Have I ever said thank you to people who have reviewed? Cause I keep meaning to but I think I forget, well thank you anyway. I also now have an idea as to where I'm going with this story, so woo! Rightio on we go... -Quick note, I'm 18 now whooo!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Glee.
"Ah Dave, I wondered when you would be back. The dinner you ordered was perfect, thank you. Um... Are feeling okay?"
Rachel frowned in concern at the hulking boy shuffling in with an unusually pale skin tone. "I... There was a guy- he Uh... "
"He what? David were you attacked? Verbally or otherwise? If that is the case then I must insist-"
"I got a date."
"Congratulations David!" Rachel grinned, proud that her friend was moving forward with his life.
Dave looked Rachel dead in the eye," I have a date... With a guy."
Rachel's brow furrowed and her voice was coloured with confusion, "Yes? I heard you the first time. Did you suffer a head injury on your return home?"
David stalked toward her, placed his hands on her delicate shoulders and whilst shaking her in panic, repeated in a high voice, "I'm going out with a dude!"
Rachel calmly raised her hands from their idle position at her sides and placed them gently on his arms. "David," She started, insuring that she kept her voice soothing in tone, "You have dated girls before, and so think of it this way..." She paused for dramatic effect and to also confirm that she did indeed have his full intention." The 'dude' is for want of a better phrase 'a chick with a dick'. Treat it as you usually would."
David blinked. "Did you just say dick?"
"No." She quickly replied.
"Yes! She did!" Puck popped his head around the kitchen door. When did he get here?
"Noah!" Rachel squeaked indignantly- there may have been a foot stomp, it was unclear- (to be honest Dave was still wondering when he had gotten into the Tardis and crashed into the parallel universe). "How many times have I told you? Eavesdropping is rude and we have a front door for a reason!"
"Yeah, whatever." Puck shrugged dismissively and stepped into the hall, where they all had apparently decided that they were going to continue this discussion. "Anyway... Way to go bro, get some!"
Puck offered him a fist and Dave shyly bumped it. "I concur with Noah, you are indeed going the right way- However I disagree on the whole 'get some' front. You are a young respectable man, you don't 'put out' on a first date! Remember, above the belt can be felt, going down? Then you frown."
Dave stared at her with a mixture of fondness and embarrassment, whilst Noah looked amused and horrified.
"Shark Bait?" Rachel looked to the mohawked youth in askance. "Never say that again, for the sake of all our sanities."
Rachel pouted. She made a rhyme... That ain't no crime... Okay too far, She sounded like an uncivilised hooligan to her own mind- the best actress takes the criticism and learns from it... Then moves on.
"So tell us about this young man who has won your affections?" Deliberately not replying to Noah's request.
Dave rolled his eyes as they moved to the den, for some seating. "Well..."
"Blaine Anderson... He's a member of the Warblers. Quite a nice voice I must say, I'm sure you two will make beautiful music together," Rachel smiled kindly while Dave turned the colour of a tomato.
"Dude! Think about what you just said," Puck snorted.
Rachel took a few moments to revisit her previous statement before slapping her thigh with indignation. "I did not mean to insinuate David and Blaine having good sexual compatibility!" Rachel paused, before turning to Dave who was trying to bore a hole in the wall, "That isn't to say that you won't have good er liaisons because you seem to have good rhythm and stamina from sports- I would deduce you will be very satisfactory in this field too- not to imply you and Blaine shall engage in coital activities but..." Rachel began to get flustered herself. "Damn you Puckerman!"
Puck just continued to laugh at the expense of the two awkward virgins. "Oh I love my life!"
"I feel as though we've lost focus. David has a date to prep for! Where shall you be venturing to?"
"I dunno, he said to contact him and then we'll y'know... See what happens." Dave shrugged, still somewhat unnerved by this turn of events. Don't get him wrong he did have feelings towards this guy- who seemed decent enough- but it still wigged him out, the thought of a relationship with another male.
He had the theory down. It was just like a girl only they had the same equipment... It was just the reality of being one out of the norm. The looks he would undoubtedly get, the whispers, the taunts... He had avoided facing his sexuality for so long because it was less about whom he was attracted to and ultimately about the impact it would have on his life in regards to his friends and Family situation.
David had not believed for a second that the students of McKinely would be open and welcoming for someone like him. He had seen the homophobic graffiti defacing Rachel's locker, relating to her dads, then the torment he put Kurt through... No-one had lifted a finger to help. Either of them. Kurt with his bullying or Dave with his repression.
He honestly couldn't be more grateful to the embarrassing, loud, eccentric yet caring, funny and warm little singer sitting across from him. It was down to her that he had the confidence within himself to accept the cute mechanic's offer.
Rachel displayed a vast amount of courage and dignity every day when dealing with the horrendous behaviour of her fellow pupils. Her bravery gave him strength; Dave believed it would be fair to say that Rachel was an idol of his. She wasn't afraid to be true to who she was, regardless of whether or not it adhered to the social norms.
He also had grown to recognise that even someone with as much resolve as Rachel needed someone to lean on and with help from Puck; he was determined to have her back.
In all honesty, he had always thought of Puck as a bit of a meathead- don't even go there- and he was very sexually focussed, but he was also a deeply caring guy. He was honoured to be shown this side of the footballer that so few knew of.
Today when Rachel was at Quinn's they had their first chat together, man-to-man, and it allowed Dave a glimpse into the kind of man Puck really was under the thick mask of the resident bad boy.
-/- Flashback -/-
Dave rocked on his heels, trying to think of how to break the silence. He was never sure whether or not it was an awkward silence or just a comfortable one.
"So..." Puck grunted and put the weight.
"Dude, you are crashing at my hot little jew's house- until the end of high school most likely-" Dave tried to protest, he didn't intend to use Rachel like that, if that's what Puck was thinking he would do then he would start looking for places tomorrow. "Bro, Rachel ain't gonna let you move out. The way I see it, you are good for her. For so long I let her tell me that she was fine, that she didn't need a friend in school, but the truth was I was just taking the easy way out." Puck ran a hand through his Mohawk as he sighed wearily.
Dave sat down beside him on the bench. Simply listening. "My dad was a jerk, he walked out my mom and us when I was seven. I always hated him for taking the easy way out then I just did exactly the same to Rachel, the one thing I swore I would never do." Puck looked at him, "I justified it because she told to me to go, when my mom had begged him to stay."
Dave gave a sad smile, unsure what to say, "Guess we all have daddy issues huh?"
Puck snorted, "Too right. We got each other's backs right?"
Dave smile brightened slightly, "Right bro."
-/- End Flashback -/-
It was at that point he finally understood the difference between Noah and Puck.
Puck was the role and Noah was the actor.
These two amazing people were his friends- no. They were his family.
Dave smiled at the pair that had begun to bicker vehemently at his reply. Puck was trying to tell Rachel that 'Dave should totally hop on it' whilst Rachel was arguing that he should 'play it cool. No pressure, no lecture." Dave shook his head absently in amusement. She must be in a weird rhyming mood today...
He wouldn't change this for anything...
"Hey, Rach? I'm just going out for a bit, do you need anything?" Dave called up the stairs; he shrugged on his letterman, then checked he'd remembered his shoes. (It was easy to forget when he was wearing the socks Rachel had bought him when he moved in, they were super thick but super comfy).
"No I'm okay at this precise moment. If I find out that I do though, I'll text you."
"Okay, see ya." Dave waved goodbye to the furry little fiends that were sitting on the bottom step of the stairs, watching him head for the door. "And yes, I'll see you two later as well." Dave couldn't help but smile as their tails began to wag simultaneously. He quickly shut the door behind him and hurried down the garden path.
Quinn drove up just as he was shutting the gate. Puck was sitting in the back seat with a pout on his face- which just looked ridiculous.
Dave shook his head and got in without a word, and Quinn drove off.
-/-
I'm annoyed at how short this is but I figured something was better than nothing, and Quinn's revenge plan shall be next mwahaha!
Reviews? : )