Jade: Mike & Rachel
Somewhere between leaving the Joffrey and taking a role as a dancer in the latest version of "Rent," Mike Chang had become best friends with Rachel Berry. This came with a certain set of responsibilities that he took very seriously, including but not limited to protecting her virtue against unseemly male suitors. He had been decent at keeping the womanizers at bay until now. He always just feigned jealousy and they seemed to disappear rather than deal with the jerk of a best friend. It was a pretty good plan too until Noah Puckerman decided that he wanted to pursue Puckleberry 2.0.
"Michael, you know that Noah has been perfectly lovely to me since he stopped throwing slushies at me sophomore year," she replied when he tried to remind her about his bullying back in high school. "He's grown up since then as have I. I really like him, and I want you to be happy for us. No pretending that you're in love with me or whatever it is that you do when you decide I'm not strong enough to endure a relationship with a man."
He smiled at her innocently. "I do no such thing," he lied. She rolled her eyes but nudged her shoulder against his nonetheless. The truth was that they were more like siblings than anything romantic. It wasn't that he hadn't considered it; Rachel was far too beautiful and talented for him not to think about it. However, all the love he had for her was purely platonic. "I just don't want to see you hurt, Rach. I know what he was like back in high school and I have a hard time believing he's changed."
"Why is it so hard to believe? Look at us! We barely talked back at McKinley, and now I can safely say that no one knows me better than you. Noah went through a lot during those last two years of high school and even more since then. There are things you don't know, Michael, probably things I don't know too," she admitted with a certain kind of sadness. "He's a good man, and he treats me better than anyone has ever, even Finn. I'm falling in love with him, and I see a future with him. Spend some time getting to know him again and you'll see that he's not the same guy who used to sleep with cougars when we were teenagers."
He had always been friends with Puck. Mike never judged him for the mistakes he made with Quinn or chose sides between him and Finn. He'd always had his back just like he had the other guys. The truth was that he knew that the formerly mohawked Puckerone was a good guy who had been dealt a rough hand. He just didn't want to see Rachel hurt. It had taken her a long time to get over Bordy and Finn.
"You're sure about him?"
She nodded resolutely before throwing her arms around his neck. "I'm sure, Michael," she answered confidently. "Just like I'm sure that you're the best best friend a girl could ask for. I'll let Noah know that he better behave or he'll have you to answer to, okay?"
"Deal," he grinned before squeezing her again.
Later, when Puck came to pick Rachel up from Mike's apartment, Mike didn't give his old friend a hard time or throw him the stink eye. He just clapped Puck on the shoulder and told them to have fun at the concert Rachel had been looking forward to for weeks. She smiled at Puck like he hung the moon and there was a lot to be said about that. There was also a lot to be said about the way Puck held Rachel's hand like she was the most precious thing on the earth. He really was lovely to her, and now that he knew Rachel was okay, Mike decided it was time to find a lovely girl of his own.