I made a hurt/comfort fic! Spoiler warnings and a lot of text (Not a text wall) under the cut! This is in Summer's 1st person POV and takes place after season 9 episode 2 because let's be honest, we all need some fluff after that episode.
Geez, those tentacles were on Dad…don’t know what Grandpa was thinking there? Morty had to cut off his hand to get that shit off of him before. I don’t know, he was drunk, so I guess he wasn’t thinking…is he Grandpa? I think he’s Grandpa Rick now? Morty said he hit the red button, but he seems exactly the same…eh, guess he was the same as Ted too, so whatever.
I just hope Morty’s okay, I mean he was the one who had to “tend to” Rick, even when I tried to call out on how fucked up that was, I was just dismissed. Why did a seventeen-year-old know how to call that out? Even after we got those stupid tentacles off Dad, she AGAIN just ignored me!
“Ok, NOW can we talk about how Morty was the one who had to take care of Grandpa!?”
“Sweetie, your father is very overwhelmed after nearly getting murdered by those tentacles. How about we focus on him for the moment?”
This happens to dad at least twice a week! He’s fine! But noooo, put the adults over the kids. That never happened before. Ugh, whatever, at least Grandpa…? Ted? I’ll just call him Grandpa. He fixed the pool up. At least now Trica will come over. Maybe Space Mom, too, she seemed really annoyed about the whole thing. And Grandpa went off to do whatever the fuck.
I pulled out my phone. Time to call Trica! It’s been weeks since I’ve been able to huff something!
Huh…I feel weird about calling Trica right now…
I looked over to the stairs. Morty hadn’t gotten out until Grandpa pressed the red button. Apparently, it’s supposed to bring him back. Is he…ok? He just told us that and went in his home. He’s been holed up there since…
Now that I think about it, he seemed so…resigned. So numb when telling us that…what’s up with him?
I went over to Mom. “Uhhh, Mom, Morty has been holed up in his room ever since Grandpa became…himself again I guess.”
Mom sighed. “He’s a teenager with a laptop in his room, what do you expect him to do?”
“What!? I didn’t say anything! I just know what teenage boys are like!”
“Ugh! What do you want ME to deal with it!?”
She groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Sweetie, your father is still freaking out over nearly getting killed.”
Jerry hugged her. “They were so slimy, Beth! And they were all over me!”
“Fine! The KID will handle it! Like always in this house!”
“You’re 17. I had a kid at your age, you’ll be fine.”
I huffed and shoved my phone in my pocket.
Hopefully, Morty is okay…honestly, I’m kind of glad to be the one handling it. Mom would probably fuck it up…she chose me over Morty before, once, no hesitation! Not even a second! He was planned! Shouldn’t he be the favorite? Not the accident? The one who’s the symptom but not the cause of his parents' misery? Ugh, can’t believe I’m saying this, but thank fuck Rick deleted that memory…Morty stayed holed up in his room for a while after that, while Mom just got drunk and cried.
Fuck, our family’s messed up.
I went over to Morty’s room and knocked on the door.
I went in. Jesus, he looks like someone killed his puppy.
I sat on the edge of his bed. “What’s up? You…doing ok, bro?”
Ok, while this totally isn’t awkward…ugh, was coming here a mistake?
I stopped and immediately sat back down. “What?”
“Can I…ask you something?”
“Why…why is Rick so miserable?”
“I mean, I don’t know if this sounds…inconsiderate or anything, but he has friends, power to do whatever he wants…and I mean, we’re good right? We’re a mess, this whole family is, but…we love him, right?”
“Morty, look, we don’t…know why Grandpa is the way he is, he just…is. I mean there was that thing with the guy who killed his wife…we don’t know what goes through his head.”
“It’s just I…” He groaned.
“Why am I not enough for him?”
“No! I-I mean, ugh, this sounds weird, but I…I want to comfort him, but I don’t know how and I just…feel so useless…seeing him so miserable and not knowing how to help I just…” He sighed and laid back with his hands on his face. “He had adventures with Evil Morty, they had great chemistry, he said he hates Evil Morty, but he could probably just break him out of jail whenever he wants, he probably already has, if I’m not useful to him, then what’s stopping him from…?”
“He’s not going to leave us, Morty. Not as long as Mom keeps not making him pay rent…”
“Right…the crows thing. Even if he does, we’ll be fine, Morty. We can’t control what he does…”
“And why are you worrying about this? Whatever’s…wrong with him, whatever made him…” I gestured vaguely. “Like this. We don’t know what it was, but one person can’t fix him…you can’t fix him-”
“-So why are you worrying about this? You’re 14. You shouldn’t be worrying about a guy five times your age.”
“I don’t know…nothing’s stopping him from leaving us again?”
“Besides the fact that he loves us.” I rolled my eyes, leaning back.
“What, Morty? You think he doesn’t? He wouldn’t have come back to us at all if he hadn’t. He’s a dick, but I don’t think he does care.” I shrugged. “He’s hard to read sometimes.”
Morty leaned back against the bedframe. “He’s just kinda a dick all the time.”
I smirked. “Y’know, I’m glad to hear you say that. You’ve really been coming of age recently. Like when you beat Rick’s ass during that cryo-pod thing. Did he even try to fight back?”
Morty looked down, face kinda scrunched up. “No, actually, kinda expected me to punish me afterwards, especially after I told you and you teased him about it. I mean, he is vengeful. But he just…didn’t.” He shook his head. “He was probably just embarrassed or something, not telling anyone, twisting the story…it sounds like something he’d do.” He stared at the door. “Do you…think he’s alright?”
I sighed. “Is he ever alright, really?”
“I just…I can’t help but worry-”
“You already had to ugh, tend to him because Mom thought that was a good idea for some reason. Why can’t you just stop thinking about him for two seconds? You deserve to relax and not worry about what some weird old guy is feeling right now.”
“You’re not responsible for anyone’s happiness, Morty.”
“Especially not one of a seventy-year-old man.”
“And you’re not responsible for his mental health either.”
I sighed and sat next to him. “You’re still worrying about him, aren’t you?”
Morty stayed quiet and then laid his head on my shoulder. I put an arm around him and put him in a weird side hug. “I don’t know…I mean I know this isn’t normal for most families, but…I can’t help but worry about him…I just wish…I wish I was able to make him smile, you didn’t see his expression after he pressed the button, Summer. How he looked…he just looked so…broken. More broken than I’ve ever seen him and I’ve seen him at his worst. It just…seeing it…god….it really hurt. And I wanted to do something, say something, anything to make him crack a smile, even if it was just a dumb smirk, but I…I couldn’t think of anything, I…I was powerless, weak…just like he…” He looked up at me, his cheek smooshed against my shoulder. “Do you think he’d leave me for Evil Morty?”
“I think everyone in our family hates him, including Rick. It’s, like, the only thing we all agreed on.”
“It’s just…I don’t know…I think Rick would like a more…confident partner, and Evil Morty was it…he said Evil Morty sucks. But, I don’t know…Rick isn’t really one to be honest…” Then he mumbled. “He never is…”
“I don’t think he’s going to leave us for some random edgy kid, Morty.”
I sighed and hugged him tighter. “Sorry that Mom had you handle Rick. She brushed me off when I tried to talk about it.”
“It’s fine. I mean, I know how to deal with Drunk Rick-”
“That’s the thing!” I pulled him away from me and held onto his shoulders. “You shouldn’t be dealing with him! Mom should’ve gotten off her ass and tried! Even if Rick was requesting you, she should’ve let you be a kid! Or at least come with you! You’re allowed to be a kid, Morty! You shouldn’t be dealing with this shit!”
Morty’s eyes widened, and his mouth slightly opened for a moment before he slouched down. “It’s ok, Summer. I’m used to this.”
“Used to it…? Morty, I don’t even know what to say I…”
“It’s fine, Summer. That’s what I’m telling you.”
“…How about this, next time Rick get… like that. I’ll help ok?”
“Summer…no, you’re not around him when he’s drunk. You don’t get how he acts. I know Drunk Rick, I can handle it, you don’t, I know him, I can-!”
I shook him a bit and tightened my grip. “No! Mom might not do shit, but I’m not letting you carry this alone. I don’t care if you have to drag me out of my bed from my ankle to wake me up, you will, and I will help, ok?”
He sighed. “Fine…you don’t quit, do you?”
I grinned, let go, then flicked at his forehead. “I learned from the best.” I got up. “Rick is at the pool right now. Wearing swim trunks now, thank god. Wanna go mess with him?””
“Ehhh…I don’t know, he’ll probably punish me…”
“If you got away with beating his ass, you’ll get away with anything.” I took his hand. “Come on, I’ll get the water balloons. Besides, you haven’t had a chance to try out the pool yet, and I haven’t had a chance to dunk you. So come on, bro!”
He hesitated, then I elbowed him. “Hey, whoever annoys Rick more wins, loser buys the winner a slushie.”
He huffed with a smile. “Fine, but…can we wait a bit? He’s…been through a lot, and I don’t think we should annoy him right now…”
I rolled my eyes. “Still worrying about his mental health, huh?”
He gave me a look that said, “Please?” Goddamnit. I give, I give.
“Fine.” I took out my phone. “Of course all of the morals of the family had to go to you…”
I got up, and he took my hand. “Wait…can you…stay here…for a bit? I don’t want to be…” He trailed off, but I knew what he was going to say. I sat down next to him. “Sure. But you’re gonna watch the TikToks I sent you, I know you ignore them.” I put an arm around him and pulled him closer, and he smiled. “You send so many and half of them are insulting me!”
“Hey, I’m allowed to insult you, lil bro.”
“Fineeee…let’s watch them.”
“Good choice. Not that I was planning on giving you one.”
Then we sat down and watched them.
We kept watching other random videos and he ended up knocking out on my shoulder.
I gently got him off, tucked him in, then turned off the light and closed the door.
I slid down the door and put my head in my hand, my other holding my knees.
God, I hope he’ll be okay.
Please God, let him be okay…
