I don't want the world to see me.
And I don't want the world to see me because I don't think that they'd understand. Well everything's meant to be broken, I just want you to know who I am.
The first time he saw her they were seven and she was screaming at their third grade teacher. He watched her from afar and smirked at how different from other girls she was.
The first time she saw him, it was two weeks later when he was walking alone, kicking at stones on the path after his 'dad' had done a runner.
One conversation of how he should "cheer the hell up and buy me a slushy, Puckerman" lead to them being best friends.
They went through everything, from then on, together. They argued a hell of a lot more than what should have been normal and went days without speaking. Spent endless nights getting drunk and laughing at one another. Loosing their virginities to each other was just another messed up element to their friendship.
They were so different; yet so alike.
10 years after the beginning of it all, Puck was at home, watching his sister one night while his mum was pulling a double shift.
"I think I'm gay", Santana said as she let herself into the Puckerman household and slid in next to him on the sofa.
"K", he commented, "Hey you want a beer?"
He strolled to the fridge, picked up two cold beers, passed one to Santana, slipped an arm round her and turned up the volume up on his movie.
"Puckerman, I just told you I like girls and you don't freak?"
"You're my best friend, San, as long as you're happy, I couldn't give a damn," he shrugged and glanced back at the TV.
"Oh. Okay," she said, a little stunned.
Silence filled the air for a few minutes until Puck spoke up again.
"So, when you gonna tell Britt you're in love with her?" he inquired casually, smirking at her reaction.
"Pardon?"
"I said, when are you-"
"I know what you said, I just meant-"
"How I knew?"
"Yeah," she sighed.
Breathing in deeply, he began, "When Brittany is around you're different; more caring, gentler. I know you'd do anything for her. Only Britt can make you do something you don't really want to; only Britt makes you smile the way you do when your eyes sparkle. It obvious, San. And," he leant into her in a teasing fashion, "I know all about your 'sweet lady kisses'", he smirked as she rolled his eyes and slapped his arm.
"I'm scared though…" she whispered softly, tears forming in her big, brown eyes.
Puck looked down at his best friend of ten years, feeling a pang in his heart at her pain.
"I know, babe, I know you are. But, hey, guess what? Fuck 'em. All of them who'll whisper and stare. You're better than them. You're braver than you think. I believe in you, and you know what? You'll be a hell of a lot happier than you are now; pretending to be someone you aren't!"
Santana snuggled into Puck, her head coming to lay on his chest, "You think?"
"I know so, babe", he said comfortingly, wiping away her tears and dropping a gentle kiss to her temple, "And anyway, anyone gives you shit, you know I'll be there to kick their ass!" He chuckled, smugly.
Silence fell until Santana looked up, brown meeting hazel.
"Hey, Puck? Thank you. You'll always be my best friend."
"Well of course! No one else puts up with your bullshit, do they?"
"I'm trying to be sentimental here!"
"Painful, Lopez?"
"I hate you."
"Sure you do…"
