song for chapter: Mykonos- Fleet Foxes
apologies if the Russian is inaccurate, I'm using google translate :P
~ 6 years ago: St. Petersburg, Russia~
A slight breeze brushed up against Riri's leg as she shifted back and forth. Her oversized t-shirt did nothing to hide the summer chill of Russia. All around her were tall, green trees, with golden sunlight peeking through. A way back was her family's cabin, more of a house really, with 3 bedrooms and an office for her father to work at, but Arkadi wasn't here right now. He had business to attend to in Tokyo, so for the summer it was just Katerina, her sister Kira, and her. The girl knew her family was glad to see him gone; they all could breathe a bit easier without him micromanaging every single thing they did. It was also a gift to be able to wear t-shirts and shorts, with the absence of any bruises or welts covering their skin. Even Katrina had been a little less cold towards her stepdaughter, not scowling at her quite as often.
In front of Riri laid the lake, bright blue and undoubtedly cold. A shiver ran through Riri's arms when a voice and a door slamming shut spun Riri's head around.
"Кира, не забудь нанести солнцезащитный крем"(Kira don't forget to put on sunscreen!)
Katerina called out from the house, where Kira was now running towards her, two towels in one hand and two paddles in the other. Riri smiled softly at the sight of her sister. When they were little, the two had looked alike, some might've even mistaken them for twins, but now, at age 12, Riri's face had grown sharper, her blonde hair turning into a dark brown. Kira on the other hand, had a rounder, softer face, her hair still glowing golden blonde in the sunlight. She wore a matching navy-blue two-piece, and a sheen of sweat was already cast upon her. Yet she still wore a large grin.
"You ready?" she said breathlessly.
Riri couldn't help but smile when her sister did, "Что тебя так торопит?" (what's got you in such a hurry?) she quipped.
Kira just shook her head and made her way down to the small dock on the edge of the water.
"Я ждал весь день, чтобы сделать это, станет темно, если мы подождем еще дольше." (I've been waiting to do this all day; it'll be dark If we wait any longer) her sister huffed as she loaded the towels and oars into the small red canoe their family had.
Riri couldn't blame her sister's impatience, Katrina had made them spend the whole day doing summer work. Math and history in the morning, then Russian, then violin practice for Kira and piano for Riri. All the while the older girl had been practically itching to get outside with her impatient glances towards the windows.
Riri let out a small 'Oof' as she landed hard on her butt on the wooden seat. Kira jumped in right after her and placed an oar on the younger girl's lap. Then she pushed off the dock and they were off. Riri took a moment to situate herself, then looked fondly over the rest of the lake. There were a couple other lake houses along the perimeter but spaced far enough apart that everyone mainly kept to themselves. In past summers, her father had fished with one or two of the men who lived in one of these houses, but there were no other children Kira and Riri's age. Not that it mattered.
Kira and Riri had learned from a young age that they weren't going to have the same social lives as other children. Partly because their father kept them on a tight rope with who they could socialize with, and partly because the sisters didn't entirely know how to form lasting friendships with other people.
But it was okay, Riri thought. She had her sister, looking behind her at the taller girl who was currently doing all the rowing.
"Where are we going again?" Riri asked, seeing the determined and focused look on her face. Not exactly the face of someone who was looking forward to a lazy afternoon lounging under the sun.
"I told you- there's this small stream from the lake; I saw it on our way here. I want to see if the canoe can fit down it"
Riri felt a lump in her throat, she was always the most cautious out of the two sisters. "And if we get stuck?" she asked slowly.
Kira blinked, "I'll just push us out"
Riri chuckled "with those noodle arms?" she teased as she poked one of Kira's arms.
"Hey! I'm the one who's doing all the rowing here" Kira replied back in outcry.
Riri sighed and picked up her oar, "you know how mad dad will be if we break the canoe"
Kira scoffed "we're not going to break the canoe Riri, it's a small stream- not a rapid"
Oh, how wrong she was.
The stream started out calm enough, wide enough to give the girls space to paddle freely, Riri felt her anxiety loosen as she listened to the small birds chirping in the trees ahead. Then the stream got wider, and louder?
"Кира, что за шум?" (Kira, what's that noise?) Riri turned her head and asked warily.
"О, черт" (oh shit) Kira said astonished as the canoe began to rock back and forth. Somehow the stream had picked up the pace and small rapids formed, nothing too large, but definitely not the small stream they had been expecting.
Riri let out a yelp as one small rapid knocked her off her seat and stumbled back into Kira's lap.
Kira let out a laugh as she propelled faster with the push off a rock.
"Kira, what are you doing?!" Riri panicked, clinging to her sister's twig leg as Kira kept pushing them faster.
Undisturbed, Kira looked down at her sister, her big blue eyes full of excitement. Except they softened into something more maternal as she saw the look of fear on her sister's face. Kira leaned down slightly and wrapped one of her arms around Riri's stomach, pulling her closer and holding her in place.
"Relax, okay? I'm not going to let anything happen to you"
"You promise?" Riri asked softly
Kira squeezed her shoulder "I promise"
Strangely enough, Riri felt comforted by those words, and seeing the lack of fear on her older sister's face gave the brunette the reassurance she needed to hold onto Kira's legs and face the rapids in front of her. A small smile formed on her face which eventually turned into excited laughs and hollers as the two continued their journey down the stream.
Looking back, Riri always felt like that was one of the happiest days of her life. It had only been 2 months after that day that Kira permanently disfigured her younger sister's face, leaving Riri to never show her smile to the light of day again.
Sorry y'all I know this is such a short chapter, but the next one is going to be a lot longer!
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Distant Memories- Timurov Sister One Shots
Fanfictiona collection of one shots about Kira and Riri, mainly about their childhood and how they found love and sisterhood in the face of adversity. There will also be chapters of them in the present, as well as some minor Maeriri and Yumekira. DISCLAIMER:...
