I don't own Glee.
Pairings: Puck/Rachel, mentions of Quinn/Puck and Rachel/Jesse
Summary: Former Broadway star, Rachel Berry, meets ex-cop, Noah Puckerman, as he struggles to get over being outcast from his friends after he takes the blame for a horrible accident. Their lives are intertwined as they learn everything isn't always black and white.
This was actually supposed to be this really smutty one-shot but it morphed into this. There will definitely be smut - and a lot of it - if I continue this.
Rachel looked out of her peephole one last time and huffed. She had been officially moved into her new apartment for a week and the guy directly down the hall still had come over to welcome her. Her other neighbors had talked about him quite a bit so Rachel knew his name was Noah Puckerman, he lived alone, and he's a cop. Correction: Was a cop. She didn't know the specifics but everyone knew he had been kicked off his squad almost two months ago, right after his long-time live-in girlfriend, Quinn, left him.
The yenta living in the apartment next to Rachel's always wanted to talk. Rachel couldn't step foot outside her door without Mrs. Stein jumping out of her apartment just to say 'hello'. Mrs. Stein talked about everyone that lived on Rachel's hall and she couldn't help but the think what the lady must be saying about Rachel behind her back.
Mrs. Stein said that Noah, or Puck, as he liked to be called, had always been a drinker, but recently he had been drinking his weight in whiskey nightly. Rachel had winced at the thought of drinking that much alcohol. It would surely ruin her voice and even though she was no longer performing on Broadway, she wouldn't risk torching her voice just for the happy buzz she would obtain from alcoholic beverages.
It had been one week and Puck hadn't even left his apartment as far as Rachel could tell. It was quite rude since she knew for a fact he knew she was moving in last week and he hadn't even offered to help move her things up the four flights of stairs. She already disliked the man on principal but she was always eager to use the conflict-resolution tips from the seminar last year so that's how she found herself piling chocolate chip cookies onto a tray neatly for Puck.
She made sure she looked nice enough before rushing out of her apartment, hoping Mrs. Stein hadn't noticed, and knocked quickly on his door. She shifted her weight back and forth between her legs, willing him to answer the door quickly, because she was sure Mrs. Stein was about to pop her head out and invite Rachel for tea.
Finally, he pulled the door open and narrowed his eyes at Rachel. She took in his disgruntled state and frowned slightly. He looked dirty, or at least his clothes did. He was wearing a pair of sweatpants with a coffee stain on the knee and an old NYPD t-shirt. Or at least, she assumed the shirt was old seeing as he was no longer on the force. His face was set into a scowl and his five o'clock shadow needed to be shaved badly. His hair was shaved close to his head but it was clear the hair was threatening to grow out. She noticed his eyes were red and puffy and she deduced it was either from lack of sleep or he was drunk. Or both. And it was barely noon.
She forced herself to smile warmly at him and she barely noticed his wince when she started to talk. "Hello, I'm Rachel Berry, I just moved in down the hall, apartment 408."
"I know who you are." He replied gruffly. "You're the one that keeps making all that noise in the hallway when I'm trying to sleep."
"I was trying to move my stuff in." She countered. "And I made sure the noise level was kept to a minimum and that we moved the furniture late in the day so it wouldn't disturb the other residents."
He furrowed is brow and seemed to be trying to decode what she was saying. "What do you want?" He asked finally and leaned against the doorframe. "I've got things to do."
"I made cookies." She said brightly and held the platter closer to him. "I wasn't sure what kind of cookies you would prefer so I made chocolate chip because they're usually a safe bet. I mean, who doesn't like chocolate chip cookies?"
"I like peanut butter." He interjected and tilted his head slightly, almost like he was challenging her.
"Oh…" She swallowed, keeping her smile in place. "Well, I can make them for you some other time." A door opened behind them and Rachel was sure it was Mrs. Stein. "May I come in?" She asked suddenly.
Puck was a little surprised by her question but was even more shocked when he found himself stepping back to let the small, brunette woman into his apartment. She smiled gratefully and moved past him, letting out a sigh of relief when he shut the door behind her.
He led her to the kitchen. "Just set them anywhere." He motioned to the counter and she sat the platter down carefully, fixing a few cookies that had been knocked out of place. "You look familiar. I mean, I know I've seen you somewhere, I just can't figure out where."
"I'm sorry but I don't think we know each other." She shook her head. "You might have seen me on Broadway. I've been on the stage since I was eighteen." She sighed. "Unfortunately, I'm 34 and I just couldn't keep up with the fresh and young faces that have wormed there way onto Broadway. I just finished my last performance in Wicked last year. That's kind of why I moved here. Or at least, part of the reason."
"Wait." He moved through the apartment and grabbed a picture before shoving it into Rachel's hands. "Quinn and I went to see that shitty musical you were in a few years back. Spring Awakening or something." He shrugged and noticed Rachel's scowl. "What?"
She gripped the picture frame in her hand and blew out a breath through her nose. The picture was Puck and, who she assumed to be, Quinn standing outside of the theater right in front of a huge poster of Rachel and Jesse. "Shitty?" She asked incredulously. "That musical was amazing. And I might add that it won eight Tony awards."
"I didn't mean to offend you." He backpedaled. "I just don't like that musical sh—stuff." He corrected himself quickly and grinned lazily. "Quinn kind of forced me to go and to be honest, it wasn't that bad. Especially since I got to see your boobs." His eyes drifted to her chest and she huffed.
"You saw Spring Awakening and the only parts you liked were my breasts?" She asked, handing the picture back to him and crossing her arms. "I won a Grammy for that performance."
He fought back the urge to roll his eyes since she had made him cookies and when he tasted one, he was glad he did. He didn't want to piss this woman off anymore until she made him some peanut butter cookies like promised. "S'good." He told her, mouth full of cookie. "Like, really good." He shoved another one in and she grinned excitedly, forgetting all about his comment on her boobs.
"I'm glad you like them. I bake on my spare time and I thought it would be a nice way to say 'hello!'" She laughed softly and he decided he liked her laugh.
"Fuck, right." Puck looked around. "I forgot you're supposed to get a housewarming gift or some shit." He frowned and then reached forward to grab a half-empty bottle of Jack Daniel's. "Here." He held the bottle out to her. "Welcome to your new apartment or whatever."
"Oh…" Rachel sighed and took the bottle half-heartedly. "I don't drink but thank you."
"Take it." He nodded. "It's the least I could do."
"I… it's okay, you keep it." She shook her head and sat the bottle gingerly back on the counter. "You obviously need it more than I do. It was nice to meet you Noah Puckerman." She wiped her hands on her skirt and looked around the dirty apartment. "I should go."
"How'd you know my name?" He asked, leading her back towards the front door.
"The women that live on this hall are a bunch of yentas." She replied dryly. "I've never been much for gossiping but they're kind of hard to avoid."
"Right." He frowned slightly. "You're Jewish?"
"That's correct." She nodded.
"Me too."
She smiled genuinely and stepped back out into the hallway. "I don't suppose we go to the same synagogue?"
"Probably not." He shook his head. "I haven't been in over a month."
She furrowed her brow. "Well, tomorrow is Saturday, you should go. I go to the synagogue on Lexington Avenue right at 55th street. Come with me."
"I don't know." He shook his head.
"Please." She asked. "I've heard a lot about you, Noah, and I think it would benefit you."
"Don't go pretending you know me, Broadway." His scowl came back. "You don't know shit about or my life so stay the fuck out of it."
The door slammed in her face and her mouth fell open. No one had ever talked to her like that and she didn't like it. She was tempted to pound on his door and demand an apology but then Mrs. Stein was excitedly asking her over to talk. Rachel's bad mood only deepened when she heard Puck laughing from inside his apartment.
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A/N: This was just an idea I was toying around with. Still not sure if I'm going to continue it so it's all up to you guys.
