Chapter 43: Furr Cleave
Viscera, Lamb and Guernsey meet him in the Justice Building before the Mayor calls them out to the stage at the Justice Building to take their places. When their longtime friend and escort sees them, his wizened eyes go to Viscera first, twinkling with the mirth of a young man half his age.
"Hey there, classless bitch."
Viscera's dimples dance right back. "Hey there yourself, you stuck-up, pompous, fucking Capitol pig."
"Stuck-uppous, fucking Capitol pig, OK, OK, sweets!" Guernsey half-wails, half-warbles in that sing-along squeak of his. Lamb waits far too late to half-heartedly clap a hand over the special needs man's mouth.
"Not here, Guernsey," she coos. "There are cameras." Though they all know this is in jest.
Icarus Trinket chortles. The exchange of greetings by way of insults long remembered but no longer minded is an old joke between him and the champions of the district that he was loyally served for going on 23 years. His hair is thinning at the temples now, with flecks of grey setting in that his wife Calpurnia tries to reassure him make him look sexy in a rugged sort of way. The Dean Emeritus of the Capitol Academy and proud district escort, however, is still youthful in the hugs he gives to each of his three friends in turn. Viscera remains in the embrace for a second longer, just to bask in it, even though it's only been a year. Some might call her a turncoat, a Capitol lackey, for the warm greeting of a city representative. Wolfmark says it is never a good idea to consort too closely with agents of those perpetuating the system. Wolfmark can go stick his black willy up his own ass and then the arse cheeks of any horny Eleven barmaid willing. Icarus Trinket is one of the good ones.
"You lot OK?" Icarus says over Guernsey's shoulder to the girls while he's still locked in a hug with the other man. He tries to gently disengage from the embrace, only for Guernsey to firmly move Icarus's arms back along his shoulders, as if to say, 'I ain't done with you yet!' The firmness of the lad's affection makes his heart melt.
Noticing the exchange, Lamb laughs. "We've been struggling with transitions lately…" she states gently, as Guernsey finally decides to let Icarus go.
"Have you now?" Icarus ruffles the man's hair, his tired eyes lighting up when he sees what Guernsey is cuddling with. "Is that a new Kermit?"
"Hey, Icarus sweets, is that a new Kermit? Yes!" Guernsey babbles.
"How's your granddaughter?" Viscera asks kindly. "Effie, right?"
Icarus full-on beams. "She just turned 10. Already she's been talking about going to finishing school and working to become an escort, like Pop-Pop!"
Viscera smiles sincerely. "I'm glad to hear that…. although I hope she won't be taking over your post just yet."
"Nah. I may be getting older, but…. I've still a got a few steps left in me," Icarus winks. He laughs at his own expense when he makes a show of flaunting his balding hairline.
"Speaking of…." Lamb's face shines radiantly, teasing, "Guernsey and I found some grey hairs of our own just the other day!"
"Grey hairs! Grey hairs!" Guernsey reverberates, smiling like crazy.
"No!" Icarus's mirth is nearly breaking his face. "Did you really?"
"Yup," and Lamb brushes back Guernsey's long nape to reveal some grey strands, while with her other hand, she clasps Viscera's fingers and Icarus watches as a pair of golden wedding bands twist and catch the light.
"You two lady lovebirds been thinking about getting pregnant with your own?" their escort asks.
Viscera just snorts. "Children… nah, we have Guernsey for that!" Guernsey's impish grinning is all the endorsement that plan needs.
Mayor Abbott chooses this moment to dash up. "Victors, Mr. Trinket – we're ready for you now."
The three Victors and one escort link arms. "To the merry-go-round?" Lamb asks for all.
"To the merry-go-round!" Icarus confirms. And the quartet strides arm and arm out the stage to meet their soon-to-be Reaped tributes. Later, they'll all swear that they knew the girl Mayor Abbott picked was going to get the top prize, right from the beginning, but for Guernsey's sake, Icarus wishes that another guy from Ten would come along.