Hey, everyone! Sorry for making you wait for so long, but Maui has been giving me some trouble. Not sure he likes me much...

Also, thank you so much for the feedback! I am overwhelmed! (✿´‿`)


Chapter Five

"Maui…"

"Wake up, Lolo brain."

Maui grunted but gave no further response.

"Fine! You give me no choice." He could hear her stomp her foot decidedly and made no attempt to hide his signature smirk; however, his smug expression quickly changed to confusion when he felt her hand touch his arm and glide gently to his neck. Moana had tried everything. She smacked him with her ore, messed with his luscious demi-god hair, sang an annoying song at the top of her lungs while stomping on the floor beside him, but all had been in vain. This time, she would get him.

Moana smiled with an impish gleam in her eyes as she drew her nails softly over Maui's skin. She stifled a giggle as goosebumps formed on his arm. Slowly, she traced his muscles up to his neck and began to draw circles just under his ear. Just when she was about to touch his earlobe, Maui faked a sleepy groan and rolled onto his side to hide the color that was spreading on his face.

But Moana was stubborn.

She knelt beside him and began again at the small of his back. Her touch was barely a whisper on his skin, but Maui was painfully aware of her every move. Even worse, he enjoyed it. He should grab her by the ankle and toss her into the water, but his muscles protested against him. He could knock her over and threaten to sit on her face, but she had broken every ounce of willpower he had.

Moana chuckled lightly, watching Maui's muscles loosen and tense under her fingers. When her hand finally made it's way back up his neck, Maui held his breath as he waited for her to arrive at his ear. Moana took a deep breath as she began to trace circles in his skin behind his jaw. Just a little further. Just a little more…

*Squish!*

Something gooey and warm filled his ear.

Maui howled and sat up as he clawed at his ear desperately. Moana leaped from her spot beside him and ran to hide behind the mast of their relatively large canoe.

"Little girl…" Maui growled as he knelt down and washed his slimy fingers in the ocean water. "You just signed yourself up for a one-way ticket to 'No-no-land,'" He wiped his hands against each other with a loud clap, shaking off the water, and turned to face Moana with a devilish grin on his face.

"I warned you! You gave me no other alternative!" Moana tried to reason with him as she watched warily from behind the mast.

"Oh, trust me, Curly… You will come up with another alternative next time," Maui snarled as he picked up his hook and set it safely on the other end of the boat.

"Ummm, Ocean? A little help?" Moana asked as she watched Maui pull his hair into a bun and crack his neck. The Ocean lifted and shook its head at her.

"Mooaaannaaa," Maui called darkly as he took a ready stance.

"Heh heh… Maui! I think the Ocean is sick or something. You should go… investigate it! You know, with your shark head and all," Moana stated with a nervous smile.

"I'll get right to it… but I think I'll take care of you first," Maui chuckled. Moana opened her mouth to retort, but Maui leaped forward and attempted to grab her. With a gasp, she flinched back and dodged his hands while still hiding behind the mast of the canoe. Maui made a grab for her again, but she quickly avoided his grasp and bounded away from him to the other end of the boat.

Moana picked up her ore and pointed it at Maui threateningly. Maui chuckled and swatted at the ore but, Moana quickly slapped his hand with it.

"Maui, you know I tried to wake you up in every other way possible," Moana tried to argue, but Maui only continued to smile at her aggressively. He grabbed for her again; however, Moana ducked under his arms. Taking a large leap, Moana used her ore to launch herself closer to the top of the mast. From there, she climbed up as far as she could without snapping the wooden post.

"You can't run, Princess. Wind, water, or land, I will catch you and smite you," Maui said as he took his hook and transformed into a giant hawk. With a sharp cry, the demi-god took off and flew for Moana. She dodged his talons and, as he looped back around through the air, she looked at the water hopefully.

"Ocean…?" Moana pleaded, but the water didn't answer. Another cry came from Maui as he swooped for her again. This time, she dropped from the mast and landed on the floor of the canoe. Maui made another dive for Moana as she ran for the hatch that led to the storage container inside the boat.

Just as Moana was about to make it to the door, a stream of water splashed her in the face and caused her to trip. Before she could get back up, a heavy figure landed on her and pinned her to the floor. Moana wiped her eyes and tried to push Maui off, but he didn't budge an inch. Instead, he smiled and began to make a wet choking noise.

"No… No! Maui! Stop it! Don't you dare!" Moana screamed and punched Maui's chest as she realized what he was doing.

Maui chuckled stuck his finger into his mouth. When he pulled it back out, it was wet with saliva.

"Oh, yeah... This finger? You see that?" Maui waved his finger over her face so she could get a better look. "This is called 'smiting liquid'."

"I used ocean water in your ear! And I didn't use that much!" Moana tried to argue.

"Mo, I have lived for thousands of years. I am Maui, demigod of the wind AND sea! I know a loogie when I feel one," Maui answered, leaning on his elbow to lower his face closer to hers.

"Okay! I did it! It was a terrible thing to do, and I won't do it again!" Moana stated with a shiver as his wet finger continued to hover over her.

"I don't know… I don't think you will learn your lesson without being smote," Maui stated thoughtfully.

"I will! I mean I have! I totally have this lesson down! Besides, I have heard many people say that they love you for how merciful you are… and how great of a teacher you are…?" Moana said. As she rambled, she began to draw small circles on Maui's chest out of nervous habit.

Maui's thoughts abruptly shifted as he felt her fingers touch his skin. His eyes drifted over the small details of Moana's face. He was stunned to find how quickly she had changed since he had first met her. She had always been an adorable little girl, but now… she was definitely a mature woman.

"Um… Maui?" Moana asked, uncomfortable with his current facial expression.

"Hmm?" Maui continued to stare at her face closely with a thoughtful frown on his face. He scanned her face and scrutinized every detail.

"What are you…?" Moana began to ask but stopped when she felt him lean closer to her. She was stunned by how serious his expression was.

Moana tensed a little when she felt Maui's hand brush her cheek. A part of her was sure it would be wet and sticky. Revenge was Maui's favorite game, after all. But to her surprise, his hand was warm and dry.

The chieftess squirmed self-consciously as his eyes searched every corner of her face for a few long moments. Maui examined every detail from right to left and then up and down. Finally, his gaze settled somewhere in the middle. She tried to push him away, but he remained immovable. Turning her head, Moana searched for anything else to look at, but his eyes had a gravity that she couldn't escape. Moana soon found herself captured by his stare and her blush deepened.

He was so close.

"Maui," Moana whispered. She lifted her hand to his face and gave him a small smile. "Why did you bring me here?"

The demi-god's expression darkened and he broke eye contact. Moana tried to grab his arm, but he ignored her and picked himself up.

"Maui, please…" Moana pleaded, but Maui took his place at the back of the boat and sat with his feet in the water. She sighed sadly and brushed herself off as she stood up. "What do you want from me, Maui? You abduct me, steal one of our traveling boats, and sail off without any explanation. For what? To convince me not to go through with my engagement? Is there someone else you had in mind?"

Maui gave no answer.

"My people need… they need me to lead them," Moana said as convincingly as she could.

"No."

"What?" Moana asked.

"They want to tie you down and breed you like an animal," Maui growled. "Did your parents even know the man they chose for you? Hell, do you even know him?"

"Of course they did! Maui, he saved the lives of many of my people when Pele began to torment us! He is also cunning, bold, kind, and he has worked by my side since the day we left Motunui…" Moana explained with frustration.

Maui only shook his head and continued to stare at his feet in the water.

"Take me back, Maui. Take me back to Nuku Hiva," Moana stated firmly.

"No."

"Uuuuuggghhh!" Moana groaned angrily. "Why? So that I don't make it to the wedding ceremony? Well, I've got news for you, Maui. The wedding will happen sooner or later whether you like it or not. It is my duty as Chieftess to take care of my people."

"And it is my job to make sure you don't make the biggest mistake of your life!" Maui stated determinedly.

"It's not a mistake! It is…"

"Your duty. You have said it repeatedly," Maui interrupted her. He turned to glare at her as he spoke. "I will not allow you to marry someone you don't love. Your worth is so much greater than that."

"I am human, Maui!" Moana argued. "I am not immortal. I only have a short amount of time to live the life I have been given. We have had so many adventures together and I am grateful to you for looking out for me, but I can't keep running from my future."

"That? That is not your future! Your future is filled with adventure, long ocean journeys, and dying of old age on a shore that no one else has set foot on!" Maui exclaimed proudly.

"Alone?" Moana asked quietly. Maui grimaced.

"No!" Maui stood up and faced her. "You still have your people! You even have the gods watching over you… And I would be with you every step of the way," Maui mumbled awkwardly.

"But only as a friend…" Moana muttered under her breath.

Maui's eyebrows furrowed and he leaned forward out of curiosity. "What was that?"

"Nothing," Moana turned her back to him and folded her arms.

Maui withered a little, but stood up and put his hands on her shoulders. He turned her around, but she refused to look into his eyes.

"You don't have to get married just because it is expected of you," Maui said quietly.

"It was my parents' last wish. Besides, I never expected to marry for love," Moana answered.

"But that's… That's what it should be about. You, of all people, deserve to be loved," he disputed.

"What? Because I was the Chosen One? Because I'm special? Maui, without you or the Ocean, I would never have been able to restore the Heart," she stated in frustration.

"And without you, the Heart would never have been restored," Maui shook her reassuringly. "We did it together, Mo. You were chosen because you were… the one I needed."

Moana laughed dryly, "The demi-god who can pull islands from the sea, lasso the sun, and trick the gods is finally admitting that he needed my help. Have you been drinking?" Maui shifted uncomfortably as he swallowed his usual pride.

"Don't get a big head, Prin…" Maui began, but his breath caught in his throat. The softest skin he had ever felt pressed against his lips. He went completely still as he felt Moana's hands slide into his hair and pull him forward. A deep warmth began to cover every inch of him as she pressed into him.

Maui opened his eyes and looked at her blankly as she pulled away from him. Seeing his expression, Moana began to feel a strong sense of regret fill her body.

"I'm… sorry. I'm so sorry," Moana choked.

Maui didn't respond.

For a long moment, Moana covered her mouth with her hand and looked at the floor. As awkward as the silence was, Maui couldn't bring himself to say anything.

*drip*

Maui's heart dropped with the tear that slid off of Moana's face. He stretched out his hand to touch her, but she stepped back.

"Take me home," Moana whispered, her hand still over her mouth. Maui flinched slightly, but he silently picked up the ore and quietly changed course.