When the sun had faded into the horizon, giving the moon more prominence as it slid slowly into the heavens, Emere made her way back from a small meeting she held with a few ladies in the village. She walked towards her homw, until a low rumbling sound rang through her ears and it came from none other than Moana's fale.
"So, are you very very sure about doing this?" a feminine voice warned, which none other than her niece, Moana.
"You got yourself a deal, Young Lady," replied the man."Keep your promise though; you have to tell me the secret."
Emere focused her attention on the voice behind the door. That was unmistakably the hulking giant's voice that came with Moana a few days ago.
"Yes, don't worry about that. I'll tell you everything after we've done this."
Then there was a nervous sigh and a very unconvincing, "Ok, let's do it," from the man.
"Great! I bet you'll enjoy this as much as I do." A teasing giggle erupted in response.
After reading the letter from Tui and understanding the situation surrounding Moana's unwanted betrothal, Emere had been holding the suspicion that Maikai was here for another purpose than just to escort her niece. Perhaps he is Moana's boyfriend? Who knows?! They looked quite….cozy together. She contemplated. The speculation in itself enough to kindle Emere's insatiable inquisitiveness to run a full inquiry. But she wasn't going to barge in yet.
"Ugh, I don't know about the level of enjoyment," Maui retorted with a pinch of sarcasm."I...I have never done this before," he said edgily. "I am not sure how will I lo… ―"
"Well, neither have I," Moana interjected, watching the weird scene of Maikai toying with his fingers to conceal his grogginess. "No, I mean―not with a man. Wait―on a man," she revised.
Outside, Emere could hear a coquettish smile in her voice. Wait! Wait… Are they―?! No way! With her curiosity piqued, Emere flushed her ear to the fale's door.
"I'll say, no man in a right mind would wish to do this honor," she heard Maikai countered."Just think if someone found.. ―"
"Don't worry it won't hurt," came her voice, reassuring. Moana grinned, salving the moment watching Maikai's untypical moment of unease.
"Eh, that's not―that's not what I'm worried about. I mean, what if someone saw me like this? Man, we are going to be the talk of the village, and your Aunt would surely tell your Dad! And that would be lethally embarrassing!"
That's going to be the last thing you worry about, Emere thought as she depicting the horror in her brother-in-law's face if he knew Moana was… ―
"Nah… she won't meddle with….petty stuff like this. I am a grown woman. I can do what I like." Moana dismissed Maui's baseless apprehension."Besides… you said you want to know the secret, right?"
A baritone groan was heard."Right…" Maui said, surrendering.
"Great! Let's start," she yelled, feeling her confidence soar as she was gaining ground against Maikai's crumbling resistance.
"Now," Moana began,"Take a seat on my bed… I'll get the… equipment."
A modest rustle was heard, perhaps a sound of shifting fabric against their skirt; then, came a loud, anxious exhale.
"Right, I'm ready," said the man's voice, which contrary to his word, didn't sound ready at all.
Outside, Emere stiffened.
"A little more to the right," Moana commanded the giant to shift his weight. "Don't you aware of your size… ―?! My bed isn't that big!" she whined. A satirical groan was his answer. Moana chuckled amusedly at his childish reaction. "Now… just relaaaax." She purposely stretched her words for dramatic effect.
Maui scoffed."Well, this bed ain't designed for two!"
"Ok, just shush," she shot gruffly. "I wanted to enjoy this therapeutic moment."
Then there was tussling sound, a few manly grunts and moan, but the syllables weren't loaded with pleasure. Outside, Emere struggled to think.
"Moana. Ack―! Ouch―! Could you not grab that hard!" he protested, contemptuously shoving her hand.
"Ugh your...your... ―, this thing is refusing to be tamed!" Moana retaliated stubbornly.
By the Emere nearly fainted by the door, body drowned in cold sweats.
"Ok sorry… sorry. I'll be extremely gentle this time," promised Moana, neutralizing the situation.
Then echoed Maui's relief sigh."Ahhh… that's better! By the way, how do I look?" asked the guy, pronouncing every syllable coquettishly. "Irresistible?"
"Absolutely!" Moana blustered and laughed.
Regardless all his complaint, truthfully, Maui was enjoying himself. This was the most fun time they had together since he introduced himself as Maikai. It delighted him to no end to see her smiling broadly, to hear her rapturous laughter, and to watch her eyes narrowed and widened expressively. And boy, how he enjoyed her attention, her teasing banter, and her enthusiastic talk. He began to feel as though there really was a good chance of him winning her heart.
Emere wrinkled her nose in distaste and covered her eyes as though she could expel the image her mind had evoke from Maikai's reprieved sound.
"I loosen the grip a little," Moana's voice returned.
"Yeah, it's a lot more comfortable this time."
Another prolonged silence fell, there was only sound some rigorous shifting.
"Ouch! Moana, I thought you are going to be gentle!"
"Well, yours is longer than I expected―which is a good problem to have," she muffled an amused giggle."No man I've met in Motunui had it as long as yours. Not even my Dad."
Emere nearly gag. Ok, that's it!
"It's not my fault if my hand caught at… ―"
Moana and Maui froze on their position. The door slammed open, revealing an agitated woman, flushed and heaving with embarrassment and fury. Moana's eyes nearly jumped from their sockets, while Maui gasped loudly before running his massive palm over his face.
Inside the room, Maikai was sitting on Moana's bed while Moana was on her knees, behind him, her hand tangled in his hair with a few little braids sprouting from his head.
The curve of the beach bent long and low along the shore. As dawn was breaking, low-tide creeping in. Moana watched the sun dragged itself from the depth of the sea, painting its majestic red hue across the sky. The beach was still quiet and serene. There was no other sound than the steady lapping of the ocean's teeth, gently chewing the shoreline. It was the perfect time for sharing the story Moana had promised to tell.
As Maikai's shadow approaching, both of them headed to some secluded spot behind the rocks. Then, Moana began her exposition.
"Oh… that make sense then, why that Akoni guy hates your Dad," Maui said contemplatively. Next to him, Moana was busy with her own musings, until Maui nudged her and inquired, "So when are we going to speak to Ngaire?"
"Perhaps another week―my Aunt said she's sailing at the moment," Moana answered. If Ngaire was like those people in Kailua, Moana could imagine that the lady must be an excellent wayfinder, a core part and valuable addition to Kabara's voyaging crew. "In the meantime, I can return this pendant," she added.
Maui gasped inaudibly before blurting, "You―? Alone―?" at her absurd declaration.
"Yes? Something wrong with that?" Moana stated harshly with a scandalized expression cascaded all over her face. She couldn't help feeling slightly insulted with Maikai's lack of faith in her abilities.
"What―? It's not what I mean…!" Maui countered defensively, feeling equally affronted. Both of them exchanged a disapproving glare like in a staring contest.
Knowing no point of arguing, Maui was the first to open his mouth, but this time his words were driven with genuine affection and worry.
"Mo… those guards nearly maimed you. And the fact that you don't speak their language doesn't help."
Moana went mute when Maikai spelled out the reason for his concern. He was just immensely worried about her well-being.
"Why don't you ask your Aunt for an interpreter and a few bodyguards. I'm sure they'll have quite a few ready at their disposal," he suggested.
Moana huffed as she cupped her own chin with her hand, embracing the frustration of the world. "No… I can't let them embroil themselves in this mess. This is my problem, Maikai. So, I must go al… ―"
"Wait, no… hold on to that thought, they will capture you! You won't return from there alive! Worse still they might even carve your bones into a weapon!" Maui exclaimed as he read out the string of gruesome thoughts that were flooding his mind. "Or a bowl…"
"Geez, thanks!" Moana deadpanned. But Maikai highlighted a valid point―a communication breakdown was a recipe for disaster. Huffing in annoyance, she finally spoke up."So, what are you suggesting?"
Maui grinned triumphantly. Let the hero of men and women handle this Kid, he mused in his head, before translating into saying, "What if, I go?"
"Alone… ―?" Moana's turn to shoot him a disapproving look.
"Of course! Don't think I can handle those guards?" Maui replied, feeling her claim stabbed his pride. Truthfully, he didn't plan to confront those guards, but rather to sneak in and return the pendant without anyone noticing. It would be an easy task considering he could morph into anything and sneak in. Even though it sounded like a coward, he knew that facing off against numerous angry guards was essentially digging his own grave. Worse still, he couldn't explain his noble intention of returning a plunder that he didn't steal. But of course, for his plan to work, Moana couldn't join him.
"No… It's not like that." Moana's shaky voice caught him off guard. "It's just…. I'm worried about you…. and your safety," she added. And like magic, her words healed his wounded pride. They actually worried for each other more than they cared to admit! How sweet was that?
The sudden revelation made his heart tinged with unexplainable warmth.
"Don't you remember? I told you that I don't have the solution for all of your problems," he reminded her. And since the moment seemed fitting, he scooted closer and enveloped her small hand in his, holding it firmly as determination glinted his eyes, "...but I promise that you won't face them alone."
To his surprise, the girl didn't flinch nor appeared perturb by the invasion of her personal space. In fact, she displayed no resistance―as though accepting his advancement.
"We go together then. Sound better?" Maui initiated, making up for the lack of vocality.
"I like that," she replied. A resplendent smile touched her lips that made Maui's heart race wildly in his chest. If anyone could construe his indescribable feeling right now: 'mortal heaven' was a perfectly fitting word.
Moana could feel a strand of renewed enthusiasm, courage and hope ―imperceptibly bloomed in her chest as Maikai's warm hands wrapped around hers. Time had a strange way of changing someone's perception. A few weeks ago, Moana would reluctantly fell asleep, always observing Maikai with a suspicious look in her eyes, and calculatively second guessing the hidden intention behind his words. But now, after testifying how willing he was to help her, how selfless and sincere the man was, Moana had no qualms about trusting Maikai, in fact―she couldn't imagine what would she do without him.
"What?"
Maikai's sudden question nearly made Moana jumped out of her skin. She blushed when she realized he had caught her staring while their hand still interlacing together. Instinctively, she pulled hers back and managed to squeak a little,"I ―I'm sorry."
Then a look of realization crossed his face, and he grinned teasingly."Did you finally notice how gorgeous I am?" he preened."It. You can stare as much as you want. I know it must be a treat for you," he articulated eloquently. Deep inside, Maui congratulated himself for sounding as smooth, confident and fluent as ever despite his thundering heart that was on the brink of explosion.
Moana couldn't help but laughed. Maikai's affinity to brag shamelessly now had become a source of their endless joke.
"Maikai."
Her voice suddenly turned serious, Maui felt a nervous knot growing in his throat in anticipation of what may come next.
"Why are you doing all this for me?"
Her fathomless eyes pleaded for reaction. Now, it's Maui's turn to become anxious. He paused momentarily, making sure his heart could handle all the adrenaline overdose that he'd been experiencing. He took a few calming breath, gathering his confidence.
"It's because I…. ―"
Notes: yes, done this chapter in less than a week! (pat myself on the back).
Ok, a snippet of chapter 19 is here (bigger snippet will be on my Tumblr account 3431jessica)
"I thought I'd lost you," her voice quiet."I… -" she couldn't finish her sentence because sobs began to shook her lips. There was something warm, moving, tight and suffocating as she contemplated the extent of crazy things this man willing to endure for her sake.
"Hey, don't worry. Not a big deal," Maui tried to assuage her baseless worry."I am a tough guy, right?" he tried to prop himself up with his hand, but his back protested caustically when his weight pressed against it.
He made a sudden, sharp grunt and Moana instinctively screeched and push him back down. "Stay there!" she commanded, biting and short.
"It's nothing," he muttered.
"That doesn't sound like nothing!" Moana replied tartly, but just the voice, while her eyes were skirting with tears, worried and full of guilt.