Merry Christmas (Eve)! I thought about writing something for Christmas but decided this would be better anyway. Not that's it's happening around Christmas time. In-story it's actually right before Thanksgiving, so…

Song in this chapter: "The Stranger" by Billy Joel. I was staring at a few other Billy Joel songs for a slightly different place in Puck's arc. Then this song came on in my car (because OF COURSE it's on the CD I burned myself) and I realized Puck had to sing it. So, yeah.

Leave a review and ask how the heck it's only Thanksgiving! Or just talk about Puck or something.

Puck: Dented

Puck didn't much care that he was drunk. Well, no, he cared, just that was the way he wanted it. Honestly, Puck was sick of sober. It hurt even without a hangover, and all anyone said anymore was that they understood and missed Kurt too. Or that it was time to move on and had been for a while. After the first seventy-two hours, it wasn't likely he'd come home anymore. Seventy-two hours passed almost a month ago. It had been a long time. And hell, it hadn't been any time at all. Kurt could still be alive out there. Puck was definitely drunk right here in the choir room.

The jock crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. Mr. Schue was talking about feelings again, but Puck had gotten pretty damn good at drowning him out. He rolled his eyes anyway because even if he hadn't caught the words, Puck got the tone and could have guessed the overall idea.

"Dude, what the hell is your problem?" Finn nudged Puck in the arm, but not enough to hurt or tip him over.

"Dunno, wasn't paying attention." Puck chewed at his bottom lip for a moment before he caught himself. Shit, he he'd broken that habit in fifth grade, or thought he had.

"That's just it, man." Finn stood up and towered over the seated teen. "You don't give a damn. The rest of us are struggling right in front of you, barely holding each other up, and you, you just sit there."

"Finn, I think it's best—" Schuester started, but Puck cut him off.

"No, let's go for it. You wanna cry on my shoulder like a fucking pussy, Finn? It's not bringing Kurt back. And maybe you've forgotten, but you could barely stand to be in the same room as the guy for fear he'd gay at you. You're probably better off with him gone. It's easier anyway."

"What the hell? That's not—"

"Admit it, Finn. The reason you're so Goddamned butt-hurt is that you were a little relieved for just a moment when you found out you'd never have to worry about Kurt's little crush on you again." Puck stood and shoved Finn back as he spoke. He was sick of putting up with everyone's shit.

"Back off, Puckerman." Sam actually tried to make his words threatening as he moved to stand beside Finn. When Puck made a move toward him, Sam didn't back down. He did try to talk Puck out of whatever the hell he expected his classmate of trying though. "I realize I barely knew Kurt, but he seemed like a nice guy. And these are your friends. You should support them even if you don't feel the same way."

"Really now? And has the nice-boy act gotten you laid yet?"

"Puck!" Quinn's voice was an octave or two too high to sound properly angry.

Mercedes took hold of the head cheerleader's hand and squeezed it lightly before turning on Puck. "Boy, you need to calm the hell down." When Puck only glared at her silently, she continued. "What, not gonna shout and push me around?"

"You and Asian chick were the only ones who actually liked Kurt." Puck shrugged.

"That's more than enough," Mr. Schue cut in. "Puck, everyone here was a friend to Kurt."

"I used to think you were too," Finn said to Puck.

"Finn, not now," Schuester continued. "Puck, I want to see you in my office, now. Now," he repeated when Puck didn't move.

Puck crossed his arms over his chest. As he walked toward the door, he asked, "Maybe we were friends to him once, but how many of us still are now?"

Not one that Puck could count. He'd argued and complained and tried to tell himself he was, but Puck gave up on Kurt as easily as the rest of them. Maybe more so.

Someone tackled him from behind even though Mr. Schue was right there. The string of curses from his attacker reached Puck in Finn's voice. It didn't surprise him.

A softer voice from his left did though. "Do you know what happens when you try to hide everything and cover it up?" Tina knelt down and leaned forward so Puck could see her face when she continued. "It blows up in your face. And you… are you drunk?"

"Hell yes. Why?" he had to grunt it out with Finn's weight still pressing him into the floor.

"Noah, you can't come to school drunk," Schuester sighed, and Puck imagined him rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"I didn't. I came to school sober and spent first period correcting that oversight."

Tina looked at him like he had a second head growing out of his mohawk. "You're an articulate drunk."

"An angry jerk-ass drunk too," Finn added as he eased off of Puck. "Always has been."

"So what, being drunk makes everything he's said magically all better?" Rachel's voice would be nicer if all she ever did with it was sing.

"Last time I saw Puck drunk, he told me something like eighty-seven reasons his mom deserved to be bludgeoned with a soup pot. When he got tired of that, he moved on to me, and his sister, and Rachel, and Santana, and Quinn, and himself. I'm pretty sure he was angry about his dad or something at the time."

"And that's, what, an insult your friends free card?" Sam frowned.

Quinn didn't bother kneeling as Tina had. "There was a time when I thought I knew you, Puck. But it's like some stranger came along and replaced you when I wasn't looking."

She looked ready to turn away, but Puck stood first. A stranger. That was more perfect than the queen bitch knew. When Puck went to retrieve his guitar, no one stopped him. He hadn't taken a solo in glee club since Kurt was kidnapped. The way everyone had been at him to sing fucking anything, they'd probably just stand by until he finished. He shortened the introduction and launched into singing with more force than he'd done anything in a while.

Well, we all have a face
That we hide away forever
And we take them out and show ourselves
When everyone has gone
Some are satin some are steel
Some are silk and some are leather
They're the faces of the stranger
But we love to try them on

Sure enough, no one tried to stop him. Schuester actually looked a little relieved. Quinn looked taken aback. She moved to sit down again, and Puck turned to make sure she knew he meant the song for her more than anyone else. Though she turned her eyes away, Puck knew she could hear him.

Well, we all fall in love
But we disregard the danger
Though we share so many secrets
There are some we never tell
Why were you so surprised
That you never saw the stranger
Did you ever let your lover see
The stranger in yourself?

Don't be afraid to try again
Everyone goes south
Every now and then
You've done it, why can't someone else?
You should know by now
You've been there yourself

The last time Puck pulled out a Billy Joel tune, everyone joined in and had a little fun with him. This time they sat and stared like they didn't know who he was anymore. Well, that was the fucking point here, wasn't it? They thought everyone had to be the same, had to grieve the same, or they were lying or crazy. Well, Puck would deal with whatever the hell life wanted to throw at him in his own way. And maybe he'd come out dented, but at least he'd admit to it.

You may never understand
How the stranger is inspired
But he isn't always evil
And he is not always wrong
Though you drown in good intentions
You will never quench the fire
You'll give in to your desire
When the stranger comes along

When he finished, Puck grabbed his bag and left them there. He didn't need them any more than they needed him. Puck didn't know how he'd get home, but whatever. Fuck, though, maybe he shouldn't have had so much to drink after all.

~.x.~

I'm not sure I made a strong enough connection here to make anyone think about it, but Tina is thinking about how faking her stutter pushed people away from her and eventually blew up in her face when she finally met someone (Artie) who she didn't want to push away and admitted the truth to him. Have Tina and Puck ever interacted on the show? I can't remember right now…

Please review for me! All I want from you for Christmas is a review, so please? Tell me about Tina because I'm not sure she's even been mentioned in the story before, though she's totally there anytime the whole glee club is around. Or tell me how sick you are of hearing about Puck's lack of sobriety! :)

I found out last night that I have a gap in my outline. Puck needs one less chapter than Kurt does to reach the point I need them both at when they're in the same place again (finally; I bet you were doubting they ever would be, weren't you?). But it's not 'till chapter 18 (the gap, not the meeting), so maybe I'll figure it out before I even get to that point.