Okay, so I've been having a bit of writer's block for both North Star and The Family Plan and thought that this would help.

I'm building up a bunch of AU's so feel free to send me a message via Tumblr, FFn, or AO3 if you have a request. Thanks!

The characters of The Hunger Games Trilogy do not belong to me—this stands for all forthcoming posts.

Summary: The deal did sound pretty sweet. Katniss was pretty sure that she wouldn't be finding a soulmate on this so-called app.

And so, with a handshake, she allowed Prim to create her profile.

Requested by jbsaucy on Tumblr

The Soulmate Search

Katniss knew the date was going to be a disaster from the get-go.

The first indicator was that she was set up by her mother, of all people. Then, he showed up with a man-bun…and flip-flops. Granted, man-buns weren't horrible on all men; Cato, her sister Prim's boyfriend, sported one about two years ago and it looked pretty nice with his thick blond locks.

On this guy, it just looked like he was too lazy to shower or even get a haircut. She tried not to grimace at how it resembled a gloop of tar atop his head during their dinner and resisted the urge not to mention the flip-flops.

It was a casual restaurant, after all.

Katniss had pretty much had it when he commented on her ordering a steak. He wasn't a vegetarian or anything, but he just thought it didn't seem very "lady-like" to order such a humongous slab of meat. Then, he suggested that she might have something like grilled salmon or a salad.

A motherfucking salad.

Just for that, she ate particularly slow and doused her meat in the au jus that she was given, before shoveling the meat in her mouth.

That was the end of that—Katniss paid her half and walked out on the guy. Her mother could bemoan the total possibility of her never getting married and never becoming a grandmother.

She was pretty sure her uterus closed up at the fella.

Taking a deep breath and unlocking the door, Katniss stepped into her apartment.

"Oh, it's 7:30…I guess the date didn't go well."

She found Prim sitting on their couch, flipping through channels on the flat-screen. She smiled sympathetically as Katniss took her shoes off and joined her younger sister.

"It went great. In fact, I'm having sex with him right now." Prim chuckled at her words and Katniss snorted, resting back. "Oh look! The condom broke and now I'm knocked up. Mom will be so happy!"

"What the hell did I just walk into?" They turned towards the front door where Peeta Mellark, their childhood playmate and now neighbor, stood. He headed over to them, tossing a stack of mail onto their coffee table. "By the way Prim, does Cato mind those kinds of catalogs?" He snickered as Prim went scarlet. "Or is he just not cutting it?"

"First off, those are couples' items." Prim reached for the stack, pulling out the aforementioned catalogs. "They are to help enhance our relationship."

"Buttplugs enhance your relationship?" Peeta questioned.

"Don't knock it till you try it."

"That was a little more than I needed to know about my roommate," he replied before settling beside Katniss and putting an arm around her. "So what's this I hear about you getting knocked up?"

"My mom set me up," Katniss explained. "She thinks I'll never find my soulmate or some stupid shit like that." She gave him a wry smile. "I'm more focused on making my way up in the firm. Haymitch will never promote me if I'm not doing my due diligence. I need to be there forty-plus hours a week! I can't spend my time looking for some guy!"

"To be fair, you're not looking for some guy," Peeta started. "You're looking for the guy."

"I don't have time to look for a soulmate," she argued.

"Well, there's an app for that," Prim informed her, presenting her iPhone to her sister. "It's called The Soulmate Search. It's becoming the next big thing. I know two couples who've gotten together through it."

Katniss looked over the screenshots of the app. It looked pretty standard; there was an information form for your profile and a quiz to help you narrow down what your wants and needs were. She scrolled down reading over the reviews…a majority of them positive.

"Nuh-uh…" She shook her head and gave Prim her phone back. "This is not real."

"I've read about this." They looked to Peeta. "The creator is Effie Trinket and she's had two successful apps with this one quickly becoming her third."

Katniss looked at him incredulously. "You can't really believe that I should do this…"

"Do you believe in soulmates?" he responded.

"Hell no."

"Then there's no harm in trying it out," her sister said. Prim jumped up and, going to Katniss' purse which was thrown on the floor by the door, she began rummaging through before raising Katniss' phone in the air. "If anything, you get a good laugh…and maybe a nice bang in a restaurant bathroom."

Katniss grimaced. "That's more than I needed to know about you and Cato."

"Here, here," Peeta added.

"Okay, here's the deal—if you find your soulmate, you'll have to switch rooms with me," Prim told her.

"More the reason to not find a soulmate. I can't sleep in that shoebox—"

"Shut it! And, if you don't find a soulmate, I will pay all of the rent for the next three months," her sister offered.

The deal did sound pretty sweet. Katniss was pretty sure that she wouldn't be finding a soulmate on this so-called app.

And so, with a handshake, she allowed Prim to create her profile.

"Do you have any nice pictures on this phone?" her sister asked, looking through her phone gallery. Prim frowned. "Why are there so many pictures of empty lots and buildings?"

"Because I'm an engineering architect," Katniss replied. "Those are some of my potential sites."

"We're off to a great start," Peeta said. "Don't worry. I have a cute picture of Katniss." He reached into the pocket of his jeans to take out his phone. "Let me send it to Katniss' phone."

There was a quick alert and Prim opened the picture file.

"Oh, that's a good one! Was this Fourth of July?"

"Yeah. Took it when we were all back home and watching the fireworks from your parents' backyard."

Katniss remembered the night well. It had a balmy night which was usual for July in Panem and their families were hanging out after the block party. They lived in a cul-de-sac, the Mellarks and the Everdeens across from one another since as long as Katniss and Peeta could remember.

She had already had a few cold beers when Peeta had taken the photo. The bright smile was her drunken excitement at the first explosion of fireworks above them.

"Your tits in this top are first class," Prim informed her with a wicked grin.

"Yup, definitely spank bank material," Peeta offered good-naturedly.

Katniss elbowed him in response. "Thanks for pretty much telling me that you masturbate to my photo."

"The pleasure is all mine." He pulled her close, his blue eyes suddenly serious. "You sure you want to do this?"

She shrugged. "I was never one to just come and get it, you know. Well, I do when it comes to work and just other things I really want. Soulmates were never much of a draw for me—might as well indulge Prim."

"Plus, there's that chance of not paying rent for three months," Peeta responded. He looked to her. "Don't forget to protect that heart of yours. It's tough, but it can still get hurt."

Katniss nodded, her chest suddenly fluttering as she stared into those earnest blues. "Of course."

"Likes…archery…old buildings…overwhelmingly long equations…" Prim was focused on the phone screen as she typed. "Dislikes…romantic movies…roses…"

"And man-buns," Katniss found herself adding.

Prim looked up. "Man-buns?"

"Tonight's date had one," Katniss informed her.

Peeta hissed at the information. "That's strike one."

"And, he wore flip-flops."

Prim shook her head as she typed. "What the hell was Mom thinking?"

"Also…he grimaced when I ordered a steak."

"Bastard!" Peeta replied with a laugh. "And, that was pretty much the end."

"Exactly," Katniss declared. "You know how much I love a good piece of meat in my mouth!"

"Damn straight," Prim added.

The sisters high-fived in agreement.

Peeta shook his head at the two, a bemused smile on his lips.

"Heaven help the man who has to deal with the Everdeen Girls."

Potential Soulmate #1: Gloss Huntington

They were matched up based on their ambitious natures. Katniss was on the fast track in the architecture world while Gloss was on his way to taking over Wall Street. They knew that both their hectic schedules made it damn-near impossible to find potential partners, thus the reason for the profiles on The Soulmate Search.

After many scheduling negotiations—through their assistants—they found themselves in a swanky downtown restaurant for a late dinner.

Katniss had changed into a rather formfitting Dolce and Gabbana dress right after work and Johanna—her assistant—had to practically do her hair before she pushed her into the Uber waiting on the curb.

Gloss hadn't disappointed either, with his chestnut locks and expensive business suit. He smiled, revealing bright-white teeth, as she entered and, when he shook her hand, she could see his perfect manicure.

"Have you been here before?" she asked as they sat down.

"It's close to work," Gloss informed her. "So, tell me—do you want to get married? Do you want children? How many?"

And, she had barely placed her napkin on her lap. "Excuse me?"

"We're both busy people, obviously," he said. "And, we shouldn't beat around the bush. It's important to know each other's expectations right away so no one gets the bad end of the deal."

Katniss reached for the bread basket anxiously. "True…" She ripped a piece of bread and put it in her mouth. "I'd like to get married."

"And do you foresee that happening within the next year? Six months?"

"I've never thought that far ahead," she admitted and Gloss frowned at her words.

"You should," he informed her bluntly. "You're 29?" Katniss nodded, almost cringing at what might come next. "At thirty, your egg count will drop dramatically. I imagine that you'll want to be dating for at least one year before an engagement, and weddings take a year to plan…we would have to see a specialist prior to getting married if we wanted to conceive right away…"

Katniss felt her stomach turn.

This was supposed to be a potential soulmate?

Holy hell—was she this intense?

"Good evening." Katniss almost cried in relief seeing their server in front of them. "Would we like to start out with something to drink? Some wine, perhaps? We have a great Bordeaux—"

Gloss shook his head. "No." He looked to Katniss. "You probably should abstain from drinking to make things easier once you need to stop completely."

Shit! He took the one thing that would make her happy on this date—wine!

"Also, I'm going to get the porterhouse and she's going to have the calf's liver," Gloss informed the waiter before smiling at Katniss. "Liver is high in folate. It's great for your reproductive system." He reached over, taking her hand, and then winking at her. "You can thank me later."

"And, I will thank him never." Katniss took a swig of her beer before taking another bite of the hamburger that Peeta supplied her. "Would it be so bad for me to die barren and alone?"

Peeta patted her shoulder in understanding. "He was a real piece of work." Katniss downed her bottle of beer. "Want another one?"

"I can't seem to get the taste of liver out of my mouth," she explained. Leaning forward, Katniss breathed in his face. "Does it still smell?"

"First…kinda." Peeta handed her another bottle. "Second, did you seriously just breathe in my face?"

Katniss smirked. "Is it turning you on?"

"Yup." Peeta grinned at her. "Just another one of my weird turn-ons."

They sat on the balcony of his apartment, watching the city in front of them, the lights across flickering before their eyes. Katniss remembered that they had all moved together, Katniss finding an apartment building where they could all reside. She and Prim took the bottom half while Peeta took the top. Eventually, he found a roommate who Prim literally fell in love with—Cato.

"Finding love is hard," she admitted quietly. "Or maybe I'm just too hard to love."

Peeta shook his head vehemently. "You're not hard to love at all."

Katniss laid her head on his shoulder. "Are you just saying that so I won't eat any more of your food?"

"Yeah, you cleaned me out," he told her. Peeta pressed his lips to the top of her head. "Kidding. You can have whatever you like."

Raising her head, Katniss turned to him. "You know what I want?"

He raised a suspicious brow. "What?"

She stopped for a moment, gazing at her friend. When had he grown-up? He didn't look like the awkward boy from across the street. Peeta had matured on her, his broadness apparent in the well-fitted t-shirt he wore and the squareness of his jaw. She found herself gaping at the bit of stubble beginning to grow and swallowed down the sudden hunger in the pit of her stomach.

"I want…something fried," she finished. "Corndogs and fries—on me?"

Peeta stood up and held out his hand to her. "Always."

Potential Soulmate #2: Marvel McNaulty

She and Marvel were compatible for one main reason; they were family-oriented. Katniss came from a loving home with parents who were still moony for one another and a sister who was one of her best friends. Marvel's parents were also still together, him being the middle child out of six children. His parents ran an Irish pub in Brooklyn.

He greeted her with a hug as they met up on a park bench just a few blocks from both their offices. He worked in human resources for a start-up and—thank God—was sporting a neat button up, horn-rimmed glasses, and tasteful leather loafers.

"So, why did you decide to get on this app?" she asked as they walked toward the theater. They were going to watch Phantom of the Opera, a Broadway staple, which she woefully never had time to see after all these years.

"My mom has been on my case about finding a nice girl to settle down with," he replied. "And, one of my brothers—the douche he is—decided to sign me up."

"My sister signed me up," she told him with a laugh. "But she's not a douche. Probably needs one, though."

"So the fangs come out!" Marvel grinned at her. "You're a sassy one!"

"I love her, though." Katniss looked out as she spoke. "She's always been there for me; supported me."

"That's nice," her date said and she could hear the solemnness in his voice.

Marvel suddenly stopped, swiveling to meet her eyes. "I have to be real with you…I'm gay."

Well, this was a surprise. "So, why did you agree to go on this date?"

"My mom was there when my brother set the profile up, bless her soul. She just fell in love with your profile photo," he explained. "You looked totally gorgeous, by the way. I'd kill for the wave in your hair."

"Thanks," she replied awkwardly and they continued their walk. "So I guess we're both subjected to family pressure. My mom is always complaining that she'll never be a grandmother."

"Mine too!" The dam broke as they high-fived in solidarity. "That's why I did this for her—to show her that I'm at least trying so she'll get off my back."

"You know you can still have a family…with the right guy," Katniss said carefully. "I know we don't know each other, but it seems that you should just do yourself a favor and just…come out to them."

"I know." Marvel hung his head. "It's just…I don't want to be a disappointment."

"You won't be a disappointment if who you are makes you happy."

"Shouldn't you be taking your own advice?" Marvel replied with a gentle smile.

"Probably." Katniss turned to the marquee in front of them. "Should we just call it quits on this whole date?"

"Hell no!" Marvel put an arm around her. "Sweetie, you have never seen this musical or any musical as far as I can tell—" Katniss nodded in confirmation. "And, that is because you've never seen one with me! I'm about to show you the light!"

She laughed at his enthusiasm. "Well, okay!"

Katniss didn't fall in love with Marvel that night, but she did fall in love with Broadway.

"And then the chandelier started to just fall…" Katniss laughed in remembrance. "We both let out a little scream."

"Marvel seems pretty cool," Peeta said as they sat on her couch, her feet plopped on his lap.

She had a presentation at the office and had to borrow Prim's Louboutins, but Katniss was paying for the fact that they were a half-size smaller than what she usually wore.

"Yeah, we're going shopping one of these days," she told him. "I'm thinking of setting him up with one of the guys from my office…his name is Thresh—and he looks like Michael B. Jordan. Just broke it off with his partner a few months ago."

"That's really cool," her friend told her. "So, Marvel could be a soulmate just not the kind you need."

"Aren't you supposed to just have one soulmate?" she pointed out.

"I don't think that there's a finite number," Peeta explained. "You can have a soulmate for whatever thing your soul might be in need of—sisterhood…friendship…love…" He smiled at her. "I feel that with all the different facets of a human being, one single person can't make you whole. You need others to fill those empty spaces of your soul."

"Damn you're smart," Katniss breathed. "Why haven't you found someone to fill your hole?"

Peeta shrugged. "Maybe you should introduce me to Marvel—didn't you say he was working for some women's fashion start-up? There must be some hotties—"

Katniss silenced him quickly with a punch to the arm.

Potential Soulmate #3: Finnick Odair

To be honest, Katniss was not sure how she got matched to Finnick.

He was an athletic swimmer, she hated water. He came from a prominent Manhattan family, she came from a small-town in the Mid-West. He had never worked a day in his life, she worked from the bottom rung to the position she held now.

"Finnick," she started as they sat in a bar for a quick drink date. "It isn't like you aren't attractive—" Finnick was very handsome with copper hair, bright green eyes, and a roguishly charming smile. She would kill for his thick lashes. "But we don't seem very compatible, to be honest."

Finnick gave her a soft smile. "I picked you. Effie is my Aunt and I helped in developing the algorithm for the matches."

"Why me?" she asked in surprise.

"Because…" Finnick took a long swig from his cup. "You kind of look like her."

"Ah." The realization came quickly. "You've had your heartbroken."

"Yes…" She could see the thin film of tears in his gaze. "Her name is Annie…Annie Cresta."

Katniss looked to him curiously. "Why exactly did you break up?"

"My family doesn't think she's good enough for me," he explained. "She hasn't gone to college. She works for her family laundromat in the day and then at their restaurant in the evenings. I met her there. She remembered my favorite sandwich every time I came…it would never work."

"Who says?" she replied. "My Dad came from the projects and my Mom came from a prominent Southern family."

"Like in The Notebook?" Finnick asked, watery-eyed.

"I would say more West Side Story." Marvel had come over last weekend and they, along with Prim and Peeta, watched the movie. Both Prim and Marvel had utter hard-ons for Tony while she could see Peeta admired the olive-skinned Maria. "Anyway, my Dad had nothing really to offer, except for his exceptionally beautiful voice—and my Mom just couldn't help but fall for him. They're not rich by any means, but they're happy, and created a great life for me and my sister."

"So, do you think that I should sing to her?"

Katniss shrugged. "Can you sing?"

"I don't know…never tried." He looked to her. "Can you?"

"I've been told that I can hold a tune…" she replied carefully.

Finnick suddenly slapped a wad of bills on the bar and grabbed her hand, leading her quickly out of the bar.

What the hell had she gotten herself into?

"As we stroll along together…holding hands walking all along…"

Why in the world was she doing this? It was almost midnight and she was in Queens, singing on some porch steps like she was in a damn doo-wop group.

On the street, Finnick was throwing small stones at the window to her right.

"Can't you just call her?" Katniss suddenly asked.

"Come on, Katniss! It's more romantic this way," Finnick informed her. He continued throwing the stones. "She should be home. Keep singing!"

"Fine…" She took a deep breath. "So in love are we two…that we don't know what to do—"

"Excuse me?" Katniss turned to find a young woman wearing a waitress uniform under her down jacket standing next to her. "What's going on?"

Quickly, Katniss looked at her nametag: Annie.

Of course that would happen.

"Seriously, I've been singing here for almost thirty minutes!" She cupped her hands towards her 'date'. "Yo Finnick! Look who's here!"

Finnick looked to her, eyes widening seeing Annie standing next to her.

He rushed over, taking Annie's hands. "I needed to talk to you," he explained quietly. "I'm just so sorry…I left you when you needed me the most." Finnick stared into Annie's eyes. "When the truth is that I need you more than you'll ever know."

Annie started, her almond eyes beginning to water. "You do?"

"I do," Finnick replied. "I know that you think that I can't make it without my family or their money—but I can." He turned to Katniss and gave her a smile. "I have a friend who has human proof that people from opposite sides can make it."

"And, what are we supposed to do?" Annie asked worriedly. "How will we survive? Eventually, you'll resent me for bringing you down and I can't have that. I couldn't have you do that to our children, either."

"You could never bring me down," Finnick assured. "You bring me up. You've shown me that I'm better and smarter than anyone expects of me. I know we won't have much, but we'll have each other. That's enough. That's all anyone needs in the end…to be with the one person who makes them feel like they're home…who they can rest their head on…who they can laugh with…who makes them feel like that they are the most loved person in the world. You are that person to me."

Later, when she told this story during Finnick and Annie's wedding reception—his parents had easily forgiven him and paid for the lavish wedding—Katniss never mentioned the stream of tears on her face as Finnick got down on one knee.

Or, the fact that she burst into tears when Annie sobbed her acceptance and Katniss watched the two embrace in the middle of the empty street.

"Late night?" Peeta widened the door of his apartment for her. She flopped down on his couch, tossing her heels on the floor. "Seems like the date didn't go so well."

"It did," she replied as he joined her. "For him."

Peeta reached for a blanket, draping it over both their legs. "What do you mean?"

"My date just got engaged to his soulmate as I serenaded an empty apartment in Queens." Katniss laughed, undoing her hair as she recalled the beautiful memory of Finnick and Annie's reunion. "He was obviously heartbroken when we met—said I reminded him of her." She mused over an image of the beautiful Annie Cresta with her round eyes and dark waterfall of thick hair. "I don't know what he was talking about. Annie was gorgeous."

"Don't even, Katniss. You are beautiful." Peeta lifted her chin and she felt herself tremble under his warm touch. "You've always been beautiful to me."

"Even when I had braces?" she teased.

Peeta nodded, a grin on his full lips. "Yes, even with braces…and the teased bangs."

"It was the 90s! You sported neon—and threw a fit whenever we play 'Double Dare'!" Katniss chuckled in remembrance. "We've had some real adventures, haven't we?"

"Yes, and they were never scary because we were in them…together."

"That's all anyone needs in the end…to be with the one person who makes them feel like they're home…"

Finnick's impassioned words suddenly floated into her head.

Why had she come here instead to her apartment?

The answer was simple—because she felt safe with Peeta…she felt like she was home.

"…who they can rest their head on…"

Katniss thought about the numerous times that she had tiredly returned home from work and Peeta had offered his shoulder for her to rest on as she winded down from the day.

"…who they can laugh with…"

Peeta's hearty laugh tickled her memory and her mind went to the many times, even recently, that he seemed to be the only one who can bring a chuckle to her lips.

"…who makes them feel like that they are the most loved person in the world…"

This man in front of her had always protected and cared for her. He never asked for anything, but still always made it a point to let her know that she was loved and easy to love.

Peeta was her person.

And, suddenly it was all so clear.

"You okay there?" Peeta waved a hand in her face. "You kind of spaced out on me."

"Peeta," Katniss began. "You know how you said that soulmates fill the spaces of you that are empty?" She turned to him, eyes focusing in the dim moonlight of his living room. "How many spaces of you do I fill?"

Even in the dark, she could see his cheeks darken as she scooted closer to him.

"The truth?" Peeta looked into her eyes and she was surprised at the intensity in his own. "You fill all of them."

"So, you don't believe in more than one soulmate?" Katniss questioned.

"I think we do have more than one, but there's always one that can fill this space." His hand went to his chest. "This part is saved for one special person." Her hand covered his and he took in a sharp breath. "Katniss…"

"You're my person," she finished his words for him. Katniss didn't know how, but she found herself straddling his lap, her chest pressed against his, feeling that comforting beating of their hearts together. "How long have you known?"

"Since we met?" His hand went to cup her cheek. "Since Fourth of July? I guess I've always known that, without you, I wasn't whole."

Her mouth was on Peeta's before he could even continue. His arms wove around her waist, pulling her closer as they deepened their kiss.

She thought that she knew everything about him.

What she didn't know, until now, was that he was this good of a kisser.

Pulling away, Katniss jumped off his lap—to his dismay—and pulled him up. He was tousled and sexy, his lips swollen from their heated kisses and her chest bloomed knowing that it was because of her.

"Come on," she urged.

"Where?"

"Your room," she told him as they headed toward the hallway leading to his bedroom. "We can discuss filling holes and such…"

Peeta chuckled. "As long as we don't fill any of those holes with butt plugs."

Katniss shook her head, reaching over to kiss him. "We can save those for the wedding."

"In that case…" Peeta suddenly scooped her up and she yelped in surprised delight. "…let's get on with that discussion."

Her laughter echoed down the hallway, fading with the slam of Peeta's bedroom door, and suddenly silenced as their lips met once more.

"I wonder how Katniss' last date went," Prim said as she and Cato entered her apartment, the following morning, after spending the night at Cato's family home. She was surprised to find the place quiet and untouched. "Katniss, you home?" Prim quickly checked her sister's room, finding it empty. "I guess she's out."

"I guess the date must have gone really well," Cato told her with a smile. He put an arm around his girlfriend. "Aren't you glad that she found someone?"

"Hmm…something is definitely not right." Prim did another once-over on the room, before her eyes settled on a folded paper on their coffee table. In two hops, she was picking up the note and scanning it quickly, a wide smile growing on her pink lips.

It was a simple message, since there were only two words, followed by Katniss's signature: You win.

Prim's triumph was quickly wiped out as she heard a moan coming from the apartment above.

The voice sounded quitefamiliar…

Katniss' voice was always a little deeper in the morning.

"Finally," she muttered to herself.

Prim folded the letter back before joining her boyfriend.

It seemed that it was time to tell Cato that they would be moving in together.

FIN.

Music: "So in Love" All-4-One

Prompts are always welcome via Tumblr, FFn, or AO3.

Thanks for reading!

-LaLa