"These Foolish Things" by of_hearts (PG)

Main Characters or Pairings: Rachel, Rachel/Puck undertones and friendship
Length: ~3,900 words
Author on LJ/Author Website: of_hearts
Why this must be read:

In which Puck enlists Rachel's help in preparation for his big seduction number in ep 1x18 Laryngitis, there's clothes choosing and lovely, in character bantering, with a sweet cameo from Quinn. There's not many gen fics that I truly like, but this one's a keeper.

“Listen, I could care less who I have to date to get back to my place as top dog.” He turns around in his chair and rests his arm on the back of it. “You don’t get it ‘cause you’re not one of us.”

When her expression transforms into a mixture of sadness and anger, he rolls his chair out, spinning around to face her properly. He leans back and stretches his leg and playfully hits her shins.

“Dude, you know I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Then how did you mean it?”

He sighs and leans forward in his chair. “This chick’s the hot new thing on the Cheerios, okay? She made her way up from fucking nothing. Sometimes you just gotta ride the wave.”

“Which just gets back to my original point of you using sordid means to take advantage of an innocent girl to further your—”

“I don’t understand a single word you just said.”

She pauses for a second and laughs sadly to herself, looking up at the ceiling. “I’m well aware she can’t really stand me and that if our roles were reversed she may not say the same for me, but Mercedes – arch rival and all – doesn’t deserve that.”

“I know,” he looks down from the screen, thinking for a moment, “the chick is pretty decent.”

These Foolish Things