Divine Guidance

[BlackAkuma]

Divine worried, just a little, that she was coming on a little too strong, too early with Aroha. The woman had an innocent air about her, clearly new to far more than wrestling, and while she would never consciously take advantage of that, well…the temptation was there. She was open to new experiences, and it didn’t take much imagination to let such an attitude lead them to all kinds of places. Fun places. Dangerous places.

For a moment, the seductress in her won out, as her fingers roamed along Aroha’s thighs and enjoyed the sensation. She was no stranger to the touch of another woman, comfortable, enjoying it. With most, this would’ve been enough to get the ball rolling in whatever direction she wished.

Aroha, though…she was a little different. Divine had to stifle a laugh as her teases fell flat, running straight into the wall that was the islander’s infectious innocence. ”Yes, that is a little unusual. I’ll give you a massage, I’m sure that’ll fix it.” She couldn't recall experiencing anything like that herself, but then, she’d ridden plenty of vehicles before she plopped her pretty little ass on a motorcycle. She got the impression that riding vehicles was still a new sensation for Aroha, which would explain her body’s reaction.

Divine slid off the bike in a simple, fluid motion, in stark contrast to the time Aroha was having with it. She stayed close, in case her friend needed the support, and that instinct turned out to be right on the money - sure enough, the poor thing nearly fell over. She happily accepted the arm on her shoulder and reached around her waist, further stabilizing her.

”Easy, easy, I’ve got you.” She sat the helmet aside with one hand, then brought it around to further support her. While she doubted it was anything serious, it was clearly not going to pass anytime soon, so their only option was to sit around and wait until it passed, or…

”Here.” Divine stepped away, peeled her jacket off and hung it on the seat, then turned around and took a knee, offering her back to Aroha. ”Ride my back. I’ll carry you the rest of the way.”

Or she would try, at least. Aroha didn’t look that heavy, and her legs were in good enough shape for the task. She just hoped there weren’t too many stairs to contend with.

[HawtWheels]

Divine offered to look at it. To give a massage.

Aroha’s brain connected the dots. Divine was an oil wrestler. In Aroha's mind, that credential matched up with being a masseuse because masseuses used oil from what she knew. And someone who spent their life grappling in slick oil had to understand how muscles worked, how to rub them out, and how to fix them with that oil.

But beyond that logical connection, it was such a kind offer that Aroha felt a pang in her chest. Not only was this woman startlingly beautiful, but she was also generous enough to offer her professional services for free just because Aroha was vibrating. Her eyes sparkled with somehow more admiration, and she already held plenty for the other woman.

"You would do that?" Aroha asked, her voice cracking with gratitude. "That is... wow. That is so nice of you. I bet you know exactly which muscles are shouting at me." She peered down at her legs, still confused as to why they looked fine while the bones kept rattling against her skin.

She looked up just in time to see Divine shed her jacket and drop to one knee. Aroha blinked at first... until she heard Divine's proposal. And if she thought the massage offer had been kind and exciting... Her smile split her face. It was the perfect solution. She used to do this with the village elders when the trails got too steep for them, but she had never been the cargo before.

"Oh! The... pig- pig-ride!" she cheered, fumbling for the right English word as she surged forward, abandoning her useless legs. "Yes! I love these! I am coming aboard!"

She wrapped her arms around Divine’s neck and hopped up, locking her legs around the woman’s waist with the grip strength of someone who climbed trees for fun. Her feet settled over her thighs while her arms held most of her own weight, making her an even lighter burden. Clearly, she had clung to backs more than a few times in her life.

"Best night!" she declared, snuggling her face into the crook of Divine’s neck. "Mosh! I'm up there!" One calloused but delicate finger pointed at a second floor window, where a light illuminated a few too many plants for one sill. "There's an escalator- no, the other one. Elevator!"

[BlackAkuma]

Pig-pig ride?

Divine couldn't hold back a laugh at that name, though it was reduced to a snort when she thought about it. Come to think of it, it wasn’t any sillier than calling it a piggyback ride, was it? She likewise had no idea why it was called that. Did people ride pigs in the past or something? She couldn't say she had ever seen a pig up close before, but she never got the impression that it would be pleasant from what she saw on television.

Regardless, Aroha seemed more than happy to be on the receiving end of one, even more so than she had been for the bike ride. Her streak of being insanely adorable and sexy at the same time continued.

”All aboard whoa-” Divine squawked in surprised when Aroha leaped on and wrapped those legs of hers around her body. She wasn’t squeezing too tight, it wasn’t painful, but she could tell that it very well could have been if the woman wanted it be. Her body was solid, boasting some real muscle underneath. If Aroha didn’t want to let Divine go, it would be no easy task to make her.

Thankfully, that was a problem for another day, not this one.

Divine followed Aroha’s finger, nodded, and began the ride, dutifully making her way inside and finding the elevator. It opened after she approached, and an older couple emerged, maybe in their fifties. The man gave them a curious look, perhaps a little intrigued, before his wife sighed and gave him a tug on the jacket, enough to get him moving out of the building.

Divine snickered at the sight and made her way inside the elevator, then dipped down enough for Aroha to reach the button with that calloused finger of hers. ”Lovely plants, up there. You like gardening?”

[HawtWheels]

Aroha’s whole body vibrated with a happy little hum the second Divine started walking, like a kid on the world’s best carnival ride. The strong, steady sway of Divine’s hips under her thighs felt so different from carrying the elders back home; Divine moved like she could do this for hours and never break a sweat, and Aroha’s cheeks flushed warm at the thought because she could definitely enjoy this ride for hours.

She tucked her face deeper into the crook of Divine’s neck but had to set it free as soon as she did as Divine asked her what she believed was a very good question.

“Gardening? Yeah!” Aroha chirped, lifting her head just enough that her lips brushed the shell of Divine’s ear when she spoke. “Back home I grow kūmara, taro, kamokamo… big squashes! The plants up there are my new babies while I’m stuck in the apartment box. I talk to them every morning. They like the haka, turns out. I'm not as good at it here because the climate is so different, so I picked ones that live really easily.”

She stretched her arm past Divine’s shoulder to mash the button for the second floor with an enthusiastic poke. The doors slid shut, sealing them in the tiny mirrored box, and Aroha’s reflection grinned back at her; legs locked tight around Divine’s waist, arms looped easy around her neck, looking for all the world like she belonged there.

The elevator lurched upward. Aroha gave a tiny, delighted squeak and instinctively tightened her thighs; just a quick, reflexive squeeze that pressed her whole front flush against Divine’s back, the thin fabric of her shorts and cropped top doing almost nothing to avoid the skinship - not that Aroha would notice either way. She loosened again almost instantly, realizing she might have been crushing some muscles or bones in there, but not before a mischievous little grin tugged at her lips.

“You’re really strong,” she murmured, voice softer now, warm breath fanning over Divine’s neck. One curious fingertip traced idle circles at the base of Divine’s throat where her pulse beat. “I could hang here all night and you wouldn’t even get tired, eh?”

The elevator dinged, doors beginning to part. Aroha tilted her head, lips brushing Divine’s ear one more time. “Almost home… but I don’t wanna get down yet. But I have to for the massage or the wrestling, I guess."

[BlackAkuma]

As much as Divine was, genuinely, interested in Aroha’s gardening tips, it was a wee bit hard to focus with the woman’s lips at her ear like that. It was honestly hard to tell if the woman was trying to be seductive at this point. If she wasn’t, she had a remarkable talent for doing it without even knowing. The lips at her ear, the hot breath along the back of her neck, the way her body clung so tight and the swell of those iron legs against her hips. The total package. She seemed to draw Divine in more and more with every passing moment.

Then again, there was a non-zero chance it was just her imagination, mixed with a dry spell that she’d been on for a couple of months, an eternity considering her lifestyle.

”I don’t have much of a green thumb.” Would she understand what that meant? Eh, don’t risk it. ”I’m not good with plants, gardening, stuff like that. I never had the patience for it. My mother did, it used to be her hobby, but it never quite stuck with me.”

Just like most of her mother’s teachings, really.

Divine grunted as the elevator lurched upwards and Aroha’s thighs tightened, biting at her bones. She made a note to avoid bodyscissors during their wrestling match. ”I was a dancer, once upon a time. It builds good legs.” She dipped down and pushed up, a quick squat to show off. ”Not too keen on testing out your theory tonight, though. Maybe some other time.”

Divine stepped out of the elevator and took a moment to readjust, hiking Aroha further up her back and keeping her secure. After making sure their path was clear and gathering her bearings, she headed in the direction of where she thought her friend’s apartment was, based on where she’d pointed outside. ”I’ll make you a deal - if you beat me in our first match, I’ll let you ride me anywhere you like for the night, as long as you want.” She looked over her shoulder and winked. ”Sound good?”

[HotWheels]

Aroha’s brow furrowed just a touch at the “green thumb” comment, the phrase tumbling around in her head in search of meaning. She peeped down at where Divine's hands lingered to see if she spotted the "ailment." Then her brain started to catch up based on her readings from the west. Plants… thumb… oh! Probably meant being good with growing things. She filed it away to ask about later; right now, she had to dig her hands into the revelation that Divine had once danced.

“Dancer, eh? That makes so much sense!” she chimed, giving Divine’s shoulders a gentle, appreciative squeeze with her arms. “You move all smooth and strong, like you know exactly where your body’s going. Not stiff like some of the big power girls here. I tried learning dance once, the proper kind with the poi and stuff, but I always end up moving too much. I don't have the grace part. Haka’s more my speed - lots of stomping and shouting.”

Then came the deal, and Aroha’s eyes went wide and delighted, completely missing any hidden heat in the wording. To her it was simple: more rides on Divine’s back, maybe all the way around the city if she won. Best prize ever.

“Oh that’s the best deal I’ve heard all week!” she exclaimed, bouncing a little in place and making her thighs flex against Divine’s sides. “You better watch out - if I win, we’re going everywhere. Grocery run, late night food, maybe even to the ocean if the trains are still running. I might ride you the whole night if you can handle it!” Her voice stayed pure excitement, no teasing edge, just genuine joy at the thought of more time clinging to this strong, kind woman who carried her. Aroha chose not to announce that her legs felt totally normal now, too.

She lifted one arm again to point down the hall as they neared the door, the little carved tiki by the mat catching the light. “Right here, 204. That’s us.” Aroha loosened her legs just a fraction, ready to slide down if Divine set her on her feet, but she didn’t unwind them fully yet, lingering in the warm press of bodies. “So… massage first, or straight to seeing who gets the rides?” she asked, chin resting lightly on Divine’s shoulder, blue eyes curious and sparkling as she waited for the verdict.

[BlackAkuma]

When Divine said that she would let Aroha ‘ride her anywhere as long as she liked’, she genuinely hadn't meant it in a dirty way, but now that she actually said it out loud…

Thankfully, Aroha didn’t seem to take it that way. Or she did, and she was just doing a wonderful job of playing up the naive angle. Divine suspected it was the former, not the latter, unless the woman was a world-class actress. ”I’m sure you’d be fine at dancing, you just need to put in more time. You’ve got the body for it. Grace comes with practice.” She idly rolled her head to the side, nuzzling against Aroha’s face without thinking much about it.

Divine chuckled along as Aroha laid out her riding plans, giving her mental images of riding the woman all over Japan. Trudging all over the place with a beautiful woman strapped to her back wasn’t the worst fate she could imagine, though a chiropractor would likely disagree.

”All night long, you say?” Divine bit her lip, holding back a particularly lewd snicker. ”You know…” She opened her mouth to explain, then let it trail off with a sigh. ”Nevermind.”

They reached their destination soon enough - the tiki was a big clue, should’ve spotted that earlier. Divine stopped in front of the door and kneeled, letting her dismount, before she stood up and stepped back to give her some space.

”We can do a quick little massage, first.” She perked up as something clicked in her mind. ”So, wait, do you actually want to mud wrestle tonight? I thought we’d be doing that later, more of an official match.” She remembered they’d briefly talked about a match in her own apartment, but she didn’t recall nailing down that particular. It was Divine’s fault for not being clear.

”Not that I am against the idea, mind you. I’m 100% ready if you want to roll tonight.” She nodded towards the door. ”Your place is really set up for this kind of thing?”

[HotWheels]

“Can the dancing lessons be from you?” Her eyes went round and shining, as if summoning every ounce of cuteness her face could muster to compel the other woman to agree. “If you say grace comes with practice, I believe you, and I think you'd do a really good job of teaching.” Of course, she didn't have any basis for that. But she did a quick, experimental sway of her hips, testing the idea, and laughed when it felt more like shimmying around to get comfortable in a seat more than a dance move. “See? Still working on it.”

Though it pained her a bit to do - she could have stayed attached all night, just as she'd said - Aroha slid down Divine’s back with a happy little hop, her sandals landing soft on the hallway carpet. "Thank you! That was fun," she told her, almost entirely missing Divine's comment back to her about their riding all night long. As it was, it earned the most innocent, agreeable hum imaginable. “Mmmhmm!” Aroha nodded eagerly, already picturing midnight adventures on Divine’s back, maybe stopping for hot chips or staring at the city lights from some tall bridge. Best night ever, extended edition.

Then the mud question landed, and Aroha’s face lit up like sunrise… for exactly two seconds.

“Oh! Yes! Tonight would be-” She cut herself off, eyes widening as reality crashed in. A slow, embarrassed grin spread across her face and she rubbed the back of her neck. “Actually… no, I don’t have anything ready here. I got way too excited and just started dreaming about mud. I don’t even have a single bucket in the apartment.” Her laugh was self-teasing. “Back home we’d just dig a hole in the clearing, but I can’t exactly do that on the second floor, can I? The building owner would throw me out the window.” He had already taken offense to so many plants.

Her shoulders lifted in a little shrug. “So… match later, like we planned. Tonight it’s just your famous massage?” She fished her key from her pocket, rocking on her heels and fiddled with it a few seconds too long, clearly not used to having to use one. Finally, though, the door opened with a shove of her shoulder.

Warm light spilled out into the hallway along with the faint scent of damp earth and fresh leaves. The apartment was tiny, but every spare inch burst with life: potted kūmara vines trailing from the windowsill, a massive taro in one corner, shelves crammed with ferns and little succulents she’d coaxed through the Japanese winter, a woven flax mat on the floor, a single low futon couch, and a coffee table made from a polished slice of kauri. A carved wooden tiki grinned from beside the TV, and strings of shells and pounamu hung over the doorway. There was almost no other furniture - just plants, bright woven cushions, and the faint, constant rustle of leaves whenever the heater kicked on. Aroha had to brush aside a particularly large one just to let Divine inside.

“Welcome home!”

[BlackAkuma]

Divine wasn’t wholly joking about the dancing lessons, either. In truth, it had been a good long while since she’d danced - she hadn't had much reason to. But any excuse to do it was a good one. Sometimes she missed those routines she did with her bandmates, the twirls, the steps, the pageantry of it all. She was no Beyonce and they were no Destiny’s Child, but they had a good time, and their fans seemed to enjoy it enough.

It would also be a good excuse to take Aroha out to a club, sometime. A proper club. Divine thought she would enjoy that.

She kept those plans tucked in the back of her head as Aroha moved on, addressing the mud issue. It was about the answer she expected, figuring she was simply getting ahead of herself. While she didn’t doubt the woman would wrestle her up here if she could make that happen, mud wrestling seemed like the sort of thing that would need some time to set up, and best done…anywhere but an apartment, frankly. LAW’s facilities would have something infinitely better than whatever they could concoct here.

”No, I do not suspect your landlord would appreciate you mudwrestling on the second floor.” She leaned against the door frame and enjoyed a quick, soft laugh. ”Though let me know if you ever ask him about it. I’d love to see the reaction.”

…hopefully, she knew Divine was joking there.

”Only the massage tonight.” She nodded Aroha’s way as the door opened. “Though I can hang around for a while, if…you…”

It was like stepping into Narnia, like she had just entered a completely different world. Living in the city for so long, she was so accustomed to the steel and the streets. That wasn’t to say Japan lacked greenery, there were flowery places all over, but she never interacted much with them. This felt wholly different. The texture was different. The smells, the sights, the vibe - it was as if Aroha had taken her home, carved it out of reality and simply dropped it into the middle of Japan.

Divine gasped. It took her a few seconds to find her voice, as she took tentative steps inside. ”Aroha.” Her eyes spanned the room, from one corner then back against. ”Aroha, this is beautiful.”

[HotWheels]

Aroha beamed. Divine hadn't technically said "yes" to the dancing lessons, but she hadn't said "no" either, and in Aroha’s village, a lack of a "no" was basically a signed contract. She watched Divine move into the apartment, her eyes naturally dropping to the woman's hips. They swayed with such an easy grace, even just walking. Aroha felt a little twinge of envy; her own hips were strong - good for hip attacks and sitting on people - but she wasn't sure they could move like that. She would have to practice shimmying in the mirror later.

The comment about the landlord, however, Aroha took with absolute gravity.

"Okay, I will," she nodded brightly, tapping her chin. "He usually comes by on Tuesdays to complain about the humidity from my ferns. If I ask him about the mud pit then, I can tell you so you can watch. It's a date!"

More than any excitement about that proposition and the chance to see Divine again sooner rather than later, though, was her pleasure at seeing how Divine responded to the room. The almost breathless reaction made Aroha's chest swell with pride, because of all those matters she didn't fully understand coming to the big city, she knew that keeping so many plants alive inside of such a tiny, mostly metal box in the side of a building should be considered an accomplishment.

"It is just a little bit of home," she said, waving a hand airily. "Make yourself at home! The floor is clean, I promise. There's just... some dirt, probably."

As she spoke, Aroha kicked her sandals off with practiced ease, sending them skidding under the kauri table. Bare feet were infinitely better. And since they were doing a massage and she wanted to be comfortable in her apartment, stiff denim shorts simply wouldn't do. Without a shred of hesitation, she unbuttoned her shorts and shimmied them down her legs, stepping out of them to reveal the bikini bottoms that matched her top. She grabbed a pair of snug, soft cotton shorts from the arm of the futon and started to pull them on as she turned back to Divine.

"And please, if you see a green friend you like, take it!" She gestured to the crowded shelves, where a few succulents were dangerously close to toppling over. "I think I might have kidnapped too many from the nursery. The little spiky one there? Or the hanging vine? Consider it payment for the human-backpack ride and the massage. I don't have much money yet, but I have plants!"