Hetalia is owned by Hidekaz Himaruya, this fanfiction is owned by me.

Antonio sipped anxiously on some crappy vending-machine coffee, ignoring the glint of the band around his finger. Ordinarily, he'd be happy at the sight of the ring which bound him to his husband, but today, the little gold thing was just reminding him of the reason why he was sat here, feeling scared and alone.

His husband, Arthur had been sent away on business, leaving Antonio to deal with their two children all by himself for the past month, and today, he was supposed to be coming home...But it had been an hour and a half since his flight was due to land, and so far, there had been no sign of Arthur anywhere.

There were so many couples at the airport that day, couples he knew, Antonio had noticed, and the sight of them all happy to be reunited with one another just added to his heavy sense of isolation. Afonso and Lars embraced. Lovino and Alfred kissed. Manon said hello to her little boy before she was buried in her wife, Katyusha's enormous 'tracts of land'.

And all he had here was an uncomfortable plastic chair, cheap coffee, and two very bored children...

"Papa! Why isn't Daddy here yet?" his daughter enquired, clutching the frills on her little blue dress.

What answer could he give her, when he didn't know himself?

"I don't know, Lizzy," Antonio replied, keeping his eyes on his drink.

"Daddy's plane is just running a bit late," his son suggested, "Right?"

Sure, that was it, wasn't it? There wouldn't be anyone coming in a few hours' time to tell the family that Arthur had died in some horrific air crash, or that the plane had been hijacked. Arthur was coming home today. Wasn't he?

"Yeah, that's all, Carlos," Antonio agreed, "Daddy will be here soon, I'm sure!"

So far, no news yet, and no news is good news...Right?

Antonio downed the rest of the coffee and glanced up at the clock again. The hand of the clock was but a minute away from telling him that it had been two hours now, since his husband was due to arrive.

"I wish Daddy's plane would hurry up," Lizzy complained, "Don't they know he has a family to get home to?"

"Of course they do, sweetheart," Antonio began, "Everyone on that flight has friends and a family too"—

"Then why do they have to be late and make us worry that Daddy won't ever come home?!" the little girl cried.

"He's gonna come home, Lizzy," Carlos assured his sister, "He has to!"

Antonio reached for his wallet, fumbling around in the thing until he'd scraped together a sizeable handful of coins.

"Why don't you two go get some candy?" he offered, giving the coins to Carlos, "It'll give you something to do while we wait for Daddy!"

The eight year old quietly accepted the offer, agreeing that he had to distract his little sister somehow.

Antonio was now left completely alone...

"Toni!"

And before he even had time to register who it was, Antonio was swept up into someone's pale arms.

"Arthur!" he cried delightedly, "I knew you'd come home!"

His husband buried one hand in Antonio's hair, giving it a ruffle before he responded, "What made you think I wouldn't, love?"

"You're really late! You had the kids and I worried!" Antonio informed his husband.

Then, as if on cue, Carlos and Lizzy came back.

"DADDY!" they cried in unison, dropping their armfuls of overpriced off-licence candy as they ran to Arthur.

Arthur broke away from Antonio and got down to his children's level, bracing himself for a flurry of hugs and kisses.

"You're never gonna leave us again, are you, Daddy?" Lizzy demanded.

"Yeah, Daddy, we need you here with us!" Antonio teased.

Arthur chuckled heartily and embraced his little family. "Don't worry. I won't be going on another business trip for a long time. I want to stay here, so I can be with you," and he embraced Antonio from behind, placing his hands gently on his middle, "You're the most important people in my life."

And the family left the airport quickly, as Carlos and Lizzy rejoiced at Arthur's suggestion of getting fish and chips on the way home...