Disclaimer: see chapter 1.
The car was eerily silent on the first half of the ride back to Lima. Then, Noah turned on the radio. Music. That was the ultimate connection between the two. It also reminded Rachel of Noah's affiliation with music.
"Oh, Noah. I forgot to congratulate you on a beautiful arrangement on the night of Finn's party. I loved the two songs you chose. You had a lovely base beat to maintain the switch between the songs as well as to keep them both true to their original time." Rachel fully turned to examine Noah's reaction. He nodded in agreement with her assessment but made no move to speak. He seemed lost in his own thoughts.
After a few minutes, he suddenly said, "It was all for you."
Rachel's heart leaped. He truly thought those wonderful things about her? She almost couldn't believe it. She saw out of the corner of her eye a perfect Puckerman smirk.
"What?" she demanded.
"You're blushin," his smirk grew.
Rachel moved her hands up to cover her rogue cheeks. Laughing a little at herself, she decided to change the subject. "So what exactly does part two entail?"
Noah rolled his eyes. "You don't gotta know everything, princess," he chuckled.
Once Joan Jenett's "I Love Rock N' Roll" came on the stereo, both glee members could not help but participate in the classic song. Puck laughed after finishing the final note. "I love it when you let your hair down, ya know? You don't have to be prissy Miss Berry all the time."
He was smiling as he said it, but something within Rachel snapped. "Excuse me?! What do you mean? Just because I enjoy using my intelligence does not indicate an inability to have fun!"
"Wow, slow down, babe. I didn't mean it like that. It's super hot sometimes thinkin about you in your short skirts using your teacher voice on me, but I love you just the way you are." Puck's grip tightened on the steering wheel.
Rachel's entire being froze. "You love me?"
Puck laughed brokenly. "Duh, Rach. It's hard not to."
At those lightly spoken words, a different switch flipped within the teen. Her heart warmed while her lower half started pulsing. The combined thought of his admiring her.. wardrobe while being in love with her on top of it all caused every molecule to be lit on fire.
Puck's pulse was out of control. Rachel was sitting in her seat looking at her lap without having said a word for ten minutes. Her breathing and pulse were normal, yet something was wrong. Puck knew he slightly insulted her, but he kinda made up for it right? No harm done. But now, she was just blinking, silent. And it scared him. And the veela.
"Rach, you ok?"
His words seemed to shake her from her stupor. Her cheeks were still blushed, but Puck couldn't tell if that was from before or not.
"Not to worry, Noah. I am exceedingly fine." Her voice had returned to normal. She sounded fine, but Puck still felt trepidation. "Have you said where we are headed yet?"
"Nope." His smug grin returned.
"And will you?" she teased. It only spurned his grin to grow.
"Nope." She laughed. A musical laugh that lightened the entire inside of the truck.
Puck never felt better for making her laugh. He drove into the parking lot of Breadstix, the ultimate dating scene of all Lima.
Rachel tilted her head curiously at him. "Breadtix? Really? That's the big surprise?"
Puck laughed maniacally. "Nope."
Rachel's shocked face made Puck's night.
"Stay here. Just picking up a few things," he smirked before closing his door.
He walked out a few minutes later with two large to-go bags of food. Putting them on the ground next to his seat, he turned to his date, mate.
"Now, we go to part two."
Rachel sighed slightly at this mysterious excursion. Singing, Breadstix, and now the school?! What was Noah thinking?
He chuckled slightly at the evidence of her exasperation.
"Come on, baby, we're almost there. Final part to our Mate Date," he chuckled even louder at his name for their date. Reaching out a hand, he pulled her to the outside gate. Each carried one of the bags of take-out.
Rachel had the strongest urge to roll his eyes at how silly and adorable he was being. He helped her through a hole preciously unseen. Rachel raised an eyebrow at his criminal behaviour.
For his part, Noah just shrugged. "Heard about this missing piece of the fence. Thought it might come in useful for Senior pranks or somethin."
He led Rachel to the fire escape, lifting her to the first level. He grabbed onto the drainpipe and pulled himself up after handing her the bags.
Pointing to the night sky, he said, "Going up."
Confused, she merely followed his instructions and climbed the shaky stairwell. Finally, they reached the roof. She looked around the area. About ten battery-powered candles and two camping lamps lit up the space covered by a picnic sheet. She gasped in surprise at the odd but romantic atmosphere.
Noah set the bags of food down and took out his phone. Gentle classical music filled her soul. She gracefully sat down on the sheet. Looking up at Noah, Rachel couldn't help but admire the shadows dancing across his chiseled jaw and tanned skin. She swallowed as the pounding of her body intensified.
He set out the food. "I remembered you are vegan, for your voice, so I made sure to only order that kind of stuff," he commented, giving her a prepared plate of salad, bread, and pasta.
"Oh, Noah," Rachel replied instinctively. As they dug in and ate, Rachel realized something was still bugging her. "Noah, I so appreciate this. I really do. But, I've been thinking. It seems like lately, you become more... sweet in terms of romance, and yet more violent as your veela takes over. Why is that?"
"Rach, it's hard to explain," he started, running a hand through his mohawk. "Its like all along I've really been me and the veela. Like Puck was always the veela waiting to come out, and Noah was me, hiding behind it. Now, I don't have to worry anymore. It's clearer now which is which, I guess."
Understanding and compassion shone through Rachel's eyes. It had always been like that.
"Well, is this the final part, then?" Rachel chose to return to their teasing playfulness in the car.
Noah nodded with a smile. "Yup. Except for one more thing. You," he pointed at her, "have to sing one more song. The song you are going to sing for NYADA."
Rachel burst into a hug grin. NYADA. She had been debating between two songs for a while now, and this was a good chance for feedback.
"But, why here, and now?" she had to ask him.
Noah smirked, pointing up to the clearly sparkling stars. "Cuz you're with your kind up here. And cuz they'll help you to remember that no matter what happens at your audition, or with us," he winced slightly, "that I want you to do one single thing. The one thing you are best at." Rachel sucked in a breath. "Shine." His smirk reflected only his sincerity and happiness.
Rachel's eyes widened with joy and something. Something powerful towards him. Something she wasn't ready to admit.
She nodded affirmatively, understanding the severity of what he just said. That even if she doesn't accept him, she should continue forward in life.
She stood up. And she sang. She sang her heart out. "Nobody is gunna rain on my parade!" she ended throwing her arms out to the side as she did when she first performed this song.
Taking in gulping breaths, she turned to her date. He sat with one leg bent and the other stretched out in front. His expression was what stunned her. He looked at her as if she had just offered to do something vulgar for him and if she offered to do his homework for a year. Lust, and awe. And, if she was honest with herself (which at that moment she most certainly was not being) love. He was looking at her with love.
"Wow, Rach. Just, wow."
They finished their food talking and laughing throughout the night. Puck was on cloud nine. Not only did she face off against his veela, and come out unhurt (he hoped), she sang for him. Seeing the joy on his mate's face of the stars and the song blasted Puck into heaven.
He wasn't entirely sure if it could get better. He was wrong.
He pulled into her driveway. He pulse boomed in his ears. Should he try to kiss her? Would the veela take over? Would she be offended if he didn't? Would Finn?
That last question forced him to act. He had gotten out to open her door and help her down. "Rach," he started, nearly breathless by the smile she directed at him. He swallowed. "Rach, I... you gotta let me know if I can kiss you. I mean, I've got control, but if I kiss you and I lose it, then don't be offended if I have to pull away, cuz I don't want the veela coming out because," Puck thanked Yahweh that she stopped his nervous rambling by pressing a tiny manicured finger to his lips.
"I understand, Noah. How about this? I've read that a direct order form your mate is nearly impossible to disobey. I order you not to move. Understand?" Rachel's voice was a sultry whisper that nearly made Puck come undone. He nodded vigorously.
Then, Rachel did the most torturous thing ever. She kissed him.
A/N: Sorry for all of you who are better at keeping track of time within fics than I am. I hope this isn't completely off. I just wanted him to totally support her, so she can't have auditioned for NYADA yet. How are you guys liking this? I'm working on the next chapter right now, so might take me awhile (a few days). Especially if I have to include Finn's date...