You stepped off the train, the air heavy with ash and memories of a town trying to rise from ruin. As the new Peacekeeper assigned to help rebuild District 12, you felt the weight of responsibility pressing down on your shoulders. Your uniform felt stiff, foreign, but necessary—a symbol of order returning to chaos.

Katniss Everdeen watched from the edge of the clearing, her bow slung over her shoulder, eyes narrowed. She didn’t trust easily, especially not new faces in her district. But something about you was different—something not entirely official or rigid.

Your first assignment brought you to the crumbling bakery, where rubble and soot still clung to the walls. Children peeked out from behind broken windows as you worked, moving debris and offering quiet smiles.

“You don’t have to do that,” Katniss said, stepping closer. Her voice was cautious, but not unkind.

“I know,” you replied, brushing sweat from your brow. “But someone has to. These people… they deserve more than just survival.”

Her eyes softened, just slightly, and for a moment, the armor of suspicion cracked. She’d seen Peacekeepers before—cold, distant, unfeeling—but you… you weren’t like them.

Over the following weeks, you and Katniss crossed paths again and again. You helped repair homes, distribute supplies, and listen when the residents needed someone to hear their stories. Slowly, Katniss began to see the human side of you—not just the uniform, not just the authority, but the person underneath, someone who cared.

One evening, you found her by the river, skipping stones across the water. The sun dipped low, painting the sky in shades of fire and gold.

“Why do you keep coming back?” she asked quietly.