Summary: The one where Rick's a prince, and Michonne's a princess...
"I'm just saying, man. Finally get you to come to one of these things, and you dress up as a priss miss," Shane groused. He had taken Rick, Daryl, Carl and Judith to their first comic con. Shane was dressed as the Punisher, Daryl as the Terminator, Carl as Deadpool, Judith as Cinderella, and Rick as Prince Eric.
"Not a priss miss," Rick corrected. "I'm the prince." He smiled at Judith on the last part, making the three year old smile.
"Yeah, well, you could have at least been a King if you were gonna do that." Shane noticed a Harley Quinn carrying a sign-Geek Speed Date. He smirked. "Okay, I know what comes next. We're doing that."
"What? No," Rick protested.
"Carl, take your sister. The men have something to tend to. Won't be more than thirty minutes, I'm sure," Shane explained.
"Geek speed dating? Man, have you lost it?" Daryl asked.
Shane pulled Daryl aside. "This is the first time Rick has been out since...you know. What's the harm anyway? A bunch of geek girls dressed up. It'll be like a pre-test. Get him back on the water."
Daryl stared at Shane for a moment before rolling his eyes. "Fine."
"Now help me convince him," Shane said. "Hey! You with the clipboard! Three more right over here," Shane called out to the portly Jedi. Light saber in hand, he strolled over.
"Yes, gentleman, that'll be twenty dollars each," he said, holding his hand out for the funds.
Shane was the first one to balk. "You've gotta be shi-" He paused, looking over at Carl and Judith. "You've gotta be kidding me, man."
"I'd hurry if I were you. The men slots always fill quite quickly," the Jedi said with a smile.
"It's fine. I got it," Daryl said, reaching into his pocket.
"You sure?" Rick asked.
"It'll even out in the end. I ain't worried," Daryl said, handing the Jedi some bills.
The Jedi nodded, then handed them each a nametag with a number. "Please stand in line over here," he said, motioning to the right side of the door.
"Princess!" Rick turned his head to see what his daughter was shouting about, and saw a most lovely Cinderella coming down the hallway. Her hair, while in dreadlocks, was swept up into a Cinderella coif, a strip of blue ribbon completing the look. The blue of the dress complimented her brown skin perfectly. Rick stared at her eyes-they were large and bright, like a Disney princess brought to life. Rick felt his mouth go dry.
"Judith, stop," Carl pleaded, the toddler squirming quite hard in his arms. She was reaching out toward the Cinderella.
"Oh, hello," the woman said, stopping at Judith. "What a pretty princess you are."
"I want a princess picture," she asked, all smiles.
"That's perfectly fine with me," the woman said.
Carl looked at his dad. Rick nodded. "Sure, uh...I have a camera."
The woman took the toddler, who was all too happy to be held by a true princess, chubby arms around her neck. Rick took out his Canon, turning it on.
"Can't believe you don't have a camera phone," Shane muttered.
Rick ignored him, focusing the camera on his daughter and the princess. "Say cheese," he said, aiming. A couple of shots, and it was done. The woman handed Judith back over to Carl.
"I take it you're the dad?" she asked, extending a gloved hand.
"I am. I'm Rick," he said, grasping her hand in his, giving a slight bow as he kissed it. She smiled looking away for a moment.
"I'm Michonne."
"And I'm ready to party!" the Jedi yelled. "The time has come, ladies and geeks! We now enter the grand hall to begin the festivities of speed dating!"
"Oh, I have to go," she said, watching as the women entered.
"Oh, me too," Rick said shyly. "I'll see you in there."
She nodded, smiling back.
"I'll be back in a bit. Gonna go to that trailer panel. Something for her to look at," Carl said. "Have fun," he called over his shoulder, heading off.
"Given that little exchange," Shane said, "I have a feeling this is gonna go well for one of us."
"Shut up," Rick said with a roll of his eyes. Though if he were honest, with himself at least, he was excited at the prospect of sitting across from Michonne.
He, Shane and Daryl entered, and somehow, she was seated on the other side of the large room. The women were all seated, stationary, with the men rotating in the chairs at one minute intervals. There were nice girls, punk girls, weird girls, and everyone all in costume. But Rick couldn't stop glancing at the one lone Cinderella, in all her elegance and beauty, as he moved from one seat to the other. He'd talk to one woman, and find himself glancing over his shoulder, counting down how many seats were left until he was sitting in front of hers. His heart beat faster as he grew closer. Seven seats away. Six.
Five.
Four.
Three.
Two...
"And..that's the last round, folks!" the Jedi announced.
"What?!" Rick exclaimed, looking at the man. He turned to Michonne, who shrugged helplessly.
"Yes, that concludes this round of Speed Dating. Thank you for participating. I need all of the men on the left side of the room, and all of the women on the right. No talking, please! It's time to tally!"
Rick sat there for a moment, stunned. Michonne had walked to her respective side, paper in hand. He looked at her, a black pearl in a sea of diamonds.
"Hey, sorry man," Daryl said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know you were looking forward to talking to her."
"Yeah, she seemed pretty cool," Shane added. "I'm sure you two would have hit it off."
Rick nodded to himself, and made a decision. "Screw it," he said, walking with purpose to the other side of the room.
"Excuse me, fair prince, but did you not hear the instructions?" the Jedi called out. But Rick didn't care.
"You know," Rick said, addressing the room. "I wasn't even gonna do this, but my friends convinced me. Then I saw this...vision coming down the hallway, and I was really looking forward to talking to her."
"I don't make the rules," the Jedi cut in. "I just enforce them," he said turning on his light saber, earning a laugh from the room.
"I don't need some game to do this," Rick retorted. "Princess, would you do me the honor of having a drink with me?"
Michonne stood there, mouth agape. A brunette Harley Quinn gave her a gentle nudge at the shoulder. "Go on," she encouraged.
Michonne cocked her head, a mix of a smirk and a smile on her face. It was downright mischievous. "You know for a prince, you're mighty scruffy," she joked. "Could have made time to shave."
Rick smirked back. "Well, I still have to look like me come tomorrow."
"It does work on you. It does. And you're...Prince Eric?" she asked.
"That's right, Cinderella," he said, slouching, thumbs hanging from his belt loops.
"I was looking for Charming but...this will do," she said, extending her hand once more. "I'd love to go get that drink."
Rick smiled, interlacing her fingers with hers.
"Yeah!" Shane yelled. "That's what I'm talking about! Call us later man-we've got Carl and Judith."
Rick gave his friends a smile while Michonne gave her a wink, and the Prince and Princess headed out.
