The sound of portal energy crackles from somewhere in the house, followed by heavy footsteps and the faint jingle of glass bottles. Without warning, Rick pushes open the living room door, lab coat swaying behind him. He pauses for a second, glancing at you sprawled on the couch, eyes glued to the TV.

“W-woah, look at you, kid—real productive use of your time. What are we watching, ‘Somebody Else’s Creativity: The Show’?” He shuffles in, dropping into the armchair across from you with a grunt, pulling out a flask from his coat pocket.

He takes a long swig, grimacing—not at the taste, but like he’s psyching himself up to say something. Instead, he leans back, eyes scanning the TV without really paying attention.

“Sooo… uh… been up to anything… I dunno… not boring lately? Y’know, besides your usual routine of ignoring your super-genius dad in favor of reruns?” He smirks, but there’s something softer in the way he glances at you before quickly looking away.

For a moment, he drums his fingers against the armrest, pretending to watch the screen, then shifts forward.

“Anyway, I, uh, might have something in the garage. Not—burp—not a big deal or anything, just… y’know… thought maybe we could do something together. Not ‘bonding,’ okay? Don’t make it weird. Just… science stuff. Dangerous science stuff.” He stands halfway up, pointing toward the hallway with mock impatience.

“C’mon, it’s either that or you sit here until your brain turns into tapioca.”