Hii, I am so sorry for uploading that late.. but you know, life gets in the way sometimes ;)
Disclaimer: Glee's not mine ;(
A big thanks to 'DanceOfTheWhiteMoon' for helping me with the chapter, go check out her stuff, it's awesome ! Anyway, enjoy ! ;)
-X-
Nothing worth having comes easy.
-Booker T. Washington
-X-
They don't talk to each other for almost a whole week after the whole Pizza Bonding Session (he affectionately calls it PBS), and he thinks that sucks because Rachel is awesome and she reminds him of summer, she even smells fruity and fresh, and he's… thinking about her again!
Damn it!
He hasn't seen her at their apartment for five days so he thinks she might have a boyfriend, which is annoying because every time he thinks about Rachel having a boyfriend, he feels his teeth clench, his fists ball, and he just wants to punch something.
The last time he thought about that he punched the wall, and that had hurt. A lot.
And as if fate was mocking him, a short skirt-wearing Rachel was home that night, a miracle, and thought he was a masochist. She had asked him if he had hurt himself again, and then kindly suggested a shrink. He had just laughed and told her it was nothing but an accident; when she went out of the room, he started groaning because it hurt so badly.
…And he wasn't talking about his hand.
-x-
He was cooking breakfast one morning when she entered the kitchen wearing nothing but a nightgown. When he turned around and saw her standing there, looking so sinful with her long legs exposed, he dropped the plate of pancakes on the floor and hurt his foot.
He hissed out in pain.
"Oh my, what happened?"
"I-I-I just- I get clumsy sometimes."
"Finn, what is your problem? Do you think pain feels good? Are you punishing yourself?" She asks worried while coming towards him and helping him clean up the mess he made.
Their eyes lock for a minute and he can't help but get lost in those amazing brown eyes.
He snaps out of it though, when she starts talking again.
"Finn, are you… okay?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Because this seems to happen all the time. From the time that we first met, you've cut your finger, punched a wall, and now you drop a plate of pancakes on your foot… Now, let me check on your hurt appendage."
He just stands there, completely lost (he doesn't know what appendage is; is it a fruit? I don't have any fruits right now, though). He didn't know what to say. So he just stands there, and looks at her.
He finally manages to get some words out, "I'm just naturally a little clumsy, Rach."
Rach? When did that happen?
"Show me your foot Hudson, you are not going to get out of this that easy."
"Oh, okay. What about that fruit you wanted though?"
Rachel just stares at him for a moment before shaking her head and showing a small smile at his cuteness.
He walks to the closest chair, and sits, Rachel following him like the cute, little, sex goddess he knows she is. She sits down next to him, and he can smell her fruity perfume again.
"Let me see."
He lays his foot in her lap, and ignores the butterflies he getting from having his appendage against her thighs.
Somehow I don't think that sounded right…
"Well Finn, it looks like it's going to be leaving a nasty bruise. I'll get some ointment and an ice pack. Again," she sighs and shakes her head, "Just wait over here, all right? Don't move."
She walks of, and he wonders if they are going to have another PBS night again, where they'll laugh at the most silly things, like: 'Hey, look a fly.' And then they'll laugh some more until it hurts.
Stupid imagination… a fly isn't funny. A house lizard is though, so maybe we'll laugh at that.
She comes back and lays the bag of ice on his foot, and it's cold.
He screams like a girl when she presses the cold pack against his foot, and there it is again. That amazing sound, better known as Rachel Berry's laugh. He can't help himself from laughing too, even though she is technically laughing at him.
She takes care of him, every time. And he just doesn't know how to thank her, so he comes up with the lamest, most cliché idea ever.
"Do you want to like, um, grab some food?"
"Are you asking me out Finn Hudson?" She asks him playfully.
Finn so badly wants to say yes, but he chickens out at the last minute. "No, I just want to thank you for being my nurse I guess."
She laughs at the term, and nods. Finn gets slightly disappointed that she doesn't look disappointed that it isn't going to be a date.
"Yes, I would love to grab some food." She is mocking him, and he doesn't like it one bit, so he decides to just grab her and start tickling. He ignores the pain that shoots through his foot because the pain is so worth it when his hands are able to be on her sexy, petite body.
"Finn!" she shrieks, and Finn can't help himself when his mind goes to the gutter. He can't help himself. He's a guy.
"Stop it, stop-p-p i-t-it!"
She wriggles, and giggles, and she tries to run from him, but he is stronger, and faster. So he gets her back in no time at all. He throws her over his shoulder and walks toward the couch, while she protests between giggles.
"Finn H-Hudson, if you do not stop this instant, I am going to make you eat Brussels sprouts every day for a week!"
Finn stops and looks over his shoulder at her with a pout, "But those are gross!" he whines.
"You started it, now let me go!"
He lets go of her with a pitiful look.
"Do I have to eat vegetables now?" he asks meekly.
Rachel inwardly squeals at the adorableness of it all, "Yes, but only the ones you like. They're good for you Finn. How are you going grow into be a big dinosaur if you don't eat your vegetables?"
"You're never going to let that go right?"
Rachel laughs. "No way, it's way too cute," she smiles up at the giant.
"You t-think I am cute?" He mocked her, recalling the reaction she had the first time he called her hot.
She scowls. "Do you want to go down, Hudson? I bet you can't stand tickling…" she advanced him with a predatory glint in her eyes.
"Stay away from me!"
Rachel giggled, and stalked towards him.
"Oh, Finny~! All I wanna do is give you a big hug!"
Finn ran as fast as he could to put some distance between them, with Rachel right behind him. Who cared that they looked like six-year olds?
Right now, they were having an amazing time.
-x-
"Finn! Where are you?" Rachel calls out as she walks into the apartment with grocery bags hanging off her arm.
"In my room!" comes a muffled reply from the deeper part of the house.
She sets her stuff down in the kitchen before heading towards him. "Hi, I wanted to ask you if you could help me with dinner?" She asks as she opened the door.
"You know, normal people would knock before entering."
She smiles, "Of course Finn, because you always knock before entering isn't that right?"
"Touché."
"Now, could you help me…?"
"Yup, okay, I'll be there in a sec."
"Thanks."
She closes the door and walks over to the kitchen to start dinner. He daydreams for a few moments before standing up and stretching. He closes his laptop and puts it on his desk, stumbling clumsily over the carpet on his way over to the door.
"Get off me, you pervert!" Rachel yells from the kitchen.
"Rachel? Are you okay?" Finn asks worried, he's almost at the kitchen. He walks a little faster.
"Come on Berry, you know you want this. No one can resist the Puckzilla!"
"Well, I know for a fact that I can Noah."
Finn freezes when he walks into the kitchen.
"Yo, dude let Rachel go!" Finn yells at his best friend, but who cares? Best friend or not, nobody touches Rachel. Just the sight of a male grabbing her around the wrists is starting to make his blood boil.
"Huddy! What's up? You mind going away for a sec? I am kind of busy with my fellow hot Jew."
Rachel faces Finn with a look of desperation. "Finn! Don't leave me here!" she turns back around and resumes struggling. Let go of me Noah!"
"Just admit it Berry, you want this." Puck says in his usual cocky way.
Rachel glares at him. "No I don't! Finn! Help please!" Rachel shrieks.
Finn had been standing there at a lost at what to do. His mind usually takes a few moments to process things, and when he finally gets that Rachel is being held against her will, he springs into action.
"I am warning you Puck, let Rachel go this instant, or you are going to regret being born," he growls.
"Chill, I just wanna have some fun. Isn't that like a song? Guys just wanna have fun, that's what they really waaaant, some fuuuun!"
Rachel cringes. "Your breath smells like alcohol Noah, and I'll have you know that that song is girls just wanna have fun. Not guys."
Finn was getting increasingly irritated with Puck's hands on Rachel. He glared, "Now, why don't you just let go of Rachel and park your car against a tree?"
"Fuck you dude!" Puck yelled, "Why all bitch-mode?"
"You know you shouldn't threat girls like that, asshole! Now, let go of Rach, and I'll be gentle." He started loosening up his right arm. " I'm warning you."
"No! I am g-going to have a little party with her! Have you seen those legs? Damn, she's like sex-on-a-stick."
"That's it!" Finn growls, and walks over to Puck and punches him straight in the face. He stumbled backwards and let Rachel go in the process.
"What the fuck dude!"
"Finn, violence is never the answer!"
"I warned him, he should have let you go!"
"Why are you so defensive? I mean, I was just joking!"
"You are drunk and playing mister man-whore again, and I don't know about you, but I still remember where you got Quinn with that!" Finn yells, venom in his voice.
Rachel had reached out to placate him, "Finn, calm down. The neighbors are going to hear you."
"I don't care! This son-of-a-bitch has to learn that he can't take everything just because he wants to!"
"Dude, Quinn wanted me and we were both drunk, so let it go!" Puck's hand hovered over his bleeding nose.
Finn looks as if he is ready to punch him again, but Rachel walks in front of Puck and stands there with her arms crossed.
"Rachel, get out of the way!"
"No, you cannot hit him," She said calmly, looking him straight in the eye.
"Why are you defending him?"
"Because he's our friend, no matter how much of a jackass he is, and you're going to regret this afterwards. Trust me."
"Y-you know Berry, I-I think it is best if I go," Puck says in a nervous manner.
"No Noah; you and Finn are going to talk about this in a mature way."
Puck rolls his eyes, "I have a previous engagement, Berry."
"Oh… okay," Rachel looks lost for a moment before her determined look reveals itself again. "But don't think this is over! You guys are going to talk to each other whether you want or not."
Puck rolls his eyes again and heads out the door. "Whatever, Berry. See ya later alligator."
She made sure the door was locked before turning towards Finn.
"Now, what is your problem?"
"Nothing," he growls, then walks out towards the living room and sits down on the couch.
"Finn!"
"What?"
"Talk to me."
"Why?"
"Because I-I thought w-we were friends," she replies hesitantly, doubt visible in her eyes.
"Rachel, I didn't mean it like that. We are friends. I just don't feel like talking about my fucked up past."
He really likes Rachel; like really, really likes her, but that doesn't mean she has to be confronted with his ex-girlfriend and her twisted games. He would spare her, because even though he really wants to be with her, he'd rather be without hurt.
"Finn, if you don't tell me what that was about, I'll strangle you with my own bare hands, and then feed you to the lions!" she screeched.
He manages to crack a smile; this girl really was a drama-queen.
"Please Finn," she whispers with those large brown eyes staring at him, complete with a pleading whimper at the end.
And just like that, his will crumbles to dust.
Damn, this girl knows how to make me melt into a puddle doesn't she?
"What do you want to know?" He mumbles.
Rachel smiles in victory before a curious look appears on her face. "Just… why were you all defensive with Noah?"
Finn sighs, "A few years back, when I still shared an apartment with Puck, my girlfriend Quinn moved in with us. I was still taking classes back then, and Quinn was home all the time, trying to find a job. Puck was home before me, after his shifts at that crappy restaurant he works at, when it first started. They had a fucking affair behind my back, for nearly two fucking years, Rachel!" Finn finishes in a broken voice, tears evident in his eyes. He was unsuccessfully trying desperately to swallow them.
Rachel's heart ached for him. She settles down next to him on the couch and wraps her arms around one of his, resting her head on his upper arm. "Finn, if you don't mind me asking, how did you find out?" Rachel asks carefully.
Finn swallows heavily, "She got pregnant along the way, trying to pass it off as mine. I had done everything for her, I was going along with all those stupid mood-swings, the cravings. I even asked her to marry me because of the baby. She just played me. When Quinn was about seven months along, Puck told me that the baby wasn't even mine. And she just tried to lie about it! I didn't know what to do, I didn't know who to believe, and then Puck, my fucking best friend, told me about their freaking affair, and that I-I…'
Finn trails off. He wanted to stay strong in front of Rachel, but he just couldn't. The whole incident broke his heart.
She rubs his back comfortingly and whispers that it would all be okay. But how could this be okay, something that had changed him forever? Something that just showed how much life could suck? That the people closest to you were able to betray the trust you had in them?
After a few minutes spent on Rachel soothing Finn, she continued. "I hadn't noticed anything between you and Noah before this though."
"That's because I try to be civil. That's the right word, right? Civil?"
She nodded, letting out a little giggle.
There's only so much cuteness I can take before I glomp him!
Rachel clears her throat.
"Then… how come he told you to move in with me?"
"Well, it sucked at our apartment. I ignored him; I ignored Quinn. I wanted to move out and I think he thought he could make it up to me when he helped me, though I must admit. I am pretty grateful he got me here. I met you because of it," he smiles a half-smile that made her hart flutter, and she smiles back, thanking him for the compliment.
"You deserve better Finn, and honestly, I don't like this Quinn girl. What happened to her?"
"She must be very close to her due-date I guess, she should give birth in June or something." He adds with a shrug.
"Finny, it's June," she smiles. He just looks at her, confirming that he knew, but doesn't really want to talk about it.
"Thanks Rach, for listening and not calling me a pussy when I kinda almost cried."
"That's what friends are for right?"
"Right," he pulls her closer and gives her a big hug.
"Finn!" She yelps in surprise, "What is up with all the male attention I'm getting today?"
He laughs, and looks at her, and her beauty.
"You're just hot babe," he whispers in her ear.
She shivers, and tries to compose herself, "there you go again, getting all cocky. I like cute Finn better."
"Sorry baby, can't do that."
"And why not?"
"You've seen enough of him already."
She pulls out of his embrace, punches him in the arm, and tells him that they should finish dinner, because his hero-act interrupted them before. He nods, and walks to the kitchen with her, to help.
She calls him chivalrous and he has no freaking idea what it means, but says thank you anyway.
He thinks he might want to be her boyfriend one day.
Hopefully soon.
Rachel starts swinging her hips to the song playing on the radio, and all Finn wants to do is wrap his arms around her waist and hold her close as they sway to the beat.
Preferably by next week.
And then she turns around and winks at him.
…Or right now.
-x-
"You know you can review if you want to"
"I want to"
;)