I'M BACK! This is a one-shot just to get back into writing for Walking Dead and Richonne. A more in-depth plot was planned for this but then it devolved into smut...oops. Happy Valentine's Day!

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"What d'you think I should do to show Enid I like her?"

Rick fumbled with the plate he was washing in the kitchen sink and turned his gaze to his teenage son in shock. "What?"

Carl swallowed visibly from his chair at the table where he was feeding Judith applesauce. "I mean...I like her. We're hangin' out tonight so I want to tell her. What do I do?"

"Hell, I dunno," Rick replied, turning back to the sink. This was a conversation he had not thought of having with his son. He was not ready for this. Gun training? Sure. Taking on walkers with knives? No problem. Growing or catching food? Easy. Being attracted to the opposite gender? Nope. He focused on scrubbing the plate for a few moments to regain his composure. "What does she like?" he finally asked.

Carl shrugged. "Books and stuff, I think."

"'And stuff?'"

"She's pretty good with a knife. Maybe I can find her another one?"

"That's romantic."

"Well, what do you think I should do, dad?" Carl asked, exasperated.

Rick rinsed the plate, sighing before moving on to the next. "Flowers and chocolate were the go to before everything happened," he explained. "To be honest, I dunno what would be standard, now."

"Maybe I can go pick some flowers outside? There's a field just outside the walls."

"If you take someone with you, yeah. No way you're going out there alone," Rick said quickly.

Carl frowned, but did not protest. "Fine. What else?"

"For Enid?"

"Yeah."

"...I dunno, Carl. I'm the wrong person to ask about this. I haven't been in your shoes, not in this world. Why don't you ask Glenn?"

Carl sighed with a tinge of disappointment. "I guess I can." He turned back to his baby sister, who was starting to fall asleep in her high chair.

Rick dried off his hands and threw the towel onto the counter. He leaned against the sink, staring out of the window of their Alexandria home as he thought. He should have had a better answer for Carl. Simply put, Rick was horrible when it came to women, apocalypse or not. Hell, he had had feelings for Michonne for months and had continually talked himself out of acting on them.

He tucked his thumbs behind his belt and shuffled his feet. "What's wrong with just tellin' her how you feel?" Rick finally asked, glancing up at Carl.

"But how?" Carl pressed. "Like, how do you even start a conversation like that?"

"Talk...about...somethin' y'all have in common. Books you've read. Places you've been."

Carl nodded and removed the now asleep Judith from her high chair and holding her against his chest. "And then what?"

"...See where it goes from there?"

Carl gave his father a look. "That's all the advice you have?"

Rick sighed. "I'm not some Casanova, Carl," he said with a small chuckle.

"Is that why you haven't asked Michonne out?"

It was Rick's turn to shoot Carl a look. He tried to play it cool but had to wonder if his feelings were that obvious. "Excuse me?" he said, keeping his voice as flat as possible.

"You guys are always like, flirting and whatever. Why don't you just tell her how you feel?" Carl knew he had his father backed into a corner and was not about to back down.

"It's not that simple-shit…" Rick slipped before he could catch himself.

Carl nearly jumped out of his chair in glee, causing Judith to stir and glare at her brother for interrupting her nap. "I knew it!"

Rick covered his reddening face with one hand. "Don't you breathe a word to anyone."

"Then are you gonna tell her?"

"...Wasn't plannin' on it."

Carl looked at Rick thoughtfully. Rick grew suspicious. That look from his son was never a good sign. "If I tell Enid how I feel...will you tell Michonne?" Carl said slowly.

"You challengin' me?" Rick snorted to feign calm amusement. To himself, however, he thought, "Oh, fuck."

"Yeah!" Carl said enthusiastically. "We've got til tomorrow morning. Deal?"

Rick stared at his son.

"Abe told me to grab life by the balls. I think we both should," Carl went on.

"I think you should be careful listenin' to Abe." Rick cringed at whatever advice Abraham could have given Carl, but he truly considered taking his son up on the challenge. He stared idly at a point on the floor between him and Carl as he mulled it over. They had survived the attacks by the Wolves and by the walker herd by some miracle. Maybe it was time to appreciate everything - and everyone - they had.

The sound of Carl's chair scraping against the floor pulled Rick out of his thoughts. "Well, I'm gonna take Judy upstairs and then go to school," Carl sighed, standing and holding Judith on his hip.

"Okay."

"I'll see you this afternoon?" Carl asked, beginning to walk out of the kitchen.

"Yeah." Rick paused, then added, "And you're on."

Carl turned and beamed over his shoulder before disappearing out of sight.

Rick was not expecting Carl to be victorious as soon as he was. However, that afternoon he ran up to Rick, who was in the garden tending to the tomato plants Maggie and Aaron had found for the community. "We're gonna hang out by the pond tonight!" he told Rick, referring to himself and Enid.

"That's...great," Rick replied, knowing that he could not have his son one-up him. Carl would never let him live it down. But Rick had already resigned himself to talk to Michonne. He had pushed aside any hesitation he had and was simply waiting for the right moment.

"Have you talked to Michonne yet?" Carl asked excitedly.

"No. Haven't seen her yet."

"Then go find her."

"Hold your horses. I'll get to it. I'll see her back at the house at some point."

Carl nodded. "Alright. But I want good news tomorrow!"

Rick smirked. "Uh huh. And you be good tonight. No funny business."

"I knowww." The teen rolled his eyes and started walking away. "I'm gonna go pick up Judy. See ya later," he said with a wave.

Waving back at Carl, Rick sighed to himself. He turned back to the plants before him with a small chuckle. He did not know what to expect once he spoke to Michonne. Sure, he knew she might turn him down. If so, it would not change anything between the two of them if she did. They were too close for something this silly to make things awkward.

...Right?

Rick wiped a bit of sweat from his brow with the back of his gloved hand and reached for the bottle of water Glenn had left for him not long ago. As he took a sip, he saw Michonne and Carol walking out of the Monroe's home together. Was she on her way home? Rick tried to pretend he was staring at the lake, but kept her in his sights. She did look gorgeous today. She had long ditched the constable uniform and instead opted for her usual, skin tight attire that showed off her assets. An easy smile on her lips as she talked to Carol made her entire face light up.

But maybe he should stop leering like a creep.

Rick knelt back down in front of the crops, tugging at some of the weeds that threatened to overtake the garden. After a minute or so he glanced back up. Michonne was heading into the house and Carol was walking in another direction. This was his opportunity. He stood up and removed his gloves, tucking them into his back pocket. A man on a mission, Rick sauntered over to their house.

Michonne let out a sigh of relief when the meeting was adjourned. She and a few of the other members of Alexandria had formed a committee to hash out ideas for the community. As she had expected, there was still a definite rift between the Georgia group and the Alexandrians. Although they had come to some agreements, it had taken them nearly all day to get there. Most of the day was just a giant debate.

She stood up from the table and stretched. Thank God one of their agreements was to sleep on the discussion for a few days and meet again later. Michonne needed a break.

"You did good," said a voice behind her. She turned and saw Carol. Her friend had finally given up the Stepford Wife routine and relaxed, thanks in part to a growing friendship with Morgan and several of the Alexandrians.

"Think so?" Michonne asked her.

"The prosecutor in you came out. Made really good arguments. I think you got a lotta them thinkin," Carol told her, leading her outside.

Michonne smiled and shrugged. "Gotta find ways to use those skills for somethin' these days," she smiled.

As they stepped outside, Michonne saw Rick in the garden, taking a break from tending to the crops to drink water. She had been sneaking glances at him all day, watching him become increasingly dirty and sweaty. It was a very nice view and served as a wonderful distraction during the more mundane bits of conversation. Hell, he had always been good eye candy for her. However, Michonne tried not to linger on such thoughts for too long. She had to stay focused.

"Admirin' the scenery, huh?" Carol said, snapping Michonne from thoughts.

"What?" Michonne looked at her and saw her smirking as they climbed down the staircase. Here she thought she was being slick.

"You've been watchin' Rick in that garden since he walked outta the house," Carol teased, nudging her with her elbow.

"Shit, it was that obvious?"

Carol shrugged. "Nothin' else out here to see. Not to mention you've made eyes at each other for months."

Michonne shook her head. "Nah..."

"Oh, please."

"We're no worse than you and Dixon."

It was Carol's turn to shoot a look. "Hey now…"

Michonne giggled and shook her head, but said no more. There was little that she could tease Carol about that did not also apply to her and Rick, so she stayed quiet. For a few steps they walked in silence.

"So what should two women like us do now?" Carol finally said, looking at Michonne with a smile that indicated she had some crazy idea.

"Oh no…what?"

"Should we take a leap of faith with these men?"

"What?"

Carol snickered. "Bite the bullet. Grab the bull by the horns. All those cliches."

Michonne pursed her lips, thinking. What did she have to lose, anyway? It's not like it would change her friendship with Rick. They were both adults who could handle a rejection or failed relationship with poise.

...Right?

"I'll talk to Rick if you talk to Daryl," Michonne said finally as they stopped in front of her house.

Carol beamed. "Challenge accepted." She gave Michonne a quick hug. "I've gotta go check on Olivia, help her with some gun training. I'll see you around dinner time?"

"Yeah, I'll see you then." Michonne waved goodbye to Carol and headed inside the house. It was delightfully cool after the sticky heat outside. She immediately climbed the stairs, feeling exhausted and ready for a quick nap before everyone got home. Just something to relax her mind.

Once in her room, Michonne took off her boots and took a few minutes to do stretches. Sitting in an uncomfortable wooden chair for hours on end had left her body sore, and her comfy bed looked even more enticing. She stood up and pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it into the laundry hamper that stood in the corner of the room. Sighing, she turned toward her closet, looking for a sleep shirt or something. Did she really need one? She wriggled out of her tight jeans, still staring into the closet and pondering. She would be fine in a bra and panties, she eventually decided, throwing her jeans into the laundry hamper as well.

She turned around to head toward her bed and nearly screamed when she saw Rick standing in the open doorway. His mouth was slightly open in surprise. They both stood frozen, staring at each other. Michonne tried to tell herself to move, to cover herself, to do something. She instead just stepped backward, covering herself as best she could with her arms.

Rick blinked after a couple of seconds and finally turned his head away. She could not help but notice the prominent bulge in his boxers. She nearly gasped. Did she do that?

"I'm sorry-I was just...I'm gonna go now," he stammered, his cheeks flushed. He reached over and pulled the door closed, keeping his eyes glued to the carpet.

Once the door clicked shut Michonne let out a breath she was unaware she was holding and walked over to her bed. Of course, the man she had been daydreaming about all afternoon catches her half naked. She rubbed at her eyes, sighing. She was not as bothered by this recent turn of events as she felt she should be. She was mostly mad at herself for not being able to react.

Crawling under the sheets, she let the last few minutes replay over and over in her head. She mulled over the look he had on his face when she turned around. And the bulge in his pants said more than anything else. For a while Michonne had wondered if Rick had felt more for her than he let on. She certainly had….something for him. Some days it felt like they were just dancing around the subject. How much longer were they going to avoid it?

Michonne sat up, slipping her top half from under the sheets. Why not just get this out of the way once and for all? Her heart raced as she climbed back out of the bed and went to her closet once more. She pulled out an oversized button up shirt that just barely reached her thighs and pulled it on. She had a golden opportunity right now and she wasn't about to waste it.

And she wanted to beat Carol to the punch.

With a surge of confidence Michonne marched from her room and down the hall to Rick's room. His door was shut. She knocked.

"Yeah?" came the reply. It sounded oddly close, like he was already standing right by the door.

"Rick?"

There was a pause. "Hey."

"Can I come in?" she asked.

The door slowly opened and Rick stepped back to let her pass. He ran his hand through his hair, avoiding eye contact as she came in and shut the door behind her. Michonne observed him with some amusement. Of all the states she had seen him in, this was not one she was used to. He looked like he was expecting her to hit him.

"About what just happened…" she began, leaning against the door.

Rick nodded fervently, his eyes still downcast. "I know. I'm sorry. I should have knocked or...or something-"

"Rick."

"-didn't mean to invade your privacy, and I should've left-"

"Rick."

He finally looked at her.

"It's okay," she stressed to him, offering an easy smile. "Nothing to worry about."

"Are...are you sure?" Rick asked incredulously.

Michonne nodded. "I'm sure." She began to close the distance between them. This time she was sure Rick was flushing because of her. "I get it." She stopped mere inches away from him, so close that she could feel his warm breath on her forehead.

She watched the shift in emotions in his eyes as she reached up to run a hand through his dark locks, which were still slightly damp with perspiration. To her surprise, he almost immediately grabbed her by the hips, pulling her against him. She sighed, feeling his arousal against her belly and looking into his eyes. They were dark with lust. Her entire body reacted to his excitement and with little thinking, she tangled her fingers into his hair and pulled him to her lips.

Kissing him was even better than she had imagined. He kissed her with a passion she could not have expected. Her pussy twitched as he moved his hands further down to her buttocks, rolling his hips against hers. Michonne groaned with pleasure against his lips, snaking her free hand around his back and holding on for dear life. She was already weak at the knees just from a kiss.

"I want you," Rick hissed as he pulled away from her briefly before kissing his way down her neck to her collarbone.

"I want you, too," she replied breathlessly.

That was all the response Rick needed. He lifted her up and carried her to the bed. He lay her down in the middle before crawling on top of her.

"I don't wanna rush this, but I dunno how long I can last," he told her, undoing the buttons on her shirt.

Michonne nodded in agreement. Rick unfastened each button as though handling delicate glass. As he worked, she ran her hands down his chest, admiring the toned muscles she felt and biting her lip. He glanced at her and smiled before moving on to the last button. Once it was unfastened Michonne slid her hands along the bottom of his brown shirt, exposing his torso inch by inch until she was able to pull it over his head. Rick threw the shirt to the side before leaning back down to capture her lips in another kiss. She savored the sensation of his bare skin against hers.

"You're so perfect," he murmured against her lips. Rick dragged his hands down her arms and back up to her shoulders, then down to linger on her breasts. She shuddered in spite of herself. He was so gentle that it his touch was like a breeze across her skin. It ignited a fire within her that she had believed to have died years ago. He moved his hands to her belly before leaning down to place a series of kisses around her navel.

Although she was enjoying his touch, Michonne did not want him to have all the fun. She moved her hand to his crotch, making him gasp and buck his hips toward her in surprise. She began undoing his belt buckle, never taking her eyes off of his. Rick sat back just enough to give her room to unfasten his jeans and pull them down before kicking them off himself. Michonne eyed his member which was straining against his briefs. She thought idly of freeing it right then and there.

Rick sat up and pulled her into his lap. Michonne straddled his thighs, inhaling sharply as she bumped against his dick. Rick let out a soft growl and pulled her chest flush against his, moving his hips in slow circles. She threw back her head and closed her eyes, her body trembling. She pulled her arms away from him just long enough for him to pull her shirt from her shoulders and throw it over his shoulder. His hips never stopped moving, though, and as soon as the shirt was discarded she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips against his once more.

His hands began to wander, eventually finding her way to the clasp of her bra and unfastening it. Michonne let him pull the straps over one arm, then the other. She had to smile as he pulled back to admire her bare torso.

"Yes," was all he could mutter.

Before she could think of a witty response, his lips were covering her breasts with sloppy, hungry kisses. "Fuck," she murmured as he pulled a nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue around it. Michonne felt his dick twitch at her voice and she reached in between them to stroke him through the thin fabric.

"Jesus, 'Chonne," Rick breathed before going to work on her other breast. His quiet groans reverberated through her body and she gritted her teeth. Everything this man did was driving her insane.

Michonne was so busy concentrating on stroking him and not getting too close to the edge herself that when she felt his fingers prodding at her slit through her panties she let out a cry of "Oh!" Rick smirked at her, licking his lips. She pressed her forehead against his, staring him down, breathing his air as they fondled each other. Their breathing was beginning to quicken already, and her heart was pounding.

She knew this was not going to last much longer. She needed him right the hell now. It was not taking much for either of them. It had been years since either of them had had sex. "I don't think we can take our time right now, Rick," she purred, using her free hand to cup his chin.

"You read my mind," he replied to her delight. She barely had time to react before he pushed her backwards onto the bed and sat on his knees. He never took his eyes off of her as he pulled down his briefs. Michonne looked on with approval before reaching down and removing her panties.

"I dunno why we waited for this," Rick grunted as he rubbed her thighs, gradually working his way inward.

"We're here now," Michonne said. She propped herself up on her elbows. She spread her legs wide and moved her hips impatiently.

Rick nodded with a smile. He leaned over to the nightstand and opened the drawer, retrieving a condom. He unwrapped it, rolled it on and positioned himself at her entrance. "You ready?"

Michonne wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him toward her as an answer. He got the hint and slowly pressed his erection into her. She was incredibly tight and she appreciated how gentle he was. The sensation was one she had nearly forgotten. Her eyes rolled back as she felt him fill her completely.

"Fuck," Rick whispered. "So fuckin' good."

"Oh my God, just fuck me," Michonne whimpered. She squeezed her legs around him and laid back down, her arms above her head. He leaned over her and began moving his hips, first in small circles and gradually increasing the length of his strokes as her body adjusted to his size. He reached up and grabbed her hands, pinning her arms down and using his elbows to help prop himself up.

Michonne tried to keep her lips together to muffle the noises emanating from her lips but eventually gave up. If the whole house heard her, so be it. Rick felt so good she was losing all sensibilities. The fact that he was completely in control drove her even more insane. She usually hated losing control but under his hands she welcomed it. Once she was getting used to his steady rhythm he began sinking into her at an agonizingly slow pace. She tried desperately to move her hips, needing more of him. Rick watched her with a devilish grin from beneath the curls that fell over his forehead.

"Ummmphh...Goddammit Rick…" Michonne squealed in frustration. She felt like she was about to cry.

Rick chuckled, working his way back up to his previous steady pace. She moaned in relief, her body crying out for more. She tried to move her hand but he did not budge. Instead, he wrapped both of her wrists in one hand and inched his right hand down her body to her pussy. Her found her clit and began teasing the nub with his thumb.

Michonne cried out. "Rick, Oh God…" She felt the familiar quake in her body begin. As her orgasm rippled through her body she raggedly cried out his name over and over. Rick's pace wavered and became uneven as her clenching muscles drove him into ecstasy as well. He growled against her, nipping gently at her shoulder as he emptied himself into her.

Once they came down from their high, Rick rolled off and removed the condom. Michonne could barely move, her body still trembling. He threw the condom into a small wastebin by the bed and pulled her against him once more.

"You okay?" he asked gently, stroking her arm.

"Better than okay," Michonne replied with an exhausted smile.

Rick smiled back. "Good." He hesitated, searching her eyes for something. "I love you," he said quietly.

She paused, but came to her senses. Who was she kidding? "I love you, too," she replied.

He settled against her, satisfied. After a couple of seconds he let out a small chuckle.

"What?" Michonne asked.

"It's ahh…" Rick ran his hand down his face, looking at her. "Carl dared me to ask you out on a date. Does this count?"

Michonne laughed. "I had a bet with Carol too. So I'd say yes."

"I guess that means we won."