Author's Note

I actually wrote this some months back and thought it was utter crap, but I'm going to put it out there now anyway because the idea of an awkard, rough-around-the-edges Alfred having a thing for Miss Nyo!France amuses me. It's cute, I think. I do not own Hetalia.

Alfred shifted in his seat, his heart speeding while time seemed to slow. Miss Antoinette Bonnefoy had just arrived at the small cafe and Alfred clumsily reached for his hat to take it off. He stood up as the pretty blonde made her way over to his table. She was all of ten minutes late, but Alfred would have waited hours if it pleased her. She graced the young sheriff with a soft smile and he smiled goofily back. His affections for the widow were painfully obvious to anyone who saw them interact. They were not obvious to Miss Antoinette.

"Will you sit with me?" Alfred asked, even though he had invited her there to sit with him and declining now would be very strange. Antoinette tipped her head and then nodded once, amused by Alfred's very endearing akwardness.

"But of course I will sit with you, Monsieur Jones." her accent was lilting, music to his ears and as much as he had listened to her, he didn't have to ask her to repeat herself. She sat quietly and they were both brought lemonade.

There was a long pause and a few sips of the drink before Alfred spoke, his voice cracking from either his nerves or from his still lingering youth. He was nineteen six months ago and Antoinette was supposedly twenty-three. That was what he had heard. She'd lost her husband on thier way west after he contracted pneumonia. She had a home waiting for her and money from them both coming from wealthy families, so when she settled in, she did not need to rely on anyone and would not as far as anyone could percieve. She had a household full of hired hands and maids should anyone think to rob her and the good sheriff stopped by often to be sure she was quite safe.

"I mean to ask you to marry me." he finally spoke.

Miss Bonnefoy's cornflower blue eyes widened in surprise at his confession? Proposal? It was not the first she'd recieved since her husband had passed, but coming from this young man, shocked her. She really did seem to consider him for a moment. He was very handsome, brave and kind, of course.

"Alfred." she started, her tone too apologetic and soft and quiet, so that his shoulders slumped. "You've never been married before and I am some years older than you, widowed. Wouldn't you like to have a wife that is younger and..." she blushed faintly and Alfred's face reddened even more so in embarrassment for what she meant.

"No. I want you, Miss Annie." Her heart warmed more. It was clear to her that he did not want her wealth as some previous 'suitors' had, though she never accepted them. Maybe Alfred was the best option and she liked him. She could grow to love him. They would undoubtedly have beautiful children that she would also love. She had always wanted to become a mother.

"I'll court you properly, I swear." he interrupted her thoughts and she found herself nodding.

"I will marry you."