Maui laid on top of her a moment more. Breathing hard, sweat glistening on his muscular body. A muscle was twitching wildly in his bicep. Careful not to crush her, he rolled with a whump to his back. Still shaking and for the first time in his entire life completely satiated, Maui stared at the night sky. He watched the stars, huge smile stretching across his face. I'm happy! He thought to himself. The thought filled him with a bubbly feeling.

Lifting himself up to his side again, he propped his head on his fist, leaning on his elbow and looked at Moana. She lay on her back, one leg propped up. He could see her thighs still trembling. His eyes trailed over her lithe body, appreciating the curves and muscles. He sought her eyes; her loving, caring eyes that saw HIM, wanted HIM. Their eyes met, and he was not disappointed. Warmth and affection shone out and he basked in their glory.

"I love you." She said.

Maui was suffused in warmth. It swept over him like a soothing wave, taking all worries away. He radiated happiness. Me! Loves me! She loves ME! He exulted in this new triumph, smiling even broader.

Laughing lightly, he reached for her. His eyes trailed to the bruise under her collarbone, nearly healed now, but still visible. "I..." He hesitated. He loved her. He really loved her. With every fiber of his being straight to his very core, he was truly and completely in love with this woman.

And she was mortal.

"I love you." He said, but as a statement, not a reply. The joy draining out of him, the ensuing darkness was crushing. He slowly sat up, staring at her in utter despair. She would fade, as all mortals did. He would be alone, again. Never to feel this joy again. Tears welled into his eyes.

"Maui?" She asked, her voice laced with concern. The explosion of joy at hearing that he loved her quickly ebbed. "Maui? What's wrong?"

"I love you." Was all he said. He jumped to his feet, snatched his hook, with a flash of light he transformed into the great hawk and took off in a thunder of wings.

Moana spent the rest of the night waiting for him to return, worry eating at her insides. By daylight there was no sign on him. She busied herself by making the repairs on the boat and taking a few quick trips around the island to confirm it was seaworthy. By late afternoon she was sick with worry. His last words a bittersweet lump in her stomach. Trying to drive the thought of him out of her mind, she gathered food for a long trip, firmly ignoring the tiny voice that whispered doubts inside her head insisting she would be making it alone, that she would never hear from the great demigod again. That evening she had studiously washed their clothes and calculated the stars to find where exactly in the ocean she was. Carefully folding his loincloth and trying hard not to cry, Moana tried to sleep.

She tossed and turned, sleeping in short fits. Dawn found her red-eyed and listless. She went to the ocean and sat down in the shallows, letting the surf break over her, looking for a friend. The ocean gave her no comfort. At high tide Moana was tired of feeling sorry for herself. When the demigod wanted her again He WILL want me again! he could find her. He always had. No reason that would stop now. She packed up her canoe and looked back at the pool. Her eyes drank in the final site of the meadow. She never wanted to forget the place where she had convinced a demigod to love her.

With a sigh, she shoved off into the ocean. Getting her bearings, she pointed back to Motunui, and promptly fell into the ocean as her canoe jerked out from under her. "Wha-?" sputtering, she hauled herself back up onto the canoe. "What was that for!" She demanded of the ocean. The waves remained devoid of embodiment. "I have to go back. I cannot stay on this island waiting like a love-sick girl, shirking the duties to my people!" She explained in exasperation. Still without personification, she pointed the canoe home again, and once again it was turned away. This time a clear wave poked it's crest up, tilting in such a fashion as to signify a question. "I don't know where he is. I can't very well follow him if I don't know where he went!" The wave swirled in a complicated pattern and then dove to the side, the direction her canoe was facing. Moana thought to herself, thinking of the map in her head of the places she knew in that direction. "Te Fiti?" She guessed. The wave popped up again and nodded once. Without hesitation, Moana set her new course.

Maui didn't know or care what direction he was going. Away. He just wanted away from this terrible, crushing loneliness inside him. It wasn't fair! Mortals had their counterparts. Gods too. Even monsters had their mates. Most of them flitted around each other without understanding the true treasure that they had. He had that treasure now, and was denied the ability to enjoy it for more than a mortals' lifetime; a drop of water in the sea compared to the eons that he would live. Screaming in rage and frustration, Maui flew blindly on.

The fresh air was perfumed with the smell of a thousand flowers blooming. The giant goddess asleep on her bed of greenery, Te Fiti was as beautiful as Moana remembered. Moana had no idea of what she was doing, but she trusted that she would find out. She secured her canoe and turned towards the mountain. How exactly do you wake a sleeping goddess? A tiny voice in her head suggested that this didn't seem like a good idea. Hey Te Fiti, remember me? I'm just some stupid mortal who's lost her boyfriend demigod. Any chance you could give me some help? Moana decided that the heart would be the best place to address the goddess, she'd think of what to say along the way. With a determined step, she plunged into the thick vegetation.

She'd not been walking more than a few minutes when she heard him call from his hawk form. Shimmying up a coconut tree, she scanned the skies, trying to locate him. He was winging in close to where she had tied the boat.

An anguished scream tore from Maui's throat, he transformed back to his human form and raged at Te Fiti. "WHY!" Tears streamed from his eyes, the cords stood out from his neck, his body trembled and shook with the force of his emotions. Voice cracking, barely holding steady. "WHY!? You curse me, but call it a blessing!"

Te Fiti's eyes opened and she slowly sat up, contemplating Maui's outburst.

He threw his hook at her. It sailed through the air and slammed into the mountain, embedding itself nearly all the way to the handle. "Take it!" He roared. "Take it back! Make me mortal! I don't want this curse you gave me!"

Te Fiti looked at him, nonplussed. What is done cannot be undone. I cannot do as you ask.

"Give her to me. Somehow. Please." He sank to his knees, hands up in supplication. "I'll do anything. Anything. Please. Don't take her from me. Don't make me live alone anymore. Please. Please." He was begging now. His chest heaving with each ragged breath, great tears cascading down his face and spattering his chest, darkening his tattoos.

It is not for you to give this to others, to determine who is worthy and who is not. She has not earned the gift. Te Fiti lay back down, closing her eyes, a clear dismissal. Maui stared dejectedly at the ground.

"Maui?" a timid voice called to him. Moana had made her way toward the demigod, her heart going out to him as she overheard the conversation. She wrapped her arms around his big head and held him. He clung to her as sobs shook his body. "I can't." He said hoarsely. "I can't do this alone. I can't be without you. I'm not enough without you."

Uncertain of what to say; Moana stayed silent, holding him desperately. After awhile, his sobs subsided. He remained on his knees, holding onto her like she would disappear once he let her go.

"Maui?" Moana started hesitantly. "Are you... are you forbidden to... to take a mortal?"

Maui gave a bitter laugh. He sat down, crosslegged. Putting his back firmly away from Te Fiti he pulled Moana into his lap, cradling her to his chest. Moana snuggled his chest, then pulled away, sat in front of him and took his hands, searching his face in concern.

Maui sighed. "No. I'm not forbidden to take a mortal. I'm actually not forbidden to do anything, past what each individual god dictates as their business." He glared off over the sea, thumbs gently rubbing the backs of her hands. "The problem is this, Moana." He looked down. "You are not a demigod. You-"

"Yet." Moana interrupted.

Maui stopped. Stunned. Stared at her.

Moana looked at him expectantly. When he didn't continue she nervously looked at Te Fiti, then back at Maui. "She... she said I hadn't earned the gift. That means that it's something that I can get. Right? That... that I could be with you... If you wanted me..." She trailed off.

Maui's jaw fell open. He was completely taken by surprise. "Do you... do you want to be-" with me he almost continued "-a demigod?" he stammered.

"I have no idea what that entails. I don't know, Maui. What I do know is that I don't want to leave your side. I want you to be happy. I want you." She chewed her lower lip.

Maui sat in stunned silence. Enraptured by this amazing, creative and intelligent woman, he fully understood the phrase 'better half'.

"How did you become a demigod?" she asked.

"The gods chose me, for whatever reason." He replied, still floored by the turn of conversation. "I was a baby, lost in the ocean. They scooped me up, made me a demigod, eventually gave me the hook."

"Speaking of which, you should probably go get that." She eyed him admiringly. "I have your clothes, too."

She got to her feet and jogged to the canoe. When she returned Maui was standing, staring out at sea in contemplation.

"So, how does one become a demigod?" she asked.

"I don't know." Maui admitted. "But I know who to ask."

"Who?"

"Kuolokele. From the land of Keahumoa."

Notes

Thank you for reading. I mean no offense to the Polynesian culture with this story.

Thoughts, critiques and critisism appreciated.