Oops forgot to say I have no ownership of these characters or Glee in general. All rights remain with the creators and studio. Humble apologies for any infringements.

2

"So what? No party?" There were a couple of balloons in the corner, Puck looked at Rachel inquisitively.

"No, I always found that party's were just an excuse to eat too much and are way too materialistic, and somewhat narcissistic." Rachel let her hair fall forward, he'd seen her do that many times, particularly when she was sad about something.

"You had a party no one came to?"

Rachel sighed and nodded, he always knew. He was like that person who always would know what you were thinking or considering. Maybe he was psychic, or maybe he just understood. "I was five."

"No parties since you were five?" Puck looked incredulous, and then thought about it a bit more. She'd been a loser since grade school. Good thing she was so driven and wanted it all so much. But he didn't think that would make it fine to not have a birthday party. Birthday parties rocked. But she was eyeing the rest of the cake and he wanted it so he distracted her with talk of school. "EPGY." Puck mumbled around another stolen forkful of cake. He'd never taken much notice but Rachel's neck had a really graceful arch, it might remind some people of swans, but basically it reminded Puck of necking on her bed. Her bed was nice.

"What?" Rachel was having a little trouble with coherent thought, Puck was looking at her like he really wanted to touch her but was trying his best not to. Why exactly she had no idea, he'd never not tried to get into her pants. Even the double negative in her thoughts did little to stem the train of rather naughty thoughts steaming through Rachel's brain. Older woman indeed.

In fact Puck was trying his best not to indulge the wants. Okay make that pressing needs (but really that just made him think about it more) of his hormones. He was planning. Planning was important, planning made sure you didn't look like a total douche every day of your life. Planning made sure that you lasted… wait…think of puppies… planning was an integral part of his basic make up. Planning made Puck happen and awesomeness like the Puckster didn't just happen by a chance alignment of the universe; it required the magic of thoughtful and strategic planning.

Secure in the knowledge that he wasn't about to drag Rachel across the breakfast bar and do her on the kitchen floor. At least, not in the next five minutes Puck explained himself.

"I went to, or really go to, school online. So while you're putting up with the stench of 35 of McKinley High's saddest losers in one small room I'm at home in my underwear getting a proper education." He left out the bit about school for the gifted and shrugged at Rachel's open-mouthed surprise, "I only ever went to McKinley for sport and now Glee."

"I can't believe you don't do it naked" Rachel blinked a couple of times as the words slipped from her mind and out her mouth like there was some oiled-up slippery slide in there. Puck choked on another mouthful of cake and Rachel had to pound his back to ease the coughing. "I meant school. Online school."

"Sometimes I have to video conference; it wouldn't do for all those young minds to be hampered by envy every time they saw me. Anyway I came to ask you a favor," he stood and stretched, the movement making Rachel suddenly aware of the fact that her hand was lingering, feeling, assessing…. the breadth of Noah's back "You know I have a little sister right?"

Rachel took a step backwards, earning herself an amused gleam from Noah, before answering; "Yes of course. Rebecca right?"

"Yeah," Noah seemed somewhat chuffed at Rachel's memory, "Well it seems this totally awesome big brother knows 'nothing at all about music and dancing' and totally sucks at helping her to get ready to audition for the school musical. And if anyone knows about auditioning for musicals it's you."

"You need my help?"

"Yeah." He always hated to admit that he needed help, and had thought that asking Rachel could be a big mistake. He'd owe her; he didn't like to owe anyone. By the sparkle in her eye Rachel was excited by the challenge.

"Do you have a schedule? When are the auditions? Do you know who her main competition is? Can she hold a tune? What's the musical? What…?"

"Rach, take a second and chill," he really had to laugh, her eyes were still sparkling and her hands were waving around, and he found that cute, and he didn't want this to get right out of hand because she was going to deflate when he told her: "Its High School Musical."

"Really?" She heaved a large sigh as he nodded, "far beyond me to step all over the dreams of the next pre-teen superstar, if she has any of your talent, I'm at least passingly familiar with the genre." Actually she harbored a secret fetish for all things HSM, Zac Efron was the perfect pop-crooner. But she'd die before letting Puck know that.

"Great, how about tomorrow, uh, make that later today? Around 10?" Puck suggested with a look at the clock. He had a lot to do before then. Including finding some way to not indulge in a taste of sleepy midnight Rachel.

"It will have to be here, Sunny requires quite a lot of supervision for her age." Rachel sighed. Puck let that one slide; she probably had some story about winning her first dance competition or spelling bee at her sister's age.

"Here's great, Becca's been nagging me to bring her over, she's your biggest fan."

"I won't let her know you told me that then." Rachel smiled and looked towards the front door. Her dads would not be cool with Puck (or the softer Noah) being here when they weren't. Or maybe they would. Right now she wasn't prepared. Winter leg stubble was no joke. Puck seemed to get the hint and picked up his guitar and headed for the door.

He stopped and turned suddenly and Rachel had no time to stop and found herself pressed up against the firmly muscled chest she'd been ogling for the past half hour. Were high school boys meant to be this sexy? Was she supposed to step back, and let her hand fall from where she could feel a small sliver of cold? "You really do have a nipple ring?" the question was out before she could stop it, darn slippery slide in the brain.

"I've told you before how rock-and-roll I am sweets. I forgot my cookies." I forgot how to make my legs work, he thought to himself absently as Rachel's palm warmed his piercing up rather nicely.

"Oh, uh… I'll get a container for you, they'll be easier to carry that way" Rachel said but didn't move. She could feel his heartbeat steady and strong under her hand. She wanted to rest her ear against his chest and listen to it all night. I took her a moment and the rumble of Puck's chuckle to realize that she'd actually done it.

"Don't worry about them, I'll pick them up in the morning." He said with a smile at the top of her head, her hair was a little messy, like as if he'd been running his fingers through it while they…okay if he didn't get his legs to work soon things would happen sooner than he planned. He liked his plan, his plan was awesome, it was like a guitar solo that you never wanted to end, it was… a plan that didn't involve taking Rachel in the foyer of her house. Right.

"Night Rachel Berry, sweet dreams" Noah gently but firmly pushed Rachel away from his chest. The benefits to this were he could now kiss her.

He was definitely going to kiss her, it had been more than a year since the last time he'd tried, and that had been fooling around. Rachel held her breath as Noah leaned down, his eyes riveted on her mouth, her eyelids drifted closed and she could feel his warm breath moments before his hand caressed the same spot on her cheek.

And then it happened. He kissed her, soft as a butterfly, barely touching before stepping back. Rachel's eyes opened slowly and it was all he could do to not pull her back in and give her the make-out session that that look deserved. But he didn't, it wasn't part of the plan. Saying 'Happy birthday Rachel' was and "I'm not sure but I think I saw a grey hair." Was a perfect closing line.

He was out the door and down the path before Rachel could even speak.

Once a Puck always a Puck She thought as she checked herself out in the hall mirror, trying to tell herself that she wasn't looking for grey hairs. But sometimes he let her have a little Noah on the side. The side that gave butterfly kisses at midnight. So far this was the best Birthday ever.

****

[thanks heaps for the reviews – inspires me to write!]