#richonnevalentines2025

[siancore]

Richonne | 1k words | Rated T

A/N: Written for the @richonneevents Richonne Valentine’s Day Bingo - Square Fill: Meet-cute.

There was an excitement in the air, Rick thought, as he and Judith walked hand-in-hand up to the front of the little girl's new school. The excitement certainly outweighed the nerves, he surmised, as he listened to his daughter chatting away happily as they reached the front steps.

Any nerves that she might have been feeling were masked by her curious nature.

She was so brave, considering what they had been through as a family. Carl was, too. Rick was always amazed by his children. They showed this innate resilience, even when Rick thought he was falling apart. His children kept him going.

He loved them so much. He really, truly hoped that the new start in his hometown would be good for them. That they would settle in and find happiness there. That they could start the first days of the rest of their lives. He was already so happy that they were there together, and knew in his soul that things would only get better.

Judith gave him a nice long hug goodbye, and then made her way over to the other student waiting for her. He watched Judith greet her assigned 'buddy', gave her a wave, and watched her head inside the school building before turning to leave. Just then, he was stopped in his tracks by the sight of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

He was struck by how beautiful she was. Actually, beautiful was not adequate to describe her. She was stunning; breathtaking. She stole Rick's breath away for a moment as he took her in.

Her light, white coat was set striking against her lovely dark skin. Long braids cascaded down her shoulders and back, framing her face prettily.

She was standing there with one hand over her heart and the other waving to a little boy who was skipping over to his friends.

"Have the best day, Peanut!" she called out before blowing a kiss.

"You, too, Mama," the child replied quickly before continuing to laugh and joke with his friends.

Not only was Rick taken by her beauty, but he also felt a sense of concern grow for her because the beautiful stranger remained in place, staring off at her son, with fondness but also with some sadness. Rick noticed it for what it was.

"First time he declined a hug from his Mama, eh?" asked Rick as he placed both hands in his pockets.

"Excuse me?" said the stunning stranger as she turned to face Rick.

"Your son," said Rick, gesturing to where the boy was now playing boisterously with his friends. "You looked a little sad just now. Thought it might be the first time he didn't want a hug at mornin' drop-off."

"Oh," said the lady, a small smile gracing her lips as she stepped closer to Rick. "Yeah, Andre's been wanting hugs less and less these past few weeks."

She let out a sigh then and crossed her arms over her front self-soothingly.

"Your little girl," she said. "She looked pretty happy for a morning drop-off hug."

"Yeah, my Judith," he replied a smile crossing his lips. "It's her first day o' school. She's actin' pretty brave, and she most definitely is, but she ain't ready to give up the drop-off hugs just yet."

"How exciting! She's adorable," the lady said with a smile. "And I am so jealous of you right now."

Rick let out a laugh and smiled at her joke.

"I'm Michonne, by the way," she added.

"Rick," he replied. "Pleasure to meet you, Michonne."

"Likewise," she supplied, and her bright smile made Rick weak in his knees; he placed his hands to his hips to try and maintain balance.

"You all just arrive in town?"

"Yeah," Rick drawled. "Me, Judith, and my teenager, Carl."

He tracked her gorgeous eyes as they looked at his left hand, maybe searching for any sign of a wedding band, or lack thereof, he hoped.

"Lovely," said Michonne in earnest. "Is Carl too big for hugs?"

"He still gives 'em when he feels like it."

"Any advice for a single mom with a growing boy?"

Rick's lips turned up into a smile at that very pertinent piece of information, as well as the adorable and hopeful look on Michonne's face.

“I might have,” he offered. “But as a single dad, I’m still figuring out a lot of this stuff myself.”

“Noted,” said Michonne with a bright beam.

A moment of quiet passed between them as they took in each other’s appearance. Rick inadvertently smoothed down his clothes before reaching up and running his hand through his curls. Michonne watched him before clearing her throat.

"Well, Rick, it's been nice to chat with you," said Michonne. "Oh, and welcome to King County.”

"Thank you," said Rick. "Was nice to chat with you, too. Oh, and it's more of a 'welcome back' for me. Hometown boy comin��� home.”

"Oh," said Michonne with a nod of her head and a crooked but attractive smile. "Guess that messes with my plans, then."

Rick returned the crooked smile and asked, "What plans?"

“I was planning on offering to show you around town," said Michonne with a shrug of her shoulder; she then added, rather flirtatiously, "Y'know, show you the sights and points of interest and whatnot."

"Hey, I'm keen," said Rick, his smile so wide that it almost hurt. "I'm more than happy for you to lead me around town like I ain't ever been here before."

Michonne let out a little amused laugh at that. It sounded like the sweetest song.

"Come to think of it," Rick added, as he leaned in conspiratorially. "It's been ages since I’ve lived here. So, you should just go on and keep that plan of yours. I know I just met you, but I'd follow anywhere you wanted to lead me to."

Michonne let out a glorious laugh then as she placed one hand to Rick's forearm, and the other to her lips to stifle the laugh as other nosy parents glanced their way.

"You're funny, Rick," she said while withdrawing her hand after a beat. "Funny and charming.”

"Don't know about all o' that," he replied. "But you sure do bring something out in me."

Michonne bit her lip and then dipped her head, looking up at him through her long lashes; Rick almost fell over. They stood staring at one another for a moment. A beep coming from Michonne's wristwatch broke the reverie between them.

"Darn it, I have to go," said Michonne, looking like she really did not want to leave.

"Yeah," said Rick, not moving an inch. "Me, too."

They held one another's gaze a little while longer before Rick added, "See you back here for after-school pick-up?"

Michonne smiled bright and wide before saying, "I sure do hope so."

[richonneevents]

Please join us for our Richonne Valentine's Day Bingo 2025!

About: Beginning first week of February through to February 20. Richonne Events will reblog your creations during this time.

Guidelines:

Must be following @richonneevents

No sign-up required

Square fills can be fanfiction; fanart; headcanons; moodboards; graphics; edits; podfics; fanvids; playlists etc.

Remember to tag @richonneevents in your post and tag #richonnevalentines2025 for reblogs

Get creative and have fun!

[siancore]

Read on AO3 and FF.net

Richonne | 1k words | Rated T

A/N: Written for the @richonneevents Richonne Valentine’s Day Bingo - Square Fill: Meet-cute.

There was an excitement in the air, Rick thought, as he and Judith walked hand-in-hand up to the front of the little girl's new school. The excitement certainly outweighed the nerves, he surmised, as he listened to his daughter chatting away happily as they reached the front steps.

Any nerves that she might have been feeling were masked by her curious nature.

She was so brave, considering what they had been through as a family. Carl was, too. Rick was always amazed by his children. They showed this innate resilience, even when Rick thought he was falling apart. His children kept him going.

He loved them so much. He really, truly hoped that the new start in his hometown would be good for them. That they would settle in and find happiness there. That they could start the first days of the rest of their lives. He was already so happy that they were there together, and knew in his soul that things would only get better.

Judith gave him a nice long hug goodbye, and then made her way over to the other student waiting for her. He watched Judith greet her assigned 'buddy', gave her a wave, and watched her head inside the school building before turning to leave. Just then, he was stopped in his tracks by the sight of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

He was struck by how beautiful she was. Actually, beautiful was not adequate to describe her. She was stunning; breathtaking. She stole Rick's breath away for a moment as he took her in.

Her light, white coat was set striking against her lovely dark skin. Long braids cascaded down her shoulders and back, framing her face prettily.

She was standing there with one hand over her heart and the other waving to a little boy who was skipping over to his friends.

"Have the best day, Peanut!" she called out before blowing a kiss.

"You, too, Mama," the child replied quickly before continuing to laugh and joke with his friends.

Not only was Rick taken by her beauty, but he also felt a sense of concern grow for her because the beautiful stranger remained in place, staring off at her son, with fondness but also with some sadness. Rick noticed it for what it was.

"First time he declined a hug from his Mama, eh?" asked Rick as he placed both hands in his pockets.

"Excuse me?" said the stunning stranger as she turned to face Rick.

"Your son," said Rick, gesturing to where the boy was now playing boisterously with his friends. "You looked a little sad just now. Thought it might be the first time he didn't want a hug at mornin' drop-off."

"Oh," said the lady, a small smile gracing her lips as she stepped closer to Rick. "Yeah, Andre's been wanting hugs less and less these past few weeks."

She let out a sigh then and crossed her arms over her front self-soothingly.

"Your little girl," she said. "She looked pretty happy for a morning drop-off hug."

"Yeah, my Judith," he replied a smile crossing his lips. "It's her first day o' school. She's actin' pretty brave, and she most definitely is, but she ain't ready to give up the drop-off hugs just yet."

"How exciting! She's adorable," the lady said with a smile. "And I am so jealous of you right now."

Rick let out a laugh and smiled at her joke.

"I'm Michonne, by the way," she added.

"Rick," he replied. "Pleasure to meet you, Michonne."

"Likewise," she supplied, and her bright smile made Rick weak in his knees; he placed his hands to his hips to try and maintain balance.

"You all just arrive in town?"

"Yeah," Rick drawled. "Me, Judith, and my teenager, Carl."

He tracked her gorgeous eyes as they looked at his left hand, maybe searching for any sign of a wedding band, or lack thereof, he hoped.

"Lovely," said Michonne in earnest. "Is Carl too big for hugs?"

"He still gives 'em when he feels like it."

"Any advice for a single mom with a growing boy?"

Rick's lips turned up into a smile at that very pertinent piece of information, as well as the adorable and hopeful look on Michonne's face.

“I might have,” he offered. “But as a single dad, I’m still figuring out a lot of this stuff myself.”

“Noted,” said Michonne with a bright beam.

A moment of quiet passed between them as they took in each other’s appearance. Rick inadvertently smoothed down his clothes before reaching up and running his hand through his curls. Michonne watched him before clearing her throat.

"Well, Rick, it's been nice to chat with you," said Michonne. "Oh, and welcome to King County.”

"Thank you," said Rick. "Was nice to chat with you, too. Oh, and it's more of a 'welcome back' for me. Hometown boy comin’ home.”

"Oh," said Michonne with a nod of her head and a crooked but attractive smile. "Guess that messes with my plans, then."

Rick returned the crooked smile and asked, "What plans?"

“I was planning on offering to show you around town," said Michonne with a shrug of her shoulder; she then added, rather flirtatiously, "Y'know, show you the sights and points of interest and whatnot."

"Hey, I'm keen," said Rick, his smile so wide that it almost hurt. "I'm more than happy for you to lead me around town like I ain't ever been here before."

Michonne let out a little amused laugh at that. It sounded like the sweetest song.

"Come to think of it," Rick added, as he leaned in conspiratorially. "It's been ages since I’ve lived here. So, you should just go on and keep that plan of yours. I know I just met you, but I'd follow anywhere you wanted to lead me to."

Michonne let out a glorious laugh then as she placed one hand to Rick's forearm, and the other to her lips to stifle the laugh as other nosy parents glanced their way.

"You're funny, Rick," she said while withdrawing her hand after a beat. "Funny and charming.”

"Don't know about all o' that," he replied. "But you sure do bring something out in me."

Michonne bit her lip and then dipped her head, looking up at him through her long lashes; Rick almost fell over. They stood staring at one another for a moment. A beep coming from Michonne's wristwatch broke the reverie between them.

"Darn it, I have to go," said Michonne, looking like she really did not want to leave.

"Yeah," said Rick, not moving an inch. "Me, too."

They held one another's gaze a little while longer before Rick added, "See you back here for after-school pick-up?"

Michonne smiled bright and wide before saying, "I sure do hope so."|