What is... "Home"? (Hetalia Fanfic, Part 2)

Le Epilogue~

From then on, the years passed at a steady pace. Ups and downs made life a rollercoaster worth riding. Two years after school let out, Joy and England had a huge fight over some trivial thing and broke up.

"I hate to be a cliche gossip-spreader, but Joy and England aren't together right now," Alice said to Rayn, Vale, and Kate one day when they were having lunch at a cafe. "I'm really worried about them both. I mean, Joy's life force is tied to him. How is this gonna effect the two of 'em?"

"Yikes, I can't imagine them not being together. They've been together for a couple years now, I heard from a certain American that England was going to propose to her." Rayn sipped her drink nonchalantly while the other three just stared at her. "What?"

"Arthur. Was going. To propose?" Vale repeated incredulously.

"Yeah! I can't believe it either."

~In London~

The sky was dark for a summer's day, and rain sprinkled down upon everything in sight. Arthur sat at home, brooding over his troubles with a cup of fine tea in hand. How had it come to this? It had been a wonderful day, that day last week, but just a few ill-placed words turned it all into twisted spaghetti of misunderstanding.

'I can't hide from her forever. She's my secretary, for bleeding sake! God... Bloody hell...'

One hand went back into his pocket for the thousandth time in three hours. He ran a thumb along the velvet ring box there meditatively, feeling his sorrow and regret return twice as heavily.

'I shouldn't have said anything! Why do things always have to rain on me?'

~The Next Day~

"Mr. Kirkland, you have a two o' clock appointment with the president of the United States, and right after the files in your inbox need finishing," Ms. Nightingale said tonelessly when Arthur came in for work. No wam greeting (usually involving a hug) or cheery smile. She was the personification of an automated voice message system.

"A-Ah, yes. Thank you, J- Ms... Nightingale," he said awkwardly, feeling like his tongue was full of lead.

"But first, you have a meeting with Ludwig about the shipment arrangements in an hour. Be prompt and make sure things go smoothly. Afterward is lunch with your boss, where you're going to bring up the subject of-"

'That's it!' "SCREW THIS! FORGET ABOUT THE BLOODY FIGHT, JOY NIGHTINGALE WILL YOU BLOODY PLEASE MARRY ME?"Arthur yelled at the top of his lungs in the middle of his office.

Joy was startled, she had no idea what to do! 'Did he just say what I think he said...?'

"Wh... Wh... Wh...?" she stammered, eyes wider than the moon. She clutched her clipboard like it was a life preserver and she was drowning in a sea of her own emotions and surprise. "What...?"

He whipped out the box and dropped to one knee in a flash, opening it to show the jewel-encrusted ring inside. Arthur had it specially made to his own design, so it was one of a kind and very, very special. A hand made its way to Joy's face and covered her mouth when she saw the ring, and tears started to form at the corners of her eyes.

"Joy Nightingale, will you do me the honor of becoming Mrs. Arthur Kirkland?" he asked with every ounce of sincerity he had in his body. When she couldn't say anything in response, he continued. "Joy, it was all my fault that we had a fight. I shouldn't have been such a bloody git, and I am so sorry. Will you please say something?"

"I... I will," she said softly with a nod. "I'm sorry too, I overreacted."

"Then, you'll marry me?"