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Puck insisted that Rachel follow-through on their deal and so on the following weekend, he picked her up in his truck to bring her to the tattoo artist who had done his tattoo. He was surprised when she arrived at her door in jeans and a tight blue t-shirt instead of her usual skirt and sweater combination. Not to say that the surprise wasn't pleasant. Rachel became increasingly nervous during their drive and was incredibly anxious by the time they arrived at the tattoo parlor.
"So what'll it be", the tattoo artist asked Rachel.
"Oh my goodness. I had forgotten to select an appropriate design. I know I want a star involved, but I'm not sure what el…"
"This is what she wants", Puck stated handing over a napkin to the tattoo artist.
Rachel was annoyed at his presumption until she looked at the napkin on which he had drawn a simple design of pink flowers in a vine around a gold star.
"Puck, this is perfect. It's exactly what I wanted."
"Great design, man. Come on with your girl to the back room."
Rachel was going to protest that she wasn't Puck's "girl", but after noticing that Puck didn't object, she decided to let it go.
With a devilishly innocent expression on his face, Puck said, "Rachel, I don't think the ankle is the best place to get your tattoo."
Rachel looked at Puck suspiciously until he said, "When you're a famous singer and actress, you probably won't want a tattoo that's in visible sight."
"That's true! I should probably get it in a place that won't often be seen. And I have to keep in mind that at some point, I might deem it necessary to be sparsely clothed for artistic purposes. So where would you suggest?"
Puck surveyed Rachel's body before standing behind her, a little closer than necessary, and then placed his palm on the small of her back and dragged it downwards and to the right.
"Right here", he said decidedly.
Rachel unconsciously shivered at the intimacy of his touch.
"Okay…", she said dreamily, before recovering to add, "Perhaps it would be better if you waited outside."
As Rachel got into position on the chair, Puck slowly walked towards the door saying, "3…2…1."
As he expected, Rachel caught sight of the instruments that the tattoo artist would be using.
"Wait, Noah! On second thought, perhaps you should stay", Rachel said while grasping his hand with fearful anticipation.
"Noah?"
"I'm sorry. I know you prefer being called Puck. I just like your first name."
"Berry, you can call me whatever you want", Puck stated in a distracted manner.
Rachel followed Puck's eyes to where she had exposed her upper right buttocks area for the tattoo artist. "Puck! Stop staring at my rear end."
"Firstly, it's really more on the lower hip area than the upper ass. Secondly, I'm loving the sexy black underwear."
"Well I figured if I was going to obtain a tattoo as an underage minor, I might as well look the part", Rachel whispered.
"I didn't hear that", the tattoo artist interrupted.
"Noah, stop looking at my butt!"
"Rachel, stop calling Noah."
They stayed in silence, though still holding hands, until the process had gotten fully underway.
"It hurts. It hurts", Rachel stated while squeezing her eyes tightly and squeezing Puck's hand even more tightly.
Puck squatted down to Rachel's eye level and said comfortingly, "I know it hurts, baby, but it's almost done. And, I've decided you can call me Noah."
Rachel smiled. She was amazed at how a simple gesture from Puck seemed to alleviate the physical pain she was experiencing.
After the tattoo artist was finished and Rachel had written down all of his instructions for care, she smiled at Puck as they were leaving the parlor.
"I'm glad I did this. Thanks, Puck."
"No problem, Berry. And now you'll think of this badass stud every time you see your tattoo."
"Well based on the location, I don't imagine many people, including myself, will be able to see it on a regular basis."
There was something that Puck liked about the fact that he was one of the rare few who would get the opportunity to see Rachel's tattoo. Not like he would be jealous of any other guys who got to see it, of course. It's just a matter of fairness; he was the one who designed it.
Opening the passenger door to his truck for her, he said, "Oh and Berry, I lied. It's definitely on your ass."
Rachel and Puck had both gotten text messages from Quinn and Finn respectively inviting them to join them for lunch at the diner. When they arrived together in Puck's truck, Quinn was curious.
"Were you two working on your project so early on a Saturday morning?"
"Oh no, we were, um, doing something else."
"Why don't you tell them, Berry?", Puck said teasingly.
"No! Um, I mean, it's private."
"Come on, Berry", Puck said while tickling her side.
"Noah! Stop, stop.", Rachel said while laughing.
Suddenly, Quinn leapt out of her seat and pulled Rachel out of the booth. "Rachel and I need to go to the bathroom immediately."
Rachel was confused but figured the baby was sitting on Quinn's bladder. However, when they got to the bathroom, Quinn just looked at her with a joyful glean in her eyes.
"Okay, spill."
"I don't understand what you mean."
"You and Puck! Finn and I just hoped that you could help him pull his grades up, but this is even better. When you think about, it makes complete sense…you balance each other out perfectly."
"Quinn, I don't know what you're talking about…"
"Are you honestly trying to tell me nothing is going on between you two? I have eyes, Rachel, and I saw the flirting happening out there."
"There was no flirting! Puck was just being annoying."
"You called him Noah."
"Oh, well he said I could call him that.
"Puck doesn't let anyone call him Noah."
"Nothing happened between me and Puck. Well, I mean, he did kiss me once, but that was just…"
"He kissed you! I am so excited. We can double-date all the time!"
"Why is that so exciting? How is it any different than what we're doing right now?"
"It just is. Eee I'm so happy right now!"
"Quinn, I swear to you, nothing is happening between me and Puck."
Quinn looked at Rachel with an expression of wisdom on her face. "Well then, maybe there should be."