WARNINGS: None, really. Hmmm, bad grammar?

A/N: Well, what do you know. I'm still alive. And my muse came back! Enjoy~

BTW, I changed their ages from Arthur being 3 ½ years old and Merlin being 1 ½. And the title Findan is actually the Old English word for Found.

Disclaimer: Me no own BBC Merlin. Me just fan. This just fanfiction. Me no made money out of it. Me just having fun.

❤•°o.O`•.¸¸.•´´¯`••.¸¸.•´´¯`•´ ◇ⓛⓞⓥⓔ◇ `•.¸¸.•´´¯`••.¸¸.•´´¯`•´O.o°•❤

They enter the plane Arthur once is so excited to see. He remembers feeling so gleeful when sitting at the seat beside the window. Now, all he feels is loss and a deep-seated sadness in his chest. Silent tears streams down his face. He has lost him.

His parents only notices his somberness once they properly are seated. His father panics a bit, as he does every time Arthur cries without apparent reason.

"Arthur, love." His mother, sitting him on her lap, wipes the tear tracks on his cheeks. "What's the matter?"

He has not meant to say the word. It is still too early. He has yet to fully grasp what the word truly meant. But he needs to give a name to his inexplicable grief. "M-Merlin." He utters, blubbering. He sobs only once.

"Merlin?" Father exchanges a puzzled glance with Mother.

Arthur nods, sobbing once again.

"Who told him that? Have you read to him?" Father asks.

"I've never read him the Arthurian legends. Too much violence." Mother replies. "Must have been Tristan, that sod."

They turn to him again.

"Merlin, like the wizard, love?" his mother smiles slightly, rubbing his back. "Like your wizard?"

Arthur nods repeatedly, vigorously. He remembers that part of the word meant something similar. "M-My wizard."

"Stop crying. We'll find him." His father pinches his cheeks lightly. "When we get home, I'll buy you some magic dust."

But Arthur barely registers his father's words. He has seen a familiar hint of blue go down behind his father's seat. Scrambling to his feet, he manages to stand up (with a little help from his mother) and peer above his father's head.

There he is.

Familiar, similarly teary-eyed blue, lifts to meet his yet again.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouts, finally. The babe's parents and even his own are bewildered by his sudden exclamation.

"Oh, it's you again." The babe's mother says in surprise, hands around the babe on her lap.

Merlin's eyes widens. Then, he giggles uncontrollably, causing the pacifier to drop onto his mother's lap. Both of his stout short hands raise towards Arthur, whole body shaking with mirth. Arthur tries to reach for him.

"Arthur, what are you doing?" Hands grasp his waist and forces him to sit back down.

"Merlin!" Arthur repeats, seeing that his parents needs the clarification.

His father glances at the family behind them and realizes that it is the same one as before.

"I dearly apologize. Arthur can be a bit stubborn." His father puts Arthur down again when Arthur attempts to stand up.

"As we told you, it's all right." Merlin's mother responds with a smile. She turns to Arthur who has successfully peered behind. "How did you know his name, dear?"

"His name's Merlin?" This time, it is Arthur's mother who inquires, surprise and wonder present in her voice.

Of course it is. "My wizard." Arthur says proudly. He again tries to reach for the chubby little hands raised towards him.

His father has sat him down again and has shot him a warning glance. Arthur glares as hard as he can. Can he not see that Merlin needs him?

The adults are talking now, smiling and gesturing at both boys. The babe's parents are explaining the reason for such an unusual name. Arthur knows his name is not unusual. Merlin is Merlin. Arthur bothers to listen no longer.

Deciding on another tactic, Arthur jumps from his mother's lap. His knees bend over a bit painfully at the impact but he recovers quickly. He scurries to the aisle before his father or mother catches him. He approaches the seats behind.

Arthur sees that Merlin's hands have started to dejectedly lower, eyes at the air where Arthur's head has been. His lips wobble dangerously. He must have thought Arthur has abandoned him.

Merlin. He calls out because Merlin needs to know that Arthur will never willingly abandon him. Never again.

The babe's head turns quickly to him. He laughs again, the sound childish and filling Arthur's heart with comfort. Those little hands switch direction, aiming for Arthur. Arthur replies with his own carefree laugh and hasty little steps forward.

Arthur finally reaches him. He seamlessly slips his own arms under Merlin's. His fingers connect at the small of the babe's back. He feels the other's hands patting his back, too small and short to do the same to Arthur.

Merlin feels warm and soft and alive. Arthur buries his head deeper in the babe's neck. He smells of baby soap and the fragrance of a toddler. Arthur grins because underneath all that he can smell apples, old books and herbs. He is starting to remember the meaning of the word.

They have attracted the attention of the nearby passengers and some of the stewardesses. Some people watch, transfixed at the display of affection. Others coo at the cuteness of the situation. At least two are pulling out their film cameras to snap photographs of the scene. Arthur's parents just sigh and finally let him be, exchanging looks with the other couple. 'What can we do?' they communicate fondly with their eyes. The other couple just smiles.

"Passengers, please go to your assigned seats and fasten your seatbelts. The plane is taking off in five minutes. I repeat, please go . . ." the voice from the ceiling booms once more.

Most of the people stops watching them, opting to follow the instructions. Those luckily seated just around the two boys just pause to put on their seatbelts and then, turn their gazes back to them.

The two boys do not notice all these. All they care about is the warmth of the other person before them. All they know is that fate has allowed them to glimpse each other again and they are going to take advantage of that.

"Arthur, we need to sit down." Arthur feels two hands under his arms.

He knows what will happen next because of his negligible weight. So, he holds on tight to the babe, almost squeezing the life out of him.

"Gah!" the babe shouts as both of them are lifted to the air. Merlin wraps his little feet around Arthur and Arthur, in turn, shifts his limbs to ensure the babe is secure in his arms.

"Whoa." Slender fingers reach to support the babe and Arthur can see the genuine worry reflecting in the eyes of Merlin's mother.

They are in the air for only a few seconds before Arthur's feet touch the ground again.

"Arthur!" he hears his father reprimand.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouts in return, never loosening his grip.

"Arfur." The babe giggles out, much to the extreme astonishment of everyone around to hear it.

Arthur pulls back slightly, frowning at the babe. "Ar-thur." he mouths the words carefully.

"Arfur!" the babe exclaims, laughing in an endearing way. Arthur sees that his earlier observation is wrong; Merlin already has his teeth, two small protruding ones in front. His chubby hands come up to pat both of Arthur's cheeks, fragile fingers tickling the soft flesh. There is an undeniable wonder in his voice when he repeats, "Arfur."

Arthur tilts his head but relents. "We will work on it." After all, Arthur himself still trips on his consonants and vowels and he is almost four!

Unbeknownst to them both, both of Merlin's parents have wide smiles on their faces. "His first word." Merlin's mother breathes out, exchanging a doting glance with her husband.

It soon becomes apparent that the parents can do nothing to separate them, short of suffering incessant crying throughout the flight. They spare the other passenger's ears by exchanging seats. Arthur's and Merlin's mothers decides to sit beside each other while their fathers sit in front. Arthur and Merlin sit on their mothers' laps, eyes never leaving one other. They settle for holding hands.

The grown-ups talk about the boring things like jobs, household chores, vacations and healthy foods. Arthur and Merlin giggle inexplicably in intervals, eyes bright with happiness and love.

Will we be separated again? Merlin's blinking eyes asks when a voice in the ceiling informs them of the plane's landing.

Yes. Arthur answers truthfully. He sees the babe's eyes tear up at the thought. Arthur himself can feel his eyes stinging. But we'll meet again. Arthur hurriedly reassures.

How do you know? Merlin asks doubtfully.

I just do. Arthur has heard his parents talk about 'first class seats' and knows that place is not here—not with Merlin. Fate has granted them the chance to find each other for a second time so why not a third time? Or a fourth? Don't you? Don't you feel that we're going to meet again?

The babe glances at their intertwined hands. Then, he lets out a brief laughter, smile wide enough to show an array of gums and two small teeth. When he meets Arthur's gaze, his eyes twinkle with understanding and no small amount of fondness. Arthur knows his eyes reflect the same emotions.

The plane safely landed on the runway.

Their mothers managed to get out of the place and into another cool airport without separating their children's hold on one another. Arthur and Merlin agrees that their moms are actually both supermoms with superpowers. Their fathers walk behind, struggling with the luggage. They talk about golf and football. Arthur and Merlin decides that their fathers are the sidekicks.

However, all too soon, they have to part ways yet again.

"It's time to go." Arthur hears his mother's soft voice. He knows what she's asking. Arthur can hear the babe's mother whispering something to Merlin's ears. Arthur guesses that Merlin is being told to say goodbye.

Arthur casts a mournful glance at Merlin. Even though he is sure that they are going to meet again, Arthur loathes to be separated from his wizard. He hates goodbyes. Merlin smiles slightly but his eyes belies the sadness he is also feeling.

Both of them nod. Then, at the same time, their grasps on each loosens and their hands drop to their sides.

Their grip relinquishes by their reluctant but own will.

"Say goodbye to your friend, love." Arthur's father says, a proud smile on his face.

Arthur vigorously shakes his head, face determined. He looks at Merlin and croaks, "See you soon, Merlin."

The adults share an amused and fond laugh. Again, Arthur's father ruffles his hair. Arthur finds nothing funny at losing his best friend again.

But Merlin smiles even as tears stream down his cheeks. "Shee you t-too, Arfur."

With that, their parents walk away, taking them further away from each other. They have lost each other.

But both are comforted in the knowledge that fate will let them meet again. Their paths, after all, are destined not just to intersect but also to become one with the other. Soon. Someday.

❤•°o.O`•.¸¸.•´´¯`••.¸¸.•´´¯`•´ ◇ⓛⓞⓥⓔ◇ `•.¸¸.•´´¯`••.¸¸.•´´¯`•´O.o°•❤

A/N: Wow, that was long and so mushy. Well, it ended on a happier note than the last chapter, didn't it? Well, I have an idea for another chapter (goddamn it, I want to write another one!) but I'm too much of a lazy bum to do it.

I hope you guys enjoyed it!

Have an awesome day, everyone!

~Vividpast