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Rick couldn't help but think about how Morty's a little too similar to Prime. The same damn person who murdered his family with a bomb. Yeah, that Prime. He really does try not to think about it, but the similarities keep popping up.
Just the other day, they were out getting ice cream after a mission, and Morty ordered a scoop of strawberry with poptarts. Poptarts. On ice cream. Who the hell does that? Putting Morty's weird taste aside, the only other person that Rick knows that likes that is Prime. Every single Morty likes the same thing: chcolate ice cream with wafers, just like every single Rick. Yet, his Morty, well…technically his Morty doesn't exist, but still, this Morty's the one that stands out.
Not to mention his eyes. Other Mortys have a deep, chocolately shade. Depending on which dimension they come from, the dullness varies. Without fail, all Mortys have the same brown eyes. Even Evil Morty, and that little shit is a straight menance. The only exception seems to be Morty Prime. His eyes are a light gray-blue shade, exactly like his dear old gramps.
It would be so much easier if Morty had either the same eyes as the other Mortys, or even Rick C-137's eyes. Every Rick's eyes are cerulean blue, every single one of them, all except Prime.
Whenever Rick makes eye contact with Morty, he always is the one to turn away first. Without fail. So, to make it a little easier to look at the young boy, C-137 usually looks at his eyebrows. Morty's eyebrows are the same as other Mortys. It's consistent, familar, safe to look at.
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"S-s-stop looking at m-urrp-me." Rick turned away from Morty.
"W-w-what? Rick, what are you t-talking about?" Morty looked rightfully confused, and took a step towards the scientist.
"Stop! J-just…go away."
"Rick, are you okay?"
"M-Morty you *burp little shit, I told you to go." Rick took another swig at his flask, and dismissively waved at the boy.
"No! Somethings c-c-clearly wrong."
"Fuck Morty! I t-told you to go away! S-stop looking at me w-urrp-ith those damn eyes!" The man exploded from his chair, chest heaving. Morty flinched back, suprised at the sudden outburt.
"Wait…buddy-" Before Rick could continue, Morty spun around and quickly stalked out.
"Fuck."
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Sometimes, Morty scares worries Rick. Especially, with his smirk. The smirk that's all cocky, arrogent, and smug. Prime has the exact same smirk.
One saving grace was that Morty's other smiles couldn't be any more different than Prime's. His other ones were awed, goofy, or just ridiculously bright. Rick's favorite one was where Morty's soft, wobbly smile reached his eyes. Eyes that looked at Rick with admiration. Rick didn't deserve it.
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The two were on another adventure. Of course, with Rick's Morty's luck, it went sideways. Rick was busy blasting the aliens with his lazar gun, and when he glanced back at Morty to make sure he wasn't being ripped apart, what he saw sent chills down his entire being.
Morty was smirking. He was smirking as the shot he directed at an alien blew a hole right through its forehead. That damn smug ass mug. All Rick Sanchez could see in that moment was Prime standing over his family's dead corpses. Smirking and cruelly snickering at Rick as he rambled.
Rick felt like someone poured a bucket of Antartic water all over him.
"Rick! Watch out!" Morty quickly swiveled his gun and shot the alien that was about to ambush his grandfather.
Blue alien blood splashed on Rick's left cheek, and he immediately snapped out of it. Once the scientist was able to get his bearings together, they were able to make it back to the cruiser.
The entire ride home was completely silent.
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Logically, Rick knew that blood did not guarantee everything. Just because Prime was an evil piece of shit, did not mean Morty will turn out the same way.
Though, there's that shitty voice in his head that constantly drummed on about how Morty can't help it. It's in his blood. He's a damn Prime, it's like a disease. They're deathbringers, that duo.
Just like grandpa, just like grandson.
Rick feels a ball of guilt surface whenever those thoughts take root, but he can't help but worry. Morty shares a concerning amount of characteristics and traits as Prime, all of them coupled together make it terribly difficult to look at Morty sometimes.
That doesn't mean Morty isn't Rick's grandson, though. Afterall, Rick's the one that took Prime's place showed up.
Morty is his grandson, not Prime's.