When Frank entered the Solar, he found Alex, Kevin, and Draco sitting at the dining room table.
Kevin and Draco were laughing and co-writing something, obviously a song. Finally! It was so good to see that they had already settled their differences and were now working together as a team, like a family...
But Alex? Well, he looked distant, with his chair a little away from Draco, looking over the scarlet-haired boy's head at Kevin with a bit of, perhaps, nostalgia.
“Hey buddy,” Frank walked straight into the small kitchen where Finn was, 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 I knew you would be back soon so I’m making some for you. 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, it would be very embarrassing not to know you well," Finn made that face again, the ‘partners in crime’ face, if the crime was being adorable. "In fact, I was just remembering last year when we were recruiting people for our video at the strip club."
"I'm sorry I wasn't with you because I was playing super spy," Frank laughed and Finn patted him on the shoulder.
"I would do it again. Those were the good times, without so much stress about creating content. Lately I think we are under a lot of pressure.”
"Don't say it! I'm exhausted and not even an extra battery could give me the boost," Frank looked down, and Finn immediately knew something was haunting his friend.
"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 doubt it, although it is a bit suspicious that he wanted to record the entire fourth album in one go." Finn put a finger to his chin, "Maybe because he feared Alex or Draco or Kevin would leave before we finished it?"
"And if it's not that?" Frank ran his hand through his hair, "Finn, this idea of 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, 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, and Frank sighed heavily, "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, sighing, 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 fifth album. But I think there is another reason behind that.”
"Oh Jesus, this last album was already too much!" Frank raised his bushy eyebrows, "Why would Zeth want to push the limits even further?"
"I think he wants you and me to shine brighter, and I think that's in case the trio that's sitting over there leaves," Finn eyed Draco, Kevin and Alex, then stared straight into Frank's eyes, "Zeth gave you many of Kevin’s high notes, and he gave me some of Draco’s parts. And Everett now has parts that were originally Alex's. And he want us to record the fifth album in two months like the previous one.”
"At least we will record it here in Lyonfort." Frank laughed and shook his head, "Don't stress, Finn. Remember that meeting during my date was before everything was resolved between the Dramatic Three. And if Zeth wants to record everything quickly, it's for a good reason, I guess. Look at it this way. With the fourth album complete, it will only take uploading the songs and that's it, there won't be as much complications as with the third album. With the fifth album complete before the next tour, we can relax a little, don't you think?"
"You're calm because you haven't seen Zeth's plans yet," Finn ran his hands over his face, "But you're right. At least we'll record the album here. Oh man! (SE)X Rated was a nightmare!” Finn really hated that album, not because of the songs, but because there were many delays, they rerecorded almost everything all over again to add Kevin and it took them a long time to complete it because they were on tour. Sometimes a concert would end and everyone would enter the mobile studio to record, deafened and with sore muscles from dancing so much.
"What will be the next song to come out of the fourth album?" Frank asked, leaning on the island.
"Animatronic," Finn replied, "And the next video will be Halloween Chick. We're going to film it, I think, in the morning.”
"It's going to be a long week," Frank laughed a little, "But we like challenges, huh buddy?"
“More or less. And the fifth album will be quite a challenge indeed!" Finn seemed to try not to breathe too fast, “Aren't you stressed knowing that we're going to get shoutier than before?"
"I think it's time to get out of our comfort zone, right?" Frank as always was thinking big, and although Finn had his doubts, he seemed to agree, "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 Kevin, Alex, and Draco in the dining room. "Do you 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? Sometimes I still feel like the ugly duckling. I think Jade sees me as her gay best friend and Zeth? I don't even know if he's really interested in me," Finn said, taking a sip of his water, "Hey. Did Jade tell you about..."
"About her and Alex? Yeah, everything's fine," Frank looked around, "And I guess she is still in the shower?"
"Maybe. She went straight into Zeth's room," Finn replied, pointing back, "I'm glad you and Jade are on good terms. You look happy, and she looked even happier when she entered the Solar, radiant to tell the truth."
"She told you about..."
"Zeth and her in the car? Yeah, every detail," Finn lowered his head, "I don't know. I like the person she has become, but I also love Zeth and..."
"You can be with both of them at the same time," Frank put his bionic hand on Finn's, "You can be with whoever you want in the band without any problems.” Finn raised an eyebrow. Damn! Maybe Frank was too obvious, "I mean... Except for Everett and me, we're both straight."
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 and single a year ago.
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 came together on stage during the final choruses, 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, and perhaps that nobility was what made Frank feel something for his blonde bandmate.
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 Jade 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 Jade is so inspiring and strong, and Zeth... God! he's perfect! But there's no Prince Charming, right?"
"Don't say that in front of Alex," Frank laughed a little and Finn rolled his eyes.
"He's never exactly been quiet about his hatred for that song," Finn ran a hand through his hair, annoyed was not enough word to describe how he felt whenever Alex expressed his disgust, "He's always saying in interviews that he hates it. I once thought that... Well... Since I thought that no one wanted me in the band, I don't know... I thought he said that because I wrote it with you and Draco."
"You're not even close," Frank chuckled, blowing a little on his coffee, "Alex told me that it's 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 work together, I think we all love the melodies," Frank winked at Finn.
"Zeth told me he doesn't like ‘Prince Charming’ because it reminds him of 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?”
"He 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 he mentioned another Athenisia, his sister's daughter I think."
"Well whatever the case, it seems that Alex and Zeth really don't like that song and I don't think it will be on the track list of the next world tour. But we all hate one of our songs, 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 with a frown.
"Oh, come on! There must be a song you hate. I hate 'I Will Be Your First' because I think it's too vulgar. So call it poetic justice because Alex wrote it."
"But you co-wrote that song! With Alex! And Draco and Zeth!"
"So what? I didn't know they were going to add the part I wrote to that... Ode to Obscenity!" Frank said between giggles, and they both shared a laugh. "Come on, there must be some song you hate."
"No offense, but 'Femme Fatale' is my least favourite," Finn said, and Frank gasped. "Don't get me wrong. I love that song. I like it a lot, but singing it live is exhausting! The choreography, how fast the song goes... It’s like rapping and dancing for several minutes without being able to breathe!"
"I understand you, but you know what I hate?" Frank asked and Finn leaned closer. "I always get high notes that Draco doesn't want to sing. As if that overactive Animaniac had a hard time singing high notes! And now I'm going to sing more of those? Oh hell no!" Frank made a mocking and dramatic gesture with his hands and both laughed. "I don't know. I think our most difficult songs, because of the countless amount of high notes, are 'Call Me Your Monster' and maybe 'I'm Not Feeling Okay,' am I right?"
"Well... 'My Heart Is Yours' is the hardest one to sing, I guess," Finn said, and Frank blushed, looking away, "What?"
"There is a sin I must confess," Frank shook his head, giggling. "When I sang my part of that song in the studio, I thought 'I am never going to be able to hit these high notes live without getting nervous or sounding shouty' and that's why I told Kevin to keep my part."
"Hazing the new guy, huh? That explains why Kevin re-recorded and replaced you last minute. And here I was thinking you were just acting nice," Finn lightly slapped Frank's arm, "That song is actually one of my favourites, no matter how hard it is to sing."
"Zeth told me that if he's okay, everything is perfect, but if he doesn't feel good vocally speaking, ‘My Heart Is Yours’ is his worst enemy."
"I wrote my part of that song with Zeth in mind," Finn said and turned to see Draco and Kevin laughing together at the table, and Alex looking down. "Do you think that, one day Jade, Zeth, and I... Will look like that?"
"I am sure it will happen," Frank stood up. Wow, that hurt. Finn didn't consider Frank 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?"