A friend?

I lean forward in an attempt to see his expression but he increases his speed and I can only look at the back of his head. He have a bald spot, I didnt notice that before. The buildings here are so unlike the ones im used to, Rick is showing me things I would've never experienced before.

We arrive at someone's house and I wait for Rick to do something but he just stands there looking at the door. Upon closer inspection the house do seem abandoned, at least empty.

"What happened?" I ask carefully.

"It doesnt matter, im just going to grab a few things" He doesnt even look at me. Why did he drag me along if he isnt going to acknowledge me? He opens the door and we enter. He seems to know where to go as he heads for a wardrobe built into the wall on the left side. I look around. Its clean, homey, lovely just like this universe. When I look back I see Rick holding a framed photographed which he seemed to have picked from the wall. I inch closer to peak but stop when I see Rick's expression and as a lightning from a clear sky I realize that his friend must've died and that I've been selfish for yearning for his attention.

"Is he..." I start but hesitate. I dont mean to pry and if Rick doesnt want to tell me that's fine, he doest seem to be a person to share such things and I dont want to pressure him. He looks as me with a blank face and for a moment I wonder if my two words were enough to make him upset?

"He was killed" The words seem very blunt as they come from his mouth.

"Oh... Im sorry..."I want to say more, comfort him but I dont know how. I dont think Rick would appreciate a hug like Alex.

I glance over the other pictures on the wall, one is of a very young Rick but without a doubt him with the same lab coat and blue, pointy hair. Another picture is on him and a person who looks very much like a bird, another is of Rick and... upon closer inspection I can see that it's baby Morty, so cute! And the third one is of Rick, the bird looking person and a cat? Or whatever it is? They all seem to be in a band and they apparently called themselves The Flesh Curtains and I smile at the name.

"You were in a band?" I ask and move closer to see better. "You must be a very good friend for staying together this long, and even coming here now" I speak low, not assuming Rick is listening or even caring about my words since he's been silent, that until I hear steps move over the floor towards my direction. I just manage to turn towards him when he's by my side, cradling my face between his palms and kisses me. At first I whimper from the sudden attack but it only takes a second before I melt into him. If his touch alone made my knee's weak then this makes my head spinn to the point that if it wasnt for him standing so close I would've fallen to the floor and passed out. My cheeks burn red and my heart beats so hard in my chest that I wonder if he can feel it too?

He grunts in pleasure onto my mouth before changing position and sneak his arm around my back and the other up behind my head, his movements greedy and I copy them by intertwining my fingers behind his neck.

"Fuck yes" He speaks while pulling away for a second to breathe. We lock eyes during this moment, mine half lidded in ecstacy and his glowing with mischief and arousal. He looks alive. Usually he always have this melancholy gaze like he's always in pain and sad but now he's shining and it makes me take the command and pull him back down to me, which he seems to like because I feel his teeth widen into a smile. He takes a step back after a while, holding both my arms and looks at me. I must surely be a blushing mess but judging by the smirk on his face he's very content with that, he then proceeds to pull out his portal gun and shoots a portal on the wall.

"Come here" He smash his lips against mine again and lead me backwards through the portal. I close my eyes as we do since im still not used to the strange way of travelling, but I open them just as quickly when I bump my back into something.

We're back in the garage.

Thing's falls from his worktable and scatter all over the floor when he sweeps his arm over it to make room for me. He grab my legs and hoists me up before placing himself in between them. The bulge in his pants makes me if possible even more flustered and I've never wanted anything more in my life, even though I've never had anything remotely close to this. I feel his hands travel down to my waist where his finger slip inside my waistband and start tugging them down.

"Rick" Im having second thoughts, he's surely experienced and im not, what if he doesnt think im good enough? What if we're moving too fast? I was so sad over his rejection earlier.

"Dont sweat it baby... I wont do anything you wont like" He smirks and let his lab coat fall off his shoulders onto the floor. I trust him, in his arms I feel a safety I've never experienced before, in his arms I feel home and I cant resist but the second he leans back over me the door behind him opens and I can hear a gasp of surprise.

"Dad?"

"Oh shit.." Rick grunts and pull my pants back up the inch he wiggled them down. When he steps away from me I see Beth, her mouth open and her eyes wide with chock.

"What are you doing?" She questions.

"What does it look like?" His tone is annoyed and his uni brow low as he turn towards his daughter, he then shoves a hand down into his pants to correct his hard on without a care in the world, like the situation isnt a big deal. I slide down from the bench and stand behind him with a face that must resemble a tomato by now, Beth does not look happy and I feel small.

"What are you thinking?!" Her loud voice makes me flinch. I never thought she could get this angry and for what?

Is this not okay?

Should I have refused?

"Is there an issue?" Rick challenge and cross his arms over his chest. I take a step back since I feel very out of place.

"She's just a kid for god's sake!" Beth yells and flay her arms in the air like she's struggling to contain her anger. I stare at her. I can feel the impact her words have on Rick, it feels like a jab in the stomach. Why does my age matter so much to them? Its not like we choose this? Am I not old enough to make my own decisions? I lost my parents and had to grow up so early, I view myself as an adult.

"DONT YOU THINK I ALREADY FUCKING KNOW THAT?" Rick yells back and takes a step towards Beth but she stands her ground, I dont, I shy back away from him. I thought he was changing his mind about me, about us? But it seems I was wrong, it makes me wonder if he regrets this, that we kissed, what we were about to do? Does he still want our bond to cease? Was he just absorbed by pleasure?

When I feel the tears threatening to spill I remove myself from the two and push the button to open the garage door, wanting to leave this instant, I even ditched school for this...

"Hey!" Rick walks towards me and grab my arm but I pull away. Can the door open a little bit faster please?

"Dont touch me" I protest but my rejection probably hurts me more than it hurts him. I want to hate him but I cant, its impossible, like its against my nature. I just feel let down, hurt... In the back of my head I had a vision that meeting my soulmate would me romantic and pleasant but the only thing it has been is troublesome, chaotic, confusing... Its tearing at me that Rick doesnt seem to be able to make up his mind and its pretty clear now that he only kissed me and almost embraced me because it felt nice, I dont think he cares about anything else.

I've always heard that people who find their fated pair are happy and content...

As soon as the garage door is open enough for me to fit I rush out and speed walk home. The universe had something in mind when they paired us together and I dont know what, yet I cant help but think that it is a mistake, that it wasnt ment to be... If it only was a coincidence that Rick came to this universe like he said, does that mean I still have a "true" soulmate out there? Or maybe I wasnt even supposed to have one? I flop down on my bed and rub my swollen cheeks while trying to google for answers but fail to find any. This have never happened anywhere before and all I can find about age differences is maximum ten years apart, just like Mr Gum and his wife.

Do I even care about the age difference?

I roll over on my back and look up at the ceiling.

No. I dont think I do.

Was it a surprise? Yes.

But I dont mind.

Rick is the one who seem to care a whole lot about it and everyone else. They talk about the future and I want to agree on the concern regarding it but at the same time... I dont even want a child? I've never been much for children so that issue is out of the picture already, but then it's the death part... I know soulmates who loose their loved one can go into severe depression and there's only a few who can handle it but if Rick is the smartest man in the universe - like Summer so bluntly said - he should be able to do something about it right? Like prolonging his life?

Ugh....

Thinking about him dead makes my heart ache. I need to stop my wandering thoughts or I'll go mad, I already feel mad... mad with sorrow and longing for Rick's hands over me... Yet it feels illegal, like my own wants and needs are just an illusion. Isnt that what soulbond is? An illusion? The universe pair us with someone we dont even know, in a way forces us to love a random person, grow attached to a stranger, dooming us to love each other forever, taking away the freedom om choice...

Its cruel.