Chapter 116 - Under The Rain

Xavier looked through an old book of diseases and sicknesses. 

He wasn't aware werewolves were able to fall sick, so this felt new to him. 

"No, not that. It's not a cough, no, not that either," Xavier said as he quickly flipped through the pages of the book. 

"Two hundred and fourteen down, another three hundred and thirteen left to go," he mumbled absentmindedly. 

Unable to fathom why he had been feeling strange all day, Xavier decided to turn to books for an answer. Maybe someone else had faced this, and maybe they would give him the answer he was looking for. 

"Where is it?" Xavier asked, sure there had to be something that entailed and explained his current state. 

Of course there would be… After all, this book had every possible sickness in the entire world. 

This was the thirtieth book he had read, this book being the complete list of all possible infections, illnesses and diseases a human could potentially experience. The werewolf one included turning into a feral, etc etc. There was nothing of assistance in that one. 

So he turned to this as a last resort. 

Adrian didn't even know anything about what Xavier had been doing the past hour. 

Xavier had purposely finished his workload for the day to use his freetime for researching the reason behind this. 

"Why can't I find anything helpful?" Xavier said, banging his head against the desk. 

"Xavier?" A familiar voice called. 

He looked up to see Madeline peering down at him. 

"Madeline?"

The figure furrowed his brows. 

"Madeline? I'm not Madeline."

Xavier blinked, only to see Adrian looking down at him. 

His eyes widened. Was he seeing things? 

'I could've sworn I saw Madeline looking at me. What is wrong with me?' Xavier thought to himself. 

"Are you alright?" Adrian asked him, "You just called me Madeline."

Adrian seemed more worried than pleased Xavier had slipped up. Xavier had never done something like this; he had never called him another name. Xavier never slipped up, he was… Well, Xavier!

"You sure you don't need to lie down?" Adrian asked him, his brow raised. 

"I don't need to lie down. I need to know what's going on with me, that's what," Xavier refuted. 

"And what's going on with you?" Adrian asked. 

As a last ditch attempt, Xavier told Adrian what was going on with him, hoping he'd have an answer to how he was behaving. 

"So let me get this straight," Adrian began. 

"Your face is constantly flushed, you're seeing things, you have heart palpitations, your mood changes, you can't think straight…"

"And you read how many books to find out what's behind this?" Adrian asked, an amused smirk now growing across his face. 

"Do you not know the reason already?"

Xavier shook his head, as oblivious as ever. 

"Why, do you know?" Xavier asked hopefully.

Adrian seemed like he knew what he was talking about. 

"Of course, isn't it obvious?" Adrian said, raising his eyebrows whilst a cheeky grin was plastered across his face. 

"If it was obvious, I wouldn't be telling you all this," Xavier said, unamused by how Adrian was acting about all this. 

Why did he seem more pleased than concerned?

"And shouldn't you be worried for me instead of smiling and grinning like a fool?" 

"I doubt so. After all, it's nothing much to worry about."

"Then, tell me," Xavier demanded, "What is it?"

"Quit dilly-dallying, just tell me already," he said impatiently when all Adrian did was smile and smirk to himself. 

"You really want to know?" Adrian asked, adding, "You sure you won't regret it once you find out?"

Xavier glared at him, "Tell me."

"Well, if you say so," Adrian said, clearing his throat as he began his spiel.

"The reason behind your face flushing involuntarily, and your sudden mood changes, and your seeing things? There's one word to describe what you're going through," Adrian began. 

Xavier narrowed his eyes, wondering if Adrian was taunting him or this was simply Adrian being himself. 

Adrian finally ended his spiel with a drawing conclusion. 

"So to sum everything up, you, my friend, are lovesick."

Xavier stood up from his chair the minute that word exited Adrian's mouth. 

"EXCUSE ME?" Xavier roared, knocking the books he had read over the desk unintentionally.

"How dare you," Xavier said to Adrian, adding, "How dare you accuse me of being… Lovesick?"

Adrian pretended not to know who this was about. 

"So, who's the lucky lady that caught your attention and has you so enamoured that you've fallen lovesick?" Adrian asked, placing a hand on his chin and pretending to think about it. 

"Could it be… Madeline?" 

Xavier couldn't speak, the words he wanted to say stuck in his throat. 

What was Adrian-- No, this couldn't be. There was no way. 

'I can't be lovesick, Adrian must be wrong,' Xavier insisted. 

"It's not Madeline, it's no one. I am definitely not lovesick, Adrian. You've got it all wrong," Xavier corrected, a hand on his forehead. 

Groaning frustratedly, he said to Adrian, "You're kidding, right? I'm not actually lovesick. There has to be another explanation to this, one that doesn't include anything to do with love."

"Are you sure?" Adrian asked, reasoning, "After all, it wouldn't be strange if you liked her. And the two of you are mates, so that helps things too."

"And who knows, maybe she--"

"Adrian, that is enough!" Xavier exclaimed, preventing him from saying any more. 

"If you came here to trick me into believing I'm lovesick or whatever, then you may as well leave," Xavier said bitterly, unable to look Adrian in the eye. 

"Do you really want me to leave? You sure you wouldn't want me to stay? We could talk about it like friends do, what do you say?" Adrian questioned. 

"Adrian, you're testing my patience. You're being annoying," Xavier said, tapping his foot on the ground impatiently. 

"Are you sure I'm being annoying?" 

Taking one good look at Xavier, he noticed something. 

"Look at you, you're blushing." 

Gasping, he realized, "I have never seen you blush before." 

"Adrian," Xavier said one last time, stressing out each syllable of his friend's name. 

Adrian heaved a deep sigh, "Oh alright, I'll leave now. You're no fun, Xay."

He left, closing the door behind him, managing to hear Xavier mutter the words just as the door slammed shut, "I never wanted to be fun in the first place."

When Xavier was definitely no longer in hearing range, he asked himself, "What the hell just happened?"

He buried his face in his hands. As much as he didn't want to admit, he was beginning to wonder if…

If… 

Adrian was right.

The symptoms matched up perfectly, it made sense. There was just one thing missing from it all. 

Xavier refused to believe he had feelings for anyone. Or that he loved anyone. 

When did he ever love anyone? 

And Adrian kept on insisting it was Madeline he was lovesick because of. 

Xavier had always regarded Madeline as a close friend at best. Never anything more. 

There was a line that he and she wouldn't cross. Sure, they were mates. 

Sure, Adrian had told him multiple times he and Madeline would make a cute power couple. But that was completely besides the point. 

'Am I lovesick? Is that really what's behind my recent behaviour?' 

Xavier recalled something Adrian had mentioned. About how being lovesick meant you saw that one person you longed for everywhere. 

And actually… If that were the case, then that would've meant that it was Madeline, all this time. 

The previous night, Xavier recalled bits and pieces of a dream he had. 

Whereas he and someone had… Hmm, that was best kept for later. 

It was one he refused to touch up on, but it took place in his own cabin. 

He and another woman were dancing in the rain, although the entire time, the woman's face was blurry. 

Strangely, he wasn't in his own body, but he was able to observe the entire conversation somehow.

'Hurry up!' She exclaimed, tired of waiting for him. 

'Alright, alright!' He exclaimed, catching up to her. 

Tilting her head, the lady flashed a dazzling smile, telling him, 'Have I ever told you how wonderful you look, even under the rain?' 

The man chuckled, 'No, but how I look pales in comparison to how you do, my love.' 

'So I see you've chosen one nickname to stick to calling me,' she noticed. 

Nodding, he made his way towards her, 'I have.'

'And what are you going to do about it?' He asked her, taunting her. 

The lady pulled him closer to her by the collar, standing on her tiptoes to give him a peck, only for him to push her away. 

Oof! 

'Hey!' She exclaimed in complaint, a pout forming on her face. 

'Woah!' 

The man twirled her around, before steadying her right before she was about to fall to the ground. 

And then, his lips captured hers.