Author's note: I'm happy to say that part of this story is thanks to writingbutunpublished, my best friend who, when I mentioned an AU where Rue has a shipper blog dedicated to Katniss and Peeta, said, "But what of they both have YouTube channels?"

I was going to hold off until the new year, but thanks to encouragement from several Tumblr followers and my excitement over their enthusiasm and my own imagination getting the best of me, this happened. You can find me on Tumblr at booksrockmyface. Please let me know what you think.

Happy reading!

Cheese Buns and Bad Puns

An Everlark Fanfiction

Chapter One

Peeta quickly closed his computer when Annie walked into the room.

She snorted as she opened the fridge. "Porn in the middle of the kitchen, baby brother? How brazen! I thought only Finnick did that." She took out a block of cheese and started cutting off slices.

He opened the computer slowly once more. "No, I'm watching something else and I wasn't in the mood for any of Finnick's lewd commentary." He typed in his password at the home screen. "And I'm older than you, so stop calling me baby brother."

"By two months." She finished making her snack and sat down beside him. "So what is the great Katniss of slings-and-arrows up to today?"

"Blindfolded target practice. It's a viewer challenge. Katniss is going first."

On the small screen a slight brunette woman dressed in a forest green t-shirt and a pair of hip-hugger jeans stood aiming her shot while a woman with blonde hair teased to the heavens stood behind with a bit of cloth. Her name was Effie, if Peeta remembered correctly. She was in another one of Katniss's videos assisting her with holding things or handing off extra arrows.

"Okay." Katniss said.

The other woman tied the bandana around her head and the archer took her shot. It went wide and the arrow imbedded itself in a tree.

"Well, I guess that's a fail for me." She said to the camera. "Gale, see if you can do any better." She laughed. "I'll see you, for real, in a week! Viewers, that means it's joint video time again. So leave your questions in the comments and we'll answer a few. But make sure to check out the frequently asked questions before you do. That'll be linked in the subscription. Keep an eye out for Gale's attempt." She gave a little awkward wave and the credits started rolling.

Peeta closed out the window. Her friend Gale's would be up in a few days and Peeta was sure Gale wouldn't even come close to the target. Katniss was the better shot between the two, but her friend had a better on-screen personality.

Annie asked, "So what are you going to do for your next video?"

He shrugged as he packed up his computer. "I haven't decided yet."

"Well, it's Finnick's birthday tomorrow."

"Yeah?"

She gave him an imploring look. "Will you please help me cook for him? We could film it and kill two birds with one stone."

He took in a big, dramatic breath and let it out in a huff. "I guess."

She squealed and threw her arms around him. "So I was thinking—"

"Hold it right there, Annie." He put up his hand. "Nothing too crazy. And you have to say, 'Peeta is a better cook than I could ever imagine being and the best brother on the planet.'"

"Why?"

Peeta pulled out his phone. "Say it for posterity's sake. So the next time you start to get on me about the rent and picking up after myself, I can show you this."

Annie rolled her eyes and said to his phone, "Peeta is a better cook than I could ever imagine being and the best brother on the planet. Even though he doesn't know how to pick up socks from the living room."

He put his phone away. "Blame the socks on your boyfriend. I always pick mine up. And I keep the kitchen clean."

"Only for your stupid videos." She took out the box of Mellark recipes. "You know what you haven't made in a while?" She started picking through the cards.

"What's that?" He looked over her shoulder.

"Your dad's stroganoff. That was my favorite when we were kids."

"The only time you would ever eat a mushroom." He grinned and pulled out the card. "You think Finnick would like it?"

"I know he would. You know he never met a mushroom he didn't like." She made a face. "Is that a guy thing?"

Peeta chuckled. "No, it's a taste thing. Mushrooms are delicious." He picked out another card. "We'll make a salad with this mustard vinaigrette. My favorite of dad's dressing recipes."

Annie nodded and placed the cards on the table. She put the lid back on the recipe box and replaced it in the cabinet. "I'll go buy the stuff."

"And will you help me edit the video? It will make up for the loud sex I have to hear afterward."

She grinned. "We try really hard not to be loud."

"Not hard enough." He started looking in the cabinets to write down the ingredients already on hand.

"Well, maybe if you had chosen the room on the other end of the house as your bedroom instead of using it as an art studio, you could avoid it."

Finnick called from the front of the house, "I'm home."

Annie's smile grew wider. "In the kitchen." She called back.

"Is this a secret?" Peeta asked quickly.

"Nah." She waved her hand.

When Finnick walked into the door, she turned and threw herself into his waiting arms. He spun her around and kissed her deeply. "Did you have a good day at school?"

"A very good day. The kids actually listened for longer than ten minutes at a time." She kissed him again. "I missed you."

"Missed me?" He leaned her against the wall. "How much did you miss me?"

Peeta called from across the room. "How about you two love birds take it elsewhere? People eat in here."

Finnick looked over and gave his friend a wicked grin. "Don't worry, Peeta, we clean up after ourselves."

Annie slapped his shoulder. "Finnick, don't."

Peeta looked at them both, aghast. "You've had sex in my kitchen?"

Finnick laughed as Annie tried feebly to explain, "It was one time. You were gone to the vlogger convention and things got heated…" She gave him an apologetic look. "I did suggest the bedroom. We just didn't make it…"

Peeta threw his hands in the air. "What am I gonna do with you two?"

Finnick shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. Annie is a nymphomaniac."

Annie gave her boyfriend a hard look. "Are you serious? I'm the nympho? You propositioned me in the middle of the grocery store the other day."

"You felt me up in the movie theater." Finnick argued.

"You did it at my mother's birthday party." Annie shot back. "And your grandmother's."

Peeta put his hands over his ears and loudly said, "Too much information, way too much. My sister is not a sexual being."

Finnick waved him off. "We're done for now."

Annie moved out from between her boyfriend and the wall. "Did you finish that list? I'll pick up supper while I'm out."

"Want me to join you?" Finnick asked, a seductive gleam in his eye.

Peeta said, "You better not." He held out a piece of paper.

Annie nodded. "Yeah, I'd never make it into the store." She swiped the grocery list and smacked Finnick on the ass as she walked by. "You two boys play nice while I'm gone."

"Video games?" Finnick asked.

"Video games." Peeta agreed. He darted for the living room. "I get the blue controller!"

"No, you had it last time." Finnick grumbled as he followed.

Annie shook her head. "Try not to kill each other." She left while they still grappled for the Xbox control.

Katniss's phone rang as she stepped out of the shower. She saw Gale's name and laughed as she pressed it to her ear. "Gonna back out?" She asked in greeting.

Gale's rich laughter filtered through the line. "Well, I don't know. What happens if I do?"

"You forfeit and prove once and for all that I'm better than you." She giggled as she looked through her drawer for her pjs."

"No, I'll do it. But if I do make it, you get to cook for me."

"And if you don't?"

"I'll cook for you." He said and then laughed. "Or probably bring you to your favorite restaurant."

She snorted. "Yeah, I don't want you cooking for me."

"I made something the other day. Prim didn't die." He argued feebly.

"Well, she's got a strong stomach." Katniss teased. She turned her phone on speaker and sat it on her bed as she dressed. "So when are you getting here?"

"Miss me that much, Catnip?" Gale joked.

"You know I do." She grumbled as she pulled her shirt over her head. "Why did you have to move halfway across the country?"

"I fell in love." He said, matter-of-factly.

She threw herself backward on the bed. "Love? I guess only for my sister do I let that excuse slide."

"Yeah, you better say that." Prim called.

"You have me on speaker?" Katniss asked.

Gale said, "Just for a second. I was taking off my shoes. I'll try the shot tomorrow and you and I can finish the editing when I get there."

"Which will be?"

He laughed again. "Like six your time. You're going to be there to pick me up?"

"Maybe I'll send Effie."

"Oh, god, please no." He begged with a laugh.

"I could send Posy. She's driving now, remember?"

Gale groaned. "Don't remind me. I'll see you in a few days, Catnip."

"I'll be there to pick you up." Katniss assured him before warning, "You better watch yourself with the Catnip when we film the Q and A or we won't have any usable video."

He sighed dramatically. "Fine."

She hung up the phone and then sent a text to her sister. "Your boyfriend is weird."

Prim's response came just a minute later. "He was your friend first. Blame's on you."

Katniss laughed as she typed out her next message. "I miss you, little duck." She stared at the words a moment before she pressed send.

"I'll see you at Christmas." Prim assured her. Another text came through, "But that's not soon enough, I know."

"Study hard. Call me in a couple days."

"Love you!"

"Love you too." Katniss plugged her phone into the charger and took out her computer.

It had been a couple weeks since she had caught up on BreakingBread. She snuggled under the blanket and leaned against the headboard. Typing in her password took her a minute. After a long day wrestling unruly yards into something more presentable, she was exhausted. Sadly, there was only one episode she hadn't seen. She clicked on it and waited impatiently for it to load.

The video started and Annie, Peeta's stepsister appeared on the screen. Katniss shook her head at the fact that she knew that detail. But she'd watched his first Q and A video three times. She knew he lived with Annie and her boyfriend Finnick, who was also Peeta's childhood best friend. And Katniss knew Peeta's dad had passed on a love of cooking and ran a bakery when Peeta and Annie were kids.

On the screen, Annie explained, "Peeta and I are going to show you how to cook a perfect steak."

Peeta came into the frame and interjected, "Actually, I'm going to show you, Annie is here to look pretty and pretend she knows what she's doing."

Annie pinched his arm. "Peeta is a little arrogant in his cooking abilities."

"But you know I'm better." He pointed out.

She rolled her eyes. "Get on with it already."

Katniss watched transfixed as Peeta explained how to pick the perfect steak. He had great presence on screen and she could definitely see him with his own show on the Food Network. She zoned out on his actual words as she listened to the sizzle of the steak in the pan and the way his long fingers wrapped around the tongs and the handle of the pan so elegantly. The tools of his trade were beautiful instruments in those hands.

"You have to let this rest for at least five minutes before you cut into it." Peeta said, as Katniss shook herself and focused once more. "If you cut into it right away, all those yummy juices are going to run all over your plate and your steak won't taste good. And you mouth will be very sad."

Annie laughed. "Your mouth will be sad. And Peeta will have you arrested for crimes against meat."

Peeta's face came closer to the camera and he said very seriously, "I won't let bad people happen to good steak. Please, let it have a few minutes alone."

Katniss giggled. The pair signed off and Katniss closed up her computer. She really enjoyed the channel and had learned a lot to improve her own time in the kitchen. But it was mostly the small tips. She was never ambitious enough to try any of the recipes. She really should one of these days. Peeta made it look so easy and Katniss was no stranger to the kitchen. She loved to cook. She just didn't always take the time.

She turned out her lamp and settled into bed, dreaming of making the perfect steak. She could almost taste it.