Demoralize

Understandings

"Don't you fucking come near me, Rick."

Morty shook like a earthquake in the seat of the spaceship. Rick had reached out an awkward hand to comfort him.

Rick pulled back. He huffed.

"Fine, Morty, but at-at least put your pants back on."

Morty suddenly realized he had his pants in a bunch around his feet. He quickly pulled them up, a burgundy blush spreading like wildfire in his cheeks. Morty laughed bitterly to himself at how embarrassed he was. It's almost like five strangers weren't fucking him an hour ago.

Rick had taken the long route home. Whether to calm Morty down or himself down, Morty didn't know. They traveled a blank void. Rick still veered in the silent blackness.

"Morty, I-"

"Save it, Rick." Morty cut him off.

Rick gripped the steering wheel to keep his composure.

"I'm sorry, Morty."

Morty turned to him sharply. "Sorry for leaving me out there alone? Or sorry that..." 

Morty's fire abruptly left him. He couldn't say what happened. The words wrapped around his tongue and stuck like glue in his throat.

Morty pushed back into the seat and turned towards the window. Fresh tears were already springing in his eyes.

Rick's trademark apathy cut through. "Morty, don't even s-start with that shit, I saved your ass, you remember that M-Morty?" 

Morty looked up at the void, praying that whatever was out there would give him strength now.

"I remember you taking me to a random planet in the middle of nowhere and l-leaving me a-alone, Rick. Tell me, Rick, why the hell we're we even there? Huh? W-why did you need me so bad?"

"Ya know Morty, that really isn't any of your fucking business!" Rick's growling shout echoed in the tiny ship. 

"It is my business when I get f-fucking screwed over, R-Rick!"

"You think, you think I give a fuck what you think, Morty?" Rick turned to Morty with pain and anger on his face. "You think I give a fuck what you wanna know?"

"Why won't you just tell me why, Rick? What the fuck was so important?" Morty shrilly screamed at him. His face was fire and his tears burned.

"Alright, Morty, you really wanna fucking know?" Rick took a deep swig from his flask, shaking his head woozily afterward. 

"Y-yeah Rick, I need to know!" cried Morty.

"I was going to get you cloned, Morty! Since you're so fucking screwed in the head, I was going to clone a replacement for you."

Morty froze.

"W-what?" Morty whispered.

"I can't take your shit anymore Morty! I'm so fucking sick of you being so god damn selfish! Do you have any idea what you're doing?" Rick felt tears streaking down his cheeks. "I fucking found you in that tub, Morty! I can't take it, if you fucking died, I, I," 

Rick lost his words. He took another swig. 

"I was getting another you. So if you died, I..." 

Morty couldn't move.

"I could start over. And do it right."

Morty flopped back in his chair. Was he really this fucked up? He guessed he was, if Rick had to do this.

"I couldn't take you inside because you would figure out what was going on and y-you'd probably flip out or do some other dumb shit. That's why I left you there."

Morty choked on a sob.

Rick sped up the spaceship. The whirring of the engines almost drowned out Morty's crying. 

Almost. 

There were no more words.

Rick touched down the spaceship in the garage a few minutes later.

They sat together in the fading purr of the motor for a moment.

"Rick," said Morty delicately. Rick turned to him.

"Why didn't you just redeem your Free Morty voucher? Why did you have to clone me?"

Rick grimaced and looked away. He wished he didn't know about that.

"Cuz, I-" Rick started. His voice sputtered out in his throat. He realized he didn't have an answer. Morty nodded as if this was the only response he needed. 

Morty got out quietly, shutting the door softly and climbing the stairs to his room.

Rick sat in the garage, bathing in the rays of the rising sun.