@vcyager / cont. from here.
vcyageranswered:
hurt meme.
The demigod’s words seemed far away and might as well have been unheard. Of course, it didn’t help that her ears were ringing loudly and very painfully. She hadn’t stopped coughing up water since Maui pulled her from the sea; causing her lungs to burn and ache.
There had been a brief storm, it was gone now, but it was a violent one that she couldn’t seem to have handled. Sure, Moana had mastered wayfinding but it hadn’t helped her in this situation. Some waves were just too large and destructive so much so there was nothing she could do. Of course, the girl thought she could make it through and emerge safely from the unforgiving weather but she was wrong. The ocean didn’t assist like it used to.
No one had known she was out here by herself…. Luckily, it seemed Mauiwas in the area and had noticed her empty boat. Moana’s coughing stopped momentarily as she opened her eyes to look up at her rescuer. It had been a while since the two had seen each other last.
It was true that the demigod hadn’t been around much lately... or at all. After Moana’s people had followed in their ancestors’ footsteps and returned to voyaging, he had stuck around for a while. He had tagged along on those adventures at sea, helping Moana teach her people how to wayfind and sail. It was in their blood, though, and really - they were fast learners. Then, he stayed on the island of Motunui often, helping out with his demigod strength or just showing off, entertaining and helping out with the children. His lingering fondness for the future chief kept him around for a while... but eventually the demigod became restless, and longed to stretch his wings out in other directions. His visits became fewer and farther in between. It wasn’t intentional, not really, but time moved faster for him, anyway.
That day he had been in the area because he had been returning to the island and its voyagers. To Moana. He had missed the kid, missed her sass and attitude, missed her friendship. But the pull had become more urgent, and flying in hawk form he had soared down to her boat, found her moments later. After carrying her limp body to the shore, he had thought how fragile she seemed - human and mortal and just pale enough to be this close to death. He’d be the first tell you that nothing scared him, but... this was definitely the exception to that rule.
When she opened her eyes and said his name, he was sure his name had never sounded sweeter on a human’s lips before. If she looked different or older he didn’t notice, if only because he was a demigod who looked exactly the same as the first day she had met him - and because it didn’t matter how old she was, she was still Moana, the chosen one, the spitfire who had taken him by the ear and never really let go. His relief was obvious, his smile weak upon his face. “Yeah... it’s me, kid,” he sighed, the big hands holding onto her shoulders loosening their grip a little. He even chuckled, something about the sound coming out shaky. “You’re okay now. Just... take it easy. Breathe.”
