Merry Christmas!
July 28th
Didn't
The afternoon sun hung in the sky, enveloping the world in a warm light that stirred a deep sense of nostalgia that he couldn't quite put into words if someone asked. The little road trip up to the campsite felt surreal, almost like a dream—.He spent most of the drive taking in the sights of trees, farms, truck stops, and wide-open fields. Even as Shane sped past it all, it felt like the landscape was passing him.
The four of them crashed at Michonne and Sasha's the night before and planned to head out from there. But Shane was pushing for a detour to his house first, hoping to persuade his folks to let him take the boat.
Rick had expected this reaction from Shane's parents, and sure enough, they dismissed his suggestion immediately. Shane's father, with his thick southern drawl, was especially straightforward, stating firmly, "Not a chance you're taking my boat." Meanwhile, his mom insisted that everyone should stay for lunch. While Rick and Shane pressed for an immediate departure, Michonne and Sasha remained courteous, readily agreeing to linger a bit longer. Rick thought to himself that their grandmother must have instilled in them the importance of accepting invitations.
The lunch was a bit awkward, with Shane's mom poking around, trying to understand what was going on between Shane and Sasha with her 'unassuming' questions. Meanwhile, Shane's dad was toeing the line of ignorance, asking about Michonne's locs.
Rick knew that she hated when people asked about her hair, both her and Sasha, but Michonne went along with it until Shane shot his dad a look that said to knock it off. Once they finished with their plates and loaded them into the dishwasher, Shane was quick to make sure they made their exit.
Inside the car, they had settled into a rhythm, with Michonne and Sasha filling the air with laughter, belting out their favourite songs, and sharing jokes. Shane took over most of the driving, insisting he could get them to the campsite faster than Rick or anyone else in the car.
As much as he wanted to be in the moment, a wave of sadness was creeping in, something Rick wasn't ready to face.
Occasionally, he would pull his eyes from the window, catching sight of Sasha and Shane sharing smiles, or he'd notice Michonne casting a worried look his way. He could feel her wanting to ask if he was alright, but she didn't.
To ease her mind, he would jump into the discussions, tossing out playful queries like, "What's the name of the artist for this song?" even though he was fully aware of the answer. Michonne recognized his act but went along with it.
The campsite was a step up from the previous year's, something Rick wasn't used to, but it was perfect, especially for Sasha, who wasn't the biggest fan of camping.
It was private, with more than enough space for everyone, and had an amazing view of the lake. It was the first year Shane's parents let them use it.
Sasha, Shane, Michonne, and Rick finally showed up at the campsite, they found the rest of the gang already in full swing.
Tents were up, and Glenn and Daryl were playfully ribbing Abraham, who was trying his best to grill burgers on a portable setup. It was pretty obvious that his technique wasn't quite cutting it in their eyes.
Tara, Rosita, Maggie, and Lori were lounging in their camping chairs, staring out at the water. Each of them had a drink in hand, which was pretty much the norm. By this point, they were probably on their third round since they always kicked things off with a shotgun as soon as they got there—a tradition that started long before they were of legal drinking age. To be fair, about a quarter of them still hadn't hit that milestone yet, with just a year to go.
The ride down almost made Rick completely forget that Lori was going to be there. Seeing her sparked a wave of unease, bringing back a rush of memories. Those memories reminded him why they had even planned this trip in the first place— a distraction.
Rick watched as Michonne and Sasha strolled over to the girls. Sasha hugged everyone. Michonne didn't; she just gave a friendly wave. Sasha and Maggie took the opportunity to introduce Michonne to Lori.
Lori gave a half-hearted hello, her attention shifting to Rick while she awkwardly shook Michonne's hand, way too formal for their age. She quickly released Michonne's hand, stood up from her camping chair, and made her way over to him.
She greeted him with a hesitant "Hey," her voice laced with uncertainty, unsure of how he might react.
"Hi," he remarked, his tone dripping with indifference.
As she buried her hands deep into her pockets, her gaze fell to the ground, swaying gently back and forth. He caught sight of her unease; it was clear that his disinterest killed her.
"I'm really happy you're here," she said, fixing her gaze on him. "The idea of you being alone tomorrow…"
"Wouldn't have been alone," he interrupted, feeling annoyed by how condescending her words sounded.
Her attention shifted to Michonne, and Rick's gaze followed suit. She was assessing Michonne from head to toe. Rick felt a slight tension in his jaw as he noticed her gaze had landed on Michonne.
"You would have been with her?" Lori asked gesturing toward Michonne without directly pointing.
As he tugged at the sleeping bags, frustration bubbled to the surface. "No, Hershel," he snapped, his voice laced with irritation. It annoyed him to no end how she felt so entitled to be in the loop about his life.
Lori tried to meet his gaze "Hey, I'm not here to make things any harder for you," her voice steady.
He knew exactly what she was hinting at, and it irritated him. She had a peculiar talent for conveying her thoughts without being direct, which really got to him.
They were no longer together, so he saw no reason to be cautious in his words. He simply replied, "Then don't," as he pivoted and walked away toward Shane, who was occupied with setting up their tents.
Shane and Rick observed her as she headed back to the girls. " You alright?" Shane inquired, worry etched on his face.
"Yeah, I'm fine." he replied, assuring him.
Michonne and Sasha were heading back to where Shane and Rick stood. As Michonne strolled by, Rick caught her eye and sensed she had something on her mind. He could tell she wanted to ask him something, but she didn't.
As the sun cast a warm glow over the campsite, Rick, Shane, Michonne, and Sasha busied themselves with the task of pitching their tents.
The air was filled with the sounds of rustling fabric, the occasional clink of metal poles and the background chatter. Michonne and Sasha found themselves in a familiar squabble, their playful bickering echoing through the trees. It was a scene Rick had gotten used to, their bickering flaring up whenever they tackled a project together.
Shane, despite Rick's caution, decided to step in and lend a hand to the two women. However, his gesture was met with fierce glares from both Michonne and Sasha.
"We've got this! "they declared in unison, a testament to the bond they shared even in the midst of their disagreements.
As Michonne finished tying down the last corner of their tent, Sasha approached her, wrapping her arms around her in a warm embrace. Michonne could sense a favour was about to be asked.
"Do you think you could share a tent with Rick?" she murmured gently.
"Can't you be apart from your boyfriend for a second?" Michonne teased.
"Not my boyfriend," Sasha replied, quickly clarifying. "But come on, Michonne, you and Rick always sleep in the same room anyway."
"True, but one of us usually ends up on the floor while the other takes the bed," Michonne retorted.
"Well, this time, you both will be on nature's floor," Sasha replied, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Smartass," Michonne said, rolling her eyes in mock exasperation "Just make sure to ask him if he's cool with it first."
"Rick you're bunking with Michonne, Thanks," Sasha announced, bypassing the question aspect entirely.
Her voice carried enough for the others to hear, prompting Lori to glance back to gauge Rick's reaction. He shrugged and nodded, clearly unbothered by the new arrangement.
"I said ask him" Michonne retorted, shooting a playful glare at her sister.
"He was never going to say no." Sasha teasingly whispered all Michonne did was roll her eyes.
Rick acted like he hadn't heard a thing.
…
As the sun finally set the majority of the crew settled into their camp chairs around the fire that Glenn managed to get going, even though Daryl kept saying he couldn't do it.
It seemed a bit ridiculous, but it was just what Rick needed. There's nothing quite like sitting around the warmth of a campfire, chatting about random stuff with friends. It was enough to take Rick out of his head. With Michonne there, it was more than enough for him. Which made him feel insane.
He found this funny because Daryl and Michonne chose to sit a bit away from the fire, but regardless, she was there.
Daryl was focused on skillfully carving a small bird from a piece of wood, which piqued Michonne's curiosity as she watched him work.
Spending more time at Rick's place had fostered a bond between her and Daryl. Though Daryl was often quiet, they had both come to appreciate the understanding that flowed between them.
While he concentrated on his carving, she held a flashlight; he could tell her mind was racing with questions she kept to herself, the artist in her eager to learn.
With a mischievous smile, she quipped, "You should think about applying to art school."
" You're the one who is always complaining bout school," Daryl shot back.
"True, but that's just part of being an art major," Michonne replied, a playful glint in her eye.
"I don't see any reason to go to school. I'm just whittling some wood; ain't no artist," Daryl insisted, shaking his head.
In their group, Daryl stood out as the only one who hadn't taken the college route or any program. Right after high school, he jumped straight into the workforce as a construction worker, a move he never thought he'd actually make. But he stuck with it, and honestly, it was a relief. It meant he could keep his distance from his dad, and that was a win in his book.
Rick, on the other hand, often felt like he was merely going through the motions of school, trying to meet everyone's expectations. He admired Daryl's unwavering commitment to his path, even as he listened in on their conversation, feeling a mix of envy and respect for his friend.
"Well, wood is a hard medium to work with, and you make it look so easy. I'm really impressed," Michonne remarked to Daryl. He didn't respond his face just softened slightly.
A little while later, Daryl set his carving aside, deciding he'd tackle it again the next day. He and Michonne strolled over to the fire, where the rest of the crew was deep in conversation.
Just like that, Glenn and Abraham had dragged him into shotgunning a few beers. It was pretty amusing to see them believe they could keep up with Daryl, and Lori made sure to point it out, which sent the whole group, Rick included, into laughter.
Meanwhile, Michonne hung back by the campfire, observing the chaos as Daryl effortlessly took the lead.
His eyes wandered, landing on an empty camping chair leaning against a tree. Without hesitation, he snagged it and set it down next to him.
Eventually, Michonne caught his gaze, and with a slight nod, he motioned for her to join him.
As she slid into the spot beside him, Rick looked over and asked, "So, did you grab a second burger?"
After they wrapped up setting up the tents, she playfully noted that one burger wouldn't be enough, especially since she, Rick, Shane, and Sasha had devoured the rest from the grill. Abraham had promised to whip up more and save one for Michonne.
"That sucks," he said with a teasing tone, shaking his head while holding up two paper plates, one resting on top of the other.
Leaning in, she lifted the top plate and found a likely cold burger.
Rick wore a cheeky smile, his eyes sparkling as if to say, "Sorry it's cold, but go ahead and eat it if you want."
She laughed, her face clearly showing that it was the thought that mattered most.
Lori observed the interaction, puzzled by the silent communication passing between them.
He was capable of self-reflection, and anyone witnessing the moment might have assumed he was trying to provoke jealousy out of Lori, but that wasn't his intention.
Michonne just had this special way of making everything else disappear, leaving just the two of them in their own little world.
He knew that his friends, especially Maggie, Shane and Daryl, were likely starting to pick up on his feelings. He silently vowed that if the topic ever came up, he would simply deny, deny, deny.
Those silent exchanges fed this idea that she might desire the same thing he did, but something held him back. The fear of being wrong loomed over him.
The fire crackled, and their friend's voices faded into the background. Yet the conversation between them held them captive. She nibbled on the cold burger, and he could see she wasn't really savouring it, yet she finished every last bite.
Maggie dove into games, her excitement palpable as she initiated one of her favourite drinking games. The rules were simple: draw a card, follow the instructions, or take a sip of your drink. The aim was clear—encourage everyone to loosen up and engage in lively conversation. And it worked.
As the game progressed, they all buzzed with laughter and animated discussions while Michonne reclined comfortably, participating only when her turn came, just as Rick had anticipated.
Initially, he had worried that she didn't like his friends but to his relief, she enjoyed their company. She simply had the grace to wait for her moment to contribute, a quality he deeply respected.
It was Lori's turn, which Rick was dreading, she picked a card and read it out loud.
"What was your first impression of the person sitting across from you?"
Lori sat quietly, the card resting on her lap, lost in thought. "Honestly, I don't remember my first impression of Rick; it feels like it happened so long ago."
Rosita interjected, a trace of annoyance creeping into her tone as she rolled her eyes. "Rick's not across from you; it's Michonne".
Despite their generally polite interactions, an underlying tension had always existed between Lori and Rosita.
Rick's attention shifted to Michonne, who seemed to intentionally avoid meeting Lori's gaze, her eyes locked on the dancing flames as if she were unaware of the quiet conflict between Lori and Rosita.
Lori lifted her cup to her lips, taking a sip that subtly marked her stance.
Sasha locked eyes with Rosita and shared a glance of irritation at Lori's not-so-sly dig at Michonne. Yet, Michonne shot them both a look as if she was pleading for them not to do anything.
"It's nothing bad, Michonne; I just like to keep things to myself," Lori said innocently.
Michonne looked at Lori and smiled warmly. "Even if it were, I wouldn't be worried," she replied, her face showing understanding.
To anyone else, it might have seemed like Michonne was being noble, but Rick could see that her eyes were filled with total apathy.
Whether she realized it or not, Lori's mind games were lost on Michonne. She just didn't have the energy to deal with that kind of nonsense.
The game continued for a while, eventually shifting into tipsy chatter and laughter. Rick decided to stay sober, and unsurprisingly, Michonne opted to do the same. They had this quirky way of swaying each other's decisions.
Rick found a certain thrill in the way she mirrored his choices; it felt a touch possessive and perhaps a bit immature, yet he welcomed that side of himself when he was with Michonne. He longed for her unwavering support in every decision he made. Whenever she aligned her actions with his, it was as if he won over an unseen force.
Meanwhile, Rosita had cornered Michonne, launching into a tipsy tirade about one of her instructors from her program. Abraham, catching wind of the commotion, couldn't resist joining in, adding his own thoughts to the mix alongside Rosita.
"The kid's probably younger than me, rambling on about the science of fire like I give a fuck," Abraham chuckled, his speech a bit slurred.
"Come on, you should care a bit if you want to be a decent firefighter," Rosita shot back, a playful smirk on her face.
Rick watched as Michonne leaned closer, trying to keep her attention on the conversation. She kept shifting her hands over the flickering flames and rubbing her arms, clearly uncomfortable with the drop in temperature. To most, it might have seemed minor, but he knew how much it affected her.
Michonne had always been sensitive to the cold. It was well known between the two of them that Michonne had a low tolerance for the cold; even a slight chill was enough to make her uncomfortable.
Their quibble over the temperature in any shared space was a familiar routine—Michonne perpetually cold and Rick always hot.
One evening at Rick's house, they ended up in a tug-of-war over the fan. They'd wake up every hour, each one trying to outsmart the other. Michonne would sneakily switch it off, only for Rick to wake up drenched in sweat and flip it back on an hour later. It was a silent standoff that had become all too familiar.
Rick strolled over to the truck, pulling a light blanket from the back seat. As he headed back to the fire, he felt Lori's gaze on him, but he chose not to meet her eyes.
Approaching Michonne, who was caught up in the same conversation with Rosita and Abraham, he gently placed the blanket over her shoulders from behind.
She turned to him, her expression conveying quiet gratitude before he returned to his own spot by the fire.
As he made himself comfortable, his eyes met Lori's. There was a spark in her expression that felt both known and far away, echoing the carefree days before they entered high school. To anyone else, it might have appeared as anger, but Rick understood it was something else.
She quickly broke her gaze from Rick straight to Michonne.
"So, Michonne, you and Rick have gotten pretty close, huh?" Her tone was sweet, but it didn't quite match the intensity in her gaze as she shot a quick look at Rick before returning her attention to Michonne.
Michonne turned from Rosita and Abraham to Lori. "You could say that," she replied with a nonchalant shrug.
Lori leaned in, her tone sharp and insistent. "Come on…how long have you two been sleeping with each other?"
Rick felt a knot tighten in his stomach. He couldn't bring himself to meet Michonne's gaze, afraid of what he might find there. Instead, he shot a fierce look at Lori, his expression turning steely.
"Excuse me?" Michonne asked, her confusion evident as she processed Lori's blunt inquiry.
Lori pressed on, her voice unwavering. "I mean, how long have you and Rick been fucking?" she clarified, her eyes darting between them.
There was a time when her tipsy honesty was charming, a rare glimpse into her unfiltered thoughts. But now, as she chose her words so loosely, he felt a wave of irritation wash over him. What once he found quirky and endearing now grated on his nerves, and he couldn't help but wish she would shut up.
The lively chatter around the campfire faded, drawing everyone's focus to Lori and Michonne. He could practically feel Michonne's discomfort radiating off her.
"Just friends," Michonne stated firmly, her voice leaving no room for misinterpretation.
Lori let out a dramatic sigh, rolling her eyes in exasperation "You don't need to spare my feelings; just tell me the truth."
"I have no need to spare your feelings," Michonne shot back.
Lori closed her eyes for a moment, trying to rein in her frustration. "I cheated, and it was terrible…but trust me, there are plenty of people here who can confirm how he treated me during the last year and a half of our relationship. So don't think it's all rainbows and sunshine over there. I just wish one of you had the decency to inform me that Rick had a new girlfriend before I agreed to come on this trip."
"She's not my girlfriend," Rick muttered, frustration lacing his voice.
A tension tightened around Lori's eyes as she flicked her gaze between Rick and Michonne. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, yet he knew she wouldn't let herself break down.
"Oh, even better," she exclaimed, rising from her chair and marching toward the tents. Maggie quickly stood and followed her.
Rick was overwhelmed by a surge of anger, struggling to hold back the urge to lash out at Lori. As he fought to maintain his composure, his eyes locked onto Michonne's, where he found a reflection of his own turmoil, confusion etched across her features.
A wave of sickness rolled through him, and he couldn't help but find humour in the situation.
He concluded that it would be best to maintain some distance from Michonne, as he felt the emotions he had been trying to keep at bay were on the verge of overwhelming him.
He got up and announced that he was going for a walk. Just as he was about to head out, Daryl reminded him to stick to the trails around the campsite.
Daryl tossed him a flashlight as he nodded in acknowledgment, understanding that this was Daryl's way of showing his concern.
With the flashlight gripped tightly in his hand, he found comfort in the looming trees around him.
Lori's voice lingered in his thoughts, stirring a deep unease within him as he wondered if Michonne had grasped the essence of Lori's distress. The mere thought of Michonne understanding the source of Lori's annoyance sent a shiver of anxiety through him.
He was well aware that Lori knew he had feelings for Michonne After all, she had been the one to experience those feelings firsthand at one time.
It might have been simpler if Michonne and Rick were a couple; then Lori could have easily blamed everyone else for not cluing her in on Rick moving on. That's what she had just tried to do. But that wasn't the reality, and he realized that watching Michonne be the focus of his affection was far more painful for her.
A few months prior, he might have relished the idea of her being in this exact situation, but now it felt like a tormenting nightmare of his own making.
This left him wondering if Michonne was in the loop as well. He wasn't ready to face that possibility. The thought of her confronting him about his feelings made him anxious.
He had never intended to reveal his true feelings to her, believing that, with time, those emotions would simply fade away—more than anything, he wished for that to happen.
Occasionally, there would be fleeting moments of hope, especially when Michonne would say something playfully flirtatious or when she would cross the line of personal space, resting her head on his shoulder as they sat in his living room watching movies.
Yet, whenever those thoughts began to swirl in his mind, he would dismiss them, attributing it all to the comfort Michonne found in their friendship. The last thing he wanted was to misinterpret her friendly gestures as something more.
" I'm getting cold", Michonne's voice pulled him back to reality. He spun around, his flashlight beam, landing on her figure, framed by the trees. The shadows danced around her as she stood firmly on the dirt path.
He hadn't even noticed her trailing behind him. He wondered how long she had been following him without him noticing.
"How long have you been following me," he asked, a grin spreading across his face.
"Long enough," she replied as he strolled back toward her. "Do you want to continue, or can we make our way back to the tent?"
He could only muster a soft "Let's head back" before she pivoted and began guiding them toward the tent. The calm she brought him was overwhelming. He felt the urge to run, but his feet just followed her. Before he realized it, he was holding the tent flaps open for her.
As she zipped up the tent, they cut off the sounds of laughter and Glenn strumming his guitar.
"Can you hold the light for me while I change?" she asked, and he quickly directed the beam of the flashlight downward, avoiding her gaze, not wanting her to catch a glimpse of his discomfort.
Michonne slipped out of her hoodie first, then her cargo pants, revealing a pair of thin sweats underneath.
They both crawled into their sleeping bags, with Rick slipping into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt while Michonne turned her head away.
With the flashlight positioned between them, Michonne tossed her hoodie over it to soften the glow. Rick found it oddly attractive, and once again, he felt a wave of self-loathing wash over him.
He figured she was ready to drift off, so he tried to roll over. But just as he was about to complete the turn, Michonne's voice broke the silence.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly.
He quickly turned to look at her, their faces just inches apart. "About what?" he asked, curiosity piqued.
"Making you come on this trip," Michonne replied, her gaze locked onto his.
"Don't be," he responded, puzzled by why she felt any remorse for what had happened.
They lay there for a moment, both eager to shift the conversation to lighter topics, like their mutual lack of enthusiasm for the upcoming school year.
Suddenly, Michonne broke the silence, asking how he was feeling. It was clear she had been wanting to know all day, and perhaps she sensed that this moment alone in their tent was the right time to ask
"I'm okay?" Rick replied, his tone more uncertain than he had meant it to be.
"I'm asking because I tend to feel down around my mom's anniversary," she shared.
"I'm sad," Rick confessed, and it struck him that this was the first time in a long while he had openly confronted the heaviness of his parents' death anniversary. Typically, he would drown his feelings in alcohol, but with Michonne, he felt a sense of freedom to be truthful.
"Talk to me," Michonne urged. It was an unspoken agreement; once one of them said "talk," it opened the door to sharing anything and everything.
Talking about grief with Michonne felt natural. She got it—the pain of losing a parent. Daryl was the only other one who shared that experience, but he rarely brought it up.
"Everything feels so different. Lori and I aren't together anymore. I'm graduating this year, and my life is constantly shifting." he expressed "With each passing year, I find myself reflecting on their anniversary—three years, five years, even ten years have slipped by, and they feel like a distant memory. So much has happened, and so much more is on the way, yet they won't be a part of it."
She sat there, fully present, inviting him to share whatever was on his mind. Whether it was memories or feelings, she made it clear that he could speak freely. The warmth of her support wrapped around him like a soft blanket, her invitation where he could be vulnerable without fear of judgment.
After a while, he fell silent, feeling a bit lighter as they shared a moment of quiet.
Michonne proposed, "What if we ditched everyone and hiked to the fall tomorrow instead?"
"Yeah?" he responded making sure that's what she wanted.
" Only if you want to?" she responded her brown eyes meeting his.
"I'd like that," he said with a small smile on his face.
A few moments later, Rick turned the lights off, ready to settle into sleep. Which he could tell Michonne needed. He couldn't help but be excited to spend tomorrow away from everybody and just with Michonne.
In no time, Michonne was fast asleep. He attempted to follow suit, but his mind was racing. The tent was silent except for Michonne's gentle breaths, while he could faintly hear some of his friends chatting around the fire.
He turned to face away from Michonne, hoping to quiet his thoughts. It felt like he had been lying there for 20 minutes, unable to find sleep.
Then he heard a gentle rustling from Michonne's sleeping bag as her arm slipped over his torso. He stayed motionless, unsure of what was unfolding. Her face was pressed against his back, and he could feel her deep breaths even through the fabric of his sleeping bag. She was sound asleep. He lay there, reluctant to move a muscle, nearly overwhelmed.
He would have been fooling himself if he didn't acknowledge that her arm resting on him, her face nestled against him, felt comforting. He had the urge to pull her closer, to wrap himself up in her embrace. But he didn't, allowing himself to simply enjoy the warmth of her arm across him.
Deepee1p: Andrea turned on Michonne way too quick for me to ever consider them best friends. Their friendship was very circumstantial to me. Thank you for all you're reviews sorry I took so long to update after exams I was mentally exhausted but here's my Christmas gift to ya'll hope you like the chapter. 3 I wish it was easier to reply to all of you cause I appreciate all your comments. Also, I'm Anonty on Tumblr. Also next chapter is Michonne's perspective hehe.