Mistakes and Memories

"A..Ah.." She didn't really know how to give an understanding response other than that. "I'm not...a nauseous type." She added, just in case Iyuki was, in a way, asking with the explanation he'd given her.

Despite having lived together for a week by now, they hadn't really shared that many details about themselves other than their abilities or some of their background. He did housework, baked, and was a drifter for the most part and had siblings. Before today that was mostly the extent of which she knew. Just as he hadn't really shared that many details, she hadn't either...more so for the reason that she didn't want to give him any more imagery of that place and what went on there than she already had; so she'd only given a basic outline and what'd happened to her.

Other than that, they hadn't really shared much about the smaller things.

After taking his hand, she noticed Iyuki rub his head out of the corner of her eye, through her hair. "Is...Is your head okay? Since you bumped it earlier...that is."

If his head was hurting wouldn't a ride like this be bad for him? She wasn't sure how badly he'd hit his head earlier...he hadn't been bleeding but still...

"Oh I don't even feel it. See?" Iyuki bent down after they moved into the line, wanting to soothe Muika's worries right away as he tried to let her have access to his head. He was happy to hear she wasn't the nauseous type, he wouldn't want her to get on the ride just to try it out and then get sick... It would be awful and not fun, and today was about fun. And embarrassment apparently.

"I'll be fine, it wasn't a hard hit at all. I have a rather thick skull I've been told... or...was that in reply to me missing obvious details? What I mean is I am perfectly fine. I had forgotten until now I had done so in fact." He was rambling a bit, kind of nervous about her remembering such a silly detail. She had been worried this whole time? Had... He been acting odd? Was that making the Lady nervous?

This line might be a little longer... So Iyuki looked around for something to take up time. As he looked around he noticed the red car she had liked so much and grinned. "So red is your favorite color? I will have to remember that when I take you for clothing."

Her worries died down some when Iyuki bent down and explained he'd actually forgotten he'd hit it. It made her feel better about trying the ride since he wasn't experiencing head pain.

She was quiet as they stood in the rather long line, occassionally glancing in different directions now and then to look at their surroundings while they waited. Her attention turned to Iyuki as he began speaking, though the last part caught her by surprise.

"W-what?! You don't need to do that, really." She quickly tried to explain.

She didn't really have that much clothing but still...He was already doing this, with the amusement park and before when he'd basically moved in...while she had agreed to technically be a guard for him just in case anyone came after him...she knew he had a home, whether it was a small apartment or not, that was much better than the tiny building she lived in. It could hardly even be considered a cabin...more like a shack really, but still...he'd already done all of that...

"A...As for the red...I guess. I was told red suited me, but now I don't really think so..."

Muika was pleased with his offering his head, so Iyuki was also pleased. He hadn't meant to worry her at all, but this was nice. He was nodding along with a song playing nearby, when Muika's words came out a bit...startled. He looked at her and waved at her hoodie. "But this can't help you get any sort of employment. Having some nicer clothing would lead you to better prospects."

And it would be easier on his conscious and eyes. Yes. Not that Muika wasn't pretty, she was but she needed some nicer clothing. He shifted the glasses on his nose up a bit, looking down at her in a bit of a curious look. He had some ideas about what she would look nice in... Of course she had to like the style too.

"Oh... I apologize then. If...you want to find a new favorite or...such I can help? Are there any other colors you are drawn to? If you are still drawn to red, that isn't a bad thing either though." Iyuki looked a bit unsure of how to respond properly. He looked down and then...patted her head slightly.

She couldn't exactly make a comeback at him, as he was right.

Getting employment wasn't the easiest for her, especially since she'd never even gone to a proper school or had much experience to begin with. She'd worked in bookstores before, which she'd found to be the most suiting for her. The last one she'd worked in got closed down though due to loss of budget in comparison to mostly the popular chain ones around. At bookstores she could just organize books or unpack stuff in the back, it was a job that didn't really require much talking on her end which was preferred.

"My eyes are already more red than violet...it's creepy, like a demons eyes...or so I've been told...more red just makes it obvious." The one that had said red suited her, shying her away from the insults had been Seiya, but after everything it was rather hard to keep faith in anything he'd had to say. "I don't...hate red, but...I think there may be better colors."

As the line moved up, they were getting closer and closer to the ride. Iyuki sighed and bent down, so his face was level with hers. His gentle blue eyes looking into them, he gave them a thorough inspection and hmed to himself.

Putting a hand on his chin, he leaned back up to his regular height and tilted his head. "Nope. I don't see any demon eyes. Just some pretty ones, even if they are unusual. If red makes them show more...and it bothers you, then we should find something to make you feel a lot better. Today and clothes are about making you happy. No one else. Though having some nicer ones helps. We can get long sleeves and multiple layers in all colors but red. Does that sound fun? If you want to know, my favorite color is... I think its purple, my hair color. I rather like it. It makes me look dashing."

Iyuki gave a self deprecating grin. Him? Dashing? But... Muika was focusing on things that made her hurt and he wanted to make her have happier thoughts. So he went full goofy and dorky, even if he blushed a bit at his forwardness. Maybe he had channeled his brother for a minute there...

Her face face a bit tinted due to Iyuki's little inspection, as it was already a bit difficult to manage eye contact here she couldn't really look away. The red only increased at his answer as a small noise of surprise escaped.

P-pretty!?

If it wouldn't make her look ridiculous she'd pull her hood up, use it as way of hiding but instead she averted her eyes to some random bird pecking it's way at the ground off to the side.

"T...Th-They're not p-pretty..."

After having managed to get that out, she tried to focus on something else...like the remainder of what he'd said. Long sleeves...would be preferable...she wasn't really sure about clothes shopping still as she felt even if she was one-hundred percent okay with this she wouldn't really be an easy shopper. If anything she would just be bothersome, having trouble saying she liked certain things like she had with sweets earlier....

"They really are. The red is a nice addition and compliments your hair color well and skintone well. It also gives you a bit of an exotic foreign appearance. And at their base, they are just merely a pretty color." Iyuki's smile was unknowingly charming as the young man somehow channeled his older brother while telling the truth.

He patted her head gently, still smiling as he looked down. "I wouldn't lie to you about this you know."

With every extra addition to his previous statement about her eyes she just felt more and more heat entering her face. Unable to even remotely manage eye contact she could only go by his tone of voice; he said he was being honest, and even though she was thoroughly flustered by the compliment overload she wanted to believe he was telling the truth like he was saying.

She felt his hand on her head again as he spoke, patting her lightly, though it was difficult for her to even register or respond to that action in her current state.

Luckily for both of them, the ride gate opened and they were ushered into the area! Iyuki pointed out a car as they walked out, leading Muika up to it. "You have to get in first, I have to apologize but you'll be squished against me a lot. I have to hold my arm around you or I may hurt you or it trying to keep it there."

Iyuki nodded and pointed, as he took off his glasses. They could easily go flying off of his face during this, so he wanted to protect them. She couldn't look at him properly...how were they going to ride this?

As Iyuki led them towards a car he explained what she had to do. If the moments earlier weren't enough this certainly took the cake. Though, after taking a moment to get her train of thought back while Iyuki spoke, she supposed she preferred it this way over sitting next to some stranger, though it still didn't quite help with the embarrassment.

Giving a small nod, she moved into the car before Iyuki and sat down like she was supposed to. She noticed Iyuki remove his glasses so they wouldn't have the chance of flying off and would have suggested that she could put them in her hoodie's pockets to protect them but his glasses were important and her hoodie well...it could dirty them so she quickly threw away the thought.

Muika was still quiet. She seemed maybe upset? His face drooped and his eyes looked sad as he climbed in next to her, reaching over her to lock them both in with the belt. He then pulled the gate closed with a sigh, stuffing the glasses in his front pocket of his sweater vest.

The worker was going around checking everyone's belts and such, and before they could reach the pair he murmured to her. "I deeply apologize if I offended you Lady Muika. I did not mean to with my words. However...you may want to slide...right up against me...otherwise you will just slide around. I can hold you...with...my arm...."

The young man fully realized at this moment what this ride would do, and his arm froze over her shoulder. Oh. Oh now. His poor voice had cracked at the last words and he looked away. What could they do now? It was too late. Far too late.

Her fingers toyed with her skirt as she sat, stopping as Iyuki apologized even though he had no reason to. He thought he'd offended her but really she'd just been an unresponsive mess.

"Y-you didn't so you don't need to apologize..." She said just before their current situation dawned on Iyuki and he began fumbling with his words.

If the heat in her face had been leaving it was back now, but despite the extreme embarrassment she moved as asked to, almost wanting to apologize but realizing that wouldn't exactly help anything.

"L-Like this?" She asked, after having moved.

"Y-yes. Just like...that." Iyuki's arm slowly went down, holding Muika close. If he let her move too much this whole thing would be hell. Move and squish...move and squish... Iyuki's mind went south for three seconds before he reigned it in quite properly. Instead he thought of anything that could break this horribly bad chain of events and decisions he had made.

As the ride started up, it slowly moved around and Iyuki started to relax with a sigh. Maybe... it wouldn't be the awful thing he was expecting. However it quickly reached rather high speeds and Muika was swiftly pressed against him and away from him in a way he would rather not happen. He let out a small squeak before covering his mouth and face with his hands. Would he make it off this ride? No. Not likely. His arm held tightly around her side, sliding down to her waist after a few squishes as he tried to stop them properly. It didn't help. He was going to die.

When the ride started she was completely red in the face at their current position, knowing for the sake of not hurting themselves it needed to be kept. If she hadn't had the ride explained beforehand she would have believed they'd gone on one of the couples rides then again, being in such a position certainly seemed like the ride had earned the right to count as one.

She let out a small squeak as it picked up enough speed to pushed her against Iyuki, causing him to let out a noise as well. She would have apologized but with the ride at it's current speed she wasn't sure if she could get her voice loud enough for him to hear the apology in the first place.

When Muika felt Iyuki's arm move down to her waist the heat in her face only seemed to increase if that were even possible at this point. She was unsure of why he'd done it but quickly told herself he had his reasons, he definitely had his reasons.

This was going much worse than he had expected and now Iyuki was faced with the most awkward and potentially worst situation in the history of the world. He had to hold her against him, or else she would go bopping around... And it was so much worse when she did that. But his hand was...low on her body. She was pressed against him tightly instead of moving... and now he felt way too warm for his clothing.

His face must have been beat red and he didn't doubt that his whole body was beat red. Especially in his... Oh. Oh no, Iyuki thought the worst thoughts he had but the softness of Muika was hard to ignore. He pressed his legs together as best he could and hoped the ride ended soon.

Once it started slowing, he let go of the Lady rather quickly, putting some distance between them as he tried to cover the issue he was having. It wouldn't be obvious, he had on dress pants... but he hoped no one even tried to look as he thought of the weirdest things he could with the reddest face imaginable.

Muika felt a flood of relief as the ride started to slow, allowing them to make room for themselves and out of their previous position. She noticed Iyuki had become quite fidgety as the ride continued slowing, as if he would bolt as soon it stopped.

She sat straight, her hands in her lap as she kept her head down; thankful her hair was hiding at least most of her burning face. Maybe some cool water would help make it go away...It was a thought anyway. Perhaps when they got off she could go find a bathroom or a water bottle and just see if it would help even if it was just a little bit.

As soon as it started slowing, Iyuki took a few deep breaths, unlatched the seatbelt, and started undoing the gate holding them in. Once it had stopped completely, he stepped out of the car and then hopped to the ground while wincing. That hadn't felt nice, but if he stretched his leg it would...show. His face was still red, but he knew his duty.

Holding out a shaking hand, Iyuki couldn't smile but kept his face carefully blank. He hoped she didn't look down and notice. He would die if she did. He needed to go yell at this in the bathroom, make it go away with anger or awful thoughts. "How...was the ride Lady Muika? I regret I had to hold you like this but you would have bounced around too much otherwise."

Making his pain worse was the unspoken words at the tip of his tongue.

Timidly, Muika took his outstretched hand and exited the ride; her eyes on her free hand that had a grip on the hem of her hoodie. Was there even any proper response to his question? Both of them were an embarrassed mess even she could tell that, so just what was she supposed to say-

"S-spinny."

Immediately she wanted to smack herself. Out of anything she could have responded with that had been the first thing to come out? She mentally cursed herself much like how she had at the bumper cars...Just what kind of response was that?

Perfect! Iyuki latched onto the words with a smile, focusing on spinny. Yes. Spinny. Was something they could deal with. Not... the fact that he had to go somewhere else rather quickly before anyone noticed.

"That is a perfect word to describe it. It was spinny, very spinny. It spun us around a lot." Iyuki nodded as he walked out, with Muika hopefully following. He looked around but no one seemed to notice them and he pointed at a building nearby. It was smallish and had entrances. There were markings on it for men and women to enter.

"I shall take a small bathroom break, I apologize. Please take one yourself, or wait around here if you would Muika." Iyuki just about shook as he gave a small smile, before fleeing to the bathroom's safety at a brisk pace. Inside a stall, he turned beat red and made no sound as he sat there trying to stop his idiotic brain from trying to relive any part of that. And also to go over how ridiculous everything he had said to cover this had been.

"Y-Yeah...spinny..." She replied as she followed behind Iyuki as they left the ride.

She glanced at the buildings as he pointed them out. Bathrooms. Perfect. She could use some water from the sink to wash her face. Giving a nod just before Iyuki headed for the men's room she made her way to the women's making a straight walk to the sink.

Turning on the faucet she cupped her hands under the cool water before splashing it in her face. It felt a lot colder on her face than it had in her hands, which made her question how red in the face she really was...she didn't wan to risk looking into the mirror and finding out.

After what was probably the dozenth splash she finally felt calm enough to glance up. The ends of her hair a bit damp from projectile water. The longer she looked though she felt the heat return slightly as she unconsciously focused on her eyes.

Letting out a groan of frustration she splashed her face again.

Her eyes weren't pretty! They weren't and those silly strings of compliments certainly weren't effecting her! Absolutely not!

He was ridiculous. He wished the building would collapse and end his life. No! The Lady could be in the other side! How could he wish something like that?

He was an awful person. He had gotten affected in ways he shouldn't. Young men were awful, he should be hanged for such disrespect. He should be burnt. He should be left for dead. She couldn't protect him anymore. He was such an awful person.

It took a little longer than it should when he finally left the bathroom, a dark cloud hanging over him morosely. He moved to sit at a bench, Iyuki's face crestfallen. He couldn't lie to her. But he couldn't tell her either. But he had to leave, he couldn't make her deal with such a thing.

How could he find the rights words?!

After about a dozen more splashes Muika finally just avoided looking into the mirror all together, though the ends of her hair were a bit more than just damp now...

She exited the bathroom, an armful of paper towels in hand as she tried to dry her hair some though the paper could only do so much before ripping. Glancing off to the side she noticed Iyuki, looking rather depressed, on the bench. She knew the ride had embarrassed him but made him depressed? She hadn't figured that...

"S...Sorry...about what happened on the ride..." She'd wanted to apologize while they'd been in it but she knew she wouldn't have been loud enough considering her voice was rather soft spoken. Maybe...

She glanced off to the side, looking at all the attractions and stalls ahead. She still wasn't exactly familiar with the place, plus sneaking off now to do what she'd been thinking of would be a bad move...if he was depressed leaving him would be the worst option.

She had...seen it. All the life and color left his body. Iyuki leaned against the edge of the bench. He was dead. His life was over. Mushroom sprouted from the dark cloud around him, and even people who would have normally come up to bother him were straying away. He was done for.

Her expression changed from awkward to worried as her apology only seemed to make things worse. Throwing way the paper towels, as they proved practically useless, she stepped a bit closer to Iyuki.

"I..Iyuki? What's...what's wrong? It...It was the ride and me that upset you right? Ah..." Perhaps it could be more her fault? Though it had been the ride that had caused them to come in such close contact...and it was probably just as awkward to him as it had been to her.

She'd never been...pressed up that closely against someone before other than once but this felt more awkward and embarrassing rather than disgusting...and she knew she didn't have the...best assets either...well...they were there and not small but not big either but it'd still bothered Iyuki...so size wasn't the issue.

Still though, it didn't seem her words were quite reaching him...Again she looked around before walking a few feet away. She was only gone for a few moments before returning, standing in front of Iyuki before squatting down some to place something in his hands.

It was sugar candy.

She had a small amount of money in her pockets, and there were dispensers for kids near by...so it'd only taken a bit of pocket change and sweets...usually helped with bad moods...