Noah Puckerman did not like Blaine Anderson. Smarmy little prep school kid, probably never worked a day in his life. The little life ruiner just walked around Mckinley like he owned the place. Always mooning after Kurt, singing blatantly inappropriate love songs like he was frickin' Barry Manilow. And Kurt wasn't the only one falling for the 'I'm a dapper, sensitive artist with a tortured past and questionable song choosing abilities' shtick. Half the girls in the school would drop Puck in a heartbeat just to strum Blaine's guitar for him, gay or not. Not that Puck would ever admit that outside of internal monologue mode. And there was no way he was going to risk his life outside of juvie for the hobbit. So he merely sat in glee, glaring at Blaine from his place on Lauren Zizes' lap.

Blaine Anderson did not like Noah Puckerman. Mr. 'I'm a sexy, vaguely ethnic bad boy with a heart of gold and questionable hair styling abilities' was seriously getting on his nerves. Everything about him. The fact that he strutted around being all six foot tall and everything. The way he was constantly referring to Kurt as his 'boy' as if he was planning to move from his obvious bi-curious tendency to full out bi and wanted to stake out his territory in advance. His blatant lack of respect for women... and hair gel. Puck inspired hatred in Blaine like Kurt inspired the urge to sing blatantly inappropriate love songs. But there was no way Blaine was going to risk his place in Mckinley with Kurt by starting a fight with another student. So he merely sat in glee, glaring at Puckerman with his arms wrapped securely around the fashionable countertenor perched on his lap.

Mr. Schue was up in front of the room, announcing yet another duet competition. "Now this competition is going to be about overcoming some of the cliquishness I can see forming in our glee club. You guys need to start forming bonds with people who aren't in your immediate group of friends. There are a lot of voices in this group that could sound amazing if you paired them together. So, I have taken the liberty of choosing your duet partners this round. Mercedes, you're with Finn. Rachel's with Mike. Kurt and Santana, Artie and Quinn, Puck and Blaine - "

"I'm sorry, Mr. Schue. What was that?" Blaine interrupted.

"Hold up! You're saying I have to sing with him? No freaking way!" Puck said.

Mr. Schue looked up from his list, "That's exactly what I'm saying. You guys are both talented performers, but your obvious feud with each other is one of the things limiting this glee club from reaching its full potential."

"Mr. Schue, there is no feud between me and Puck," Blaine said.

"Yeah, and if there was, I'd kick the little hobbit into next week," Puck proclaimed.

"I'm sorry, but I actually think I could take you," Blaine retorted. Puck stood up, using his aggravating height against the other boy.

"Are you guys listening to yourselves?" Quinn asked.

"You sound like you're about to break out the wrestling mat any second now," Lauren said, "Which would be hot to watch, but... actually I think there's a wrestling mat in the storage closet outside."

"Puck, man, you've been griping about Blaine ever since he got here," Finn added.

Kurt chimed in, "And Blaine, don't think I haven't noticed the way you squeeze me every time Puck walks into a room. Speaking of which… you're kind of hurting me right now."

Blaine released him, "Sorry."

"Thanks."

"Okay," Puck said, "So maybe Frodo and I do have a feud going on. All the more reason for me to refuse to sing with the guy."

"I hate to say this, but I agree. Mr. Schue, I don't need to sing with Puck in order to be a productive member of New Directions…"

"Are you kidding?" Santana said, "The whole reason we're doing this stupid assignment is because you can't sing a song without staring into Kurt's eyes like you're searching for the fountain of height or something. It's really gross, actually."

"…Just because you can't admit your feelings doesn't mean you have to make fun of Blaine," Brittany said dully.

"Guys, guys!" Mr. Schue called, "I'm not going to fight you on this. Puck, Blaine, come to the front of the room."

Both boys obeyed. Puck swaggered to the front while Blaine opted to confidently stride there after gallantly giving his seat to Kurt.

"Believe me," Mr. Schue said, "I know what it's like to have to work with someone you don't get along with. But if you can't learn to sing together when it's just the two of you, you'll never learn to sing together in competition. So I want you guys to hug it out and promise you'll do your best in this competition."

"We promise," Blaine and Puck said, smiling with fake sincerity as they pulled each other into a stiff hug.

"I want to step on you so badly right now," Puck said quietly, so only the ridiculously short boy in his arms could hear him.

"It's on, Puckerman," Blaine whispered. "Oh, and by the way, the 'Puckzilla' thing? Overcompensating."

"Screw you."

"Was that an insult, or a request?"

The two boys parted and walked back to their respective seats. Kurt sat primly on Blaine's lap only to have his boyfriend squeeze the life out of him. Lauren was off looking for a wrestling mat, so Puck plopped himself down on her seat, still glaring at the curly haired boy across the room.

Game on.