Most times - I miss the voice that goes unheard
Alfred Pennyworth is out and about. He is dressed impeccably for a day out in the cold, and he is attempting to do some shopping. There's nothing essential to buy, at the moment, merely various things for projects he has waiting back at the hotel
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There has never been a day in his life where he has been greeted with such...enthusiasm.
As before, Alfred is a bit uncomfortable being confronted with the truth of this world, and the lack of secrecy for Master Bruce. It is always his first instinct to protect the secret and, in doing so, protect Master Bruce.
However, this young man does not seem to mean any harm. Quite the opposite, he appears to be very nice...and enthusiastic. The enthusiasm was mentioned before, yes?
JD already has Alfred's hand, of course, so Alfred does not move it away. Perhaps, he can help the man up shortly. At any rate, there will certainly be no hitting.
'This is probably very weird, isnt it?'
Oh yes. Quite.
His eyebrows arched up in surprise, and perhaps a bit of amusement, Alfred smiles kindly. "Please, Sir. Allow me to help you up. The ground is no place to be." He wonders at how the introduction went between this young man and Master Bruce, and he very nearly laughs. Let it not be said Alfred Pennyworth does not have a sense of humor!
"I did not catch your name, Sir."
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"Oh, wow, Alfred Pennyworth helping me up and calling me sir. Holy shi- right with the cursing. Feels wrong," he murmurs as he's staring up at him. He does NOT feel worthy! But he will not act like an idiot and proclaim I AM NOT WORTHY while making worship movements in his direction. He will not even if the desire is there. JD smiles instead, looking a little faint. Much like a fangirl at a rock concert with that dreamy look in his eyes. "Okay! Yeah, the floor is dirty. And it hurts the knees a bit with the... dirt. Thank you!"
He lifts himself up by the offered hand and then slowly pulls his hand away from Alfred's as if he's almost afraid to do so too quickly like he'll disappear into thin air once JD isn't touching him any longer.
"I'm John Dorian, uh, Sir. Most people call me JD though so you can go with JD if you want... or really whatever other name you want to call me it would totally be cool with me. No complaints here! Uh. Were you... shopping or-?"
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As it is, Alfred finds John Dorian to be an amusing and pleasant young man, and he sincerely hopes JD will not pass out.
The dreamy look is, perhaps, a bit off-putting, but Alfred takes it in stride. Once the young man is standing, he smiles once more. A conscious John Dorian is a good thing.
"Mr. Dorian, then." Alfred says respectfully. "I was shopping," he replies. "I thought it to be a lovely day, and decided to go out and about. As of now, I am searching for lemon oil."
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JD would die if he fainted in front of Alfred. DIE. He will not let it happen. He is doing all that he possibly can to keep focused and not pass out.
It is a very good thing to have JD conscious. It is.
"Mr. Dorian," JD repeats in a offhanded tone with a happy, far away look. Alfred is calling him Mr. Dorian. Awesome. "I can help you look for lemon oil if you want! I've never had to look for lemon oil before so I don't even know what it's used for but up until this point I was window shopping and that's no fun. I'd rather help you if I could."
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Alfred also does not understand the happy,far away look. He hopes Mr. Dorian is thinking of something pleasant, of course.
"I would sincerely appreciate your help, Mr. Dorian," Alfred replies gratefully. "I use lemon oil to clean wood, on occasion. I must admit," he says with a smile, "it is more for the smell than the result. The fragrance reminds me fondly of Wayne Manor."
"Are you originally from Chicago, Sir?"
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"If you're going to Dorian it, you can use doctor! I am a doctor... or I used to be before I... fell into Chicago."
He can barely contain the squee when Alfred says that lemon oil smells like Wayne Manor. There is a bit of a flail with his hands that he can't stop. "I'll have to get some for my room! And just rub it places. ...Rub it places in the room like the walls and the floor and wooden things..."
Imagine his room smelling like Wayne Manor!
"I'm- No. Not at all! I grew up in Ohio and then moved to California... and yeah, I dropped down here... in this city like over a year ago."
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"Very well, Dr. Dorian." Alfred finds those who help others to be very admirable, and his esteem of young JD is quite high.
Alfred is not certain what the hand flail is, or why the nice doctor wants to rub lemon oil on his walls, but he smiles. "If I am able to find some lemon oil, certainly we can make certain there is enough for you, as well."
The older man nods as he listens to JD speak. "I see. California, is quite different from Ohio and Illinois. I imagine it must have been quite a shift upon arriving here." Alfred looks away for a moment, then back at Dr. Dorian. "The weather here must feel very much like your childhood, then, since you grew up in Ohio."
Alfred hopes that is something comforting to the doctor. It is difficult being here, away from all things familiar. Perhaps, even the smallest similar thing can be helpful. He certainly hopes so.
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"Thank you. I'd appreciate that very much," JD says with a wide smile as he thinks of how awesome it will be to have his room smelling like the Wayne Manor. "Where are you needing your lemon oil for- I mean, where are you staying these days since you fell into Chicago, I mean?"
He nods at Alfred. It is comforting in a way even if there are things about his childhood that he doesn't like, he can take comfort about a lot. "Yeah, it's kind of just like that. My brother Dan and I used to play in the snow all the time." And JD often ended up under giant piles of snow and then being tackled but that's how Dan was with JD and JD looked up to him no matter what. "I like snow even if it's cold. I always thought it was weird living in California and never getting any."
JD pauses and then looks at him for a moment. "Are you- Have you been here long?"
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