He's been down this road before and it never ends well. Not for him or anyone else involved. Usually he's smart enough to let shit go, or at least enough to keep it hidden.

He's not really sure he can keep the fact that he's ass over feet in love with Rachel to himself this time.

He's not even sure this is the first time he's thought he was in love with her. Hell, for all he knows, he could have been all along. He figures that's probably the case.

Obviously, he has always thought she was the hottest chick he knows. He guesses most people think that, even if they can't or won't admit it to themselves. She almost turned a gay guy straight for fuck's sake. The girl has something that no one else in this town has. She has it…whatever the hell it is.

It took her almost marrying someone else to get him to realize that.

He's sitting in glee, watching Finn sing her another lame romantic song, when he just can't take it anymore. Everyone else claps when he finishes but Puck just rolls his eyes.

"Seriously, dude. When in the hell did you grow a vagina?" He smirks when Mr. Schue says his name in a warning tone. He knows that guy hates those two singing to each other as much as everyone else does. Finn just gives him a shitty look when he sits next to Rachel. She just looks at Finn like the sun shines out of his ass and it makes Puck want to hit something.

"Noah…Are you okay?"

She corners him at his locker after glee and he wants to tell her that, no he's in love with her and its killing him every day to watch her with his best friend. Instead he tells her that he's fine and she gives him a look like she knows he's full of shit.

"You know you can talk to me right? We're friends." He gives her a weak smile as he pulls his backpack up on his shoulder. He hopes he doesn't look as disappointed as he feels.

"I know, Rach." He knows she's watching as he walks away so he makes sure not to look back.

He tells Santana, which turns out to be a fucking mistake, because she starts hounding him to tell Rachel. Somewhere along the lines the two girls have actually become somewhat friends, and even though it scares the shit out of Puck, at least he can get insight to what is going on with her. Santana brings it up one afternoon when they are eating lunch. Santana catches him checking Rachel out across the cafeteria and she pokes him in the side.

"She's not going to marry Finn, y'know. Trust me." He raises an eyebrow as she casually pops a french fry in her mouth.

"What makes you so sure? She actually tell you that?" Santana shrugs as she swallows her food.

"Not exactly." Puck rolls his eyes and she glares. "She didn't have to Puck, fuck. I just know these things, and those two…aren't getting married." They finish their lunch in silence and if Santana notices that he's staring at Rachel the whole time, she doesn't mention it.

Everything comes to a head one day in glee when he's had enough. Rachel is singing one of her favorite ballads or something to Finn and he just can't sit back and watch it anymore. She watches in shock as he gets up to leave and she actually stops singing to call out to him. He ignores her and heads towards the hallway, but he hears two sets of footsteps rapidly approaching him.

"Puck!" Finn's definitely not going to get him to stop so he keeps going hoping that they will just give up. He knows better than that though because Rachel never gives up on anybody.

"Noah…will you stop!" He sighs and then stops so quickly that Rachel almost runs into him which in turn makes Finn almost run into her. "Noah, what in the world is going on? Why would you just leave like that?" He still hasn't turned around but now his fists are balled as he squares his jaw.

He knows someone's probably leaving with a black eye. He's just not sure if it will be him or Finn yet.

"Dude, what is going on with you?" He rolls his eyes at Finn's voice and turns around slowly.

"Nothing, I'm just sick of you two and all of your lovey dovey bullshit." Rachel is taken back and Finn just looks pissed. He's not sure exactly what his plan is or where this conversation is going to go but he figures he might as well stick it out now.

"Well, we're engaged, Puck. We just want to express our love in the best way we know how." This actually causes him to laugh out loud and now Finn is seething. "What is so funny?"

"You guys being engaged, Finn. That's what's fucking funny. She's too fucking good for you, you know that right?" He can tell that Rachel can't decide whether to be pissed or flattered. She's kinda just standing there off to the side with her mouth open a bit. "You're never going to be enough for her."

Finn balls his hands up at his sides. Puck hasn't seen him this mad since he found out he wasn't the father of Quinn's baby. He got punched that day too so he can't imagine this working out in his favor.

"So what, is this the part I'm supposed to punch you for being a dick?" Puck knew that was coming, but one look at Rachel and he knows it's now or never. Might as well lay all his cards on the table.

"No. This is the part I tell you that I'm in love with your girl…and then you can punch me." The look of shock on both of their faces would make him laugh if it wasn't so serious. He braces himself but Finn doesn't punch him, just grabs Rachel's hand and pulls her back towards the choir room. She glances over her shoulder at him and he can't read the look in her eyes but he knows it's probably not good.

He's retelling the story to Santana on the phone that night when there is a knock on his bedroom door. He figures it's his mom so he just yells for her to come in and continues his conversation.

When Rachel walks in the room he practically drops the phone before telling Santana he'll call her back. Rachel is just standing awkwardly next to his dresser and he gets up to stand at the foot of his bed.

"Hey." She gives him a little smile.

"Hi." He's not sure how much longer he can take this silence.

"Rachel I'm sor…"

"Noah…look…" She laughs a bit to herself. "You shouldn't be sorry, not for what you said." She gives him a shy smile as she walks a little closer to him. "Did you mean it?" He's not stupid, he knows what she's talking about and he's done playing dumb.

"You know I did." She nods because yeah, he doesn't say stuff like that often, and when he does, it's sincere. "Why are you here?" He doesn't say it to be mean; he just really wants to know why she's here with him and not somewhere else with her boyfriend.

"Finn and I got into a huge fight after we left glee today. He said some horrible things about you and when I defended you, well…let's just say he didn't take it well. I told him that I needed to think, and then when he dropped me off, I got into my car and ended up here." She sits down on his bed and pats the space next to her. He's not sure what else to do so he does what she asks.

"Rachel, I want to say I'm sorry that you guys are fighting but I can't. I meant what I said. And I don't expect you to leave Finn or to choose me if you do. I just need you to know how I feel." She smiles at him as she rests a hand on his cheek.

"I do now. And I have…so much to think about." He closes his eyes as she kisses him on the forehead before getting up and walking to the door. She waves her fingertips at him before closing the door and he takes a deep breath as he falls back on his pillows. He knows for a fact he's lost his best friend. He doesn't care as much as he should because now he might just have a chance with a girl that makes it all worth it.

Prompt by bewolke at livejournal.

"Is this the part I'm supposed to punch you for being a dick?"

"No. This is the part I tell you I'm in love with your girl and then you can punch me."