Music poured from the windows of the Kelvin Manor as you approached, followed closely by the light inside. With your carriage pulling to a stop, the door was then opened, and you swished out, the skirts of your (f/c) dress sliding into places as you came out the door. Admittedly, as this was your first party on your own, you were really nervous about coming here. There had been rumors flying left and right about the mysterious Baron Kelvin. Had he really taken some orphans under his wings? Had he really gone through tremendous amounts of surgery to change his face? Was he like a mummy now, covered in bandages? … There was only one way to find out, and this party was the perfect way to do so.
Kelvin hadn't hosted any parties in years. He'd sort of become a recluse in society, not even bothering to show up for public events for the Queen. He wasn't really favored much, especially since there was a rumor flying that his wife had left him after all his surgery. But the one question remained: was he really obsessed with the long dead Phantomhives?
The grand doors opened, and you waltzed in, a small boy with blond and black hair opening the door for you. You gave him a small smile as he politely greeted you, smiling and bowing. You then patted his head, causing a giggle to come from him, as you walked in.
There were nobilities and philanthropists of all kinds gathered in the ballroom of the manor, you noticed. Whether he had become a recluse or not, he seemed to have sent out a long circle of invites. This made you wonder why he hosted the party in the first place. Some of these people looked incredible shady and dark, so you tried to drift away from them. There were also more children at the party, only a few years below your own age. You saw the small black and blond child again, talking to a girl that looked about his age, with short black curly hair, wearing a cute little maid outfit. There was also a couple of smaller children, a boy and a girl, talking to a few of the guests. You also noticed a man- or perhaps he was a teen?- carrying the smallest child on his back, a girl who looked about six. She was smiling brightly, navigating the man like he was a ship, and she it's captain.
There was a slight manner of cheerfulness in the air, which you liked. Perhaps they weren't as crazy as they seemed.
That's when you saw the Baron.
You had to do a quick double take, desperately trying to not stare at him. But… the rumors were true. Well, the ones about him being wrapped up in bandages were, at least. He was a stout man, wearing a top hat and a nice brown suitcoat, a pressed white shirt over his rotundness, and he was sitting in a wheelchair, talking to another shady looking noble with a grey tailcoat and a curled mustache. Beside the baron was a boy about your age, with bright orange hair pulled up in a theatrical style, a black suit on him, with a black and white diamond bow around his neck. His face was near emotionless as he watched the baron and the other man talk, hands on the wheelchair's handles. He must've just been there to push Kelvin around…. maybe he was too old to push himself, you reasoned.
The boy met your eyes from across the room, and suddenly, his face lost its expressionlessness, and he smiled at you, waving slightly. You nodded and waved back, catching the baron's eye. The older man quickly pardoned himself from his first conversation, and then instructed the boy to push him over to you, in which the orange haired teen obliged.
When Kelvin reached you, he greeted you politely. "Ah, Miss (l/n)!" He smiled, which was quite the odd slight in that mummy like appearance of him. "So glad you could make it!"
"A pleasure, Baron Kelvin." You replied, curtsying slightly, as was customary.
"I see you've been wandering around," Kelvin went on, "Let me explain. These are my children," you noticed the slight stress on the word, "who are running amuck. I'm sure you'll get a chance to meet them all soon enough. But there's at least one I can introduce you to right now." He looked up at the boy, who bowed his head, smiling at you.
"I'm Joker," he said, "Pleased ta meet ye."
You couldn't help but notice the fact he was trying to cover up his accent. Perhaps he and the other children were the orphans that everyone had been talking about.
"Pleased to meet you too, mister Joker." You smiled back at him, causing him to blush slightly and looked down. Perhaps he'd never been addressed so formally like that, your mind thought.
Baron Kelvin's small wave brought back your attention. "Yes, I've taken Joker and his family into the manor to help me around here. I'm a lot older than I look," he chuckled. "Perhaps you'd like to come to my next hosting to visit them again?"
"I wouldn't mind that at all, sir." You said, smiling at him.
"Wonderful!" Kelvin clapped his hands together, much like a child getting something sweet. "I shall see you then."
"Excuse me, Kelvin?" The man with the curled mustache approached your small group, bowing at you. "Forgive my barging into the conversation, but may I talk to you in private?"
The Baron nodded. "Of course. Joker, why don't you introduce miss (l/n) to the rest of our little group, eh?" And with that, the man and Kelvin rolled off.
Once he was gone, Joker breathed a sigh of relief. "I honestly thought I'd be stuck on chair duty the whole night." He chuckled. "So, now that you know my first name, I might as well know yours before you meet everyone."
It couldn't hurt. "I'm (y/n)." You told him, now feeling closer acquainted with the boy. He held out a hand to shake, and that's when you realized- it was a prosthetic. "Umm…"
"What?... Oh, this?" He wiggled his fingers in question. "Tis' just me arm. I was born wivout one, ya see. I got this fine replacement from the baron. Nice, ain't it?"
"Indeed." With this, you shook his hand.
"As a matter o' fact, we're all missin' somethin' one way or another." He continued, pointing out the small girl and the man you were still confused on. "Doll's got somethin' wrong wiv 'er face, an' Jumbo's too big fer 'is age." Then he pointed out the blond and black haired boy, who was currently hugging the black haired girl. "Dagger an' Beast are both missin' legs, and," with one final point to the shorter children, "Peter and Wendy 'er older than they look."
As Joker pointed each one out, you followed his finger in awe. "Fascinating."
So they were different. It was something that most people didn't have these days, and you liked it. It made them more special than the boring everyday of society.
"C'mon miz (y/n)!" This time, it was a big genuine smile that Joker gave you, politely taking your hand. "It's time I introduced ya formally to me family!"