The school year had ended and summer break had finally come around.
It had been a month since school ended, and that long since you had spoken to Rick, or anyone else for that matter. You did mention to your parents that you'll be spending most of your time in your room, as you have started a project and would prefer to focus on it as much as possible.
You do as you were down in your room, tinkering with your latest non-original invention, You could hear Rick looking around the house for you. Unaware you had moved your room down into the basement because you've been experiencing heat stroke on extremely hot days.
Your parents would bring you food and anything they thought you would need, and on occasion, you would come upstairs from your room for something necessary along the lines of food or drink.
Recently, you've been getting stressed about it. At first it was fun. Starting something new. But starting from scratch later began messing with you.
Today was one particular day, that Rick had finally thought of asking his daughter where you were. She simply replied, "In their room." Before going back to doing what she was doing.
Rick checked upstairs first. And what used to be your room was now a storage room. He checked Summer and Morty's room. He got yelled at in the process but you weren't there. That's when he realized, you were in the basement. Which is exactly where you went next.
As he stepped down the stairs and entered your room, he noticed all of your belongings and your own version of the garage in one-half of the huge space. And in that workplace space, were you messing with mechanics?
"Hey Y/N, what are you up to?" Rick asked, trying to break the silence.
You ignored him and continued to work on your creation. Very focused on making sure every little detail was present and perfect.
"Y/N? You in there?" Rick asked, in a louder tone. Having the urge to poke your head but he doesn't want to face the consequences. Instead, he went back upstairs.
The next day, the rest of your family had been sitting at the table for lunch. "Summer, could you take a place of food to Y/N?" Beth asked. Seeming completely fine with what's been going on, since she and Jerry are the only two who know about it.
"No need mama. I'm up here." You interjected, startling Rick and Morty who had their backs facing you until they looked behind them.
"Where the hell have you been?" Summer asked.
"In my room. The entire time. I haven't seen the light of day for about a week so I needed to show up." You chuckled going to sit on the table. But placed down what appeared to be a plushie. It was red and pink, with a yellow eye and the other had an eyepatch over it. It was a fox as well. "I finished it. And I'm done with getting annoyed with it." You explained.
The room was silent for a moment.
"So, does it do anything?" Morty asked.
"Morty, your sibling is proud of it. Don't bring it down." Beth silenced.
"Nah he's got the right question. And it does. It can move, and it speaks." You answered, waving your hand in front of the face of the animal plushie. It began singing a random tune with no words. "It's motion censored. and I did have the joystick for it to move but I left that in my room." You smiled.
"What a waste of time." Rick scoffed. "You could do what I do and build a gun that lets you go anywhere in the world you want, or even take over a whole universe."
"Or have sex with a planet." Summer chimed in, unamused.
"Yeah sure whatever, you could do that. But instead, you build this?" He asked.
You stared him down in silence before getting up. He could've been joking. Or not. But that didn't matter to you. It really did pull on your heartstrings.
You grabbed the mechanical plushie and stood up. "Forget about it." You sighed as you retreated back to the room.
"Really Rick? You thought that was a good idea?" Jerry questioned.
Rick shrugged. "Y/N has potential in them. But wasting it on that shit? Jesus Christ she really is your kid Jerry." He insulted.
"I'm going to go eat with Y/N. I'll bring them a plate down as well." Morty announced, giving Rick quite an annoyed look as he grabbed his plate of food as well as another one for you.
Morty found you sitting alone on your workbench, the mechanical plushie at your side. You were leaning back as you looked at your creation. He approached cautiously, setting down the plates of food.
"Hey," he said softly. "I brought you some lunch."
You looked up, a thankful smile reaching the corners of your lips. "You didn't have to. But I appreciate it."
Morty took a seat beside you, staring at the plushie. "That thing is actually pretty cool, you know. I'm sorry Rick didn't see that."
You shrugged. "It's fine. I guess I just hoped for some recognition from him. I don't know why though. He never recognizes anyone else's work." A sigh of frustration escapes your mouth. "I was just really proud of it."
Morty reached out and gently nudged the plushie, causing it to sing the random tune again. "I think it's amazing, Y/N. Don't let Rick, make you doubt your abilities."
Meanwhile, Rick was in the garage, sitting on a chair as he thought about what he said to you.
He knew he could be harsh sometimes, but he didn't realize just how much it could affect you. He had seen the look of hurt in your eyes when you walked away.
"Damn it, Rick," he muttered to himself. "Why do you always have to mess everything up?"
He sat there for a while longer, thinking about everything. He knew he needed to make it right with you. But how? He didn't exactly have the best track record when it came to apologies.
Suddenly, an idea popped into his head. A crazy, insane, Rick-like idea. But it just might work. He quickly got up from his chair, grabbed a few things, and headed out of the garage. He had a plan to make it up to you, and he was going to make sure it was a good one.
After a few hours of tinkering and building, Rick had constructed a new invention. He smiled to himself as he held it in his hand, knowing that it would be the perfect way to make up with Y/N.He made his way down to the basement and knocked on the door. "Y/N, can I come in?" he called out.
There was no response, but Rick knew you were in there. He took a deep breath and opened the door, walking into your workshop.
You were sitting at your workbench, your head on your arm which was on the desk, asleep. Morty was tinkering with a couple of things but kept an eye on you. When he heard the door open, his attention snapped in that direction.
"What the hell do you want?" he asked, looking at the box in his grandfather's hands.
"It's... an apology gift... for Y/N." He muttered.
Morty raised an eyebrow in disbelief.
As Rick walked to your workbench, he carefully set the box down next to you and the plushie fox.
He carefully lifted your head up before wrapping his arms around your torso.
"Rick. Don't." Morty demanded. Wanting him to set you down and leave you alone.
But the elder didn't listen. He carefully lifted you from your seat and carried you in his arms. He stepped his way around all your stuff before laying you down on your bed.
"I'm staying here until they wake up." He spoke, walking back over to Morty and taking a seat in the one you were originally sitting in.
You stirred in your sleep, mumbling something incoherent. Morty watched from a distance more focused on you than he was on the box
He stood there for a while, waiting for you to wake up. Morty came over and stood beside him, also looking at the box. Praying you would like what was inside.
Eventually, you woke up and noticed Rick. "What's going on?" you asked, looking at the two guys across the room.
Rick smiled as he stood up. Grabbing hold of his invention before walking over to you. "Hey..." He spoke before setting the figure on your nightstand. Kneeling to get down on your level.
"I know I haven't been all the greatest lately, and I wanted to make it up to you," Rick said, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry for being rude and dismissive of your invention. You have a lot of talent, and I should have recognized that. You don't have to forgive me, but I hope this gift shows how much I care about you." Rick said, pointing at the box."
As you opened the box, you pulled out a platform that soon showed a hologram. The hologram played a short animation on a repeat of the monster growling and making silly faces. It had big eyes, sharp teeth, and fluffy fur. Its design was inspired by some of your favourite horror movies and video games.
You looked at the hologram and smiled as it became more active, feeling a warm sensation in your chest. You had always loved horror-themed things, and this gift was the perfect blend of cute and creepy.
"Wow, thanks, Grandpa," you said, picking up the hologram and opening it. Inside was a fluffy plushie of the monster, along with a little note from Rick.
"I know I messed up, but I hope this makes it up to you," the note read. You flipped it over and read what that side said: "You're my grandkid, and I love you."
You felt a tear roll down your cheek as you read the note, feeling touched and grateful. You sat the gift on your nightstand and sat up.
"Thank you, Grandpa," you whispered, hugging him tightly. "I love you too."
Rick hugged you back, feeling a sense of relief and pride. He had finally done something right for a change, and it felt good.
Morty watched from afar, surprised Rick would do such a thing. But then again he would've forced Rick into doing something special if he didn't do it himself.