Friendship was a strange thing. Sometimes, it was unexpected and flourished under the strangest of circumstances. In the case of Terezi and Karkat, it thrived because they were both outcasts. Shunned aside in the horrifying world known as 'high school.' It hadn't always been this way, of course. In elementary school, children had thought Terezi was one of the cool kids – her claims to synesthesia had made them revel at her like a god.

But children grew and became cruel.

And suddenly, in the blink of an eye, Terezi fell from the highest of the social pyramid, to being the strange blind girl with a creepy obsession with all things to do with death. More specifically, executions.

It was a new school and neither of them had friends. At first, they spent the first weeks drifting through the halls with no-one by their side. Karkat, huddled within his large hoodie, headphones blaring so he could ignore the idiots around him. Terezi, stumbling past the students who pushed angrily past her, grumbling about being stuck behind the blind girl. But one day, the two bumped into each other.

Terezi fell to the floor, her cane sliding away from her. Karkat had turned, intent on giving some choice words to the newest idiot to ruin his day. But his furrowed brows faltered, eyes wavering as he stared down at the girl, her hands groping for the lost cane.

"Sorry," she said offhandedly, as if she was used to this happening.

He stayed silent for a few seconds before he leaned down and grabbed her cane, pressing it into her palm. She seemed surprised, eyes flickering around his general direction as her eyebrows raised, fingers curling around the cane.

"Thank you..." Her voice was surprisingly genuine as she moved to stand, brushing herself off and straightening the backpack on her shoulders. Karkat rose as well, clearing his throat in a somewhat awkward way.

"Yeah... don't worry about it. You okay?" His reply was quiet, voice not really used to being utilized, considering he didn't speak much.

"I'm fine. I'm used to it." Her shoulders lifted in a shrug, a wide grin gracing her features. A moment passed before she held out her hand, though it was a little bit off centre if she had been meaning to hold it towards him. He still took it, shaking her hand with a small smile. "I'm Terezi."

"Karkat."

Again, the curse of silence fell over them and they let go awkwardly, hands falling to their sides. Without another word, he began to walk away, brushing past her as he tried to hide further in his hoodie once more.

"Hey, wait!"

His gaze turned over his shoulder, staring at her as she stood, one of her arms outstretched, like she was looking for him to hold it.

"Will you walk me home?"