Dietre awkwardly fished the bloodied napkin from his pocket, feeling inexplicably embarrassed for being called out on putting it there. He threw it away without comment, only nodding his head in thanks.
Julius might have meant for his story to break the ice, but Dietre took it a step further, reading things into it that surely weren't intended at all. Julius had fallen into a pond, been in danger, was cold and miserable, yet had to walk the half mile to his home. D's brow furrowed and he turned to look at Julius, his expression grave. "...Was there no one to help you?" All Dietre could focus on was that Julius had been alone. Dietre had trouble relating to other people, unless he felt they had loneliness in common. Julius had unwittingly triggered sympathy in the boy, and so, got his full attention.
"Oh...Well, thank you." It may have been a favor, but Dietre thought favors needed to be repaid as well. No one ever got anything for nothing. He would just have to figure out something. Dietre went quiet, awkward silences seemed to follow him around like the plague. Gloriana was used to it, and Francis wasn't big on talking either, but people new to being around D would likely be put off by it.