A/N: Thanks for sticking with me on this. Here's a shorter chapter but things are (albeit slowly) moving forward a bit with this seemingly mismatched pair. Your reviews and insights are so greatly appreciated.

Michonne let out a hearty laugh at the attics of the women on her television screen. She leaned forward and grabbed a napkin, clearing off the remains of buffalo sauce on the pads of her fingers. Her Michelob Ultra Lite beer was forgotten as she settled back into her the couch and brought her blanket up higher on her body. The ladies were currently arguing about some nonsensical rumor at the dinner table, talking over one another in a flash of hair and coffin shaped fingernails. It must be nice when your biggest concern is over whose mansion was getting built faster than the others.

Rick cleared his throat and Michonne looked over at her guest, sitting with a surly expression on his increasingly handsome face. Their eyes met and she took in his posture, legs spread wide with his palms flat on his knees in a semi reclining position. Clearly, he looked like he was having the time of his life.

After she walked into her apartment Rick had followed, somewhat reluctantly. Standing by the front door for a few minutes until she told him to put up his coat and take a seat. He still needed some more coaxing it seemed when he chose to sit on the other end of the furniture. Slowly he made his way over to Michonne and even shared a few wings with her and one beer.

This whole evening was one for the books. Michonne wasn't exactly sure of what her intentions were with Rick aside from possibly becoming amicable acquaintances. She had come to recognize that he was an attractive man. Those pink lips that were housed in a fluffy blanket of assertive greys and withering browns, the crinkle of skin between his lightly colored sparse eyebrows, those eyes that were fighting to sear themselves in her memory. Or it could have been chugging wine on a nearly empty stomach but Rick was starting to come around to her.

"Is this what you do?" He broke their stares and silence, gesturing towards the tv. "Eat junk food, drink bad beer, and watch bad television?"

"Hey, the invitation wasn't mandatory. Besides, I'm an intellectual most hours of the day. This is a way to…"

"Shut your brain off?" He finished.

"Exactly." She nudged his shoulder with her fist in agreement. He was starting to come along and it only took him one and a half episodes of the housewives entertaining but shrill antics. There was hope for him yet.

"What do you usually do?" She implored between a full sip of her tepid beer.

"I'm usually up pretty early during the warmer months. That's when the fish are more active. Other than making a living, I'll talk with my son Carl, I try to catch up with Glenn now and then. I like to keep to myself."

"Or date clingy owl enthusiasts."

Rick snickered at her remark, dragging a hand over his face and shaking his head.

"Sure. Better than having to remind the girl who takes your coffee order every morning that you exist."

"Hey! There are a lot of you that come in and out everyday. It's hard to keep track."

"We all look alike, huh?" He raised an eyebrow at her as his lips curled into a small grin.

"I know where you're going with that and I mean all fisherman." She paused and brought her bottle up to her lips for another swig and continued. "But yes, you white boys all do look alike."

Rick quickly grabbed the bottle neck, his fingers grazing Michonne's as he brought it down from it's destination to her mouth. He set the drink on the table and moved in closer, wrapping a large arm along the back of the couch. Their eyes met as they sat next to one another. Michonne's mine grew fuzzy as she tried to anticipate his next move. She was truly left speechless when Rick closed the gap between them with one of the softest pecks she'd ever received. He was so quick and gentle she barely felt the miry whiskers above his lips and spread out over his chin brush her face. Rick pulled back just far enough to look questioningly into her eyes, gauging how he faired in his brief seductive lip lock. A full minute seemed to pass until Michonne broke the standoff with a charming snort giggle. She brought both hands to her mouth covering up the offending sound, however it only proved to strengthen her outburst and elicit an eye roll from her companion.

Would this night ever end? She thought as she tried to gain her composure, rubbing her hands down her thighs over the stiff black material of her dress.

"I'm sorry. " She offered, braving a glance at a disheveled Rick. His cheeks were tinged pink with what she could only guess to be embarrassment. "I do have to ask though. What do you think is going on here?" She used a hand to gesture between the two of them.

"Michonne," he began on a frustrated tone, punctuated with his fingers pinching the space between his eyes. "You invited me in...for a night cap."

"A 'night cap'? I extended an invitation to watch tv with me, old man. I thought maybe we could salvage the evening and end it with friendship."

"I don't know if I want'a be your friend, if you're gonna be callin' me old." He warned, his arm that had been just barely touching her shoulders left it's perch to return to his side.

"I was getting a friend vibe from this whole interaction." Michonne lifted her arms to gather her locs into a high pony on top of her head. Her movements drew Rick's attention to the soft round cleavage peeking out from her neckline. She watched his gaze drift to her chest and he licked his lips while her perky tits kept his regard.

Rick's right hand boldy landed on her hip, causing her to pause her ministrations waiting to see how this was going to unfold. She felt his hand move slowly up her side until his thumb swiped lazily against the springy flesh of her breast. Next he took another brave step and plucked at the pebbled nipple making its presence known through the upper bodice of her dress. Goosebumps pimpled Michonne's forearms, she inhaled a shaky breath stunned at the effect Rick was having on her body.

"Does that feel like friendship to you?" He articulated. His face was now a few inches from her's. She could feel his breath, it's cozy heat laced with the light fragrance of beer intermingling with her own. Michonne hiccupped slightly as his thumb cradled her hardened tip, pilfering another tug. She shifted in her seat, her lower half tingling with anticipation of his next step.

Well this was...surprising.