"I wish I could stay here forever," Jade said, staring at the ceiling of Frank's workshop.
She had just fixed Frank's hand with her meagre robotics knowledge. Good thing she had taken that course in high school, huh?
Here, next to Frank, sighing and dreaming of the polyamorous life these boys promised her, she felt like her dreams would soon come true. Money, fame, attention, six handsome boyfriends. This was every girl's dream! And it would become her reality! Evie would surely eat her words. Jade was special, she knew it, she had been born with a great purpose!
She walked towards a huge circular window at the back of this place, peeking out into the labyrinth that was the castle from up here.
"You could stay, many university students live here," Frank said, squeezing her shoulder while she admired the view from the window.
"Maybe I can," she said, looking up at him. "Maybe I could become a mad scientist just like you and live here. I can put a bed over there and a small kitchen over there."
He opened his mouth to speak but closed it again, not knowing what to say.
"Zeth wants you to work here taking care of our Solar so, maybe we can get you your own apartment?"
"Is there a way I can move in with you in the Solar?"
He shook his head.
"I don't think Zeth likes the idea very much."
Would Jade be the girlfriend who wouldn't live with her boys? Oh hell no! She wasn't just any girl! Why couldn't she move in with them but the rival band could?
"Why not?"
"No bringing girls to the Solar," Frank said, "It was a rule Zeth came up with after my dark times. I was stupid, I brought women here to my room several times and put us all at risk. We had to ask Baphelise for help to erase memories and it was quite a drama."
"But there were women's earrings in Zeth's room last night," Jade said and Frank made a surprised face, "Zeth can bring women to the Solar but you can't?"
"Earrings?"
"Yeah. Maybe those earrings are still there. We can go right now and look for them." Jade said with a frown.
"Oh no! The last time I snooped around I activated a trap and everything flooded, and I don't want to mess with Zeth's private life." he laughed a bit, "You know what? It's late and maybe you should go to sleep."
"To the Solar. To Zeth's room. That's breaking a rule, isn't it?" Jade insisted.
"Well... Maybe."
"It's not a maybe, it's a fact," she traced the veins of his forearm with her finger, "What if... You take me to your room instead?"
He was shocked.
Was this some kind of joke?
He thought maybe she was joking, but he couldn't tell. Her eyes were gazing into his, full of hope. His mind went completely blank.
She was wiggling her eyebrows.
"So, what do you say?" she asked.
"I... I mean, maybe you can sleep in my room instead of Zeth's tonight if you want? But just sleep! And I won't stay there. I don't want any more misunderstandings."
"Perfect!"
Her chest tickled, and everything around her began spinning as they walked down the hall to the Solar.
Her fingers were cold.
When Frank entered the Solar with Jade, he found Alex and Draco sitting at the dining room table.
Alex was writing something, obviously a song. Draco had his headphones on, probably rewriting and arranging some other song because his face showed frustration and he kept scribbling and crossing out on the sheet.
"Frank, where are you going with Jade?" Finn asked. Frank hadn't seen him in the kitchen when he came in. "Are you going to take her to Zeth's room? Because I don't think you should go in there with her. We don't want another flood."
"I asked Frank to take me to his room," Jade said with a smile.
"Oookay?" Finn looked suspicious, "Anyway, I hope to see you here soon, Frank."
"Sure."
Jade was already getting fed up with Finn. He was too paranoid and square, like a chaperone on a date who ruins everything with his mere presence.
When Jade entered Frank's bedroom, the first thing she thought was that this was a metal-walled bunker. Blueprints covered the walls, there were lots of prototypes on a bookshelf, and a tall stack of books about robotics on a table by the corner. There was also a huge window that spanned almost the entire wall overlooking the rose garden several floors below. This room was a lot bigger on the inside than it seemed on the outside.
She was utterly surprised.
But not in a good way.
Where was the elegance and beauty of Zeth's room? And the treasures? The place was big but it wasn't even half as big and luxurious as Zeth's room.
And the bed? It looked more like a hospital table with a mattress on top.
"Is that the bed you used in the 'Monster in Love' video, perhaps?" Jade asked.
"Oh! Yes, It was a little difficult to take it to my workshop to film but yes, it is." His bionic hand trembled as he slowly closed the iron door. "We shot Everett's scenes in his room, but I don't recommend you go there. It's like walking into a giant refrigerator, and he's very paranoid about his ice sculptures."
"If Everett's room is a refrigerator, this is a microwave," Jade said, still taking a quick look around. "I want to take a shower. Where can I?"
"Oh! I don't have a private shower for a football team in here, or a shower at all."
"What?" Her smile faded.
"Zeth is the only one who has a private bathroom in his..."
"I'll sleep in Zeth's room," Jade said, not wasting another single second, exiting Frank's room in a flash, leaving him standing there.
"Oookay, that was rude," Frank sighed, walking out of his room with his head down, somewhat offended. He walked straight to the kitchen, hands in his pockets.
It was the second time Jade had behaved like that, leaving him talking to himself.
It was already getting annoying that Jade didn't have the slightest interest in interacting with anyone other than Zeth.
"I want to resurrect what's dead. I have you stuck in my brain. 'Cause I'm mad. Insane. Like Victor Frankenstein." Finn was singing quietly in the kitchen.
"Hey buddy. I've never heard a version of my song that wasn't shouty," Frank said as he walked closer, laughing a little, "It would be good for an acoustic album."
"I guess so, but it would be a tragedy not to use the lightning effects that make it sound so intense," Finn said, drinking some water, with the coffee maker on.
"You will drink coffee? Really?" Frank put his bionic arm around Finn, who shook his head.
"No, I don't like it, but Paul went to visit his mum in her new apartment and said he'd liked some so I turned on the coffee maker. Also, every time you return from the workshop you have a coffee."
"Well thank you." Frank said, grabbing a sugar bowl from the cupboard and a spoon from a drawer. "You know me well."
"We are almost always together," Finn made that face again, the 'partners in crime' face, "In fact, I was just thinking. When we were recruiting people for our video at the strip club... Wasn't 'Angry Blonde' the girl who asked about, you know, Frank Jr?"
"No, that blonde was Brooke, Zedrick's girlfriend. By the way, I'm sorry I wasn't with you because I was playing super spy," Frank laughed and Finn patted him on the shoulder.
"No problem, I don't mind... Don't do it again."
"Cross my heart, hope to die," Frank looked down, sighing.
"Something's wrong," Finn rubbed Frank's back, "Tell me what it is."
"Finn, do you think it's possible that Zeth is... 'Not right' this time?"
"What do you mean? Zeth is always right."
"I have a feeling he's afraid," Frank looked straight into Finn's green eyes. "And with what's happened, the hunters and all that, I don't know. Do you think we're close to the end? I mean! I'm not trying to jinx us or anything!" Frank ran his hand through his hair, "But I fear being polyamorous could cost us our careers and maybe Zeth knows it."
"I don't think that's the case, Frank," Finn assured him, "Trust Zeth. He always does everything for us, for our people and fans."
"I think we can fall apart because of love," Frank put a hand on Finn's shoulder, "We are polyamorous but what if the person we love doesn't love us back? You saw what happened with Draco and Alex. What if that happens again and this time there is no solution?"
"What are you taking about?" Finn looked quite bewildered, "Who else could cause a fracture like that?"
"Right. Forget it."
Frank and Finn were always close, they were always together and they almost always shared secrets, but there was one that Frank couldn't tell him... Why? Not even Frank himself had the answer.
Perhaps it was the fear that Alex and Draco's story would repeat itself.
Or maybe because Finn's heart already had an owner, and that was Zeth.
"Hey Finn. I'll take a shower after my coffee." Frank said. "Or my shower can wait if you are feeling dehydrated. In case you need to get a little wet..."
"No, I'm fine," Finn shook his head, leaning on the kitchen island, "You know? I think Zeth is under a lot of stress and he's not telling us something. You weren't there because you were with Jade, but he was a little demanding in the hotel restaurant. From now on, you and I will sing higher notes than ever. Zeth wants to exploit our full potential for the revamped album and he wants to record it in less than a month."
"Why the rush? The last album was already too much!" Frank raised his bushy eyebrows, "Why would Zeth want to push our limits even further?"
"I think he wants to make sure everything is ready in case, you know, the duo that's sitting over there leaves," Finn eyed Draco and Alex, then stared straight into Frank's eyes, "Zeth gave you too many parts that were meant for Draco, and also gave many parts that were Alex's to Everett. I think Zeth is afraid that one of them will leave."
"Do you really think Alex or Draco will give up on everything we've accomplished because of a crush?"
"For now the waters are calm, but what if they aren't forever?"
"Alex and Draco are already on good terms," Frank laughed and shook his head, "Don't stress, Finn. That meeting was before everything was resolved between the Dramatic Two. Look. 'Neon Wights' is already finished and Zeth's team will take care of everything. Yes, we will record a video here or there and maybe spend a month working hard in the recording studio, but after that? We'll have about three or four months to rest before the next tour! We deserve a break, don't you think?"
"At least we'll record the album here and not in hotel rooms. Oh man! 'Neon Wights' was exhausting!" And it was. Sometimes a concert would end and everyone would enter a hotel room to record, deafened and with sore muscles from dancing so much.
"What will be the next video to film?" Frank asked, leaning on the island.
"Slasher Mask. We're going to film it, I think, in the morning. And after the event at the Hallow Inn we will start recording the Revamped album here. And then there's a song that Zeth says sounds terrible and needs to be rewritten and re-recorded. And I'm talking about 'Alien Crap' but Draco is working on it right now."
"It's going to be a long week," Frank laughed a little, "But we like challenges, huh buddy?"
"More or less."
"Hey, that coffee you made... Did you..."
"I know, very strong and with cinnamon, I took care of that," Finn replied, taking a silver cup from the cupboard, "And here's your cup." Frank and Finn's eyes met for a second, and the blonde looked surprised when Frank's cheeks reddened. "You okay?"
"Yeah, I... You know me well," Frank giggled. Then he took the coffee pot and poured himself some, sitting on a stool at the kitchen island, and Finn soon sat in front of him with a bottle of water in his hand. "Hey, what do you think about that?" Frank pointed a thumb at Alex and Draco in the dining room. "Do you really think it's all over now? What do you think of all the drama that Alex caused? Would you do such a drama if someone confesses their love for you?"
"Please, Frank. Who could be in love with me?"
"Evie? Zeth? Doll-Finna? Whoever sees your smile or hears your rock star voice?"
"I mean yes, but who else in the band?" Finn asked, taking a sip of his water.
"Hey, the girl Everett talked about, the one he read about in your journal, was Evie, right?"
"Obviously." Finn frowned, "That's not the kind of fracture you're afraid of, is it? Or if you have a problem with me falling in love with Evie..."
"What? No, no. Everything's fine," Frank gave him a thumbs up. "This poly thing is new to me but I have no problem with it."
"So you have no problem with me and Evie, you know..."
"No problem," Frank put his bionic hand on Finn's, "You can be with whoever you want in the band without any problems. With Zeth or with Evie or, I don't know, even with me I guess." Finn raised an eyebrow. Damn! Maybe Frank was too obvious, "I mean... Alex, Everett and I? We're straight. I mean, it doesn't bother me and I don't think it bothers them either if you have a crush."
Stupid.
"Are you, Frank? Are you sure you are straight?" Finn frowned, and Frank gasped. Was there something that gave him away? Was there something Finn saw? A crack in his armour?
Frank was never obvious about his feelings towards Finn, not that he could remember, was he?
He only remembered letting it slip when he met Jade, and maybe when he told the girls at school that Finn was handsome.
Maybe it wasn't what Frank said, but rather his need to always be with Finn. Maybe it was their many midnight rendezvous at hotel pools, or the way they both always worked together on stage, or maybe it was how they both always knew what the other was feeling without words.
During a concert in Spain, Finn forgot his part and Frank sang it for him, nodding in his direction. Days later in Paris, Finn returned the favour when Frank fell face-first on stage and had to be treated by a paramedic. Finn sang and stayed next to Frank while the paramedic cleaned a nasty wound on his eyebrow.
They both were best friends, maybe not like Draco and Alex, but there was definitely something between the two. Their relationship was more about talking and releasing stress, sharing secrets and knowing what the other was thinking. Neither of them were as loud or as expressive as Draco and Alex so their friendship was more of a calm sea with both of them setting sail into the unknown.
But perhaps the waters were about to get turbulent.
"Frank, are you really straight?" Finn asked, more insistent.
"W-Why ask?" Frank swallowed thickly.
"I don't know. I want to know how you know. It's just that, I'm still confused and I don't know if I'm gay or bisexual anymore," Finn moved his shoulders and grimaced, "I don't care about gender, I fall in love with what's inside, and Evie and Zeth..." He paused, then continued, "Sometimes I think I'm the third wheel."
"We are all third wheels here," Frank cocked his head. Well, it seemed like Finn didn't suspect anything. "But a truck needs wheels to move, right?"
"It's just that Zeth... God! he's perfect! But Evie? Sometimes I feel like she's the band's amulet."
"Don't say that in front of Alex," Frank laughed a little and Finn rolled his eyes. "You know he hates 'Black Cat' with his heart and soul."
"He's never exactly been quiet about it," Finn ran a hand through his hair, "He's always saying in interviews that he hates it. It's not our best song but it's good, and I'm not saying this because I wrote it. Even critics say it's one of the five best songs on 'Stitched Together'."
"I like it too, I think it's very much my style, a very classic pop song with a bit of power," Frank chuckled, blowing a little on his coffee, "Alex told me he hates it because we have cooler songs in which our talent shines, and yet that one became one of the most popular without even having a music video. Also, he told me that he hates the melody that Miss Van Shee composed. Now that she and Anton will work together, I think we will all love the melodies," Frank winked at Finn. "And you know something? Zeth loves that song. I don't think he hates any of our songs actually."
"Zeth told me he doesn't like 'Nine Lives' because it reminds him of his first love."
"Zeth had a first love?" Frank laughed and Finn nodded.
"Zeth fell in love with a girl that lived outside of Evalon, she was part of a clan of frowned upon monsters, cousins of the Lycans. He actually said a name: Felinda."
"Felinda? Like the rude girl who dances with Alex on stage?" Frank asked and Finn nodded with a roll of his eyes, "Wow! What else do you know?"
"Not much. Zeth never talks about his past. Not even Draco knows what Zeth did when he was Lord Commander at Guardian Fort. I've only heard Zeth mention something about some Zeldrichs and something about some Athenisia," Finn scratched his head, "The name sounds familiar to me."
"I don't know but, Zeth said that Athenisia Greak was some sort of warrior. Do you know who that is?"
"My grandpa once told me that House Greak were the ones who ruled the territory that would later become the capital of Evalon, but I don't know more," Finn said, "Though I'm sure Zeth mentioned another Athenisia, his sister's daughter I think."
"Well whatever the case, I think we all hate some of our songs for our own reasons, don't we?" Frank drank some coffee, but he burned his tongue and began to breathe like an asthmatic dragon, fanning his open mouth, "Shit... Too hot."
"I don't really hate any of our songs," Finn replied.
"Oh, come on! There must be a song you hate."
"Well, 'Brainless' is my least favourite," Finn said, and Frank gasped. "I know, I know, don't get me wrong. I wrote that song. I like it a lot, but I feel like I could have done a lot more with it. I feel like it's not as bombastic as the others, if that word exists. Any song you hate?"
"I don't know. I think our most difficult songs are 'I've Seen The Darkness' and maybe 'Black Magic Nights' so those make me nervous. Oh! No, I know. 'Hunter in Disguise' is a nightmare. It's ninety percent me and Zeth belting. It's never easy to sing in unison with Zeth, its quite a high bar to live up to his power!"
"But you wrote that song!" Finn laughed. Frank did too.
"Yeah, I think I overdid it a bit when I wrote it. I was feeling pretty emotional. 'Stitched Together' was like my first child, I had to fill it with love," Frank bit his lip. "Zeth even told me that if he's okay, everything is perfect, but if he doesn't feel good vocally speaking, 'Black Magic Nights' and 'Hunter in Disguise' are his worst enemies."
"I'm still trying to figure out who Zeth wrote 'Black Magic Nights' for." Finn said and turned to see Draco and Alex laughing together at the table. "Do you think that, one day Evie, Zeth, and I... Will look like that? Draco and Alex aren't a couple but, those are goals!"
"I am sure it will happen," Frank stood up. Wow, that hurt. Finn didn't consider him in his happily ever after apparently. Maybe it was true. It was better to keep his feelings to himself. "Now let's go with the boys. I don't want to sing something like 'split that banana baby' again, so we better keep an eye on Draco, don't you think?"
"Hey guys," Paul walked through the door, his new set of keys to the Solar in hand, "Mum's apartment is amazing! It has an amazing view!"
"Come sit with us, Paul!" Alex said from the dining room table, "Finn made some coffee while flirting with Frank."
"Oh shut your mouth!" Finn said from the bar, "Frank and I are just friends! Besides, he's straight!"
"What if he wasn't?" Alex wiggled his eyebrows. "I'm not going to deny it. Frank is the kind of guy I see you making some chicken soup with, Finn."
Frank and Finn just looked at each other, and both blushed.