The rest of the Tour goes as well as could be expected. Katniss, especially, was stiff, and spoke like a hologram-person he had seen once at a tech show in the Capitol. Peeta picked up the slack, but Snow won't be happy.
He wonders if there will be a chance to talk to Plutarch at the President's Mansion.
He hopes, if their executions are already planned, that it won't be burning.
Effie is checking that he is dressed appropriately. She has okayed the outfit and is begging him to let her put some makeup on him while she reties his jabot.
"Not gonna happen, sweetheart," he says, and drinks from his flask.
"Fine," she says, irritation evident. She takes something out of her pocket and sticks a jeweled pin in the collar of the jabot. "Then do me a favor and at least show up sober."
"Fine," he says, and smiles at her.
She smiles back and then really surprises him. She stands on tip-toe and kisses him right on the mouth before swiftly turning and leaving his compartment. He takes a fortifying sip from his flask and follows her.
Haymitch has not attended a Victory Party at the President's Mansion since his own 24 years ago. It has not only gotten bigger, gaudier, and flashier. It has more food, more servers, the music is more frantic. And oh yes, more alcohol. He sees that Effie has the kids well in hand and makes his way to the drinks table.
"Try the green stuff," says a familiar voice.
He turns and sees Plutarch, holding out a green drink that looks like it's glowing.
"That looks truly poisonous," he says, trying not to sound too gleeful as he accepts the glass.
"Have you seen the President's rose garden?"
"Can't say that I have." He sips the drink. It tastes like springtime apples, tart and crisp, but with a sweet, sweet aftertaste. "Wow," he says. "I gotta get to more Victory Parties."
Plutarch laughs. "Let me show you those flowers."
Haymitch follows the newly-made Head Gamemaker outside. They walk down lamplit paths to a greenhouse. The smell of roses inside is overpowering.
"Welcome to the only place in Panem that isn't bugged," says Plutarch, smiling like he thought of it himself.
A riot of roses, blue, pink, purple, even green and yellow, grow up trellises, spill out of ornamental fountains, and grow in large, spreading bushes on the ground. The lead around each pane of glass has been painted white. Haymtich supposes it would be beautiful, if it didn't have so much of Snow's presence.
"Are you sure about that?" he asks.
"Nothing in life is sure, but the conversations President Snow has in here aren't the kind he wants recorded for posterity."
Haymitch scoffs. He could imagine Snow needed such a place. Even presidents needed privacy.
"Have you heard from… Coin?" He almost says 13, but at the last second he can't. He assumes President Snow won't know the name, just in case they are being recorded.
Plutarch, like most Capitol rebels, is too self-assured. Nothing bad has ever happened to them, so they can't really imagine anything bad happening in the future. A truly insane frame of mind, given the entertainment they prefer and create.
"I have. And I want to assure you the plan is to get Katniss and Peeta out when they get on the train home after the next Games. Myself and several other Capitol citizens will be on the train. Once we're out of the city, a hovercraft will rescue us and come for you and any other mentors not in the Capitol for the Games."
Haymitch nods. It's a good plan for Katniss and Peeta. He supposes any victors in the districts will be blown to bits the second they realize Katniss, Peeta, and several other Capitol citizens including the Head Gamemaker have taken over a Capitol train and absconded, but he's been waiting for this execution for a long time. If he can at least believe that Katniss and Peeta are all right, he'll be all right.
The only hole in the plan he can see is his worry that they won't live long enough for the 75th Hunger Games to take place. It occurs to him that Plutarch might be highly ranked enough to know if they're slated for execution soon.
"I've been curious about how Snow's taking the unrest in the districts."
Plutarch grins. "Not well. He's looking for someone to blame. Anyone in his inner circle," there's a slight stress to inner circle that makes Haymitch feel a little more at ease, "Is feeling like Damocles."
Haymitch doesn't understand the reference, but he's been hanging around Beetee so long, he doesn't ask for an explanation.
"I would be prepared for something to happen," Plutarch continues. "But he can't touch Katniss and Peeta right now. The Capitol are too excited. If he's going to do away with them, it will have to be after the wedding."
Haymitch rolls his eyes. "Right."
"We should get back to the party before someone starts looking for us."
Haymitch agrees and follows Plutarch back to the Mansion.
He finds Effie and asks her to dance. He holds her close. She's clutching his hand like a lifeline.
Cinna walks into his townhouse entryway. He smells cooking. He breaks out in a grin as he recognizes the smell of sugar buns and hurries to remove his jacket, boots, and gloves.
"Janus?"
"In here."
Cinna is heading toward the kitchen and that amazing smell.
"You wouldn't believe what they're charging for sugar these days." Cinna puts his arms around Janus, who is facing the kitchen sink, doing the dishes by hand. "Oh, god, I sounded just like my mother. How scary."
Cinna presses his lips to Janus's neck.
"Your mom sounds sweet," he says.
Janus lifts a wet, soapy hand out of the sink, and presses it to Cinna's hands, laced together in a tight grip around his ribs and chest.
"You looked so good on your tour," Janus says, catching up a towel, and wiping off his hands. "Didn't it go well?"
He turns around, so Cinna lets him go, and puts his hands on either side of Janus's hips, resting them on the edge of the sink behind him.
"I should say so," says Cinna, leaning down to kiss him, slow and sweet. His lips taste like sugar and dough. "And how was your day?"
Janus is blushing. Cinna sits down at the kitchen counter, watching Janus get started on their dinner.
Apparently, in the time since they spoke on the phone, Janus has gotten in another fight with their upstairs neighbor, bought a new plant, and is looking up rescue animals.
Cinna knows it's dangerous to love anyone. But Janus is an old, childhood friend. He had moved in next door after the Games, and, as they had caught up on the last 17 years, Janus had stayed later and later each night, until Cinna had walked him back to his bedroom, and asked him to stay until morning.