Bucky had watched Steve get absorbed off the train and into the thick of stylists and clamor that always took Tributes over. Of course it was different this time, there was no fresh-faced, trembling kids who had no idea what they were in for. There was just Hogarth with her impenetrable poker face, and Steve.
They'd pull them back, clean them up, start the process. Bucky was a sham of a mentor, but even if he wasn't, he wouldn't be needed yet. He'd told Steve where he was going already, and he just stepped aside long enough to tell Peggy he'd be back later. He wanted to let her see that he wasn't falling apart, so she only had to worry about the people slated to die, for now. Peg had enough on her shoulders. Then he headed off.
Loki didn't live that far, and Bucky hadn't been lying. He had a knack for going unseen, even when the eyes of the Capitol were on them all. They weren't looking for him, not really. He'd be part of the sideshow, not the main event. He could get away. Head down, a hoodie up that wasn't shabby enough to stand out or bright enough to draw eyes, dressed well enough under it that if he did get spotted, he could pass it off as just out for a while on his way to one of a dozen kick off parties. Bucky had it covered.
He made it unnoticed though, or at least un-confronted, and found the right door. He knocked, light enough that neighbors wouldn't hear. When there was no answer, Bucky thought of the drunken texts and then just tried the door. Locked, but not dead-bolted, and Bucky silently promised himself he would pay for it and twisted with a metal hand, breaking it easily and letting himself in. He also promised himself he'd never fucking mention he'd not only gone to a Gamemaker's place, he'd broken in to Steve later.
It didn't take long to find Loki, largely because the smell of the garden drew Bucky that way through the open door. He stopped in the doorway, taking in Loki standing in front of a burst of colorful flowers. It was surprising, Bucky guessed, but then it wasn't, too. Wasn't like Bucky really knew the guy to be surprised - assumptions he made were on him.
Still. Flowers. Not what his first guess would have been.
He was just glad he hadn't found the guy in a passed out puddle or anything. It wouldn't have been shocking - or unwarranted. Fuck knew Bucky half wished he could just spend all his days like that, but he couldn't. He guessed Loki probably couldn't either.
Bucky lifted his left hand, metal fingers rapping lightly on the open doorway to catch Loki's attention. He nodded toward the rows of flowers that Bucky could only vaguely identify by types. "Pretty," he said,inanely. It was. Not that it fucking mattered, but it was. There were gardens in Victor's Village. Bucky had been in it a hundred times, but he never thought about it except for noticing how whenever there were photographers around to take pictures, the things ended up with different plants and colors to suit whatever bullshit pictures they were taking. He'd always figured they just ripped everything up and tossed it when they changed it. Seemed like a waste, but that was the Capitol for you. Didn't care if something was alive, they'd throw it out for something prettier. "You gonna pass out or anything?" Bucky asked him.