Wow, this is incredible. You just proved that connection is 90% attitude, 10% history. You became friends because you acted like friends. Sometimes not knowing the "rules" is the superpower.
The "rules" don't really start, until we get older.
I grew up overseas (from where I am now -for some of you, it's probably home).
Most of my playmates were drastically different from me.
A great example is that little children have no protocol, they won't walk up to someone and say things like hi, how are you, how's the weather, etc.
Instead they'll just walk up and either stay mute, or just talk directly about what's currently happening, without any introduction or pre-amble.