Disclaimer: I do not own Bionicle or any material related to Greg Farshtey or Lego in any way or form.
Note: Yes, I do make some references to the MNOLG 2, although I'm not quite sure whether they're correct, as I've only gotten maybe halfway through it. I've only defeated the Onu-Koro team, and I'm working on getting to the hermit in Ko-Koro.
"Oh, WHY didn't I ask her to meet me YESTERDAY?" Jaller groaned into his pillow, clutching it miserably. Takua rolled his eyes from his reclined position on the captain's couch, writing up a report about one of Pohatu's exploits that would be carved into the Wall of History later. The Chronicler knew that his friend's complaints were only because he was impatient, and hated waiting, especially if it was for something he really wanted.
"For one," Takua began with mock-indignance, "it would've interfered with Ga-Koro's practice time. And secondly, I know for a fact that if you'd asked her to meet you at sunset yesterday, you would've gotten cold feet and left her hanging. Or you'd have sent me to apologize to her for you!" Jaller glared at his friend with one golden-brown eye before dropping his head heavily into his pillow again, knowing full well his friend was right.
He just didn't want to admit it.
"I just… I just love her so much, Takua," said Jaller, voice muffled by the pillow. "I love her so much I don't even know how to begin to tell her." The Chronicler sighed heavily, green eyes softening and a sympathetic smile curving his lips as he looked at his friend.
"Just kiss her. It'll make both your lives a lot easier. Besides," Takua chuckled, getting up to deliver his now-finished report to Turaga Vakama, "you're not the only one who's been wondering for ages." At that statement, Jaller's entire torso shot up from the bed, eyes wide and mouth gaping.
"…What?" Takua laughed at the captain's expression.
"Like I said: just kiss her!" The Chronicler shouted as he ran out the door. Jaller stared after him, Takua's words slowly sinking in.
"Hahli loves me… too?" Shaking his head vigorously the Captain of the Guard checked the time on his clock and groaned, shoving his face into his pillow once more.
"Why do I still have an hour left?"
Hahli made her way through Ta-Koro toward the kolhii field, nervously twisting a lock of hair around her fingers. She knew she'd be late; she'd left five minutes from the time Jaller had said to meet her at the Ta-Koro kolhii field and it was ten minutes away by walking. Hahli suppressed the desire to break into a run as the sun set over the horizon, painting the Village of Fire a bright golden-crimson. As the Ga-Matoran made her way through the brimstone-cluttered paths, she grumbled about having to drag her kolhii gear along with her.
When she finally reached the kolhii field, she was exhausted. Hahli hoped to Mata Nui that what she assumed would be an all-out match between the two of them wouldn't be too difficult. It would look bad for Ga-Koro if she lost to the Ta-Matoran the day before the finals. Upon entering through a field goal, she found the field deserted. She looked around, confused, but she didn't see Jaller anywhere. The longer she stood there, looking for the Captain of the Guard, the more foolish she felt for having come here. Eventually, she turned to leave, but a voice from directly above her called out.
"Hey! Hahli, up here!" The Ga-Matoran looked up to see Jaller's flushed face high above her where the Toa were to sit for tomorrow's game, his own kolhii gear slung over his shoulder.
"Sorry I'm a little late. Turaga Vakama wanted me to check that everything was ready for the Toa!" he called down. "Be right there!" Hahli blinked as Jaller grinned lopsidedly at her, before taking a few steps back and taking a running leap off the edge. The Ga-Matoran's eyes widened as she watched her friend in freefall coming closer, and she didn't realize he had landed until he lost his balance, falling forward on to her.
"Jall—ahh!" They fell onto the ground in a tangle of flailing limbs and groans of pain, as kolhii equipment was strewn across the field. Hahli groaned and put a hand to her head, eyes shut in pain, feeling a heavy weight sprawled across her body. The weight shifted slightly, moaning in pain, and blue eyes opened to meet golden-brown hovering over her. Jaller's mouth was slightly open, his face red in embarrassment at the position they were in, and he quickly rolled off the Ga-Matoran, stifling a groan of pain as he sat up. Hahli blinked, still stunned from the impact and the surprise of finding Jaller on top of her, and she felt her face flush. Staring straight up at the twilight sky, she spoke to her friend.
"Are you okay?" The captain groaned again.
"Yeah, but I don't think I'm gonna be doing that again anytime soon." Jaller looked over at Hahli, an apologetic look on his face.
"I'm sorry I landed on you. I thought I would be able to just jump in front of you," he looked back up at the sky, trying to hide the prominent blush on his face. Hahli glanced at him before pulling herself slowly into a sitting position. She saw that Jaller had his eyes closed, brow furrowed as he held a hand to his head, as well as the faint coloring in his cheeks. The Captain of the Guard gingerly stood up, holding his hand out to her.
"Sorry, again, Hahli," he said. "Anyway, before we play a few rounds of kolhii, I wanted to show you something." The Ga-Matoran didn't see the way Jaller swallowed nervously as she took his offered hand and pulled herself up. Together, they collected the pieces of kolhii gear scattered around, and then Jaller led the way up a flight of stairs to the highest parapet of the field.
The second Jaller opened the trapdoor leading to the roof of the parapet, they were nearly blinded by the setting sun. Hahli gasped as she saw over the lip of the Mangai volcano, her gaze following the slope of cooled magma to the edge of Ta-Wahi where it met the protodermis ocean. The sun was setting directly in front of them, and Hahli had to shield her eyes from the glare, her mouth open slightly as she gazed around.
"It's beautiful up here, Jaller!" she cried. The Ga-Matoran had never seen anything like this, not even when she'd gone to Mount Ihu to train in the art of Purity. She felt Jaller come up behind her, closer than she expected, and she felt herself blush. For his part, the Captain of the Guard was struggling with what to say, not quite sure what he should do next. He'd wanted her to see something only he and Takua had found while on a day off from work, but he didn't know what to say next. The Chronicler's words floated back to his mind as he watched Hahli looking down toward Ta-Wahi. He watched as his hands came up to rest gently on Hahli's shoulders, and his eyes widened slightly as he stepped close enough to press her back against his front. Deciding to throw caution to the wind for once in his life, Jaller leaned his head down to whisper in her ear.
"I know of something even more beautiful than just this view, Hahli," he murmured, heart hammering wildly in his chest. Hahli felt a shiver run through her entire body as she leaned back into Jaller's body, hands coming up to rest over his.
"What?" she asked softly. Jaller turned her head to look at her, and he felt lost as Hahli's beautiful cerulean eyes gazed back at him with an unnamed emotion, her lips parted. The Captain of the Guard took one last shaking breath before whispering,
"You." Hahli felt like she was going to fall to her knees as she watched Jaller lean closer toward her, eyes lidded, and she felt her own eyes slide closed as their lips met in a gentle kiss. Suddenly, the entire world seemed to go silent, and Hahli could have sworn she heard fireworks going off somewhere. Jaller froze entirely; his body going pleasantly numb at the feeling of the Ga-Matoran's lips against his, and it was as though a single loud pop went through his mind, followed by the sudden realization that after all the times he'd been too afraid to tell her his true feelings, she felt the same way for him as he did for her.
When they finally pulled away, the sun had set completely, and the stadium fires had been lit, giving off a bright glow as well as some heat to combat the sudden chill that swept in from Mount Ihu in Ko-Wahi. Jaller looked down at the Ga-Matoran in his arms, her hand coming up to rest against his cheek tenderly, and he turned her around so they were face to face, embracing each other. Jaller tucked her head under his chin and held her tightly, stroking her hair and kissing the top of her head.
"I love you, Hahli," her murmured. The Ga-Matoran lifted her head from his chest, eyes glistening with unshed tears as she smiled brightly.
"I love you too, Jaller." Hahli then leaned up to kiss him again, wrapping her arms around his neck. The moment was broken by a shout from the field below, and the couple looked to see a group of Matoran starting a game of kolhii just for fun. That's when Hahli realized what she'd originally come to meet Jaller for.
"Hahli…" the Ta-Matoran murmured, looking at the group.
"Hmm?" He looked at her.
"Do you still want to play a practice game with me?" Hahli looked at Jaller, then at the group, deliberating whether to take him up on the offer after what had just happened. When she finally reached a decision, she felt herself blush again, but looked straight into Jaller's eyes, a smile playing on her lips.
"I think kolhii can wait," she murmured, pulling him into another kiss.