Before Rachel, there was Quinn. She had her steely grin and her icy eyes, her blond hair perfectly matted in place. She filled out that Cheerios uniform like no other, even Santana didn't compare. There was something about her smile that didn't quite match eyes, like there was sadness lurking all around the edges, how she could date Finn and not be irritated by his obliviousness. She could be sad and he'd never notice like Puck would. Puck noticed everything, down to the ironed edges of her skirt and the grass stains on her Converse.
She came over on a cloudy Tuesday afternoon, bringing pink wine coolers. He was on his way out, out to meet a cougar for business and sex, but she showed up, heavy loneliness sketched around her face, and he had to stay. It wasn't important that she was using him because Finn abandoned her for Rachel, again. Something or other about Glee, something or other how they had to rehearse and spend more time together. She was here, she stayed,that was what counted. She found her way over to him, straddling his lap and kissed him like it was him all along. She tugged at his shirt, lifting it upwards, refusing to let him do anything. For one night, that one night in high school, he had the girl he dreamed of for such a long time. He wanted to hold onto her for as long as he could, she could fill something inside him. Puck had Quinn and Quinn had Puck, and they made each other feel alright for a handful of hours. That's all that was there, really. Just the feeling that they're alright.
She left in the middle of the night, sneaking out the back window to not wake anyone up, and leaving Puck to stay wide awake, and have hope sprout under his heart that things would be different now. The next day, nothing changed. She still kissed Finn in front of him, still pressed her index finger across her mouth, don't tell,tying a string of silence over what happened.
Everything stayed the same way as it had always been.
Then, a few weeks later, Quinn told him she was pregnant, evidence that their affair happened, but he wasn't going to be the father, his best friend would be. Finn, who didn't even have sex with the girl he supposedly enjoyed being with, and was in disbelief about how she got pregnant, would be raising his little girl. Finn would be putting ribbons in her hair, and tucking her in every night. He would watch her grow up, threaten any boys that come around, walk her down that aisle. Finn would be the father, and Finn didn't even want to be a father. There was something sad about the situation, something made Puck feel grief for something he never even had completely.
So, Puck bowed out gracefully and played the supportive role of the best friend, instead. He took the high road to keep the peace, kept to the backseat for Finn and Quinn to stay together. He texted to find out how Finn was holding up every day, lent him money for doctor's appointments, insisted it would be his present to them. Held Finn's hand when Quinn miscarried, pounded back shots when they broke up three days later. Once the reason for their relationship no longer existed, neither could they, together.
Puck should have been happy to hear the break-up news, but there was very little of him that cared in the weeks that followed. He was over it, he didn't have the desire to make a play for Quinn anymore. He stayed in the role of best friend to Finn, he made no mention of anything,and more or less, avoided Quinn like the plague. There was nothing there anymore, the feelings didn't exist. He moved on and under someone else.
Rachel talked too much and knew everything, she had a voice that wouldn't stop. She was always singing, or humming, or something. It was those damn leg warmers on her legs, when winter in Ohio was freezing. Honestly, couldn't she put on more clothes? Hasn't she ever heard of the Weather Channel? Her weird outfits, and her ear grating laugh. Most days, she was bat shit crazy, and if kerosene was around, chances are Puck could try to light himself on fire if she didn't keep quiet. She had a constant desire for attention and affection, and she wouldn't even let him touch her breasts during their brief fling. To make matters worse, she broke up with him that day reasoning she loved Finn too much to quit on him, and he stomped off.
Puck came back the next day, apologizing for his tantrum. She was there for him, and she didn't judge him about anything so he had to come back. They tried to be friends, attempting their best, but feeble, intentions at keeping their sexual tension to a minimum. He wondered if she stayed awake at night missing him, or wondering what it'd be like if their mouths meet again. But he saw how she looked at Finn sometimes, so he slotted himself into the role of the best friend, again. He laughed hysterically as she sang with her brush as a microphone, helped paint her room, and she came out to support him at the football games. After a while, there was a shift and feelings changed. Her laugh became bubbly and her outfits became quirky. They spent Friday nights together on her couch watching musicals, and she spent Saturday afternoons trying recipes on him. He blew off cougars for her, and he was trying this celibacy thing out. He grew to like her presence, he grew to like everything about her.
He liked her before but he fell in love with her that night they were locked in the auditorium, the hours they explored each other, finally really seeing each other. It started as an accident, a collision of sorts. Their feet tangled together as they tried to make an escape through one of the doors, they tripped and he landed on top. He looks at her, and blinks. She blinks back twice and he kisses her, it's an accident he'll say if she asks but she never asks, and she never asks him to stop. It just goes and they untangle each other's clothes. He touches her hair, and the strands keep falling from underneath his finger tips, and it's everything to him.
When they touch, her skin ignites flames in him. There was a way she climbed to lay on top of him after the sex, her hands trailing his stomach, her mouth leaving a trail. Mine,she breathes onto him. He loves looking at her from that position, from any position. When he flipped her on her back, she nearly died of laughter, and her laugh is a breath of fresh air. He kisses her neck, moving his finger tips across her rib cage, as if playing the keyboard, and she keeps laughing because it tickles, and he keeps thinking, real lovers laugh.
In the morning, after, he found her at her locker, Finn hovering nearby. They were laughing and talking, and Finn asked for a Friday night date. Rachel looked at Finn and at Puck and back at Finn to say yes, but Puck beat her to it. "Sure, if her boyfriend can come too," grabbing her hand and kissing her on the mouth. He felt the corners of her lip tug upward, her smile matched his own. Finally, she murmured into his mouth. I've waited so long.
Finn left after that but Puck never moved from her side, breathing her in and mumbling she can call him by his real name, Noah.
Puck became Noah and despite Finn's dirty looks, Rachel became his.
Quinn and Finn became a couple again, but clearly, their hearts aren't in it. They sit next to each other in Glee, her shoulder on his, staring at the other couple, wondering what happened that they ended up on the wrong side of these musical chairs.