Disclaimer: Glee is owned by Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan, Brad Falchuk, 20th Century Fox Television and any production companies associated with said persons. This is written purely for entertainment and to alleviate my own immense boredom.

Prompt: If being FAITHFUL is that much of a challenge why bother being in a relationship. - PuckRachel Drabble Meme on LJ (by: ofsoapsuds)

"So, uhhh, you won't tell her right?"

Finn's question pulled Puck out of the tunnel of rage he had entered the moment the taller boy barrelled into his room and started rambling nervously. He had simply sat on his bed listening with no outward response; but, internally growing angrier with every passing justification that passed Finn's lips. It was that last question that finally received a reaction - laughter. Full blown, darkly toned, laughter.

"What's so funny?" Finn asked, looking pathetically confused and leaving Puck wondering how to even classify the boy's place in his life anymore. He was fairly certain they hadn't really been friends since long before baby-gate, no matter what they might tell others. You couldn't actually be best friends with a person and simultaneously both resent them and honestly believe they aren't that good of a person. Stupidity can only be excused so many times.

"What's so funny? Are you actually asking me that right now?"

"Well, yeah," Finn replied, his tone implying that Puck might be the stupid one, which only succeeded in bringing back that initial rage.

"Let's see, what's funny? You barge into my room with no warning whatsoever. You spend ten minutes trying to explain and justify how you've been cheating on Rachel all summer with Quinn but you've suddenly realized that now that school's started again it might be difficult to hide it. And then you ask me not to tell Rachel. So, yea...I'm amused," he replied, his last sentence coming out with such disdain that Finn actually took a step backwards.

"Since when do I need to tell you I'm coming over?"

"That's what you focus on? Holy shit. What the fuck is legitimately wrong with you?"

"I thought you'd understand!" Finn snapped back. "Being faithful is like complicated or hard or something. I figured of all people you'd get that. You always cheat on girls."

That urge to punch Finn right in the face, a feeling he had grown used to pushing away over the last two years, was back in spades.

"I have never cheated on a girl I was with in my life."

"Quinn!"

"The bitch cheated on you," Puck hissed, not even feeling a twinge of remorse over calling her a name; he had lost any sympathy he had for her a long time ago. Ironically, not for giving up Beth, but for reverting straight back to type as if she hadn't been through the situation to begin with. "But when I'm actually with someone? I'm with them. The girls I hook up with? They know the score and if I think they can't or won't accept it, then I don't even bother with them. I know I'm an asshole, but there are some things you just do not do. When I'm over a girl, I break up with them, I don't cheat. Why do you think I broke up with Lauren this summer?"

"You cheated on Santana with Quinn," Finn shot back, looking far too smug for Puck's liking.

"Santana can whine and moan about how she "broke up" with me after the fact; but considering she was fucking like three other guys and Brittany at the same time I'm fairly certain that shit doesn't count."

"Whatever," Finn grumbled and glared right back at Puck. "Just don't tell Rachel."

"Fuck that," Puck replied. "I'm sick and tired of protecting you. If I don't tell Rachel it's because I don't want to be the one that breaks her heart."

"Right, like she didn't do the same thing to me."

"Oh yea, 'cause kissing me and then telling you after finding out you fucked Santana and lied to her about it is so much worse then you fucking Quinn all summer when you're supposedly in love with Rachel. Were you ever going to tell her about Santana? Or were you just going to, eventually, let her give you her virginity, thinking you were a virgin too? Why the hell did you even bother getting back with Rachel anyway? Wait, better question, why the fuck did I help you?"

"You're my best friend. It's like, your job. Plus you had to make up for the shit you pulled."

"Your best friend? The shit I pulled? Fuck that, promise null and void asshole. You tell Rachel or I will. Hopefully she dumps your ass, though knowing that sick twisted hold you have on her brain she'll probably forgive you."

"I don't have a hold on her."

"Yes, you really do. I have no idea how you managed to turn one of the most independent girls in the school into a doormat but you did. It's fucking disgusting how you treat women."

"What are you talking about? I treat girls great. I respect them and everything. Rachel's not ready for sex so I'm not pressuring her."

"Oh, is that one of your justifications?" Puck asked, rolling his eyes. "The funny thing is she probably would have slept with you already if you hadn't fucked Santana. And you know what makes this all the more disturbing? You really have no clue. If you were like, knowingly doing this shit I could beat you black and blue, but you're really just that self-absorbed. Newsflash Finn, the word does not revolve around you and your cock."

"Fuck you. You're just jealous."

"Actually," Puck admitted. "Yes. Mostly because I just don't get it. I don't understand how everyone is so oblivious to your bullshit. But, whatever, I'm used to it. Either way, you're telling Rachel or I am."

"No you aren't and neither am I. We're breaking up at graduation anyway and then Quinn and I will get together for real," Finn tried to explain and began rambling once again, repeating most of what he had said when he came in earlier.

"Oh really? And does Quinn know this?"

"Of course! Well, I mean, we haven't talked about it but, she has to. I told her I'm with Rachel so she has to be okay with it."

Puck just closed his eyes and tried to find his happy place; no one needed to know that his happy place greatly resmembled Rachel's eyes. Eyes that he never wanted to hurt. Eyes that he was picturing filling up with tears even as her mouth spouted denial and accusations about lies. Eyes that would shut down as she tried not to accept the truth that he wouldn't be surprised she had already suspected or even known about and ignored. Because, Rachel, fuck...everyone, had a blind spot where it came to Finn and apparently the "golden boy" could do no wrong.

This time Puck wasn't going to let that happen; even if it meant losing her friendship, and everything he wished for in the future with her, he wasn't going to let her get walked all over this time. He had kept his mouth shut about Santana because he figured Finn would eventually fess up and then it had come out in the worst possible way. Not this time. No matter what ultimatum he had just given Finn (ironically, the same one he had given Finn when he found out about Santana) he wasn't going to give the other boy another chance to not tell her.

"Shut up," he whispered quietly, somehow cutting through Finn's tirade. "Just, shut up for once in your life and answer one question for me. If you can actually give me an answer that isn't just more of you kissing your own ass I'll leave all of this alone. So tell me, if being faithful is that much of a challenge, then why bother being in a relationship at all?"

The answering silence, and confusion on Finn's face, told Puck everything he needed to know.

Without another word he got up, slammed his feet into his sneakers and walked right past a spluttering Finn on his way out of his bedroom. He felt like he was on autopilot as he jumped in his truck, ignoring Finn who had followed him down the stairs and was shouting at him uselessly, and peeled out the driveway and down the block. Five minutes later he stopped in front of a familiar house, four blocks away from his own, and climbed out staring at it as he sorted out what to say in his head.

When Rachel opened the door a few seconds later at his knock, he simply looked down at her and sighed before saying simply, "Hey Rach. We need to talk."

An hour later as he hugged her tightly and rubbed her back, he realized he had been both right and wrong. She hadn't been surprised, but she also hadn't called him a liar. Instead she'd called him her best friend and thanked him for telling her as soon as he found out.

He could work with "best friend" until he thought she was ready; after all, it was far better then how he had expected she would react. And unlike Finn, he wasn't going to accept anything from her with an expiration date on it.

A/N: I really need to work on this rage I feel for a certain fictional character...