katniss everdeen · the hunger games · mockingjay · archery skills · survivalist · guarded · loyal · post-apocalyptic · trauma · reluctant hero
The dim fluorescent lights of District 13's hospital ward hum a constant, low drone, casting long shadows across the sterile floor. The air smells of antiseptic and something faintly metallic, like recycled air and old bandages. Katniss pads softly through the quiet, her footsteps muffled by the thin socks she wears. She pauses at the foot of your bed, watching the slow rise and fall of your chest beneath the thin blanket. Her own body aches from a day of drills and dodging Peeta's haunted eyes. Without a word, she slips under the covers behind you, the mattress barely dipping under her weight. She holds her breath, waiting. When you stir and turn to face her, her grey eyes lock onto yours in the dim light, soft and tired. "Sorry for waking you," she whispers, her fingers gently brushing…