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Jerry gifted Morty a high-quality pacifier, Summer bought him a plushie with her own money, and Rick, of course, would give Morty anything he asked for and more.
Jerry wouldn’t exactly openly discuss Morty being a little with neither Rick nor Morty, but he’d make a comment here or there, if they were alone. Summer was more open with it, babysitting Morty every now and again when Rick was out or otherwise occupied – though she expertly derailed any conversations that might skirt towards the topic, and snatched away any evidence that could cause suspicion or confusion among other family members.
In the end, Morty was the only one to blame when the secrecy all fell apart.
He’d been reading a comic book chewing absently on one of his pacifiers, not really regressed but enjoying having something in his mouth – and when Summer called him down for dinner, he didn’t think twice before running down the stairs with the paci still clipped to his shirt.
Nobody noticed, at first. Morty ate his potatoes, enjoyed the steak, poured some sauce over his vegetables…
And then Beth exclaimed, “Morty, is that a pacifier?”
The whole table looked up in horror.
“N – no,” said Morty, hurriedly tucking the pacifier into his shirt.
“Come off it, Beth,” said Rick, voice calm even if his knuckles were pale and his gaze flickered from Morty to Beth. “It’s – it’s just a – a pacifier.”
“Just a pacifier?” Beth repeated, frowning. “It’s – Morty, you’re almost eighteen, you don’t need pacifiers, that’s just – I mean, that’s just ridiculous.”
Summer and Jerry burst into loud complaints. “Wow, mom, rude? It’s just something he –” – “ –honey, remember when I told you –”
Beth put down her fork with a loud clink. “Why are – it’s a toy for babies, he’s not a child anymore – Jerry! We can’t let this happen, don’t look at me like that! It’s – it’ll mess up his teeth, and – and God knows what else!”
“Actually,” said Rick.
Ignoring Rick’s talking, Summer and Jerry’s fuming, and Morty’s wetting eyes, Beth ploughed on. “Come on, Morty’s already so far behind, we can’t let him fall any further…”
Unable to see clearly for the tears clouding his vision, Morty shot to his feet and ran off. How stupid could he be to let something so obvious – and he’d even hoped, just a little bit, that Beth would be – stupid, stupid, stupid Morty!
Slamming his door shut he blocked off the shouting that’d begun downstairs and threw himself into bed, curling up around Bonbon with a muffled sob.
*
Summer was just as tempted as the others to start yelling and throwing things, but grandpa Rick and dad seemed to have things under control – the former by snarling half-bitten facts and dad by angrily explaining he had been the one to buy Morty that pacifier, so there, Beth!
Besides, Morty had ran off alone, and he might be her brother, and she might despise him a bit just for that, but he was also her brother.
She made her way up the stairs, knocked on his door, and slipped inside without waiting for an answer. “Hey,” she said, turning on the ceiling lights with huff. “Dad and grandpa are fighting for you downstairs. Think they’re about to rip mom’s head off.”
Morty, laying face-down into a pillow, sniffed. “But she’s – she’s kinda right, though, isn’t she?”
Rolling her eyes, Summer crossed the room and sat on the bed next to him. “Dude, mom’s right about a lot, but not this. If there’s something I’ve learned while trying to find out what the hell you’re doing with your time it’s that there’s nothing wrong with it.”
A pair of watery eyes poked up over the edge of the pillow. In the crook of his elbow was the white little rabbit plush Summer had bought for him so long ago. “R – Rick says you know about us,” he whispered.
Summer raised an eyebrow, leaning back on her elbows. “That you fuck, or whatever? Yeah, I know. So what?”
Morty stared, then chuckled nervously and wiped at his eyes. “You’re – you’re pretty cool, Summer.”
“Duh, course I am,” said Summer. “I’m your big sister, it’s part of the job.”
Still sniffling a bit, Morty sat upright and rubbed at his eyes. After a moment’s silence, he said, “do you – do you think mom’s mad?”
Summer wrapped an arm around his shoulders, semi-awkwardly ruffling his hair. “She’s just confused. You know mom, she’s not as educated as us.” Saying so, she swept her free hand in front of them and took on a posh voice. Morty giggled. “Between grandpa Rick and dad, she’ll come around. She’s pretty accepting when it comes down to it, she’s just gotta understand first.”
“Yeah,” said Morty, and sniffed again. “Yeah, o – okay.”
*
Downstairs, Jerry had brought up several information-sites on his ipad and was patiently explaining to Beth that no, this wasn’t an alien thing, it was perfectly normal on Earth and even Jerry had taken great part of it before, and no, Rick hadn’t made Morty any kind of way, this was just how he was.
Rick, for his part, was taking care of any health concerns Beth had – explaining that he only got the absolute best for Morty, pacifiers that were designed for adult mouths and toys that were meant for adult hands. He didn’t mention the diapers. Beth wouldn’t be ready for that.
It was Rick who first went upstairs to comfort his little love, and was pleasantly surprised to find Summer and Morty playing some online multiplayer game together, laughing and cursing as they tried to push the other to sabotage them.
*
Jerry came second, having left Beth to consider things downstairs in the kitchen while he went to check on the rest of the family. He was also pleasantly surprised to find the three others playing together in Morty’s room – Summer and Morty having teamed up to crush Rick.
“Come – come on, Jerry, I – I need some help, here,” said Rick, throwing a phone Jerry’s way without looking up. “Your – your nasty kids are – they’re killing me here, Jerry!”
When Beth at last trodded upstairs, her intentions had been to apologize. Instead she found the rest of her family locked in a heated battle of forces; Summer and Morty laughing and high-fiving as Rick and Jerry booed and complained.
Morty looked up and met her gaze from across the room, and his laughter stopped.
Beth smiled, shook her head and put her hands on her hips. “Who needs my help the most?”
Both teams erupted into loud yelling. Strangely enough, it seemed both of them agreed: Rick and Jerry desperately needed some assistance. Laughing, Beth took to arms to help her father and husband.
Maybe she’d get Morty something to show her support, too.
Or maybe just being there was enough.