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"High five, Morty!" Rick grinned ear to ear as he held up an expectant hand to Morty, and had the other used to raise the bag of valuable gems in the air.
As he faintly suspected, Morty slightly flinched at it for a moment before composing himself. He smiled back perhaps a bit too anxiously and copied his gesture. "H-ha ha, y-yeah!"
It was bad when Morty stuttered through his laugh. His obviously fake laugh. "It was a tough one today." Rick let out a huff of air, throwing the bag carelessly in the ship. He'd quickly grown tired of pretending he cared about it more than what was wrong with his grandson. "How about we go out for some ice cream as celebration?" He turned back to flash him a smile. He dreadfully waited for the routine to play out.
"Oh, o-oh man, heh.." Morty suddenly looked three times more nervous than he'd been before. "I-I-I I mean, y-you know I'd love to, but-!" Rick didn't listen to the excuse he desperately tried to come up with. He just stared at the teen with an unreadable face. And here came the weird part. "Y-you wouldn't mind if we went home, right?" He eyed Rick for approval, looking like anxiety itself in human form.
"Morty, you do know you can disagree with me sometimes, right?" Rick raised his eyebrow, speaking as-a-matter-of-factly. "I mean I tell you that you have to do anything I say, but I honestly expected more teenage rebellious disobedience or whatever they call it in psychology."
Rick waited expectantly for Morty's annoyed correction of his words. For him to be smug and all-knowing about something he was good at and Rick was not, because Rick wasn't interested in the particular science at all.
But Morty didn't take the bait, only stared at the dashboard awkwardly, hanging his head low instead of giving him a two-minute speech about psychology like he used to do.
Rick didn't even know he could miss that nonsensical bullshit until he stopped hearing it.
He was tired of Morty acting like a trained dog.
"Did I finally break you or something, kiddo?" Rick joked as they took off the planet, breaking the tense silence.
"What?! No!" Morty denied, a tad too loud and panicking which made Rick jump in his seat, almost crashing into an asteroid. "Why would you?! It-it's absolute- absolutely ridiculous!"
"Wow, interesting choice of words, Morty." Rick frowned ahead. "Why 'would' I, not how 'could' I. Like you don't think it's that far from reality. You count it as something at least possible happening in the near future." He concluded from the three simple words.
"I-" Morty trailed off dumbfounded, not processing how he'd fallen into the trap.
"Morty, do you even like these adventures anymore?" Rick forced out, his grip tightening on the stirring wheel, which unfortunately was taken personally by Morty.
"O-o-of course I-I do!" He stammered, his voice still too loud and squeaky to come off natural. "I uh, love them, a lot.."
"We both know you'd never say that word for adventures." Rick caught him in another trap. "Even when you went to Boob World for the first time, you just said it was 'cool'."
Morty went silent again, his breathing shaky and unsteady, his hands gripped the edge of the seat. It made Rick feel almost bad for interrogating the kid.
The ride home was mostly spent in complete heavy silence. When they landed in the garage, Rick felt the urge to say something to the boy who immediately got out of the ship, almost toppling over to get away from him.
"Morty?" He tried his best not to sound sharp, but they boy flinched anyway, and it was painful to watch. Rick hated the flinches.
"Uh, y-yes, Rick?" He sounded cautious and on guard, not turning around to face the old man.
"Do you want to take a break?" Rick casually asked.
"F-from what?" Morty turned around to look at him in confusion. "W-where are we going?" An edge crept into his tone.
"Nowhere." He sighed. "A break from me." Morty froze. "And don't even try to act like you're not dying to get out of conversations with me all the fucking time." Rick accused and Morty averted his eyes in shame.
"I'm sorry-"
"Don't. Apologize." Rick hissed. "Trust me, I get it. It might be me, might be the adventures. Maybe something was too much for you to handle- I don't know, okay?" He crossed his arms defensively. "But you're free, got it? Free!" He flailed his arms around to prove his point. "You can flip me off and go live your mundane human life. It doesn't mean I ain't gonna say anything, but I won't have a chain to your neck-"
"My neck?" Morty asked in horror, appearing to be in some sort of a trance.
Rick stopped himself from making an angry retort, instead looked at Morty with slight concern. "What-" He shook his head. "Just forget it. I'm just saying you're free to go. For now, no adventures for a month, got it dipshit?" It sounded strange rolling off his mouth. Usually it was Beth or Jerry saying it.
I fucking miss you, okay? The actual Morty Smith. Where the hell is he?
He held his tongue from saying anything stupid and cheesy. Why would Morty even want to hear that?
Morty slowly nodded. "C-can I go?" It didn't sound sassy or rude or sarcastic. He was genuinely and basically asking Rick for permission to fucking breathe.
"You can do that anytime you want." Rick grumbled, frustrated.
After Morty slipped out of the garage, Rick glared at the liquor sitting under his workbench. "Was it you guys? Raise your hand if you think it's somehow my fault."
He was certain that the bottles would raise their hands if they had any.
"Unbelievable! This is outrageous!" Jerry yelled as he stormed in and out of the kitchen where Rick stood, calmly sipping his coffee.
"Really pulling out the big guns here, huh, Jerry?" He commented dryly, watching the pathetic excuse of a human fume.
"Jerry, calm down for a minute." Beth tried to sooth her husband. "We'll figure something out."
"Figure what out?! Our son is cutting himself, Beth!" He looked on the verge of pulling his hair out.
Rick winced, internally wondering why he'd never bothered to check. That Jerry was the one catching Morty in the act. "So you yelling your head off at Morty and about him like a lunatic is supposed to help?"
"O-oh, don't get me started with you!" Jerry pointed a finger at him, earning a snort. "This has something to do with those horrible adventures, I'm sure of it!"
"Sure, Jerry. Sure thing." Rick rolled his eyes and drank from his coffee.
"No adventures for two weeks!" He announced angrily.
"Jerry!" Beth's eyes widened. "You can't just-"
"A month." Rick burped nonchalantly. The couple looked at him in disbelief.
"What do you mean a month?" Beth asked, bemused.
"I already told Morty we won't be going on any adventures for a month." He shrugged. "He wasn't really complaining, so maybe you're right Jerry." He set his empty mug in the sink before heading out upstairs and towards his room to pick up some blueprints. "Maybe agreeing with you will shut you up." He muttered as he ascended the stairs.
He was thinking about his plans for the long night when a whimper brought him out of his thoughts. He stopped in his tracks and realized it came from Morty's room.
For a moment there, he contemplated entering the room. At the end he figured it was for the greater good or whatever, so he slowly turned the door handle and approached Morty's especially distressed sleeping form.
He casually sat down on the floor, deciding to listen to the boy's murmurs.
"Please, no.." Rick sighed, letting his forehead fall on the mattress. "I.. let me go.. please.." Rick noted with concerned surprise that the boy actually started sobbing in his sleep. "What do you want.. I'm.. just a dumb.." More sobbing. "D-don't.. touch me…"
Rick was in the process of standing up to leave when something froze his body, and his soul, and probably heart for a moment.
"Rick.. no.."
He stared at the sleeping boy, utterly horrified and baffled. Being caught off guard often makes sentient life forms do stupid things.
"Morty, what the fuck?!" He yelled incredulously and Morty shot up, screaming in terror. "Fuck, relax! It's just me- actually I should probably be the last person talking to you right now, but fuck this shit."
Morty quickly reached for the lamp, squinting as the sudden brightness irritated his red and puffy eyes. "R-R-Rick?!"
"Yeah, it's me alright!" His anger washes away at the fear he saw in Morty's eyes. Threats weren't going to work.
He straightened, closing his eyes and taking in a few deep breaths, trying to calm his wrecked nerves. He felt more content as he heard Morty do the same. Maybe he also didn't want the conversation to go badly.
"Do you remember what you were just dreaming about?" Rick asked in the calmest voice he could manage.
"O-oh, that." Morty chuckled awkwardly. "I-I'm sorry, was I crying? I hope I didn't bother you."
"I'm not bothered." Rick brushed it off naturally. "I'd say I'm more disturbed.. and worried FUCKING SICK!" He suddenly grabbed Morty's shoulders, shaking him violently. "Why would you think I'd ever do something like that?!"
Morty yelped. "I-I-I-I'm s-sorry." He sobbed.
"Why?!" Rick stepped away, looking at him in disbelief. "Why are you sorry? Just tell me what I did. Holy fucking mother of shit, was I drunk?" He groaned loudly, running a hand down his face.
"No!" Morty squeaked sharply. "I-it's nothing, I swear!"
"Sure it isn't!" Rick gritted his teeth. "Morty, I'm not gonna let this slide. We live in the same fucking house, you're gonna be living in agony if we don't talk about it."
"I-it's stupid. I'll manage." Morty cried into his hands despite his words.
"The hell you will." Rick muttered. "For the last time, what did I do?"
"Why are you so sure that you," a sniff. "had something to do with it?" Morty curled into himself.
"Because you won't even look at me anymore. I just.." Rick trailed off from his bitter words. "I just.. want to help." It came out softer than he cared to admit. "You have to fucking let me, though."
Morty seemed to notice it too, because he finally raised his head to meet Rick's soft gaze with tearful wide eyes. "R-really?" He said in a small hesitant voice.
Rick nodded, not trusting his mouth as he took his seat back on the floor. Morty frowned at him, drying his tears with the back of his hands. "S-sit next to me."
"Are you fucking serious right now?" Rick glared at the boy.
"Yes!" Morty stressed. "Sit next to me." He patted the space on his bed. "If we're going to do this, we're doing it right."
Rick raised his eyebrow, but complied. "Well, first question.." He trailed off, narrowing his eyes. His blunt-cough, blatant, cough- approach wasn't always appreciated. And from what Rick sensed, this conversation was a life and death situation for their adventures and relationship in general.
He pursed his lips, making a final decision. He turned his eyes back at his grandson, who looked curious and slightly terrified about his sudden silence. "Okay, scratch that. Start with whatever you want."
Morty blinked awkwardly. "W-wouldn't it be more efficient to a-ask questions instead?" He scratched his arm nervously, obviously not trusting the change of attitude.
"Yeah, but I don't think we'll get anywhere with that." Rick offered pointedly. "Just tell me whatever you're comfortable with me hearing." All the sappiness felt greatly uncomfortable to him, but seeing Morty relax his shoulders, he decided it was worth it.
"Oh." Morty breathed out. "I um, I guess uh.." Rick waited patiently through his stammer, which really wasn't his thing. But the last thing he needed was scaring Morty off even worse. So he contained himself.
"I didn't lie." He finally inhaled deeply. "You didn't do anything. Just.. it was another.. you.." He sank deep into his slouch, his voice wavering.
Rick's eyes widened. "Do you know anything about that Rick?" He asked seriously, clenching his fists.
"No need to kill him, he's already dead." Morty said, dryly but awkward nonetheless. "I-i-it was when you went to the Citadel for that deal you had."
"Why didn't you say anything?" Rick asked in confusion as he readjusted himself in his spot, sinking into the conversation.
"I dunno." Morty weakly shrugged and averted his eyes. "Figured it was stupid." He muttered. "N-not worth your time."
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard." Rick deadpanned after a moment. "I want to strangle your stubborn ass just for that." Morty flinched. "Not literally! I meant metaphorical- who am I even kidding?" He massaged his temples in annoyance.
"I can't help it, I'm sorry, okay?" Morty's voice shook as he desperately tried to convey his message. Rick felt a stab of pain in his chest.
"I know, I know." He sighed, exhausted. "Look, just tell me if I should fuck off-"
"No!" Morty's voice cracked with panic, then they both sank in silence. "No." He said more calmly. "Y-you're just about the only face I want to see right now."
"You're not making any sense, Morty." Rick shook his head. "Why would want the same face that ra- uh, assaulted you anywhere near you?" He changed his choice of words as Morty winced.
"You're not the same people." Morty whispered with narrow eyes.
Rick stared at the boy, unreadable but speechless. "What do I do?" He finally spoke.
"Nothing." Morty shrugged.
"Oh, shut your trap." Rick rolled his eyes. "You're on that ridiculous stage of traumatization where you're in so much shock that it seems like nothing's wrong at all."
"… That's a thing?" Morty asked with a hint of fear that for once wasn't directed at him.
"Yep." Rick burped in sync with the word, but this time Morty didn't jump, only giggled, which made Rick smile softly. "I should probably go-" He stood up, but Morty tugged on his sleeve.
"And leave me alone with my nightmares?" He huffed in annoyance.
"Morty, I am your nightmares." Rick rolled his eyes. "What goes on in that fucking brain of yours? You don't want me around!"
"For a Rick, you sure have a mindset about the concept of different dimensions and what it means." Morty patronized smugly.
It made Rick chuckle that the little asshat was back. "Smartass isn't a good look on you."
"You already told me that other Ricks from other dimensions aren't your responsibility, so why are you being so weird-"
"Because I'm fucking worried about you!" Rick snapped loudly. There was a moment of silence.
Morty's eyes filled up with tears and Rick snapped out of it. "N-no, Morty I didn't mean to- I didn't mean to yell! Just, calm the fuck down-"
"Shut up, Rick!" Morty half-sobbed, half-laughed. "I want to hug you right fucking now! Y-you can't even stop me!" To prove his point, he crawled out of the blanket and threw his arms around Rick's torso, who was standing. "Why did I doubt you for a second?" Morty sobbed onto his lab coat. "You're like- like the corniest Rick in the multiverse!"
Rick grumbled out a noise of protest, but patted Morty's back.
"Hey, I have an idea." Rick suddenly said. He reached down and grabbed Morty by his armpits, pulling him up into his arms.
"Well, this is cozy." Morty sniffed, blinking as he locked his limbs around him to prevent falling.
"Don't get used to it." Rick deadpanned as he fiddled with the coordinate of his portal gun.
"Where are we going?" He sounded more curious than dreadful this time.
"Somewhere safe." Rick simply said and shot a portal. "Do you trust me?" He looked at Morty expectantly.
Morty hesitated for a moment, but taking one last look at Rick, he nodded. "Y-yeah. I do." He sounded confident about his answer.
Rick lazily grinned at that, carrying him through the portal.
Rick watched Morty's eyes double in size as he gaped.
He couldn't really blame the kid. He'd picked this planet specifically for his project. He put the kid down to let him take in the surroundings.
They were standing on a straight silver line that seemed to go on for infinity. Around them, there was no more land, only miles and miles of shallow, smooth water that shimmered under the light of the planet's moons and stars. In the water silently swam colorful fishes and smaller creatures. The top of the water was covered with white-looking lilies that glowed faintly. Every now and then, trees were seen in the water, with white trunks and yellow-ish leaves that fell and grew back rather quickly.
"Rick," Morty started, lost in the nature of the planet. "Where is this place?"
"A place I come to visit more often than I should." Rick said dryly. "Look around, what do you feel?"
"I.. it's relaxing." Morty finally concluded. "I feel calm."
Rick started walking on the silver line. "Yep. I brought you here to feel calm."
"Tha-that's nice." Morty grinned, skipping to keep up with Rick. "Tha-thanks!"
"Sure thing, Morty. You don't want me to leave?" He sounded cautious, eyeing Morty.
"Nope." Morty took his hand and swayed it while looking at their surroundings. "I want you to tell me what you wanted to do with those gems today?" He asked, grinning widely as a glint of excitement was seen in Rick's eyes.
"I was actually going to work on it tonight! So, you know that old ass cure for Qulomino I made..?"
Morty hummed and they continued their walk, the background noise only the sound of wind blowing through branches.