Chapter Text
Yura bit the inside of his cheek, a poor habit that formed when he didn’t have a cigarette to chew on instead, as he stared at the bungalow in front of him. The boxes in his arms and bag on his back suddenly felt much heavier. With a glance at his little sister, he could get the vibe that she felt the same. She was fidgeting – well, she never could sit still anyways – fingers clenching and unclenching on her backpack strap. Her eyes darted around, eyebrows furrowed as she analyzed the outside of their new home. Her mouth opened, then closed, then opened. A small gurgle left her throat, but it surely couldn’t have formed words.
Yura decided to speak first.
“This place looks like shit.”
Anya whipped around to face her brother, stomping on his foot.
“I – sh- shut up – !!! I was going to say that!”
Yura cursed, taking a step back and nearly tripping over his own feet.
“Calm the fuck down – damn.” Yura shook his head, before heading towards the front door that was left wide open. “Just get your stuff so the moving truck can leave.”
Anya slunked away with a pout. She went and rummaged through the boxes in the back of the small moving truck (it’s not like they had much anyways) and grabbed a few boxes that she labelled as her own in big, blocky lettering. She glanced at the house in all of its glory: peeling, pale paint and creaking, termite infested wood.
What her brother said was true. The house did look like shit. The faint scent of manure from down the road made the place smell like shit too. Everything said that this was, in fact, the countryside. Dead grass for miles around and a probably-unexplored forest in the distance behind the house. She felt sweat drip down her neck, and groaned. It was too hot. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.
Anya’s boxes were stacked far too high and blocked her vision, but she didn’t care much. It was quicker to get it done in one trip, anyways.
“Stupid truck , stupid moving , stupid Yura…” Anya grumbled as she shambled off the truck. She yelped as she missed a step on the rickety, metal stair extension of the truck.
Thud.
Anya stood shocked as the boxes fell out of her arms, however she herself was held still. The crinkling of a jacket was heard, and Anya looked up, confused.
“Are you okay?”
Anya blinked.
“Who are you?”
The girl who held Anya by the shoulders smiled, despite the confusion set on her features. The boy behind her gave Anya a callous stare, holding the girl in front of him by the shoulders with a firm grip. Anya backed away, glancing down at the boxes.
“Ah – shit!” Anya lunged on the lawn, laying down in the dried grass and shoving herself into one of the many boxes, searching deep within the depths.
The strangers glanced at each other, before leaning over and observing the strange girl. Anya kicked up dirt and grass as she struggled to crawl into the box. Eventually, she emerged victorious (?) as she held up a heavy snow globe.
“It’s safe!” she screamed, before falling over and letting out a long sigh of relief.
Stranger #1 stifled a laugh, her lips pressing together as she looked up at Stranger #2. Stranger #2’s face scrunched up, incredulous at the sight before him.
“She didn’t even thank you,” he whispered. Stranger #1 shushed him as Anya flung herself upwards, pointing accusingly.
“It’s your lucky day! If this broke I would have had to fight you!”
Anya stood up, brushing some dried grass off her pants. It got stuck to her hands instead. Stranger #2 squinted down at her, before turning to Stranger #1.
“I’m glad it didn’t break!” She said, smiling as bright as ever. Anya faltered, before straightening up her posture and puffing out her chest.
“Right…!” She looked down at the mess of worn mementos and clothes – maybe Yura was right, she should’ve taped up the box – and let out a dejected sigh.
She stood, taking two, three purposeful steps towards the house before stopping, looking over her shoulder at the two strangers. The shorter girl was still smiling and even waved. Anya turned back and ran into the house, screaming for her older brother.
Stranger #1 glanced over at Stranger #2, who watched as the girl disappeared into the house. Normally by now he would’ve pushed her right along and have them leave as soon as possible, but he seemed at a loss of what to do or say.
After a few minutes of silence, he finally spoke up.
“She had grass all over her back.” He turned to the shorter girl, gaze unyielding. “Who wears a hoodie in the summer?”
Stranger #1 snorted out a laugh, and the two of them continued along the desolate sidewalk.
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“Hun, you have grass all over your back.” Lilya wasn’t much for conversation, and Anya suddenly felt on edge when her mom pulled her aside and started brushing the dead grass off her back.
“I fell on the front yard,” Anya started, watching her mom from the dusty, smudged full-body mirror. She surveyed for any sort of response or reaction.
There was none.
“There were two weirdos. One of them didn’t talk and the other smiled too much.” Anya’s voice rambled off, and she wasn’t even listening to her own words. Her mom didn’t even nod or hum in response as she brushed through her hair, picking out pieces of grass. “I tripped on the stairs and dropped my stuff. They almost broke Dad’s snowglobe – you know, the one you gave me from vegas that you told me reminded you of him sometimes – ”
“I don’t recall,” Lilya finally interrupted, and Anya froze.
Her fists clenched, fingers twitching as she shook a little.
“Right…” Anya briskly left and trudged up the stairs, shoving past Yura, who hung in the entryway of the kitchen.
“Looking good, sunshine!” Yura commented over his shoulder, snickering to himself.
Yura let out a sigh, leaning on the kitchen counter and twisting over an apple in his hands. Lilya watched as her daughter disappeared up the stairs before turning to Yura.
“You two are starting school in a month,” she said offhandedly. She grabbed a jacket off from the coat rack next to the back door. Yura hummed as she brushed the dust off of it.
“Wonderful.” He took a bite of the apple, then retched at the soft bruise he bit into. He spat out the chunk into the trashcan and sighed, throwing the rest of the apple away. “Buy some groceries, ma.”
“I was planning to.” Lilya slipped the thin jacket on and grabbed the keys off the counter. “Make sure you get all your stuff.”
“Will do.”
Yura stared into the front yard from the kitchen, through the open front door. The horizon wobbled in the distance from the waves of heat.
Yura bit the inside of his cheeks, and headed out.