Chapter Text
Edmund was late. Seriously late. Like, not just five minutes late but the sort of late that leaves dread in your stomach as you sneak into the back of a room and hope you’re suddenly the same colour as the walls to blend in.
Edmund hated being late. He was running full-tilt down the street, shoelaces untied, pencils slipping out of his fingers, still wearing his pyjama pants. He definitely made a sight, but right now, that was the least of his worries.
Just as his mother’s voice echoed in his head, reminding him to do up his shoelaces or he’d trip, destiny decided to have a little fun. By which I mean, of course, he tripped on his shoelaces. His pencils rolled all over the pavement, his student ID card ended up face down in the gutter, and his calculator hit a brick wall so hard there was no way he was going to be able to spell out “BOOBS” with the numbers, let alone pass his exam. (The “BOOBS” was more a sign of rebellion and less a sign of Edmund’s proclivities. You don’t need to be straight to giggle over such things. You don’t even need to be a child. Walk into any university in the country, say “boobs” to a group of boys and I guarantee they’ll snicker like you’ve just told them a dirty word.)
But that was all rather beside the point. The point was that Edmund, now with additional grazes on his knees and palms, was frantically scrabbling at the pavement, trying to gather all his belongings up. As he was levering the ID card out from near-death in a stormwater drain, a hand reached in front of him and offered him his (less battered than expected) calculator.
“I believe this is yours,” the voice attached to the hand said.
Now, in a rom-com, this would be the point where Edmund would look up, lock eyes, blush, and be rendered silent by the beauty of his rescuer.
In Spongebob, this would be the point where Edmund would look up, and his internal voice would go “Oh no, he’s hot!”
This was neither a rom-com nor Spongebob, so Edmund simply grabbed the calculator, pressed the on button, and then screamed in frustration when it refused to turn on.
“FUCK. Fuck fuck fuck fuck.” Edmund continued to mutter obscenities under his breath. The stranger continued to stand in front of him, hovering like a drone that could only make it one metre off the ground because it was dropped too many times.
“Would you like to borrow my calculator?” the stranger asked, amusedly. “Only, it looks as though wherever you’re going, you desperately need one, and I rather think that one has given up the ghost.”
This, now, was the point when Edmund finally looked properly at the stranger.
Jesus Christ, he is hot, Edmund thought desperately.
“Physics exam. Final. Would you mind?” Edmund said, in a rather garbled tone. (I wouldn’t blame him. The stranger was very attractive.)
“Not at all! I’ve just finished my exams today, so I don’t need it for the moment. I’d be happy to lend it to you.”
“Exams. You go to university?” Edmund was rather proud of himself for stringing that sentence together in a way that made sense. Between his lateness and the stranger’s warm brown eyes, he was having trouble sorting anything out in his head.
“Yes, the same one I suspect you go to, if your ID card is anything to go by.” The stranger opened the bag slung over his shoulder and pulled out a calculator, handing it to Edmund.
“Here you are. Now, can I walk you to the exam hall?” Edmund nodded, and set off down the street once more, albeit at a slightly less punishing pace for the benefit of his rescuer. As they ran, he took deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. Nothing about his morning created a good headspace for taking an exam.
As they reached the exam hall, Edmund was feeling marginally better, and the stranger was only partially out of breath. He was about to walk into the hall when something occurred to him.
“How will I return it to you? I don’t even know your name!”
“Don’t worry about that, I’ve got it sorted. You just take your exam and don’t panic,” the stranger said, smiling at Edmund. “And it’s Caspian. My name’s Caspian. Good luck!”
Caspian. Caspian. Edmund turned the name over in his head as he found his seat. As soon as the papers were placed on his desk, though, all thought of his handsome rescuer flew out of his head. The only hint of him that remained was the small feeling of warmth that shot through him every time he looked at the calculator on his desk.
Three hours later, Edmund felt as though he’d been run over by a truck. A truck that was mostly made up of physics exam questions, but a truck nonetheless. (If you take university physics, you’ll know what I mean. The entire subject is like being run over by a truck, actually.) The bright afternoon sun hit his eyes as he left the exam hall, forcing him to squint. Caspian’s calculator was warm in his hand, reminding him that he really needed to find its owner somehow.
Partially blinded by the sun as he was, Edmund could hardly be blamed for startling when a shadow appeared in front of him. Squinting more, he realised it was Caspian.
“Here’s your calculator. Thank you so much, I think you saved my life!” Edmund handed over the calculator, smiling up at Caspian gratefully.
For a moment, Caspian seemed as dazed as Edmund, then shook his head and the look in his eyes passed.
“It was my pleasure. Would- would-“ Caspian faltered, then continued on decidedly. “Would you like to get lunch with me? I know a really nice sushi place around the corner.” Caspian wouldn’t quite meet Edmund’s eyes.
“Oh! Um.” Edward’s heart leapt in excitement, but then reality struck in. “Um. I’m. Uh. I don’t think I really can today.” He gestured towards his legs. University students might have a reputation for going to class in pyjamas, but Edmund was a little self-conscious about the thought of going out to lunch with Caspian in his pyjama pants. Exams were one thing, a highly attractive man was another entirely. “Maybe another time?”
Caspian looked disappointed for a second, then recovered his previous cheerfulness. “Not to worry! It was lovely to meet you! Maybe I’ll see you around sometime?”
“Yes, of course! Thank you again for lending me your calculator!” Edmund smiled widely at Caspian, then began to walk in the direction of his flat, strongly determined to wear proper pants to his exams in future.
He looked over his shoulder and caught Caspian’s eye briefly. Caspian gave a little wave and Edmund turned pink as he waved back. Really, of all the days to be wearing pyjamas. It was just his luck.