Title::..Champagne Bubbles
Spoilers::..Theatricality
Rating::..G
Genre::..Fluff
Characters::..Tina, Kurt, Mercedes, Finn, Artie and Puck
Pairing::..Tartie with a hint of Pucedes
Author's Note::..This fic is dedicated to Lady Gaga, the Mother Monster, who has inspired me to unleash my inner Little Monster and finally express myself without worry of what others think. ILY Mama Monster PAWS UP! So this is a missing scene fic, to add more to Tina's storyline from Theatricality and I added in a Puck/Mercedes scene because of how ridiculously hot Puck is as Paul Stanley, LONG LIVE GLAM ROCK!
Summary::..Tina joins in on the weekly glee club assignment, going from Asian-Goth to Gaga-fabulous.


Tina Cohen-Chang in Champagne Bubbles

The stereo filled Kurt's pale grey room with the music of Lady Gaga. Mercedes' voice supported the sound. Tina sat in the concave chair, spinning herself around repeatedly. Kurt sat at the computer, opening up a window. Google appeared on the screen and he began to type in the search engine.

Mercedes opened one of Kurt's ornamental hand fans and flicked it about in front of her face. "The story of us, it always starts the same, with a boy and a girl. And a huh! And a game. A love game!"

Tina watched from her seat as Kurt's lips moved soundlessly over the lyrics. She still felt melancholic. She was terribly plain with her boring sweatshirt and her face clear of any make-up. At least seven times during the day she had been asked by teachers if she were a new student. The black clothes and spiked accessories had been a sign of defiance, a way to set herself apart from the rest of the crowd. She had blatantly pointed out that she was different from the others.

"I don't know how Lady Gaga is going to solve my problems." She informed them.

"There is nothing the Mother Monster can't solve." Kurt replied. "Okay, I've got some pictures." Mercedes and Tina moved over to stand behind him. "To begin us off: Red Riding Hood."

Tina shook her head. "Too much like what I would normally wear."

"Minus pants." Mercedes added.

"Animal Instinct." Kurt presented them.

"Damn, is that a Muppet's face on her skirt?" Mercedes asked.

"I believe that is the whole Muppet's head wrapped around her waist." Kurt stated.

Tina shook her head again. "I don't wanna put my legs through Animal's brains."

"Kermit Couture." Kurt read.

Tina shook her head. "It's not easy being green."

"Bird's Nest." Kurt showed them.

Tina shook her head. "It looks itchy."

"Yeah and something might try to lay its eggs in your hair while you're walking to school." Mercedes laughed.

One photo filled the screen, Tina would shake her head in response and Kurt would click onto the next slide. After a while Mercedes grew bored of Tina's indecision and moved away. She lay down on Kurt's bed and began to flick through his CD collection. Tina had pulled up a chair beside Kurt's and sat with her chin resting on her fists, nothing was appealing to her creative side.

Kurt glanced back at Tina. "Cans in the hair, it's a very popular look."

Tina didn't have the energy to provide an excuse anymore so she simply shook her head. Kurt sighed and turned to the computer. He clicked away. Both he and Tina waited for the next picture to load without much hope. Tina supposed she was too attached to her old style to consider a new one.

"Hey Finn." Mercedes greeted, distracting Kurt.

Finn lingered awkwardly at the bottom of the stairs. "Oh, I didn't realize you had friends over."

"Don't mind us." Mercedes dismissed. "We're trying to help Tina find a new look."

"Taking fashion tips from Lady Gaga." Kurt added.

Finn rolled his eyes as he dumped his backpack onto his bed. "Lady Gaga again." He cleared his throat. "How's it going Tina?"

"I found it!" She exclaimed.

Kurt whipped around. "Really? Which one?"

"Champagne Bubbles." She stated. "It's perfect."

Finn's face creased in concern. "You're gonna wear this to school?"

"My girl Tina, rockin' the bubbles." Mercedes encouraged.


Tina felt confident in her bubble dress. This way she could be theatrical without Principal Figgins thinking she was a vampire. Bubbles supported the lighter side of her personality. The bubbles represented the fun she liked to have when singing and dancing in Glee club. Bright and playful, this was the side only her fellow Glee clubbers had seen.

Artie moved quickly to catch up with her. "Tina, hey."

"Hi Artie." She grinned. "Do you like my new dress?"

"I really don't know where I should be looking." He replied, awkwardly averting his eyes. "I've never seen you show so much skin."

She looked at him with a furrowed brow. "Does that mean you don't like it?"

He was looking at her, intently, putting no concentration into where he was going. "No I do like it. I really like it. I like it a lot." He had rolled himself into a wall. He corrected his course as a blush rose in his cheeks. "It's just pretty hard to concentrate when all I wanna do is look at you."

"I'll take that as a compliment." She said, stepping behind him to push the chair.

"That's how I intended it." He stated. He had turned himself around, into what appeared to be an uncomfortable position so as to look at her. He didn't seem to realize he was staring.

"Artie!" She exclaimed, snapping him out of his day-dream.

"Sorry." He murmured turning back around. He readjusted his glasses on his face. "This new look is going to take some time to adjust to is all."


Mercedes and Puck were the last two to arrive to Glee practice. Both could not fit through the doorway at the same time. The width of Mercedes' extended skirt took up almost the entire archway. Puck, feeling chivalrous, stepped aside to allow her to enter first. Mercedes moved in and Puck followed, his platform-soled shoes falling loudly onto the ground with each lazy step he took.

There were only two seats available and they were beside each other. Puck took one of the chairs. Mercedes required more time to climb up the stairs due to the constraints of her outfit. She sat down beside him. They glanced at each other awkwardly before averting their eyes. Since breaking up they had not exchanged any words.

Unfortunately for them the friends that lay on their sides were already occupied in conversations. There was nothing to distract them. Puck was the first to look back. Mercedes turned her head in his direction. Finding his eyes on her she showed a smile. His cheek pulled his lips into a smile.

"Nice hair-bow-thing." He offered.

"Thanks." She said. "I like your whore lips."

In reply to this he puckered his heavily painted lips. She giggled, looking away. When she happened upon Kurt's questioning eyes she averted her eyes down to her lap, embarrassed.

BREAK

The school day was finally over. Tina discarded her book bag off of her shoulder and flopped down onto her bed. She had been waiting for this all day – an opportunity to sit still. The sound of the plastic bubbles rubbing together had been irritating her for the majority of the day.

Turning to her right she saw her reflection. Immediately she pushed the short blonde wig off of her head. Removing the pins she allowed her black hair to flow freely over her shoulders. She removed her bubble dress, replacing it with the dark clothes she was so comfortable in. She lay down and enjoyed the freedom of her own choices.


Kurt trotted to catch up with Tina. He took her arm, turning her to face him. "No more bubbles?"

"No, I talked to Figgins and he decided it was okay for me to wear my Goth clothes again." She replied.

He linked his arm with hers, a comfortable way of keeping her by his side. "But I thought you liked the bubbles, they helped you express yourself."

She shrugged. "Yeah, they were fun and everything. But was I really expressing myself? Or was I just expressing Lady Gaga? I feel much more like myself when I'm dressed like this."

"I suppose that's a forgivable reason." He replied.


Mr Schuester was collecting the wigs up from the boys. They were to be returned to the Drama Department. While Brittany refused to remove the lobster from her face Santana took the large rose off of her head and Quinn was detaching the pink extensions from her eyelashes.

Artie was beginning to scrunch his face up. "This face paint is really irritating my skin."

Tina got up from her seat. "I'll help you clean your face." She pushed his chair to the girls' bathroom – the disgusting odour coming from the boys' bathroom stopped her from considering entering the room. Under the florescent tubes she gently removed the rock star from his face. "Almost finished."

"There's no need for you to change your look again." Artie informed her. "You're great just the way you are."

"Thanks Artie." She said and she leant in to put her lips to his. One smile pushed against another.

The End.