Author's Note: I love writing Peeta and Ariana, they will never be lovers but they are definitely friends for life XD

Thanks go to my reviewers: HL, E-W-Dragon, Sea Otter, and Pandora

Chapter 21

The Baker Boys

It's so early that it's not even time for the morning run. Peeta and I get to the bakery thinking its still quiet only to hear the screech of his mother. He shies away.

"You are a victor" I say stubbornly, "she can't touch you or who you are" I grab his hand and we march in.

"Good morning!" I chirp happily, Mrs. Mellark scowls at us but Harry comes thru the doors.

"'Morning kids!" he smiles, "come to buy breakfast? Better hurry while it's still warm"

"Actually we wanted to lend a hand" Peeta asks, "if that's okay?"

We don't look at Mrs. Mellark, we both have identical hopeful looks on our faces.

Harry's face creases into a grin, "well Ryen and Buck aren't up yet, I guess we can let you guys start off. Wash up and I'll put you thru your paces"

We give huge smiles and head to the back to wash our hands in lukewarm water and lye soap.

Peeta already dawns a stained apron and gets to work on a recipe of cupcakes they have an order for.

Harry comes back a bit flushed passing me an apron, "sorry to keep you waiting m'dear, m'wife wasn't all that pleased until I told her you were as much family as Peeta and our other two"

He gets to his recipe of bread dough, he splits the huge blob into two and hands me half to work with. I mimic him with a few variations. I mix some cinnamon as I kneed to create streaks and add diced apple. He looks on curiously.

"Is this okay?" I ask not sure if I was allowed to experiment.

He chuckles and shakes his head, "it's fine, my boys don't dare try anything new"

We go on about our recipes and I enter my own private world. I think I know why Peeta likes to bake, there is something soothing to mixing measuring and kneading dough.

I am so wrapped up I don't hear anyone come down the stairs. And I definitely don't realize someone behind me until a pair of arms come around me and helps knead the spiced apple bread.

I jump clear out of my skin, I have never been startled except with Ken kissing me for the first time. My instincts tell me to strike but Buck catches my arm before I can make contact.

"Easy!" he smiles gently, "was just helping!"

Ryen comes down close behind. The Mellark boys are variations of their parents.

Ryen, the eldest, has his mother's eyes which are a dark hazel, and his father's bright blond hair.

Peeta the youngest is the duplicate of his father with the bright blue eyes and hair.

And Buck the middle son has his mom's dark blond hair and hazel eyes. He smiles like Harry though, with creases at the corners.

"Did he scare you Ria?" Ryen asks

"Ria?" Peeta says

"Everyone calls her Ari, it almost sounds like a boy's name that way" the eldest shrugs

"Sorry" Buck says even without me saying anything, he peers over my shoulder, "what are you making?"

"Breakfast" I say, "it has to rise first"

"It's called proofing" Buck says

"BUCK, RYE GET IN HERE!" Mrs. Mellark bellows from the front.

"Gotta go" Ryen says and Buck follows.

"Does she ever talk quietly?" I ask Peeta, Harry chuckles.

"My wife tends to be on the loud side especially in the morning" Harry says, "how is the training going?"

I don't say anything because it's like opening Pandora's Box.

Peeta can't stop raving about how much he is enjoying it, how he is feeling more and more prepared. I can feel my ears grow warm from a blush.

Harry doesn't mention but hands me a bowl to dump my dough into so it can 'proof'. They have a special warm cupboard so it helps the process go faster. It still takes about half an hour in that time I have helped Peeta with a batter and made some gingersnaps.

The bread smells wonderful and sweet. Harry tells me to punch it and I don't quite understand until he demonstrated forcing his hand into his dough. I do likewise, the dough gives and I think I pushed all air out. We knead a second time and then separate into what the final result will look like. I set mine into a pull apart formation, it looks like a ring made of small rolls.

We all look up as we hear a door slam.

Buck and Ryen come in looking somber at first but then smirk.

"Mom does not like having another hen in the house" Ryen says

Harry chuckles, "I'll be, never seen her get twisted up like that"

"She's gone to Mrs. Brackets, says not to come get her she'll come back tonight" Buck says.

I smile. I've intimidated the witch without knowing.

"Something smells great!" Ryen goes to the warm cupboard and sees my breakfast ring, "you did this pop?" he looks at it, "who ordered an apple bread…that's what it is isn't it"

"No that's Ariana's" Harry beams proudly, "she picks things up as fast as you Ryen, well except to use more flour"

"Looks ready to bake" Buck says as he gets something that looks like a boat paddle but shaped differently, its long and the paddle part is thin but strong, he gets the bread on it and is about to put it in the brick oven.

"Wait!" I say quickly, he stalls just long enough so I can make an egg wash and sprinkle it with some sugar, "okay now it's ready"

Harry chuckles as Buck had blushed when I got close to him to watch him put my work into the oven to bake.

As we watch Peeta at work Ryen sighs, "I dunno why we are botherin' Pop, barely anyone comes nowadays" he puts his hands in the pouch of his apron, "with the mine closed money is scarce, and mom forbids charity"

Harry nods sadly, I didn't know even they had fallen on hard times. Maybe I should tell them my plan.

"Don't worry" I say softly, "I figured something to make the peacekeepers twist in the wind a bit"

Four men stop what they are doing to stare at me.

"What are you gonna do Ria?" Ryen asks, "buy out our whole store?"

"Well kinda, I noticed how gloomy and downcast everyone is, and I never seen moral so low, so I was thinking we could…kinda do a pot luck picnic maybe one with Peet and Katniss and Haymitch, but it's to keep everyone together" I explain, I feel a bit self conscious, because I haven't tried anything like this, and also I feel hesitant because let's face it I'm just a kid to most of them, they might think I'm delusional.

Peeta smiles, "can we do that? It's not against the law?"

I shake my head, "city ordinances state gatherings can be done as long as they are not in a public forum, so not town square, I was gonna ask Haymitch to let me use his place, we set up a barbecue, your family can supply the breads and deserts, I'll pay, and we get seam and merchants, everyone really to just…in a way that is…thumb our nose at the authority…not in a rude way, but just show them they can't break us"

I feel a hot blush form on my face, my ears are burning.

But when I look up I see four beaming faces.

I think the idea is a hit.