Work Text:
1.
Rick left his wife and daughter when Beth was only fourteen.
He told Dianne he was going out, would be away for a few days, but apparently, his wife knew him enough to see right through him as she was already tearing up. She told him he should say goodbye to Beth just in case, and he hesitated for a moment, thinking about her request, then shook his head. He told her it was unnecessary, he would be back before she knew it. Dianne nodded stiffly, not crying anymore and she left the room without a word.
Rick was gone a few minutes later and when he felt something bitter in his mouth thinking about the family he left behind he just rinsed with more alcohol until he couldn't feel anything anymore.
He didn't see his daughter until five years later. He heard she was pregnant two years before that from other Ricks, but he was too busy running away from the Federation to visit her and that idiot of a husband she acquired.
But when he overheard the other Ricks talking about her new pregnancy, with a boy this time, he got a little excited. His daughter was already a lost cause thanks to that loser, but he wouldn't allow Jerry to ruin his grandson too. Having half his DNA was more than enough.
So after his grandson was born, Rick decided to pay him a visit. Sneaking into the newborn's room without his parents noticing was easy enough and he took the little bundle out of the cradle. The baby was sleeping soundly, but he slowly woke up in Rick's arms.
He had big, warm brown sleepy eyes and a dumb little smile and Rick immediately knew he was not going to be like him at all, but he grinned down at him all the same.
“Hi, Morty. Your Grandpa Rick is finally here.”
2.
He didn't see his grandson, or his family until thirteen years later. Because reasons .
But he was back, and permanently at that. His daughter was happy enough to let him get away with almost everything, and who the fuck cared about what Jerry said.
And he had Morty. The kid didn't change that much in thirteen years. He had the same eyes, the same dumb smile, but he could talk now, too.
And talk he did. He started to get braver with Rick, mouthing back every now and then and now he was threatening Rick to stop their adventures. Which obviously could not happen, so Rick decided to throw him a bone. That's why they were on this stupid medieval adventure and that's why he was sitting at a table alone while Morty was doing who knew what in the bathroom. He was taking too long and Rick was way past running out of patience, so he got up to go after the kid.
He heard the muffled shouts before he even opened the door and he really hoped for whoever was in there’s sake that they didn't belong to his grandson.
They did. Morty was screaming no! while a disgusting creature was holding him down, drooling all over him. Rick didn't even close the door behind himself before he shot it down. He was only sorry that he couldn't afford to prolong that parasite's suffering but his grandson’s safety was top priority now. Morty ran for him and buried his face in his shirt, crying desperately.
“I w-w-wanna go h-home, Rick.”
Rick held him close, rubbing his shaking back, trying to calm both Morty and himself.
“It's okay.”
3.
Morty was drooling after that Maximus Degenerate, looking at him with stupid stars in his eyes, but it was fine because Rick didn't give a fuck. He was just annoyed that Morty was too naive to realize that guy was a piece of shit compared to Rick. All of the Vindicators were.
“They are my heroes, Rick.” That stung . Morty should be looking at Rick like that, should say he was his hero if he insisted on stupid titles.
Rick didn't want to think about any of it, so he drank.
He did even more reckless things when he got blackout drunk than usual, like setting up an elaborate scheme to disillusion Morty about his so-called heroes, but he couldn't believe himself when he said “ It could be- It could be Morty ” while he was relatively sober.
He was fucking up everything. It became quite obvious especially after Morty got back from whatever journey his drunk self planned for him. His grandson was angry and Rick Sanchez was too fucking scared to ask him what he saw or heard.
He was afraid it had been the truth.
4.
“We both know I am too healthy to lie.”
He was. That's why his stupid detoxificated self said all those stupid things.
“Irrational attachments.” He couldn't have been more obvious than that, really… thank fuck Morty wasn't in the state to listen.
He fucking took off instead, going to live whatever dream life that little healthy shit had fantasized about.
He couldn't track him down, but maybe with the help of that Jessica girl he could, since Morty still had the hots for her or whatever.
But Jessica wouldn't cooperate. He was calling her non-stop, begging her, threatening her but she wouldn't budge for a long time. But Rick was running out of time, he was going crazy without Morty and his family noticed as well. He built a Morty robot so they wouldn't notice his absence, but he couldn't pretend everything was alright.
When he finally tracked down Morty and finally got him back, he was so relieved he got reckless.
He hugged him, holding on like Morty was his lifeline and he was saying stupid things he was not supposed to like don't fucking do that to me again and you belong to me, Morty. Morty didn't question him though, he was holding him just as tight and he said yes, Rick, I promise and that was enough.
5.
He didn't know how, it just happened. They were in the Citadel of Ricks ‘cause he had some business to attend to and he had to leave Morty at a café. He wasn't even gone for more than fifteen minutes, but when he got back, another Rick was sitting with his Morty. He didn't know him, but the Rick was way too close to his grandson and he had his fucking hand on Morty's face. And Morty was giggling, fucking giggling like an idiot.
Rick saw red. The next moment he was at their table, yanking the asshole up by his lab coat and throwing him to the ground.
“Don't lay a hand on my Morty, you fucking asshole.” He trampled on the hand he used to touch him to emphasize his point. The Rick was about to say something, but Morty was pulling him away from the scene, muttering “come on Rick, let's go” fervently, looking around nervously.
Rick let him. He opened a portal silently to the garage, and Morty was about to storm off angrily, probably sulking in his room until he forgave him, but Rick grabbed his arm quickly.
“You are not going anywhere.” He felt positively crazy. He was constantly picturing that stranger Rick's hand on his grandson, and he wanted to kill him.
“What the hell, R-rick? What is wrong with you? He was just being nice. You know, it wouldn't hurt you either to-”
“Nice, Morty? Do you want nice, huh? Him being all over you, is that nice?” He yanked his grandson to his chest, Morty stuttering out weak protests in confusion, but Rick didn't care. “Then I will give you nice.”
He kissed him. Rick Sanchez kissed his underage grandson, he sank that low. And he fucking loved every second of it.
Morty was clutching at his back desperately and kept making cute little sounds just for him. It was addicting, and Rick was always guilty of giving in to temptation.
Afterward, Morty was asleep on Rick's cot and Rick was watching him in silent horror. He just ruined Morty's life because he got jealous . He reached for his memory eraser gun with trembling hands and shook his grandson awake. Morty blinked up at him sleepily, with his big warm eyes and dumb little smile and Rick pulled the trigger.
“I am sorry, Morty.”
+1
“Rick, I am going to college.”
His movements stalled, but he composed himself quickly.
“Whatever, M-morty. If you want to rot in that stupid place for four more years, then go.”
Morty looked hurt, stricken even, but Rick couldn't give in. Not again. It would be good for Morty to be away from him. And it was also good that he was the one who wanted to go because Rick was sure as hell not strong enough to send him away.
The following months were hell. Morty was ignoring him, doing school stuff or whatever and when he was looking at him, it was always with that hurt look in his eyes that Rick couldn't stand.
On the day Morty was supposed to leave, Rick was ready to bolt as well. Without Morty, he had no reason to stay. He didn't tell anyone, just like he didn't tell twenty-three years ago.
He was packing his stuff when Morty stormed into the room and he was crying.
“Why didn't you stop me?” His tone was furious and accusing and Rick didn't know how to answer.
“It will be better like this.”
Morty hit him. Fucking punched him in the face, the little bitch, and Rick let him.
“It won’t be, R-rick, you fucking idiot! I found the memory, I remember !”
Rick should have seen this coming. Hell, maybe he did see it coming and did nothing to stop it. He didn't know anymore.
“Then you should know why it is a f-fucking bad idea to stay near me, Morty.”
“Don't go all responsible on me now, Rick! You know full well I’m in this as much as you. You didn't force me, Rick. Not in this. So fucking own up to it and don't let me go.” He was still crying and Rick couldn't help but reach up to cup his cheek.
“Okay. Just don't cry, baby.”
Morty hugged him, sniffling quietly and Rick buried his face is his hair.
“It's okay, Morty. I am here.”