Petrichor. noun. The smell of earth after rain.
It was raining. As so often it did in Finchley, the drearier side of London in perhaps the dreariest part of England if one didn't know any better. Caspian tucked his umbrella under his arm to fumble with his raincoat, pulling up the hood and zipping it up tight.
He'd been walking home from visiting his mother in the hospital. The doctor said she would be fine in a week or so and until then Caspian was to stay with his uncle who apparently offered to not only house him but to assist him with his studies. Caspian very much doubted this fact as his uncle was most unpleasant in his opinion, constantly talking about what a disappointment Caspian's father had been before he had died in the army.
His thoughts strayed to the scent radiating from the ground, the fresh, indescribable scent that filled his nostrils. He wasn't quite sure what to call it or what it was but only the rain here in England smelt quite like this.
It was then that he noticed another figure, standing sniffing in the middle of the path. The boy, for it was quite obviously a boy, was busy wrapping his arms around his skinny figure clothed only in a T-shirt that hugged him tightly as it dripped water. He appeared to have been caught out in the downpour, completely unprepared for it despite the frequent weather warnings and the heavy grey clouds.
"Are you alright?" Caspian asked because his father had always told him to look out for people no matter who they were.
"Yes thanks." The boy smiled at him. His eyes were dark and his face pale, smattered with freckles. "My brother was supposed to meet me here." He clarified.
"Ah. Forget to show up did he?" Caspian laughed and recalled the amount of times his uncle had forgotten to turn up outside school or the hospital. It was quite ridiculous so Caspian had just taken to walking. He'd learn to drive soon enough though and then he could go wherever he liked and perhaps even take his mother with him.
"As usual." Edmund nodded. "He's probably busy with work." He shivered slightly.
Caspian observed this shiver in great detail, noticing how the boy's skin was now covered in goose bumps obviously due to the litres of cold water dripping down him.
"Here." Caspian said, walking closer to the boy so he could hold the umbrella over the pair of them. "I'll wait with you, so you can stay a bit drier."
"Thanks." The boy smiled at him again and Caspian decided that it was quite possibly one of the most adorable smiles he had ever seen. "I'm Edmund but most people call me Ed." He introduced.
"I'm Caspian, just Caspian though… Not Cas. It doesn't seem to suit me." Caspian informed him, rambling slightly as Edmund caught his glance.
"Nice to meet you Cas." Edmund smiled. "What brings you out in the rain today?"
Caspian debated his answer. He could sugar coat it, keep the smile on Edmunds face and say he was going for a walk… But something told him that it wouldn't be a good idea to lie to Edmund. "I went to visit my mum in the hospital."
"Ah." Edmund sighed. "Sorry."
Caspian panicked, he'd upset him already! "Oh don't worry, she's coming home next week I'm sure!" Caspian assured him.
"Glad to hear it." Edmund smiled again. It wasn't as full of life; more sort of sympathetic as if he knew as well as Caspian did that that was just an excuse doctors like to make to keep you hoping. "Send her my best." He added and Caspian positively beamed to him.
"I will!" He grinned. There was a paused where rain pattered gently on the black fabric above them. It didn't feel awkward, just one of those comfortable silences where you could sit with someone for hours without talking and just enjoy the company. It was that kind of silence that Caspian very much enjoyed, with just the droplets landing around them, the drips off leaves.
But Caspian didn't have forever. Very soon Edmund would be getting into his brother's car and forgetting all about him. "And what about you then?" Caspian asked quickly. "What are you doing here without a coat?"
Edmund looked down. "I went for a walk." He answered. And Caspian knew immediately there was more to it. He looked carefully at Edmund but decided not to push him.
It turned out he didn't need to.
Edmund took a breath. "Things were getting… Messy at home… I rang my brother to tell him to meet me here. I realised I'd left my coat at home but I-"
"You didn't want to go back in." Caspian nodded. Edmund looked at him with a look of intrigue.
"Right." He nodded.
There was another comfortable silence where Caspian found himself glancing over at Edmund perhaps more often than he should have, quickly turning away when he detected that maybe the other boy seemed to notice.
"So… How old are you Caspian?" Edmund asked, wincing slightly at the bluntness of his question.
Caspian smirked. "Nineteen and yes I'm taking a gap year. You?"
"Seventeen." Edmund informed him, suddenly finding the floor very interesting.
"Cool!" Caspian smiled. He didn't really mind. A lot of his friends were younger than him so he was used to it.
"And do you…. No never mind." Edmund shook his head. Turning to face away.
Caspian frowned. "Do I what?"
"I was just… Y'know wondering… If you maybe… It's stupid but-"
"What is it?" Caspian laughed.
Edmund rolled his eyes, "It doesn't matter." He insisted.
All of a sudden the sound of a heavy motor could be heard as a cheap looking car that Caspian could hardly identify veered around the corner spraying both Caspian and Edmund with rain water. It wheezed to a halt some yards away and the man inside waved towards them before flicking his dirty blonde hair.
"And that's my ride." Edmund smiled, he looked up at Caspian gratefully. "Thanks for… Y'know, keeping me dry!"
But before Caspian could even get out a 'you're welcome' the brunette had already started jogging towards the vehicle.
Caspian was a little stuck, he thought about standing and waving but figured that would be a bit creepy… He was saved of this however when almost immediately after the car door had slammed shut, it was sent flying open again.
"Iwaswonderingifyoudrankcoffee?" Edmund admitted, running back under the umbrella.
Caspian couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips, he rubbed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Yeah I do." He smiled.
"Well good because I was thinking we should go and get one some time." Edmund replied, albeit a little too casually. "Y'know… Just to say thanks for lending me your umbrella. And company." He paused, judging Caspian's reaction. "I'll pay!" He added.
Caspian smiled. "Okay." He reached into his pocket to find the little notepad he had to take notes from the doctors. He handed the umbrella to Edmund and scrawled down some digits onto a sheet of, now slightly wet, paper. The ink was running slightly from the rain but the writing still readable. "My number." Caspian presented the sheet to Edmund. "So you can let me know the details."
Edmund smiled, the big wide smile, the one Caspian had first seen. "See you." Edmund nodded his head and ran back to the car in which Caspian could see the blonde man rolling his eyes and tapping his watch in the mirror.
Caspian watched, standing a little in disbelief, as the car performed a three point turn and skidded past him once more.
He decided that rain was most definitely his favourite weather.