Chapter Text
"Karkat?"
"Hnh."
"Do you think we used to be aliens?"
The summer afternoon was hot and stuffy, and the two kids splayed lazily across the boy's - Karkat's - bed while they chatted. Rather, while Terezi chatted, and Karkat listened. Now, however, disregarding the warm stifling air drifting in through his open window, the darker-haired boy sat right up and threw his expression of horror over at his tan-skinned, strawberry-blonde friend.
Well okay.
Not really horror.
But for Karkat, an expression of horror and looking at someone like they were crazy were almost one in the same. And Terezi was pretty horrifying with some of the strange things she always said anyhow.
"What in the flying fucking hells of outer space do you mean by that? Aliens? Really, Terezi? Like fucking really. You're asking me if I think a couple of U.F.O.'s just whizzed shittily by right over the tops of our parents' houses just to bestow on them the extremely unfortunate gift of infant aliens disguised as human babies. Babies that have grown to become us. Especially us. Two of the shittiest prepubescent fuckwads alive that are more likely to f-"
"Oh my god Karkat, shut up!" Terezi finally interjected, also sitting upright. She then took the time to straighten her training bra (much to Karkat's interest, which also actually helped shut him up ironically) before she continued. "That's not what I meant! I meant that I have been learning in science that particles of celestial debris, like from Mars and stuff, may have contained life. Organisms that began to evolve back in the primordial age could have crashed into the earth via meteorite! Isn't that cool?"
"Yeah, fascinating," Karkat conceded, calm now and flopping back down onto his back with an eye trailing on Terezi's bare midsection.
Terezi rolled her scarred eyes at his lack of enthusiasm and leaned back on her hands. "Yes, it is fascinating. I totally think it's fascinating. That we might have been aliens and all."
"Okay I get it just shut the fuck up about aliens already. I don't see what's so fucking relevant about the subject suddenly."
There was a wistful sigh, followed by a low, sulky tone.
"I don't see much of anything anymore..."
"....Shit. Fuck. I fucked up again, I'm sorry. Shit shit shit, I'm sorry Terezi. I didn't mean to bring it up. Here, come here. " Karkat was sitting up once more and scooting over to put his arms around her, wanting to comfort his friend. Terezi all but brushed him off, though.
"No, I'm fine. Really. You didn't fuck up. I was just musing about it."
Chewing his lower lip, Karkat idly stroked her opposite shoulder, still wanting to impart some sort of comfort anyhow. It was new and weird and sudden, and still a little unnerving, her going blind and all.
"Is Vriska still in the hospital? After what you did to her?"
Terezi shrugged, not really knowing and not really caring to know. She felt bad enough about it, and worse knowing that she was already adjusting, even though Karkat already told her enough times that Vriska goddamn blinded her, she shouldn't feel bad about anything.
Besides, it wasn't like adjusting to near perfect blindness was a cakewalk.
"Hey, instead of talking about that, do you want to make out instead?" Terezi turned towards him and fluttered her eyelashes, flirting with little smirky dimples.
Dimples to which perfectly healthy twelve-year-old-boy Karkat was immediately susceptible to, as indicated by his flushing ears, plummeting adam's apple, and wide, glittering black eyes.
He nodded at first, not realizing Terezi could no longer see him nod in agreement, but after noting her unresponsive expression he remembered, and immediately felt foolish. No... not foolish. She would tell him - don't feel foolish. It was an adjustment for everyone. He uttered a quiet, nervous affirmation then, and relaxed when she cracked a wide, happy grin. Ah yes. This is what it was all about. Anything to make her happy. It had always been about making Terezi happy. And it wasn't like they hadn't already tested the kissing waters before! They had just... never officially "made out" before. Not yet. But now...
Young lips connected briefly, both inexperienced, both kind of bad at it. Terezi moved her mouth gently over his, and Karkat tried kissing back, but he was still kind of nervous. He felt that his mouth was very dry, while Terezi knew her mouth was very wet. She went to moisten her lips and accidentally licked his, which caused a slight gasp from him, but she was okay with that. She pressed on, getting some leverage on him, and he allowed her to do such.
After several minutes of bumping their lips back and forth, a few loud smacks of pursed kisses later, both Karkat and Terezi backed off of each other and sat catching their breaths. Terezi was the first to break the silence as she giggled.
"Well?"
"Well what."
"We made out! Did you like it?"
"I... Uh. I guess so." Karkat felt secure enough to lift his arm and wipe his mouth off with the back of his hand. He knew Terezi wouldn't be able to tell.
"You guess so?" Shit. She didn't sound thrilled with his answer.
"Yeah I fucking GUESS so all right? I mean it was just weird, that's all. It was a lot of kissing all at once and it got all wet." Terezi was snickering now, and he dared to hope he was in the clear.
"We didn't even use tongue you big baby. But you're right, it was a little wet. It's a start, right?" Karkat thought on that, and eventually murmured an agreement. It was a start, and he wondered just how much more there was to come. He was going to suggest they kiss some more and maybe start to use a little tongue, but then a knock came at his door and his older brother entered without hesitating.
"As much as I hate to interrupt tween-discovery time, I feel that it's rather necessary at this point in time, as you two are still both considered very very young in my eyes, and while there may be other times I do not know what you preteens do in terms of sexual discovery, I feel that since I do know of this time in particular perhaps I should stop it before any of it becomes too lewd? Or before either of you two get too involved? Or go too much further? Young miss Pyrope is hardly dressed as is, and-"
"BUZZ OFF, KANKRI!"
"Karkat, I am surprised at your tone of voice with me. After all, haven't we discussed at length before how we-"
"Oooooooh uhm hahahahahaha you know, Kankri's right, Karkat!" Terezi was quick to interrupt, her arms now crossed over her tiny bosom at this point. "I think my mom will be coming to get me anytime now, right? Is that what you came to tell us, Kankri?"
"Oh... why yes, actually. I had completely forgotten. Thank you Terezi. Here's a shirt. Now I'll leave you two alone to say your goodbyes, and please keep in mind no further funny business."
"I'm feeling triggered."
"Karkat, young brother, that is not a laughing matter."
"Ugh. Yeah. I know. I'm sorry."
"Very well then, I will take my leave for now." Then Kankri swiftly disappeared, almost as sudden as he had appeared. Terezi was silent, Karkat was silent, and they both were silently regarding each other while awkwardly waiting on the bed. Terezi kicked a leg back and forth with a thoughtful expression, before finally sighing and putting on the shirt that Kankri gave to her.
"He's a creep," Karkat finally commented, mumbling. Terezi only made a small sound of agreement.
"He thinks he's being open-minded and helpful, Karkat. He wasn't trying to be perverted."
"The only seventeen-year-old man in existence who has no sex drive? Of fucking course he wasn't." Terezi just sighed and gathered her things, eventually having Karkat's help so that they could both leave his room and head to the porch. They talked more and even giggled together as the sun set lower, making the stuffy hot weather just a little easier to bear as they waited for Terezi's mother to drive up.
Soon enough, the bright red corvette pulled in, and Latula Pyrope got out. Her first course was to run right past the two kids and into the house where she could say hello to Mr. Vantas and give Kankri a big hug. Of course, the hug made Kankri blush, as he'd always hidden the crush he had on the thirty-year-old woman who used to babysit him and, later on, Karkat. When everyone exited the small, ranch-style house, Terezi gave Karkat a hug and snuck a kiss onto his cheek - which of course he pretended to be appalled by due to the audience of his entire fucking family plus Terezi's mother - and then said goodbye.
Despite what all of their peers and family members thought, they were NOT boyfriend and girlfriend. Kids at school always referred to them as such, despite Karkat's angry ramblings on the subject, and Terezi of course always tried to push the matter, but it was what it was. She would give it time. They were still young, and they had known each other since they were toddlers after all. There was still so much time they had to be together.
Over the next couple years, they would only grow closer. She was sure of that.
Both of them were sure that nothing would ever really come between them.