A/N: A request from a very good friend of mine. Here ya go hun(:
Disclaimer: Oh how I wished I owned it, but sadly I don't xP
Finn just broke up with Rachel, and Puck could tell it was for real, because the look on his old friend's face…it wasn't something you could fake. His face was contorted in pain and indecision, as if the quarterback couldn't believe what had just happened. He could see the signs, the way they avoided each other, the accusatory looks Finn sometimes threw Puck's way, and the way Rachel carried herself, she still held her head high and proud but there was no bounce to her step anymore. Noah Puckerman gave a sigh as he slumped in his chair and attempted to toss the thought of the brunette diva out of his mind. It wasn't working.
Puck rubbed his head in frustration at the conflicting feelings coursing through him. He glanced up at the clock. What the-? Did the hands just move backwards? This class was never going to end. Wait, where the hell was he anyway…Geometry? No, history! Shit, he didn't know, but he did know he had done the right thing in telling Rachel that he wouldn't deflower her just to get back at Finn. He may have had his irresponsible moments but he still believed in honor and… This time a sigh rushed out of the Jewish football player as he came upon the real reason he hadn't taken Rachel. He cared about her.
Yeah, that's right. The school's bad-ass actually gave a fuck about somebody besides himself. The bell finally rang and Puck just about ran out of there. He didn't want to chance bumping into the petite girl or those big brown eyes that, for some reason, he found incredibly difficult to say no to. His legs carried him out of the school and from the corner of his eye, Puck saw the heads duck down as they passed by him. He readjusted his backpack strap and shook his head at the steady rumor mill that ran through Mckinley High School. Some of the stuff people came up with was just, insane. He actually did care about people besides himself; he just tended to be destructive and when he met Rachel Berry, he realized all of that misunderstood stuff he heard about, is actually not a load of crap.
He wasn't aware of the unconscious smile that graced his features whenever he thought of the jewish girl. Rachel had opened his eyes. Despite her incessant, yet highly intellectual, chatter he really did learn some cool stuff from her and despite the times he wished she would stop being so full of it, he cared for her…and he couldn't bear the thought of taking her when she was still in love with Finn Hudson. Ugh, he hated this. Puck opened the door and dropped his bag in the living room then headed down to the basement for his punching bag.
He padded down the steps and closed the door behind him. He stared at the bright red bag hanging on its silver chain for a minute as Rachel once more intruded upon his thoughts. Why did she have to be so cute? He felt his right fist make contact with the bag. Why did she have to be so insightful? His left fist now punched the bag as it violently swung on its hook. Why did she have to walk into my life? The "whys" attacked him from all sides just like he attacked the leather-vinyl canvas of the Everlast bag in front of him. Puck's muscles burned as he put his weight into the punches, moving around the bag, the intricate pattern of his feet matching the confusion in his heart. Why did you have to make me care? He thought, furious at himself for this overwhelming feeling of unworthiness for Rachel. I was perfectly happy being a bully, he internally raged, getting laid, having no rules…then you had to make me care! He landed his most violent punch on the bag and collapsed into a nearby chair, exhausted at having released all his frustration into a punching bag that had never done anything to him. Why did you have to make me love you?
He dropped his head into his hands, a fine sheen of sweat covered him. He had finally admitted it to himself; Noah Puckerman was in love with Rachel Berry. The odd part was he knew this was love because he didn't really care about getting laid, he cared about her. He wanted to hear Rachel's voice every day, he wanted to sing her a song that would show how he felt about her and then a million more because one would never be enough, and he wanted to see her smile…really smile, like genuine "I care about you" smile. Yeppers, Puck was in love… Now what the hell was he gonna do about it?
He couldn't believe he was playing the ultimate cliché… He was standing in Rachel Berry's yard, throwing rocks at her window on Christmas Eve. Very original Puckerman, he chastised himself, but it was too late to turn back now. He was bundled up in his winter clothes because of the freezing Ohio weather but the sky was clear with a crescent moon and stars glimmering in the sky. Puck had brought the loudest stereo he could find at hand and he felt his pulse jump as he finally saw the lights in Rachel's room come on.
The sleepy diva opened her window and he heard the distinct sound of teeth chattering as she rubbed her eyes. "Puck?" Rachel yawned, and Puck could swear he had never seen anything more gorgeous in his life. "What are you doing here?"
"Giving you a Christmas present." He called back. Rachel gave a confused look as she crossed her arms over her chest.
"But we're Jewish." She said as her brow furrowed.
"Who cares?" Puck smiled back as he propped his stereo up on a sturdy ledge and pressed play.
A smooth jazzy tune filled the air and Puck smiled as he snapped his fingers to the beat.
Call me irresponsible
Call me unreliable
Throw in undependable too
Do my foolish alibis bore you?
Well, I'm not too clever
I, I just adore you
Puck's tenor drifted up towards Rachel who was slowly warming up to the idea of being serenaded.
So call me unpredictable
Tell me I'm impractical
Rainbows, I'm inclined to pursue
Go ahead, call me irresponsible
Yes, I'm unreliable
But it's undeniably true
I'm irresponsibly mad for you
The song became softer as the crooning trumpets slowed to a sweet rhythm.
You know it's true
Oh baby, you do
A final bang ended the song and Puck turned off the stereo. When he looked up Rachel was gone, only to be coming out of her front door and running into his arms. He held her tightly, not believing she was hugging him like this, not believing he was finally able to hold her like this. They stood that way for a bit, neither wanting to break the silence.
"What made you realize?" Rachel asked tentatively into Puck's jacket. She looked up at him shyly, almost afraid of the answer as she secured her arms around Puck's waist.
"I've been thinking and I finally figured out that…" He let out a puff of air, "You were the reason I started to care and… I…Nobody has ever made me feel this way before…" The words Puck had wanted to say escaped him and Rachel noticed the frustration forming at his sudden loss for words. She lifted her hand up to smooth out the crease between his eyebrows.
He looked up shocked by the action and he stared into those bottomless brown eyes and then…he kissed her.
It was gentle, and nothing like their previous kisses had been. This was a meeting of hearts. A promise of a relationship.
Rachel pulled back and Puck could see the tears that threatened to escape her eyes.
"Merry Christmas Rachel." Puck whispered as he lifted the petite brunette up and carried her inside her house.
"Merry Christmas Puck." Rachel whispered back as she wrapped her arms around Puck's neck, not intending to let go for quite some time.