"Oh, it's no bother," Dory did his best to assure her immediately. He didn't miss the pinking of her cheeks, and, were his hands properly functioning, he might've reached to touch her arm as well. "Nearly everyone else in our community celebrates it. An easy mistake, there was no harm done." He smiled his best smile, dark pink stained cheeks and all. With any luck, his unfortunate appearance might make her laugh off the discomfort.

The smile lasted all of a few seconds, though, as the realization of what she'd said sunk in. He knew her to be orphaned, but had never really thought of the implications. Even through the obvious loss of his mother Dory still had his father to make things feel slightly normal. To have lost both seemed horribly tragic.

"Well, that's just my luck then, isn't it?" Dory resumed his smile, albeit a much smaller one this time. "Otherwise I would've been left with Old Ms. Turnbull to tend to my illness. And she's not as friendly as you."