Disclaimer: I don't own Rick and Morty
A/N: Just a little piece of fluff and comfort:'D
The night was seemingly quiet, the only sounds heard from the rustles of wind through the leaves of the trees outside Morty's house. The aura was light and calm, in contrast to what Morty was feeling internally.
Gazing out by his window, Morty sat in deep thought. Wishing he could be more indifferent like his eccentric grandfather. That he could avoid getting attached, flowing where the adventures took him. He had never voiced these thoughts out loud, and didn't plan to. Unfortunately, the scientist's uncaring attitude also meant his mind was extra difficult to pick on. He could predict what his answer to Morty's mental conflicts would be. 'Don't think about it'.
Perhaps it was easy for Rick, but Morty's sentimentality wouldn't change, no matter how hard he tried. As much as he didn't want to admit, he'd inherited that from his cowardly father.
What caused Morty's insomnia that specific night was part of his daily struggles; the sense of belonging. He understood the concept of dimensions, how they were the same universes branched apart by rather small differences. Morty had always been fond of the word 'home'. Where he'd been born, raised and had catered to memorable moments, good or bad. Where he had no doubt he was always welcomed and protected.
And one day, it was taken away from him. Before he could've processed, he had been standing in the ruins of what he once called his home. There were no longer people, all those familiar faces- kind and evil- were turned into monstrous 'Cronenbergs'.
Without it, he should've felt wrecked, but he'd thought he still had something to remember his dimension by: his Rick. And that had been his life after the disaster, sticking to his grandfather. Because along all the chaos the multiverse presented him, he could find peace in whatever was left of his origin. He could feel content looking at Rick C-137.
The moment his world fell apart though, was the day he learned he was not Morty C-137. Because there was no such person as a Morty from that dimension. That meant Rick being his reminder was nothing but a delusion. He didn't even know where his home was and what was his dimension tag. He was nothing but a piece of plastic, drifting through the winds of cosmos, confused and alone.
So recovering from the destruction of the Citadel of Ricks, Morty didn't feel the same when Rick quickly nestled in the closest dimension he could find for their residence. His days and nights felt hollow. The universe didn't look real. His family wasn't as lively as before, and everything felt like a cruel lie.
Oh, Morty didn't cry. He could never allow himself to. All he did was wait for his day to end, and when the night came, stare into space. He knew that wasn't how he could find his dimension, but every time he looked in the mirror to feel, the fakeness around him drowned it out.
So he sat behind his window, gazing blankly at the stars, which also didn't feel existent. He felt empty.
A burp from the hallway broke into his concentration. Rick was probably going to take him on an adventure. He'd be glad as long as he didn't how to stay at the haunted room.
"Mmm.. Mo- Morty." His slurry voice demanded, kicking the door open. "C'mere ya lil'.. ugh." The man slumped, making his way to Morty's desk, where he was situated.
"Hey." Morty simply greeted, noticing his drunken state.
Rick leaned closely with narrowed eyes, violating his privacy. "What- why you cryin'? What's- what's with you?" His breath made Morty scrunch up his nose at the strong smell of liquor.
Morty was very much aware of the dampness of his tears, but kept a straight face. "I.. I don't know, Rick." He steadily answered, his voice only slightly shaking. "I really don't."
His unfocused eyes softened. "Oh, c'mon. Y-y-you don't have to- hafta look strong for me buddy. S-spill it." Then he stumbled back, almost tripping over something.
"Did you want to go on an adventure, Rick?" Morty asked, knowing how easy it was to change the subject when Rick was inebriated and not paying attention.
"Nah, I- it's… just- just wanted some company. Y-yeah." Rick nodded to himself seriously.
"No you didn't." He sighed, then got up. "Come on, let's get you to your room.." Taking care of drunk Rick had somehow become a ritual for them. Rick would drink himself into oblivion, and Morty would deal with an elderly child who was equipped with sophisticated cybernetic augmentations. And threw up a lot.
Rick evaded the hand that tried to reach him. "Don't send me back there." Rick pleaded, looking more sober than Morty'd ever seen him.
He stopped in his tracks, frowning. "Explain, please? And I need you sober for that."
They had a short glaring contest, which Morty won. Rick sighed and brought out a syringe from his labcoat. "If I wanted to be sober, I wouldn't have gotten wrecked." He grumbled as he pieced his own arm with it.
Morty watched with curiosity as Rick blinked his haze away. "Ugh, fuck. Why did I even make this." He threw the vial in the trash. "I hate reality."
"Well, why are you here?" Morty crossed his arms, wanting the unnecessary interaction to be over with.
"You would've had better luck getting an answer out of the me that came here. I don't know jack shit." He rubbed his temples.
"Then get out." Morty was on the verge of crying from the frustrations that nagged at him.
He stilled. "No."
"What do you mean no?" Morty demanded with confusion. "This is my room!"
"I don't want to be there." Rick slowly exhaled. Morty had a hard time determining his face under nothing but a dim moonlight.
"In your room?" Morty quietly asked.
Rick shrugged. "Don't kick me out. I'll sleep on about any surface."
"Just take the bed." Morty sighed. "I'm probably not going to sleep."
Rick was already sprawled out on the bed by the time Morty reached the desk. "Had a nightmare or something? Or just feeling generous?"
"Neither. Just.. thinking." Morty shrugged and proceeded looking out the window.
"Weird... Why can't I be drunk again?"
"You'll throw up in my room and I have to clean it up." His grandfather's extra talkative demeanor was getting on his nerves.
"Have you ever-"
"What's wrong, Rick?" Morty turned his head around in irritation. "You're talking a lot."
"Oh, I'm sorry for ruining your concentration, your majesty." Rick stretched, rolling his eyes. "Why don't you say what crawled up your ass and died? You've been acting like a zombie lately."
"Telling you won't help. I already know what your answer is." Morty frowned.
"Try me." Rick offered, and Morty was taken back from the sincerity in his tone.
"Um, geez." Morty anxiously mused. "I honestly just... have you ever.. wanted to- um.." Rick's patient silence was meant to sooth him, but instead it was creeping him out. "I-I mean, I'm going to sound like a disney princess, but uh.. have you ever missed, belonging somewhere?" He flinched, expecting a snarky comment.
Rick's figure was motionless for a minute, then he sat up straight and patted the spot beside him.
"Oh, um, okay?" Morty, still wary, hesitantly got up and followed his instruction. As he sat down, an arm snaked around his shoulder and his face hit Rick's chest with a surprised squeak. It actually took him a moment to realize it was a hug. "Wha- what-"
Rick hushed him. "Shut it, you little goof."
"But-"
"Shut!"
Finally, Morty composed himself as much as he could in the awkward position and turned his upper body around so he could properly wrap his arms around his grandfather.
"Rick, are you okay?" Morty asked, concerned.
"I should be asking you that." The hand on his shoulder squeezed affectionately and Morty absently leaned into it. "Y-you miss your family, don't you?"
"Yeah." Morty's voice broke halfway. "M-my original one."
"And you were chill until now cause you thought you're from the C-137 universe, right?"
Morty's breath hitched, caught off guard. "H-how do you...um, yeah." He finished with a small voice.
"Yeah, well, I get it." Rick's tone sounded light and reassuring.
"No you don't. You're really good at moving on." Morty sobbed into the fabric of his shirt.
"If I were, I wouldn't have come to your universe at all, Morty." He sighed. Morty didn't have an answer to that. "I have the same problem. But the difference is, I have my buddy alcohol to keep me company." He joked.
"While I have to stare at a window." Morty pouted.
Rick slid back his messed up hair softly. "No. I don't have to drink, and you don't have to live like a walking corpse. No one has to do anything, Morty. It's your stupid choice."
"I shouldn't cry." Morty sobbed harder, clutching the fabric tightly.
"And you shouldn't drink either? Sounds kind of unfair to me." Rick shrugged.
"Please don't go." Morty whispered frantically.
"Morty, I'm not going unless you kick me out." But despite his words, tightened his hold on the boy. "You can't get rid of me this easily." He rolled his eyes.
"How-" hiccup "h-how do you deal with it? It hurts, Rick... I-I feel like I don't have a home anymore." Morty continued crying silently as Rick gently rubbed his back.
"Yeah, I know, kid." Rick gave a long sigh. "It feels kind of gross in here. All the good stuff is for who lived here first. It already belongs to someone else, you get me?" Morty nodded. "I- I do have a plan B if you're interested.." Rick suddenly pulled away to look at him, his stare serious.
Morty sniffed and nodded for him to continue, intrigued.
"Have you ever wondered what happened to the Rick of your dimension?"
Morty's eyes widened, as if he hadn't considered that. "N-no.. do you know?"
"No, but I can find him if he's alive." Morty's jaw dropped in shock. And Rick looked absolutely serious. "I-I mean, if you're interested, I mean." He averted his eyes. "I can take you to him. All the stuff about home? There's a Rick out there from your home, soo. I thought you might appreciate that." He clicked his tongue, looking somehow uncomfortable.
Morty kept staring at him, absolutely dumbstruck. He was giving Morty a choice of leaving him? For another Rick?! Wasn't that basically letting Morty cheat on him or some crap?
"So should I start searching?" Rick's words seemed impatient and slightly forced.
"Do you.. want me to go?" Morty spoke softly.
Rick looked taken back. "Wh-what does that have to do with anything?" He harshly demanded.
"Answer my question, Rick." Morty frowned.
"Either you answer mine or the option's off the table-"
"You're going to miss me." Morty grinned.
Rick sighed. "Fine, yes. A little, maybe."
"What are you going to do after I'm gone?" Morty had no intention of taking Rick up on that offer, but only was satisfying his curiosity.
"I dunno." He shrugged. "I guess go die in a hole like I'm planning to do anyway?"
Morty didn't reply to that, tensing.
"Just fucking answer me. Do I go start the search for your Rick?" Rick started to sound impatient.
"Are you crazy?!" Morty blurted out offendedly. Rick blinked in surprise. "You think I'd just leave you for a Rick I've never met?!"
Rick slightly snickered. "This conversation is starting to get really weird."
"Have you forgotten what home is?" Morty desperately gestured around, his voice cracking. "It's somewhere that makes you feel safe. That bastard left his family while you searched for the one who killed yours!" Morty pointed at him while Rick watched, frozen in shock. "It's where you build memories! Good and bad- of course the bad memories I have with you definitely outnumber-" Rick cleared his throat with amusement. "-right. And home is somewhere you're protected." Morty's voice grew small and emotional. "If 'my Rick' cared the slightest about his family, he would've noticed that humanity basically went extinct on earth. S-so you might've never had a grandson." Morty shrugged. "And you're one of the worst grandpas in history-"
"Geez, Morty, stop. I'm blushing!" Rick remarked sarcastically.
"-But you're one of the best friends I could've asked for." Rick's smirk vanished. "And as much as you pretend you don't care, I know you'd protect me." Morty continued warmly. "S-so yeah. I don't have a home. And neither do you. But as you said, it's gross living here because it already belongs to another Smith family. But Nothing belongs to us anymore, so," Morty coyly shrugged. "I guess we're all we've got."
Rick looked deeply touched by Morty's words. "You little shit-"
Unexpectedly, he then jumped on him, bringing them both down on the bed and air was knocked out of Morty's lungs. "You manipulative bastard!" Rick cackled, hugging Morty tightly.
Rick's enthusiastic aura was contagious as Morty started laughing too, pushing his grandfather away. "I just said the truth!"
"Well, it's on you if I never let go of you again, motherfucker." Rick huffed against his shoulders, smile evident in his voice.
"Are you spooning me?" Morty snorted, struggling to get out of his hold.
"Never!" Rick mockingly breathed out, pinning him down.
"Well, I'm feeling especially cheesy tonight." Morty cheekily grinned. "So, I love you Riiii- mmmf!"
Rick shoved his face to the mattress, shutting him up. "Please, spare me the cheese." He chuckled, rolling his eyes.
Morty brought his head up, gasping in a breath. "Hey, It rhymed!"
"So," Rick loosened his grip. "What do we do now?"
"Honestly, I think we should be hobos." Morty smiled.
Rick hummed. "I like the way you think, but why?"
"I don't want to live with a version of my family that's not mine." He confessed. "It reminds me of what I don't have anymore."
"Do you want to build a house somewhere else?" Rick suggested. "Maybe on an uninhabited planet somewhere. It can be pretty relaxing after a tough adventure."
"I want a servant!" Morty blurted.
"How about a servant that looks like Jessica?" Rick's amused voice spoke.
"Deal." He grinned pleasantly.
Rick snorted and bent his figure, pulling Morty closer by his waist.
"You're seriously spooning me?" Morty joked, but appreciated the warmth.
"Yep. Now shut your trap, just for tonight. We'll worry about the house thing tomorrow." He yawned. "Seriously just- just shut up."
Morty didn't answer, instead tried to reach the blanket and pull it over them.
"... and I love you too, you goddamn idiot." He sighed, relenting.
Morty smiled.