They somehow managed to strip the guest room bare, leaving only the bed frame and the armoire, like a minimalist's wild fantasy. Everything else—the boxes, dresser, and armchair—was piled up in the middle of Michonne's foyer, creating a chaotic mess that would make loading Rick's truck a breeze but sent a wave of anxiety through Michonne just to look at it. But hey, that was a problem for tomorrow!
She couldn't believe how well they worked together, moving in almost a perfect rhythm.
But their eagerness to dive into the second bedroom might have gotten the best of them. They started strong, efficiently sorting through the closet and packing clothes into boxes. But as time went on, fatigue began to set in, and their pace slowed down.
Before long, they found themselves plopped on the floor, Michonne still valiantly battling the closet while Rick wrestled with an old bedframe that looked like it had survived a zombie apocalypse of its own.
In the midst of their conversation, progress seemed to take a backseat. Rick going on and on about his kids, and with how much Rick talked about them, Michonne practically felt like she knew them already. Carl, the fourteen-year-old who was now getting too cool for his old man, and Judith, the three-year-old who had a knack for mischief.
It was hard to decipher if Rick was eager to share or just comfortable, but he opened up more than she expected. Surprisingly, she found herself sharing things too, something she didn't think she was going to do.
He dove into the details of his messy divorce. They were on good terms now, but the usual story of falling out of love leading to infidelity loomed over them. When he revealed that it was his ex-wife Lori who had strayed, Michonne felt a mix of shock and relief. It was a strange comfort to know he wasn't the one who had cheated, even if relief felt odd in a conversation about betrayal.
"So… any exes?" Rick asked, his head popping up from the edge of the bed, a curious meerkat trying to look nonchalant.
Michonne rolled her eyes, a laugh bubbling up as she tossed a pair of white shoes into the donation box, which was practically full. "You want to know if I've had any exes? Ever?" she shot back, a playful smirk dancing on her lips.
"Okay, maybe it's a silly question, but I need to know who I'm up against," he replied, his smile wide, clearly enjoying the game he was playing.
She shot him a look that could evaporate water, but he just winked back, which made her shake her head.
"If you are wondering if I've ever been married, the answer is no. I do have exes, but the list is very short," she said, twirling a handkerchief around her fingers. "Two years ago, I got out of an eight-year-long relationship"
"What was he like?" she could practically feel a twinge of jealousy emitting from him like something radioactive.
"Great… until he wasn't," she replied, choosing to keep the details at bay, not wanting to wade into those murky waters.
"Well, that's his loss," Rick remarked a hint of defiance in his tone.
"How do you know I wasn't the problem?" she challenged, raising an eyebrow in playful skepticism.
"I just know," he said with a casual shrug, a confident smile playing on his lips.
…
He lifted the glass teacup, letting it hover mid-air before it touched his lips "Are you sure you want to get rid of the armchair?" he asked her, catching her eye land on it for the third time since they sat down.
After realizing they had reached a standstill in their progress, they both agreed it was best to wrap things up for the evening. Rick assumed he'd be making his exit soon, likely because Michonne was itching to kick him out, but to his surprise, she offered him some tea instead.
Rick wasn't exactly a connoisseur of tea, but he seized the chance to make himself comfortable at her light oak table, which he had mistakenly thought belonged to her aunt.
Little did he know, it was a treasure she had personally rescued from the clutches of a garage sale.
"If I hold onto this, I'll end up wanting to keep it all," she remarked, cradling her teacup with both hands.
"I think you should keep it and give it a makeover," Rick suggested, finishing the last drop and strutting over to the sink with his empty cup.
Michonne followed after him, blocking his path just as he was about to scrub his cup. "No worries, I've got this. You've done enough already."
"You sure?" he asked, his eyes locking onto hers. "Yeah, it's all good," she replied, plopping her cup into the sink with a satisfied clink.
They moved apart from each other, Rick, ever the master of dramatic exits, feigning a stretch.
" I should probably head home if I want to get back early enough," he said, glancing at his wristwatch.
She nodded, making way for him to saunter toward the door, which he might have been moving toward at a slower pace just to savour the moment a little longer.
"This is giving me heart palpitations," Michonne quipped as they navigated through the maze of boxes that seemed to have multiplied, leaving barely enough room to shuffle through.
"It'll all be cleared out by tomorrow, I swear," he replied, halting just before the front door and spinning around to face her.
Her gaze flitted across his face, feeling a sudden wave of shyness wash over her, unsure how to say goodbye without turning it into an awkward dance of words.
They both tried to speak simultaneously, resulting in a symphony of soft chuckles that echoed through the hallway.
"Go ahead," he encouraged, gesturing for her to take the lead.
With a nervous smile, she replied, "I just wanted to say thank you. Your help today was totally unexpected, but honestly, it was really great."
He leaned in a fraction closer, his gaze locked onto hers. "I told you I'd be good," he replied, his voice smooth.
She nodded, her eyes still glued to his as if they were actually stuck. "So, see you tomorrow?" she asked.
He nodded back, pausing for a moment as if he were contemplating his next move before heading toward the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, Michonne," he said as if sealing a pact.
As he strolled out the door, she slammed it shut behind her—not because she didn't care about his safety, but because she was afraid that if she watched him leave any longer, she might just turn into a puddle right there on the floor.
She turned around covering her face as if anyone other than her was there to witness anything.
As she was about to walk to the kitchen, she heard a faint knock on the door.
She opened the door quicker than she had intended to the sight of Rick almost as if he was out of breath.
"You okay?" she asked, shifting slightly to the side, her body instinctively welcoming him inside.
"I might have left my hat here," he replied, feigning a casual glance around the room, but his gaze quickly returned to Michonne, lingering on her lips with an intensity.
"I believe I spotted it somewhere," she murmured, her voice a tantalizing whisper that hung in the air between them.
They held each other's gaze for a heartbeat, both acutely aware that Rick hadn't arrived wearing a hat at all.
He closed the distance between them in a heartbeat, his hands cradling her face with an urgent tenderness. Their lips collided in a kiss, his tongue seeking hers with an insatiable hunger. The mingling of their breaths and soft moans heightened the tension, sending her into a daze.
As they stumbled into Michonne's living room, their lips barely separated. Michonne playfully pushed him down, positioning herself straddled in his lap. His hands roamed down to her waist in unison, pulling her down further into his lap as if trying to fuse their bodies.
She lost herself in his neck, kissing, licking, and teasing, all encouraged by his little whimpers and moans.
Their mouths met again fervently as he guided her hips, creating a rhythm that caused her to anchor down, wanting more of him.
"I tried…to… be …good" he moaned in between kisses.
A soft laugh escaped Michonne's lips, mingling with his. She felt annoyed at herself for being both charmed and utterly turned on by him.
A/N: Our girl is down bad I fear;). I start classes on Monday so I probably won't be updating as frequently until I get into the swing of things. I wanted to post as much as I could before that, I tried to go back to back. Enjoy 3