A/N: So I totally had a different start to this chapter but the new Marie Clare photoshoot featuring Lea inspired a new start. Chapter 8 is in the works, so there won't be such a long wait for the next installment. Thanks for reading!
Chapter Eight
They were up way too early for Puck's liking the next morning. After the late night out at Mr. Chow, he could have seriously enjoyed sleeping until early afternoon. But strangely he wasn't complaining about being up this early. The air was certainly tinged with excited as the group was on the way for Rachel's first-ever cover shoot for Glamour. The magazine was excited about popping her cover model cherry and bringing such a fresh face to the magazine when her big break movie was just about to be released.
Stopping for coffee on the way to the studio, Rachel could not stop talking. And Puck couldn't have been happier. Although he knew she hadn't forgotten about the stalker, it was good to see her back in better spirits.
Upon arriving, the magazine's on-set stylist whisked Rachel away upon her arrival with Kurt trailing behind like a watchdog.
Quinn set up a mini office to send e-mails while the three guys took seats on the various pieces of furniture to zone out. Puck didn't like this whole waiting around thing watching as all these people were perfecting the photo shoot's industrial looking set with the placement of wood crates, rope and pulleys on a black background. It was his first time in Los Angeles and he did want to see the city at some point
Kurt came out half an hour later looking like the cat that ate the fucking canary.
"What's with you?" Matt asked from his horizontal place on the velvet couch
"I didn't think that in a million years that I would these words would ever come out of my mouth but…Rachel looks hot."
Puck straightened up in the armchair a little bit at this piece of information.
"What did you convince them to put her in?" Quinn asked with a quirked eyebrow, knowing that Rachel's personal stylist had had a hand in the day's wardrobe if he had been given the littlest leeway.
"The trifecta…Dolce, Marchesa, Givency," Kurt replied with a glint in his eye.
Puck didn't have a chance to ask what the fuck they were talking about because Rachel appeared on the set and all verbal function went out the window. She was in this cream colored ruffled dress that fell to her knees and these black heels that made her calf muscles look fucking good.
The photographers sat her on a crate, pulled down the straps of the dress so they lay idly against her olive skin and had her bend one leg up on the crate. The hair stylist messed up the already loose curls that fell over her shoulders.
In Puck's mind, somebody knew what the fuck they were doing. Music started up and Rachel posed as the photographer shouted directions of her and snapped photos. He knew he was staring but he honestly couldn't be bothered to care. She was fucking hot and everyone in that room knew it, Hummel or not.
After she changed into what he considered to be an even sexier outfit (Puck knew hot pants got their name for a reason), he knew that he done for. Despite shining for the cameras and for audiences, he knew that girl behind the smile. And he liked her. Any feelings that he thought had been long gone had officially come to the surface.
He once again had a crush on Rachel Berry.
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"Damn, I make this look good," Matt said pulling on the lapels of his suit jacket, eyeing himself in the mirror. Mike was combing his hair back but he chuckled at his friend's conceitedness. The three boys were getting ready for the Los Angeles premiere as Kurt was undoubtedly torturing Rachel in the other bedroom so she would be picture perfect for cameras in an hour.
Puck kept quiet as he was trying to tie his tie with very little luck. First it was too long, then too short. He sighed aggravated as the stress of the evening finally felt real. There was knock on the door to the room that Mike and Puck were sharing, and the former shouted for the person to come in.
What torture Kurt had enacted on Rachel, clearly looked good on her. Rachel stepped into the room, ready to go to her first premiere as a movie star and for a second, Puck forgot how to breathe.
She honestly looked like a movie star. It was not badass to say it, but she was a vision in the gown that she had tried on at Elie Saab. She had looked great in the store but now, with the addition of towering heels and with her hair in waves pulled over one shoulder, she would own the red carpet that night. Puck literally had to tear his eyes away and focus on doing the tie once more.
"We good Puck?" Mike asked his friend, noting the apparent struggle that he was having with the tie.
"Argh," Puck growled pulling the knot loose again. Rachel motioned for the other to leave and approached him gently. He looked more stressed than she felt.
"Noah?" she asked softly and he looked at her. "Can I help?" she asked and letting the two ends of the tie fall, he surrendered to her. Her hands worked quickly knotting and tugging until the tie lay perfectly against his white shirt.
"You did a good job," he said admiring her handiwork.
"Two dads remember? They had me learn early," she said picking up his jacket and helping him into it. Smoothing her hands over the tops of his shoulders, she murmured that he cleaned up well.
"Thanks," he said, her perfume swirling around him.
It was weird, them being alone especially now that Puck had defined the feelings he had for Rachel. Rarely was she without Quinn or Kurt, them chattering on about something in her schedule or something about an outfit.
But on the other hand, it was…nice as they regarded the other as these grown up people in a situation that no one could have predicted once upon a time in the hallways of William McKinley.
Looking at her soft lips that had been painted the perfect shade of pink, he had the strongest urge to kiss her and before he could talk himself out of it, he moved in slowly. Sensing the desire, Rachel leaned in similarly towards him, eyes fluttering closed. They were inches apart before he got hold of himself and pulled away. She sighed softly and he immediately wondered what that meant. Did she honestly want to kiss him too? He cleared his throat before giving her one last boost of confidence before they left for the premiere.
"You're going to be great Berry," he said earnestly
"No Noah," she acquiesced, "You are. I trust you."
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Everything he had seen on E! about movie premieres (he lived with two women for 18 years it, it happened occasionally – so sue him) was blown out of the water once they stepped out of the limo. Thousands of people lined guard rails screaming for Chace and Zachary. He saw a few posters of Gossip Girl, which he was sure, was making Chace super happy.
Matt, Mike and he formed a loose half circle around Rachel and continually checked their surroundings. Quinn had her trusty Blackberry in hand and guided her through the press line. She took a majority of photos alone until they met Chace and Zachary in front of the theater. Along with Gary Oldham, who had reprised the role of Detective Jim Gordon the beautiful cast took a bunch of photos together before heading inside.
Pandemonium described inside the theater as well. Celebrities who were attending the premiere were left and right leaving Puck no time to be star struck. That is until Jon Hamm came over and told Rachel that he was looking forward to the movie as well as that they needed to work together on something soon and to which Rachel had replied 'sure' like it was not a big deal. Puck just stood and gaped because that was Don Draper and Mad Men was fucking awesome.
Eventually, they filed to their seats and Christopher Nolan made a short speech before the film started. From the minute that Berry appeared onscreen in the tight red silk mini dress as Beckett Warner, jazz club singer and Bruce Wayne's current love interest, the film had his rapt attention. When the camera focused on her eyes and mouth as she sang, he felt his pants get a little tight because she looked hot as fuck.
It wasn't the same old Batman movie where Bruce Wayne played everyone's White Knight, which was kind of awesome. So fucked up by the death of Rachel Dawes and the disappearance of The Joker, Wayne spends more time at The Blue Note, Gotham's sleezy but well alcohol fueled jazz club. Run by known mobsters, there was a lot of focus on Bruce's downward spiral, pissing away his money on alcohol and women. It's not until Beckett verbally kicks the shit out of him that he wakes up.
Fuck, Rachel was good. She showcased her acting and singing and Puck couldn't be prouder. That is until the love scene. Rachel's body rocked but there was something about someone else touching and kissing her that made him see red. Acting or not, that shit was not kosher and he wanted Chace's head on a platter. And shit was that side boob? No one should be seeing these intimate parts of Rachel. Quinn clearly noticed the way his body tensed and patted his hand sympathetically.
"Puck, it's just acting," she whispered, "Don't be an idiot and say something stupid or you might lose any head way that you've made with Rachel."
Normally, he could care less what Quinn had to say. But for now, she was right and it seemed like she was honestly trying to help the situation. By the time the end of the film as The Blue Note got shot up in gunfire and Beckett was taken hostage, Puck had relaxed and enjoyed the rest of the movie. As the lights came up and everyone gave a round of applause, Rachel looked expectantly at her guests.
"Diva B, that was phenomenal," Kurt gushed, "And who picked out that red number from the club? I swear to Gucci, that was absolute perfection"
Quinn, Mike and Matt gave similar review and Rachel waited for Puck to give his views. He held back on how he wanted to rip Chace's arms off. Instead, he went with a lighter note.
"Berry, that was awesome – I can't believe you cursed."
Rachel laughed and slapped his arm playfully.
The gesture said friend, but the way she had been with him in the hotel room screamed something different. They were dancing around each other and Puck had no idea what to do without the possibility of a terrible outcome.