Author's Note: All characters over eighteen. Be advised there's quite a fair amount of butt play in the story, despite it being largely a romance between sisters.
****
I had the run of my parents' house for the summer. Covid restrictions had eased up, and Mom and Dad decided to go on the road for a while. Camping and hiking and such. Whatever they felt like, really, just to get out and about for a while.
I'd joined them for the first little bit, then driven back home on my own. Two months or more would have been way, way too much. I loved my parents, and was ok with camping on occasion, but there were limits.
Besides, living all on my own for a while was a luxury to me. I hadn't quite finished university yet, and the bane of school roommates wasn't yet passed. I'd be going back for one more year in the fall, assuming things were still sufficiently calm to allow classes. One could never tell in pandemic times.
For now, I just relaxed and enjoyed my time. Much of it spent soaking up sun in the backyard, often fueled by booze or pot as the mood struck me. It was near enough to paradise.
I had some friends over at times. It wasn't just me all by myself every day. However, unexpected guests were basically non-existent. I was therefore slightly puzzled at hearing a car pull in the driveway.
I grumbled to myself at having to investigate, despite having had nothing else at all to do all day. In comparison, it just seemed like a lot of bother.
My mood changed instantly upon seeing who it was.
"Kara!"
I raced forward, finding I had plenty of energy after all when it counted.
My big sister turned and smiled at me. Her eyes widened at the speed of my approach, but she caught me skillfully anyway, and prevented us both from tumbling to the ground.
"Triss!" she greeted me back, hugging me tight as I glomped on to her.
"You didn't tell me you were coming," I said, still mashing my warm, bikini-clad body against Kara.
"I did too tell you," Kara said, trying unsuccessfully to ease me away. "I said I'd be coming back once border restrictions eased up a bit."
"That's not specific and you know it! You should have let me know!" I eventually let Kara go an took a step back.
"Yeah well... I wasn't totally sure when it'd be, really. And I didn't want you to interrupt plans in case something changed."
"Ha, plans? Not hardly. The sun's been great. That's about all the plans I have."
"Fair enough." Kara's face turned apologetic. "Now... technically I am meant to isolate for a bit...."
"That's fine. Means I've got you all to myself."
"You sure you didn't have plans? Now that I think about it maybe some warning would have--"
"It's fine," I said, waving an hand airily. "I was actually gonna hang with my friends tomorrow, but they'll understand. Hell, she'll want to see you at some point too. When it's safe."
"Uh huh. Well... good, then. Wanna help me drag my stuff inside? I've got an awful lot of it."
I considered the question. "I suppose," I said. "But you have to do all the heavy things."
"Why's that?"
"'Cause they're yours, mainly. Also I'm not dressed for labour."
I did a quick spin to show off my bikini, which was indeed not made for much other than lying out in the sun. I wasn't even sure I'd trust it to go swimming in.
Kara gave a low whistle. "Damn, Triss. That looks good on you."
I beamed, ever so pleased with myself. "It does, doesn't it?"
"How are you possibly keeping the boys off you dressing like that, hm?"
I rolled my eyes. "Pff, this isn't for boys. This is for me. Looking hot's got nothing to do with them."
"No one else, huh?"
"Nope!"
Kara gave me a mischievous grin. "Good. All for me then."
I felt my face redden, even as Kara luckily turned back to her car. There was something in the way she'd delivered that line, something that I couldn't bounce right back from the way I was so used to when Kara and I bantered.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I mumbled.
"Nothing at all," Kara said, no hint of anything untoward in her tone.
"It meant something," I insisted.
Kara turned back to me, and her smile only grew wider. "Oh my god, are you blushing?"
"No!"
"You are."
"I'm not."
"You so are. No one's called you cute in that outfit yet, have they?"
"I--"
"You always were a sucker for a compliment."
"You never called me cute either," I said, trying desperately to salvage the conversation. "You said--"
"You look cute in that suit," Kara said calmly. "Grab a bag, would you?"
She made it look so easy. My face fairly burned from confusion and embarrassment. There was pride in there too, sure, as a compliment from my big sis was really quite nice, but she'd gotten me all in a tangle over hardly nothing at all.
"Glad I'm so cute," I mumbled, grabbing what looked like the lightest bag available. I regretted my decision upon realizing it was probably stuffed full of books. Heavy ones.
"Well... you're right. Maybe not cute."
"Wha--"
"Hot. You grew up even more since I last saw you, Triss. Downright little hottie you are."
"You... what...."
"I wasn't kidding about thinking you'd have boy trouble. You show up like that to a summer party, you won't know what to do with all the attention."
"Can you stop, please?" I pleaded.
"But you're so cute when you're flustered."
"Cute. Hot. I get it. Just--"
"Too much, I know. But what's a big sister for if not to torment you from time to time? Haven't seen you in ages. Got so much to make up for."
I groaned. "Well if I don't survive it, tell Mom and Dad I love them, ok?"
"Will do."
****
I changed into some more modest clothing before helping. Just shorts and a light top. Nothing fancy. Just enough so I didn't feel quite so embarrassed around Kara.
She made another teasing comment about me changing, but left it alone after that.
It was nice just to catch up with Kara after that, once we'd settled a bit. After sitting outside a bit and sharing a joint, it was just like old times again. Me and my big sis. It was a warm, fuzzy feeling. Like things just made sense.
"So how you been?" Kara asked. "Other than having way too much free time on your hands?"
"What makes you think it's been too much free time?" I asked, feeling happy and mellow, and just watching a cloud slowly drift by.
"I mean... that tan. How many hours you been putting in out here anyway?"
"Hehe, a lot."
"Good. That's good. I'll have to join you."
"You will," I agreed seriously. "Not much else going on. 'Specially 'cause we're gonna be quarantined here together for a while."
"Mmm. Shouldn't be that long, really. Just need to get a test done. But it'll be time well spent, for sure."
"'Cause you're so deathly pale right now?" I asked lazily, firmly grasping the opportunity to tease Kara back some.
"Partly that," she said agreeably. "Partly that for sure."
Something about her tone made my insides flutter a little. I didn't know what was going on today, with Kara and all. But she just glanced sidelong at me, with that mischievous smirk of hers, and it made me feel like there was so much more going on than I could grasp.
"Stop that," I said.
"Stop what?"
"Whatever you're doing."
"M'not doing nothin'."
"If you were some boy sitting there, talking like you are, looking at me like that...."
Kara snickered. "Oh, Triss. What, like you'd think I was hitting on you?"
"Aha! So you know what you're doing."
"I do. But it's not like that. Obviously. I'll tone it down though if you're uncomfortable."
"Well... I mean maybe a little," I said, suddenly fearing she'd stop altogether. "But... compliments are nice."
"They are, aren't they?" Kara said softly. "I don't know, Triss. I've just felt so weird lately, about flirting and dating and stuff. And I come home to you looking like some beach goddess... I mean my baby sis of all people, right? It just felt, like, safe, is all. Like I could open up a little."
My heart beat harder, rather annoyingly so. I should absolutely not be getting excited every time Kara displayed some questionable interest in me. But at the same time, I knew what she meant. I'd been having a weird time with relationships and stuff lately too, and not just because of pandemics and whatnot.
"I can be safe," I said. "If you need something like that. Just to be open with, or whatever. You always used to be that way for me."
"Did I?"
"Yeah. Of course. Used to be I couldn't ever model a new outfit for someone except you. You know, the ones that were more... daring than I was used to." I smiled at the memory. "Sometimes they didn't work. But sometimes... it didn't matter what you said so much... but there was a look in your eye sometimes, like daaammmn. You know?"
Kara thought about it a moment, then giggled. "Did I really?"
"Yeah."
"Oh god, sorry. It wasn't me perving on you, I swear."
"No no, I know. I needed it, really. Just this sense that I actually really looked good sometimes. And I knew I did, if it even got you checking me out a little."
Kara grinned. "I guess I probably used to get the same from you, sorta. You'd stare a little bit sometimes, when you thought no one was looking."
I blushed. I'd made Kara go a bit red already, which helped, but my blush felt so much worse.
"Just... I mean you really crushed it sometimes. Used to think someone was a lucky bastard when you were headed on a date or whatever. When you really wanted to look good."
"Awww."
"But I mean, whatever, we're just hotties being hot. What ya gonna do?"
Kara nodded seriously. "Hotties bein' hot. That's--"
She couldn't keep a straight face and dissolved into a fit of giggles. I wasn't far behind. I had no idea what was up with the two of us, other than being a little high, but it was kind of fun. Weird, but fun.
****
Kara and I opted for sunbathing the next day. A pretty natural choice. I hesitated over wearing the same bikini again, not sure I was up for the confusing feelings that may come up, but it really was the one I looked best in, and I kind of wanted to look good. Even if only Kara was going to see me. Maybe especially because of that, though I didn't want to think too hard about it.
Kara opted for an almost equally scandalous bikini as me. I nearly stumbled awkwardly as I first saw her in it, but managed to catch myself and walk mostly normally before she looked.
I wasn't sure if it made things better or worse that we matched today. It gave me something to think about other than Kara looking at me, but it also meant checking her out a lot too. Neither option was baggage free.
"Ahhh," Kara sighed happily as she lay out flat on a lounger in the yard, perfectly presenting herself to the sun. "That's what I'm talking about."
"Don't forget sunscreen," I said, busying myself setting up right next to her to avoid any untoward stares just yet.
"You using any?"
"No. But I've built up a tan, you'll just burn if you try to keep up with me."
