The hallway was dark, but torches illuminated it just enough that it didn't feel like a wolf's den. A faint smell of incense floated through the air. Jade's eyes were just adjusting, so she could barely see a few feet ahead at best. The only noise in this place was the occasional whisper or rustle.
As she walked behind Frank, something about this place suddenly looked familiar. Like it had been there all along, but she couldn't place it.
These walls, it's like she had seen them before.
But most importantly, something about being alone with Frank made her skin prickle, but also sent chills up her spine.
They arrived outside a door at the end of the hall. It was made of wood and steel, and it was a bit old.
"This is my workshop," he said and reached for the handle. His bionic hand buzzed. After a moment of silence, the lock clicked with a beep, and he pushed open the heavy door. It creaked as he stepped inside, and then closed with a soft thud once she entered. "My hand is the only thing that can open the lock, it was my invention, it's like a fingerprint scanner but with magnets and my energy signature." Frank lifted a big old lever on the wall, and the place hummed with electricity.
This was indeed a big workshop.
Bulbs hung from the ceiling, and glowing blue crystals lined two walls. An array of tables filled one side, which held a variety of machines, some of which were unfamiliar to her.
"This is where I spend most of my nights when I'm not on tour," he began, walking toward the large circular window overlooking the forest. Jade followed him.
She leaned over the ledge and looked out into the darkness beyond the trees. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing, except for the dark sky above them and some towers.
"Do you like it?" Frank asked and she nodded, turning to look at him.
It wasn't just his handsome face, nor his big, bulky, and muscular body that attracted her to Frank. That was obvious. But there was something else, something she couldn't quite put her finger on.
Finally, after several moments of silence, he spoke again.
"So, you wanted to talk about something?"
Jade nodded.
"Yes. I think it's important to talk about a couple of things, but why did you bring me here?"
"It's because... Well, this is my special place," He stared deep into her eyes, searching for a hint of hope, "It's always me, my machines and my thoughts. Well, sort of. There have been people here before because we filmed my scenes for the 'Monster in Love' music video here but beyond that..."
"Am I special?" Jade whispered.
"I think so." He paused. "I think we are all special in our own way. Our actions make us special, I guess."
Jade knew where this was going.
"Well, I feel very special now, seeing this exclusive place," she laughed softly.
"Want me to show you around?" he asked.
"Sure," Jade nodded.
"I want to show you this one first," Frank said, grabbing a small machine. "This one is my latest invention! It's an engine for a machine that will help me open portals to alternate or parallel universes!" And then he pressed some buttons, but the machine broke into pieces. They both shared a laugh. "It's still a prototype anyway."
Jade was not sure how to call it, not even sure if it was love or not, but one thing she did know: She felt safe and warm with him, understood by someone even.
Still, she had a question to ask.
"Frank, do you think I'm the third wheel?" Jade asked and he looked shocked.
"What? Why would you think that?"
"I just think you'd have better chemistry with... Someone else, than with me, if we're being honest."
"Well, I don't think you're a third wheel," he replied honestly. He didn't understand what she meant by that. How could Jade think she was a third wheel? Did she think she was coming between Evie and him? Because of what happened tonight? Oh no! Frank may be socially awkward but he never meant to make Jade feel like a nuisance!
"So I'm not a third wheel?" She asked. Evie had said she was, but Frank apparently thought differently.
"I mean, that only happens when there's romance involved, right?"
"Totally!" She nodded, "I mean... It's just a dumb question but, you and Evie are just friends now, right?" Because of course Jade wasn't the 'other girl' if Frank no longer saw Evie as more than a friend. Ha! In your face, Evie!
"Well I guess we're still friends. If you think you're a third wheel, you're not, what happened tonight was just a series of misunderstandings." Frank whispered and looked away, "Is that why you wanted to talk to me in private? Because you genuinely care about what's going on between Evie and me?"
"Obviously I care," Jade replied. Because what kind of girl wants to date a guy who still thinks about his ex?
"And what do you think? Do you think I should try something else? Maybe a simpler date? Do you think I went a little overboard with the violins?" Frank needed to know, it wasn't insecurity as such, it was more a desire to learn how to be better for the next date... If there was a next date with Evie, of course.
"Not really. I mean, I think it would be more romantic if you just focused on the girl you're with and gave her all the attention she deserves." Jade said, "Everything else was perfect."
"Well, I can try that next time," Frank said, "Focus and that's it. Got it! I mean, I'm not as experienced as Alex. I've only had one girlfriend..."
"Evie. Yeah." Jade nodded and made a disgusted face. "And you're talking about her again."
"Does it bother you when I talk about Evie?"
"No. I actually think it's a good time for you to talk about her," Jade said with anger in her voice, "How much do you know about her? Do you even know her well?"
"I don't know much about her past, I'm only interested in her present," Frank said, opening a cabinet, taking out a few flesh-coloured plates, apparently made of metal. "I just know that she was deemed by the Hunter Academy to possess genetic potential, and was abducted from an orphanage. I know she endured both an education and indoctrination into the world of spy-craft, became the star pupil in that strict training environment, was taught to compartmentalize her feelings, underwent psychological conditioning and physical training... That kind of stuff."
"She seems like an unreliable bodyguard, I mean, she wears heel boots while on duty," Jade said, sitting on a stool next to a table. There were blueprints and notebooks full of scribbles on it.
"She can't walk, nor run, without heels." Frank shook his head as he placed the flesh-coloured plates on a table across from Jade, then put both hands on the edge. "Ever since she was a child, she was forced to wear them and her feet, like those of every Huntress, became deformed over the years."
"Why would they do that?"
"Evie says that Hunters should always be elegant and seductive weapons. They trained them from childhood so that when they're adults they could do everything in heels." Frank turned, walked back to one of the cabinets and took out a small glass jar filled with some silver liquid. "Besides, they always keep things in their heels. Flash drives, knives, cyanide, lockpicks," He poured the liquid into two test tubes. He then turned back to Jade.
"It must be hard to fight in that kind of footwear."
"Evie once told me that, when something is normal for you, you don't understand or notice the difference. Plus, she's too agile, you should see her cartwheeling and flipping in the air! She always lands on her feet like an Olympic gymnast!" he finished, turning to be by her side, leaning on the lab table. "Did that answer your questions?"
"Yes," she nodded, "Now, since we've put Evie aside, how about you and I talk about what really matters?"
"Meaning?"
"I'll be direct," Jade laced her fingers together, "Zeth told me that you're really shy, okay? That you need the other person to make the first move."
"I'm not afraid to make the first move, I'm just stressed out that it's a love that I don't know if it exists," Frank admitted, "And I know that Zeth is in the equation, that he already made the first move and I didn't..."
"So you and Zeth are in love with the same special person?"
"I think so," Frank shrugged. So Jade thought Finn was special too? How cute! "A poly relationship can solve rivalries but it doesn't mean my love will be reciprocated."
"Please! Of course it will be reciprocated!"
"And you don't think Finn will lose his mind?" Frank asked and Jade looked at him confused.
What did Finn have to do with all this? Jade had no idea.
"I guess not?" Jade answered without much certainty.
"And Zeth already knows about this then?"
"I guess?" Jade was still confused, "I mean, he was the one who told me you needed a hand."
Frank was shocked.
No, something wasn't right here. If Zeth knew that Frank liked Finn, it was very strange that he would talk about it with Jade and tell her to give him a hand. Zeth just wasn't like that. That didn't sound like something Zeth would do.
"Wait, Frank. Why did you mention Finn?" Jade asked.
Frank was now confused. Did Zeth not know the details then?
"Wait, wait. Are you talking about Finn, or who are you talking about?"
"You talked about Finn first," Jade cocked her head, "Wait, Finn likes someone?"
"I mean, yeah. We all love the same girl, hence the poly relationship," Frank reared his head, "Why do I feel like we talk but there's a barrier between us?"
"I didn't know Finn had a crush on a girl, or someone other than Zeth."
"Me neither." Frank turned bright red, "I mean, I didn't know until the night we met you."
"Really?" Jade looked surprised. "How do you know that?"
"Keep this a secret, okay?" Frank rubbed his forehead and she nodded. "Everett repeats everything he reads and hears, and he read Finn's diary."
"Finn has a diary?"
"Yes. And the night we met you, Everett began to say out loud what Finn had written. Finn wrote he's in love with a confident girl."
"Oh my God," Jade gasped and covered her mouth with her hand to stop herself from laughing. "Confident? Oh! That sounds great! And Everett said that Finn wrote a name maybe?"
"Well, no. But I guess we all know who it is, it's obvious," Frank laughed.
"I thought Finn was gay."
"I think Finn falls in love with people for who they are regardless of man or woman, and there is something beautiful in that."
"You said that it is obvious," Jade said, biting her lip, "How about you tell me her name?"
"Well, I mean, it's obviously... Shit!" He hissed. His bionic hand sizzled again, and a faint whitish smoke came out of it.
"I think we should check that out," Jade said.
"Could you help me? I'll give you instructions, but I need you to be my hands."
"I'm not as good as Dad with machines, but I do know a little about robotics."
"They say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree," Frank said as they both sat down at a table, there was a toolbox at the centre of it. "I trust you can help me."
"Well, that looks pretty advanced. I'll do my best, but I can't promise anything," she whispered as she inspected his bionic hand. "I really like the chrome finishes, and you probably polish this hand every day because it shines like a mirror."
"Yes. I like my bionic limbs to shine." he said.
Despite his tough boy looks, he was as cute as a puppy.
His smile.
His eyes.
Everything screamed though boy, but his soft giggling said otherwise.
There was a blush on his cheeks.
"Let me get a screwdriver," she said, searching for it inside the toolbox. "This looks like a romance scene from a book!"
"You... You want a romance like that, don't you?" Frank asked.
The question took her by surprise and caused her to jump a little.
The screwdriver slipped from her hand onto the floor.
"Oh God! I'm sorry," Jade said and bent over to pick the screwdriver, hitting her head with the edge of the table when she rose up, so hard her eyes almost popped out. "Ouch!"
He giggled.
"So... Do you want that, Jade?" Frank whispered.
"Well, Everett taught me to be direct," she said, rubbing her head. "Yes, Frank. I want my own fairy tale. Do you think I can find that someday?"
"Yeah," he bit his lower lip and nodded, but did not make eye contact. "I think we all deserve to be happy with the person we love if we are loved back, no matter the odds," his eyes sparkled in the flickering light. "As long as love gives more than it takes away, I believe it is worth fighting for."
"That is so sweet," Jade replied, still rubbing the back of her head. "You are a very special guy. You're all so special. I just want to be a part of that, you know?"
She stared at him blankly.
Why was he making her so nervous?
"You are."
"Sometimes I feel like I'm not," she blinked very quickly.
"You are part of this because you are here with us now." He took a shaky breath, then continued, "Sometimes you think about what you can't have and you don't realise what you already do, you only notice it when you lose it." He rubbed his nape, looking away, giggling rather awkwardly. "Sometimes we idealize romance stories too much, I mean, the first kiss always has to be perfect with fireworks and everything, right? But that's rarely the case, isn't it?"
"I had never kissed anyone before Zeth. And I don't know, it felt it like a movie kiss," Jade replied, and the shock in his eyes told her how much more difficult this conversation had become.
"Well, you're the exception. Your first kiss was with a superstar. And I guess Zeth hasn't left your mind since that kiss?"
"I guess," This had gotten awkward, and Jade decided she'd better change the subject.
His white hair with blue streaks gathered her attention, and if she was being honest, she'd have loved to dye her own that way.
"I like what you did with your hair. Laska was the one who dyed it, right?"
"Yeah," he nodded. "Okay, first you need to unscrew these six screws to remove the plate."
"Okay. So, your hair, it looks better than when you dyed it black and white," she continued, and then she began to unscrew the robotic hand.
"Oh, I... That's my natural colour actually," he blushed and she did too.
"Really?" Their eyes met again.
Why was she so nervous?
Yes, he was handsome, and that square jawline, those strong shoulders, that broad chest... Those were not making it easy.
But why was her heart beating so fast?
Why couldn't she breathe right?
Why was it suddenly hard to think straight?
"Your hair looks nice too, Jade. Very soft," he reached up and brushed his hand through a strand.
"Thanks," she blushed crimson, and as she continued unscrewing, her eyes involuntarily moved up, tracing the veins on his other forearm on the table.
She bit her lower lip.
And then the screwdriver slipped from her grasp and went clattering on the floor.
"Oh God!" She exclaimed. "Shit! I am never this clumsy, I swear!"
"It's alright. Let me help you." He said, kneeling down beside her. His non-bionic hand carefully picked up the tool for her. "Here," he spoke as he handed it back. The tips of their fingers brushed against each other as she accepted the screwdriver and looked back up at him.
"Thank you," she tried not to stutter or look flustered.
In no time, they were both sitting again.
Warmth extended throughout her body.
He was so sweet and sexy.
"Okay, now that you've removed the first plate, you need to unscrew these other two, then remove the rubber seal and you'll find the cables. But be careful with the Vorpal Steel that looks like mesh armour, that's what you can call my muscles." Frank explained.
Carefully taking the plates and rubber off his hand, she was shocked to find several wires and machinery that were completely alien to her.
"This is... Very advanced!" she said. "This is art!"
"I know," he said. "It's not for nothing that Franklyn works for NASA, you know? My little brother is a genius."
"Wow. So. Can you... Remove it so that I can take a closer look?"
"I actually... Can't," he said, lowering his gaze.
"Is this an... Actual part of you?" she asked, and he nodded, not looking at her.
"Unfortunately."
"Well, no problem," she said, picking up a pair of tweezers. "We can work it out, right?"
"Yeah. I think I found the problem." Frank said, pointing with his finger, "These two wires are touching."
"I'll fix it in a second."