He knew his life was going to change when they called Prim's name at the reaping. He knew it would change when Katniss volunteered for her. He expected that nothing would ever be the same with only one of the Everdeen girls.
But he never expected it to change this much.
When Prim's name was called, there was a split second of gut-wrenching fear that froze Rory to the ground. Fear he couldn't name spread throughout his whole body, paralyzing him. A million thoughts had raced through his mind, and it had been almost impossible to sort through them all.
Prim was going into the Games.
The girl he loved.
Prim was going to die.
He would've volunteered for her himself, if that had been allowed. He decided this on the way home. Rory decided that he would do anything humanly possible to keep Prim for the rest of his life. He would do anything, be anything for her. Eventually they would get married, have children, and every day he would be able to tell her how much he loved her.
Well, if only he could get up the courage to tell her himself now.
All of these thoughts had raced through his mind, and suddenly they came to an abrupt stop when Katniss choked out the words, "I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!"
A whole new torrent of feelings broke inside of him. Relief. Guilt. Pity. Fear. Sadness.
Relief, obviously, because Prim was safe. His love wasn't going anywhere. Guilt, because, in wishing that Prim would live, Katniss was going to die. Pity for Prim and her mother, because they were going to lose not only their only source of income, but another family member as well. Pity for Gale, whom Rory knew was beginning to love Katniss as more than just a friend. Pity for Hazelle, who found another daughter in Katniss. Pity for the rest of District Twelve, who all had benefited at least once from Katniss's fine shooting. And last of all, pity for myself, because I was losing a fun companion, a loving sister, and a caring friend.
Fear for Prim and her mother crossed my mind. How were they going to survive without Katniss's fresh meat? Of course, Gale would split his prey, but that wouldn't be enough. As it was, even Katniss bringing in her own haul wasn't enough! And if Gale gave half of his meat to the Everdeens…then what would we eat? How would we still survive? My mother barely made anything, even with her washing clothes every day and night. And then Katniss, going into the Hunger Games…my fear for her was strong, almost more than for Prim. She would die; our tributes always did, it was expected. One of the Career districts always got one of their tributes back. When they set up their alliances and began making strategies, they must always overlook District Twelve. 'District Twelve? They're so pathetic they'll die on their own.' But maybe this time Katniss would be different. Maybe she would win. Automatically, I made myself push away the thought. I couldn't get my hopes up. I needed to expect the worst, so if it came, I'd be ready. Fear for both of our families was suddenly so overwhelming that I could barely uncover my reasons for relief anymore. A sudden wave of sadness kept me from falling. My precious Prim. How devastated she must be, losing her only sister, virtually the only one in the family that kept her sane, considering the state her mother was in after the death of both of our fathers. How did I know that she wouldn't go mad? Or severely depressed like her mother? How did I know that even though she's safe from the Games, I just might still lose her?
Disregarding the ropes that kept us in our respected age groups, Rory walked to the edge of the crowd, where Prim and her mother were staring up at Katniss with tears running down their faces. He put his arms around her and laid her head against his shoulder. "Prim," he sighed.
Rory's life would forever be different. The moment Claudius Templesmith had congratulated Katniss and Peeta on their victory over the loudspeaker, Prim had jumped into his arms and sobbed in happiness and relief. The two families had been celebrating for five minutes when the small telephone Haymitch had given them after the reaping began to ring.
"Hello?" Mrs. Everdeen had said breathlessly, tears still running down her face. She put the phone on speaker so they could all hear.
Rory had been expecting an excited report from Haymitch, but instead he talked in his usual void-of-emotion voice.
"Katniss and Peeta are supposed to be lovers. However, the Capitol doesn't seem to be entirely convinced that she and Gale are just cousins. You need to fix that when she gets home. Congratulations. Goodbye."
They had all just stared at the phone for a second, until Gale had shouted, much to everyone's amusement, "COUSIN KATNISS IS COMING BACK HOME!"
Everything was wonderful when Katniss came home. Mrs. Everdeen had slipped out of her depression, and Prim was as happy as ever. Eventually, everything had more or less gone back to normal, and Rory was happy to be able to enjoy the joy that leaked out of Prim's voice every time she spoke. Everything was perfect.
Until the second year. The Quarter Quell was coming, and everyone was as excited as they were nervous to see what was going to happen this year. Of course, he was worried that Prim would be reaped again. Would Katniss be allowed to volunteer for her? Has a Victor ever volunteered for someone else? Was that even possible? No. Rory was being selfish again. He couldn't wish for Katniss to go into the Games twice. After all, Prim wasn't signed up for any tesserae, and it's not like they needed any, considering the new income Katniss brought with her from the Games.
Still, it had happened once, it could happen again….NO. He wouldn't even consider the possibility.
When President Snow announced on TV that the tributes would exist from each district's Victors, it didn't sink in at first. Rory never really considered Katniss a Victor, but just as Katniss. So of course he was relieved that none of them were going to have to be tributes. But then Katniss ran off, and the realization hit him like a ton of bricks: Katniss was going in again, and this time, would she come back?
The Games were very confusing for Rory. He would see Katniss and her allies talking about the arena as a clock, but he didn't understand. He was able to follow the action and the deaths taking place, but the rest of the conversations and strategies during the Games were all a blur to him. The last thing he remembered was a shower of sparks onscreen, and then a shower of fire out the window.
He woke up in District Thirteen, scared and confused. From the people talking around him, he gathered three things: Katniss had escaped, District Twelve was gone, and the rebellion was in process.
Prim! Rory had sat straight up in his bed. Where was she? Was she alive?
"Prim, Prim!" he had called, running wildly though the infirmary until he ran smack into someone with blonde hair and crystal blue eyes.
"Prim!" he had whispered gratefully, opening his arms to her.
He had asked her, told her, begged her not to go with them to the Capitol. They didn't need her; they were going to win, she didn't need to put herself in any more danger…
But Prim wouldn't listen. She wouldn't listen to his desperate cries and pleas for her to stay with him.
Rory was in Command when it happened. He was watching the screens with the rest of them, where he could see the whole circumference around Katniss. He saw his love picking up a crying child. He saw the parachutes falling. He knew what was in them; Gale had explained to him the design. He willed them not to fall. He fell on his knees, and cried, begging them not to fall.
He had tried to save her, but he was too late. The bombs fell, and there was nothing he could do.