Down amongst the chariots, Haymitch is standing in a circle drinking with Seeder, Chaff, and Gloss. Finnick comes sauntering up, almost completely naked, and Haymitch can feel how broad his grin is while he looks him up and down. Finnick walks into the middle of the circle and starts doing a very provocative dance, while Seeder and Chaff clap and chant his name.
"Get out of here, Odair, and make yourself useful," he says, laughing, when Finnick finishes. He points at Katniss, who appears to be alone by her chariot. "Go make some new friends."
Finnick grins, kisses Seeder, then Gloss, who turns red, then Chaff, and Haymitch last, right on the lips, before walking away with an exaggerated sway of hip.
"Now there goes a victor," says Gloss, and they all laugh.
They get the signal it's time to get on the chariots and Haymitch steps off to the side with the other mentors.
Kissing must have stayed on Chaff's mind, because after their return, when Haymitch introduces him and Seeder to Katniss and Peeta, he gives Katniss a hearty kiss on the mouth. Haymitch can see that Katniss's delicate sensibilities have been affronted, but he's already laughing and can't seem to stop.
As they head toward the elevators, Effie comes up to whisper in his ear. She's unofficially scored a major sponsor. He thanks her, and wishes he could tell her to be more cautious.
He worries silently, and puts his arm around her shoulders while they wait.
Effie snuggles up close to him. He looks down into her face, ready to tell her why she shouldn't embrace him so recklessly, in front of Capitol people and Peacekeepers. She speaks first.
"Haymitch, I feel like I finally understand how dangerous it was to be a victor. I just want to spend as much time as possible as near to you as I can be. Are you okay with that?"
They finally get an elevator and step on.
Haymitch formulates his words while he holds her. He can't seem to let her go.
"I don't want you to get hurt," he says.
"Too late," says Effie. She kisses him.
He shouldn't be happy. They break apart to enter the suite, and he's still smiling until he sees Darius. He stops in his tracks until he hears Cinna and Portia walking in behind him, and comes back to himself. He looks at Katniss, watching Darius with a dismayed expression and he's suddenly certain she'll say something. The Capitol is waiting for her to say something, and then they'll kill him.
He marches forward and grabs her wrist. He doesn't say anything. There's nothing he can say. Katniss pulls her wrist out of his grasp, and they all walk silently to the dining room.
If Peeta recognizes Darius, he's a lot better about hiding it.
Haymitch starts to wonder if he'll be the one to blow it. He can't stop looking at Darius.
He won't pretend they were friends. He hates all Peacekeepers equally. But it's painful, it's always painful, to see what lengths Snow will go to over the smallest of infractions. Turning Darius into an Avox to serve 12 in the Capitol is just a smaller version of the Games. It's meant as a reminder of how powerless they really are to change anything.
They eventually move their party to the sitting area, to watch the chariot run. Cinna sits next to him, even puts his hand on the back of his neck, the sweet, brave man. Then Katniss sits between them and Cinna's hand disappears as he scoots away to make room for her. He's surprised she's seeking comfort from him, but he's happy to discover she still can seek comfort. It's an important survival skill.
The room is quiet while they watch the tributes, their pathetic, aging bodies in the silly children's costumes. Haymitch's rage, damped down to simmer, starts rising to boil.
He makes sure the kids are in bed, says his goodnights to Cinna and Portia, and holds Effie.
"I have to get out of here," he tells her.
She nods. She's crying again.
"Just please be careful."
"Of course."
He kisses her forehead and leaves the apartment, walking down the stairs to 11.
"I was surprised nothing went wrong tonight," says President Snow, pouring himself a cup of tea. He sits down at his desk with it. "I had wondered if there would be some kind of action on behalf of the victors."
Plutarch nods. "It seemed something was planned, but my people put a stop to it."
Snow's eyebrows lift, his lips split into an inviting smile, or it would be, if blood wasn't bubbling up behind his bottom lip.
"What? You were behind the chariot bomb?" Plutarch shakes his head. "President Snow, if I had known that, I would never have interfered." He touches his chest, and throws the hand out, miming his life for Panem. He stands up from his chair, puts his hands in his pockets and walks to the nearest window, looking outside, though it's hard to see with the lights on inside. He hopes he's affecting the right kind of nonchalance, as he turns, grinning, to look at President Snow again, invite him in on the joke. "Although, I am pleased to see what I can get her to do in the arena."
Snow laughs, a quiet, raspy sound.
"It wasn't my plan," says Snow, shaking his head and looking down into his tea cup. Plutarch tries for politely bemused.
He thinks he must have achieved it, because Snow names one of his (many) political enemies as being an originator of the plot.
Plutarch chuckles. It comes easy because he's so relieved. Things are right on schedule, and he hates changes to the schedule this close to finale.
"Then I'm doubly glad I was able to stop him. Do you know he stole my pool boy?"
Snow shakes his head, laughing.
"Andrino. The most beautiful pool boy I ever had, and that dolt stole him."
Plutarch sits back down in his chair and takes a drink of his own tea.
"I'm going to check on the team, and go over projections for next week's viewing figures."
"Get some rest. Viewing figures are fine. Best they've been in a long time."
Plutarch shrugs. "I never sleep during the Games, not since I was a kid."
Snow smiles, mercifully, a close-lipped smile, and Plutarch leaves. He wishes he could ask 13 to speed things up, but he knows he'll blow the whole thing by not sticking to the plan. He'll just stick to the plan.