"Baby," Puck said calling up the stairs, Rachel tented to spend the majority of her time up there.
"Yes?" Rachel squeaked, rushing down the stairs in a tiny pair of shorts and a baggy, off the shoulder sweater. Puck raised his eyebrow at her outfit and smirked, appreciating the view. The shopping trip had gone extremely successful, he'd manages to get Rachel to pick and entire wardrobe load of clothes along with some hair accessories, nail varnish and girl things.
"Uh, it's um Zia's birthday party tonight and I was wondering weather you wanted to go or not?" Puck asked.
"I'm sorry Noah but I don't think your family would appreciate that," Rachel said, he eyes cast down.
"Why?"
"Since we came back from Israel Zia hasn't stopped by once and I'm assuming your mother is on the same wave length, I don't blame them though, who'd want their son living with someone like me?" Rachel said quietly.
"You're crazy sometimes," Puck shook his head, Rachel bit her bottom lip and looked away shyly, "Rachel, they'll love you, I talked to Z on the phone and she asked how you were doing. She does like you, she's just giving you some space before coming by. Shit Baby and my Ma will love you."
"I-I spose I could come, as long as long it's okay and you tell me...me how to behave," Rachel whispered.
"Come here," Puck said, frowning in worry Rachel stepped down the last step and into Puck's space, looking up at him curiously. He placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Just be yourself."
PPPP
They were in the kitchen, Puck reading a newspaper and Rachel was attempting to cook, since she'd never learnt. She was in the middle of frying the eggs and she slipped on the floor, taking the eggs and the frying pan with her. The eggs landed behind her but the hot oil was splashed onto her arms, Rachel burst into tears, shaking and blubbering.
"Sorry Sir, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make a mess! Please Sir, I'm sorry!" She sobbed out. Puck quickly moved to her, scooping her up into his arms and shoving her arms into the sink, under the cool spray of the water.
"Are you okay Princess? Is it just your arms that hurt?" Puck asked, still holding Rachel close to his body. Rachel nodded her head, then snapped her eyes to Puck, her tear stained face turned up to his.
"Y-Your not mad?" Rachel sniffled out.
"Of course not Rach," Puck soothed her, running his hand softly down her hair, "I'll never be mad at you."
Puck turned the tap off and hugging her tightly but softly to his chest. One of his arms fell around her hips and his other hand splayed across her shoulders. Rachel's face nestled into the crook of Puck's neck, her arms winding tightly around him. She started sobbing harder, so hard she was hiccupping into his chest.
"Please stop crying," Puck pleaded.
"S-sorry, I haven't...b-been hugged in-in a very l-long time," Rachel sobbed out.
"Any time Rachel," Puck turned her face up to his, "I mean it, any time you need a hug you let me know."
"O-okay," Rachel whispered, letting a little smile grace her lips. Puck smirked and gave her one last squeeze.
"There's some cream on the dresser in my room, go put that on your arms and I'll get this cleaned up," Puck said.
"Are you sure you don't want me to clean up?" Rachel frowned.
"Just take care of yourself Princess," Puck smiled, smoothing the crease from between her eyebrows with his thumb. Rachel giggled and scampered off upstairs.
PPPPP
That night Puck was in bed, in just boxers like usual, he heard a gentle tap on his door, he looked up to see Rachel in her tiny red shorts and an oversized t-shirt that was tucked into the front of her shorts. She was blushed and biting her lip nervously.
"You okay Princess?" He asked.
"I-I...could I-I was wondering, could I get..would you mind if-"
"Rach, spit it out!" Puck chuckled.
"Could I maybe-sleep in here...tonight and...I want to...if you don't mind..."
"Rach?" Puck raised one eyebrow.
"Could we cuddle Noah?" She whispered.
Puck smiled, lifting his duvet cover and patted the bed, "Course."
Rachel smiled and scamped into the bed, pulling the covers up and around her. Puck let out a gentle chuckle and took her into his arms. Smoothing one hand over her hip while the other wound tightly around her waist.
Rachel snuggled into his chest, winding her arm around his torso and her head landed on his shoulder. She sighed, breathing in his sent.
"Good Night Noah," She whispered out.
"Night Princess," Puck said playing with the ends of her hair.
PPPPPPPPPPP
When Rachel woke up she felt a state of safety and are that she'd never felt before. She turned around in Puck's arms to face him and watched him snore softly, his eyelash's stark against his strong cheekbone and his lips parted slightly. He was handsome.
"You're gunna sing today Princess," He murmured out sleepily. Rachel frowned.
"I thought you were asleep," Rachel whispered.
"Nah, been awake for a bit, just comfy," He told her, snuggling her into him closer and opening his eyes.
"I'm singing today?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah, we're going to an open mic night at the bar my friend Sam owns," Puck explained.
"I-I can't sing in front of people! What if I'm no good?" Rachel worried her lip between her teeth.
"You're gunna be amazing, I've heard you sing in the shower, you're great," Puck stated.
"Y-you heard me?" Rachel blushed. Puck nodded and gave her a gentle squeeze.
PPPP
"Do you want a drink?" Puck asked as they entered the bar, it was a nice place, open and warm, friendly.
Rachel nodded hesitantly, "An orange juice would be lovely thank you."
Puck nodded and signalled the bar tender. A blonde man who was handsome, but had large lips.
"Hey man, what can I get ya?" the man asked.
"I'll have J and coke and Rach will have an orange juice please dude," Puck smiled.
"Rach?" The blonde man crooked his eyebrow.
"Yeah, this is Rachel, Rach, this is my friend Sam," Puck nodded. Rachel smiled politely.
"You two together?" Sam asked, a look of awe on his face.
"We live together," Puck said jutting his chin out, neither confirming or denying the accusation.
"Oh, ooh!" Sam said smiling, "On the house." He gestured to the drinks he was filling.
"You ready to sing?" Puck asked lowly in her ear, placing a hand on the small of her back.
Rachel bit her lip, "I-I think so," she smiled.
Puck smiled, nuzzling into her neck, sending shivers down Rachel's spine.
"Hey Sam, is the mic open yet?" Puck asked.
"Yeah man, you singing?" Sam glanced round the crowded bar.
"Yeah, but my girls guns kick things off," Puck grinned, Rachel blushed.
"Awesome," Sam smiled, sliding their drinks to them.
PPPP
Rachel took a deep breath looking down at her shoes and let her voice carry the emotion she needed to let out as she began.
There's a fire starting in my heart
Reaching a fever pitch and it's bringing me out the dark
Finally I can see you crystal clear
Go 'head and sell me out and I'll lay your ship bare
See how I leave with every piece of you
Don't underestimate the things that I will do
There's a fire starting in my heart
Reaching a fever pitch
And its bringing me out the dark
The scars of your love remind me of us
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all
The scars of your love they leave me breathless
I can't help feeling
We could have had it all
Rolling in the deep
You had my heart inside of your hand
And you played it
To the beat
Baby I have no story to be told
But I've heard one on you
And I'm gonna make your head burn
Think of me in the depths of your despair
Making a home down there
'Cause mine sure won't be shared
The scars of your love remind me of us
They
keep me thinking that we almost had it all
The scars of your love they leave me breathless
I can't help feeling
We could've had it all
Rolling in the deep
You had my heart inside of your hand
And you played it
To the beat
Could've had it all
Rolling in the deep
You had my heart inside your hand
But you played it
With a beating
Throw your soul through every open door
Count your blessings to find what you look for
Turned my sorrow into treasured gold
You
payme back in kind and reap just what you sow
We could've had it all
We could've had it all
It all, it all, it all,
We could've had it all
Rolling in the deep
You had my heart inside of your hand
And you played it
To the beat
Could've had it all
Rolling in the deep
You had my heart inside your hand
But you played it, you played it,
You played it, you played it
To the beat
Her eyes connected with Pucks for the majority of the song, he watched her sing, listened to how pure he voice was. After the last note slipped through her lips the silent room erupted in cheers. Rachel's smiled, letting her teeth show as the crowd started cheering for an encore.
"Amazing voice," Sam said in awe.
"Yeah," Puck smiled.
PPP
They sang need you now and a couple of crowd pleasers before they took a break, sitting at the bar, close.
"Noah, it was amazing," Rachel beamed.
"You were amazing," Puck smiled.
"Hey Rachel, do you want a job?" Sam asked, jogging over to her from the other end of the bar.
"Sorry?" Rachel asked, shrinking back a bit.
"Well I'm looking for someone to sing here, most nights and I think you're the girl," Sam smiled.
"Well I…um…Noah," Rachel shrank back even more, clutching Puck's arm as a life line.
"Can she think about it?" Puck asked.
"Sure," Sam shrugged.
"Thanks man," Puck smirked, wrapping his arm around Rachel's waist.
PPP
"Rach?" Puck called from his bed that night. Rachel entered his room, lingering in his door way. Puck slowly looked over her outfit, a small tank top and three quarter length, pink jogging bottoms, "You not sleeping in here tonight?"
"I-I wasn't sure you'd want me to," Rachel said quietly.
Puck let out a chuckle, "I want cuddles."
Rachel smiled and got into the bed, snuggling up to him.
"Thank you for tonight Noah," Rachel grinned.
"You're a star Princess," Puck said, nuzzling his nose into her neck, making Rachel giggle.
"You have a fantastic voice," Rachel said, rubbing her thumb over the back of his neck.
"You have fantastic legs," Puck whispered, pulling one of her legs over his hips.
Rachel let out another giggle and squirmed a little.
"You should take that job, Sam'll pay you good," Puck said rubbing the tip of his finger un and down her spine.
"Do you think I can do it?" Rachel asked, running her soft little hand round to the side of his neck to bring his eyes up to hers.
"Of course you can, you'll be brilliant," Puck smiled, softly, "Princess if it's too much you can always quit and I'll be there for you every step of the way."
"I don't quit," Rachel whispered.
Puck searched her eyes for an explanation.
"When I want something I never quit. And I want to sing," Rachel said, gripping the hair at the back of Puck's neck.
"You really are amazing," Puck smiled, nuzzling her nose with his, "Can I have a kiss Rachel?" Puck asked, looking at her lips then back to her eyes.
"O-Of course, i-its your right to…to," Rachel was cut off when Puck shushed her.
"I didn't mean it like that Rach," He sighed, getting up out of bed.
"Where are you going?" Rachel asked in a small voice, her eyes following him across the room.
"I-I just need a minute, I'm gunna go sleep in the spare room," Puck waved a hand over his shoulder, exiting the room.
Rachel let the tears slip down her cheeks, she curled into a ball, letting out tiny sobs.
Puck sighed running his hand over his face as he looked in the mirror.
"Stop it Puck. Stop falling for her," he shook his head, "You need to focus on making her better. She may act normal a lot of the time now but she's still broken. She still thinks she's only good for one thing."
He slashed some water on his face and dried it on a towel. On the way to the guest room he heard Rachel sobbing gently. He tip-toed into the room, sliding under the covers and wrapping his arms around her petite body, rocking her back and forth.
"I'm sorry," He whispered.
"I-I don-n't und-erstand," Rachel hiccupped.
"It's okay, just pretend I didn't say anything Princess," Puck whispered, stroking her hair softly.
"I-I can't!" Rachel spluttered out, "Y-You're angry with me…b-but I don't understand."
"I'm not mad at you. It just…I got caught up okay? You thought that you had to kiss me because I bought you or…or you think I wanted to kiss you because that what I bought you for or? Arg I don't know."
"I-I,"
"Look, I asked for a kiss because I want to kiss you. Not because of anything else okay?" Puck asked, pushing her damp hair out of her eyes.
"W-Why?" Rachel hiccupped.
"B-because I like you Rachel, I'm sorry okay, I'd never push you. Can we just go to sleep?" Puck asked.
Rachel blinked her big beautiful eyes up at him.
"You'd never push me?" Rachel asked.
"You never have to do anything you don't want to do okay?" Puck asked.
Rachel smiled and whispered, "Thank you."
"Let's go to bed Princess."