REIN and SNOW ∞ louis & tom au

PART 1: The Hunger for CONTROL

"Get out, Billy! GET OUT!" Louis Rein cried angrily as he threw a bronze harmonica. It was the closest object nearby that could inflict some pain with enough force. Even drunk, Billy Trope dodged the little instrument with ease.

He taunted Louis with a laugh and waved his whiskey bottle in the air.

"You're not welcome here anymore!" Louis screams, "I never wanna see you ever again!"

"Why not?" Billy teased. "I came to say goodbye, darling."

Louis froze, tears staining his red puffy cheeks. "What?" His voice fell quiet. A bitter night wind blew in through the open door, making the hairs on his arms stand up.

Billy leaned on the wooden frame to balance himself after a large gulp of whiskey. He slurred, "I came to say goodbye. I came to give you one last kiss before you go."

"What the hell are you talking about? We're through! Now get out!"

Louis lay restless on his couch, replaying last night's events in his throbbing head. He was so furious and at such a loss of patience with Billy Trope showing up intoxicated every night that he just lost it. He rarely raises his voice in that matter, even when upset. That man knows how to get under his skin with his drunken power trips.

The first night was, "I'm here for my guitar back."

The second night, "Let's run up north to escape my father."

The third night, "I need you more than anything in this world."

The fourth night, "You can't push me away forever! You need me!"

But last night was something different. Billy was saying goodbye. A daunting one at that. What did he mean by it? Is he finally moving on and following his father's orders or was he trying to taunt Louis about today's Reaping Ceremony?

He has no clue whose name will be picked. It's a dime a dozen.

For six years, Louis Rein has been in the Reaping Pool, and has never been selected. There is nothing worry about, nothing to fear. He will ease himself with a beautiful melody written by his darling mother while they whisk away two innocent children.

Considering a 10-year-old girl was chosen last year for her first Reaping Day, the duration of time spent in the poll didn't really matter. It was an intense and emotional day as her parents wept and struggled with the Peacekeepers. Even worse when the girl's neck was snapped in the first two minutes of the game. They never had one that young, and hopefully, they never do again.

Speaking of children, what's the point of having any in a society like this? Intimacy is inevitable but raising an innocent little boy or girl in a world of starvation, suffering, and The Hunger Games is just cruel. Louis does not want children. He can barely take care of himself, and when would he have the time to babysit? He'd be too busy writing songs to perform at the pub every weekend for a couple of coins in tips. Or using up his charms for better rewards. It's not the proudest thing he's ever done for money, but what other options does he have? He's not strong or old enough to work in the coal mines and besides, his passions are singing and writing. It's the one thing he prefers to do with the rest of this miserable life.

Performing at the pub is part of the reason Louis' relationship with Billy Trope didn't work out. He was envious of all the people that got to praise, hold, and dance with his boy. Even though he knew it was a means to survive, a way to get food on the table, he didn't care. Louis was his toy, and no one else could play with him. Of course, there were more critical reasons he had to end it with the older man. Billy Trope was an abusive, possessive alcoholic who treated Louis like a prize and whose father hated him for not being a worthy companion. His father was the mayor of district 12, and he's as classist as any Capitol figure, always looking down on his people as poor scum. He sees Louis as a talentless slag.