The Heart of Tangaroa✔️

Chapter 1: Waiting for Maui

A/N: I saw the movie. I enjoyed the movie, and now, two months later, the plot bunnies are attacking. I wasn't originally going to post this since it's kind of 'childish' and it's not usually what I write about, but guess what? I don't care. SO! Haters can hate, just know that I will ignore you :) I'm not really sure if this is a Maui x Moana or not, we'll see how it goes I guess. Thx for reading! If anything is culturally inaccurate, my bad *holds up hands in surrender*, I'm doing my best here.

"I assure you, Kūa, Heihei would not be good for cooking,"

Moana held the stupid rooster in her arms as Kūa, a gaunt man steaming the cabbages, narrowed his beady eyes and shook his head,

"Such a stupid creature," he insisted, "it would be better to simply put him out of his misery-"

"That really won't be necessary," Moana grumbled, ignoring the sharp pain in her hands as the 'stupid creature' in question began to peck at her fingers, "your cabbages look wonderful, keep up the good work,"

Kūa merely shrugged as Moana walked from his open air fale and set Heihei on the ground,
"Try to stay out of trouble for at least an hour, ok?" Moana pleaded with the chicken, prodding him forward as he began to mindlessly walk in that direction. Rolling her eyes and huffing, Moana adjusted the wreath on her head and moved towards the weavers. They were happily joking as Moana approached,

"How's the work coming? Anything you all need?"

"The grasses are good and healthy, Moana," Alouah, the best weaver in the village, stated with a broad smile, "rotating where we picked from really did the trick,"

"I thought it would," Moana said, "so nothing you need?"

"No, not right now. Thanks, Chief,"

Moana nodded and strode off again through the village, ruffling the hair of a few children who were skipping rocks into dirt boxes outside one of the fales. Moana even stopped to take a turn, the other kids groaning as she racked up the highest amount of points by hitting all four of the boxes corners. Smiling and continuing on her way, the young Chief headed into the coconut grove. The men were scrambling up the trees, long ropes of woven fibers tied around their waists as they broke the nuts down into awaiting baskets,

"Moana! Greetings!"

Scurrying down a tree, Moana shared a quick Honi with Aisake, whom was a good friend of hers,

"Hey, Aisake. How's the harvesting going?"

"It's better then it's been in a while, Chief," the young man stated, waving at the bountiful baskets of ripe and green nuts falling from the trees, "I think we'll have enough to fill out reserve this season. I think it's that new soil stuff you're having us use. It's doing wonders,"

"Fantastic," Moana said, clapping slightly as she watched a few women walk away from the grove to begin husking, "and how is the new grove coming?"

"Fast growing. We should have fruits by next season. You've really outdone yourself this time, Moana,"

"Well thanks, Aisake, I appreciate that,"

The young man nodded and ran a hand over his long dark hair, holding out a hand as Moana turned to leave,

"Moana, wait,"

Turning, Moana faced her friend as he seemed to hesitate with something he wanted to say,
"Uhm...I was wondering, if you weren't busy later, if you wanted to join me for some Haupia after dinner? My brother and I are making some today to celebrate the good harvest,"