He's never known Rue, but his brother did. They were little together, shared the wind at the top of the trees while Thresh packed the crates at the bottom.
He's heard her sing, spark mockingjay harmonies and let tired faces set soft.
He watches her Reaped and knows she can't win, and when his name is called, he thinks he can't save her.
On the train, he favors her with smiles, ones she returns after only the shortest pause. Thresh has never put much store in smiles, but it feels good to be anything but a monster.
He sees her train and mourns her in advance. He will never hurt her, he thinks, but he would not sacrifice himself for her.
She dies far from him, and there's no need.
He lets the girl from 12 go and knows he's lost his chance. "For the little girl," he says.
When Cato comes, he watches the tops of the trees and hopes her pain was less.