"Oh man Morty, you've r-really screwed us over now" Rick belches out as the two hide in an allyway of some alien city while federation Gromflomites search the area for the duo.

"M-me? I-I was d-doing what you t-told me to!" The teen snaps back, not wanting Rick to start blaming him for shit he had nothing to do with. "Y-youre a monster, R-rick, you k-know that!" Morty yells, shaking. He doesn't know if its from fear, anger or something else.

"You're no charmer yourself, Mooorty" Rick responds glaring at the kid. "You've been so-Uurpp such an emo baby lately. Its beyond pathetic"

Morty doesn't even try to hide the hurt that flashes across his face. "Oh yeah Rick? W-well sooooorry t-that I-I c-can't be a heartless a-asshole l-l-like you are!" He yells back, not caring if the Gromflomites theyre hiding from hear them.

"Shut up Morty, youre gonna get us killed!" The scientist barks out at the kid.

"Well maybe I don't care if we get killed!" Morty yells out, his voice full pain and sadness. "You k-keep dragging m-me out on t-these stupid adventures a-and we almost d-die everytime!" Tears are now flowing from his eyes, blurring his vision. "Y-you only care if we die or not when I mess up. T-that's th-the only thing y-you care about Rick, is other p-peoples mistakes. Y-y-you don't care if anyone lives or di-dies just as long as it doesn't make you look bad. You don't even care if I die." His voice gets quite at the last few words then he just bursts into full on sobbing. The kid collapses on the ground, hugging his arms around his torso.

Rick stares at the kid, unsure of what to do with the very not okay mess known as his grandson. He is never sure of how to make anyone feel better. He knows the kids been hurting a lot lately but now he can see the toll the pain has put on his brain.

"Hey I think theyre over here" A voice calls in the distance, interrupting Ricl from reacting all the way. Loud footsteps can be heard getting closer.

"Shit," Rick hisses, "Morty we gotta run again" he grabs the sobbing teen by the hood of his grey sweatshirt and pulls him to his feet. He grips his shoulders and bends down to be face to face with his splotchy faced, tear covered grandson."You can be upset later, now we run." Ricks voice is cold and hard. This is an order that Morty has to obey.

----

Morties lungs feel like theyre burning, his legs feel like they're about to turn into jelly and his head is spinning like crazy. "W-where d-d-do we go now!" He basically screams to Rick whose running just a few feet in front of him.

"We go back to their base. Thats where I left the portal gun" He yells back, obviously winded himself from running. So much running.

Morty looks at his granddad confused as ever. The two had just been chased out of there, thats why theyre in this mess! Why on earth would they go back?

He doesn't have the lung capacity or motivation to question him so he keeps running, the sounds of Gromflomite wings slowly getting more distant.

"Morty, in here!" Rick shouts, turning into a cave Morty hadn't seen. Morty doesnt even try to slow down, turning so fast it feels like his ankles are going to snap. He stumbles into the cave behind Rick.

Rick leans against a wall of the cave, gasping for air while Morty falls on his knees then leans forward to vomit his guts out. The older of the two sits next to his partner and places a hand on his back, hearing him vomit loudly. Then, something catches his eye. On Morty's pants it looks like blood. "Oh shit Morty, I think you got shot or something! Your leg, its all bloody"

Morty looks up at Rick then follows his eyes to his own thighs where a dark stain is spreading across his jeans. He feels his stomach leap right back to his throat. "N-no, its fine" Morty quickly stutters out, his voice a full octave higher than usual.

"If its fine, then you'll let me take a look" Rick says carefully, pulking his flask out and taking a long gulp of the drink inside. Morty's face visibly gets paler at Ricks words.

"N-no y-you dont h-h-have to do that" He says in a guarded tone. Rick can't find out about this. He cant see, hes gonna scratch them and call him a weakling hes gonna-

"Morty?" Rick growls trying to hide the concern in his voice. "Listen, right now we have to get the portal gun back but when we get home, we-we-uuUurrp we are looking at your legs. I don't like secrets" He holds his hand out to Morty who looks more terrified then ever.

"uuh okay Rick.. you win" Morty whispers, taking the elders hand and standing up. Rick wants to say that he feels relieved that Morty is cooperating but also feels a sense of dread. What is wrong with the kids legs and why is he hiding them? Actually, the kids been hiding himself entirely for a while now... Then it all clicks.

All the bags under Morty's eyes, the slight flinches whenever anyone touches him, how he hasn't been eating, the way he's been avoiding eye contact- actually scratch that- all contact with anyone and now the desperate attempt to hide his legs.

He knows what Morty is doing.

Hell, he's been there himself before.

The two continue walking down the dark cave, Rick in front holding a large rock as a weapon he'd stopped to pick up and Morty in the back. He was crying again but he was desperately trying to hide it, only a few sniffles give the sign hes shedding tears. 'He knows, hes going to make fun of me. Theres no way he doesn't know. Its all over now. I'm so screwed' Morty thinks to himself, clutching onto the sleeves of his jacket. Even though the fabric is covered in mud, vomit and other stains from their escape, its still soft and oddly comforting for Morty to hold tightly between his thin fingers.

"Hey Morty, you're gonna have to wait here." Rick says calmly once they reach a small door at the end of the cave.

"W-wait don't leave m-me here!" Morty whines. "W-what if someone fi-finds me!"

"Nobody is gonna find you here. Trust me." And without another word he entered.

Morty sits on the cold stony ground cursing at himself for being such a careless idiot. Now Rick knows he cuts himself and hes only going to cause more pain to his family because they're going to find out next...

Morty's mind starts racing at all the possible things that will happen when Rick comes back. 'He's just gonna make me feel like shit and call me names' he thinks to himself pushing a small rock with his foot.

Gunshots can be heard in the distance, same with the occasional death cry. Morty knows that Rick will be back soon. 'Maybe he'll forget and not give a shit just like how he doesn't give a shit about anything'

Shouting is getting closer and a bolt of anxiety shoots through him. Rick could be hurt right now and all Morty can do is sit and wait.

The tiny door swings open and Rick dives through, a portal shooting open underneath him and Morty both. They both fall in and land on the garage floor with a thump then just as it appears, the portal disappears.

Rick sits up after a couple of seconds and looks at his grandson who lays on the floor, staring blankly at the ceiling. "Morty," Rick starts, his hand reaching for his flask but stopping before he grabs it. He needs to be sober for Morty, right? Isn't that what a good grandparent does? Hell, he wouldn't know. A super genius like him still doesn't understand the idea of comforting distressed people, especially those close to him. "I know we just got out of a hairy situation, but I gotta see your thighs. They may need stitches or-"

"Please Rick, I'm fine. W-we don't need t-to wa-waste you-your time on me" He practically begs, sitting up quickly. Anxiety is practically strangling him. Breathing is getting harder and harder each second.

"Morty, cut the crap." Rick sighs, running a hand through his messy, sweaty hair. "I don't want you getting an infection because then it would take a lot more time to fix"

Morty shakes his head. Evey thing is falling apart and he can't do anything to stop it. "Please R-rick, I-I don-dont want y-y-you to see it"

"See what?" Rick responds, obviously getting annoyed with Morty beating around the bush.

Morty's face flushes red and he looks at the floor. "N-nothing.. c-can I just go to my room now?" He whispers verging on tears. He can feel the barrier he's been trying so hard to keep up slowly crumbling down.

"No Morty. Quit being a baby. You think I don't see what's happening here?" Rick replies sternly. "Now take off your pants so I can take care of the wounds"

Morty doesn't move or say anything. Well, actually he is moving. Shaking to be more specific. His eyes are squeezed shut but tears are still streaming down his face.

"Morty, you need to breathe. I don't think I've seen you breathe this entire time." Rick says, his voice almost giving away the concern that's bubbling up inside.

Morty squeezes his eyes tighter, desperately trying to stop the tears. He can hear Rick talking but the words just aren't making sense. He can't even move. It feels like he's suffocating it feels like-

Hands firmly grip his shoulder and his eyes shoot open but he doesn't see the garage anymore, its now the bathroom where King Jellybean had tried to.. "GET THE FUCK OFF OF ME" Morty yells quickly jumping to his feet then hitting Ricks desk as he tries to run. He falls on his butt and starts hyperventilating. He curls up in a ball and tightly shuts his eyes. 'Its happening again and I won't make it out' Mortys mind screams. "-orty...to calm down...need... breathe" he hears a distorted voice distantly.

Morty's eyes shoot open and he gasps for air as he feels something cold splash on him. Hes sitting in the garage floor and Rick stands over him, eyes wide with worry- something extremely out of character for Rick- and a dripping glass upsidedown in his hands. Morty still feels like he can't move (except for his intense shaking) and Rick must've noticed because the old man bends down and picks Morty up and carefully setting him on his lab table. "Morty, I'm going to take off your pants now. Don't freak out." Rick carefully says. Morty nods his head slightly to show he heard but other then that, he stays motionless with the exception of his trembling hands.

Rick unbuttons the kids pants and slides them down his legs. He gasps loudly when he sees the mess of his grandsons thighs. Theyre covered in dozens upon dozens gashes, old and new and god knows how many more scars. Many are bleeding heavily, ripped open by the jean fabric rubbing against them from running earlier.

"How long?" Rick asks before thinking. He feels a feeling he hasn't felt in a long time and that he never missed.

Fear. Fear of his grandson killing himself. Fear of being unable to help. Fear of Morty's abilty to hide this for so damn long.

"O-oh geez I duno... I-I think l-like uh.. a year or so before y-you moved in?" Morty whispers, looking away in shame. "N-no-nobody e-ever knew... o-or cared e-enough. It made me f-feel better a-and th-thats all I-I wanted." Tears are welling up in his eyes but none come out.

Rick is silent in shock. He'd been doing this to himself for the entirety of the time they've known eachother and this is the first time he even had the idea of Morty doing this to himself.

"Morty.. I.. listen.. I know I haven't been the best grandfather before.." Rick starts, unsure of what to say next. He hides it most of the time but he cares about the kid. He really does.

"Don't blame yourself, Rick... I'm just fucked up." Morty says sadly. Rick takes a look at the kid who is absently picking at one of the scabs that hadn't been opened. Rick slaps his hand away fron the wound.

"I'm gonna clean these and bandage them. And Morty, have you seen this family?" Rick says trying his best to lighten the mood as he bends over and shuffles around in his desk. "This house is a shrinks wet dream. We're all fucked up here." He finishes, setting a small box on the table next to his grandson and taking a sip from his flask.

Morty lets out a small chuckle. "Yeah, I got the crazy from you and the dumbass from my dad I guess. The best of both worlds." He says sarcastically. Rick forces a smile and opens the box and pulling a tiny bottle out. He screws the lid off to reveal a tiny dropper.

"This is gonna hurt so bite this" Rick says handing Morty a cloth. Morty shoves the fabric in his teeth and bracing himself. Rick starts dropping a liquid on the lacerations. Rick wasn't bullshitting about the pain. It is excruciating. He watches as the wounds bubble and then slowly scab up.

When Rick finishes, he simply pulls the cloth from Morty's teeth. He pulls out a few bandages and begins wrapping Morty's thighs up. He finishes in just a few minutes then sits down on the table text to Morty who is pulling his pants up. He hops off the table and crosses his arms, looking at the ground. "Th-thanks. I guess" Morty mumbles. "I-I'm gonna g-go to my room." At the last word he quickly turns around to leave. Rick grabs his arm firmly, stopping th kid from leaving.

"Are you going to be safe?" Rick asks truning Morty to look at him face to face. "You gotta look me in the eyes when you answer."

Morty stares into Ricks eyes. He has to think about that answer for a second. "I... I don't know" His voice is only a whisper.

"Morty, I can't let you leave when I have reasons to believe you'll hurt yourself even more." Rick replies firmly.

"Why? You hardly seem to care when I get hurt on our adventures? You hardly care about anything." He says flatly. He feels a panic attack coming again.

Rick runs a hand though his hair then pulls out his flask again, taking long gulps out of it. "Listen Morty-"

Morty pulls himself away from Rick and walks out not bothering to listen. He quickly runs up the stairs, ignoring his father who tries to yell at him for not being at school. He goes in his room and shuts the door locking it behind him.

At this point his hands are shaking. He tries pacing around his room but just can't seem to concentrate and then falls over something thats on his floor. He lands hard on the ground. "F-fuck..." He whispers to himself, curling in a ball. Hes shaking all over and can't seem to think- its like his mind is doing everything at once at an overwhelming strength.