A/N: \{. _ . }/

One-shot

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Candy Apples

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Izumiko hated crowds.

She couldn't stand the suffocating feeling of being surrounded by strangers and having no way out. It felt like she was trapped and everyone around her was taunting and mocking every single step she took.

And right now that was all she felt, trapped.

A festival visit gone wrong and now she was stuck wandering around the sea of people as her heart raced in her chest. She couldn't spot a single familiar face as she searched through the crowd.

Her twelve year old body was too small to actually have a decent height to look beyond the wall of bodies she kept bumping into.

Tears prickled in her eyes as panic rose and she felt like she was choking on air. Shrewd voices whispered taunts and insults in her head as Izumiko dazedly crumpled to the ground.

You are weak, insufficient, nothing but a mere vessel

A voice that sounded too much like her own whispered, teasing and belittling her own worth.

'The Goddess' was all Izumiko could think of before she fell on her knees as violent sobs wracked her small body.

Heads turned to her direction but all she could see was disappointed faces as the whispers became louder and the clatter of the festival rang in her ears.

"I shouldn't have ran off on my own" she whimpered ever-so softly before bringing both her hands over her ears to silence the insufferable ringing.

"Damn right you are"

Head snapping to direction of the voice, Izumiko shakily stood to her feet.

"Miyuki-kun"

Relief washed over her as the boy ushered her to a nearby bench. A look of annoyance plastered on his face.

Roughly pushing her to take a seat, Miyuki grabbed a water bottle from his bag and thrust it in Izumiko's direction.

The girl while not entirely grateful for his manhandling took tentative sips.

"Do you have any idea of the panic you caused" Miyuki lectured as he faced Izumiko with a scowl.

The girl only lowered her head as she gripped the water bottle tightly.

"I just wanted to prove I'm not a baby" she spoke in a hushed whisper. With her out of harm's way the clatter of white noise stopped ringing in her ears but even-so the thirteen year old boy in front of her wasn't exactly helping her calm down.

Miyuki took one look at her before he went on with his ranting.

"And look at where it landed you!"

"My father's going to have my head if he found out we lost you at the festival"

"The shrine's going to-"

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"I'm Sorry"

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A loud shout from the normally quiet girl silenced the raven haired boy in a second as he furrowed his eyebrows at her outburst. Taking in her shaking shoulders and teary-eyes, Miyuki only frowned further.

Great, she's going to start crying again

Izumiko let go of the water bottle and started to clawed at her braids roughly. Her whole form trembling as she bit her lip hard, a little whine left her as she started openly berating herself.

"I know that I shouldn't have done that"

"I'm nothing but a cry-baby that needs to be sheltered"

"I'm useless, cowardly, pathetic, whiny and spoiled"

Another round of sobs wracked through her making a few passer-bys send a curious stare but a single glare from Miyuki had them scurrying past the two adolescents.

Izumiko hid her face in her knees as she curled up in a defensive position. Her braids gripped tightly in her fist as cried and shook in the spot.

Miyuki grimaced at her attitude and had several thoughts of leaving her on the bench to teach her a lesson, When Izumiko raised her head and stared at him for a few seconds with a lost look in her eyes before looking away in shame.

Unwillingly his eyes softened and the annoyance he was feeling lessened. The nagging urge to protect the girl he was tasked of taking care of won.

Draping an awkward arm over her shoulder, Miyuki looked at anything but the girl in his arms.

Izumiko blinked through tears as the rational part of her brain processed whether or not this was happening, the haze of paranoia and fear misted over as she stared at the flushed face of her childhood friend.

Miyuki feeling Izumiko's confused stare clicked his tongue and abruptly stood up.

"Do you want cotton candy or caramelized apples?"

He was still avoiding her gaze and was obviously uncomfortable with his own show of comfort but Izumiko felt that small gesture was better than dozen of the empty words her care takers ever told her in the past.

Managing a small smile, Izumiko gave Miyuki a thankful look.

"I'm fine with either"

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We need more RDG fanfictions.

/(*=*)7