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"Morty aren't you uh," Rick mutters, coughing theatrically in the middle of the sentence, eyes flitting everywhere in the perimeter of the front door. Looking at everything but Morty's face. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
"I thought you said we can only do that in the garage..."
"Fine," Rick says, pretending it is when it's obviously isn't. "If you're gonna be like that, be like that."
As of this moment, they're in a fight.
Morty knows it's more possible to squeeze blood out of a rock than to expect Rick to be remorseful of his actions. Obviously, it's about a stupid space thing with Morty having morals enough for the both of them and Rick having none. His grandfather's recklessness has costed the lives of an innocent gromflomite town, completely wrecking their homes and taking thousands of souls, all for one stupid crystal that Rick wanted that week.
Morty sighs. He was almost out of the house, backpack on his shoulder and doorknob on his palm. It's rare for Rick to remind him of anything, to ask him of anything, so he lets his hostile defenses crumble down and spins, going up on his tippy toes to reach the older man and give him the sought after kiss - a chaste one, a kindergartener's peck on the cheek.
"I'm still mad," Morty whispers in front of the lapels of Rick's lab coat. "But I might not be later."
"Then fucking hurry up with school and get home fast,” Rick whispers back.
Morty buries his smile in his sternum. "I will, Rick."
There's a spring in his step as he walks on Monday morning.
-
On Tuesday, Morty looks around first to see if the cover is clear and musters up all his courage to give Rick an open-mouthed kiss. Tongues sliding on top of each other like they do in the magical moments in movies.
He doesn't know where this newfound boldness came from. He gets a snapshot of Rick's surprised expression for a heartbeat before he makes a run for it, little feet striking the hot pavement, heart beating fast.
Happy, elated, exhilarated.
Morty thinks of more synonyms on his way to school to describe the feeling of kissing Rick.
-
Wednesday, Rick retaliates.
Morty's a feather, weighing nothing at all, as Rick grabs him and literally sweeps him off his feet. He's secured in Rick's strength but his mind has turned into mush, drunk and dizzy on his lips, tasting the whiskey and cigarettes on his tongue.
When he stands up to recite and stammer the wrong sum of numbers in Mr. Goldenfold's math class, the teacher doesn't make any comments about the alcohol in his pupil's breath. Morty might be slow, but there is no rebellious or adventurous bone in his body, he thinks.
He doesn’t know how much he’s wrong.
-
Thursday, they almost get caught.
They're too busy and distracted in their activities to be minding their surroundings. Rick isn't letting him go and in truth, Morty doesn't want to go either.
He's thinking it's okay to be late for school once in a while. Rick is whispering he could be absent for a day, a seductive siren song to his ears, and Morty almost caves in to the comfort of his arms.
Almost.
Jerry appears, humming to himself, and before he could ask why they're standing so close, Morty makes an excuse.
"There was some... there were some dust in my eyes," Morty trips on his words, his innocent mouth not used to lying.
Thankfully, Jerry is busy being Jerry. He walks away, thinking about a new slogan for his apple advertisement. Rick laughs, loud and boisterous. The sound reverberating in the quiet of the morning. Morty tries to shush him. 'Try' being the operative word.
He fails when he gets infected by his grandfather's mirth, a giggle involuntarily rising up to his chest in relief.
-
The kissing becomes a habit. Something to look forward to in the mornings. A secret promise shared between them.
The possibility of it occurring everyday never dampened its novelty. Morty felt like he was a battery recharging to face the hardships and mundanity of high school before he came home to rick's arms again, with the guarantee of another adventure in space, of them flying through the galaxy in his makeshift ship, discovering new planets and stars.
-
"WHAT THE FUCK?"
"I know right?" Rick agrees with his daughter one morning. "It's fucking snowing hard outside, cold as goddamn balls and they're still making the kids go to school," he says, arranging Morty's scarf snugly on his neck.
"NO DAD I MEAN WHY WERE YOU KISSING MORTY?"
Oh right.
That.
"In the few instances I express affection, now you're going to complain about it, Beth?"
"Yeah right," Summer deadpans. "Like shoving your tongue down your grandson's throat is a very grandfatherly thing to do."
"Summer, why do you sound like you're not surprised about this?"
"They've been doing it every day for months, mom. It's quite a surprise it took you this long to finally catch them, like jeez."
Beth blinks, reconsidering all of her life decisions.
"You can't keep doing this!" Jerry finally butts in with his planetary mindset.
"Your opinion is nothing of importance to me, Jerry."
"We're going to be late for school..." Morty says meekly, quiet as a mouse. He tugs Rick's lab coat, "umm Rick?"
Rick pulls the memory gun from his inside pocket, muscle memory reacting in record time for every time this happens, and god it happens a lot.
"Yes, baby. I got it."