strings that snap | larry

three

"Would I give it to you any other way?" Haymitch laughs.

"Sounds like you were about to."

"Calm down, Tommo. I'll give it to you straight like always. " Haymitch sighs. The mood changes. "He's a sweet talker. Makes things sound better than they are. He probably just wants a friend."

"Having friends is hard when you've got blood on your hands."

"He'll realize. He'll fit in with us." Haymitch isn't very persuasive. "Spent most of the dinner talking to him. He thinks he'll go back home and be fine. Let him think that, okay?"

"But that's not-" Louis is trouble.

"It doesn't matter if it's not right, hotshot. He followed your golden rule." Haymitch says. "He's here, and we're stuck with him."

"I don't like him." Louis states as if it wasn't apparent yet.

"I obviously couldn't tell." Haymitch's voice is dripping. "Hotshot, you know I'm always on your side. This kid is different, okay? I know you don't like babying people, but I guarantee you that you'll have all the time in the world to spend with him in the Capitol."

Haymitch is right. Louis spent most of his time during the games with Haymitch. The Games in the Capitol were like a family reunion. 

"I don't want to spend time with him."

"He's not the next hotshot, hotshot." That lightens the mood significantly. "Just do me a favor and don't crush him, he's got a heart."

"And I don't?" Louis says in a baby voice with a fake little sniffle. 

"Course you do! 'Tis just a little smaller." Haymitch laughs. Louis hears someone in the background noise of their call. "Listen here, Tommo. I gotta go, I'll see you soon."

"See you soon, kid." Louis smiles into the phone. 

Louis felt so fine when he was on the phone, but the silence made him feel empty again. He doesn't call anyone else. He doesn't turn back on the television. 

He just falls asleep.

****

The television switches on halfway through his nap and blares the anthem. Louis grumbles and flips over on the couch.

"REQUIRED PROGRAMMING." Flashed in big letters across the seal of Panem. 

The president is sitting at his desk on the screen, looking his best. Louis doesn't want to watch this but he doesn't have much of an option.

"I, President Allard, am here as a reminder." He adjusts collar. "Tomorrow, the most recent Victor will be in District 2 to give his speech and have his celebration, same the next day with District 1." It was the same every year, they just changed the pronouns. "The day after is the closing event. I invite all Capitol citizens to spend the evening with us and give our good wishes to Harry Styles."

The camera pans to the masses on the streets before the anthem plays and it is silent.

This boy is not big news. Just another seventeen year old boy who won the damn games. He wasn't a first and he definitely won't be a last.

At least Louis had an angle. At least Louis could say he did something noble. 

"I killed them and I'm sorry." Louis says on the stage, the feedback in the microphone made him wish he never spoke. "I didn't want to hurt anyone." 

The crowd looked uncomfortable and Louis knew he messed up again. No one said anything. He looks down at the District 7 families with a heavy heart.

"They were both so wonderful...I didn't talk to Fern all that much, but I regret it. I wish I had talked to her." He felt the tears prick his eyes. "She would always remind me of my friend Nessa at home." The crowd was still stiff.

"I'm a mess, I'm sorry."

Later that day, he got a phone call saying that Nessa's family home had been set on fire. No survivors.

Louis feels like he is swimming in honey. He wished that program had never interuppted his nap and gave him time to think. The day ahead are just clients after clients assuming he wouldn't be allowed back at anymore parties that he wasn't acquired to attend.

He goes back to sleep and wishes for better days.

****

louis definitely has a personal vendetta against harry :) i'm sure we'll find out at some point!

xxk