#christmas!richonne

[jdmorganz]

I don't know if anyone would be interested, but I run an etsy shop where I sell some of my prints that I have done with my art. I'm looking to fill my etsy with new art designs that I've done, so I've got what I currently have up for sale for 30% off. Please take a look if you are interested. These are just a few examples of my art that is there.

https://dmgstudioproductions.etsy.com

[richonne4life]

Summary: (AU Richonne - multi chapter) Rick and Michonne Grimes were once crowned Alexandria's King and Queen of Christmas. They're ready to win their titles back in the town's annual Christmas Extravaganza competition.

(My Christmas decorations are still up. Technically, it's still Christmas.)

Chapter 4 is up! Enjoy!

Fanfic: Chapter 4

AO3: Chapter 4

[shimmershae]

Really. So many missed opportunities if you ask me.

Merry and Bright *8* (a Walking Dead ficlet, Caryl + Judith)

Title:  Merry and Bright *8*

Rating:  T, I guess. 

Warnings:  Some language.  Major character death alluded to.  No tomatoes, please.  This one’s bittersweet because I’m in a major mood and apparently want to drown myself in my own feels.  So sorry.  Don’t hate me.    

Characters/Pairings:  Carol Peletier/Daryl Dixon, Judith Grimes, with background Michonne/Rick Grimes, mentions of Maggie Rhee, Tara Chambler, Rosita Espinosa, Aaron, Lori Grimes, and Carl Grimes *tears*

    Merry and Bright *8*

    He ain’t ever got used to it.  The snow.  Never learned to love it as much as ‘Chonne seems to.  As much as the kid.  And damn if Ass Kicker don’t love the shit.  So it ain’t no surprise to nobody, his grumpy mood when those heavy gray clouds from the day before dump literal feet of the stuff overnight.  Neither is Jude’s excitement.  Only thing surprising is Carol volunteering them to take the girl on a walk to burn off all that excess energy, get out of ‘Chonne’s hair while she talks shop with Maggie and Rick, well.  Rick does whatever it is he does these days.  Man really hadn’t been the same since…well, since.  Not that any of them have.  Still. 

  “Penny for your thoughts.”  Carol slides her gloved hand in his own and presses her cool cheek against his arm when he tugs her closer.  Laughs softly when he grunts in amusement.  “What?” 

  “Know that shit ain’t worth nothin’ these days.”  Snowflakes cling to the tips of her silver hair.  Glitter in the afternoon sunlight and she’s the prettiest damn thing he’s ever seen with his own two eyes and he’s seen a lot in his many years.  He don’t tell her that, though.  Just shakes his head and looks ahead at the little pink flash weaving in and out the white capped trees, long dark hair escaping the woolen hat ‘Chonne had pulled over her ears with a smile that had made Daryl’s heart clench and twist behind his ribs.  “Think we should call her back?”

  “She’s fine,” Carol says with conviction.  “Besides.  She won’t go far.”  

  Kid won’t go where they can’t see her either.  He knows that.  Drilled it in her himself since she was old enough to understand and what he hadn’t taught her?  The woman at his side and one she called Mama had.  Maggie, too.  He knows she won’t go far.  Still don’t stop him from worrying, and it must be fairly obvious because she calls out the little girl’s name and by God.  He’d swear Lori Grimes had come back from the grave the way the kid was looking at him.  Short arms crossed and pout in place.  Big brown eyes full of righteous disappointment as she waits for them to catch up to her.  “Don’t give me that look, Kid,” he mutters.  “M’old.”  Least that’s the message his abused bones are sending him.  His heart when he catches Carol’s blue eyes smiling at him, though?  Well, might be his heart is forever young.  Lost to the woman and she damn well knows it. 

  The girl is a tiny embodiment of indignance, brows pinching and shoulders squared up for an argument in response to his words.  “You ain’t old.”

  Carol’s hand squeezes his in response and love almost makes him weak in that moment.  Somehow, he manages to recover.  “That so?”

  Ass Kicker nods, wisps of her hair catching on her chapped lips and her stubborn little chin dipping behind the scarf knotted loosely at her neck.  “Not old.  Just slow.” 

  Woman’s grinning at him from the inside out, wide and happy.  Eyes blue as the ocean he’s resigned himself to never really seeing in this lifetime and he wants so badly kiss her right now.  To hold her like he’d held her all through the night, heartbeat to heartbeat, not one inch of their bodies not touching.  But it ain’t the place and it sure as hell ain’t the time.  There’ll be time ‘nough for that later, though, because he’s learned his lesson.  Losing so many people that he’s let into his heart these past few years.  Time is what you make of it and every minute he’s lucky enough to have left in the ever-dwindling tank is going to be spent as close to her side as she’ll allow.  Making a half-hearted grab for the tiny girl’s nose, he delights in her giggle, clear and unafraid.  Teases her.  “Easy for you to say.  Don’t weigh half of nothing.  Look at ya.  You floatin’ while I’m sinkin’.”  He wrenches a soggy boot free of the snow drift to demonstrate and he’s rewarded with a smile full of pearly white teeth.  Giddy laughter that breaks the last piece of his irritable mood away and vanquishes it. 

  “Uncle Daryl!” 

  “S’true.  You tryin’ to tell me it ain’t?”   

  “Stop.” 

  He grins.  “You.” 

  Nose scrunched and brown eyes bright, Judith vows, “I won’t.” 

  “This might take a while,” Carol smirks.  “Thought you wanted to build a snowman.” 

  Ass Kicker lights up at her reminder.  “One I can take back to Mama.” 

  Daryl huffs.  “Don’t know how you’re gonna manage that, Kid.”  Truth is, though.  Kid’s smart.  Ain’t no shortage of laughs with her, but she’s quiet when she needs to be.  Knows her place in this new world.  If there’s a way, she’s gonna find it.  He ain’t always sure of things.  But he’s certain of that.  Just like he knows the woman standing so close to him is an extension of his own soul.  “Need some help?” he offers.  Those little shoulders shrug clear up to her ears. 

  “Maybe.” 

  “Too many maybes in this world,” he remarks. 

  “Don’t know, Uncle Daryl.  Aunt Tara and Aunt Rosita say there ain’t no maybes about you and Aunt Carol.  Uncle Aaron, too.” 

  “They’re right.  All of them,” Carol murmurs, letting go of his hand and easing to her knees.  “How ‘bout it, Uncle Daryl?  Want to build a snowman?” 

  His heart full to bursting in that moment and his knees, well.  His arthritic knees protesting the very idea, Daryl gruffly offers an alternative.  “’Spose I tell you a story instead.”   

  Mitten-clad hands patting snow into place, Judith looks up to him, her face open and innocent.  Her eyes alight.  “A story?” 

  “’Bout the bravest boy I ever knew.”

  Cheeks pink with the cold, the kid tilts her head, considers him with undisguised interest.  “What was his name?” 

  “Name was Carl,” he tells her, his eyes meeting Carol’s shimmering gaze across the snowy way.  His heart squeezing tight with painful, fond remembrance.  “Boy loved his little sister something fierce.  Both his mamas and his daddy, too.” 

  “I had a brother named Carl once.  Another mama named Lori, too.” 

  “Know, Sweetheart.  Know.”  

[trumpetnista]

It's finally safe for me to get back on here. The Ones Who Live has already exceeded my expectations and we've still got more episodes to go! I am at peace. And it was nice to be livetweeting again, especially for Richonne. The whole show is THEIRS. Not just bottle episodes: The. Whole. Show. It's like Christmas and my Birthday at the same time. I missed them so much! AMC is playing 1x01 3 times in a row so go watch it if you haven't and you don't have AMC+ It's so good! We are so back!

[currymanganese]

"About the Blogger" Meme

Thanks to @all-inmoderation @bioloyg & @imliterallyjustablackgirl for tagging me! ❤️

Star Sign(s):

Sagittarius Sun, Virgo Moon, Pisces Rising <- What does it all mean? No idea! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Favorite Holidays:

Eid, Divali & Christmas <- Not for religious considerations, I associate them with having lots of delicious food, which is precious to me. 🤰🏽

Last Meal:

A slice of pawpaw (papaya), stew chicken, black eyed peas, white rice and sorrel juice. <- #grateful thanks mom 😔

Current Favorite Musician:

Khruangbin because Mark, Laura and DJ are all super talented and disciplined musicians, but also because I want the band's lead guitarist, Mark Speer and the bassist, Laura Lee, but especially Mark Speer, in ways that would shock and alarm you, like IDK anything about his personal life, but I think I'd combust if I met him. Mark if you're reading this that smut chapter in my songfic WIP was only possible because I just know you're good with your-[GUNSHOTS] <- He's not reading this, finish the meme! 😤

Last Music Listened To:

Total Control by The Motels for a The Bear meta post that I did and Hope Tala's "All My Girl's Like To Fight' from my small playlist of songs that I headcanon that Syd and Carmy from The Bear (2022) listen to. The playlist serves as a writing aid for me because regardless of the actual musical tastes of Syd and Carmy in the show's canon, this is a small sample of what the two of them like to listen to as I've characterized them in my fic.

Last Movie Watched:

Precious (2009) I was traumatizing myself and [SPOILERS]

Carmen Berzatto in my WIP fic, because Syd insults him using a gif from the movie and Carmy ends up watching this film so he'd understand the reference because he is a loser and is obsessed with his totally platonic coworker and he wants to know everything about her. 😔

Last TV Show Watched:

Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, @devisrina convinced me, but I haven't finished watching it yet and I'm not to sure when I'll resume because The Bear and Sydcarmy still have me in thrall. 😔

Last Book/Fic Finished:

Last book finished, Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson. Last fic finished.....I shan't say - I'll describe it though - it was a seedy, sketchy, funny, smutty, crack ship one shot gag fic on AO3. I'm ashamed of myself, some of those words in that fic were in The Bible, but chile........anyways. Moving on!

Last Book/Fic Abandoned:

Last book I stopped reading - Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson - Dalinar Kholin, you stupid cunt, why do you always-[GUNSHOTS] <-Girl walk away from the book if it's stressing you that bad, c'mon now - the fictional character's dumb decisions can't hurt you. I'm actually planning on finishing it someday, but I watched The Bear when I was a quarter of the way through the book and now I am totally useless for almost everything else.

Currently Reading:

Ten Myths About Israel by Ilan Pappe, get a free ebook copy of it here while you can. Also the Gaza Diary by Ziad, a 35 year old Palestinian man.

Last Thing Researched for Art/Writing/Hyperfixation:

High blood pressure and pregnancy, and maternity leave in the US of A, and before that CBT case studies and CPTSD and ADHD, and before that meningitis and sepsis. <- All for my current Sydcarmy WIP.

Favorite Online Fandom Memory:

The day Richonne went canon, or rather that era. <- Love it when racists suffer, schadenfreude can be something so personal. 🥴

Favorite Old Fandom You Wish Would Drag You Back In/Have A Resurgence:

I want Star Wars and BNHA to be good, but alas....Next question. <- Anyways these franchise/series are making money hand over fist still, nobody cares if I never care about them again, but I do love the ship Inko Midoriya/All Might from BNHA and I ship UkaTake from Haikyuu!! <- I had a lot of fun in that niche marketplace for a time.

Favorite Thing You Enjoy That Never Had an Active or Big "Fandom" but You Wish It Did:

The Blue Castle by LM Montgomery FUCKS severely - I'm glad that it got a boost on here with The Blue Castle Book Club. Ms. Montgomery put her whole pussy into that book, every single cell and I relate to the book's protagonist, Valancy, quite a lot.

Also, The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner has a smallish, but fairly active following on Tumblr, but it deserves the energy that is devoted to some more popular YA fantasy/historical novel series. <- All of these books are re-readable af, 10/10 no notes.

Tempting Project You're Trying to Reign In/Don't Have Time For:

No such thing because I am unemployed. <- have mercy on me O God! It's been the first year of my adult life that I haven't been in university or running myself through the gristmill of capital and I feel trapped and anxious and fed the fuck up. I hate it here, goddamn!

Sorry to end on such a bummer of a note, but thank you for reading if you've read this far and please, regardless of if you were tagged, play along if you can! I've seen a lot of my mutuals tagged in these things before, so apologies if you've already done this, but*

@vacationship @anxietycroissant @bulabujalam @tvfantic87 @devisrina @dreadfuldevotee @mod-doodles <- please come back to me, Mod, darling, I miss you! 🥲 @jub-jub @pureseasalt <- bestie I miss you too! @ashluvsu4ever @cchickki @parrradiseeee @margaery-bonaparte-said-so @seleneofthejungle @prowitchazel @gardenianoire @artemis0404 @polymorphposting @hauntedstrawberrygiver @justabovewater20 @monetbonet @sab-teraa @agoodworkerdoes @melfinawins @melaninerd @iwantadecentblogname @persephonelovesbooks @november-rising @yannaryartside @bitchqueenofthebitchsquad @waywarddeee @myelegieseulogizeme @paddington22017 @ruethrills @techliche @erins-quinn @sydcarmyfan @lunasink @perkedelktg @couldbemaybe @msmoiraine @darkostudios-blog @angelica4equity @theonlyamazingtazmin @mswyrr @chansoooo1-blog

*pretends all of your blog names rhyme with pikachu*, I choose you!

[shimmershae]

My thoughts on the Walking Dead Series Finale, Rest in Peace.

Or did they change the title?  

No matter.  Spoilers ahead.  So tread carefully through the lengthy landmine of my consciousness, lol.  

Placing behind a cut because reasons.  Oh and typos abound because it’s 3 am and I haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep since this episode so.  

Some general thoughts about Season 11 and TWD in general—much like the season, this is gonna be all over the place so BEWARE and read accordingly

 ·      Carol and Daryl deserved a better ending than that.  

·      Except for the images of all the characters we’ve loved and the ones we’ve lost along the way saying “we’re the ones that live”?  I basically hated that Richonne coda.  It was too long, too detailed, and too ambitious for a show that all too frequently in its latter season dropped the ball on the little things that would have paid off big.  

·      I’ve lost count of how many fucking time jumps this show has taken over the span of its entire run, but I do know there have been too many.  Not only that but they’re always skipping valuable character moments and arriving at their “end destination” without any build up because, yep, they skipped it.  What could have been forgivable a few times turned into one of this show’s biggest liabilities.  

·      So many characters just disappeared with little to no explanation.  Off the top of my head?  Heath.  Cyndie. Hell.  All of Oceanside was hand waved away this season.  Virgil.  Like did the dude die or what?  And what of Annie?  Negan’s insta-wife carrying his redemption-baby?  After having comparable screen time to the show’s leading lady (c’mon, you know it’s true, especially in 11A and 11B), she just vanished.  

·      Speaking of screen time, what in the actual fuck were TIIC thinking sidelining their leading lady, their most talented actress, the heart and soul of the whole damn show?  As Carol, Melissa McBride is an incomparable actress.  Absolutely phenomenal.  And as one of two OGs, she should rightfully have figured very prominently in the main storyline threads this entire season, not just had her appearances sprinkled over the last 8 episodes.  

·      Inexplicably, it seems Carol’s screen time was “given” to Maggie so that she might have a circular argument with Negan for 2/3’s of the season and only see any real forward momentum and emotional realism in the last handful of episodes. The final episode really.  Given that she has her own spinoff with Negan, it makes very little sense and made for an extremely dull first 2/3’s of the season watching them basically meep, meep like the Road Runner on a treadmill going nowhere.  

·      About that “heart to heart”—I cannot overstate how much it pains me to call any moment between Maggie and Negan that, especially when the pair most deserving of a bonafide heart to heart only got the skim milk version when they should have gotten the full fat, vitamin D version-- in the final episode, it was overdue and I loved that Maggie didn’t pull any punches with Negan because the man murdered her husband with more glee than most children open presents Christmas morning and that’s saying something.  He can seek redemption all the day long and keep “proving” himself. But does that mean he will ever “deserve” Maggie’s forgiveness?  Personally, I don’t think so and feel it is selfish to want it.  Negan suffering the realization of what he cost Maggie and Hershel frankly isn’t enough, IMHO.  I don’t care how much the fangirls cry about his woobie face.  He’s come a long way and morphed into a character I find multi-faceted and entertaining if not wholly likable during Angela Kang’s tenure and I appreciate that.  But as his exclusion from Team Family’s Thanksgiving-esque feast following their last battle proves at least to me?  He’s a bad man that’s done some good things not a good man that simply lost his way because lovelies?  That road was lost ten thousand detours ago.  

·      Random observation.  Or more like questions, lol.  Just who in the hell prepared that big ass feast Team Family enjoyed in the finale to the tune of Stevie Nicks’ Landslide?  Who had the energy?  It couldn’t have been too long after the battle because generally Walker bite victims don’t tend to linger terribly long, unless TIIC threw their usual conventions out the window with Rosita.  Which, come to think of it, wouldn’t be outside the norm.  They’re always changing things to suit their current needs. 

 ·      Ah, Rosita. I knew she’d been bitten soon as she fell into that sea of Walkers and the fact she didn’t have any torn or disheveled clothing was an eye-rolling moment for me.  Also that she wasn’t bleeding because that, to me, suggests the bite didn’t break the skin and you know. Maybe I haven’t paid that much attention to all the various Walker bites in the past, sometimes I simply look away because of the gruesomeness of it all, but usually it takes a break in skin for infection to spread.  I guess she got the Bob treatment, come to think of it.  

·      All that nitpicking aside, Rosita’s sendoff actually had some very lovely moments.  Once I pushed back on how pissed I was that TIIC were leaving another child motherless.  Were killing a WOC who had only recently enjoyed added dimension in her character and story (although…Rosita, like Carol, seemed be to relocated to the back of the class in Season 11 after having much more impactful screen time in Season 10, a far superior season).  Her goodbye scenes with the people she loved, particularly Eugene, hit hard.  But even those didn’t tug at my heart near as much as her trying to soak up every last second she could of her remaining time with Coco.  That made me ugly cry.  

·      Know what made me ugly cry that I was in no way expecting?  Luke’s death scene where Yumiko and Kelly and Magna and Connie were covered in his blood and their tears, sobbing as they fought futilely to save him.  I don’t know. I wasn’t attached to him.  I liked him well enough in the very small doses we got of him.  But I didn’t actually expect to cry over him dying.  Especially since we hadn’t seen him all season and he was obviously brought back to be sacrificed for a bloody death.  Angel Theory, Eleanor Matsuura, Nadia Hilker, and Lauren Ridloff were very convincing in their love and grief for him.  

·      Carol and Daryl were no less convincing in their worry for the little Ass Kicker they both love but to be honest?  Judith coming to in the nick of time and finding superheroine strength while being seemingly severely injured (I mean, she had blood coming out of her mouth) to rescue Uncle Daryl in the opening scene took me out of the moment so bad I had a hard time taking the ensuing scenes with her life being in jeopardy seriously. That and she might as well be wearing chain mail because Scott Gimple done fucked up once (and many times afterward, he’s a rambling, riddler of a perpetual fuck up) before by killing Carl and you’d hope AMC would have learned their lesson by now.  I personally think not, but let’s move on from that, m’kay? I’ll address more on the Carol and Daryl front later.  If I do so now, that’ll be all I talk about because I have a lot of feelings.  

·      Was Jules’ death a callback to Noah’s in that revolving door because it kind of felt like it?

·      Sorry I’m bouncing around a lot here but these “reviews” of mine are always stream of consciousness and hey.  I’m basically a human Dug, lol.  

·      So Daryl wakes up in that hospital bed with a massive shiner and gauze wrapped around his head. How’d he get there?  Who else felt cheated by not getting to bear witness to Carol seeing her Pookie passed out cold on that hospital lobby floor alongside Judith?  Who do you think she went to first?  Judith or Daryl?  Who helped her get them to safety?  She’s the only one that has been shown to have the bare minimum of medical experience and it makes little sense she wasn’t taking lead on amputating Luke’s leg, at the very least assisting; I’m not discounting Connie’s bravery.  Anybody that’s managed to survive in their world and make their disability their “superpower” would have to be, but I don’t see her taking that initiative.  Assisting, yes.  But holding the knife?  No.  Same thing with Kelly.  So that part rang a little false for me but whatever. Anyway.  Don’t you love how we have all these time skips and scene cuts that skip the parts we’re always curious about?  Just me then?  Okay.  

·      I can’t be the only person distracted by the increasing visibility of Norman Reedus’s real life tats.  I mean.  Daryl keeps having all this ink showing up, continuity be damned.  

·      Carol stroking Judith’s hair while she’s lying on that stretcher makes me wish we’d gotten more scenes of the two of them together.  Maybe one where Judith, missing her mom, asked Aunt Carol to brush her hair at bedtime.  Maybe even braid it.  I mean, they established in one of the earlier eps Carol had been taking care of the kids in Daryl’s absence.  They definitely could have spared a minute or two giving us a heartwarming scene like that to show a few things—how much Carol loves Judith despite trying to keep her somewhat at arms’ length, how very much she still misses Sophia, and where she was sleeping in Daryl’s apartment when he wasn’t there and if she and Dog were still missing him and sharing cuddles.  😉

·      They really missed the boat big time not having Carol help Siddiq in the infirmary at Alexandria.  I mean, sometimes I felt like they were hinting at it.  Remember when Siddiq called Carol on the radio for Ezekiel and Dante answered?  He was like “she’s right here.”  I’ll forgive them not doing more with that though because Season 10 was chockful of Carol and she had so much going on.  I didn’t feel the need to fix-it fic her into the fold because she was quite literally the fabric of the whole season but again.  Let’s not dwell on that because feelings.  I got lots of them.  

·      Mercer’s reunion with Princess was cute.  She scaled that big man like a Sequoia, lol.  It reminded me of how much I loved the idea of them earlier in the season.  I really hate they got the fast-forward insta-couple treatment thanks to those oh-so-lovely time jumps and scene cuts because their courtship would have been something else.  Literally so much of Maggie and Negan’s storyline could have been skipped over in favor of them and it wouldn’t have made a damn bit of difference other than the audience actually being more entertained and less exasperated.

·      Okay though. I have to wonder two things about how the fuck Lydia and Aaron came to be back at the Commonwealth.  How in the world did Lydia manage to stay upright much less walk with as much blood loss as she sustained?  Also?  That blood loss had to have her smelling like a Happy Meal to those Walkers.  I mean, logic says so anyway, but I guess we all know logic doesn’t live here in this place.  

·      Rosita finding and rescuing Coco and there being a baby each for her, Eugene, and Father Gabriel made me laugh, not gonna lie.  

·      The callback to Shane blocking Rick’s door with the stretcher was a nice touch.  

·      Come on. Am I the only one LMAO at the obvious doll legs and feet in those shots of Eugene and Father Gabriel climbing that pipe?  I mean, it was definitely distracting.  Again, I ask how the fuck a Walker bit through the thick material of Rosita’s hoodie. It’s not like those assholes have shark teeth.  Oh well, abandoning all measures of believability, I enjoyed how much of a fight Rosita put up and was inwardly cheering her on even as I had to refrain from rolling my eyes.

·      We were robbed of witnessing Carol and Daryl’s reaction to seeing Lydia.  Robbed, I tell you.  Then again, we’ve been straight up pick pocketed all season.  

·      Negan looking concerned for Judith and flanking Lydia was an obvious blink and you miss it ploy to remind us he’s not all bad and it worked a tiny smidgen because JDM’s a softie with kids.  

·      I love that Aaron has come around where Lydia’s concerned.  She’s a sweetheart of a kid that deserves all the love and Aaron has a lot of love to give at his core and experience with the situation she’s now in but dammit.  Carol was right there and Melissa and Cassady would have literally brought us to our knees with nothing more than another tearful  hug to mirror their last embrace.  Why AMC?  Why?  

·      Gimple’s version of Negan could never.  That apology was a long damn time coming.  Long damn time.  

·      Finally, I don’t feel resentment towards Eugene’s scenes this episode.  Like for so very much of this season, Eugene and Maggie have been Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man, gobbling up all the airtime with stories we felt no emotional connection to or were just tired of hearing about because nothing novel happened but in this episode?  They were stripped down to the heart of the matter.  Somewhere along the way I fell a little bit in love with Eugene’s friendship with Rosita.  I never expected to.  There was an ick/cringe factor in the very early days.  That changed about the time Rosita firmly friend-zoned him.  I felt sympathy for the guy then even as I cheered Rosita on for saying the words he needed to hear.  So him sussing out the truth of Rosita being bitten and her reaction to that?  It broke my heart more than I ever thought it would.  Their “I love you’s” were sweet and made me tear up and they were shaded so much differently than another pair of “I love you’s” that touched a nerve with a certain faction of fandom.  I bet you can all guess who I’m talking about without my naming names.  😉.  I mean, it’s not the first time the two relationships have been in direct juxtaposition with each other, demonstrating the true differences between platonic and romantic love.  

·      The silent look that passed between Daryl and Carol as they sat vigil at Judith’s beside was intense and full of all the things they’ve never dared speak between them. No two do it better than Melissa McBride and Norman Reedus and that’s 100% fact.  That said, the time for their long, long, long overdue “heart to heart” should have been right there in that very moment.  Or at least the beginning of it.  Because all that chilly distance Daryl’s been keeping between them all season melted with that look at her.  He already knew his feelings.  He tried to tell her then show her why it wasn’t like that before the cave in.  And being faced again with the fragility and brevity of the one life they’re given?  It just seemed like the perfect time for confessions to be made, even if they were in the form of a simple “I can’t lose you” echoed back to Carol this time. For apologies to be spoken and accepted. But the lazy AMC scribes relied on the power and magic of Melissa and Norman’s chemistry to do all the work for them like they have basically all season and seriously.  Fuck that.  Those intense gazes have lit me on fire each and every time all season but goddammit. We’re past time for words here. They’re the OGs.  The OG ship.  The ship to end all ships on TWD whether some people want to admit it or not. The least they warrant is an actual honest conversation where they stop dancing around the hot pink elephant in the room—they are in fucking love, your honor.  Anyway.  Let me nudge these thoughts along before I write ten more pages about that.  

·      Carol’s stroking Judith’s hair again and I can’t help feeling that the walls she’d erected around her heart to protect herself after losing Lizzie/Mika/Carl/Henry started melting like an ice cream cone on a hot summer’s day because she hasn’t been shown to be that tactile with Judith since the Grove.  In that respect, what comes later, her staying to help care for the kids, isn’t as much a WTF moment as it could have been. 

 ·      The ensuing moment, however?  Judith’s comment to Daryl—“Sorry I didn’t tell you before.  I was scared that you would leave, too” and Daryl’s response of “I’m right here” definitely adds to the WTFuckery of Daryl’s ultimate exit.  

·      Ezekiel’s pontificating is an obvious setup for what comes next for him.  And like, it’s been obvious all season.  But I will say this.  I personally resent the fuck out of him leapfrogging Mercer, a figure that’s already been established to have celebrity status with the people of the Commonwealth, someone that’s been there since the beginning, and having a leadership position. Their positions should have been switched but again.  Logic has no rightful home in this place.  

·      It’s the small things.  Carol and Daryl barely letting each other out of sight the whole episode makes my heart sing.

·      Father Gabriel letting the people inside the walls, especially after the way he was introduced, really makes it strike home how much he’s changed.  

·      There would have been something poetic about Walker Lance ending Pamela, not gonna lie. But then we wouldn’t have gotten Carol being Queen of Sass with her so.  

·      Okay. The scene where they’re trying to corral all the Walkers to end them should leave me with more than the thought of “Wow, what a waste of all that fuel, it’s not like there’s an endless supply.” It was anticlimactic but whatever. I’m not here for the fights or explosions or the damn zombies.  They could have mentioned it in a line of dialogue and I would have been largely satisfied at this point because we’ve lost so much time this season with so many characters.  Carol was criminally underutilized until 11C.  I’ll never forgive TIIC for that.  Ever.  

·      “We already had to make an ugly decision.  Kept you alive.” LMAO, I love it when Carol’s a savage queen.  “…At least we don’t have to worry about who gets your house.”  

·      Glenn was beautiful, Maggie.  So beautiful. I still miss my baby.

·      The scene between Maggie and Negan where she tells him she can’t forgive him? It is literally the best scene Maggie has had all season.  I don’t want to remember Glenn like that either.  

·      Who cooked a Thanksgiving feast?  Who?  

·      Eugene watching Rosita with Coco.  Mercer and Princess cuddled up.  Carol smiling and laughing.  Dog. All to the tune of Landslide.  My heart is so full.  

·      Rosita watching it all and confessing to Father Gabriel about being bitten with Judith noticing had me teary again and I’ve always been in the WTF camp with Rosita and Gabriel.  Cailey’s little face, though.  The child has a bright future.  

·      Carol and Maggie helping Rosita to bed and saying their goodbyes.  The way Rosita seemed to squeeze Carol a little extra hard. I mean, everybody seems to just sink into a Carol hug and I’m pretty sure that’s all thanks to Melissa.  Wouldn’t you?  I know I would.  

·      “We’ll see you again someday.”  When Father Gabe said that to Rosita, I let out a little sob and I never liked them as a ship.  I was full on crying when Rosita told Eugene she was glad it was him with her in the end.

·      Another fucking time jump.  When will they ever end?  

·      Eugene and Max naming their baby Rosie was a sweet touch.  

·      I still can’t get over them making Ezekiel Governor instead of second in command to Mercer.  

·      Sounds like Daryl and Connie only see each other when he visits the different communities. I have many words for that but I won’t say them, lol.

  ·      Lydia looks happy.  She deserves it.  

·      Negan giving Judith her compass back—I’d honestly forgotten she gave it to him, it feels like forever ago.  So I’m guessing he finally left like Carol tried to get him to when Maggie first returned. That’s what I got out of that scene anyway.  

·      They didn’t show us the whole memorial wall so all I can see is what looks like NIE, but I’m guessing Annie and the baby didn’t make it.  Which is honestly too bad.  In spite of her convenient insta-existence, I liked her.

  ·      So. This time jump starts at the Commonwealth, goes to Alexandria where we see Carol with her beautiful short curls and the kids are there.  The way Gracie greets Judith makes it plain Judith and RJ aren’t at Alexandria anymore. Carol’s little running hug of Aaron is adorable.  Lydia and Elijah seem to go back and forth between the communities.  Carol and Daryl, too, as evidenced by them traveling from Alexandria to Hilltop.  Sorry for the run-on, thinking out loud commentary, lol.  I’m just trying to piece everything together.  

·      Oh my heart. There’s no longer distance or the symbolism of distance between Carol and Daryl.  They’re on the same side of the river, literally side by side.  I mean, they’ve been that way the whole episode but this is different and you all know why.  

·      Can’t help being a little resentful of Maggie’s talk about the future that leads Daryl away from Carol’s side.  Because ugh. All that talk of “we have a future” and him spending chunks of it away from her.  Ugh.  Did I say that already?  I don’t care.  

·      Carol saying it’s a beautiful day to head out and Daryl looking right at her as he agrees. I’m crying.  

·      Nowhere in the fuck of ever has Carol expressed any interest in having Hornsby’s job so fuck whoever decided to retcon that into the narrative.  

·      “It’s not like we’ve never gonna see each other again.”  But can you promise that, Daryl?  Can you?  Tomorrow isn’t promised.  The world is shit sometimes.  I hate TIIC for separating them and for why?  Why?  I know why, spinoff reasons, but narratively why?  Make it make sense.  You cannot. It’s not like he’s going out to look for Rick and Michonne because a year has passed and it’s apparent he hasn’t ventured all that much further than their established communities. He’s been out “in the frontier” but not so far out that he and Carol and the kids don’t have regular contact.  

·      So.  They left Hilltop and went back to the Commonwealth? Did Carol ride home with him on his bike?  Did the kids take a wagon or train?  Somebody explain this to me like I’m 5 years old, please.  I can’t help thinking she clung to him on the bike ride home, neither one of them really talking about what Maggie proposed because they didn’t want goodbye to be even closer and then they had that emotional talk by the river and oh my heart.  It hurts. It hurts.  It hurts.  

·      They’re beautiful.  I love them. Now and forever.  

·      So what? Are the kids staying with Ezekiel now? Aunt Carol?  I’m a little lost.  

·      Judith promising to keep an eye on Dog and Daryl having her promise to keep an eye on Carol.  He loves her so much.  It’s almost like…you know what?  I swear to god if they went canon off-screen and had their first kiss and everything but exchanged those three words…

·      Judith looking at Aunt Carol while telling Daryl he deserves a happy ending too is obviously a subtlety lost on a certain faction of shippers and I cannot fathom why because it is so very loud, lol.  

·      The fact that Judith called him Daryl instead of Uncle Daryl makes me think he’s still involved in their lives and loves them very much but he’s not involved in their everyday lives and he’s distancing himself from them.  Then again, it could just be that Judith’s growing up because Cailey has grown so very much since she first started the show.  

·      Speaking of growing up, dwell on this little nugget.  Daryl’s been in Judith’s life from the start.  Rick was only there for maybe the first 3 years.  Like the man has missed the entirety of RJ’s life and the majority of Judith’s and then they had Michonne leave them basically searching for a needle in a haystack, no guarantee she’d ever find him or make it back to them, and now she’s missed what?  Almost 2 years of those babies’ lives?  I know the storyline was steered a certain way because of Danai’s exit from the show but it will never sit well with me that a woman, fictional though she may be, would ever leave her children to go on a search that might lead to absolutely nothing in such a dangerous world.  Especially with her history of losing Andre.  By the time Michonne (and Rick) makes it back, those kids could be half grown and that’s sad AF.  

·      That hug between Ezekiel and Daryl was a weird touch but hey.  Maybe they’ve made their peace with each other and their respective places in Carol’s life.

·      I mean, Ezekiel took those kids with him to give Daryl some privacy saying goodbye to her so.

·      Carol waiting by Daryl’s bike.  😊 ☹.  She’s never shied away from showing Daryl affection in the past.  Pre the Prison falling.  She’s been more reticent and careful since then unless they’ve embraced.  Then she’s clung to him like a lifeline she never wants to let go of.  The way she fusses over him and his poncho seems domestic AF and like something a wife would do.  Plus, it’s giving her a reason not to look directly into his eyes because she doesn’t want to risk falling apart like she did a little bit at the riverside.  Honestly it feels like she’s trying desperately not to ask him to stay.  With her.

·      Daryl telling Carol he loves her is a huge deal. HUGE.  Carol saying it back to him is just as big because Lizzie is the only person we’ve ever heard her say it to.  And look.  I think she is trying to inject some lightness into a heavy moment because despite what she said to him while they were sitting on that bench?  She doesn’t want him to go. He doesn’t want to leave her. He looks like he wants to change her mind before he rides off.  She wants to make it easier for him and I want to die.  

·      I don’t think anything will ever hurt me as bad as watching him ride off without her. FUCK AMC for that.  Because it didn’t have to be that way, solo spinoff or not.  They could have still left together.  They could have shared those “I love you’s” and a kiss 12 years in the making.  If this episode wasn’t a springboard for the spinoffs like Gimple claimed it wasn’t?  Why not give us and them the whole enchilada?  It’s been more than earned.  They could have gone all in on them, finally made clear that they were IN LOVE, had them leave TOGETHER, and then cut to a shot where Daryl wakes up somewhere by himself and calls out her name or vice versa.  Same result.  Still painful AF to think of them spending any time apart.  But not without hope because they weren’t separated willingly or by some asinine reason that wasn’t even explicitly spoken.  But I guess we all know why AMC didn’t do that, don’t we?

·      UGGGGGGHHHHHHHH.  

·      I’m not going to say too much about that coda.  It was bad.  The clips of dearly departed characters, though.  The clips of all the people they and we loved and them saying “we’re the ones that live”?  Those parts struck a chord and made my heart swell with remembered love for this show. They’re the parts that gave me chills. The other parts were dramatic but meh. Otherwise, I think having Rick’s voice crackle over a walkie talkie or just getting a glimpse of his silhouette or even having him wake up in a hospital bed again a la the very first episode would have been much more effective and not locked them into anything so far as the spinoff goes or given too much away.  But that’s just me.  Your mileage may very well vary.  I did find it fitting it ending with that shot of Judith and RJ.  So there’s that.  

·      Anywho. Those are just some of my thoughts and there’s a lot of them but this is just the tip of the iceberg.  I won’t bore you with anymore tonight, lol.  Er, this morning.  Happy Thanksgiving, lovelies.  I’m headed to catch a few hours’ sleep.  

[dillie60]

Story: A Very Merry Grimes Christmas Extravaganza!

@richonne4life Thank you for another sweet chapter to this delightful Richonne story.💜💜💜

[ginblanco-77stuff]

This one is actually higher on my list because those pre canon season 5 scenes have such a "crackle in the air" feeling that I absolutely adore.

Anyway, I love your daily Richonne goodies. Feels like I get to open a door every day and then it's Christmas/Feb 25 🫠. Thank you 😍.

♥️ Ranking Richonne

#26: We Should Go To Washington (S5E09)

This moment - Powerful. Pivotal. Romantic. I’ve said before that I believe Rick and Michonne more fully fell in love with each other by the end of season 4. And to me, how they interact with each other throughout season 5 just further confirmed my theory, especially in this stunning episode 'What Happened And What's Going On.' And part of what's going on is Rick and Michonne falling for each other even more as they make a big game-changing decision rooted in the love and trust they've developed...

(Sidenote: Now this scene ranking might be my most controversially-placed one because I know this is a very beloved classic Richonne scene that would understandably make a lot of ppl's Top 10s and even Top 5s. It’s a super significant moment between Rick and Michonne and I love it, I promise. Richonne's journey is just that abundant with top-10 worthy moments so I had to make some sacrifices on my list because I adore every second of every moment they’re on screen.😅)

So I already just love the way Rick and Michonne are color-coordinated in their brown outfits. So much of season 5 really established how R&M are a pair and each other's match.

And in this ep, Rick touches her, I believe, for the first time since she told him never to touch her again in s3., showing their growth and the strengthening of those magnets.

Something I appreciate about the Richonne 5B scenes that occur before they arrive at ASZ is that they really did an effective job of confirming the depth of their bond. During this period, we consistently see just how much Rick and Michonne's attraction to each other is more than skin-deep because they've built a genuine love and trust with each other.

They cement their partnership in so many ways during this time of searching for a home, and it's important to see this depicted before they enter ASZ because it lets you know that while there will be situations that could potentially cause a divide between them at Alexandria, it's 5B scenes like this Washington one that tell you Rick and Michonne's bond was too strong, too battle-tested, and too important to them for anything in ASZ to break it.

It’s also very clear throughout this season 5 mid-season premiere how much Michonne’s well-being is on Rick’s radar and really matters to him, and it becomes extra clear in this #26 scene here. 

Michonne is making her case for why this place could maybe still work as a home, only to find that the community clearly was brutally attacked as severed body parts lay scattered around. Michonne is quietly disappointed as she walks and observes, and Rick’s attention immediately shifts to her as he follows behind her. It’s one of the clearest cases of their damn-near literal magnetic connection. 🧲

She doesn’t leave his sight. Even when Glenn says, "it doesn’t matter," Rick stays staring at Michonne. I love that their “you're okay, I'm okay” interconnectedness is so visible. Michonne isn’t okay, and that so clearly doesn’t sit well with Rick, so she’s top of mind for him in this scene.

Glenn starts speaking, and Rick peels himself away from looking at Michonne to hear Glenn share a very bleak perspective on how it wouldn’t matter who killed Dawn. Michonne turns around and pitches that they go to Washington. At the end of this season, a very special scene will have Rick admitting the way Michonne can influence his decisions, and this moment in 5.09 is an example of that. 

Michonne turns to Rick and tells him they're close, and it's 100 miles away - and one thing I love about this point in their relationship is that she and Rick have established enough trust with each other that Michonne can be vulnerable enough to really show some raw emotion here and speak her mind. 

Rick listens as Michonne questions what if there are people there and what if it’s a chance to be safe. “It’s a possibility. It’s a chance” This is the season of Michonne really wanting tf to find a home and I know so much of that would be rooted in the fact that she was one of the few who knows what it’s like to extensively wander out in the woods and go a bit mad. She doesn’t want that for her and her new family.

Michonne gets more emotional but still with such poise as she suggests going to Washington is better than just being out there and just making it since making it looks like all those bodies sprawled on the ground. I love that she’s pouring her heart out to him. And what a great man that Rick is so ready to not take this lightly and to really hear her.

And we get another one of those long lingering looks from Rick as he stares right at her, listening. The arresting effect she always has on him is gold, and I appreciate that he lets her words seep in. Especially when Michonne asks, “Don’t you want one more day with with a chance?” 

Danai again slays the vulnerable delivery of that line and it’s also deep for Michonne to pose this question hoping Rick also wants to live and not just survive. This is important for her to know too because her last man had given up on trying to have one more day with a chance and so it’s great she gets this confirmation that Rick is different and far more aligned with her.

(Also watching s1 back, in the finale, Dr. Jenner asks what they want, and Rick says, “A chance.” which just further indicates how he and Michonne are cut from the same cloth) 

Then I love the romantic way this next part plays out cuz the walkers draw near, Rick says we should go, and Glenn and Michonne think he means we should leave the area. So Michonne turns away thinking her words fell on deaf ears, but then Rick reveals no I heard you and I will go where you lead, when he repeats her words and says, "It’s 100 miles away."

Hearing this gets both Glenn and Michonne to stop in their tracks and turn to look at Rick  Cuz this isn’t a choice Rick would make this quickly for just anyone. And Michonne’s look of surprise is so touching. I was just looking at this moment thinking - that’s right girl, he’d do anything for you.😊

I’ve always felt like in this scene Glenn is an adorable third wheel to the Richonne bubble because Rick is completely facing and staring at Michonne solely when he says this. It just makes it clear that he is declaring this because of her. Like of course he wants to secure a home for his whole family, but in this moment what's especially evident is Rick wants to give a home to Michonne.

So Rick makes this big decision for the group fully based on what Michonne thinks is best and once again it is giving romantic as he looks right at her and says, "We should go to Washington."

And then Michonne's subtle smile...that’s an “I love this man” reaction, y’all. Better yet, she's looking at Rick like...

I appreciate how Rick and Michonne’s love for each other makes them do things differently, because while in the past it was said by Lori that Rick would never just go somewhere on a hunch, here he’s showing that he would go somewhere and bring all of tf with him if Michonne’s instincts say it’s a good move.

I love that here Rick can’t help but be so focused and in tune with her and Michonne can’t help but look at him with so much love. Again she gets confirmation Rick is different from her past and cut from the same cloth as her. The way Rick looks at her and looks away, I really feel like it’s a brief moment of him knowing that he so swiftly agreed to this for and because of her because he loves her. Whipped in the best healthiest way.

It's also great watching scenes like these back and knowing Rick is looking at the woman who he will go onto happily make his wife, and Michonne is looking at the man she will fully embrace as her husband. 🥰

All of Rick and Michonne's s5 scenes suggest that they had fallen for each other and were becoming more and more aware of how special and influential they were in each other's lives. And this moment was a beautiful illustration of what Richonne means to each other and what they’ll do for each other. Scenes like these - weighty, quiet, but full of love, just solidify that this is a beautiful love story for the ages. 😌

[richonnejustdesserts]

Wishing all our followers, fanfic writers, fanfic readers and the entire Richonne fandom, all the best this holiday season.  May your Christmas sparkle with moments of love, laughter and goodwill. 

Merry Christmas to you all!

Love Team RJD

[twriter12]

Merry Little Christmas

When the search for the perfect Christmas presents brings a new transplant and a toy store owner together, sparks fly. They soon discover that while Christmastime in the City By The Bay may not include snow, it's still filled with the warmth and joy of the season!  

New Richonne AU just in time for the holiday.

Written by @twriter12​ and @iminyjo​

Chapter 1     

Special Thanks to OhMyJinkies for the lovely seasonal artwork and banner!

[lovedmoviesb]

A Christmas Carol

Merry Christmas Eve! Enjoy a little holiday Richonne tale!

Rick gets suckered into Victorian Christmas Caroling. When he gets paired with Michonne, he gets into the Holiday Spirit. 

FF link here

AO3 link here

An excerpt: 

There were many ways in which Rick envisioned himself meeting the woman of his dreams. Shivering against the cold in a velvet top hat and coattails admittedly did not figure into his fantasy.

When Maggie sent her request two weeks ago in the groupchat, he'd figured it was innocuous enough. Caroling for canned goods wasn't too tall of an order and Glenn had promised there would be some kind of alcohol. Rick agreed, figuring a little Christmas spirit wouldn't kill him. What the couple had pointedly left out of their initial description was that this group was the type to add a certain flair to their holiday charity work. When the box arrived on Rick's front porch, he'd guffawed. The ensemble was significantly less comical now.

"You actually look nice," Maggie told him with no small amount of amusement, appraising him as though he was a mannequin at the mall. "I'm glad Zack's outfit fits."

"Oh great," Rick tugged at the ruffled scarf wound tight around his neck. "So it's a secondhand costume."

"We dry cleaned it," Glenn imparted. He looked slightly more at ease in his costume. At least he had Maggie to match him.

"Does it need so many layers?" Rick opened the navy blue coat to peer at the vest inside. Between the overcoat, inner layer, vest and dress shirt, he felt liable to pass out in the foyer of the Rhee's house.

"You'll be glad for it once we're outside. Trust me," Glenn pressed a thermos into Rick's hand.

"You do this every year?" Rick whispered as they filed out.

A group was already in wait, buzzing eagerly as Maggie rushed to join them. They looked like they had gotten lost on the way to a community theater rendition of Oliver Twist. Rick felt a twist in his guts when he realized he fit squarely in with them.

"Last five years," Glenn disclosed in a low voice. "Maggie loves it. Her dad and mom started the group 15 years ago and now it's she and Beth's thing. I tag along and help."

Rick threw his friend a sympathetic glance. "Nice of you," he complimented.

Glenn shrugged. "We raise enough money and donations to fill up a few trucks. I think we can do even better this year. Maggie got some others to join. It's going to be a huge group. You're not the only one new."

There was some comfort to be drawn in that. Rick stood dutifully at his friends' sides as they made the proper introductions, rattling off names he forgot just as soon as he heard them.

"And this is Michonne," Maggie finished with a breathless flourish. "We go to the same gym."

Clearly, the time spent there had done the woman in question quite a bit of good. She wore her Victorian garb with a panache Rick admired. As impressive a figure as her silhouette cut, her face was infinitely more lovely. Rick found himself grinning as he shook her hand through his gloves.

"Rick," he beat Maggie to the introduction. "I work with Glenn."

"Nice to meet you," the lilt of her voice was music to his ears.

"You two can be partners tonight," Maggie gave Rick a tiny shove forward. "Just follow what the rest of us are doing."

[richonne4life]

Summary: (AU Richonne - multi chapter) Rick and Michonne Grimes were once crowned Alexandria's King and Queen of Christmas. They're ready to win their titles back in the town's annual Christmas Extravaganza competition.

(My Christmas decorations are still up. Technically, it's still Christmas.)

Chapter 8 is posted! Enjoy the Snowman Building Contest!

Fanfic: Chapter 8

AO3: Chapter 8

[joifull1st]

My newest Holiday Fic. We r picking back up with the version of #Richonne from Knots Untie in Teton but instead of Thanksgiving, this time it’s Winter Recess!!

https://m.fanfiction.net/u/9963759/Joifull1st

https://m.fanfiction.net/s/13765918/1/Another-Way-for-the-Holiday

[severelybabykryptonite]

This Christmas by SBK

A/N: Short story inspired by the spirit of Christmas and a sequel to Last Christmas.  Hope you enjoy.

A year can bring about a lot of changes, Rick Grimes thinks to himself as he grabs one last box from his living room floor and allows his gaze to rove over the large, empty room once again. This time last year he was wallowing in singleness and wondering if there would ever be more to his life. Presently, he has more than he ever hoped or dreamt for and all because of one person and a hell of a whirlwind romance. They were married within 6 months and now they are moving into their newly built home just in time for Christmas.

He remembers to switch on the outside light and closes the door to lock it.  He lifts the box and turns toward the rented moving van. The for sale sign in the yard already has a blaring red sold sign plastered on it and he’d only listed the house a month ago.  Just further confirmation that this change is the best thing to ever happen to him.

He takes his time walking to the van, looking over his front yard and the neighboring homes. Part of him would miss this segment of his life but he’s more than excited to continue what started and flourished last Christmas.  He smiles to himself and almost drops the box he’s carrying when his best friend lays down hard on the van horn, startling him from his thoughts.

Shane Walsh waves his hands impatiently, indicating that Rick should speed things up.  The latter shakes his head as he knows exactly why his friend is in such a hurry.  A certain person’s best friend was in town helping with the move and Shane didn’t want to miss one moment of spending time with her.

Rick deposits the box with the others and climbs into the driver’s seat, assured to give Shane a pointed, annoyed look.

“You can come back and reminisce all you want tomorrow,” Shane informs.  “We’ve got a job to do right now.”

Rick nods. “Right.  A job to do.”  He thinks over his next words but feels they have to be said.  “You do remember that Jacqui is coming to help with the move tomorrow?”

“What are you trying to say?  Look man I’m single.  You see any rings on these fingers?  Nope. Therefore, I’m free game for all the ladies out there.”

Rick takes a deep breath and releases it.  “No drama. You got it?”

Twenty minutes later, they are pulling onto a dark paved road lined with trees on both sides. Rick looks around proudly and smiles even wider when the palatial home at the end of the drive comes into view. He never expected to be living in a home as beautiful as this.  It surpasses anything he ever dreamed of and makes the homes his ex-wife coveted resemble FEMA trailers.

Shane is out of the truck before it stops completely, unencumbered by the boxes he was supposed to help unload, and takes the steps right up to the front door, knocking soundly. Rick watches the door open, his friend step inside, and the love of his life stick her head out in search of him. She smiles widely when she spots him exiting the van and waves sweetly.

He returns the wave and the smile, forgetting the boxes just as Shane did and takes the steps two at a time to reach her.  “Hi,” he uttersas his lips capture hers and his hands simultaneously go to her waist. “Did you miss me?”

She pulls back and looks up.  “You’ve been gone for an entire hour and 45 minutes.  Of course I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” His smile turns into a frown as he notices her bare feet.  “Michonne, do you realize how cold it is out here?”  He lifts her effortlessly and crosses the threshold, closing the door behind them.

Their best friends are seated in front of the fire, sharing a bottle of wine.  The house is still in disarray with boxes and furniture placed haphazardly in each room.  The goal was to ensure they had a bed to sleep in tonight.  Unloading the boxes and actually making the house into a home would start tomorrow but it appears his wife of 6 months was in the Christmas spirit since there was a fully decorated 9 ft. tree in the foyer.

“I see you and Sasha have been very busy unpacking,” he jokes as he looks up at the tree.

“Haven’t we?  Do you know how long it took to locate all the Christmas stuff?”  His wife returns.  “I wanted to have a mixture of the old and new, a little of your stuff and a lot of mine.” They laugh together as they move closer to the tree.

He reaches up and grabs an ornament he’s familiar with, something Carl made when he was in elementary school.  “I haven’t seen this in ages.  I thought we’d thrown it out.”

“Amazing what you find in a move right?  I’m sure there is a lot more where that came from but we’ll deal with it tomorrow. Let’s see what Shane and Sasha are up to.”  She takes his hand and leads him toward the den only to meet their friends exiting.

“You guys leaving?” Rick asks expectantly.

“Yeah we’re gonna go into town and have dinner,” Shane answers.

“Dinner?  As in a date?”  Michonne ponders with surprise.

“Yes,” Shane responds as Sasha quickly quips, “No.”

Rick and Michonne share a look then turn back to their best friends.

“Get on the same page,” Michonne tells them.

Sasha gives Shane a questioning glance and he offers, “Alright it’s just dinner…..for now.”

They walk towards the door and as soon as they exit, Rick locks it and wraps his arms around his wife.  “I couldn’t wait for them to leave.  Which room should we christen first?”

Michonne laughs as she returns his embrace.  “That’s how we got in trouble in the first place.”

“Trouble?  You call this little amazing soon to be perfect person trouble?”  He drops to his knees and places in his hands on her stomach.  There is only a slight roundness as the pregnancy is still in the early stages.  He kisses her stomach then proceeds to lift her sweater so he can taste her bare skin.

Her gasp is all the encouragement he needs as he unbuttons and unzips her jeans and starts to push them down.  They manage to stumble into the den, leaving a path of discarded clothes along the way.

Over an hour later, they are sprawled on the couch, exhausted and satiated.  The fire is low but still burning and emanating warmth. She rests her head on his shoulder while their fingers are entwined.

“Have I told you how happy you make me?”  He asks softly.

“I think I’ve caught the hint by now.”

“Do you know I was contemplating not even going to that reunion?  Now look at us.”

“I guess being a bit impulsive paid off right?”  She recalls how nervous she was driving to King County on a whim, not sure if he would be receptive or not.

“I will never understand how you ever doubted my interest in you,” he returns.  “You were basically my one that got away although I never had the nerve to approach you in school.”

“And you never knew how crazy I was about you.  Oh the opportunities we have missed,” she reminds him.

“Yeah but we’re making up for lost time now.  You even moved back to King County and according to Jacqui that was something you vowed to never ever do.”

“Well you can be very persuasive.”  She slides her body against his, moving to place a wet kiss on his neck.  “How could I resist when you were pouring on all that southern charm?”

He slides his free hand down to her butt and squeezes gently.  “I couldn’t mess up.  This was a chance of a lifetime.”  He gazes into her eyes, wondering how he got so lucky.  “I love you.”

“I love you too,” she answers before placing her lips on his and diving in with her tongue.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next day, the new house is abuzz with activity.  Their parents, extended family, and friends all came over to help get everything in order.  What would have taken the couple days to accomplish alone was accomplished within a matter of hours.

Two weeks later, they are in the midst of hosting Christmas dinner.  The decorations were plentiful as well as the food and drink. The get together was almost perfect except Jacqui and Sasha peeked out the fact that Shane was trying to get with both of them.  They are seated together on the living area sofa shooting glaring glances at Shane who is standing by the fireplace, nursing a drink, and looking a tad uncomfortable.

Rick walks over and claps him on the shoulder.  “I tried to tell you that wasn’t a good idea but you never listen to me.”

“Yeah, well maybe I will from now on.  You can’t blame me though.  I mean, look at ‘em,” Shane advises.

“I only……” Rick trails off as Shane finishes his sentence.

“…..have eyes for one woman.  I know. I know.  I’m trying to get where you are but it’s so hard choosing just one. Damn.”

Rick scratches his head and moves off from his best friend.  Something tells him that Shane will never understand the concept of monogamy.

He locates his wife seated between his mother and Carl and bends down to whisper in her ear, “Now?”

Michonne smiles and nods patiently.  She watches attentively as her husband taps his wedding ring against his wine glass to get everyone’s attention.

He extends his hand to his wife as she lifts up from the sofa then indicates for Carl to join them. “Family, friends we have a special announcement to make.”  The three of them watch as everyone gives them their full attention.

Carl states excitedly, “I’m going to be a big brother!”

That is met with gasps, murmurs, and questions but Rick only ignores them and says, “Yes Michonne and I are pregnant.  Merry Christmas!!!!”  

[therunningdeadfan]

I really hope you like my The Walking Dead stories! I have about 22 so far that I have written and will be posting here. This is the first of them. I have a variety, so I’m sure I have something for everyone!

[therichonnewritingnetwork]

An Unexpected Gift

written by: cranesinthesky

read more of cranesinthesky’s works on FF.net

Rick and Michonne receive an unexpected surprise for Christmas.

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