Warp: Love and Lighthouses

Life, Relationship change

With the world almost falling into the hands of an archdemon, Frank Detroy has had little time for personal concerns for a while now, but with multiple changes in his near future, he decides to make time with someone who might just be in a similar situation.

Frank glanced at his watch for the umpteenth time as he waits outside The Treasure Trove, wondering if the heat he feels is the final parting warmth of summer, or his own nervous imagination. Dressed in dark jeans, a dark blue button-up, and office shoes, he’d been uncertain how smart or casual he’d needed to dress but he hoped he’d struck an acceptable middle ground.   His more subtle approach is entirely juxtaposed a few moments later as Linda arrives. Clad in her full Lady Lighthouse regalia and leaping into frame from some distant lighthouse, she lands with an audible thump a few storefronts down the street.   Frank has no trouble spotting her, but it seems at first that she hadn't seen him, quickly removing her trademark hat and spinning it in the air about its rim. The accessory seems to hover in place for a moment as she pulls out a stylish, silver clutch from the darkness within. A moment later it seems to collapse in on itself, vanishing into thin air and with it her usual orange-on-white striped dress, replaced seamlessly by a beautiful blue gradient sundress that falls to her knees and blows gently in the sea breeze.   Frank is momentarily taken aback by the sudden arrival but finds himself stunned by Linda’s transformation, having to quickly close his mouth after its falling open at the sight. He recovers quickly, however, smiling broadly as he raises a hand and calls out to catch her attention.   "Ah! Frank!" she calls, seemingly surprised to see him waiting outside for her. She quickly makes her way over, a pair of silver heels clicking along the pavement as she approaches the restaurant. "So sorry I'm late. Seems like the whole city has been turned upside down over the past few days. Have you been waiting long?"   "No, not long," he says still smiling as she reaches him, "though I agree the city has gone a bit mental since the operation. Hopefully, it settles down soon."   "Well, if it doesn't, I hope I can join you and your team to smash some face again," she says, grinning as she punches her palm before motioning into the restaurant, "Shall we?"   "We shall," he replies, unable to help but grin at her enthusiasm as he offers her an arm. "You look amazing, by the way. I like your usual look, but this is truly stunning on you."   "Frank, you charmer," she says, patting him playfully on the shoulder before taking his proffered arm and following him inside. "Well, I only get this little piece out for special occasions, and you look very handsome yourself, might I add."   "Why, thank you," Frank says, beaming. "I'm glad you approve." Frank leads Linda over the waiters' desk, hoping to flag down one of the servers.   After a few moments of fruitless waiting, the entire staff seemingly busy with a particularly rowdy birthday party in the corner, Linda places a hand on Frank's shoulder and smiles. "I'll take care of this."   She steps forward and reaches into her purse, pulling out what appears to be a lighthouse about the size of a lipstick. Twisting the base slightly, she then takes the device in hand and pushes the roof of the miniature, which emits a sudden, violently loud foghorn sound that quickly silences the restaurant around them. Having caught the attention of the staff, she quickly replaces the lighthouse and smiles at a young man in waiter's attire. "Ah, Pen! My friend here and I are waiting to be seated."   "Oh, Miss Linda," the waiter says, moving over to the two and shaking off the ringing in his ears. "It's... lovely to see you again. Do you have a reservation?"   "It should be listed under DeTroy," Frank says, having just recovered from his own surprise at the unexpected sonic assault.   "Ah, yes," the waiter says, taking a pen and striking through the name on his registry before motioning the pair over to a table by the window. "Just over here. My name is Pendleton, and I'll be your server today."   "Thank you, Pendleton." After Frank and Linda take their seats at the indicated table, Frank turns back to Pendleton. "I'll take a glass of Cola while we decide, please." He then looks to Linda. "What would you like, Linda?"   "Oh, are you not drinking, Frank?" Linda asks, brows raised before affecting a knowing smirk. "Is that against the rules? I'll have my usual, Pen. Thanks." She smiles warmly at the waiter before letting him wander away and turning her attention back to Frank.   Frank smiles wryly at the question before answering, "Technically no, at least not anymore, but alcohol and I don't have the best history, so I prefer not to partake these days."   "Oh my, sounds serious," Linda says before chuckling uncomfortably. "So, I probably shouldn't have just ordered a tequila sunrise..."   Frank's smile becomes amused. "Please don't let me ruin your fun this evening. I don't drink, but I'm perfectly comfortable if others want to."   "Alright," she says warily. "But you'd better not just be saying that just to get me drunk. I'm a lady of class, after all."   "I would never! I am a gentleman of honour, I'll have you know," Frank says with mock outrage before smiling again.   "Well, that remains to be seen," she retorts with a cheeky wink as Pendleton returns with their drinks. The pair place their food orders and are left alone again, the ex-supervillainess taking a long sip of her bright orange cocktail through a straw before giving Frank a wry smile. "So, Frank, tell me a little about yourself. Who's the man beneath the cool car and the armour?"   Frank takes an equally long sip of his drink as he ponders the question, his eyes growing distant as he looks back and tries to decide where to start. "This might be a little unorthodox, but let me begin by asking you a question. Have you ever heard of Schurk Industries?"   "Oh, yeah. Has anyone not?" She says bemusedly. "I was living down in Dover at the time, but when the world's biggest war-profiteer turns out to also be running a secret paramilitary organisation, word tends to get around."   "Schurk Industries was responsible for a great many things, and one of their biggest secrets was their research into the creation of super soldiers." Frank stares into his glass, wondering if he’s making a mistake telling her this but plunging ahead all the same. "Like me."   "Oh. Oh, wow..." Linda says, placing her drink down as she notes the seriousness of his tone. "That's... quite the bombshell. I was expecting something more along the lines of 'I like to read pulp novels and go on nature walks' or something..." She chuckles briefly, to herself more than anything. "Well, at least you're not boring. Do you start all your dates like this?"   Frank can’t help but smile again. "Well, to be fair, this is the first date I’ve been on in... I honestly don’t know how long now, at least a decade." He takes another sip. "Sorry if I’m being a little too heavy with all this Schurk talk. I imagine most guys would start with where they’re from and how they grew up, but kind of hard to casually drop the fact you were genetically engineered in a research facility."   Linda looks away momentarily, considering her next words. "Well, you're not the only one," she says, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. "I haven't really seen anyone since my ex-husband. At least you seem like the honest sort. I like that." She smiles warmly, taking another sip of her drink before tilting her head with playful curiosity. "But I suppose, being the first in a long time is pretty flattering. Whatever did little old me do to deserve such singular attention, hmm?"   Frank grins, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "You mean other than looking stunning in your own unique style?" he teases, before his expression softens. "I guess it was the fact that you were trying to do better despite the things you did before. I wasn’t just made by Schurk, I worked for them for most of my life and I’ve done a lot of things I’m not proud of. So I guess when I saw you, I saw something of a kindred spirit."   Linda giggles, a slight flush rising to her cheeks. "Oh, Frank. You charmer," she says, shaking her head. "Well, I'd probably wait until I'd been on the side of the angels for more than a month before deciding that, Frank. I could be back to my old tricks in a week."   Frank meets her gaze, his voice steady and full of conviction. "I think you'll manage to resist the temptation, because regardless of what you've done, I believe you're a good person." He studies her face, admiring the way her eyes glimmer in the sunlight. "But if you should find yourself slipping back to your 'old tricks,' be sure to give me a chance to convince you otherwise," he adds with a wink.   Linda leans back, taking another sip of her drink with a knowing smile. "You know, Frank," she muses, "the last man who looked at me that way ended up going down with his ship. How sure are you in that little assessment of yours? Tell me, Frank, did you read my Century group file before you decided to embark on this little rendezvous?"   Frank doesn’t hesitate. "Outside of your husband and his lover, how many people have you killed?" His tone is casual, yet the weight of the question lingers between them.   Linda exhales slowly, a shadow crossing her features. "Ah, so you did read my file. Guess I shouldn't be surprised. I bet paranoia is just part of the job... or is this more like justified caution?" She lets the question hang before her voice takes on a more serious tone. "I'm not proud of what I did, Frank. It was done in the heat of the moment and without a thought for whoever else was on that ship. I find murder... distasteful. I much prefer to just cause a little mischief, have a little fun with it. I guess that's how I ended up on Mister Squiggle's radar. He didn't exactly pull from the cream of the supervillain crop."   Frank nods. "And that right there is why I think you’re a good person deep down. You want excitement, not mindless violence." He smirks slightly. "As for your file, truth be told, I was mostly hoping for some inspiration for where to take you this evening, but it never hurts to be sure of the kind of woman you’re taking out for dinner."   His companion bursts into laughter. "Ah, and through your cunning observations, you decided to take the woman with a coastal alter ego to a seafood restaurant?" She barely contains her mirth. "Truly inspired, Frank."   Frank grins, enjoying her amusement. "I have found it ill-advised to assume anything, especially about beautiful women with unusual powers."   She raises a playful eyebrow. "Are you calling my powers unusual? Lighthouses seem pretty self-explanatory, especially as compared to that strange melty thing you do."   Frank chuckles. "Perhaps unusual is the wrong word. Uniquely themed might be a better description. And I admit that my own abilities are definitely more… complicated, perhaps?"   Linda nods triumphantly. "That's better. Just keep those melty hands away from my lighthouses and everything will work out just fine."   Frank places a hand over his heart. "I would never dream of laying a hand on your lovely lighthouses."   Her eyes narrow knowingly as a coquettish grin spreads across her lips. Before the conversation can continue, their waiter returns with their orders, the scent of fresh seafood enveloping them in a cloud of mouth-watering goodness. The flirty jabs and personal stories continue as the meal progresses, both falling into an easy, natural rhythm. As the sun begins to set, Linda stifles a yawn, finishing the last of her third tequila sunrise.   "Well, Frank," she says, setting her glass down with a satisfied sigh, "this has been fun, but I've gotta be up in the morning for a debrief with Agent Abel at Century. Care to give me a lift home?"   Frank rises from his seat, offering her his arm with a charming smile. "It would be my pleasure."   Linda chuckles as she takes his arm, stepping into the warm summer night. "Oh, Frank. You do know how to make a girl feel special." There’s sincerity in her tone, but also something wistful, something buried just beneath the surface. It’s subtle, but Frank catches it.   As they reach his car, he holds the door open for her. He waits until she’s comfortably settled before turning on the engine, checking for pedestrians, and easing the car onto the road. They make small talk during the drive, Linda’s tone playful once more. When they finally arrive at her apartment, she takes a steady breath before turning to him with a bittersweet smile.   "I had a really nice time tonight, Frank. Really," she says, her voice softer. "Things have changed so much for me over the past couple of years. I went from a happy-go-lucky housewife pining for her beloved to notorious supervillain in a matter of weeks, and now I'm trying this hero thing. It's... a lot."   Frank nods, turning slightly in his seat to face her. "It's been a truly fantastic evening, Linda. And I understand feeling overwhelmed by sudden, life-altering events. I don’t expect anything more than you're willing to give, but I’ll definitely be hoping to spend more time with you." He smiles, warm and sincere.   Linda chuckles at his effortless kindness. "Do you ever turn down the nice guy act?" she asks, only half-joking. Before he can respond, she leans over the console, her hand resting on his shoulder as she presses a gentle kiss to his cheek.   "Not unless I have to," Frank replies, as she leans back again. Without missing a beat, he exits the car and moves around to open the door for her once more.   With a roll of her eyes and a grin, Linda steps out, smoothing her dress as she glances up at him with a coy smile. "Well, I may not exactly be jumping into your arms, but perhaps I'll message you sometime and we can see how far that good boy routine takes you."   Frank grins. "I look forward to it."   With one last playful wink, Linda turns and heads towards her apartment entrance. "Goodnight, Frank," she says, her voice teasing, her presence lingering even after she disappears inside.   Frank leans against the car for a moment, enjoying the cool night breeze. He casts one last glance at the building before climbing back into his car, a small smile still on his lips. As he drives home, he can't shake the feeling that his life might be taking an interesting turn—especially if things continue to go well with Linda. But his mind lingers on that moment before they got into the car, that brief glimpse of something deeper, something unspoken.   One thing’s for sure—he's definitely looking forward to next time.