Author's note: This fic is going to have a lot of chances for your participation, dear readers! So keep an eye on my Tumblrs (booksrockmyface or hpfanonezillion) for more chances. I'll even post some chances here on the fic.

I want to thank the following Tumblr folks for making suggestions about Katniss and Peeta's URLs and Tumblr aesthetics: thelettersfromnoone, alliswell21, jroseley, jobanana7, and greetingsfromthenorthernsea.

Happy reading!

One New Message

Everlark You've Got Mail AU

Chapter One

Katniss sent Gale on his way to work. His early mornings at the latest Snow Baked Goods building site meant she had some time to herself for just a few minutes before she had to make her way to her archery practice.

She made herself a cup of coffee and took out her phone. Tapping on the Tumblr app, she anxiously waited as it loaded. Her internet friend painetcouchersdesoleil had a different schedule than her, so their messages rarely synced except for a few brief hours in the afternoon or early evening. She wasn't even sure where he was from.

The little blue bubble popped up over the face signaling she had a message. Three, in fact.

painetcouchersdesoleil: I had this idea for a recipe that I'm going to try. I saw it in a dream. It's got lots of fall flavors and might take a few tries to get it right.

painetcouchersdesoleil: I'm thinking roast pork with a nutmeg and black peppercorn rub with some roasted sweet potatoes. Maybe an apple juice reduction.

painetcouchersdesoleil: I'm going to try it tonight after work. Just wanted to tell you because I was so excited! Have a good day, friend!

Katniss smiled to herself and set about her reply.

keen3ye0508: Sounds delicious! As soon as you have the recipe down, I'll try it! I love fall!

She sent it and then decided to add more.

keen3ye0508: What if it was a venison loin?

Katniss exited out of the app, checked her mail (just some newsletters she needed to unsubscribe to and something from her grandfather's secretary about the next board meeting) and looked at the weather forecast. She was supposed to spend the day with her younger sister and she didn't want rain to ruin everything.

"Sunny skies!" She sang to herself.

A few minutes later, she was out the door and headed to the indoor range her grandfather set up for her. She was an Olympic archery hopeful, but had just barely missed out the last round. She was working her tail off to make it the next time.

Peeta pulled a pan of croissants out of the oven and sat them to cool.

"Hey, Peanut, that cake needs to be done by two." Conrad called into the kitchen.

"Okay, Dad. I'll get back to it." Peeta hung up the oven mitts. "Graham asked me to get these out while he helped out front."

Conrad clapped him on the back. "Thanks, bud. I'll take over in here. Just get that cake done. I'll deliver it myself."

"I can deliver it." Peeta argued weakly.

"You haven't made a delivery since your accident." Conrad pointed out.

"But I think I can do it." Peeta looked down at himself. "I'm not limping as bad."

"Just let me think about it." Conrad walked past Peeta and started checking through the fronts of the rest of the ovens.

Peeta walked into the other room, trying not to limp as much as he knew he had been. Before he got back to the cake, he opened his phone to check his messages. He replied to his friend.

painetcoucherdesoleil: Venison isn't as easy to get as pork. But it could be interesting. I'll try both.

painetcoucherdesoleil: How is your day?

He was surprised to get a response from her almost instantly.

keen3ye0508: Not too bad. I'm about to spend some time with my sister, so it's about to get better.

He didn't ask more. Mostly because they had a bit of an unspoken deal not to get too personal. She knew he was the youngest of three boys and he knew she had a younger sister. But neither knew where the other lived or what they did for work. They mostly talked about food, swapping recipes.

painetcoucherdesoleil: Well, have fun! I'll let you know how the pork turns out.

Peeta went to work on the cake. It was for a wedding that evening. The bride and groom were expecting the cake to arrive just before the ceremony started. It was a masterpiece in old-school piping techniques. He had learned at his father and grandfather's elbows how to work the fine icing into a lace pattern. And all the intricate swags were his favorite part.

Decorating cakes helped him to forget the pain in his leg for a moment. He could focus on the task. All he had to think about was the precise movement of his hands. Nothing else in the world mattered.

"Hey, Earth to Peeta!" A female voice said close to his head.

Peeta jerked, but was able to catch himself before he made a mess of the cake. "Thanks a lot, Annie. You almost set me back twenty minutes."

Annie smiled and shook her head. "You weren't listening. I was asking if you were doing anything tonight."

"I'm going to try a new recipe." He leaned in and went back to the swoops of icing. "I had this intense dream of a pork tenderloin. I could almost taste it."

She rolled her eyes. "You're so weird. Most people have sex dreams."

Peeta looked sharply toward the kitchen.

"Chill out, Peanut." Annie chuckled. "I'm sure your old man has had plenty of those kinds of dreams in his day. Anyway, what was this recipe?"

He sat back and stretched his fingers. "Pork loin with a black peppercorn and nutmeg dry rub. Roasted with sweet potatoes and then covered in an apple juice reduction."

"That actually sounds really good." Annie said with a smile. "So what time's dinner?"

Peeta laughed. "About five-thirty. You and Finnick coming?"

"Of course! You have to have your favorite taste testers, right?" She rubbed his back and then went back to the lobby to finish out her shift behind the counter.

Peeta finished the cake a short time later. He stood up, his leg stiff. It would probably be best to let his father make the delivery. He made his way into the kitchen.

"Done with this cake, Dad." Peeta said, bending over to rub his leg just below the knee.

"I'll get it there, son." Conrad assured him. "Why don't you head on out? You look like you're in some pain."

"Just a little stiff is all. I'm fine." Peeta straightened up and leaned against the counter. "I'll come in early and get the ovens going and start the donuts."

Conrad nodded. "Good." He stepped around Peeta to the decoration room. "Just make sure you rest up tonight. I don't need you pushing yourself too far for baked goods. They aren't worth it."

Peeta nodded. "Okay, Dad. I'll see you in the morning."

He picked up the things he needed from the grocery store just down the road and then continued a couple more doors to his apartment.

Before he started cooking, he took out his phone to check Tumblr. There was a little number "1" beside the Message section of his notifications.

keen3ye0508: Thanks, I will. Can't wait to hear how your pork turns out.

painetcoucerdesoleil: Got the stuff! About to get going. Artsy pic to come. :)

keen3ye0508: I'm jealous. But I can't complain too much. I'm eating a steak cooked perfectly.

painetcoucherdesoleil: I love a good steak! How do you define perfect, though?

keen3ye0508: Medium well. Just a tad pink in the center. You?

painetcoucherdesoleil: I prefer medium rare myself. But med. well isn't bad.

Peeta gathered all the ingredients for his meal on the counter. He took a picture and then set to work. He should have sat down, but he worked better standing.

When Annie and Finnick let themselves in, he dropped down to a seat. If Conrad found out he was standing so much, he would get a major guilt trip. And Annie was such a mom friend that she'd definitely discuss it with Conrad.

"Hey." Peeta said with a grin. "How's everyone doing?"

Annie sent a look to Finnick. "You want to tell him or should I?"

Peeta sat down his knife. "What is it?"

Finnick opened his mouth, but Annie ploughed through.

"Your friend is working for that big chain bakery that's going in down the road." Annie glared at her boyfriend.

Finnick held up his hands. "I'm part of a crew. I didn't get to choose the job." He dropped his arms to his side. "You know if I could afford it…"

Peeta nodded. "It's fine." He took the potatoes and the pork into the oven. "We'll eat in thirty minutes." He stood and limped to the couch. He stretched out, putting a pillow behind his left leg.

"Are you okay?" Annie asked as knelt beside him.

Peeta draped his arm over his eyes and admitted softly, "It hurts, Annie."

Finnick leaned over the end of the couch and dropped the bag of peas from the freezer just above his knee.

"There's a bag of corn in there, too." Peeta said softly. He hated looking weak, but he usually let down his front for his two friends anyway. They cared for him when he was recovering, so they knew all he'd been through to get to this point.

Finnick went back to the kitchen and retrieved the bag of corn.

Peeta let out a sigh as the frozen veggies soothed the pain in his leg. "That big bakery makes all its stuff on conveyor belts. There's no way it will beat out hand-crafted baked goods."

Annie smoothed a hand over his hair. "Of course."

Peeta closed his eyes a moment. He hadn't realized that he was so tired. It took so much effort to hide his limp. And he didn't sleep well most nights from the discomfort. "My phone will go off when that's done. So turn on the TV and hang out."

Maybe he should check in with his internet friend. He was too tired to pick up his phone.

Post-chapter note: What are some favorite recipes that you think Peeta and Katniss could blog about?