Author's Note: I don't own Glee or any of the characters and as always this is only for entertainment purposes. I haven't decided if this is a oneshot thing or not. I could write more. Also it's mostly Puck/Rachel/Finn triangle stuff leaning favorably towards Finn/Rachel but I really am a Puck/Rachel fan too. All of this is set post #1.13 Sectionals.
Noah Puckerman never owed anybody anything. He was always a free agent, not tied down to anyone or anything (at least that's what he always told himself and everyone else). And so owing anyone was always a repulsive idea. Too bad Noah Puckerman didn't count on things changing yesterday.
Puck swaggered down the hall, winking and cat calling to all the appropriate hotties as he passed. And right before arriving at a certain Cherrio's locker, Puck unloaded the contents of his Big Gulp cup onto the nearest geek, namely the Jewfro sporting Jacob Israel. Yeah, he had said that no one ever deserved to get slushied, but whatever, who really cared or liked Jacob anyway? He was a creep and as far as Puck was concerned, Jacob could probably always use a cold shower (because although Puck might be horny 24/7 at least he kept his cool and girls actually wanted his junk. Jacob was just a creeper about it).
"What are you grinning about?" Santana asked Puck blankly.
"Well, hey mamacita." Puck said, placing a hand on Santana's lower back. Then he leaned in and whispered in her ear, "I really liked all those things you were saying last night, maybe we could go bring some of that imagery to life."
Santana turned and smiled at Puck. His hand slipped to her hip as she turned and was leaning so close now their noses almost touched. "Oh, Puck. I'd love to, really. But I can't continue these little trysts of ours. I've found someone with a great credit score and great skills in bed to keep me satisfied on a regular and dating kind of basis."
Puck snorted. "What are you talking about? How can you be dating someone already when you were just sexting me last night?"
"It's easy enough, Puck. Easier than say….getting your best friend's girl pregnant while dating someone else." Santana spat back. Puck didn't know what to say. She had him there. He just smiled and stood up straighter, separating their faces.
"Well, babe. Good luck with that." Puck said with a smirk. He removed his hand from her waist and watched her walk away.
Damn, he thought to himself as his watched her saunter away. I'd still like to tap that. We'll see how she's feeling Friday after the game when she's a little more loose. Puck turned to go towards his first class when one of the hockey players barreled into him. "Hey! Watch it, Ice Head!" Puck yelled but the hockey player just laughed and kept walking. What is the world coming to? Thought Puck again. Were hockey players really challenging what a badass he was? Puck decided he need to pummel the kids face later. As he was contemplating the best way to rearrange the dude's face, Puck heard someone call his name.
"Mr. Puckerman!" Mr. Figgins yelled in his distinctive Indian accent. Puck laughed as the image of Apu from the Quikimart came into his head. But he stifled his laugh and smile as he turned around and faced Mr. Figgins.
"Yeah, Mr. Figgins? What's up?" Puck asked. But the question was answered with one look at what Mr. Figgins held. Dangling from Mr. Figgins' index finger was a pair of shiny, new numchucks. Puck swallowed. "Uh, what are those?" Puck tried to keep his cool and sound as innocent as possible.
"Why don't you tell me, Mr. Puckerman? They fell from your backpack and onto our newly waxed floor." he emphasized newly.
"Uh, I don't know what you're talking about." Puck denied but Mr. Figgins wasn't buying it.
"Mr. Puckerman, you should know that the school has a zero tolerance policy for weapons. This means I have no choice but to immediately suspend you and set up an expulsion hearing with the School Board." Puck became as white as a sheet for a second before regaining his composure.
"Mr. Figgins. I don't know what those are that you're holding, but they're not mine. And you're not going to expel one of your star football players." he boasted and puffed up his chest, trying to be badass.
"Football season is nearly over, Mr. Puckerman, and besides, the football team sucks. If you were on the Cheerios, then maybe your loss would be felt. And as far as Glee, goes, I'm assuming since you did not mention that, that they don't really need you there." Mr. Figgins shot back, with a slight smile.
Fuck. Puck thought. "Mr. Figgins, they're really not mine. I don't know what else you want me to say."
"You don't have to say anything. Just follow me, we have some paperwork to do to finish your suspension. Then we have to call your mother." Mr. Figgins turned to walk away but ran smack into Rachel Berry.
"Oh, excuse me, Mr. Figgins!" Rachel almost yelped.
"Ms. Berry. Excuse me. Shouldn't you be in class?" he asked pointedly.
"Well, Mr. Figgins, I was on my way to my biology class, which is down this hall, when I could not help but overhear your conversation with Noah. I want to say that I was standing at my locker, right over there, the entire time before the bell rang and I had a clear view of the entire scene at hand." Rachel said matter-of-factly in one breath.
"Your point. Ms. Berry?" Figgins questioned impatiently.
"I know for a fact, that those….what are they….numchucks? Yes, those numchucks did not come from Noah. They fell out of Jacob Israel's bag. I saw them fall as a large hockey player pushed him to the ground and then bumped into Noah here. They're Jacob's numchucks, not Noah's." she informed him. Puck stared at her a little slackjawed, he tried to hide the fact that she was most obviously lying because if she really saw everything she would have seen him slushy Jacob and seen that the numchucks really did fall out of his bag, not Jewfro's. Puck wondered sincerely, why is she lying for you?
"Mr. Israels', eh? Ms. Berry, do you really expect me to believe that story?" Mr. Figgins questioned.
"Why else would I say it? There is no personal benefit for me in helping out Noah. As you said, he's completely replaceable in Glee," Rachel shot a look at Puck when she said that he was replaceable. "I'm just speaking up in the name of justice. But, by all means if you feel so strongly, do try to suspend him now. It's my word and his against yours. Just save everyone the headache and let Noah go. Your evidence is weak and our word will be enough to refute it." Puck wondered where Rachel got her sudden badassness. He was slightly turned on by her display and curious to see if Mr. Figgins was going to tolerate her obvious show of aggression.
Mr. Figgins looked fustrated. He had really wanted to suspend someone today. He sighed slightly and said "Fine. Mr. Puckerman, you are not suspended, for now, but since you both are tardy for your first period, I'm giving you 2 afternoons worth of detention. Now get to class." Mr. Figgins was out of sight before Rachel or Puck could protest. Mr. Figgins had wanted to say a week of detention but he new the maximum penalty he could impose was two days for being tardy to class, and he knew Rachel Berry would know that too.
"Well, way to go, Ms. Priss. Now we've got detention!" Puck griped ungratefully, trying to cover up the fact that she really just saved his ass.
"Excuse me, Noah. But as I recall I just saved you from being expelled! You most definitely owe me. Plus, I got detention from helping you. You practically owe me double!" Rachel almost yelled at Puck but kept her voice stern and authoritative.
"I never owe anyone anything, Berry." Puck said through gritted teeth.
"Well now you do." Rachel spat back, turned quickly and rushed away before he could utter another syllable. He really hated her dramatic exits.
Puck watched as she pranced down the hall away from him, particularly noticing the sway of her hips and the amazing way her legs looked in that miniskirt she was wearing. Fuck, he thought again. How can I be in debt to Rachel Fucking Berry?
Only four hours had passed since the incident that morning but all Puck could think about was that Rachel Berry thought he owed her something. That really pissed him off. And everyone could tell Puck was pissed because he was shaking his leg at the lunch table so hard everyone's seat near him jiggled.
"Hey, Puck. Dude, what's the matter with you?" Mike asked. "You're really on edge."
"Nothing." Puck muttered.
"Dude. You're such a liar. What the hell is wrong with you?" questioned Finn.
"Nothing, alright?" he spat back. But as he said that, Puck jumped up from the table. He saw Berry from across the cafeteria, toting her perfect pink lunch bag. The other football players took note of who he was eying, particularly Finn. Puck rushed over to Rachel before any of the guys could say anything, and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her out into the hallway.
"Ow!! Noah, let go of me!" Rachel yelled and tried to pry Puck's fingers from her arm. He wasn't holding her that tight, just enough to make it uncomfortable and to make sure Rachel couldn't wiggle out of his grip.
"Berry, we need to talk." Puck said sternly as he turned and faced her. He let her arm go and cornered her between the wall leading to the cafeteria and some lockers. "I don't like owing anyone anything. And I know you think I do because of whatever it is that you think you did for me this morning. I'd argue with you about it but I figure I'd save myself the trouble and just do you a favor and call it even."
Rachel smirked a bit but didn't respond.
"What, Berry? What are you smiling about?" he questioned.
"Nothing, Noah. I just find it humorous that it is so difficult for you to actually admit that you owe me. You'd rather just write it off as an excuse to not hear me talk to you and remind you that you owe me." She laughed.
"Whatever, Berry. Think what you will." He dismissed and then changed his tone, "But since I owe you, what kind of favor can I do for you?" Puck said rather suggestively and grabbed for the fabric at the top of Rachel's insanely short mini-skirt; he hoped to creep her out enough that she wouldn't want a favor. Rachel simply swatted his hand away.
"Noah. I don't know what you can do for me at the moment. And I certainly can guarantee you that sexual favors of any kind will not be required by me from you. I don't know if you remember our little talk on the bleachers, but I'm not really that interested in shacking up with you. Yeah, it was fun at the time, but you never really had my heart." She said forcefully.
"Well, babe, I hate to break it to ya, but I barely remember our time together," he lied, "but I have to say that I do recall you being all hot and bothered for someone else, and I know I wasn't thinking of you when we were together." Noah lied again, hoping it would hurt her feelings a little.
Rachel was unfazed by Puck's words and continued on, "I'm glad we were and are on the same page about things, Noah. Now, as to my favor. I have no idea how you can assist me now. But when the time presents itself, I will be asking." She said.
Puck thought to himself for a minute. When he saw Finn walking towards him and Rachel through the cafeteria, and he suddenly got an idea.
"Well, I've got a question for you, Berry. Are you and Finn doing it yet?" he said crudely.
Rachel crossed her arms defensively. "Finn broke up with Quinn only a month ago! I'm no rebound girl. We're just friends."
"But you want to be more, right?" He asked.
"Noah. You know the answer to that question. I don't feel much like spilling my guts to you in a hallway next to the cafeteria. And Finn will come around when he does, in his time." She said sweetly and sincerely.
"Well, I thought you just might want to speed up the process. Have loverboy confront his own feelings faster." Puck suggested.
"No. We all need to take our own time. Finn needs space right now. We're just friends" Rachel said sternly.
"Yeah, right. Prove it." Puck challenged and before Rachel new it, his lips were pressed to hers. They were hot and forceful and caught Rachel completely off guard. And as much as she liked how Puck kissed, she instinctively pushed away. But her fists on his chest did not seem to make him budge. He kept leaning into her farther and kissing her harder, his one hand entwined in her hair and his other pulling the small of her back up and forward.
Then suddenly Rachel found herself free of Noah's grip. Her eyes had been open the entire time Noah kissed her and so she had seen a large hand shove Noah's shoulder, sending him crashing into the lockers.
"What the hell are you doing, Puck?! Get off her." Finn yelled and turned four shades of red.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, loverboy! What's your problem?" Puck questioned, calmly.
"YOU'RE my problem, Puckerman!" Finn shouted and students started staring in their direction. "I saw you just spring on Rachel. Just stay away from her, Puck."
"Why should I, Finn? She's not yours! It's not like she's your girlfriend!" he retored and was going to say more when he was interrupted by Finn again.
"Like her being my girlfriend would stop anything, Puck." Finn hissed.
"Low blow, Finn." He said back in almost a hurt tone but he regained his attitude quickly and said, "Too bad I learned my lesson with Quinn. I figured I'd stay away from girls you're involved with seeing as that didn't really work out for either of us last time. And seeing how Rachel here, as far as I knew and as far as she seems to know, is just your friend, I figured she was fair game."
"Stay away from her, Puck." Finn ordered.
"No. I won't. She's not yours. Get off your high horse." Puck shot back, shoving Finn in the chest.
People passing by slowed down significantly to hear the exchange between Puck and Finn and Rachel was standing between then awkwardly thinking that this all really must be a dream. How could Finn and Puck be fighting over her? She laughed at the idea. There was no way that this was really happening to her. And when Puck shoved Finn, she had to duck out of the way of the fist Finn sent flying through the air, striking Puck in the mouth. People definitely gathered around now, not bothering to pretend to be on their way to class. Students openly gapped at Finn and Puck exchanging blows. Rachel yelled for them to stop fighting to no avail. Puck had Finn on the floor and was about to pound another fist into Finn's face when he felt someone small grab his arm. He realized quickly it was Rachel and she was yelling at him too. He thought it was funny how he hadn't heard her before.
"STOP IT, PUCK! STOP IT NOW!" Rachel screamed as she griped Puck's arm with all her might, which couldn't stop much. But Puck stopped and stood up. Finn laid on the ground for a moment, clutching his eye. Rachel quickly bent down to him.
"Finn? Finn? Are you okay? Let me see." She gently removed Finn's hand from his eye. There was a small cut on his eyebrow and his eye was already purpling right along his cheekbone. "Oh, Finn. We should get you to the nurse. You need some ice and some Neosporin." She pressed gently on his cheek and he winced slightly.
"Rachel. I'm sorry." Finn said sincerely. He was looking right into her eyes and brought a hand up to her face. "I'm an idiot. But I'm going to kill Puckerman."
"Hush. You're not an idiot, Finn. And you won't be killing anyone. Just let it go; I don't like Puck anyway. I don't know what he was thinking. Now let's get you to the nurse." Rachel ordered.
"Thanks Rachel." he said sincerely.
"What are friends for, Finn?" she beamed and leaned down and kiss his bruised cheek. As she pulled back, Finn's hand caught her face.
"You're more than a friend." Finn whispered so that only Rachel could hear. And ignoring everyone in the hall walking around them and ignoring half the football team and Cheerios who were staring at them, Finn wrapped his hand in Rachel's hair and pulled her face to his. He kissed her gently yet passionately, reminding Rachel of their first kiss, except he didn't run away awkwardly. And Rachel felt simply perfect.
Puck had not stayed around to watch the display that he was sure was to follow. He'd rather not see any mushy stuff, it just creeped him out, too much emotion. But he smirked to himself with deep satisfaction and rubbed his already bruising jaw.
And he thought to himself smugly, I'm a badass and I don't owe anyone nothing.