Love can conquer anything, right? (US x UK)

Everything's okay, right?

"And thank you again, Miss Ashling! Good day," Matthew closed the door to his house after the young red-head left; dissatisfied in a way. Turning around and leaning his back on the white door, the Canadian sighed. He literally almost shoved his young editor out of his house, if not for the coaxing he used to gently get her to leave.

Ashling, in Matthew's opinion, was a fantastic editor despite her young age, thorough, charming, and good looking (like the "perfect beauty" in a manga). Overall, an extraordinary kid. However, he could make do without her constant tampering in his life; or how she puts it "getting to know each other" for the sake of their business relation. She would ask things such as his likes, dislikes, going for the occasional caffeinated beverage, and of course, the story of the rocky road to his supposed fame while checking up on him (where she stayed at his and Isabella's house for a total 2 hours); to which the Canadian had no problem with answering. It wasn't until she started telling, assuring, Matthew that he could trust and confine in her with anything, one day while they were out for lunch (that she invited him to); her hand "accidentally" ended up on top of his during her proclamation. Then came the increasing "checking up on his work" days that used to be only once a week at most; the majority of their consulting was through phones. She claimed that talking face-to-face was more effective. Ashling's clothes had changed, today her black skirt was a little more than above her knees, showing off her model like long legs, her white dress shirt might have had an extra silver button undone, and her hair moved to one side of her face to expose a little more collarbone.

Matthew didn't know if it was either a new trend going around, or business clothes had changed to become more liberal.

The occasional hand on the arm lingering longer than necessary and some longing looks; however, the Canadian man hadn't really noticed those just yet. So, he came to the conclusion that his editor had a childish crush on him. Though, Most older men would be absolutely ecstatic at a beauty young woman showing clear sexual interest in their old agging selves. But not Matthew.

He was a married man! A happy married man to be exact! With a beautiful understanding wife and great kids! He even wrote a book based on his meeting with Isabella up until they were married! And a good chunk of the population loved his story!

Matthew groaned and tilted his head back so it was now resting on the door. It wasn't a comfortable, or even safe, place to think by the door so Matthew trudged to the couch and plopped faced down on a cushion. His tall height caused his feet to dangle over the arm rests of the couch but he was used to it by now. He had to say, that he felt bad about this morning as another groan escaped his lips.

He knew there was something odd going on, he'd known for a long while now. Since that trip Isabella and Arthur took when Alfred was just in his first year of middle school. Though, THAT happened he thought it would just go away with time or fix itself.

It was that particular part of himself that he knew his newly extended "family" hated.

His thoughts traveled to the past joy, tears, hardships, and ever ending uncertainty, that came in the mere two years before getting married to Isabella. They had to go from strangers to coworkers to friends to close friends to eventually lovers in less than a year. Perhaps, the fact that they lost people dear to them pushed them into becoming closer with one another and into a most irrational conclusion of marriage, as Isabella's and Arthur's extended family put it.

The family of his wife's first husband was the hardest and tallest hurdle he had to face. When they announced their engagement, the family literally blew up in exasperation! They were nice until that point, sipping tea, minus Isabella who, for some odd reason, asked for water, around a wooden rectangular table on the floor; people's knees serving as chairs under mats; in an old traditional house Japanese house in England. Throwing hurtful comments like the Canadian "not being good enough" or "up to standards" like her first husband. One particular relative came at Isabella with hurtful comments," Marrying a man when not even 2 years passed after your husband's death? Ha! You never really loved Kiku in the first place!"