Hugo came last. He stopped, mouth agape.
“There’s been a change of plans,” the Manager said, sounding oddly amused. “I’ve made a change in plans.” He laughed loudly, shaking his head. “This is going to be fun.” The air around them thickened before exploding in a comical pop! The Manager held a file folder, frowning down at it as he flipped it open, mouth moving as he read silently, riffling through the pages. Wallace tried to see what he was reading, but the Manager closed the folder before he could get close enough. “Interesting. Your résumé is very thorough. Too thorough, if you ask me, but since no one did, that’s apparently neither here nor there.”
Wallace felt his eyes bulge. “My what?”
The Manager threw the folder up into the air. It hung suspended briefly before it winked out of existence. “Job interviews,” he said. “All this damn paperwork, but death is a business, so I suppose it’s a necessity. Who would have thought this would turn into an office job?” He shuddered. “No matter. Congratulations, Wallace. You’re hired.” He grinned sharply. “On a temporary basis, of course, one whose terms will be negotiated should this move on to a more permanent position.”
“For what?”
The Manager reached up and plucked a flower from his hair, the vine snapping. The petals were yellow and pink and orange. He held it out to Wallace, palm toward the ceiling. The leaf on the crystal doorknob above them fluttered as if caught in a breeze. The flower floated above his hand as it bloomed brilliantly. “Having the Husks brought here will be a bigger job than you think. The others will need the help. As per your résumé, you certainly seem qualified, and though I would have preferred someone a little less … you, a résumé such as this doesn’t lie. Open your mouth, Wallace.”
“What?” Wallace asked, rearing back. “Why?”
The Manager grumbled under his breath before saying, “Do it before I change my mind. If you knew what I was risking here, you’d open your damn mouth.”
Wallace opened his mouth.
The Manager puffed his cheeks, blowing a stream of air against the flower above his palm. It grew bigger as it floated toward Wallace. The petals brushed against his lips. They tickled his nose. They folded into his mouth, pressing down on his tongue. They tasted sweet, like honey in tea. He gasped and coughed as the flower filled his mouth. He bit down, trying to hold it back to no avail. The flower slid down his throat.
He fell to the floor on his hands and knees, head bowed as he gagged.
He felt it the moment the flower hit his chest and bloomed.
It pulsed once.
Twice.
Three times.
Again and again and again.
Someone crouched next to him. “Wallace?” Hugo asked, sounding worried. “What did you do to him?”
“Um, Hugo?” Mei said, voice trembling.
“What I wanted to,” the Manager said. “It’s time for a change. They don’t like it, but they’re old and stuck in their ways. I can handle them.”
“Hugo.”
“What, Mei?”
She whispered, “You’re touching him.”
Wallace lifted his head.
Hugo was next to him on his knees, hand on Wallace’s back, rubbing up and down. It stilled when Mei spoke, the heavy weight of it like a brand.
Hugo choked out, “Are you…？”
“Alive?” the Manager asked. “Yes. He is. A gift for you, Hugo, and one not to be taken lightly.” He sniffed. “It can just as easily be taken away. And I’ll be the first one here for it in case the need arises. Don’t disappoint me, Wallace. I’m taking a chance on you. I would prefer not to regret that. I’m pretty sure the repercussions would be endless.”
“My heart,” Wallace croaked as the pulse in his chest thundered against his ribcage. “I can feel my—”
Hugo kissed him. His hands cupped Wallace’s face, and he kissed him as if it were the last thing he would ever do. Wallace gasped into his mouth, his lips warm and soft. Hugo’s fingers dug into his cheeks, a pressure unlike anything Wallace had ever felt before.
He did the only thing he could as stars burst in his eyes.
He kissed Hugo back. He breathed him in, chasing the remnants of peppermint on Hugo’s tongue. Wallace kissed him for all he was worth, giving everything he could. He was crying, or Hugo was crying, or they were both crying, but it didn’t matter. He kissed Hugo Freeman with all his might.
Hugo pulled away, but only just, pressing their foreheads together. “Hello.”
“Hello, Hugo.”
Hugo tried to smile, but it collapsed. “Is this real?”
“I think so.”
And Hugo kissed him again, sweet and shining, and Wallace felt it down to the tips of his toes.
He kissed Wallace on the lips and the cheeks and on his eyelids when Wallace could no longer bear to look at him so closely. He kissed away the tears, saying, “You’re real. You’re real. You’re real.”
Eventually, they broke apart.
Eventually, Hugo stood, knees popping.
He held a hand out toward Wallace.
Wallace didn’t hesitate.
Hugo’s grip was strong as he pulled Wallace up. He stared down at their joined hands in wonder before tugging Wallace close. He lowered his head to Wallace’s chest, ear pressed against the left side of his ribcage. “I can hear it,” he whispered. “Your heart.”
And then he stood upright and hugged Wallace tightly. Wallace’s breath was knocked from his chest as Hugo squeezed him as hard as he could. He was lifted off his feet as Hugo laughed, spinning them both around.
“Hugo!” Wallace shouted, dizzy as the room spun around them. “You’re going to make me sick if you don’t put me down!”
Hugo did. He tried to step back, but Wallace didn’t let him get far. He interlocked his fingers with Hugo’s, palm to palm. He barely had time to react before Mei jumped on him, legs wrapped around his waist, her hair in his nose. He laughed when she began to beat her fists against his chest, demanding that he never do anything so stupid again, and how could you be so dumb, Wallace, how could you possibly think you could ever say goodbye?
He kissed her hair. Her forehead. She squealed when he tickled her side, jumping back off him.
And then Nelson and Apollo came running.
Except they passed right through him.
Nelson almost fell to the floor. Apollo did, smashing into the wall behind them. The windows rattled in the turret. He got up, shaking his head, looking confused.
“He’s alive,” the Manager said dryly. “You can’t touch him. At least not yet. Mei will have to show you how.”
They looked at the Manager. “What do you mean?” Wallace asked, still dazed. “How can I—”
Mei said, “A Reaper.”
The Manager nodded. “The job will be bigger than you can handle. If you’re going to see to the Husks, then you’ll need another Reaper to assist you. Wallace already understands how it works. Everyone knows it’s cheaper to keep the employees you have rather than hiring someone new. Wallace, hold out your hand.”
Wallace looked at Hugo, who nodded. He held out his hand.