Finland felt all cozy curled up in the coach section of a 787 flying towards Canada. He'd wrapped the Magic 8 Ball up in an over-sized fuzzy reindeer sweater and was clinging to it as he looked out over the Atlantic Ocean.

This sweater is soft...but my true love's heart is much softer. Fin thought as he wrapped his arms around the bundle tighter and dozed off into a cat nap.

Meanwhile, Sweden was remembering the first time they'd gotten engaged.

Er, actually engaged... that is.

There had been that awkward misunderstanding after leaving Denmark's house...

Yeah...That had been kind of embarrassing.

Apparently telling someone "Hey, wait up! Let me run away with you!" was not, as Sweden had first interpreted, a Finnish marriage proposal. It turns out that Finland had just wanted to get away from Denmark as much as he had at the time. Unfortunately Sweden didn't figure this out until after trying to introduce himself to Estonia as Finland's husband.

What a humiliating memory. It'd taken Sweden hundreds of years to make up for lost ground after that mistake.

Their actual engagement that'd happened the morning before the curse shenanigans was a lot more pleasant for Sweden to remember.

"Rice pudding? This will be a delicious breakfast. Thanks Sweden!" Finland smiled up at him from the kitchen table.

"Nh. No problem." Sweden took the seat next to him. It was the morning before the World Christmas Party, and Sweden hadn't gotten an hour of sleep the night before. Too nervous. Heck, he was still nervous.

"Aren't ya going to have some?"

"Maybe later."

"Ah, alright then. I'll eat now, if ya don't mind. I've been living off of sugar cookies all month, I'm kind of sick of them, ya know?"

Sweden nodded, scared out of his stockings behind his stoic exterior. Maybe this was the wrong time. Maybe it was too soon. Maybe Finland had too much on his plate with the Christmas season and whatnot. Maybe Sweden should just snatch that bowl back before-

"Hey," Finland asked as he picked up his spoon "Doesn't your country have a tradition that if someone finds an almond in their portion of rice pudding it means that they'll be getting married within the next year?"

Sweden tried to bite back the blush from his cheeks.

"Yah."

Dangit! Finland was onto him.

"Ha ha! Maybe you'll find one in yours, that'd be a good sign for me. Unless it meant ya were getting married to someone else that is." Finland winked at him.

The rosiness rising to Sweden's face became harder to suppress. "Hmm..."

Words had never come terribly easy to Sweden. That's why he'd opted for the proposal approach that he had. He turned away bashfully as Finland took his first bite.

"Sweden?"

"Hmm?"

"This is really good, yah? But...I couldn't help but notice that it's saturated with almonds like chip-a-licious cookie dough is chock full of chocolate chunks."

"Yah?" Sweden was still too nervous to turn around as he slid the cinnamon shaker over to Finland. "Ya better put some of this on it then."

Finland picked up the cinnamon shaker with a quizzical look.

"Umm, Sweden? This cinnamon shaker is empty."

"Hmm…" Apparently it was taking Finland a while to put the pieces together. Or maybe this was the most stupid proposal method anyone had ever thought of. Either way, it was too late to go back now. "Ya sure about that?"

"I think so. I mean no cinnamon is coming out of it and it's making this weird metal clanking noise when I shake it," Finland said before he unscrewed the lid, looked inside and gasped.

Sweden would've been less nervous waiting for the nuclear apocalypse during those long silent seconds that it took Finland to look inside and read the note Sweden had taped to the wedding band.

"Umm…this is really sweet, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to say no-"

DANGIT

PROPOSAL METHOD = TERRIBLE

TIMING = TERRIBLE

EVERYTHING = TERRIBLE

TERRIBLE TERRIBLE TERRIBLE BAD

Commencing operation "Bury self in the center of the Earth and never ever EVER come back out EVER"

"…to the cinnamon shaker. I mean, the empty spice bottle is nice and everything, but to be honest Sweden, the one I really love and want to marry is you."

Yeah. Yeah I know, put that scene on a greasy pizza and ship it to the USA. It might almost be cheesy enough for him.

In any case, once Finland understood that it was Sweden and NOT the cinnamon shaker that had proposed to him, the situation turned around entirely.

I wonder what he would've said then if I'd told him he was going to be engaged to an 8 ball less than two years later… Sweden thought as the intercom alerted the passengers that the plane was making its initial descent into Calgary.

As people started putting their tray tables up Sweden allowed himself one more flashback...one about a conversation they'd had by the snowflake-shaped ice sculpture at the Christmas party right before the game of international musical chairs.

"Sweden?"

"Yah?"

"Ya really want to marry me?"

"Yah."

"Even though I'm silly a lot of the time?"

"You're cute when you're silly."

"And I have a huge stress-eating problem?"

"Nh, ya only do that because you're always stressed trying to do kind things for other people. You have a sweet tooth because you have a sweet heart. Part of why I love ya, Finland."

Finland turned rosy "Oh Sweden, ya may not talk much, but ya say the sweetest things when ya do. I do love that you're strong, handsome and resourceful, but what I love most about ya is that you're sweet. I'd marry ya for your sweetness alone, Sweden."

It was Sweden's turn to turn red "...Really?"

Finland nodded.

"Mmm..." Sweden wrapped his arms around Finland's waist and closed his eyes to keep his glasses from fogging up.

"Thank ya m' love. That means a lot t' me."

Sorry that chapter took me a while guys. I was busy yesterday experiencing my first kiss...from a dolphin that is! (Still in Florida. Dolphins are adorable mother-freakers, by the way, and if you ever get the chance to swim with them, do it. Best thing ever.) Sadly, the dolphin must've not been my true love, because I did not turn into a dolphin after it kissed me. That's okay, if I was a dolphin I wouldn't be able to write for you guys, and that would be sad because you are all the best readers ever!

Love all around!