[TW: Mention Of physical harming from one person to another]
Dustin made his way quickly down the abandoned halls of the High School, and eery feeling settling in him as all the lights were off, the only life showing through the windows that provided little light at all but enough for Dustin to be capable of walking forward, heading right for the auditorium that was just a level below him.

Dustin quickly made haste to get down the stairs before starting a swift jog towards the theatre, he needed to get there at a time he could interrupt without being noticed, so the more time, the better.

However, as Dustin was nearing the entrance to the theatre he was stopped just at the corner as he glanced around it to see that Puck was in the hallway, slumped on the ground in a sitting position and clutching her...wrist? Dustin considered turning away as soon fears of having to be confronted about his gender and...well, all that, all those fears began to nag at him. But then Dustin heard a small cry escape Puck's lips, such an emotionally vulnerably sound that Dustin couldn't help but turn the corner, and he soon found his way walking right up to Puck, who looked up at him with a bit of shock before using her shoulder to swiftly wipe a few tears away that had been in the corners of her eyes.

Puck quickly cleared her throat as Dustin knelt down in front of her with a concerned look on his face, and she looked away, keeping her eyes trained at her knees instead, "Oh, uh...hey there, ponytail." Puck's voice came out raspy as if she was half embarrassed and half overwhelmed.

"Hey there, masculine." Dustin gave a small smile as he scooted to sit down beside Puck.

"Ah, you're bringing that back, huh?" Puck gave a weak smile.

"Yeah, but- what are you doing out here? Aren't you supposed to be...in there?" Dustin gestured towards the doors that lead to the theatre.

"Oh...uh, yeah." Puck shrugged.

All of Dustin's fears seemed to instantly melt into concerns for Puck, "Why...aren't you then?"

"Eh, reasons." Puck attempted to shrug off Dustin's worries, "I should be asking you why you're here?"

Dustin flinched, "Oh- shoot- uh, yeah I-" Dustin paused to shake his head, "No, wait, your wrist, what's wrong with your wrist?"

Now it was Puck's turn to flinch, "Wrist? Why would you- what would put you under the impression that there was uh, that there was anything wrong with my wrist?"

"I've been here for the past five minutes?" Dustin shrugged, a bit regretfully.

"Oh..." Puck looked down at her wrist.

"Can I see it...?" Dustin murmured.

"It's really nothing." Puck shrugged.

"Please?" Dustin reached over.

"Really, it's just a scratch and um..." Puck found her voice trailing as Dustin gently grabbed her hand, brushing her other hand away that covered her wrist.

Dustin let out an almost inaudible gasp, "Oh my god."

Puck didn't speak.

Dustin looked down at Puck's wrist, it was bruised up and had fingernail markings in it, he turned it over a bit to see more fingernail markings which only made his heart twist more, "Who...?"

"Jeremy- Jeremy Heere that is." Puck sighed, a bit unsure as to why she had so easily admitted that.

"I'll kill the bastard." Dustin glared.

"No- Dustin, really, it's okay." Puck put her hand on top of his before realizing what she was doing and brushing Dustin's hand of gently.

Dustin looked up to meet Puck's hurt eyes and began to grow completely unsure as to why he had ever considered the idea that Puck would have ratted him out.

Puck kept her eyes locked with Dustin for a moment before looking back to her knees.

Dustin did the same with his own knees as the two of them sat in a few moments of silence, and Dustin wasn't sure what Puck was thinking but he was sure it had something to do with yesterday...he dreaded the idea of talking about yesterday...she'd never look at him the same, would she? It was going to be just as awkward as this very moment was and...Dustin audibly sighed, that didn't matter right now, what mattered right now was Puck.

Dustin stood up and held out his hand for Puck, "Come on, let's go take care of that wrist of yours."

Puck hesitated before taking Dustin's hand and then looking to him, "How do you propose we do that?"

Dustin bit his lip as he thought about this for a minute or two before nodding slowly and then surely, "Well, we could always break into the nurse's office."

Puck's eyes widened before she let out a short laugh, "Wow, and to think, I took you for a goodie goodie school b- student."

Dustin held Puck's gaze when she stuttered, though Puck instantly looked away after she corrected herself...corrected, more like covered up...Dustin felt his heart sink, he knew she was going to say boy, he also knew she was concerned about slipping up on pronouns...this provided...a little bit of comfort to Dustin, and made him smile just a little, while some might have gotten offended, for Dustin, this just showed him that Puck cared...and it left him with a warm little feeling inside his chest, and it wasn't a bad feeling either, not at all, not like the feelings he had expected to come across when he initially started over here...this wasn't a new feeling...it was just new for...for Puck specifically, and all of a sudden a question came to mind.

"Hey, Puck?" Dustin began.

"Yeah, ponytail?" Puck smiled casually.

"Can I have your number?" Dustin asked bluntly.

Puck was a bit taken aback, "Oh- I uh- I guess, it wouldn't hurt for you to have it...uh, well, yeah, sure- but only if I can put your contact name as Ponytail?" Puck smirked just slightly.

Dustin sighed, "Fine."