Priceless Treasure to Worthless Eyes

Chapter 9 - Right Next to the Rubbish Bins

Terezi shuffled past the school gate and looked around. None of her friends were there. She couldn't care less, really and hoped they would stay lost. With this in mind she walked around the school and to the bins so as to avoid any encounters with living beings.

Then she stopped.

Two distinct scents emerged. Red candy and black ink.

Karkat and Vriska.

And Karkat was bleeding.

Terezi ran fast, cane clinking against her side as she blindly rushed forward.

She realized after all that she still cared about Karkat. At least, she wouldn't stand for him to be hurt.

She rounded the bins and smelt them. Vriska had Karkat in a headlock and was hitting him repeatedly on the head, shouting profanities.

"Stop!" Terezi cried, tears of confusion and anger forming in her eyes.

Vriska looked up, but Karkat was too banged-up to move.

"Ugh! Why has everyone got to show up exactly when I don't want them to?" Vriska said.

"Put him down!"

"You don't care about him! In fact, he's the reason you hate me!"

"I don't hate you."

Vriska froze. She released the mutant troll and stood there with her arms at her sides.

"Then... Why didn't you talk to me yesterday?"

It was too much. Terezi had to sit down and hold her aching head. Vriska stood still, waiting for an answer.

"Granted, you weren't in my good books then. But you're still my Scourge Sister." She got a bit angry. "Vriska, why did you meddle in my affairs like this?"

"I only wanted to make you happy!"

"Look where we are now!" Terezi crawled over to Karkat, putting his head on her lap and mopping up his cuts with her handkerchief.

Vriska held her head.

"I'm sorry."

"There's nothing you can do now. Just tell me what you did."

"Well, we had Alternian Literature together and I... kind of forced him to meet you that night and gave him your trolltag."

"Just meet me?"

"Yeah. At the park near your house."

"Just meet me?" Terezi repeated.

"Did I stutter?"

Terezi looked at Karkat, who was regaining consciousness now. He turned his head upwards and saw her, before quickly lifting his head up and banging his forehead on her nose.

Vriska snickered.

"Vriska you ass wait 'til I lay my fucking hands on you-" Karkat growled, balling his hands into fists.

"You'll do no such thing!" Terezi interrupted.

Karkat turned around and glared at Terezi.

"What do you care?"

"I don't know about you, but I care a shit ton! Karkat, I wish I could have done this under different circumstances, but I guess I should just take it as it comes so..." Terezi cleared her throat and looked Karkat right where she thought his eye should be.

"I love you."

Karkat looked stunned. Vriska was surprised too, but took her bag and left quickly - not before making a few obscene kissing sounds and grinning like a maniac.