.
"You're coming or what?"
"huh?"
Maui blinked a couple of times to come out of his trance. The Wayfinder stood and waited for his replay. It was dark, and Maui stood by the tree and hoped for that Moana couldn't see his face in that moment.
"Y-yeah. Right behind ya curly."
Nodding back to Maui, Moana turned back and walked ahead. It didn't take long for her to reach her beloved ocean. She stopped when her feet were covered in the cool water.
"Hallo ocean. See who decided to come along."
She stepped aside so the now raised water could see who was behind her. Almost on an instant a jet of water was shot right past her and splashed Maui in his face, so he made a funny noise on the impact. Sounded like he was gurgling to the non-princess. He stood paralyzed for a second like a soaked cat would. Eyes big and wide. His arms were out from his side so the sensation of wet against wet cloth, wouldn't meet each other.
"Really? I'm soaked to the bone now. Thank you very much." Maui mumbled the last four words angrily to the blob of water.
The wave just bristles in joy of what it had done, almost like it had waited for a long time to do so. Maui sent silent curses to the blob of water, when he began to rinse the water out of his clothes. Moana tried her hardest not to burst out laughing of the way he pouted while he squished the water out his hair. After her hardest to stop giggling and a semi hard stare from the man before her, she held her hand in front of her mouth, so he wouldn't the smile that lingered under. She couldn't help but linger over his form on how his clothes clinging to him, so she could really get a picture of how his muscles worked when he squished more water out. For a minute she took in the show he was performing, but then she snapped out of it when he looked up at her with a curios glint in his face. Just as he was about to ask what going on, Moana stopped him.
"Come." She flicked her arm, so the broad man would get the hint to follow her. When he didn't move she walked over to where he stood and placed her hand over his arm and couldn't help with the look of empathy for the poor wet demigod.
"Let's get home to dry you up."
They had been walking and talked about the old days. Moana had forgotten that is had been over thousands of years for Maui, while it was merely three years for her. He had told her of how he had been doing since they had been separated, the new places he had seen before settling down with his bar and all. They made it to the balcony in comfortable silence, not because they were out of things to talk about, but they just enjoyed the company of one and other once again.
Going up at the stairs and across the balcony, Moana turned when they made it to the door.
"Wait here... I'll go and get some towels for you."
Minutes later she emerged in the door with towels in hand. The night was warm, so the demigod didn't think twice about stripping down of his shirt. The vest had been long gone from the story telling earlier. So, when Maui began to un-bottom his shirt he could sense how Moana was watching him. He had truly missed the feeling of her eyes on him and secretly loved it. Back at her island he always tried to get her to watch him when he hadn't seen her all day or get her totally riled up, either by making her mad or get her so embarrassed in front of her people, so it took him hours to make her talk to him again. Smiling at the memory of how he had howled from laughter when she had pull string inside of her hut and how she came out, covered in mud after the crash could be heard. 'That was a Priceless moment.'
He didn't mind people looking at his physic in admiration, but when it came to the non-princess he had a funny tingling sensation running down his spine, but the trickster in him wanted to see how far he could take this so she would get that cute flushed face again. Maui took his sweet time to get the shirt off. Really dragging it down slowly, so it only revealed little by little of his back to her. Moana stood glued to the place and watched how the shirt dropped only to be caught in his hand and how Maui placed it over a chair, so it could dry as much as it could.
A white tank top was under his sea blue shirt, Moana sank down a lump in her throat. She could see his tattoo under the wet tank-top. Maui turned slowly, with a smirk on his lips. 'Just a little more.' He flexed his chest muscles one at a time so if his mini tattoo had been there, he would have jumped from one side to the other. He lifted a brow when he noticed how her cheeks was beginning to turn crimson red. Moana was just about to turn and hand him the towel, so he could dry himself off when he lifted off the tank-top. Now he stood completely naked from his waist and up before her. Moana couldn't help but scanned his chest with all the stories written in ink on him, she remembered every one of them. They had spent many nights when they were out sailing or when he came to visit her, with him sharing his great deeds and even those on his back. But when she looked past all the tattoos, she saw how well He still hold the powerful look of the demigod she once had been used to see, on a regular basis. Now it was like he was a gift being wrapped open before her very eyes. 'This is not good. This is...' eyeing him up and down. 'Yep definitely bad.' She knew she once had a small crush on him or what she later found out to be a crush thanks to Julia. But that three years had passed and now she didn't know what to think.
'Moana you need to look away. LOOK AWAY NOW!'
"Enjoying the show Curly?"
Maui stood proud before her and enjoyed every minute of it. Not soon after the words had left his mouth he was met with a towel in his face. He could hear Moana mumbling to herself, but he couldn't get it all at the time but something that had "stupid" and "idiot" was there. Chuckling at the comment, he dragged the towel away from his face. Moana could see the amusement in his eyes before the towels was dragged away and when his smile came forth she couldn't help the grin that made its way to her. 'How could I forget that? He always done this to me.'
"Just wanted to see if you had gotten some new stories to tell later, smartass."
Chuckling Maui nodded in some agreement.
"Riiiight."
Oh, he had seen how wide her eyes had gone and how the pinkish colour had slowly made its way when he had dropped the top. Refusing to even look the broad man in the eyes now, she walked behind him with the other towel she had taken with her. She just wanted to help him get dry. That was not a bad thing, right? As she stepped behind him she once again let her eyes wandering. Gulping she had to close her eyes and took some deep breaths 'you got this. It's only wiping his back dry. YEAH his muscular wide back. Mmmm what if I let my tongue…. NO bad Moana BAAD. Don't think that way.' Squinting her eyes so they were completely closed, she shook her head, so those thoughts would go away. With a sigh she opens one lid, looking over to the door and cursed Julia for her detailed explanation of how the tongue could come in handy in other ways.
With a little shaken hand, she brought it up to wipe off his semi wet back. Moana tried to do her best to be the good friend she was and always had been and still was. She had a hard time though. Even with the towel between her and his skin, she could still fell how his muscles bulked under her touch. How it seemed that they tensed a bit every time she touched it with the towel.
"I see that you don't have a new tattoo since last we saw one and other. How can that be?"
She wanted and tried to be casual with this, like it was perfectly normal for her to wipe his back off like a best friend would. Or so she wanted to believe.
"Well. To be honest with ya Princess. I…." In the little light that was still left, Moana could see Maui dropping his head down and his long raven hair made a curtain, so she couldn't see his once warm eyes. She could feel how tense he became when he didn't finish the sentence.
"I'm sorry."
Moana placed her hand on his shoulder, trying to give him comfort for what he had been through knowingly that it was a poor gesture to him. Or was it an attempt to bring herself some peace in mind?
"I should have come and find you earlier."
It was now hers turn to let her head fall. Moana was ashamed for how she had been acting. They were supposed to be best friend for crying out loud. If she hadn't been so busy trying to adapt herself in this whole new world she suddenly had been dumped into, believing that the man before her had been out and adventuring on his own. Telling the same stories, (like he had at her island) at a great bonfire with blazing fire in the background, but now it just seemed like it had been a childish thinking on her part.
Maui had once admitted to her that she was the only one who had ever been able to read him like an open book. Back then, it had only taken her one glance at him to make her see if he was uncomfortable with the situation. Maui being the hero to all didn't have want to leave his fans even if he had a bad day. So, Moana always rescued him from them by saying that she needed his wisdom or whatever popped into mind at the time. Maui never said anything, but when the former chief looked over to him she could tell that he was relieved to get away from the crowd.
When they had reach a place away from the village she would try and bringing his mood back up by tell him how she had to safe Heihei repeatedly from either being eaten or his endlessly try to walk into the ocean. Once she stood dumbstruck, watching her pet up in a tree. With open mouth she stood thinking how the stupid chicken could get up there when he couldn't even fly, most times it helped. So, a job well done if she could make the great demigod laugh. Moana had taken it on her to make him feel better when times called for it and she knew deep down that he could do the same for her. Maui had done it more times to her then she had to him. Her being chief at the time did take its toll on her.
One time she stood and rubbed her temples to make the upcoming headache go away, as an argument took place. She had tried everything in her power to make them a deal to split them up, but nothing had worked.
Until...
Maui had been standing behind her (without her noticing it) arms crossed and sending them death glares and suddenly they were best buddies in the whole world in a flash even faster than two fingers could snap.
Maui suddenly turned and caught her in a tight hug.
"Don't be. I'm just happy that ya alive and okay."
Moana could feel his breath on her neck when he whispered. 'He really needs to give me a heads up.' Her brain didn't seem to be working with Maui that close to her neck so it took her nearly 10 seconds to realize that he was still very much bare chested, and she once again hung limped in his arms. Feeling the blush creeping up to make its self-present, she heard him whisper again.
"Still can't believe that ya have been here the whole time."
Maui tighten his grip as if he was afraid that she would vanish on him again.
"I still don't quite believe it. Can't shake the feeling that this is a dream and imma'bout to wake up in ma bed."
The blush was the last thing on her mind now after those words had come out. Laying her head on his shoulder she took in a deep breath, she got all his musky scent and from it a smile made its way once again. That was really all she could do when he had her arms trapped under his and he made it impossible to even make her get away. While breathing in his divine scent (well she thought it was and always had) she welcomed the flip she felt inside her and how her heart was beaten faster and faster. 'Who would have thought?'
"I know. I feel the same way."
Moana had no idea how long they had been standing and hugging. Fearing that if she let go he would go away from her, when a cold wind came and made her shiver. Goosebumps emerged on her back and went all the way down her spine, so she couldn't stop the chattering of her teeth before she had the chance.
"Might have to go inside again so ya don't catch a cold Curly."
Maui had stepped back leaving her to shiver even more now with his warmth gone, not that she would letting it be known to the demigod.
"I'm not the one who got soaked with water."
Maui snorted. "Just da ocean being friendly."
The former chief couldn't help the small laugh that came out.
"Whatever, big guy."
Maui stood and watched her make her way to the door, stopping in the doorway she smiled over to him. That smile alone could make his day ten times better than it already was.
"But you just might want to take a shirt on. If you don't want Julia drooling all over you, more than she already is."
Moana could see the show emotions dance over the poor demigod face and she was sure that she could see a little shade of pink swiping over his cheeks.
"R-right. O-on it"
Stuttering, Maui tired and whipped the top over him again. Cursing when he felt that his shirt was still all too wet to put on. Shrugging, he placed the shirt over his arm and went inside with Moana.
"Ahhh welcome back you two. You're just in time for coffee or tea."
Taih'i placed down the trace and looked over at his guest.
"Say ehm… Why are you soaked?"
Walking back to the refrigerator to grab the milk. Maui's hair was still dripping a little, he had tried to shake off the water by shaken his head when Moana had gone to get the towels.
"Ocean's way of saying hallo to an old friend!" Maui mumbled back.
"Okaaaaaaay." Glancing between the two of them Taih'i was confused. 'Did she splash him with water? If so how come she ain't soaked too?'
The former chief could see how confused Taih'i went after that statement. She had to do something before it became more out of hand for her friend.
"Maui?"
Moana waited a bit until Maui gave her a signal that he was listening.
"Think we need to leave the ocean out for a bit. From the look on his face, I don't think he is ready to know about it yet? He only knows that I have a deep connection with it."
Moana had to whisper so low that she was sure that only Maui could hear her. He made no indication that he got the message.
"Yeah, ya see buddy. Ehm. I tripped over a hmm a stone, yeah definitely a stone, and and landed in the water. Yeah that's what's happen."
Maui scratched his neck, beside him he could hear the silent smack when a hand was meeting the face of the former chief.
"You call yourself a trickster?" hissed Moana under her hand.
Maui was about to give a response to her when.
"I see. If you want, we could put it in the dryer for a moment."
Gulping Maui quickly scanned the room for Julia. He could mentally see her jump up with a huge smile on her face and and and. Oh he didn't want to think what could have happen if she did. But she never came out like he had thought she would. He was about to ask where she was when instead came.
"Nah no worries. It's almost dry anyway, but thank you for the offer."
"No problem."
Taih'i walked over with the milk and placed it down beside the other thing. Turning his head back to the couple in the door he smiled.
"Well come on. Don't be shy now. Get a cup of whatever you want."
Jumping into gear, the larger man made a few steps and sat down in the couch.
"Thanks. Can't say no to coffee to be honest."
"I know right. Julia love the smell in the morning, but she doesn't like the taste unless there is like a ton of sugar in it. Do you use milk, sugar or both?"
"No thank you I like it black."
Moana had made her way over while the men had talked. The table was a bit low, so she had to bend over a bit to reach the tea can, poured up a cup of tea. When she sat down in the chair and crossed her legs, closing her lids, she inhaled the damp of the tea that was beginning to be filled with the scent of wild fruit. Opening again she could see Maui was struggling with something. He was a bit pale and somehow the water was pouring down over his forehead. 'But he looked so dry when we stood over at the door.'
"Maui?"
Not daring to look over at her he simply grunted back.
"You okay?"
"Hmm what? Oh yeah yeah *waving his hand* I'm fiiine. Just burned ma tongue on the hot coffee that's all."
Side glanced over to the curly haired woman he could see how skepticism she looked back at him, he couldn't help but keep looking in her eyes. He relaxed and gave her the most convincing smile he could muster.
"Really curly. I'm fine."
Moana hold her gaze on him for a moment longer to see if he would break under her sight, but nothing came, only him staring right back at her, so she sighed and looked away.
"Okay. If you say so."
Exhaling and happily took a sip from her tea. Maui let go a breath of relief, if she knew how she almost had him tipped backwards from just pouring up the tea. Not the sight of the tea but something completely else. He had gotten a good view of her cleavage and it had made him gulped the coffee he had only just gotten into his mouth, down. He tried to act normal about it, but somehow it just made it all worse. 'Really!? Three thousand years of not knowing she was still alive and this is how ya reacts? Gotta pull it together man.'
Letting his eyes roam over her he could tell that she had grown even more since the last time he had seen her. Not in a bad way but the human part in him was being pulled to her like a magnet, but deep down he knew it was a dangerous path. It was his best friend sitting in front of him. He had missed talking to her, laughing with her. Maui had really thought it was a bad joke Te Fiti was playing on him, so in his case, he had to stop up and pinch himself on his arm really hard, just to see if he woke up from dreaming, but he did not wake up.
It had to be real. Right?
Putting his cup down he once more trailed his eyes up to meet her eyes but only to find them looking at something on the table, but she was not really looking at what stood on it. She had that far look in them as if she was thinking hard at something.
"So, have ya ever thought about seeking Te Fiti for questions?"
Blinking a few times, she was brought out of what ever had been running in her head.
"What?"
"Tell me where were ya?" Moana looked around and looked back at the guest with a puzzled look.
"Right here Maui. I'm right here."
"No dummy. In that pretty head of ya's. Ya were thinking of something."
Maui leaned a bit forward in the couch leaning his arm on his knee and gave her his full attention.
"So, who or what were ya thinking about?"
Her expression went from panic to embarrassing in a second to Maui's amusements.
"N-nothing."
"Riiiight."
Dropping back, Maui kept on his amused look and raised a brow.
"Really. It's nothing and you had a question?"
Taih'i and Julia was sitting and kept silence. They shared a few looks of what was happening right before them. They didn't dare to interrupt the couple. Julia had sneaked in from being out with the trash. Letting a light chuckle go Maui asked her again.
"Have ya ever thought about seeking the mother island out for questions?"
Moana's dropped her head to her tea still in hand.
"I had."
Maui did not like the sound of how defeated her voice sounded like right there.
"So?"
He was beyond curious of why the defeated tone had been placed.
"I can't go."
"WHAT?! That's bull Moana..."
"Maui. I don't have the means to travel."
She looked up at him. Glancing over to the owners of the house who only looked back at him with knowledge that what she was telling was the truth. Slumbering back, he ran a hand over his face.
"Why not?"
Looking through his fingers he captured her eyes.
"I-i don't have the money or that ehm..."
Moana looked over to her friends for help.
"What's she is trying to say is that she is not registered anywhere of her existing, so she can't get anywhere by a plane or..."
"A boat."
Maui finish Taih'i's sentence.
"So, you see Maui. It's impossible for me to go to her. Unless I buy a boat and sail there by myself." Moana said with a sad smile.
"Oh yeah Moana did you find one in that shop that could do just that."
"I did, but it's not how I'm used to sail so I need practice when I can buy it, so maybe?"
She bit down on her thumb nail and thought for a moment.
"Yeah if I can safe up the money plus the time I need to get used to it then maybe some time next year I could go."
Unnoticed to her, Maui felt how a sweat made its way down.
"T-the shop down in the edge of town?"
Puzzled Moana looked at Maui.
"Well yeah. That is the only one I have seen so far. Haven't been into the other end of town yet. Why? Is there another one?" Maui paled and sprung up from his seat.
"Nonononono it can't be."
She watched as her dear friend was having a meltdown.
"Maui?"
Maui walked from one side to the other while running his hand through his hair and mumbled to himself, occasionally he glanced over to her and then shook his head and looked away.
"Maui. Please."
Taih'i got up and bend down to whisper Julia in the ear.
"Come let's give them some space." Nodded Julia got up and followed her boyfriend out.
Moana didn't see them leave when she got up and went over to her pacing friend. Getting close Maui now stood with his back to her. She could hear him whispering to himself but couldn't get all the words, only "stupid" and "fucking idiot" was clear to her. Sighning she placed a hand on his arm and felt him go stiff as a board from it.
"Maui? Tell me what's wrong."
A minute passed and still nothing came out, she almost gave up when she felt him relaxed and let out a sigh.
"I was there too."
It was smaller than a whisper. Her hand dropped down but was caught in a much larger one, but his back was still turned to her. He held it with such gentle care. Moana looked down to where her hand had disappeared to and smiled at the different size the two of them had. Her hand was gone. Like completely gone in his. Normally you could see a tip or a finger but nope not here. She was brought out of fascination when Maui began to speak again in a whisper.
"I was in the shop too. I'm sorry Moana if only I had known ya where the one on the boat, I wouldn't have said the things I did."
Confused she saw how the demi god slowly turned around to face her.
"M-maui are you t-talking about?"
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath.
"I was in the boat shop to look at a boat to buy. I was lead to a small one when I saw a woman already on and looking inside, bending over so she could see inside of it. Moana, I can't explain the thoughts that was running through ma head and let me say this. They weren't pure. AND that's not how friends should think of one."
Completely shocked she leaned down on the back of the chair behind her. He closed his eyes so tight so that no light could come in. Maui stood and waited patiently for her to let it sink in, waited for anything to happen. Like a hit in the guts or even her famous ear pulling she had been so fond of back in days.
But when she began laughing it was his turn to look stupid. Sinking down to the floor she went hysterically with her laugh after she watched how the man before her stood with dropping mouth open and wide eyes looking back at her.
"Ohh Maui. You couldn't have known it was me." She managed to say between laughs. 'Did not see that coming.' Was the only though that ran through his head. Moana tried to regain her posture, but a few giggles still made its way past her lips.
"Wait? Ya not mad?"
"No why should I?" She came up again from the floor and dusted off her dress from the things that maybe had been laying there.
"Maui really. How were you supposed to know that it was me looking at the boat? *giggle* Just surprised that we met earlier and didn't realized it sooner. Could be fun to see how you crack down in front of strangers instead of here, you big softie."
Offended by her last words Maui simply crossed his arms and turned his back to her to pout. It had been enough that Taih'i and Julia had to see that from the mighty demigod, but that was on a different matter. BUT to let stranger see it? Nope wouldn't happen if he could help it.
"But let's us just be happy for that didn't happen. Don't want to think on how I could have reacted if It hadn't been here."
A smile tugged in the corner of his mouth. He had forgotten how easily she could get him semi-pissed, but just as easily she could turn that around again. Letting a breath go he turned to the curly haired girl behind him.
"If only we had been on a waka. I would have tossed ya over in a split-second princess for that."
Taih'i peaked his head in just in time to see Moana walking over to her long-lost friend to see her smiling at him.
"Yeah and me smacking you with my oar if I still had it. God, I miss it sometimes."
Still peaking from the corner Taih'i watched how the brow was raised on the demigod and a smirk formed.
"Can't say I miss that. Ya got pretty good at swinging it in the end, Curly."
Stepping back Taih'i made a signal to Julia that it was safe for them to come out when he heard Moana snorted at their guest.
"Yep I sure did. For all those things you did to me back home, you sure had it coming. Remember when you scared that poor kid in the woods, so he was didn't dare go in there for two whole weeks. Man, Maui you didn't have to tell him that story of shadows that would eat you whole."
Both Julia and Taih'i stepped in when Maui bolstered out laughing.
"Well he wasn't a runt afterwards, now was he? So, tell me again how that didn't work."
Unable to hold a giggle back, Moana agreed to what he said. Standing by the chair Julia had been sitting before they left she stood and was surprised how the three-year gap for Moana and over three thousand years didn't seem to have been a problem for them to reconnect to one another. She thought back on how Maui had been when he had seen Moana again after so long.
There had been something running through him in that moment, but she had taking it as relief washed over him but now there was something different about him. She had heard and seen how the demigod had been when he had realized that it had been Moana inspecting the boat. She didn't know him like the girl did, but first she had taken him as a player but moderate. So, she did truly believe he felt sorry for the way he had been in that shop. 'Whatever he had done or said.' Because no one of those men she had seen being a player had asked for forgiveness.
When she had heard Moana laughing at him she had to agree that he have no idea that Moana had been the one there, but to laugh at him might have been too much for the man. Remembering the question Maui had asked earlier she couldn't help but ask.
"Who was it that you wanted see?"
Turning, Moana saw her two new friends stand by.
"Te Fiti. She is the creator of all the living things. Goddess of life you can say."
"The same goddess you had to drag Maui across the sea to safe?"
Sitting down Julia waited for the response to come.
"Yep. The one and only." Maui Proudly crossed his arms and looked Julia in the eyes.
"The one who got her heart stolen?" Julia kept on with a devilish grin.
"To give the humans the power to create life itself, thank you very much." Maui grunted back in a defeat.
He went passed Moana and sat down again in the couch.
"Ya forgot to tell them that curly, didn't ya?"
"She didn't."
Maui turned to look at Taih'i.
"Even our old stories are told that yes, you did steal it from the goddess, but it was to give it to us. Even this is being told by Moana in the museum."
Maui's mouth hung open when he went back to look at the now sitting Moana in the chair.
"Ya telling our story?"
Moana smiled back shyly and shrugged as if it was no big deal.
"Well you are being mentioned, but the tale is that a young girl is set out and no one know who she is and it's fine by me because then I can tell it how I remember it."
"You should go and visit her at work. My friend there says it has become very popular after she got the job as the tour guide on that area." Julia suddenly jump up in excitement while clapping her hands.
Maui came back down from his little shock now squinting his eyes, ignoring Julia for a moment.
"And ya do remember to tell how ya had me teaching you Wayfinding."
"Oh, you mean after you peed on my hand when I felt the current?" Moana glared back at the demi god.
"Heey I was paralyzed and when nature calls? it calls." Maui simply shrugged at that but winked over to the raven-haired girl.
Completely ignoring him, she went on.
"Maybe I should begin to tell them how I had to carry your ass out of Lolatai after you got beaten by Tamatoa." Moana had placed a finger on her cheek to seem like she was wondering what to do. But the growling that came from him was worth it.
"Ya better not be telling em that Curly!"
"No Maui. I tell them that they were helping each other to escape from there." She dropped her hand and looked over to see him with a soften look and tone.
Taih'i nodded and so did Julia when the guest of honor directed his head over to them. Maui let it sink in for a bit before he once more let his eyes roam over the place she had spent three years in or in his case three thousand years.
"I gotta say curly. Ya have it good here. Not like me and the drunken man I threw out the bar."
Scratching the back of his neck Maui looked down to the floor. He was a bit ashamed for doubting her story telling so he tried to make them direct them to her instead of him with the attention. It was not his greatest moment when he had done all of that to her, but he didn't know her like he knew her now. 'That gotta count for something right?' Sighing he could fell how his mini patted him on his arm under the shirt. 'Thanks buddy.'
"Come to think of it Maui. When Taih'i and Julia told me of what had happen. The face you did? It wouldn't be the warrior face? The face you taught me on the way to Wa'lu?" her own brow now rose while she was saying this to the man in front of her. Maui lit up like a Christmas tree.
"It sure was. *Smirking* And see him screaming like a scared little cat was worth it."
All the shame was all forgotten the moment he had heard her asking that. He now stood proud of what he once had taught her and what he had done to save a damsel in distress.
"I still remember ya pathetic face first time ya tried it though."
Moana sat now embarrassed of how dumb she must have look like.
"But when ya got it right. Uhhhh all those monsters ran away in fear."
"They sure did and that song. Was is one you simply made up along the way? I mean it was a good one but not as catchy as the one you did when we first met."
Julia starred at her friend in the house.
"You never told us that." Nervously the curly haired girl wiggled a small bunch of hair around her forefinger.
"Ehehe. Ups." She glared over to Julia. Throwing her hands up in the air defeated. "okay so I might have forgotten of how much I already have told you and what I haven't. I had some busy years when I befriended Maui."
"Your right. I would like to hear that one day. *looking over to Maui. * if you still remember it that is."
Julia winked at the larger man in her couch who suddenly whished that he could make himself small.
'If only I had my hook with me, then I could make myself really really REALLY small!'
"I already had the privilege of hearing "Your Welcome" from Moana when she's on work. To see how she can enchant the kids to sit still while she is on her story telling still amaze me."
If he didn't already know from earlier on, that she worked at the local museum this would have surprised him to no end.
"I see." Maui turned and raised and wiggled his brow at Moana.
"So ya still performing?"
Before Moana even had a chance to answer Julia sure did it for her.
"You should go and see her. It's like she is making a whole show out of it. She dances too when she is getting the chance to do."
"I don't think you would like what you will see if you come by Maui."
"What ya afraid of curly?"
"Nothing. I just don't think you would like it. I didn't the first time I saw it. It took a while before I got used to it."
"Nothing can shake this demigod. *slapping his chest* Remember I have been around for a long time. I bet I have seen worse than what's in that collected place."
Maui proudly crossed his arms and sat further back.
"Okay. *shrugging. * don't come and say I didn't warned you."
Moana pointed at Maui, so she was sure she had made her point clear to him.
"Yeah yeah. When will it be then?"
Placing her finger on her cheek, she thought for a moment.
"Hmm I have the day off tomorrow too." She looked back over.
"So how about the day after?"
"I'll be there. Anyway..." Maui stood up and looked at them all.
"I will bid ya all farewell and thank you for very great evening. Time for this bod *pointing at himself with the thumb* to head home."
Taih'i stood up too.
"And we thank you for the wine and company. So glad you came."
Shaking the hands with the housekeepers he turned to Moana.
"Come on big guy. I'll walk you out."
Once outside they stood and enjoyed the night sky. Moana took her hand up to measure the stars. Just like she had once back in her own time and sighed.
"Sooo they seem like nice peeps." Nodding his head towards the door.
"They sure are. They have taught me all I know about this new world. Helping me to learn the language here. It took a while, but I got the hang of it soon after. I have learned Taih'i our own. He was a bit rusty one time I heard him talking to his mother."
Laughing a little from the memory of him had to relearn it all. She had been tough on him, but that had been the only way to learn it when he got home from work.
"Mmhmm."
"He is also the one who got me the job."
"Ha! I bet ya not as good at telling stories *flexed* and about the deeds to the human kind, as the handsome demigod is."
Moana was sure that if he hadn't been wearing the shirt he would properly kiss his arm after saying that, but what he gave her instead was a wink which made her laugh for like the million time tonight. Maui found himself that he never could get enough of that sound. He also felt how his inside did a back flip. 'Must be the reunion from after so long.' Bringing his arms down again from his flex, he stood and took the sight in before him. Unfortunately, it was over too fast for his liking.
"I bet you could tell them a whole lot better than I can. BUT you would blow your cover if you did."
"Will not." Crossing his arms and turned so he stood sideways to her.
"Trust me you will. From the moment you open your big mouth, you can't hold back with the show. I have seen you many times doing so."
Thinking so many years back on how he had all the people under his spell of his story, Maui silently had to agree. He did put up quite a show back then. Glaring back, he tried to hold his ground. She didn't need to know that he had been telling some tales at the bar when they asked him of the ink on his arm. He had been living "under cover" for far more many years then she had. He had kept his name, but just like when he had introduced himself to the couple inside he had giving them the lie that he was named after himself. Kinda confused to begin with talking about yourself in a third person, but over time it became like a second nature to him.
Trickster you might come to think, but one thing is to have everyone know who you are and then play a joke or a trick them, it was on a whole other level to deceive people to think you are not the demigod of old.
"I know you on that Maui."
Smirking inwards of how little she knew about that. 'Ya know nothing yet princess.'
"Anyway Curly. Imma' heading home so ya can get ya much needed beauty nap. Cuz ya look like crap."
That earned the demigod a smack on his chest.
"To let you know I'm drop dead gorgeous in this dress and it's not THAT late." Moana stood now beside him and had her eyes on the night sky
"Mmm, that ya surely are."
"What was that Maui?"
She hadn't been concentrating on what would come out of his big mouth.
"What?"
Blinking a few time, he came to realize on what had been left in a whisper. 'Shit!' He had to think fast.
"Ehm eh, the night surly are."
She turned back to look up at the shining dots in the pitch-black sky above her.
"It's sure is." Mentally he smacked his head. 'Phew that was a close one, but where the hell did that come from?' Looking back down, Maui stood beside her, looking up at the sky so he could see how the stars danced in her eyes, ignorant of what was going through his big skull.
"Well I can stand outside all night Curly and don't get cold. Can ya do that?"
He was smiling and looking at her from the corner of his eye and arms crossed. As the words had left him, a chilled breeze came that made goosebumps forming on her arms and neck. Taking her arms around herself to give herself a shelter from the cold.
"I can too."
Snorting, Maui turned to fully look at her with a look that told her to say that one more time. Shivering she muttered out.
"I just need a bit more clothes on at night like these."
True, it was beginning to be rather cold that was not uncommon, but not common either. Shaking his head at his friend he opens one eye.
"Ya something for ya self, Curly. I'll give ya that."
"Wait. The great demigod is giving a mortal a complement?"
He could clearly hear the sarcasm in her words. Maui laughed at that.
"Ye ye. Don't get used to it though. Might be the only one ya get."
Winking at her he turned to leave.
"Thanks for the great time."
He only made a few steps when…
"Wait."
Halting in his path her half turned to see what she was going to say. He had only managed to take a couple of steps. Instead he was met with a Moana crashing into him and her arms that flew around his neck gripping him in a tight hug. Shocked from the impact and a bit surprised on how hard she held, he quickly regains himself and gave back the same amount of hug. Not too hard so she would crush, but enough for her to feel it. With her head resting on his shoulder he heard her small voice.
"See you, hero." His personal nickname from her made his heart flutter a little.
"See ya, princess."
Gently he sat her down and winked back to her when he was about to despair around a corner. Grapping her neckless she couldn't help but be scared if it really was a dream and that she would wake up in her bed. 'He is real. He lives up in town, silly.' She stopped at the front door and glanced back to where she had seen him last. 'I'll see him again soon.' Once inside she was surprised to see her new friends were waiting for her to come back in. Opening her mouth to ask them to keep her friend's identity a secret, she was stopped by Taih'i's hand in the air in front of him.
"Before you say anything. Yes, we're going to keep his identity a secret."
Julia nodded from the side and smiled.
"We like him too much already to do otherwise."
If Moana didn't love her newfound friends, she would now. Smiling from ear to ear she walked over to them and pulled them in a hug.
"Thank you." She whispered
That was all she could say in the moment and they knew her well enough now to know that too. A thought came to Julia after some time.
"How do you think he will take it when he sees the statue?"
Bringing herself out of the hug she thought for a moment.
"Not good would be my guess." Moana pulled away to shrug.
A/N
Heey guys. *hiding behind a pillow in embarrassment*
So yeah, it's been a while… and I'm sorry for that. But life crept up on me. Not that I didn't think of posting a new chapter or anything, but I was completely drain from energy to do so. *Seeing my life, the past months, flashing by* oh god there was so much. My 30-year-old birthday and if it was for me to decide then I wouldn't have held a party or anything xD But who can say no to ones mother when they lift a finger to point at you and say "I demand that you are holding a party for your family." so yeah.
So hopefully I'll be back on track with this story… *grins broadly.*
I still have A LOT of chapters I need to write onto the computer. *sigh* that and edit em all together xD yay me xD
AnyWHO tell me what you think about it... I would LOOOVE to hear some criticism about it...
SO much love to you for sticking around... MUAH!
Love Amaniias