disclaimer: i don't own the characters, and the style is inspired by my friend amy's (amy is rockin) recent fic we were almost a tragedy, which was in turn inspired by greenconverse's pjo fic stockholm.
warning: written in six-word lines, second-person, no capitalization, will be au when the episode airs but for now it's just based on the promo and wishful thinking.
dedicated to: amy, for the holiday season and because quinn/puck are the otp of all otps :)
"home for the holidays," you smile,
"just like we promised" – together again.
x
thankfully, you know lima won't change
the lights, the scents, the stars,
across the town, everything's the same
the only thing changed is you.
yale is something different, bright, exciting
brand new – the people, the stories,
even the songs have new rhythms
you miss lima rarely, never long.
yet yale has no choir room,
not like the one in mckinley,
not full of stories, of friends,
of songs you can't ever forget.
x
your hair continues to grow longer
but you never wears a ponytail –
too many memories, too many ghosts
(you miss the red, the white)
you wonders if they remember you
is your choir room presence missed?
the songs you used to sing,
the people you used to love?
is there a new blond cheerleader
sitting in your seat, making friends?
is she in love? suffering heartbreak?
will she listen to the music?
x
hands still linger on your stomach,
now flat, as if never rounded
nobody at yale ever even suspects,
and you don't volunteer the story.
how is beth doing? and puck?
last you heard, he's in LA,
making money, cleaning pools, living life
and your daughter is almost three.
and now he's here before you,
smiling, and you fall in love,
("for old time's sake," he laughs),
all over again, one more time.
x
he is warmer than you remember,
and lima is brighter than ever
and yale is terribly far away,
a whole different universe – (not yours).
"missed you, q," he says, smiles,
and the girl you were once,
(cheerleading queen, baby on the way)
is still imprinted in his arms.
"i missed you, too, you egghead."
a private smile, an inside joke,
remembering the year your lives changed
and the way you loved, once.
x
the group hug is all memories –
the friendships, the drama, the music,
breaking up, making out, singing songs,
and never stopping, not even once.
finn is wearing sweater vests now,
but the choir room remains unchanged
all these new faces, new songs,
new memories for them to make.
you breathe it in, breathe out
his hand is suddenly in yours
(oh, beth, what can i do?)
you breathe again, and you run.
x
you miss your ponytail, your uniform,
the maternity dresses, every single song,
your pink hair, new york, chicago,
but mostly you just miss him.
the bathroom smells just the same,
lip gloss, fighting, making friends again
you close your eyes and smile,
waiting for him to find you.
he always does, he always will,
he's puck, you're quinn, especially now
he hugs you, holds you close,
the right time, the right girl.
x
there's so many things to say
i miss you, i miss us
i'm here because i love you.
all the lies, all the heartbreak,
left behind in the choir room
he helps you up, like always,
you are steady now, with him.
"hey, let's go to breadstix, yeah?
the whole gang will be there."
nothing's ever sounded better to you,
not even the call of connecticut.
x
same stale breadsticks, same laughing friends,
his hand warm on your knee,
the feeling of always having family,
this isn't yale, this is home.
then santana says, "found a boy?"
and finn laughs and puck freezes
and you think the answer's yes
only it's not a yale boy.
"i've got all my boys here,"
you say, and squeeze his hand,
and his smile lights up lima
(there's nobody who deserves it more.)
x
the choir room is full again
(they won sectionals by a landslide)
all together, listening to the memories,
the solos, the victories, the losses
but this is not your story
this is theirs – kitty, marley, jake,
ryder, unique, and all the others
(all you have is the legacy.)
puck sweeps you in his arms,
your name light on his lips,
as if you're both sixteen again
and so beyond ready for love.
x
outside of mckinley, the stars shine
a world away from new haven
he walks you out, alone, together
you feel like sixteen, like forever.
"i really did miss you, quinn,"
and his smile makes you remember
everything that ever was, never was,
and always should have been yours
(that night, the test, the tears,
the fights, the hopes, the losses,
the hospital room, giving her up,
did you love me? and yes.)
"it feels lost," you tell him,
because he'll know what you mean
and he does, and he laughs,
"but i never stopped loving you."
x
the stars stretch out beyond you
lima lies behind you, yale ahead
oh, once more for the ages,
you decide, and you kiss him
you haven't been kissed like this
since you left lima, last july
and it was him, always him
it's always been you and him
you still miss lima only rarely
but puck, well, you never stopped
he kisses you, and you smile
this is home, this is everything
x
hey, quinn, do you remember everything?
the songs we used to sing?
the people we used to be?
do you think you can forget?
x
you're all home for the holidays,
(it's like you never even left).
a/n: i hate this show i really do except not really because i keep coming back. if you read this far, please review! i'd really appreciate it, and i want to be full of quick thoughts for the next week!
and DON'T favorite without reviewing, please and thank you.
post-episode update: words cannot express how much i hate this show.