"Alright here are your cards, you read directly off of them and then walk off stage, simple," Katniss says handing Harry and Louis cards with their speeches on it.
They are on the train to District Eleven, kicking off their victory tour. The families of the two tributes are to stand on a platform above the crowd so that the victors are sure to see who they are.
That's the part Harry is nervous about, addressing the families. Saying 'hey sorry your kid died' to a family while you are part of the reason they died isn't exactly fun.
He's especially scared to see the families of the people he killed personally, like the young girl and Ethan. He is sure the parents are going to be screaming profanities at him and Louis.
He is just glad to have Louis by his side again, but he's scared to see the families. Harry knows that they'll enter his nightmares too.
So to sum it up, Harry doesn't want to do this. Louis isn't thrilled about it either, but it is something that has to be done.
"We'll be there in about an hour or so, we'll get you dressed up there so do whatever, I'll be with Gigi and Niall in the next room if you need anything," Katniss says before walking out of the room.
"What do you want to do?" Louis asks walking over to the couch and laying down on it.
"Spend time with you," Harry replies laying down on the couch with him. Harry wraps his arms around Louis while Louis messes with Harry's curls.
"I don't know much about you, you know," Louis says softly, running his hands through Harry's locks.
"There's not much to know," Harry says back.
"What's your favorite color?" Louis asks Harry.
"Orange or blue."
"Those are nice but I personally like red," Louis states.
"Red and green look good together," Harry points out randomly.
"I always thought blue and green looked better together," Louis admits.
"Oh yeah never thought about that," Harry says aloud.
"What about your favorite food?" Louis asked.
"Well considering I'm from twelve, any food tastes like heaven, but Capitals tacos and sweetcorn are my favorite."
"I like anything bland, Tommo can't take the heat," he jokes.
"Tommo?" Harry questions.
"Would you rather Boo-bear?" Louis asks.
"Yes."
"Fine, how would you like if I called you Hazza?" Louis asks trying to annoy Harry.
"I'd be fine with that."
"What about curly?"
"Fine with that."
"Baby cakes?"
"Then I can call you sweetcheeks," Harry insists.
The two tease each other and cuddle for the rest of the trip until they make it to District Eleven.
Niall has Harry and Louis put on, once again, matching outfits. Harry had a white button up shirt with red pants and white shoes. Louis had a plain white tee with red pants and his signature suspenders that everyone loves.
"Okay you guys are on in two, good luck," Katniss informs them, before letting them be escorted by peacekeepers. Soon they're walking on the stage, hand in hand, because they have to make it look like they're dating.
Neither of them mind though.
They stop and let go of each other once they get to the microphone. Harry takes a moment to see the fallen tributes' families.
He first looks to Killian's family. There is a middle-aged lady who Harry assumes is his mom, and a young boy by her side. A middle-aged man stands next to an elder of the family. Harry feels his heartache.
Then he looks to Willow's family, which is harder considering he knew Willow. Her mom stands weakly next to four little girls, all of them looking to be under twelve.
"Today we are here to honor the fallen tributes," Louis reads from the card. He pauses, looking at the card again, before shoving them in his pocket and taking Harry's hand.
"I talked to Killian once and that was in the training center," Louis starts, "he was kind and nice, but most of all he was brave."
Harry squeezes Louis' hand almost as if he was saying 'you're doing great continue.' Louis goes on, "he was brave enough to say he was ready to die, and ready to leave this cruel world he was placed in."
"Even when I almost died, I didn't have the bravery Killian did, I wasn't ready to leave and he was brave enough to."
"That's why I want to donate a month of my winnings to Killians family every year till I die," Louis announces. The crowd gasps, Louis barely knew Killian and yet he still gave some of his winnings to Killians family.
Louis looks to Harry and nods at him, implying that he should talk about Willow. Harry looks to his cards and puts them away just as Louis has done.
"I knew Willow," Harry says, looking directly at her family and the little girls who resembled her so much, "and I would consider her my friend."
"She wasn't just an ally to me, she was someone that both Gemma and I trusted. Gemma loved her and brought her to me begging that we all be allies, and I said yes."
Harry looks over to Louis, and he smiles weakly at Harry before nodding his head, signaling for Harry to continue.
"I didn't say yes because I thought she would get us to the end, even though she was quite sneaky. I said yes because I knew I would do whatever it took to take this innocent girl as far along as I could, maybe even help her win if Gemma died."
"So for Willow always being with me and Gemma till the end, I would like to donate a months worth of my winnings to Willows family, every year, for as long as I live," Harry says.
Soon everybody was kissing their pointer, middle, and ring fingers and raising them into the air. They all whistle the same three notes.
It was a salute.
Harry and Louis feel peacekeepers forcefully grab their shoulders and pull them off the stage. The peacekeepers escort them back onto the train and as soon as they step on the train, they're bombarded by a yelling Katniss and a displeased Gigi and Niall.
"WHAT IN THE WORLD WERE YOU THINKING?! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO READ OFF THE CARDS!" Katniss yells.
Harry doesn't like the yelling, he can feel a flashback coming on.
"YOU CAN'T DO THINGS LIKE THAT! DO YOU WANT THE CAPITAL TO KILL YOUR FAMILY?"
Gemma dying, the light leaving her eyes.
"THAT WAS SUCH AN IRRESPONSIBLE THING TO DO! YOU GUYS BEAT THEM ONCE AND NOW YOUR BASICALLY INVITING THEM FOR ROUND TWO!"
Gemma lifeless, not moving an inch.
"IF YOU WOULD HAVE KEPT YOUR MOUTHS SHUT THEM MAYBE THAT WOMEN THAT DID THE SALUTE TO YOU WOULDN'T BE DEAD!"
An arrow wedged in Gemmas chest, blood pooling around her.
Harry feels himself put his hands over his ears and slide against the wall and onto the floor, keeping his eyes fixed on one point. Memories flash through his brain.
Gemma bleeding
Vivian dying
Louis beaten
Harry feels his breathing get faster, but he can't control it. He feels like he is dying right there on the spot.
Louis with purple stains around his mouth, laying lifeless in the arena.
He knows some of the flashbacks aren't real, but they feel so real. He begins sweating and trembling, and he feels himself choke on air and gasp for air.
There is an aching feeling in the lower half of his body and he can feel his heartbeat in his head. Goosebumps spread across his body along with chills and sudden hot flashes.
He could see Louis in front of him, moving his mouth, but he can't hear him. He knows Louis' touching him, but he can't feel it. He feels like he is somewhere else, not really there.
Vivian being stabbed, her guts flying as the trident pulls out of her stomach
Willow being shot in the eye
Gemma being shot in the chest, blood running down her body
Dad suffocating in the mines and burning to death
Suddenly Harry feels a slight pressure on his lips. He's slowly starting to feel Louis' hand on his thigh and cheek.
He can smell the mint on Louis. He's slipping back into reality.
He feels himself move his lips against Louis' slowly and carefully, his trembling body calming down. Louis removes his lips from Harry, letting the poor kid breathe regularly.
Harry just stares into Louis' eyes until his breathing calms and his shaking stops completely. The choking feeling vanishes and Harry feels better, even though the aching in his lower body hurt really bad.
"You okay?" Louis whispers softly.
Harry felt some tears run down his face before saying, "I want it all to stop Louis."
"I know love," Louis says taking Harry into his arms.
"It won't stop Louis, I want it to stop," Harry cries.
"Shhh it's okay, do you want to go lay down?"
"Mhm," Harry mumbles. Louis helps the curly-haired boy up and leads him to a bedroom on the train, but not before shooting Katniss a glare.
Louis closes the blinds and shuts the door, helping the scared boy into bed. He slips under the covers with Harry, closing his eyes.
A smile creeps onto Louis' face when he feels Harry wrap his arms around his waist.
"Promise you won't leave," Harry whispers.
"I promise."