The words choke their way out of her throat, the next time that she saw her best friend.
"D-Do you want to try to be a couple?" The future Chieftain shifted as she stared up at her best friend and really looked at him; he looked powerful, his hair was curly and usually tied up, and his tattoos were almost entrancing rather than just simple markings on his skin, but she didn't feel attracted to him.
Moana could see how others could find him attractive; it was there in all that he was, and she truly knew that he'd make a great husband. It didn't matter that he couldn't always stay on the island; he was strong and dependable whenever he was around, loved people with all of his being.
"Are you really asking me that?" He stood tall though just a hint of uncertainty clung to his eyes.
"Yeah, as a Chieftain, I have to consider marriage." Moana took a deep breath and suddenly worried that she'd said too much to her best friend or not enough.
"We can." Maui took a deep breath as his eyes stayed on hers, "I believe that I can have kids, and I know that I'll treat you well if you let me." Maui looked confident, but even so, it seemed out of place.
Moana stepped closer and hugged him, relieved that if things went the way that she hoped that they'd be able to live a happy life that benefited her people, the ones that she worked hard to appease.
She shivered on impulse as he moved around her to loop his fingers with hers, and her fingers appeared small in his hands.
Moana wondered if her hands were just naturally small or if his hand just tended to dwarf other hands with ease.
Maui's eyes locked on her, and he leaned down to kiss her; it didn't feel breathtaking. It was gentle and kind, but she didn't feel sparks or long to kiss him more. Moana just felt awkward like she was kissing her very best friend; there still was no attraction there, and she didn't dare so much as speak about it.
What did attraction feel like anyway? Did Maui feel it for her?
She took a deep breath as he pulled away with a brilliant smile that couldn't warm the nervous pit in her stomach; she had to be making the right decision or at least stepping somewhere closer to the right one.
Moana just hoped that when she introduced him to her parents for approval as the future Chieftain and the man that could easily become her husband and another leader for their island.
The nervous pit in her stomach didn't heal or go away at all; it just got worse.