Reaper's Touch

Hex: Catching Up

"You really know how to make me cry, when you give me those ocean eyes."
-Billie Eilish

Hex stared at Gus for a long time, not sure exactly what to say. He was already grinning and slipping and sliding down the side of the bridge to get to her. She braced herself for impact as he immediately threw his arms around her, sobbing.

"Um... Wow... Big hug. Er... Um... It-it's okay, Mouse," she mumbled, awkwardly patting him on the head like she did with Cricket.

"I never thought I would see you again!" Gus exclaimed, finally releasing her so he could dry his eyes.

Hex chuckled. "I didn't expect to see you again either."

"How have you-"

They both started asking the question at the same time, and both broke into laughter.

"I'll go first," Gus said. "I've been great, lately. So much has happened! I live here now, in a house! And I'm gonna be a tattoo artist! And I'm clean! And I'm 18 and don't have to worry about foster care no more and..."

Hex could feel herself staring at him with her mouth wide open as he continued to talk. This was not the same Gus she had seen on that last night when he'd gotten himself arrested. He had grown so much. Physically, he was taller and, she realized suddenly, very good looking. Not in a cute way, like he used to be, but in a hot way. Hex immediately shook the idea out of her head. What was she thinking? This was Gus. Well, not that she technically needed to be true to Adam anymore, but still. It was Gus.

"And that's how I got here! Jeff is letting me stay with him and become a tattoo apprentice. Life is... awesome! The best it's ever been!" Gus finished with a grin. "Now you."

"Oh... um..."

Hex looked down and kicked a crumpled Diet Coke can. "Well, I'm clean too. I have a year sober. I did some time. About a year in lockup. Drug charge, solicitation and stuff. I'm out now though. I just got a job at a coffee shop, and I'm staying with Ember until I can get my own place."

"Ember? Oh my God! I can't wait to see her! Does she have her baby?" Gus asked excitedly.

"Cricket? Yeah. She does. He's not a baby anymore though."

"And Jesse's there too I guess?"

Hex shook her head. "No, thank God. She finally got away from him. She has a new man now. West is his name. Cricket thinks he's his dad."

Gus's happy expression turned to one of concern. "So... do you know what happened to Jesse? Is he okay?"

Hex shrugged. "He's alive."

"But is he okay?" Gus asked with emphasis.

"Why do you even care? He was an asshole to you! To all of us!" Hex said, feeling the old anger and resentment starting to wake up in her belly.

"I still care about him," Gus said, looking stung.

"Of course you do. I forget how... nice you are to everyone," she mumbled. She lifted a hand and let it fall. "He's still using. Ember left him because he literally tried to kill her and kill himself too, which unfortunately he didn't. I mean, unfortunately he didn't off himself. Ember is okay now, but it was a big deal. Really bad for her. She barely got to keep Cricket because of his stupid ass. I hate his guts and hope he's miserable, which I guess he is if he's still using and homeless. Ember said she's seen him around, and he looks like a fucking corpse now. Good thing it was her and not me, because if I came across that motherfucker I'd bash his skull in."