Even despite Jervis' many, many, many problems with his mental state and sanity, or lack thereof, he can be surprisingly gentle and sweet.

To be fair to him, he usually is gentle and sweet when the Bat isn't involved, or when he's chasing after a new 'Alice'.

"Oh, Dormouse, please don't cry..." Jervis murmurs as he strokes your hair, letting you cry into his shoulder despite your tears undoubtedly making the fabric discoloured and ever so slightly less whimsical. "I do so hate it when you cry."

The nickname he uses for you, 'Dormouse' doesn't really have a clever little meaning behind it like all of his other nicknames for people, it simply comes from the fact that he'd found you fast asleep on a ratty old couch inside of the numerous safe houses scattered throughout Gotham, with a cold cup of Tetley tea on the table in front of you.

He hadn't asked the series of events that led you there, and in all this time, you haven't told him. Its not really that important, and Jervis likes to tell his fellow rogues that he simply found you fast asleep inside one of his teapots.

"Dear heart, you're sniffling!" Jervis frowns, as if it only just now occurred to him that people do that when they're upset.

After carefully shifting you, just slightly, he leans over to retrieve his handkerchief and his spare handkerchief (because a true gentleman is never without his handkerchief, and it's only polite to carry a spare, and Jervis tries to be a gentleman, really, he does) and with a single finger under your chin, he lifts up your head and dabs at your eyes with the handkerchief with flamingoes and pigs and rabbits embroidered on.

"There you go. Now you can see a bit better," he gives you the second handkerchief, one with little hats sewn on, to wipe your nose.

"If you were wearing glasses, they'd be all foggy right now." Jervis muses as you hide your face in his shoulder again.

Jervis smells like black tea leaves and the dust on old books, with a hint of strawberries and cream and something metallic. Its not blood, so the only logical conclusion is that your face is near his pocket watch.

Again, Jervis doesn't ask why you're so upset. Its not that he doesn't care, because he cares far more than anyone would expect from such an unstable little man, but moreso the fact that he doesn't want to make you more upset by getting you to talk about it.

If you wish to tell him then he'd be more than happy to listen and try to help make the situation better (most likely by murdering whoever it was that made you feel so down), but he's also perfectly content to simply try and make you smile.

"I don't like it when you cry," he repeats softly, carding his fingers through your hair. "It makes your face scrunch up, and you look so frighteningly different that if the Queen of Hearts were to order your head be cut off, you could probably pass as someone else entirely."

This thought makes Jervis pause for a moment, before he smiles and lifts your head up again.

"In fact, that other you probably doesn't feel sad at all. And I'm sure they need a hat. What do you say, Other-Dormouse?" Then, Jervis leans in a bit closer, giving you a little wink. "Would you like to play dress-ups, Dormouse? Would that help you feel better?" He explains quietly, almost whispering, as if he's telling you a secret without the need for the theatrics of his Mad Hatter persona.