Don't Come Back For Me

Lunch.

       Because I care.

        Those three words were all you'd wanted to hear since he left. They were all you desired as you walked away from the life you two had shared, the memories you were left with, unable to chase away.

       Because I care.

       Those words completely invalidated anything you'd ever been told by Morty, the boy who'd proven to be little more than a hateful creature. They had invalidated anything you ever thought, having come straight from the man himself, having been full of honesty, truth.

       Because I care.

       That was all you'd ever needed to hear from him to know it was true. That was all you'd ever wanted from this man, the man that had taken you under his wing as his assistant, the man who'd been aroused by you the first day you worked for him, the man who sparked something within you when his hand had lingered far too long on your hip when he'd pulled you from his lap, ensuring you were safe as you continued on your trip. The same man you'd lied to about everything, who you'd acted as a stranger around.

       The same man that found it within himself to come to your rescue when you thought you'd chased him away. The same man that took care of you just now, when you felt as though there was nobody there for you, when you felt the earth could swallow you up and nobody would notice the difference at all.

       As you watched Rick retreat from the room, leaving the door open just a hair as he moved to sit on your couch and think, those words were in your mind. They were burned into your memory, along with the adoring features of his face, the same ones that said he'd seen quite a bit, that he had quite the stories to tell, but the features that also said he could be as passionate a lover as he could ferocious.

       This was the man that you'd slowly begun basing your thoughts around without realizing it. Yes, you'd recently started to remember your time with your first lover, but Rick was slowly starting to occupy more space in your mind. And, the more you thought about it, the more you realized that a small part of you was willing to try again, but the larger voice screamed back, making that thought shrink back down as you shook your head, standing slowly to pull the outfit on. It was funny how one night spent in your room could leave the entire space smelling like Rick, a passing realization that brought a sad smile to your face as you pulled the shirt over your head and buttoned your pants. 

        As you took a deep breath, relishing in the slight undertone that Rick had left behind, you steadied your breathing and dried your face, trying your best to look presentable, not as broken as you just were. You took a small, hesitant step towards the door before you took another, and another, until you made it to your door, opening it slowly and stepping out. There was something about Rick that made you want to be strong again, something that pulled you above the thoughts you were drowning in, something that filled you with new life.

        As you walked from the room, Rick turned to face you, curiosity burning in his eyes as to whether or not you were alright now. You gave him a small smile before wringing your hands together. Pursing your lips, you wandered to the kitchen, not having eaten in quite a while. It may not have been something new to you, but even you knew it was pushing the boundaries when you neglected to eat for days. A simple apple wouldn't suffice, and it was later in the afternoon now, nearing lunch.

       Sighing, you shut the refrigerator door and moved to the living room. "Um," you began, "wanna, uh, wanna go to lunch?" Rick gave you a confused glance for a fleeting moment before he smiled softly at you, "Sure."

-x-

       For most of the walk, you and Rick had remained relatively silent. You had decided not to take the truck, nor a portal, and agreed on walking. The air was cool, nearing mid-fall temperatures. You left your sweater and lab coat at home and regretted it as you walked down the street, the wind seemingly making the air cooler.