After his fall-out with Finn over Quinn and the baby, Puck felt...different. Lonely wasn't really a word he liked to use to describe the hollow emptiness that he felt, but that word really described it best. Finn wanted nothing to do with him; Quinn seemed to blame him for her ruined relationship with Finn; everywhere he went, there were whispers and giggling behind his back.

What he really needed was a distraction, he decided. So, Puck did what Puck knew best. He sweet-talked his way into a pretty girl's bed, rocked her world, and left before she wok up the next morning. Except, that didn't fill him up the way it used to, so he tried it again and again until after innumerable tries, he realized he needed something else. Or someone else.

It wasn't like he hadn't noticed during Glee club. He'd seen the sideways glances, the appraising eyes during musical numbers, the change of chair choice, the unabashed eye contact as they passed in the halls. Puck also hadn't failed to notice how all that noticing was making him feel. There was just one problem: the pre-disclosed, VERY obvious crush on Finn that Puck's newest crush had. Also, there was the fact that Puck wasn't gay. Was he?

After going back and forth all day during Glee club and a large part of the night as he stared up at the ceiling, contemplating what he wanted out of his life, he'd made a decision. Ignoring the butterflies in his stomach, unusual for him, he walked up to Mercedes' locker where she was switching textbooks fro her next class. "Mercedes." He hoped his voice wouldn't betray his usually cool demeanor as he leaned against the lockers, head against his fist.

The look Mercedes gave him was decidedly unimpressed as she allowed her gaze to sweep over him once before locking his eyes in her fierce ones. "What do you want, Puckerman?" she asked, taking off down the hall.

Puck turned swiftly to keep up with her. "I just need to ask you a few questions." He lowered his voice. "About Kurt."

Mercedes stopped in her tracks, turning swiftly to look at him, confused. "About Kurt?" She made no effort to keep her voice down. "What do YOU need to know about Kurt?" Her hands settled on her hips. Uh oh. Not a good sign.

"Can you keep your voice down? Please?" he asked her, ushering her into the quiet alcove of an abandoned classroom. "I need to know what he likes, how to surprise him."

"What are you trying to do, Puckerman?" Her voice dripped with venom. "You tryin' to pull some kind of nasty joke? So help me, I will-"

"No," he cut her off, glancing worriedly at the open door. He took a step toward her, voice barely above a whisper. "No. It's not like that. I want—I like Kurt. I want...I want to ask him out."

"You what?" Maybe talking to Mercedes was a bad idea; she could not keep her voice down. "You want to ask Kurt out? That's a funny one, Puckerman." She turned to leave.

Puck grabbed her arm, his eyes boring into her's as he gave her his best wounded puppy look. He needed her to know this wasn't a game; this was for real.

Mercedes was beginning to feel a tiny bit bad as she jerked her arm from Puck's grasp. "Look. I don't know what to do with that. I didn't peg you as swinging that way, but even if you do, I don't think Kut would ever go for it. Not after the way you treated him at the beginning of the year." She shot him a glare. "Besides that, he's got a bad boy crush on Finn."

"I know. I've thought of all that. I know he will probably laugh in my face or spit on me for asking after the way I've treated him. I'd deserve that. But I have to try. I really want to be with him. And I know he's got a crush on Finn, but that can't go anywhere. I know for a fact Finn's straight, plus I heard a rumor somewhere that Kurt and Finn's parents are dating anyway. I've thought about all of that, Mercedes, but I've got to try. I like him."

Mercedes felt her heart melt, just a little. This was a side of Puck she'd never seen before, a realm far outside of his usual bad boy persona. Maybe he really had changed. Maybe this fight with Finn and the baby thing with Quinn had turned his character around, made him realize a few things about himself, even. New things. Whatever it was, she was feeling badly for him, so she relented. "He likes flowers, surprises, and being romantic. That boy basically lives and breathes musicals. If they've done it on screen or on stage, that's the romantic gesture he'd like."

Mercedes could see the relief wash over Puck, his shoulders visibly relaxing. He turned one of his trademark grins on her, flashing his teeth. Quickly, he pulled her into a side hug, releasing her almost as suddenly, causing her to stumble a bit. "Thanks," he mumbled out, turning to the doorway. A hand on his shoulder made him look back for just a moment.

"You ever touch him wrong or break his heart, Puckerman," Mercedes growled, her voice low, "I'll find you. You'll regret it."

"I promise I won't hurt him. I swear. Thanks again." Puck tried to move out into the hallway again. Armed with a jumping point, he wanted to spend the next hour of geometry class dreaming up the perfect way to ask Kurt out. Mercedes still had her hand on his shoulder, though, so he turned back, looking questioningly at her.

Mercedes had been watching him, hadn't missed the tide of emotions flit across his face as he gazed into space for just a moment, betraying his thoughts to the world. "I"ll root for you, Puckerman," was all she said as she took her hand off of his shoulder.

Puck grinned, genuinely happy. Giving her a thumbs up, he headed to class. For once, geometry wasn't going to suck.