A/N- Hi! So, to those of you who haven't visited our profile, you have to read this: This account is shared by both averagewriter and Reni Readiris. We give each other challenges/prompts that we have to write, this prompt is from Reni and is written by Average.

Rory is fourteen in this story, or at least, he just turned it. Prim is almost fourteen. As a warning, they act a bit older than they are.

Disclaimer: Darn you for making me say this, but I DON'T OWN ANYTHING! EVEN THE IDEA GOES TO RENI READIRIS!

My eyes are burning.

Have you ever just been minding your own business and then just so happened to stumble into your own room and just so happen to walk in on your older brother making out with some random girl? Long sentence, I know, but my thoughts are run-on, they just go on and on- You get the point.

Well, to explain my predicament at the current moment and why my brother would do such a thing, is actually quite simple. Gale Hawthorn is my brother, need I say more. He's in love with the Mockingjay, the girl who seems to only occasionally love him back. So Gale has his own way of dealing with things, like for instance, pulling the first girl he sees that looks decent from the cafeteria and dragging- metaphorically- he to our room and making out with her. Our mom has walked in on him once or twice and threatened to ground him no matter who or how old he is. Mama's scary.

Who am I, you might ask? Why I'm Rory Hawthorn of course! The brother no one knows exist and only slightly recognize me because of my last name. Katniss Everdeen's cousin. Yes. Cousins. We aren't real cousins of course, which I'm happy about because... well... Katniss has a sis-...

Sorry, I just ran into somebody.

"Hey! Watch where you're going you little imbecile," a man growls as he picks up his papers he dropped from the impact of me running into him. He smells of strong soap and flowery fabric softener. Must be from the Capitol. My suspicions are answered once I look up to see the mans face. He doesn't look like he could have ever of lived in the Capitol, I actually recognize him as one of the survivors from Twelve. He has dark brown hair and dark gray eyes, someone from the Seam no doubt.

"Ello, to you too," I sneer before running off into the other direction. Let's just say I run into people a lot, because I stated before, my thoughts tend to run on. So when I do run into people, I very rarely apologize, much less help them pick up whatever I might have made them drop. I've had guards come after me before, thinking I was stealing something, but they just dismiss it once they meet me as some air-headed kid. They're the air heads.

I'm going to be late for one of my classes if I don't hurry, which I don't really mind, but my teacher does. Even though I may not like any of my classes this one's my favorite. Bet'cha can't guess why! A pair of lapis blue eyes.

It's been two months since I last walked in on Gale, and two months since the last time I was late the that class. I officially love that class and that teacher, Mrs. Cordial. Mrs. Cordial is amazing, the best teacher ever now. You know what she did that very day I first started talking to you? She paired me with her , the girl with the lapis eyes. We had to work on a single project together for two weeks -which I've forgotten what is was for... (I was too busy staring at her eyes)-, the best two weeks of my life. Ever since then Miss. Lapis Eyes has been smiling at me every time our eyes meet and says hi to me every time we pass each other. But do you know what tops the cake? She sits with me at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Let's just say I forget that I'm there to eat and not talk to her most of the time.

Do you think that's enough to ask her the biggest and most important question I'll probably ask in my life? Do you think that she'll say yes, and that she'll feel the same? Do you think-...

Sorry, just ran into somebody.

"Excuse me," squeaks a little voice. That little voice. The voice. Her voice.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there, I was rushing to lunch -to see you- and I was just thinking up a storm -about you-," I mumble apologetically as I help her pick up her single book that she dropped from our previous class.

Wait, you need a book for that class?

S'kay, there's no need to worry about it, she says before looking up at me. Her eyes are so beautiful, so mystifying, and yet so innocent. Those eyes tell a story every time you look in them, stare into such fables that will either break your heart or make your heart burn brighter than the sun. Those eyes that belong to the girl.

"Rory," she sequels as she hugs my neck. This. Is. The. Best. Day. Of. My. Life. Her warm arms feel so right around my cold body, so perfectly fit for me, and so small compared to my own. They feel perfect.

"Hi Prim," I say quietly, hiding my face behind my hair so she won't see my possible blush. She's the only girl who will make Rory Hawthorn blush. Yes, I just spoke in third person because it's cool.

"Do you want to walk with me to lunch,"she asks cheerfully, beaming like she usually does. That's the thing about Prim, she's almost always happy, but lately it's been seldom for her. Ever since we got in thirteen and Katniss has been acting like a zombie, or stressing over the war, being in the war, or most of all stressing over Peeta, Prim hasn't been or normal self. She acts older now, more serious and down the point, as if she's turning into her sister. But she's still content or happy most of the time, but sometimes you can see the worry lines forming as she thinks about her sister.

We make small talk on our way to the cafeteria, and I mention my siblings once or twice, complaining about how annoying they are. None of what we say really interests me, it's just the fact that's she walking beside me, talking to me, and that she hugged me. ME.

After we get our bland food from the kitchen line, we find us a nice table with my family and Mrs. Everdeen, who gives me a quizzical look before turning back to her food. That woman scares me.

Ten amazing yet agonizing minutes of sitting with the Everdeen's -Katniss not included, she's kind of in a different district right now...- and my family being as annoying as ever, I finally feel like I'm either going to burst with happiness or annoyance.

Primrose Everdeen is sitting beside me, her hand sitting inches away from mine, and her knee knocking against mine every few minutes. -She likes to tap her foot when she sits at tables.- You'd think I'd be the happiest guy in Panem right? Well not with my family here and the pressure of that ring in my pocket, but I'm still pretty close to it.

I'm. About. To. Burst.

Finally, I gain enough bravery to ask Prim the question. Bud, you got this. You can do it. Guys used to do it all of the time at and after school.

"Hey, Prim, can I talk to you for a second," I say under my breath, hoping none of my siblings can hear me. The last thing I need is Vick following us and trying to step on my heels while I talk.

She nods her head quickly before scooting her chair back and coming to a stand. I'm so distracted by her golden hair that I push my own chair back too fast, forcing it to fall back, taking me with it.

"Ow," I grumble. I just made a complete fool of myself in front of Mrs. Everdeen and Prim. I see out of the corner of my eye Mrs. Everdeen looking at me, but Mama just waves her off and tells her that I do it all of the time. Thanks mom, really nice.

I push myself nice and slowly, knowing that if I go too fast I'll get a terrible headache. I get a glance of Prim as I pushing up, and see her worried expression. I think I'm rather happy to see her worried about me, either that or embarrassed. I don't know, I'm only a guy after all.

After minutes of walking and trying to collect what I'm going to say, we make it to the hallway, alone. Now my only enemy that I have to worry about -since my siblings are gone- is myself. The enemy I can never escape.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about," Prim asks quietly as she slides her back down the wall until she's sitting on the cold floor. I follow suit, my arm rubbing hers, reminding me so much of our hug from earlier. Damn. I better not be blushing. Am I blushing? I've never been able to feel myself blush before...

"So, we've known each other for a while right?" Gosh, Rory, nice way to start off a conversation.

Prim nods her head and raises an eyebrow in question." Since we were seven or eight," she answers.

"Well, I...uh... I love cake. Do you like cake? I've never had it before but I bet it tastes good," I ramble. Rory, you are going to scare the poor girl.

"I've had cake before. At Annie's and Finnick's wedding. It's delicious! Peeta's creations are quite lovely aren't they," she asks, her voice turning dreamy and soft, as if she's picturing the cake now. Or is she picturing the cake? What if it's not the cake at all? What if it's Mellark? Why must we Hawthorn's lose all of our girls to that son of a-

"Rory," Prim says, waving a hand in front of my face. I must be blushing now...

"Yeah? Sorry, just had a thought. You know me and my run-on thoughts," I save myself. I probably sound like an idiot, and if I was a girl, I'd run away with the werewolf and not the vampire. Why did Vick say I'm the vampire? I hate that analogy.

"Well, back to what I was saying before. You're like cake!" Face palm.

"I'm like cake?" Prim smiles as she points to herself. She thinks I've gone off of the rail, doesn't she?

"Yes, everyone likes you even though sometimes they don't want to admit it. Every layer of you just leaves them wanting more." She looks stunned, if not scared. She should start running now, before the conversation dives into the deep end.

"What I'm trying to say is-," I begin, but I can't get all of my courage back inside of my body. Why does it always escape at the wrong time?

"You're trying to say," she asks, beckoning me to continue.

I pull out the ring from my pocket. It's a little plastic one that my teacher gave me when I was seven, with a pink little fake jewel in the center of it. The minute I was given it I swore to give it to Primrose Everdeen.

"Will you go steady with me?"

When Prim says yes, I find myself falling to the ground. Damn my fainting habits.

It's amazing how fast time flies. I mean, it's been three weeks since Prim agreed to go steady with me and since the last time I fainted. Now that has to be a record.

The past two weeks have been wonderful. I have the right to hold Prim's hand and even kiss her cheek! Even though that is quite unbelievable, what's even less believable is that Prim does all of the back and sits by me at every chance she gets. Now aren't I a lucky man?

I'm on my way to the Everdeen's room right now to go walk Prim to class. Hopefully is already at work because she scares the living-...

Sorry, I just ran into somebody.

"You little brat," the man mutters. I look up to a see a paunchy middle aged man who I recognize as one of District Twelves victors, Haymitch Abernathy. Aren't I lucky? Not...

"Why, 'Ello to you too," I scoff. I'm not much with patience when it comes to rude people. He could have at least said excuse me.

"You ran into me," he snaps. Crap! Did I say that out loud?
"Shut up, I have to go get Prim," I grumble before pushing his should with my own and trudge my way down the hall. I'm going to be late if I don't hurry and Prim will think I bailed on her. My wonderful Prim can't think that...

What am I thinking?

"Oh, little Ms. Everdeen, ay" he calls after me.

I stop dead in my tracks. I'm not one for conversation, but Haymitch is around Katniss quite a bit and Katniss is Prim's sister. Maybe he knows some juice on her.

I smirk inside, yet scowl on the outside as I turn around to face him. "Yeah, what's it to you?"

"Nothing, it's just that you're fooling around with a girl in the middle of a war," he says solemnly before turning around and walking towards the elevator.

As I turn to continue walking, his words echo in my head, never allowing me to form my own thoughts that aren't related to his. We're in a war and I'm worried about embarrassing myself in front of Prim Everdeen, or if she's holding my hand or not. People are dying out there, my brother is fighting in the Capitol as well as the two Star Crossed Lovers. Children are dying in cold blood, they're innocence ruined. And what am I concerned with? Prim and I. Me. Prim. Prim. Prim. Prim...

Primrose Everdeen. The most wonderful, amazing, smart, beautiful, sweet, and giving girl in Panem. The girl who started it all. The girl with soft touch. The healer.
Healer. A very foreign word in this war. I'm keeping one of the only healers to my self, and I'm not ashamed. She will stay safe as long as I can help it.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I hadn't realized that I had arrived at Prim's door. I knock twice, not wanting to be too pushy. Mama did teach me a few things about manors after all, I just didn't listen to most of it.

The door comes open, and my breath hitches, in worry that it may be Mrs. Everdeen. At first I only see a pair of blue eyes, which doesn't give me much hope, but I soon see Prim's shy face peering through the door.

I let out a sigh of relief. "Good morning Prim," I chirp. My mood always goes from bad to amazing when I see Prim, she just has that affect.

"Hey, Rory," she says quietly, a frown forming on her face. I hate to see her frown, it makes my heart break.

"What's the matter?"

"I haven't got a report on Katniss yet," she answers. I see a tear sliver down her cheek, like silver slipping through the deepest darkest places. Prim shouldn't cry.

"Have you not seen the propaganda's? She seems fine in them. She'll be okay, I promise," I smile weekly, using my thumb to wipe away her tear. I'm taken by surprise when she wraps her arms around my neck, weeping so terribly, tearing my heart to pieces.
"How do you know she'll be okay? She's in a war while I'm here! Rory, she'll die," she cries. They're muffled by my now wet skin and are soon incomprehensible. I wish we could just stand here until her tears are gone and her smile replaces her frown, but we'll be in a lot of trouble if we don't get to class, and I don't feel like being punished and I don't want Prim to be either.

"Prim, we need to get to class," I whisper, wishing we didn't. I feel her nod her head as she releases me, wiping her tears away.

"If it makes you feel any better Gale is there too. But so is Peeta," I pause, despising his name, "and we both know they'll take good care of her. They do love her after all."

I look into her glassy eyes and say the words that only a brave man would dream of, "Katniss loves you, she'll return to you. I- I love you."

She smiles weakly before grabbing my hand and entwining our fingers. "You're right, she'll be fine. Now lets hurry on to class before Mr. Braven decides he wants to break out his ruler and not use it for measuring," she laughs, though it sounds forced, before dragging me down the hall. She stops unexpectedly and turns around to face me.

"Oh, and Rory, I love you too."

Fire crackers go off in my head, rapid cheers of joy. I want to jump up and down, and run down the halls like a maniac screaming in victory. But what I do is much better, much deeper, much more sincere.

I kiss her.

Prim just stands there, motionless. Did I scare her? Shock her? Was it a bit much? But my thoughts are washed away when she slowly wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me down to her, closer to her.

I can't describe the feeling. It just felt... it felt... so amazing. Like everything around me melted. The war, school, Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Mr. Braven... everything.
Our lips fit perfectly together, as if made for each other. It's just right. This. It feels like it was meant to be, and the only sure thing in our lives.

Somehow, I ended up pressed against the wall with Prim's fingers woven through my hair. Damn, how did sweet Prim do that? Wait. Aren't we going steady?

Prim deepens the kiss, pressing against me harder and harder each time. Forget going steady. I finally wrap my arms around her waist, where they belong, and pull her closer to me, smiling against her lips. How could I of lived fourteen years without Prim with me?

She starts to pull back slowly, seeming reluctant to, but I don't release her, I just grip her tighter, deepening the kiss even more. We both release each other for air, only to continue.

Well, who wants me to describe every single detail of the kiss/kisses? Not me, that's just invading privacy and it sounds slightly perverted. So to those who want details, I'm not giving them.

I beam as I pull away, Prim smiling as well. Not to sound cheesy, cause I hate it when people are -even though I am- , but that was amazing.

Prim turns beet red and looks away, glancing at the elevator.

I hear someone clear their throat loudly. I hadn't noticed someone was there...

For the first time in my life, I feel myself blush like a madman as I un-wrap my arms from Prim's waist and she untangles her fingers from my hair. I hate not having Prim holding me now, it feels so empty and lonely.
"I'm sorry, but am I interrupting something," I hear a cold voice ask sarcastically as I look up. I've seen this woman many times, feared her even. She, President Coin, has come to talk to us. That never means anything good.

"I see you aren't much different than your sister. Fooling around with the Hawthorn boys," she says icily. That hit me in the gut. My brother loves Katniss, and sometimes I think she loves him the same way, but we all know she doesn't. The way she is with Peeta -I don't know, she just seems so sincere with him, so concerned and engaged. For coin to compare Prim and I's relationship with Katniss and my brothers, hurts more than I thought it could. I mean, I'd always been compared to him, but this just passes the line.

"Don't talk to her that way," I snap, grinding my teeth.

Coin just rolls her eyes, blowing me off. "You've got your brothers temper I see. No matter. I must speak with Primrose alone." When I don't leave, she just glares at me, shoeing me. "Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

"I'm not leaving," I say through clenched teeth. I will never leave Prim with that woman, not alone and not accompanied with someone other than myself.

"Very well," she sighs, obviously annoyed. "I have come to personally notify you that we will be sending you to the Capitol as a paramedic. We are lacking in medical crews and need more experienced nurses. Your mother is needed here in District Thirteen, and I have heard that you are just as experienced as your mother. Is that true?"

Say no. This cannot be happening. They can't take you. You can't go. Say no. Say no. "Say no," I whisper as quietly as I can manage into Prim's ear.

"But I have to help. Katniss is out there, I have to help her. The kids. The soldiers," she pleads just as quietly as I managed. The look in her eyes, is just so helpless, yet so strong, so sure. But I can't let her go.

"You can't g-..."

"Yes, that is true," Prim answers. My eyes widen, turning glassy, feeling as if tears might over flow at any moment.

"You will be leaving tomorrow morning. I will send a guard to your room at five A.M sharp, ready or not, you will be leaving," Coin says sternly.

"Tomorrow?" Prim and I practically scream in unison. "Why can't I have more time. To say goodbye. To-to," Prim stutters, not being able to finish. I'm mute, in shock from all of this.

"You are leaving tomorrow, or you will be punished."

Now, somehow, I find words. "What about the Mockingjay law? You swore," I screech, accusation dripping from my tone. If she breaks her swear, her law, her agreement, her contract, than she has no Mockingjay.

"Why, Mr. Hawthorn, have you not heard? The Mockingjay and her crew died just hours ago. There was a broadcast on the news after all," she asks with mock surprise.
Gale. He's- I can't even think it. My brother can't be gone. He's Gale Hawthorn, he doesn't just die, her survives. But not only have I lost my brother, Prim has lost her sister and her sisters savior.

Prim.

The glass is broken, shattered now. Nothing stands between Prim's insanity and sobs, nothing stands between her broken heart. The loss.

Prim. I instantly grab her before she can fall like I know she will, when she loses the strength to stand. I pick her up and cradle her like a baby, holding her as close as possible as she begins to cry, to screech. I'm broken like her, but at least I have something to glue me back together with, or at least to hold onto. But then again, that same thing will be leaving me soon, and may never- No, I won't say it nor think it. She'll come back.

"You monster," I manage to scream, still gripping Prim with all of my might. "You killed them!" My words don't affect her, she just continues on walking down the hall without a care in the world.

She did this.
I start to stagger back to Prim's room -which isn't far away-, and I find it hard to maintain my balance. The shock is eating everything away from me, including my stance.

I finally make it to her door and fumble with the door knob. Every movement is a challenge, every thought is hard to focus on. The only thing that really registers at all, is the one I hate the most. Everything is gone or leaving, and no one is staying.

Somehow I find myself hovering over Prim's bed, Prim's back just rubbing it as I slowly and gently lay her down. It's so cold in her room, so I robotically un-tuck the blanket from under her and pull it over her shaking, sobbing body. Her cries are almost as painful to hear as the loss of my loved ones is.

"She's gone," she cries, sobs wracking her body.

"Shhh shhhh, it's okay. It's going to be alright," I soothe, knowing everything I say is a lie.

"But it hurts," she screams.

I know how much it hurts, it hurts me to know you hurt.

"It's going to hurt. The pain will go away."

She doesn't say anything else, she just continues to cry. I don't know what to do, so I just stand there, rubbing her cheek.
"Do you want me to stay with you?" She nods her head yes, so I take that as the O.K to lay down with her.

We spent that night together, in each others arms, crying with each other, healing each other. We were so broken, yet so strong at the same time -or at least, strong enough to help one another. I remember kissing her forehead as she cried herself to sleep, and remembering that her mother existed. But she was working.

I loved her then as I do now, so the next morning only ruined me further. She had never stopped crying, even in her sleep, so her tears were all dried up by then, and neither of us could manage to say anything.

My family came to say goodbye, but Prim's mother never showed, and my mother claimed she was being forced to stay in the hospital.

I held Prim in my arms. Feeling her warm skin even as she shivered. I felt her heart beat, and then before she had to leave her soft lips.

"I'll love you until the end of time," I whispered to her as she pulled away from the kiss.

"Then you'll just have to love me forever," she smiled weakly. "Will you take care of Buttercup for me?"

I almost laugh at this. She's about to be sent into a war and she's worried about that stupid cat?

"I'll keep him nice and fat."

That was before the peacekeepers came to collect Prim and bring her to the correct hover craft. She screamed for me as they dragged her away, and I screamed for her even after she was gone.

It's been a day since she's been gone, and it still feels like a freshly cut wound.

It's been a three days now, and still nothing.

One week.

One week and one day.

One week and three days: Today was the assassination of Snow, or Coin rather.

One week and four days: Katniss' trial was mentioned to me.

One week and five days: I haven't eaten a single crumb since she left. I still haven't heard any reports on Prim's whereabouts.

One week and six days: I have received news. Prim was killed in the bombing the day the war was won. How have we won the war if Prim is gone?

I once told Prim that it would hurt but that the pain would go away. It hasn't. It's been one week since I received news and it seems to only hurt more. Nothing matters anymore. Not the victory the rebels had, not the health of my brother, not the health of my family nor Katniss. Not my health. My health is the most dreaded thing that exists. I'm still alive yet Prim herself isn't. For more than seven years she was the only thing that mattered to me, the one thing that I needed, that I had to have to survive. But now she's gone.

Four weeks and six days: I found my mothers kitchen knife.

Four weeks, seven days, and three hours: Mama caught me trying to sneak her knife.

Four weeks, eight days, and nine hours: Mama left me alone home with Posy and Vick, so I grabbed a pen and paper.

Dear Prim, I had started writing these things so that when you returned I would always remember how lucky I was to have you back, to remember how terrible it felt without you. But now I don't need to remember, because I still feel it. I know you will never return to me. Would you like it if I came to visit you?
Your dearest love,
Rory

Four weeks, eight days, and ten hours: I stuck into the kitchen while Vick and Posy were taking a nap and stole Mama's kitchen knife.

Four weeks, eight days, ten hours, and twenty minutes: I'm not scared of leaving, only that Prim won't want me with her.

Four weeks, eight days, ten hours, and twenty two minutes: I loved Prim, and swore to until the end of time. I'm going to go see her so then we can be together.

The knife worked. The pain ended just like I once promised Prim. When the pain ended, so did the life I once had without Prim. I loved Prim, I love Prim, and will always love Prim, through life or death. We just so happened to choose the latter.

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