Rick had no idea what he was thinking. Doing a striptease for his wife sounded like the most ridiculous idea he had ever heard. He had no idea how to even do it, but he was pretty sure it could work. He could see Michonne eyes lighting up if he did it , the soft laugher that would accompany it. And that was what he needed and wanted more than anything. All he wanted was for her eyes to light up, for her to have something to laugh about before they went and saw his family. He had fed her, he had bought her some presents from around the area, he had done everything possible. Except this. And it was insane, but maybe it was one of those times when insane was the only thing that would work. Maybe he had to be crazy.

And it couldn't hurt. He was pretty sure the worst thing that could happen was that she would call him a plum fool and curl back into a ball. Which wouldn't be a step in any direction but it wouldn't be a step backward. So it was probably worth doing. He could manage it. He liked getting naked in front of Michonne and he knew he had the ability to make her laugh.

It might be fun anyway. He had never heard this particular Gucci Mane song , Freaky Gurl, which Sasha told him as an extension of Icy, but Michonne loved dirty south trap music, and it could actually end up being fun. He needed to have fun too. It would be good to laugh and make a fool of himself.

"Mich?" he whispered as he entered back into their suite. He had never been happier to not get a response from her because he was pretty sure she would ask questions. And he had no idea how to explain what he was about to do. This was the craziest thing he had ever done, and he had to make sure that no one ever heard about that, but the end result would be worth it.

He turned on his iPod, opened Tidal, and quickly did a search, waiting for the song to load while looking up tips on stripping. Once he felt confident enough, he took a deep breath and turned up the volume on his iPod and then pressed play, moving towards their bed to shake Michonne awake. "Hmmm?" his wife groaned.

"Michonne…wake up…" he murmured.

"No," she mumbled, turning away from him.

"Please."

"No," she repeated as he moved to start the song over, turning the volume up louder. "Rick…"

"Yeah?" he nodded, moving his hips slightly, trying to find the beat.

"What are you doing?" she mumbled, rubbing her eyes and turning to look at him.

"Nothang," he responded continuing his actions.

"You're obviously doing something, Rick," she rolled her eyes, sitting up in bed.

"Shut up and go with it."

"Did you just…Rick," she shook her head," you know what…turn off the music!"

"No."

"Rick, it's a bad night. Turn the music off, or I'll turn it off for you."

"No," he shook his head, moving toward her, hips swaying to the music as he pushed her onto the bed.

"Rick!" she yelled, trying to sit up again.

"Stay."

"Stay? Stay? I'm not some dog you can order around."

"Mich, don't move," he smirked. "You can kick my ass later if ya need to, when all of this is over, but sit there for now and let me do my thang."

"Why?"

"No questions."

"Fine," she rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over chest as she sat against the pillows.

"Just go with it," he nodded, shaking his hips to the beat.

"Fine."

"Now be quiet."

"You have one more time to shush me, Richard," she cut her eyes at him, reaching to check her phone.

Rick cocked his head and mimicked her posture, waiting for her silence, but he didn't say anything. Gesturing for him to continue his antics, Michonne checked her phone quickly. As she returned the device to the night stand, Rick continued to move to the beat, attempting to pull his hoodie from over his head, grunting slightly as it got stuck, and he struggled to stay on beat on with the sway of his hips. After a few more struggles, Rick had the offensive fabric off, and he threw it to the side.

"What the hell are you doing?" she rolled her eyes as she caught his hoodie. "I can't believe you woke me up for this shit," she mumbled shaking her head,but he caught the slight sparkle in her eyes. He grinned brightly, turning to shake his ass in her face as worked to remove his belt. hands falling down to his belt.

"What's it look like?" he smirked as he turned around, winking at her before moving to his fly, which of course got stuck.

"I told you throw those damn jeans out," Michonne chuckled as she watched him struggle with the zipper.

Rick was wishing the had taken the time before he began, but it was too late now. He was kicking himself for not getting rid of them when Michonne had told him to. He jerked the zipper down and tried to wink up at her. As luck would have it his boxer briefs then got stuck on the zipper. Quickly improvising,he turned away, shaking his ass in her direction again as he worked to tease the material out of the teeth, and he heard Michonne giggling when he uttered " shit" as the zipper broke in his hand.

"You'll finally have to let these go."

"Fuck," he whispered as he bent to remove his pants but remembered his shoes were still on. They should have been the first thing he removed. As he bent over to loosen his laces, he mouthed a small prayer so he wouldn't tumble over face first.

"Rick," Michonne laughed as he tried to balance on one foot and dance to the beat.

So lost in the breeze of her laugher, he stopped focusing on his balance and felt himself begin to fall. Hoping to stabilise himself, he reached out to grab the dresser, but toppled over before his hand could make contact.

"Fuck!" he gasped as Michonne laughed loudly. "I'm okay!"

"Are you sure?" she giggled, getting off the bed to offer her hand to him.

"I've got this," he nodded, swatting away her hand as he stood back up, wobbling slightly.

"Sure you don't need any help down there ?"

"No, I got it," he nodded, bending over carefully to untie his shoes. "It's a learnin' curve for me."

"At stripping?"

"Yeah," he nodded as he managed to kick his boots and socks off.

"Rick, let me help," she giggled as she watched him struggle to remove his jens, her shoulders shaking as she reached for him.

"No," he shook his head, managing to get the other leg off. "I'm good."

"Very good," she giggled, her eyes moving over his body as he tried to sway his hips, not at all surprised by his lack of erection. From the song of choice to the minor injuries, she was certain the last thing he wanted right now was to have sex with her.

"Are you sure you don't want me to help?" Michonne tried to suppress more laughter as she got off the bed again.

"I'm sure," he laughed. "Sit back down."

"From my viewpoint, you're having some problems."

"It's…intentional. Sit down."

"You're intentionally falling over?"

"Yeah. Part of my plan" he nodded. "Shush."

Michone reached for one of the throw pillows piled behind her and chucked it at her head.

"What the hell was that for?! Can't you see I'm already strugglin'."

"I warned you. You had one more time to shush me," she attempted to say in an argue tone, but she fell onto her stomach as he continued to gyrate his hips. "You're a fool."

"I know," he laughed, pulling the white t shirt off and throwing it across the room. He smiled as he danced around, shaking his ass again in her face, loving the sound of her giggles filling the room. He pushed the boxers down, exposing his bare ass for a second before pulling them back up and swirling around again, moving his entire body to the music.

"That's…that's real….sexy," Michonne laughed, reaching for his wallet on the nightstand table and out a five dollar bill.

"Only a five ," he pouted.

"Too many technical difficulties, but you're ruggedly handsome, so I had to give you something," her arms around wrapped his waist and holding him in place as she slipped the bill into his boxers.

"Hmmm…." he groaned, turning around again, running his hands along his body as he shook his hips to the song. Aside from his issues, he couldn't believe how well this worked. She was playful. He pulled at his boxers gently again, smiling as she giggled and licked her lips, raising her eyebrows at him in mock interest before laughing.

"Keep shaking your ass…"

"Oh I am," he laughed, turning around again so his back was to her and he shook his ass quickly. "You like when I shake my goods."

"I do love your ass," she giggled breathlessly, her fingers pinching one of his butt cheeks. "Always have."

"I know," he nodded, grabbing at his boxers again and yanking at them. "Oh."

"Oh?"

"Nothan'," he sighed, pulling on his boxers again. This was supposed to work a lot better than this, this was supposed to work a lot better than this, this was supposed to just rip off like all the male strippers did on movies.

"Rick, what exactly are you trying to do? You have to pull your boxers down not away."

"They pull them away on movies."

"Movies, Rick. I'm certain they have velcro boxers, and you're definitely not an actor."

"They said it would work if I yanked hard enough," Rick frowned.

"Didn't DJ Khaled tell you they didn't want you to succeed ?" Michonne laughed as she reached forward pull his boxers down.

"Not that they, the folks online."

"Online? You researched how to strip?"

"I told you, learnin' curve. Carl's always sayin' if I don't know somethang to use Google. They gave me some pointers," he sighed.

"Pointers"

"It was my hope…you know what? I'm not explainin myself," he laughed.

"Stripping is taking off clothes, Rick. You've seen me do it before."

"I know that, Chonne."

"Yet you researched it. What sites did you even go to? Wiki How?"

"Shut up!"

"Seriously, Rick. Where did you go?"

"The top hit on Google… Magic Mike and Channing Tatum."

She giggled, toppling over onto her side as she shook with hard laughter.

"If you ever tell anyone about this…"

"Rick…" she cried out in laughter.

"I swear, never tell anyone."

"You…not even Daryl? Please let me tell Daryl."

"Definitely not Daryl!"

"Jeffrey?"

"No!"

"Jeffrey and Marissa? And Daryl. Maybe Sasha."

"You're not telling anyone."

"Rick, you used Magic Mike as your guide. It's almost as bad as….oh my god. You didn't rent a tutorial did you?"

"Of course I didn't."

"I'm checking the card statement at the end of the month ," she chuckled breathlessly. "Pull down your boxers, Baby."

"Want me naked?" he laughed as he pulled them down.

"I want to see your goods ," she laughed.

"You do?" he smiled as he turned around and shook his now naked ass.

"I love your ass candy," she giggled, leaning forward to lick his ass.

"Michonne!" he laughed and then sighed. "Taste good?"

"Shake it again."

"Demanding," he nodded as he followed her orders.

"I've always wanted my own personal stripper," she giggled.

"You should have said something years ago."

"I didn't think you'd actually strip to Gucci Mane."

"That was Sasha's fault!' he protested.

"How was that Sasha's fault?"

"I asked Daryl for a song suggestion , and Sasha was over visitin' and she jumped in."

"And she suggested Gucci Mane? Seriously?"

"I was going for funny."

"Funny?" she laughed, pulling him down to rest next to her, her arms wrapped around his bare waist.

"Yes, funny," he laughed with her. "You can't tell me you don't like ya dirty south music."

"Since when are strip teases supposed to be funny?"

"Since I wanted it to be funny."

"Why?" she murmured, running her fingers up and down his bare ass.

"I wanted you to laugh."

"You wanted me to laugh?"

"It's been a while," he murmured.

"Rick" she breathed, pressing a kiss to his shoulder as the song started over again.

"I just wanted you to giggle."

"I'm sorry," she murmured as she started giggling again.

"What are you sorry for?"

"That I haven't been the most exciting person to be around."

"It's okay," he whispered, hugging her tightly.

"But you did choose Gucci Mane," she giggled loudly. "Bitch I Might Be Gucci Mane."

"Shut up!" he groaned.

"I can't believe you even know who Gucci Mane is."

"I'm a Georgia native. Of course I know who Big Guwop is."

"You were humming along too."

"Calmed my nerves."

"Nerves?" she murmured, kissing him gently.

"I've never stripped for you."

"You've stripped for other women before?"

"No."

"But you stripped for me?"

"Yes, Chonne, I stripped for you. You're my wife."

"It was really funny," she repeated , pushing him onto his back.

"Glad you enjoyed it," he smiled at her. "I wanted you to remember our normal lives still exist."

"I know they do, Rick," Michonne breathed. "I know."

"I know but it doesn't hurt to live in them sometimes."

"Rick, I'm trying," she whispered. "I know we have to live in our normal lives, and I'm trying. But work, custody hearings, and things … things aren't normall."

"Hey, I know,Darlin'," he murmured gently, running his hand along her cheek. "You're doing amazing. I wanted to give you a break from it all."

"It was a good break," she breathed. "It was an amazing break. You should do it more. Stripping I mean."

"I can do that."

"Next time maybe… Pretty Ricky …Miguel…Beyoncé or something."

"I'll put them on my request list," he laughed softly.

"Good," she laughed as she ran her hands up and down his back. "I'm going to try harder, Rick."

"You don't have to, Mich," he sighed. "This wasn't a complaint."

"I know you weren't complaining, but this isn't fair to you."

"And it's fair to you?"

"No but this is my battle."

"We're a married couple. Your battles are my battles."

"A happily married couple? We both can agree I'm far from happy most days."

"I know things are hard right now, but you are happy to be married to me right?"

"What? Of course I am. Why would you ask that? I want to be married to you. You're everything that was missing in my life."

"Then we're happily married."

"Even if I'm not laughing and smiling?."

"I'd rather you'd not bullshit with me about your happiness so yes. Let the record show, I'm very happily married to you."

"Me too," she murmured, kissing him deeply.

"Hmmm…." he groaned against her lips. "Chonne, you really don't have to be happy for me."

"I'm happy, Rick. Not about some things, but never doubt I'm unhappy in our marriage. I'd tell you if I wasn't. We have a solid foundation, and you know the lyrics to Freaky Gurl."

"I'm never going to live that down, am I? Fifty years from now I'll still be hearing about it."

"From Daryl , Jeffrey, me, and probably Sasha too."

"You can't tell anyone!"

"It will be fun at Thanksgiving when we go up to the cabin!"

"Michonne Grimes."

"I can tell everyone during Thanksgiving dinner or once we out the kids to bed."

"You're going to tell my mom I stripped?"

"Maybe."

"And my aunts?"

"Your aunts are more like your sisters. They would laugh."

"You want them privy to our dirty sex habits?"

"This wasn't very dirty, Rick. Broke your zipper and nearly gave yourself a concussion when you fell over."

"Don't matter. Ya can't tell them."

"Why not?"

"'Cause this was purely to cheer you up. You can't exploit my kindness and love."

"You want to make it serious?" she breathed, running her hands up and down his toned muscles.

"I don't want to be mocked by my entire family."

"You should have thought about that before you chose to watch Magic Mike" Michonne laughed.

"I thought you'd keep it between us," he pouted.

"I can't, Rick. I actually can't. Jeffrey…Jeffrey deserves to know."

"Why?"

"Because you're his hard ass kid brother ,and you just shook your ass like a stripper down in College Park."

"I'm sure there's something in our prenup that stipulates you can't do this."

"There isn't," she smirked, enjoying this banter.

"What do I have to do to keep you quiet?"

"Give me an actual show."

"You want a real striptease?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"Now?"

"In a second," she giggled as she moved off the bed. "Get dressed."

"Okay," he frowned, climbing off the bed and reaching for his boxer briefs and jeans .

"Hey," she stopped, kissing him again. "I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too."

"Hmmm," she breathed, wrapping her arms tightly around him. He ran his hand gently up and down her back, the satin slipping through his fingers as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Go get dressed," she ordered as she pulled away from him and reached for the iPod.

"What are you doing?" Rick looked over at her.

"Looking for a song you can actually dance do."

"Okay," he nodded slipped the white t shirt over his unruly curls.

"Now go sit on the ottoman," she commanded as she found the perfect song and took her locs out of her messy bun.

"I thought I was 'pose to be giving you another show?"

"Well you need a proper tutorial, so I'm going to refresh your memory," she explained walking in his direction.

"Hey Siri, play Tidal," Michonne's voice called, and Beyoncé's 6 Inch began to play.

"Now I wish we had gotten that pole," Rick chuckled under his breath as he heard the beat.

"Are you laughing at me?" She gave a faux pout. "Your loving wife."

"Never."

"Better not be," she said. Michonne restarted the song and began to wind her hips,her ass bouncing to the beat.

"Your song choice is half of the technique, Richard," she asked turning her head back to see him mesmerised.

"Noted ma'am," he responded huskily and continued to watch her body move. This wasn't how he planned the night to go, but the smirk on her face and light in her eyes let him know she was enjoying herself, and that was enough was him.

AN: Hope you all enjoyed reading this AU I wrote for mamagrimes6, because I certainly had fun crafting it.