Tuesday morning had been fairly easy, surprisingly. AJ woke easily and Morty was fairly awake, save for a few drowsy moments here and there. He'd woken AJ around nine and had given him a bubble bath, rushing through his own shower like he always did anymore. He hated leaving AJ unattended for any amount of time. The child was comfortable in his new home, and had actually spoken a few more times, though had been somewhat quiet yesterday in the new area. Morty had struggled greatly with the stitches, having to change the gauze after his shower and rest his arm after fighting to dress himself. 
       "Daddy," AJ whined, tugging on Morty's shirt hem as the older finished the dishes, wondering where Sam is. "What is it, baby?" Morty questioned, trying his hands on a towel and stacking the dishes away. "Want bekfast," AJ declared, pouting up at Morty. The man nodded, turning his phone off after shutting down YouTube and tucking the device away.
       "Ok," he mused slowly, glancing around. Where has Sam been? He shrugged, assuming the ginger would explain in due time. "Why don't you let me get dressed and we'll walk to town? We can get blueberry muffins," he offered, grinning when the child did the same. "Ok!" he cheered, running to the living room and grabbing the two toys he was allowed to bring. Morty ran off to his room, pulling a loose fitting yellow t-shirt on, easily paired with his blue jeans, before he stepped into his usual, comfortable, sneakers. 
        "AJ," he called, wandering back down the hall and inspecting his wallet. Once he was certain he had everything he needed, being that he would occasionally remove his card to purchase something from Amazon and forget to put it back, he shoved the object into his back pocket, grabbing AJ's flip-flops as he passed the doorway. "Here!" AJ giggled, running into the room with Spongebob and Larry the Lobster. Morty grinned, setting AJ's sandals in front of him and watching the boy carefully stepped into them. The toddler, clad in blue shorts and a white t-shirt with Spongebob's face front and center, jumped proudly as he managed to pull his shoes on without help. 
       "Come on," Morty urged, opening the door and ushering the toddler through it. He locked the house from the inside, knowing he could always push his bedroom window open and break into his own house if Sam still wasn't home. He still had to retrieve his key, sending a text to Al before he forgot. He requested that the man bring it to work tomorrow if he had it before grinning downwards at the anxious toddler. AJ giggled, playing with his toys while following Morty. The brunet gave a soft sigh, urging the child to walk on the sidewalk now as they wandered to the bridge. It was always beautiful in the morning. The light reflected wonderfully from the waves, the freighters minuscule in the distance and other boats parading around, heading towards the nearby harbor. 
        To Morty's curious surprise, he found a familiar figure leaning over the edge of the railing, watching a grey cloud rise from them. AJ must have seen the person too, shying away and clinging to Morty now. The brunet smiled adoringly, though he knew AJ would be running in a second. The familiar blue hair always gave it away, though the style would too. Nobody else Morty knew would dress in something so form fitting and demanding. The figure turned slightly, drawing his phone to his ear, and AJ jumped excitedly, obviously not understanding privacy. Morty had absolutely no say in the matter as the toddler ran over, surprising Rick. Morty laughed, mouthing 'sorry' once he had Rick's attention. He wondered curiously what the man was doing on the bridge. He had a similar view right in his backyard, and he usually went through his usual morning smoke on his porch. 
       AJ clung to Rick holding his toys up for the man to see. Rick nodded, continuing his conversation while Morty drew AJ back for a minute, shushing him and smiling sympathetically when AJ pouted. 
       "Yeah, whatever. It's my day off, leave me alone," Rick grumbled, ending his phone call. Morty stared questioningly, unleashing the heathen and watching him nearly tackle Rick a second time. "What're you doing here?" Morty questioned, watching AJ hold his toys up on display now.
       "Looking around," Rick responded, smiling down at the toddler and accepting the lobster character thrust into his hand. "Grr!" AJ cried, holding Spongebob up and waving him around in what was probably meant as a menacing manner. Rick arched a brow and Morty laughed. "You gotta make Larry die. Spongebob's the villain, Larry's trying to stop him. It's always Larry dying." 
       AJ gave a series of 'pew's, knocking the figures together, and Rick gave a quiet laugh. "Tell him, AJ. He's gotta make Larry die," Morty urged, grinning when AJ stared almost sternly at the man. "Larry die," he demanded, giving a childish giggle. "Usually I just drop him," Morty admitted. "The toy can take a beating." Rick gave a nod, holding the figure lower and letting it fall to the concrete. AJ laughed triumphantly, jumping once before he grabbed his action figure. 
       "Lookin' for anything in particular," Morty questioned, taking the toys when AJ decided he didn't want to carry them any longer and placing them in his pockets. "Just finished watching the sun come up is all." Rick leaned back against the railing, accepting multiple random high fives from AJ while the tyke seemed to enjoy himself. Morty hummed, receiving a message from Al explaining that he had found the key, would bring it back, and wondered if Morty was going to be gone from long. He shrugged, deciding to respond later, and found AJ telling Rick everything he knew about water.
       "Alright, kiddo," Morty sighed, tucking his phone away. "Let's go get you breakfast." AJ nodded vigorously, to the point that Morty wondered how his head was still attached. "That why I was mauled?" Rick questioned, waving down at AJ when the toddler rapidly waved up at him. Morty never could figure out why he was instantly so attached to Rick. Perhaps it was simply because he was a child and could not tell good from bad, didn't really know of a reason to fear the man. Though Rick was almost like AJ's father, the man that was almost responsible for killing the child. Under Morty's care, AJ had gained weight and confidence, not fearing everything too much anymore.
       "Yea," Morty responded, grabbing AJ's hand when the toddler offered it. He smiled fondly at the boy, moving his curls from his eyes. "We're going to that cafe in town, and maybe somewhere to get his hair trimmed, at the least. Lord knows I need it too." Morty pulled a curl away from his own head, laughing as he let it go back. "Blueberry muffin," AJ demanded, pulling on Morty's arm. Rick gave a hum in response, flicking the remainder of his cigarette over the railing and leaning back to watch it fall to the water.
       "Dad!" Both men looked down at the toddler, finding him reaching for Rick with his other hand. The man furrowed his brow and shook his head. "Don't he understand I'm not-" Morty cut Rick off. "If you think I'm telling him now just so I can deal with a day long tantrum, guess again. Just take his hand for right now. You have been ordered to join us for breakfast by the law of AJ." Rick shook his head incredulously, glancing once more at his phone before he awkwardly grabbed AJ's hand. Morty grinned when the child gave a happy squeal, following when he began to tug the two. "Slow your roll!" Morty laughed, slowing AJ down. "The muffins are going nowhere without you, I promise." 
       "Hurry up!" AJ urged, whining at Morty when he was unable to pull the man faster. "Don't wanna," Morty whined back, glad AJ had his right arm. His left wouldn't survive this kind of yanking with the stitches. And with that thought, Morty's arm began to burn as he became aware of it today. He huffed, rolling his shoulder. "Do you feel kidnapped yet?" he questioned, laughing when Rick nodded very seriously. "One minute I'm enjoying the lack of traffic, the next I'm kidnapped by a five year old. It's been an eventful morning." Morty grinned, enjoying the fact that Rick was seemingly more.. comfortable, he supposed, with talking to him. "Fair enough. I, too, was kidnapped the second I brought up muffins."
       "Hurry!" AJ whined again, dragging Morty and Rick. The older brunet sighed, slightly quickening his pace with Rick as the two followed the excited toddler. 
       "How's your arm holding up?" Rick questioned as AJ became more excited. They were in town, the cafe in sight, just down the street. Morty rolled his shoulder once again, "It was good for a while. Started burnin' a while ago, though. Gonna be fun on a bun." Rick gave a short laugh, though both gave a sudden grunt in effort as AJ took a moment to swing on their arms, laughing and drawing his legs up. Both adults smiled adoringly, swinging the toddler back then forward once before he put his feet down with a giggle. 
       Morty very quickly grimaced upon hearing the word 'fags' screamed from a passing car, watching Rick throw the bird towards the direction the car had been travelling before he spun back to face front with a huff. AJ paid no mind, to Morty's appreciation. He was far too young to understand, anyway, and it would be difficult to explain that he and Rick weren't together anyway, so it was uncalled for. "Sometimes," Morty muttered, opening the door to the cafe for the duo to pass through, "I really hate this town." Rick nodded, ushering AJ through before Morty followed in after, taking the front and leading the group towards the counter. 
       "Do you want something?" Morty questioned, waiting behind one individual giving their order. Rick shook his head, "I'll get somethin' on my own." Morty shook his head and sighed, "Nope. Whaddya want?" 
       "I'll get it on my own," Rick reiterated while Morty approached the counter. "Hello," the woman greeted. "What can I get for you today?"
       "Muffin!" AJ demanded, hiding behind Morty when the woman laughed at him. Morty smiled, patting the child's head and giving a quick apology. "Uh, could I get two blueberry muffins, a double chocolate chip muffin," Morty gave the woman a moment to write it all down before he continued as she smiled expectantly, "an apple juice, a medium black coffee, and a medium coffee with seven sugars, please." The woman took a moment to scratch it all down before glancing up. "Will that be all?" Morty nodded, grabbing his wallet while she ran through the order as was mandatory. "Yep," Morty nodded, handing his card over once the total was read. 
       "Alright," the woman handed his card back with a smile. "Can I get a name for the order?"
       "Morty," the brunet politely replied. "That's very unique," the woman commented, leading Morty to grin. "Alright, it'll be right out." Morty nodded in understanding, grabbing AJ's hand and listening to Rick sigh behind them. "I said I would get it," he mumbled, waiting with the duo now. Morty shrugged, flexing his left arm once again in a feeble attempt at warding off the burning sensation. "And I still got it," he taunted, smiling as he saw the woman bringing everything to the side counter. Rick and Morty both managed to gather it all, carrying it over to a booth as Morty directed Rick to. They sat on opposite sides, AJ very happily taking a seat beside Rick while Morty dug his toys from his pockets. They had been digging into his hips this entire time, eliciting a wince before they were set on the table. AJ held his juice out to Rick and Morty almost laughed as he watched the man twist the top off and set it before the child. 
       "Hopefully your coffee preference hasn't changed much," Morty commented, allowing his drink to sit and cool as he picked at his chocolate muffin. He watched AJ take a bite from the treat almost as big as his face, happily bouncing in his seat while his feet kicked below the table. 
       "Most eventful morning of my damn life," seemed to be the most Morty would get from the man for a short while as he picked at his own muffin and nodded intently while AJ babbled about his muffin, loving that Rick had the same thing he did. 

       It took nearly half an hour, but eventually AJ finished his muffin. Morty had laughed at Rick's expression. Obviously, he hadn't expected the toddler to eat something as big as his own face and it was a bit surprising. Morty had wiped the happy toddler's face and the trio made their way from the cafe, both Rick and Morty still finishing their coffees. 
       "You tagging along to the barbershop?" Morty questioned as they walked down the sidewalk. "I dunno," Rick mumbled, glancing down when AJ dropped his toy and waiting for the toddler to grab it before continuing. "I could use somebody to watch him while I get my own hair done," Morty stated in a sing-song manner, smiling in a way that said 'please don't leave me to deal with him while getting my hair cut'. Rick gave a short huff, twisting his mouth to the side before he tossed his empty cup into a street bin. Morty hurried and finished his coffee before doing the same. "I guess I could. Not doin' nothin', today, anyway," Rick finally replied after a while. "Oh thank God," Morty breathed, laughing when Rick did the same. "How the hell are you juggling this, kid?" Rick questioned, nodding while AJ introduced him to Larry the Lobster for the third time that morning. 
       "Lots and lots of patience," Morty huffed, ruffling AJ's curls and laughing as he squealed in protest, hiding against Rick.
       With a lot more swinging the toddler between the two, the trio finally wandered into the barber shop, Morty grinning when he found it to be empty this morning. "Hey, kid, long time no see!" Josiah called, standing from the chair and putting his phone away. "Hey, Josiah," Morty greeted, pushing AJ into the room.
       "Who's this little guy?" Josiah questioned, smiling down at AJ. Morty gave a short smile to Rick as the man sat patiently in a waiting chair, grabbing his own phone and fidgeting with it. "This is my son, AJ," Morty stated with pride. "He's getting a haircut today, and I could use one of my own." Josiah gave a laugh, nodding as he pulled one of Morty's curls out. "Yea, you're a bit overdue. I'd expected you in here a long time ago."
       "Well, I am gonna keep it longer. He is too. Maybe like, I dunno, two inches offa his hair?" he questioned, drawing up a lock of curls from AJ and nodding after a moment. "Yea, just two inches. He likes his long hair, and I do too." Josiah nodded, shoving a booster seat into the barber's chair. "Will he sit still?" he asked casually while Morty managed, with difficulty, to get AJ up on the chair. "As long as you let him stay distracted, yea," Morty replied, grabbing his phone and pulling up a few downloaded episodes of The Backyardigans, another of AJ's favorite shows. "Just let that sit where he can see it and he'll be a statue," Morty laughed. AJ pouted, wriggling in the seat a bit while Josiah threw the black cloth over his front, though he eventually relaxed, tuning in to The Backyardigans and mumbling with the theme song. 
       "So when'd you get a kid?" Josiah questioned while Morty took a seat beside Rick. "A couple months ago. Went through the entire adoption process and managed to keep it a secret long enough to surprise everybody."
       "Really, with the way he looks, he could be your biological son," Josiah commented, laughing at the end as he wet AJ's hair slightly. "You wouldn't believe how often I hear that." Morty sighed softly, slinking down in the chair and smiling as AJ looked around quickly before his tiny hands moved the phone precariously resting in his lap. 
       "So what've you been up to?" the barber questioned, carefully trimming AJ's hair now. Morty shrugged, placing his left arm up on the armrest and leaving his right in his lap. "Got back to work and everything, looking around for a new place. You remember Sam, right?"
       Josiah gave a nod, brushing away the hair that had landed on AJ's shoulders. "The one that always came in with you, complaining that it took forever to do his hair?" Morty gave an exaggerated nod, huffing before he spoke again. "He's an absolute pig. I say it every time, but you'd have to see what the man does to believe it. He hasn't been home in a while, so that's a bonus, I guess, but I just can't stand living with him anymore."
       "Where'd you live before that? Can't you just go back there or something?" Josiah changed tools, pulling back quickly when AJ laughed and danced in his seat for a minute before settling down again. Morty shrugged, "Nah. Might look into the apartments, but I'm thinking that's not the best for AJ. Neighbors can be sketchy, moving could make it hard to find a babysitter. Really, it's all about what's good for AJ. I want somewhere he can run around at, ya know? He's always so energetic. I feel bad, leaving him cooped up with Mrs. Jenlin, across the street. She keeps him cooped up all day, then two o'clock runs around and I can't get him to sleep for the life of me. I'm a zombie half the week, except for when he actually lets me sleep for an hour, at least." 
       Josiah laughed loudly, though it was a short sound. "You sound like my sister. She had a kid of her own a few years ago. He's eleven or twelve now, I think, but he used to keep her up every night. The babysitter had him sit on the couch and watch tv all day, then she'd get off her shift at three and deal with an energetic kid before she was called back in for emergencies or what have you around seven. She was a nurse back then. Now she's some sort of chiropractor or something. But she had a trick. She'd burrito the kid in blankets, like a baby, and set him on the couch to watch more tv until he just passed out because it was all he could do. Sure, he was a little off, always being cooped up, away from mom, but he was fine in the end."
       Morty shrugged, smiling as AJ giggled again, blowing hair off of his nose. "I dunno. It's nice she figured it out, but the way he is, he'd have an anxiety attack. He came from a bad place, always locked in a tiny closet. To wrap him in blankets like that would kill him."
       Josiah tisked, "That's horrible. You must be doing right with him, though. He's a great kid." Josiah dusted the hair from the toddler before he unclasped the material from around him, setting the heathen loose and laughing when he nearly tackled Morty. "You're up, little man," Josiah teased. Morty rolled his eyes, leaving AJ with his phone while he walked over to the barbers chair.
       "Wow," Josiah muttered. "What's up with your arm, man?" Morty glanced down, seeing the gauze below the shirt sleeve. "Some idiot may have stabbed me," he mumbled while Josiah draped the fabric over him. He hissed, cringing as he rounded Morty. "How the hell do you get mixed up in that?"
       Morty hummed, "Some dude just getting a little stir crazy, I guess." He never could tell people the actual stories. It was always too much of a liability. "That's insane. People like that just-- they piss me right off, really, but it just ain't right." Morty nodded, wrinkling his nose when water misted his face. "Nah, but it's something they just do. Doesn't necessarily mean there's something wrong with them, they just got a warped view, I guess," the brunet stated.
       "I dunno. Sometimes I think you're too forgiving, kid. You had a knife in your arm and you're still sticking up for the bad guy." Josiah worked at trimming Morty's hair now. "You here fer a trim, too," he questioned. Rick looked up, giving a simply 'nah' before he went back to going through his phone. Morty laughed when AJ demanded he watch a clip of his show, seeing the toddler squeal with fits of giggles while Rick smiled down at him.
        "He in the whole parent thing, too, or just really damn good with that kid?" Josiah questioned, drawing Morty's hair up and running it through the scissors. Morty gave a sigh, seeing that Rick's bat-hearing had picked it up. "He's really damn good," he replied, smiling at Rick as the man went back to playing with AJ now. 

       When Morty had finally paid the man and said his goodbye's to Josiah, it was closer to two. The sun was beating down on them and AJ was very obviously tired from the heat. "Daddy, it hot," he whined, stopping as they walked. "We'll be home soon," Morty urged, trying to make the child quit stopping. This was the third time in the last ten minutes and the man felt guilty for being unable to pick his child up in his current state. 
       AJ looked like he was ready to cry with frustration, shouting in disappreciation to his current predicament and shifting rapidly from one foot to the other. "Jesus," Morty whined now, tossing his head back before he looked back down at AJ. "I told you," he tried, "I can't pick you up. Just wait, like, half an hour. It's fast if you hurry." He was reaching for anything at this point, trying to stop the oncoming tantrum. Rick was probably as unsure about what to do as Morty way, glancing down at the toddler with worrisome confusion. AJ threw himself onto the ground, sitting upon the sidewalk and shouting now. Morty was worried. The toddler was already very warm from the sun. Over exhausting himself with a tantrum was the last thing he needed. "AJ," Morty tried, crouching down and urging the toddler to stand. "Come on. We'll go home and have ice cream and watch Spongebob."
       "No!" AJ shouted, shaking his head now as tears began to stream. "Come on, kiddo," Morty tried. The toddler thrashed again, kicking his feet and laying back on the ground. Morty hadn't pulled back enough and took a flip-flop covered foot straight to the stitches, screwing his eyes shut and grabbing at his arm now. "Son of a bitch," he whispered, biting his tongue so as to not scream obscenities at the flame burning throughout his limb now. "AJ," he tried again, his voice ebbed with pain and a bit of frustration now as Morty tried to check on his arm. "Stop," he plead. The toddler continued to cry on the ground until Rick awkwardly picked him up, trying to stop the toddler from thrashing around. AJ shouted again, but he stopped kicking. He simply continued to cry until Rick sighed heavily, throwing the toddler up onto his shoulders. 
       Morty huffed with mild annoyance, biting his tongue and still grabbing at his arm while Rick looked almost sympathetically at him. "You alright?" he questioned, looking somewhat concernedly at the brunet's limb. Morty shook his head, not trusting himself not to scream obscenities if he spoke at all. He blinked away a few tears, his arm absolutely searing when he finally stopped grabbing at it. Rick appeared worried and Morty could see why. AJ must have broken a few stitches, at least. He had bled through the gauze, his hand somewhat reddened now when he retracted it. 
       "C'mon," Rick urged, moving his head to signal Morty to follow. "My place is two minutes away. I'll fix that and drive you home." Morty nodded, heaving a heavy sigh. It was true. From where he stood, he could see Rick's house. The trio hurried along, Morty occasionally grabbing at his arm when a particular step would jarr the limb in its place, shaking more pinpricks of pain loose.

       When they finally reached the gate to Rick's home, Morty waited nearly impatiently for Rick to unlock the gate, seeing him type a code in. "You forget your card often enough to change that up?" Morty tried to joke, still wincing as the pain was unrelenting. Rick gave a short laugh, only responding with a nod as they made their way up the gravel drive. He removed the child from his shoulders, AJ running up the steps after Rick as the man unlocked the house and urged Morty to hurry in.
       "Kitty tat!" he heard, furrowing his brow and finding that AJ had run to the couch, staring intensely at a massive ball. "You got another one?" Morty asked incredulously, keeping himself away from the white material. Rick gave a nod, leaving his shoes by the door. "No joke, his name is Little Bastard. He was the meanest little shit until he got fat. Now he just sleeps there all day." Morty stared at the solid white cat, seeing that it blended fairly well with the couch. The only defining features that made it stand out were its toes, ears, nose, and big green eyes that were staring at AJ with lazy murder. "He won't kill AJ, right?" Morty half joked. Rick shook his head, patting the cat. He grabbed one of its paws carefully, pressing on the pad of his foot. Morty saw little blue things on the claws. "He got his shots, after the vet put these on him. Apparently it's better than declawing completely. They just stop him from scratching the shit out of my furniture anymore."
       "Thought you were done after Charles," Morty taunted. "'Fat ass cat leaves hair everywhere' is all I heard, but you were still the one all lovin' on him," he teased further, watching Rick release Little Bastard's paw carefully. The animal stood and wandered up to AJ, making the toddler giggle when he headbutted his face.
       "Come on, that shit's just getting worse." Rick urged Morty to follow him, ignoring the comments, and the brunet did, finding himself in the library. God, turning 23.. that had been his best birthday ever. He sighed quietly, sitting across from Rick as the man sat at the only table there was, pulling his chair around to Morty's left and grabbing a fair-sized white box. "Holy hell," he mumbled, cutting the gauze away carefully. Morty glanced down, stomach churning almost instantly. Almost half of the stitches had broken, the wound open again. "Don't know much about pulling a knife out, but I know stitches," Rick mumbled, opening the box. He pulled an opaque bottle out, along with gauze and a few towels. He set a string and suture thread out to the side, grabbing the bottle and a towel first. He wet the object, rolling Morty's sleeve up further before he went about cleaning the area around the wound. "Kicks like a mule," he muttered, folding the towel. "Grab something," came an order and Morty instantly grabbed at the edge of the table the second the towel made contact with the actual wound. "Son of a bitch!" he announced much louder than last time, scrunching his eyes shut and wriggling around. He yelled out a few more obscenities, the liquid making the gash burn almost thirty times worse, before Rick finally pulled the towel away. 
       "Jesus on a cracker," Morty grumbled, drawing in a heavy breath and letting go of the table after a minute. It was funny as he looked at the material. Sure, there were plenty other marks, but if he looked just right, he could see the ones he had left, the claw marks he'd made when he'd been bent over the table once upon a time, screaming for 'more' over and over again. The man had been so taunting, only driving forward with everything he had when Morty had begun cursing at him in Spanish, ending his intelligible phrases all together. The marks were still in the wood, the table still sturdy after all of that. God, the legs should have fallen off after that. Morty had felt like his had for the longest time.
       The brunet yanked his eyes away, looking around and reading the names of some of the books now, instead. He needed something to distract him from the sensation of a needle constantly piercing his flesh. He was thankful for the slight numbness from whatever had been used on him before, when his hand needed re-stitching, but it wasn't enough. The pain was still there, just dulled. 

       It had taken nearly a full hour to restitch the wound, but it was finally done. His arm was numb from everything at once, to the point that he just didn't feel it anymore. Yes, he felt his hand and forearm, but him bicep was numb for the time being. Rick had been careful, re-wrapping the stitches before he tucked everything away again with a heavy sigh. "Your son deserves my cats name," Rick grumbled, tucking his chair back into the table while Morty did the same. "He's just a kid. He didn't know any better," Morty defended, wandering back out into the living room after Rick. The man sighed and Morty found that AJ had fallen asleep on the couch, laying his head on the cat who slept without a care. Morty smiled, giving a quiet 'aw'. 
       "And now," he mumbled, approaching his child, "we play the 'will he wake' game." Morty knelt down beside the couch, poking AJ's arm lightly. He rubbed at the child's back, the way he usually woke him. "AJ, baby, you gotta get up." The toddler gave a whine of disapproval, turning over and curling back into the cat. "C'mon," Morty urged, lightly shaking the toddler. AJ sighed heavily, ignoring Morty and very obviously going back to sleep. "Shit," Morty grumbled, laying his forehead on the cushion for a moment before he glanced up at Rick. "Wanna hang out for a bit?" he questioned almost crankily, wondering how he was supposed to get his kid home. Rick gave a short laugh, smiling incredulously. "Yea, why not."