The morning was warm, yet coupled with a pleasantly cool breeze wafting across the beach from the ocean.
Moana had already gone off to get Tamatoa some more treasures before he woke up, leaving him alone with Maui again. The crustacean took to combing the beach for trinkets, as usual, and Maui watched from afar.
"… So." Maui began to say.
Ugh. Tamatoa hated it when Maui opened his stupid face hole.
"Moana was pretty excited that you actually talked with her last night." The demigod continued.
The crab froze, screaming internally at the realization that Moana had told him about that conversation.
"Don't worry, she didn't give me any details." Maui reassured him, almost as if he could tell what was going through the crab's head. "She said she just wanted me to know that she doesn't think you're as bad as we thought you were."
Tamatoa turned to look at him, eyes narrowed to slits. "What is your point?" He spat.
Maui took a step forward, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "Look. I know we've, uh, had our differences—"
"Ha!" Tamatoa scoffed bitterly. "Now that's an understatement!"
"My point is…" Maui continued, "… I'm willing to put all that behind us if you are. For Moana's sake, and to make this whole thing a little less… well. Awkward."
The crustacean was speechless for a moment, his fear of Maui disappearing for just an instant to be replaced with pure anger. "Are you serious, man?! Easy for you to say while all of your appendages are still intact!" He snarled, gesturing to the leg Maui had ripped off so long ago.
"I didn't want things to end like that." Maui countered, trying to keep his cool.
Tamatoa stepped towards him, snapping his pincers together in irritation. "Then why would you-?!" He cut himself off, a twinge of fear returning when he saw the look of annoyance on Maui's face. Looking away, he stepped back again. "It's not exactly an easy thing to just get over." He growled, voice lowered, but stern.
"I wasn't the only one in the wrong, you know." Maui responded flatly.
Another shot of anger went through Tamatoa, but he bit back the urge to reply, the thought of Maui's anger growing being very unsettling for him.
After a moment, Maui sighed. He knew this wasn't going to be a simple conversation. "Tamatoa, the past is the past. We can't change it. If you're not going to forget about it, fine, but I'm not letting it bring me down while we're all stuck together."
The decapod clicked his claws again, clearly frustrated. Of course this was so easy for him. He's the wonderful, selfless Maui who can never be faulted for anything. All Tamatoa was was a greedy, good-for-nothing bottom feeder from the cursed Realm Of Monsters. But, as usual, he didn't have much of a choice in the matter. "… I make no promises." He grumbled finally. "But I won't be going out of my way to bring it up, that's for sure…"
"Good man." Maui concluded, satisfied. Somehow his tone was even more aggravating than usual right now, but maybe that was just Tamatoa's imagination.
"Umm… Am I interrupting, or…?" Came Moana's voice from the edge of the beach, giving them a curious look as she carried her findings over.
"Not at all." The crustacean answered quickly. He never thought he'd be so relieved to see her face again.
Moana raised an eyebrow, confused, but chose not to pry. "Well, okay then." She said, pouring the treasures out of the baskets for the monster, his mood immediately improving as he limped over to look at them.
Moana flashed him a smile, leaving him to his new possessions as she went to Maui's side. Still watching the crustacean, she whispered, "What were you two talking about?"
"Oh… Nothing important. Don't worry about it." Maui replied with a casual twirl of his hook.