A/N: so this was a really rough concept that's been floating in my head for awhile. it didn't get the same editing as some of my others b/c technically i'm supposed to be studying for an exam.

SPOILER ALERT! the following contains some spoilers for the prom episode of Glee, but most of it is my own twist (so, spoilers include L's running for Queen, K's return, and the implosion of the Inns). i don't own glee, so if the episode doesn't have my plot line, don't blame me.

reviews always welcome

Puck lingered in the locker room, waiting for the others to leave, save one—his best friend. As unbadass as it was, he found himself shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other, nervous as he approached Finn.

"So man," he finally voiced as the taller boy slammed his locker shut. Puck leaned back against the rows of metal, running his hand across his 'hawk and trying to appear nonchalant. "You taking Quinn to Prom?"

Finn smiled his dopey smile. "Yeah. She's really excited about it too; it just feels right, you know? Like none of that other stuff ever happened, and it was meant to turn out like this."

Puck bobbed his head in agreement, letting his shoulders relax a little at the other boy's statement. "Yeah, cool." He paused, taking a deep breath. "So…you wouldn't care who takes Berry then, right?"

Puck felt the tension saturate the room as his friend suddenly stiffened, refusing to look at him as he miserably failed at attempting indifference. "No, of course not. Why?"

The muscular jock decided to just go for broke. "'Cause I was going to ask her."

Finn gave up all pretenses at disinterest and turned to stare at his friend. "Rachel? What happened to Lauren? You know, your girlfriend?"

Puck rolled his eyes. "We broke up the day after she started running for fuckin' Prom Queen—girl's bitch kicked into high gear." He didn't feel like reminding Finn that it was Lauren that had dumped him, and Rachel that had offered words of support (whereas Finn had apparently forgotten all about it before a week had passed).

Finn frowned, face contorted in what looked like pain as he thought. "Dude, Rachel's not some rebound chick you can just—" he tried again, but this time the mowhawked boy didn't even let him finish.

"You think I don't know that? I'm not just looking to get some. I actually think Berry's kind of cool, man, and if I have to go anyways—" technically, he didn't have to go, but he wasn't going to let people think he wasn't going because of Lauren "—I might as well go with someone hot that my ma likes and I can talk to." And he could—Berry was still crazy and talked way too much, but for some reason she had gotten sort of interesting and, obvious plus, didn't make him feel like a Lima loser.

Frankenteen let his hand drag across his face, groaning in obvious frustration. "Look Puck, I'll be honest with you—I'm not comfortable with you taking Rachel. She's still my friend, and anyways, you said you'd lay off. You promised, man."

Puck's eyebrows quirked up in disbelief. "Are you serious man?" His voice started rising in annoyance, but he didn't really notice. "I made that promise when you two were on the rocks and probably going to get back together. Now you're with Quinn and you still want me to stay away? That's not being a friend, Hudson, that's trying to have a finger in both pies, or something. You can't expect her to spend her life drooling over you while you have your golden time with Q."

"That's not what I'm saying," Finn shouted back at him. "I'm just trying to keep her safe—away from you."

The olive-toned boy's eyes widened. He felt like he'd been punched.

Finn's face fell guiltily. "That's not what I meant, Puck. I just meant you can sometimes be—" he reached a lanky arm toward the other's shoulder.

"Fuck you," he retorted, pulling his arm harshly out of reach. He looked up, hurt and anger mixed in his expression. "I came here to give you a head's up, let you have your say. Now I did, and I'm fuckin' done." He picked up his bag and turned toward the door. "See you at Prom."

Finn watched him leave, a bad feeling starting to knot in his stomach.

Finn walked through the hallways, alone for the first time in who knows how long. Quinn insisted on them being seen together as much as possible, to burn into everyone's brain the perfect image of Prom Royalty. He actually understood what Puck had been talking about with the whole competition bringing out the scary side of girls: Quinn had literally started coming over the night before to put together his outfits for school. It kind of made him feel like he was reliving picture day in grade school all week long, except Quinn wanted him to look cool, whereas his mom wanted him to look cute.

But that wasn't the point. The point was now standing in front of him, on her tiptoes as she reached to stack the last of her books in her locker.

He took a moment to appreciate her looks: she was wearing a navy skirt with ruffles and a yellow cardigan, her bangs pushed out of her eyes with a headband and her hair hanging straight down her back. He loved the way the artificial light bounced off of it; he had to check himself so he didn't run a hand through it like he used to.

She grinned up at him, and he realized that she'd already said hello and asked him why he was here. He didn't know how, but somehow he always managed to lose focus when she was talking. He always figured it was because she used so many words to begin with, and a lot of them were about things he didn't understand anyways; it probably made it hard for his brain to pick up on words he did understand.

"Yeah, hey Rache," he replied, grinning at her. He loved to smile at her, because he loved that it would cause her to smile just a little more. It made him feel special, like he'd been a star quarterback all of his life, instead of just this last season. Then he remembered he needed to focus.

"I need to talk to you about Prom," he told her in a serious tone.

"If this is regarding who I'm voting for as Prom Royalty Finn, I can assure you—"

He shook his head. "No; it's not about that. Has anyone asked you yet?"

Rachel's eyes widened in surprise, turning into those big chocolate orbs that he loved to stare into. "I thought you and Quinn—" she began.

Finn realized how it must have sounded, and shut his eyes tight in frustration. This was not going like he'd wanted. "No, I mean—we are. I was just wondering what you were doing."

Rachel's eyes dropped a little, but she kept her chin high. He loved that she managed to stay strong through everything. That she was unbreakable. "Well, not that it's any of your business, but I have numerous prospects lined up, and am simply taking my time to consider the best escort to such an important high school rite of passage—"

And now he was lost again. "Are you going with Puck?" he demanded, trying to simplify her answer into something he could understand.

Rachel blushed slightly, but held her ground. "I don't think it's any of your business whether or not I attend with Noah, Finn, as you are now intimately involved with Quinn."

"Don't go with him, Rachel," Finn found himself pleading. "He's just doing it to sleep with you, and after everything that he's done—"

"I resent that insinuation, Finn Hudson," Rachel interrupted. "Noah has grown quite a bit since last year, and especially in the last semester. He may still have quite a ways to go, but he's my friend, and I'd feel substandard as his if I didn't fully support his progression away from his man-whore ways. And furthermore, I'm proud to be attending on his arm." And with that she shut her locker and walked away.

Now Finn was really confused. She'd seemed like she still liked him, but then she was yelling at him for (rightfully) warning her against Puck. That knot in his stomach was getting bigger.