Warped Reality

Chapter 6

If I write this injury wrong, I do apologize. I've never had one before, and when I attempted researching it, I was mostly finding treatments, instead of how it felt and how it affected daily life.

Adrien

He was pissed. So so pisssed. First, she tried to throw herself off of a building right in front of him like it was no big deal. Then, he got slammed in the ribcage so hard he had a cracked rib. Which would heal on its own, over several weeks. Fantastic. All because of her stupid plan. He shot another glare at her, had to have been the hundredth one over the past hour. She didn't look at him, her gaze focused on Alya. They were back in the apartment, with him laying on the couch and Nino sitting next to him, apologizing over and over again.

"You sound insane right now."

"But I'm telling the truth. It's why we're acting so differently. None of us are friends in my world."

Marinette tried to convince her, and he rolled his eyes. They were going to end up in the psych ward for sure.

"And you think an acuma sent you here? What did it look like?"

"I don't know. We were both sleeping in our own beds at home, and woke up here. When Nino called him."

Adrien tuned them out, slowly getting up from the couch. If he moved wrong the pain shot through his entire chest. Hell, he still couldn't even breathe deeply. He scowled at Marinette as he passed, and she rolled her eyes. Yeah, he bet she wouldn't be acting like that if it had been her bones.

"Again. I am so sorry. It looked... bad from my view."

Of course it did. Some dude had a girl tied up and was practically laying on top of her, holding her hands down. Of course it looked bad. Of course he understood why Nino reacted the way he had. Still didn't change the fact that he was in pain.

"I already told you. It's fine. I get it."

He focused on getting a glass of water, desperately hoping it would somehow ease the raw pain ripping through his lungs with each breath.

"So that argument between you two earlier."

Adrien clenched his jaw, glancing over at the boy. Nino sheepishly grinned, turning his attention to the girls in the living room.

"It's just so weird. Marinette and Adrien are so in l-" He quickly stopped talking, giving Adrien a worried glance.

But it wasn't like that was something he didn't know already. He could tell by the stupid ring on her finger. He could feel it. And the raging jealousy coursing through his veins was a painful reminder. He took a small sip, flinching at the minor movement that tugged on everything.

"You don't have to watch what you say. I already know."

"So you two hate each other. Why?"

That hadn't been an invitation to just say whatever popped into his head first.

"Mistakes were made. And kept getting made." He admitted, moving back to sit on the couch.

"I'll talk to someone about it. But I don't know what we could do. If this acuma is in another world I don't know how we could cleanse it." Alya spoke softly, and he glanced at Marinette.

She looked to be in pain. As if being here with him was a fate worse than death. He closed his eyes, swimming in the regret he had grown accustomed to. Of course being here with him would be hell for her. He had made it that way, there was no one to blame but himself. His mind danced to memories of their past, of summer friendship. The cabin and the wonderful things that happened there. The first week was always hard, but he would convince her that for now, for there he was different. Better. And the rest of the time spent there with her was wonderful.