DISCLAIMER: we do not own Homestuck or any of the characters from it. _

Chapter 1: What We Do in the Shadows

No matter how hard Karkat tried to suppress the part of himself that told him today wasn't the day to ditch, he couldn't seem to suppress it enough to keep himself away from the tall, grey, morbid building. He kept telling himself that today was going to be just like all the other days. He'd enter the building, step through the doors of his first period class, and end up humiliated by what someone would call his peers out of context. He let his mind roam until something caught his eye. The kid sitting on the steps was not someone he had seen before. He lay, sprawled out, as if he owned the world, and looked as if he'd smoked enough pot to be as high as the clouds.

"Hey, loser, you're late." Karkat rolls his eyes, passing the strange kid.

The kid looks up at Katkat, he himself was hoping he could spend this day like he normally does, go to the school, smoke some pot, not do a thing. It's not like he wanted to be there. The damn orphanage he lives at makes him, saying it is important to get your education or some shit like that. Most people at the school didn't really mess with him, they were scared of him to be honest, he would be to, a high ass clown, yeah, sounds terrifying. But truth be told, the kid was one sweet teen who couldn't hurt a fly, as long as he was high that is, see he has always had anger issues without any sweet substance, he has had cases where he has almost murdered.

"Does it look like I all up and care to go brother?" The strange boy talks to Karkat, his voice like gravel, but smooth as well, almost like he indeed didn't have a care in the world. To most people that would seem infuriating.

"Does it look like I do?" Karkat retorts, scoffing.

Karkat pauses, pondering his options. He could stay with this fool, and not be so alone. He would get to miss school, and everything would actually be okay.

The thought of actually having a good day made Karkat excited. He gingerly takes a seat next to the strange kid, looking him over. He decides to go ahead and ask a question.

"And… You are?"

He smiled seeming to be happy to have you in his company. He never really has anyone to hang out with, so this was nice.

"Gamzee, my name is Gamzee Makara, how about you motherfucker?" He asks already using foul language.

Karkat seemed hesitant around the strange fellow. Bad language already? It takes him a while to speak up.

"...Karkat. Karkat Vantas."

He cautiously extends a hand, looking at the assortment of drugs the kid had in his possession.

"What is this stuff?"

He smiles, "I got me some weed...and a bit of sopor I plan to put in some pie later, oh and you motherfucking can't forget the wicked elixir." He grins as he holds up a bottle of Red Pop Faygo. That is when you could put it together, Drugs, Clown face paint, Miracles most likely, and the Faygo...is this kid a juggalo?

Karkat raises an eyebrow. Where had this kid been all year? He hadn't seen anyone like this. He would have noticed.

"Hey, did you just transfer?"

Gamzee blinks, how on earth did this kid know? For most of his life he was taught at the orphanage, but the people there decided he was too much, sent him to a real school.

"Yeah, how'd you all up an' know?"

"I would have noticed if I'd seen you around."

Karkat rolls his eyes, sighing, and looks across the horizon. He had several hours before he was allowed to go home. Out of boredom, Karkat decides to ask the other male a question.

"Er… Gamzee? What do you do all day?"

Gamzee thinks for a moment, wondering how the best way to answer that would be. "Would you like to find out?" He began to sit up, inviting you to follow him somewhere, sticking a hand in his pocket.

"I… Uh… Sure."

Karkat gets up, hesitant to follow the stranger. He was nervous something bad was going to happen to him if he did. Nevertheless, he decides he'll follow Gamzee. If he didn't, he might lose the only chance he'll have to make an actual friend. Better to take chances, right?

"Where are we going?"

The other grins."I got a bag down this alley, we gotta get it, then there is a motherfucking police station not that far from here. We need to head over there." He says, not really giving you any hints to what he was going to do. He lead you down the alley where you find he was telling the truth. There was indeed a bag.

Though, his mention of the police concerned Karkat. He stops walking.

"Gamzee, what are we doing?"

Gamzee stops for a moment as well, picking up the bag,"Relax, brother. I promise, it's not that bad of a thing." He begins to make his way to the police office with a grin on his face. He was looking forward to this.

Karkat seems cautious. As he follows Gamzee, he begins to think of all the things Gamzee could be doing.

As soon as they get there, Gam pulls his hood up."Pull your hood up." he tells you as he walked to a wall, putting the bag by feet. He reaches in, giggling.

Karkat's hood is pulled up. Everything is calm. He keeps close to Gamzee.

"Why are our hoods up?" He asks.

Gam looks at him like he should have known this by now."So they can't see our faces." He pulls out two spraypaint cans tossing one to you. He shakes his, and proceeds to paint on the wall 'FuCk ThE pOlIcE. hOnK :o)'.

"...Oh."

Karkat suddenly realizes what this is all about. This is what he was doing. He convinces himself that it couldn't be… That bad, could it? Karkat starts small, painting little things on the giant, empty wall. He told himself that if he started small, the skill would come to him. He had never been a great artist.

Gamzee smiles glad to you were getting into it, as he began to spray this piece of art on the wall, some people might have found it offensive, but Gam thought it was a true work of art. It was of a rather colorful clown in the attire of a police officer. At the same time though he was watching out for any police officers nearby, knowing he was going to have to be quick about this.

Karkat was really nervous about this. Sure, he ditched, but he never did something this… Evil? Was that the right way to put it? he began to think he had just gotten himself mixed in the wrong crowd.

'Well… Fuck.' He thinks to himself, finishing up whatever he was drawing. He hopes he doesn't regret this.