The Funtom Company

13: The |Arc| Company

"Wha'?" Joker stood at the door to Noah's Ark Orphanage with his mouth agape. Drocell was standing outside with his arms flailing every which direction because his mouth wouldn't work the way he wanted it to. Hopefully, Joker would be able to understand what he meant. These two had been friends for nearly all of their lives. If Joker didn't understand, no one would. 

"Yer tellin' me that ya met Ciel Phantomhive?! And Victor Nikiforov?! Get out! Ye can't be serious! Congrats!" Joker smiled. The children hovering by his feet looked from him to Drocell and back to him. How did he understand? Drocell hadn't spoken. When Joker burst out into laughter, the children ran away. He must've finally lost his marbles! Or, maybe he gained the hidden ability to read minds. "I can't believe he thought ye were ketchup! It's too funny!"

The two continued on like this. Drocell would make some sort of hand motion or micro-expression and Joker would reply to him. Eventually, Drocell's shock over the fact he met Ciel Phantomhive diminished and he was able to speak again. Vincent was his idol. Drocell had an obsession with him for as long as he could remember. Everything about Vincent was fascinating to him, (including his children Ciel and Leic). Drocell was a fanboy at heart and Joker understood that. It was no different from someone having a favorite actor or band. Okay, maybe it was a little different since Vincent wasn't either of those things... He was a bit of a celebrity though. At least, for this city that was true. 

"Well, since yer here, wanna have some hot cocoa?" Joker asked. Drocell nodded. The two of them went inside the building and to the kitchen. Drocell watched as Joker grabbed cups and boiled water. There wasn't anything fascinating about this simple sequence of events, but Drocell found himself getting lost while staring at him. This happened every now and then. Drocell thought that maybe he just needed more sleep and was zoning out. However, everyone at the orphanage told him otherwise. They all said he was head over heals for Joker. The only problem was: Joker was head over heals for Beast.

"Here ya go," Joker smiled and held out the cup. Drocell paused. He knew it was okay to take it, but he also didn't want to take it at the same time. Joker should be using the food and beverages on the children here, not him. Should he take it? Should he not take it? If he waited too much longer Joker might get upset with him.

Drocell reached out to grab it, after enduring a long mental debate, but just as his fingers brushed up against Joker's and he nearly grabbed the handle, Beast walked in and took it. She smiled and said, "You made hot chocolate for me? Thanks!" She then gave Joker a kiss on the cheek and walked out. Drocell's and Joker's hands were now just hovering in air touching each other. Neither of them moved. Neither of them said anything. They both just stared at each other dumbfounded.

Startled, Joker grabbed his cup and quickly offered it to Drocell, "Ye can have mine if ya don't mind that I took a sip. Or I can jus' make ya another cup." If Drocell's face had the ability to show his emotions, he would surely be blushing. Joker was suggesting that he share an indirect kiss with him! Not only that, but they'd already touched hands! What was next? Would Drocell receive a kiss on the cheek too? Would they get married? 

Joker had grabbed the cup with the wrong hand. Instead of using his left hand, he'd used his artificial right hand, which meant that his grip wasn't nearly as good. The cup slipped from his grasp and threatened to crash on the ground. Drocell moved at the speed of light. String ejected from underneath his shirt's sleeve and lassoed the cup before it collided with the floor. Joker stared in awe. Was Drocell Spider-Man?

"Ye never cease to amaze, do ya?" Joker grinned. Drocell picked up the cup, removed his string, and handed it back to Joker. He decided that saving the indirect kiss for another day would be best. Too much excitement had happened already.

"Are ya sure ya don't wan' any?" Joker asked. Drocell nodded. "At least have a sip. I did make it wit' ya in mind." Drocell was about to shake his head and refuse but the look on Joker's face forced his hand. He took the cup and took a sip, albeit small as could be. Once the hot liquid had entered his mouth, there was no going back. Drocell drank the rest in just a few swallows. He couldn't help himself. Joker was a master cocoa maker.

When he'd realized the heinous crime he'd committed, Drocell opened his mouth to apologize, but Joker cut him off, "Tis fine."

All of the sudden, the ground shook beneath their feet. The two of them collapsed into each other as the dishes, and the whole orphanage, shook. The building was falling to pieces. It was an old building, there wasn't much keeping it together in the first place. Drocell tried his best to swat falling debris away from Joker. It was nothing too serious, but he didn't know how much longer the orphanage would stay in one piece.

"Everyone out!" Joker yelled. He ran out of the kitchen, Drocell following him every step of the way, and tried to get as many people out as he could. The children didn't need to be told twice. Each of them stood in the street, a safe distance from their home, as they watched it collapse. Drocell looked around to see what had caused this earthquake. A building a block or two away had been blown up. As the giant pieces collided with the ground, the earth shook. Who had caused this? Who would cause such mayhem?

Sirens blared, people shouted, and everything was in chaos. There was only one group that enjoyed to cause so much destruction: Trader's Enterprise. The war had begun. There was nothing that could be done to stop it now.

Drocell knelt down to the ground and hugged the children to keep them from being too terrified. He tried his best to provide comfort, but sometimes people just need to cry. The children held onto him tightly. They'd need a new place to stay for the night. But where?

"Dear me, that building wasn't very safe, was it?" a voice said. Drocell, and everyone else, turned to see where it had come from. Ciel Phantomhive stood smirking at them all as he waved to Drocell. "I guess you lot need a new place to stay for a while? You can sleep in the basement of The Manor until I get a few guys to repair that orphanage for you. Or, would you rather stay somewhere else?"

"Ain't he one of the shorter Mr. Phantomhives?" Joker whispered to Drocell. "Then I guess it can't be a bad thing to say yes, right?"

"He's a nice guy. So, I thought to myself: 'It can't be a bad option.'" Drocell replied.