Dinner had been a success, and the group found their way to more quiet activities as the night was settling in. Rick leaned on his forearms against the short, wooden railing that separated the patio from where the lawn gave way to a rolling descent. Snow was still drifting lazily down from the sky, as it had been since they arrived, and the chill had Michonne bundled in a quilted, black jacket, hiding the bottom of her face under a red scarf. She stood close enough that her arm brushed his every time she brought her mug of spiked hot chocolate to her mouth for a sip. The sun had passed behind the range that they were looking out over, leaving the white lights strung above them to have their moment.
"So, that call you took earlier," she said. "You want to talk about it?"
Rick tipped his head back, sucking in a long breath of cold air before returning his eyes to hers. He chewed on his bottom lip while his gaze swept her face. "I don't," he said, apprehensively.
He braced himself for a discouraged look from her. It had always been a point of contention in his relationship with Lori: the fact that he didn't share his thoughts as they were forming. She had claimed it was a "Mars vs Venus" thing. Some theory she had read about the way men and women communicated, and how they were destined to miss each other completely if they didn't accommodate for the differences. He had never bought it. Shane verbalized every damn thing that flowed through his mind and he was certainly not the poster boy for functional relationships.
She nodded her head, accepting his answer without any admonishment and he let out the breath he had been holding, feeling relieved.
"Another time," he promised, taking a long draw from his own mug.
She gazed out at the dark mountains, dotted with the lights from gatherings just like theirs, and took a deep breath. The fire was crackling behind them, and she could hear the faint sound of Maggie's voice. She and Glenn sat, huddled under a blanket, across from Bob and Sasha. Mike and Tara completed their circle, each seated beside one of the empty chairs that Rick and Michonne had previously occupied. Rick had left his first, wandering away from the group as the conversation lulled. A little while later, Michonne had found her way to the spot beside him after refilling her drink.
"When we pulled up, I knew this spot would be the best seat in the house," Michonne said, marveling at the purple sky, still bruised where the sun had set. "The view is amazing."
"First day of the new year, coming to an end." He brought his drink to his lips and finished the last sip to punctuate his point.
Michonne glanced back toward the group, looking for the carafe of hot chocolate they had been pouring from, and saw Sasha and Bob gathering their blanket to head back inside. Karin had suggested a movie night and the smell of popcorn was starting to float out of the house, signaling its start. Mike headed in as well, not bothering to check if Michonne was coming for the first time since he had arrived.
"You guys coming in?" Glenn called from behind them. They looked back at each other, both feeling grounded to the spot.
"Not yet," Rick answered for both of them.
"Not saving you any popcorn," Tara warned, helping Maggie gather the rest of their things to bring inside.
Michonne grinned, giving her a dismissive wave.
"I am hungry," Rick confessed, when they had been left to themselves.
"Seriously? After that meal?"
"I didn't get any dessert," he laughed.
"You wanna go in?" Michonne asked, finding herself slightly disappointed.
"No. If I start watching a movie I'll pass out."
"Like you did last night, old man?" she chided.
"Hey, who woke who up? Besides, that movie was awful."
"You wouldn't know because you didn't see the end."
He turned his body to face her and tilted his head. "So, tell me what happened," he said, knowing full well she hadn't seen it either.
She avoided his question, grinning at having been caught. "Come on," she said, grabbing a handful of his coat sleeve. "I have food."
He followed her across the patio and through the door to the smaller bunk house, her hand dropping from his coat once they reached the living room. She found the small table lamp and turned it on, casting a warm glow across the seating area.
"Wait here," she said, crossing the room and heading up the stairs to the second floor.
Rick went to the kitchenette, dropping his empty mug on the counter and opening the small refrigerator. He remembered Daryl had stashed a random selection of beers in there when they had unpacked and, having shared a bottle of scotch with him the night before, he knew they were untouched. He grabbed a lager for himself and shuffled through the cans and bottles, searching for a lighter option for Michonne. Finding a citrus flavored beer that he thought she would like, he combed the drawers for a bottle opener. He had just popped the top off of both of them when she returned.
"These were supposed to be for the car ride home, but we can just stop somewhere to pick something else up." She held up a bag of chocolate cookies and dropped onto the couch, setting her feet on the small coffee table.
"You don't think we can go a couple hours without a snack?" he laughed, taking the seat beside her and handing her a bottle.
She smiled at the selection he made for her and took a long sip. "Just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should." She reached into the bag, handing him a cookie and taking one for herself.
"Carl wouldn't like these anyway. It's better we keep them for ourselves."
"Your son does have some odd quirks," she laughed, finishing the cookie and reaching for another one.
"Yeah, well, just don't tell Daryl about 'em. We're already drinking his beer."
She gave him a questioning look as she took another pull of hers. "Wouldn't have pegged him for a fruity beer type of guy."
"These came from the back of his fridge. I'm sure one of his dates left it there." He set his bottle down on the coffee table so he could remove his coat.
She continued to question him with her eyes. "When is he out with these girls? I only ever see him with you."
"They aren't the types of girls you bring around your friends. I don't think they'd have much in common with you or Maggie or Sasha."
She playfully nudged his knee with hers as she shrugged out of her own coat, tossing her scarf on the chair across from them. "You're lying."
"I'm not. He has bad taste," he said, laughing into his bottle as he took a sip. "Plus, he needs to appear available when Rosita's around."
"I see. So give me the scoop on that." She felt no guilt about prying after her earlier conversation with Rosita and she turned her shoulders toward him, hoping for a candid answer.
"Nah, I can't tell all his secrets," he simpered.
"Very loyal of you, Grimes."
"Just enjoy their leftover beer and be happy you didn't have to have a conversation with them."
"You're terrible," she giggled.
"He'll figure it out, eventually. So will Rosita, and then they'll ride off into the sunset on his bike and we'll all eat deer meat at their wedding."
She was laughing hard now, trying not to spit out her beer and he couldn't help but join her. She pinched her lips shut and tried to catch her breath, unsuccessfully. The sight of her losing the battle had Rick's face beaming with delight. This was what drew him to her, time and again, the easy way she let herself feel happiness. The way she commanded a moment and was vulnerable to it at the same time. As she doubled over with laughter, her head fell toward his shoulder and he had to touch her, to capture some of her bliss. Without warning, he dipped his chin, pressing his lips to her forehead.
Startled by the contact, her giggling ceased and she suddenly felt breathless for a new reason. As she lifted her head to meet his gaze, she found a timid grin on his face and her heart swelled. She knew deep down how he felt about her, even if she had only just admitted that she felt it too. She just hadn't expected him to be ready for it. Now here he was, looking at her with those mesmerizing eyes, waiting for her to accept what must have been so hard for him to offer. She took a deep breath, her lips turning upward into a matching smile as she released it.
He brought a hand to her cheek as he leaned toward her, and she trembled at the familiar intensity of his eyes just before they closed. She watched until his mouth was pressed against hers and then allowed her own eyes to fall shut, giving her other senses their turn.
His lips begged hers apart and her tongue met with the intoxicating flavor of sweet chocolate and bitter beer still lingering in his mouth. The scent of the fire and the fresh mountain air was still on his shirt as he pulled her against him and she could feel her heart racing in her chest. Rick was steady and calm, as he always was when he was near her.
He took his time with the kiss, reveling in how right it felt to be this close to her, to finally close the distance he had been keeping. He had been holding a vigil over the pain in his heart, out of guilt or a sense of obligation, but he was ready to turn away from it. To lay down the burden and let his heart be free to experience a different emotion. He leaned over her, covering her with his shoulders as she sank farther into the couch. He lingered on her mouth, alternating between shallow and deep as he tasted her again and again.
Wanting to be closer still, he dropped his hand from her face and placed it on the edge of the couch for support as he guided her backwards with his other arm. Resting on his forearm, he hovered above her, finally breaking their kiss to search her face for confirmation that he should continue. He found what he was looking for when her hands came up to the back of his head, and her fingers slipped into his hair. He closed his eyes, conjuring the memory of when she had done the same that morning. It was in that moment that he had finally realized how much he needed her touch. He dove back in, landing at her neck and she pulled in a sharp breath.
She arched toward him as his tongue surveyed the skin from her chin to her collarbone. Her hands roamed his back, feeling his muscles contract as he moved above her. She gently pulled at the fabric of his shirt and he groaned quietly as it came untucked, and her hands slipped underneath. His bare skin was warm as she moved along his lower back, then up the sides of his waist, causing him to shudder. She could feel him harden against her leg as she explored and she pulled him tightly against her, letting him know she was with him.
His lips made it back to her mouth with more urgency and his hand dropped to her hip, fingering the hem of her shirt for a moment before finding his way underneath. He squeezed the soft flesh of her hip then gently moved upward, his palm skimming the side of her satin bra.
He felt himself slipping from control and he paused, pressing his forehead to hers. He sucked in a long breath to steady himself and their whereabouts came flooding back to him. Bypassing her lips, he dropped his mouth to her shoulder, scraping it with his teeth as he breathed out a half groan, half growl. His body still moved against her, but his mouth snapped shut and he pulled back up onto his hands, breaking their contact. He hung his head and a muted laugh escaped from his lips.
"Not like this," he whispered.
His words broke her from the spell she had slipped under. She brought a hand to her face and let out her own sheepish laugh. She turned her head toward the front door where her friends could come in any minute and sighed. Looking back up at him, she nodded, reluctantly. As if unsure of his decision, he leaned back in and pressed another kiss to her lips, then collapsed on top of her with a laugh.
"I feel like a kid hooking up at summer camp," he said into her neck, thinking of their shared bunks upstairs.
"That's all we need is Andrea walking in right now," she said with a groan.
"Or Mike," he teased. He pulled back onto his knees and extended an arm to help her sit up.
"Why do I get the feeling you would like that?" she said, eyeing his mischievous grin.
He shrugged in response, settling back onto the couch. He waited for her to pull her shirt back into place, then put an arm around her. "I wouldn't be too broken up about it. Why? You want to keep your options open?"
She elbowed him playfully then settled into him, letting her head rest on his shoulder. "He never had a chance," she whispered.
He smiled at her confession, dropping his mouth to the top of her head. "How about, when we get back home, you let me take you out...without Carl."
"If you think you'll be as much fun as him," she giggled, tipping her head up so his lips fell to her forehead.
He laughed, finding her lips again. "I'll do my best."
…
"Where's my dad?" Carl asked, as he came to sit next to Maggie. Maggie surveyed the room. The movie was over and she realized Rick had never made it back and neither had Michonne. She looked back and forth between Daryl and Glenn, hoping to find an answer but she was met with blank stares.
"You know your old man, Carl," Daryl said with a wink. "He can't party like the rest of us. Why don't you brush your teeth and get to bed."
"I'll get them settled," Abraham said, ushering the boys up the stairs.
Carl laughed, thinking of his dad falling asleep during the movie the night before. "Alright, good night, guys," he said as he followed Tim and Abraham upstairs.
"Goodnight, Carl," Maggie called after him.
"Think it's safe to go back to the bunks?" Glenn joked after Carl had disappeared upstairs.
"I hope not," Rosita snickered, standing to stretch.
"What do we do about her?" Daryl asked, gesturing to Tara who was fast asleep on one of the chairs.
Maggie threw a blanket over her and switched off the lamp beside her head. "She'll be fine here. Let's go."
The four of them made their way across the patio and into the second building where Daryl crested the stairs first. He found Rick asleep just as he suspected, but as he came farther into the room he saw Michonne sleeping too, with her head in his lap. Rick's arm was tight around her and their fingers were interlaced.
"Well, look at this," Daryl whispered.
"Do we leave them here?" Maggie asked, coming to stand next to him, a huge grin on her face.
"Carl's all set. Leave them be," Glenn said as he switched off the table lamp and pulled Maggie down the hall to their room.
"Can't wait till Andrea and Shane come back," Rosita laughed, crossing her arms across her chest.
"Looks like you've got your room to yourself," Daryl said, slinging an arm around her waist.
"Good point! Come on," she laughed, grabbing his shirt and pulling him up the stairs behind her.