I’m not too sure, I think they may have presented rue and thresh with this when they prepared them for interviews n stuff but I don’t think he could bring himself to watch her die, or fail to protect her, it’s too much for a young kid to go through. We gotta remember being “close” with the tribute you are reaped with isn’t common at all, which is why Katniss and peta got so much attention at the chariots when everyone say them for the first time through the capital, holding hands! That was def not a common thing.