Saluting the Flag

by micahskitty

"That's the only reason?" If they were by his truck in that moment he swears he would get those matches and light them -both- on fire. "Yeah, that's the only reason."

hi, and thank you for reading. this is my first Glee! attempt so i'm a little excited and totally nervous. it's just a quick, random bit of puckleberry fluff that i felt like getting started. i'm really a puckleberry finn fan but i enjoy reading / writing puck more. i'll let everyone else do finn.

please let me know what you thought or anything... it'd be great. :) i'm thinking of doing a sorta spinoff of a quote that's mentioned later in the story but that's a whole 'nother thing. so without further ado, i present this:

Puck is no Finn. Well, obviously, because have you looked at him? He screams 'badass' and Finn screams 'adorable'. As a badass it was his job to be observant. He had to notice the new girl in her short shorts, and he had to keep up social hierachy at McKinely which meant the occasional dumpster dive.

Frankly, it was as exhausting as it was exhilirating. And yeah, it got him plenty of tail because his reputation was not to be underminded but that gift of his? It was also a curse. He started noticing things he didn't want to see, shouldn't have seen.

Like those looks between Quinn and Artie? The hell. When had that started? Since when did Santana start hanging out with Mercedes? After the whole 'Boy is Mine' ponytail-whipping fiasco he figured they'd hate each other. Apparently not since they were standing at their lockers, laughing.

So yeah, that shit is pretty fucked but the worst part of it? He noticed Rachel Berry. Okay, it was impossible not to given that she's always wearing those skirts and cardigans and her voice could probably be heard during a tornado but it was more than that. It was like he would seek her out. Every single day.

At first he told himself it was because he just needed to know where she was so he could deliver some smart-ass remark but then it became an excuse to check out her tanned legs and now ... ? Now he just didn't know. It was especially confusing as hell because she was wearing pants.

The hell?

So yeah, as the resident badass he felt it was his place to question this disturbance in their everyday life. He leaned up against the locker and waited for her to shut hers.

She closed it and glanced upwards, startled to find Noah's presence there. Aside from a few snide insults and comebacks they didn't talk to each other and he most definitely did not appear in front of her locker.

"Good morning," she said amicably enough even if there was the slighest hesitation. Instinct forced her to look him over (not because he was hot, thank you) to try and locate what object he could have on his person to humilate her this morning. "I heard you won the basketball game last night so congratulations. It seems that what you lack in academincs you make up for in sportsmanship."

Puck scowled and just looked at her. "Berry." That was his greeting, as gruff and rough as to be expected, "Where's your skirt?"

A blush started to creep across her cheeks because that wasn't a question she had anticipated. Nor did she really have an answer to it. So she merely spun on her heel (tennis shoes? Really? Now Puck knows this is fucked up) and started to walk away.

His hand reached and caught her elbow and stopped her, pulled her towards him. There was nothing affectionate about it (there wasn't, dammit!) and he continued to stare at her. Ah, for the briefest of moments he saw something flicker in her brown eyes but her lips remained pursed.

"C'mon, B. Just tell me."

Rachel's expression softened for a moment and she wanted to tell him - she did - but before her mouth could open to form the words one of the jocks was approaching and his hand dropped from her elbow before anything else could be said.

"Puckerman! Did you see that flag outside? Your work, man?"

Puck ran a hand through his mohawk to try and rid the warm sensation left from brief contact with the girl who had squeaked in protest and quickly dashed off before she could be addressed by the jock.

"Yeah fucker, I made the American flag. Let me tell you."

The boy laughed and clapped Puck heartily on the shoulder. "You've got to see this" was all he said before he led them towards the entrance of the school towards the main flag pole where a large bunch was gathered.

Instead of the standard flag waving in the distance there was a large stretch of material, haphazardly stitched together and hanging limply against the metal pole. It was squares of various colored and designed fabric with no real definition. Puck blinked.

"What the hell ... ?" he nudged the jock to explain but before he could say a word Puck felt something that was even more uncomfortable than the hangover he had the day before. His heart started to tighten.

One of those squares was familiar - too familiar. Pink plaid and short, crimped at the edges, he recgonized it as a skirt. Fuckin' Rachel Berry's. Without a word he turned back around, stormed into the building and found the nearest Gleek he could.

"What the hell happened last night?" he asked as he grabbed Tina and led her away from the crowded hallway. "How the hell did Berry's skirts end up a flagpole?"

The goth heaved a sigh and looked sympathetic. "Some of the hockey idiots found out her dads were gone for the week and snuck in while she was at the game with the rest of us."

Rachel Berry at a basketball game? When she wasn't actively pursuing Finn? Was he still drunk? "That shit ain't right."

"Yeah, she was pretty upset at first but you know how she is. She just smiled and grabbed some spare jeans she had, saying that she needed new clothes anyway."

There was that tightening feeling in his chest again which frankly was NOT badass so he's more than a little bothered by its presence. Tina simply watched the ground and said little else until the bell rang and she excused herself.

He knows her schedule (remember - he's observant, shut up) so he knew she would be headed towards history class and if he moved fast enough, he might be able to catch her. After shoving some geek back into whatever locker he crawled out of, that tightening has eased and he's found the girl he was looking for.

Never a man of many words he simply grabbed that pink trolley of hers by the handle and started walking towards one of the side exits that led to the courtyard and eventually the ultimate goal; parking lot.

"Noah! What are you doing? My class is the other way." But it wasn't like she could simply walk in the class without material so she followed the backpack kidnapper with a scowl. "You're marring my record. I don't want to be a truant like some people I could mention... or you."

His eyes were already started to roll up into the back of his head because fuck if he didn't already know this was going to be a bad idea. "Shut up," he said simply as they progressed over the sidewalk and towards his truck. "What we do today you will not mention to a single soul."

Rachel crossed her arms over her chest with narrowed eyes. "I'm not sure what you mean to imply by that statement but rest assured I won't breathe a word of today's events because there won't be an event of any kind!"

By this point, Puck has her bag tossed in the back of his truck and she's not going to reach that thing short of climbing into the bed. Either way, she'd be in the truck and that's the purpose.

"Look, you can either get in and just go along with this or go back to class and explain to the teacher that you left your homework, you have no materials, and she'll just fail you."

Okay, maybe he exagerrated a little bit about the failure bit but it seemed to do the trick because she stomped her way over to the door and wretched it open, slammed it a moment later.

"You're incorrigible and I will not become the Bonnie to your Clyde misadventures."

He was able to understand the gist of that statement because of the B&C mention, and for a moment he's floored because she knows who they are? But then he thinks there's some musical out there about the two of them where the badass pair is totally wimpy so he doesn't bring it up.

Instead Puck climbed behind the wheel of his vehicle and just started up the truck. "You should have called me last night."

He risked a glance over at her after that to find that she was staring (glaring? wishing she had laser vision?) at the side of his face. When it appeared that she wouldn't be responding he reached for the dial on his radio.

"Yeah? So you could grab a few of my shirts and string them up too? You said we weren't friends, Noah, not me." Her arms are crossed over her torso once more and now the brunt of her angry gaze was on the dashboard. "So you could teach them a lesson? You know how I feel about violence. I don't condone it and so I wouldn't have been flattered by that being your solution."

Puck's right eye twitched as he responded, "Yeah? Didn't seem to mind when I got that St. Douche guy back."

Shit. That had been all kinds of the wrong thing to say because the silence that settled over them was the most uncomfortable thing he had ever felt and he had sex in a tiny storage closet during a funeral. He knew all about uncomfortable.

"I don't want to talk about that," Rachel repilied in a curt tone that meant that the subject was not to be brought up.

"So I can't even talk about what you gave me as a reward?" Now he was just trying to piss her off and judging by her flushed face and suddenly stiff spine, the words had landed their intended target.

"Shut it, Puckerman!" she seethed between clenched teeth as she turned away from him once more. There couldn't have possibly been any more distance between them.

Puck smirked to himself because he appreciated her appreciation of his efforts. Was there a virgin in that school he hadn't claimed? After the night with Rachel, he was starting to think not.

What he didn't think of was the fact he hadn't really slept with anyone since then. No, seriously. Between Glee and basketball and his new job and being an utter badass, there had been a few makeout sessions but no time for anything else.

And when he did blow off school? It was with this girl that infuriated him and inspired him to by the pack of matches that now currently resided in his glovebox should she finally push him over the edge and lead to his demise. He was serious - chick did make him want to light himself on fire.

The rest of the drive was spent in silence because he really (really really) didn't want her to start talking again. It never ended well for his ears. So when they pulled up in front of the mall and swung into a parking spot he's not at all surprised when she shattered that silence.

"Why are we here?" But the way she says it, so forlorn and lackluster causes him to scowl as he turned the key in the ignition and removed it, climbing out of the cab and gesturing for her to do the same.

"Why do you think?" he said finally as they progressed to the entrance.

The place is relatively empty because it's a weekday and most kids should be at school and the adults at work but there's enough general population for them to vanish comfortably at a relatively leisurely pace.

Yeah, Puck at the mall (willingly!) is a pretty fucked up concept but neither one of them is willing to mention that as they head into a store that screams Rachel Berry since the mannequins are wearing skirts and shirts that he wished she'd give a try.

Being the absolute badass that he is, he's managed to talk Rach into trying on the clothes before purchase. You know, to make sure they fit and are approriate for school. So after a series of short skirts and several pants adjustments she walked out with two medium bags of outfits that could be mismatched.

They pass a sunglass hut and he drags her into it. For the next twenty minutes or so they manage to keep themselves entertained by trying on any pair they could, parading them in front of mirrors and each other with goofy grins.

That tightening feeling in his chest? It's back but it's got a life of its own because he feels it had expanded, suffeciently cutting off the oxygen to his brain. That explained why he snapped a shot of Berry in some rockin' aviators and set them as his background for his cell. Totally.

For the most part it appears that they get along and it's not until they're at the lunch court with burgers and fries that she asked what he dreads. "Why are you doing all this?"

Puck literally chewed over the answer and was remarkably well-mannered to swallow the mouthful before he attempted an answer. "Because I hate pants."

Rachel tried to hide a smile behind her burger that he had talked her into getting ("if I'm paying, I'm not buying chick food") with minimal protest. "That's the only reason?"

If they were by his truck in that moment he swears he would get those matches and light them -both- on fire. "Yeah, that's the only reason."

"Noah."

"Shut up. Eat your burger."

Instead she scooped up a fry or two and popped them in her mouth while she mulled over this afternoon. Yes, it was far more entertaining than being in school and even though she knew the level of trouble she would be in as a result, she didn't seem to mind. It felt good to be normal every once in awhile.

"Do you think anyone has noticed we're gone?"

Puck frowned at that. His absence was to be expected. But hers? "Yeah," he shrugged in a matter that suggested an air of nonchalance that he didn't exactly feel. "Probably. They'll think I just bullied you into crying or something and that I'm off celebrating it."

While she wanted to argue with that she found that she couldn't because yeah, the student body would think that. She didn't but instead of adding that she took another bite of her burger and polished it off in silence.

"C'mon, we've got one more stop to make before I take you home."

To say that Rachel was confused would be an understatement but she learned it was better to just follow Noah's lead in situations like these. Not like she'd get her way anyway.

Badass or not, his mom had taught him a few things that stuck and so he ended up with her bags as they walked out and was even somewhat respectful of them as he tossed them in the backseat of his truck, sliding the seat back into place so she could climb in before he jogged to his side.

Their next destination was an odd one and he knew that but he felt it was necessary so he simply put the truck into drive and pulled out of their spot, trying to keep an eye on the mirror and the girl in the seat next to him. She wasn't glaring or sulking this time. Positive.

The shop is a relatively small one but the advertisements on the large windows are reason enough for her to look up at Noah, completely confused. He decides it's a welcome look on her because it's different and innocent and doesn't inspire any thoughts of arson.

"You need someone to look at for you when I'm not there, B, since you refuse to pick up the damned phone."

Now she's shocked speechless and if it wouldn't have ruined the moment Puck would have snapped a picture and sent it out to every single Glee member in his phonebook (which was every member of that club because they had grown on him, shut up. they were like a fungus for fucks sake) just to prove that Berry did stop talking.

Rachel is on the verge of tears and there's that feeling of discomfort again because now he doesn't have a clue what to say and he really (really really!) didn't want a lecture from his ma if this ever got back around to her.

"S'okay Berry... you don't have to?" He doesn't have a clue what to say especially when she's suddenly out of the truck and heading towards the door.

With nothing else to be said he trailed after her and followed her into the shop, grimacing at the smells that started to assulat his senses. This is what happened when you had too many animals in the same place. It was kinda akin to the smell in McKinley's cafeteria.

Puck didn't have to see Rachel to know where she headed and that's how he found himself in front of the cages of several types of puppies that barked and wagged their tails and looked altogether too adorable for Puck's comfort. He swears, if Quinn really did have Finn's baby, that thing would look exactly like these little caged mutts. All bright eyed and big tongued.

"What about this one?" her voice is soft and questioning and a slew of other adjectives that felt wrong to describe her but he found himself liking this side too.

After staring at the dog in front of him he just shrugged. "What's it going to do if someone comes into your house... lick them to death? Shed all over their clothes? What about this one?"

He gestured to a great dane which had Rachel rolling her eyes, "Really Noah? It'll be as big as me."

So yeah, he lets himself chuckle at the imagery and started to circle the rest of the animals and was surprised to find that he and Rachel both gestured to the same dog.

"His eyes remind me of you," she said simply as she stuck her fingers between the bars and settled for doggie kisses.

"Except mine are so much more badass."

"Yeah, okay," she said with a snort that caused him to grab her elbow and pull her towards him.

"You questionin' my badassness, Berry? Worse, you think a fuckin' bulldog is more manly?" he scoffed and turned away as though his feelings were hurt and all she could do was giggle. No, really, she giggled.

Removing her fingers from the cage she grinned, tugged on his shirt to get his attention. "Stop fishing for compliments. What should I name him?"

"How do you even know the dog is a he?"

Rachel smirked. "Because he's a badass."

"Then that's what we should call him."

"What?" She blinked up at him and then looked towards the dog which had lumbered towards him, eager for more attention. "You want me to name my dog Badass?"

"Fuck yeah. Think about it. Coolest name ever. Everyone would know not to fuck with you then because seriously? Who fucks with a girl that has a badass dog named Badass?"

Neither one of them are convinced that this logic is acceptable or sane but it applies in this situation and while she checks out and signs the forms for the dog, he's off getting a bone collar engraved with their information and the name 'Badass Berry' engraved at the very top in bold, capital letters.

They ride with the windows down and Badass enjoys the wind in his wrinkles and Rachel just enjoys being there which is somewhat surprising but not shocking. She's always known that Puck's badboy behaviour was somewhat of a turnon but Noah's secret sweetness? She's no match for that. So the two of them together?

Yeah. No more need be said. And so she didn't say a word on their way back, even as they both walked up towards the front steps with Badass on a leash and bags in Puck's hands that declared feminine products were inside.

He's hurrying her to get the door unlocked in case someone should catch him with these pink bags or whatever and when they step inside there's that tightening feeling again and he's just really fucking uncomfortable.

First, the house is empty. He's spent all day with this girl and her skirts and her smiles and her dog which she insisted on calling their dog and now the house is empty.

Second, she's looking up at him from beneath her lashes while she twirls the bottom of her shirt and looks somewhat apologetic. "I'm sorry I was so rude to you at the start of this. As agreed upon, I won't mention anything that happened today."

Puck groaned inwardly even as his eyebrow arched in a way that seemed to express some sort of challenge. "Yeah? You're not going to mention any of it?"

While her head shakes he's moved closer to her and before either of them can comprehend what was happening her back is against the door and he's pressed against her front with mental curses and promises to wreck those jocks for taking away her skirts because these pants? They're so many fucking buttons and he's just itching to feel her one last time.

"Not even this?" he whispered in a hoarse tone against her throat, ignoring the clambering that Badass creates by dragging his dropped leash around.

"Especially not this," whispered back against his lips while she was emblazoned with the heady mixture of heat and desire that he filled her with.

"Good," he managed to reply while he celebrated the victory of getting a button free and her shirt over her head.

Talk about a premature celebration because that was as far as he got before her phone started to ring and the tone made it clear that it was a member of that club of theirs. And though it might have killed a part of her she answers it while trying to maintain a level minded persona.

"Oh, hi Kurt. Yes, thank you, I am feeling quite well. I merely had some complications this morning and needed to return home. Oh, the mall? No, I didn't go there. What makes you ask such a silly question? Oh, your dad was there and thought he saw me? He must be mistaken. Sure, yeah, I'll be at the meeting. Puck?" Her eyes travel upwards to find the male in question, "Nope, haven't seen him. Okay, I'll see you guys in just a few minutes."

Beyonce could be annoying with his diva attitude but never in all those months that they've known each other as Puck wanted to pummel the little brat more. Resisting the urge he simply snatched up Badass' leash while Rachel fixed her clothing.

"Let's go," he said simply as she brushed by him to find a shoe that had somehow slipped off. He held the door open and waited for her, while she simply stared up at him.

"You can't take me or Badass with you. Then people will know that we were together today and I do believe we've both decided that secrecy was best when we discussed the events of today."

"Yeah? And you said there wouldn't be any events today. Just shut up and let's go. Maybe if we go together Beyonce will think twice about calling next time. Cock blockin' sonuva-" he kept up with the mumbled profanities as he stepped over the threshold. She stood in the archway frozen.

With one hand on the doorknob and the other on her hip she simply stared at him. "What are you saying Noah?"

His eyes roll upwards and then down to Badass who is sitting there, staring. "Sorry Badass. She's a bit crazy. We'll work on that." and then he turned and kept walking towards his truck with the dog on his trail.

Rachel frowned, locked up, and trailed after. She climbed in the truck and let Badass settle on the floorboard near her as Puck slid in smoothly.

"What are you saying?" She repeated as he turned over the engine and started to back out of the driveway.

"What I'm saying is that I'm going to toss Hummel in a dumpster, walk Badass, and then make out with this seriously hot chick in front of a certain club of ours so that they'll stop calling."

There's an internal conflict encouraged by this statement. Does Rachel smile? Frown? Declare she doesn't want to be known as a 'hot chick'?

Instead she does none of these things while she slides her seatbelt over shoulder and states primly, "You're picking up his leftovers."

All he could do was laugh with an ease that erased that tightening in his chest and instead replaced it with swelling as he glanced over at both of the Badass Berries in his truck.

"Yeah, whatever. These guns weren't created by scooping up dog shit Berry."

"Yeah, they were created to get you laid which you're only getting if you clean up after him."

And as they drove along he figured it was a fair thing to agree with. And hell, hanging out with Berry was guranteed him to get him some action. Either from her or one of the jocks he planned to pummel for being an idiot.

He liked that fuckin' skirt.

When they filed out of his truck and headed towards the front door of the Hummel / Hudson residence he's not surprised to find the group at the window, watching. Bunch of gossips.

"Haven't seen Puck huh?" Kurt said slyly in that airy voice he posessed while he looked at the both of them. "I think you've seen a fair bit of Puck today."

Rachel turned red and confirmed this which was ridiculous because he didn't even get to see his favorite parts but whatever. So he shrugged and watched Badass wander around the yard.

"So we're at Puckleberry 2.0?" Quinn asked, gaze flitting between the two of them.

Rachel and Puck looked at one another and both smirked (okay, he smirked and she smiled but whatever) but they didn't bother to correct Quinn and say that it should be 3.0 (5.0 if you count those other two times ... ).

"Something like that," he said easily enough before leading the rest of them inside, leaving Rachel alone with the inquisition he was certain to follow.

So yeah, maybe Puck is a little more like Finn than he thought because he's sitting here with a dog that he bought for a girl after spending all day at the mall.

And it's most certainly the first (and only!) time he's ever thought that maybe it wasn't that bad.