[A/N: Based on a cute idea by blulious! Also, heads up that I'm going to be posting my works on A03 first from now on. The smut will stay as A03 only.]

"Think back. Remember every detail," the therapist urged gently.

Alfred leaned back into the plush leather upholstry and closed his eyes as he tried to visualize the fateful day when he had lost his soul mate forever. He had only been four at the time, so he didn't remember much. It was a hot summer day, he knew that much. He had felt the sweat and the crowds as everyone jostled to leave Disney World at closing time. Trying to keep up with his parents, he had bumped into someone, another boy, and the next thing he knew, his soul mate watch had slipped from his wrist. Alfred had bent down to look for it, a mistake that he regretted every day since then. He should have looked up at the boy! He should have yelled out his own name, so they would have some way to find each other as the crowd pulled them apart.

But instead he had picked up the watch and chased after his parents. When he told his mother and father the good news and begged them to go back, they reassured him that he was mistaken. His soul mate couldn't be another boy. And he was far too young, anyway. There was just a mechanical defect in his watch, they lied, replacing it with what would later turn out to be a fake watch.

The worst part was that Alfred believed them. He spent a decade trusting that he was destined to spend his life with a nice girl. It wasn't until puberty hit that his confusing thoughts returned and he couldn't deny it any longer. He didn't want to look at girls, he wanted to look at boys. Some part of him had never forgotten that hot day when he bumped into another boy, even if the face that haunted his dreams was a blur.

When he snuck out of the house to get a second opinion on his real watch, the poor watch mechanic had to break the bad news to him. There was no way to reset a watch after you met your soul mate.

Alfred turned to the internet after that. There were websites for people like him, people who had bumped into a soulmate and missed the chance at making what should have been a life-long connection. But he didn't have a precise date and his parents refused to give it to him, insisting that he was lying and broken and wrong.

The therapist listened to his story and his tears with sympathetic ears. She nodded soothingly and waited until he had nothing more to add. "None of this is your fault," she said reassuringly. Her fingers gripped her pen tightly, but the gentle expression never left her face. "Did you ever go back?"

Alfred shook his head. "No. I called a few times, to see if they had kept any stuff, but it was so long ago..." he trailed off.

"I think you should go back," she said firmly. "Seeing the place may help settle your emotions, and you might be able to remember something new."

"You're not going to tell me that it's hopeless and I should stop looking?"

"No." She gave him an encouraging smile. "Wanting to find your soul mate is perfectly normal, Alfred. And the effort you put into this is going to make you feel better in the long run." She leaned a little closer and lowered her voice. "Don't give up hope. If you're soul mates, I think you're destined to meet again."

Alfred clung to those words with all his heart as he made arrangements to travel back to the amusement park. Maybe he would be able to find some hint or clue that would lead him to his soul mate. Or perhaps his efforts would at least convince his parents that he was serious and that it wasn't 'just a phase.'

The park was just as hot and crowded as Alfred remembered, but he was disappointed to find that standing amidst the throngs of people didn't stir any new memories.

As he wandered through the busy streets, feeling like a weirdo for visiting by himself, he chanced upon a wishing well behind the Cinderella Castle. Pretty flower pots and benches filled the quiet area, giving him a break from the crowds and a nice view of the castle. Alfred meandered over to the well and decided it was worth a shot. He pulled out a penny and closed his eyes. Wishing that he would find his soul mate again, he dropped the coin into the well.

After that lovely oasis of calm, he made his way back into the crowds with renewed determination. Soul mate watches had only been around for a few decades, so they were making new improvements all the time. Perhaps one day they would have soul mate GPS and he could easily meet the boy with a blurred face.

Lost in his thoughts, Alfred didn't notice the young man with an ice cream cup walking toward him. He bumped into the man's arm, knocking the cup to the ground. The ice cream splattered everywhere.

"Damn it," the other man grumbled, earning them a few frowns from nearby families. "I had to wait an hour in line to buy that!"

"I'm so sorry," Alfred profusely apologized to the slim young man with well-groomed thick eyebrows and messy blond hair. "I'll get you another!"

"You'd better. Dole Whip is the only decent food around here."

Although Alfred hated to take time away from his soul mate quest, his sense of justice demanded that he replace the lost ice cream. He followed the other man to a small cafe called Aloha Isle and his eyes bulged when he saw the huge lines. Apparently the grumpy Brit wasn't the only one fond of the ice cream.

They stood awkwardly and silently in line for the first few minutes. Alfred craned his neck to look around the area. They were at the edge of Adventureland and it was filled with palm trees and exciting rides. He could even see a Disney employee dressed like Peter Pan. It was too bad that Alfred was on a mission, because he would have liked to try out the rides.

After a few more minutes, he glanced to the front of the line and tried to count how many people were ahead of them. It was sad how much of the Disney World experience was spent waiting in line.

"It moves faster than it seems," the other man said, breaking the silence.

"Dude, I sure hope so," Alfred replied as he turned back to face the Brit. Despite his scrunched eyebrows and annoyed frown, he was pretty cute. Out of long habit, Alfred's eyes flickered to the man's bare wrist and he felt a sharp pang of jealousy.

He caught the other man staring at his own blank wrist and hoped that he wouldn't ask any questions. It was always embarrassing to admit that he had technically met his soul mate, but didn't know who he was. Alfred hated the pitying looks.

"So... what's Dole Whip?" he asked to change the subject, earning him a long and detailed description of the pineapple-based confection. It was apparently the best and tastiest way to cool down on a hot summer's day. Alfred grinned at the other man's enthusiasm, deciding that he looked much cuter when he was talking excitedly in that crisp accent. "Sounds like you come here often," Alfred said, hoping it didn't sound like a corny pick-up line.

"Yes, every year since I was eight," the Brit admitted.

"Wow, you must really like it here!"

The other man's expression turned sour. "No, not really."

"Oh." Alfred didn't know how to respond to that, but he turned to discover that the line had moved much faster than he expected. He was saved from further conversation as he ordered two Dole Whips. After standing in line and listening to the man sing their praises, he had to get one for himself too.

They found an empty bench around the corner and eagerly licked the cold, sugary treats. Alfred sighed in delight. "This is good! Dude, I'm glad I ran into you."

"Well, I'm glad you derived some benefit from it," the man responded tartly, although it was hard for him to look terribly annoyed as he greedily devoured the dessert. They ate silently and quickly.

"I wish I had gotten another one," Alfred said with a sigh as he tossed his empty cup into the trash. He looked at the long line and decided it wasn't worth it. Especially since he still wanted to go visit the lost-and-found services. He stood up and gave the other man a cheerful wave. "Sorry again about earlier."

"It's okay." The other man nodded. "Just... watch where you're going next time."

As Alfred turned to leave, he realized he had forgotten something important. "Hey, what's your name?" he called.

"Arthur Kirkland."

"It was nice to meet you, Arthur. I'm Alfred F. Jones!"

And with that, he waved goodbye and hummed as he made his way through the crowds. The ice cream had been a nice diversion, but he was a man on a mission. He walked down the crowded main street and made his way to lost-and-found. It was somewhat embarrassing to explain to the woman behind the desk that he was looking for a person he had lost 15 years earlier. At least she didn't look disgusted by the 'gay' part, but he hated the pitying look she gave him as she shook her head. "Oh, I'm sorry, hun. We don't keep records from that far back."

Seeing nothing better to do, Alfred stood in a few more lines and waited for a few more rides. He wished he had gotten Arthur's number. The lines had seemed to pass by quicker when they talked.

At closing time, Alfred made his way through the bustling crowd to the exit. The heat and the sweat were as bad as he remembered, but at least this time he wasn't struggling to keep up with his parents on short legs. Being taller than the crowd was a nice advantage. He could see over the heads of children dressed like princesses and adults wearing mouse-ear hats. He grinned when he spotted a familiar figure standing still in the middle of the crowd. Arthur looked like a rock battered on all sides by a raging sea. Alfred grinned and pushed his way closer. Maybe if they were both visiting the park the next day, they could spend some time together.

"Arthur!" he called, smiling and waving.

The Brit didn't seem to notice him. He was too busy standing in one place with his eyes closed as annoyed people moved around him on both sides. As Alfred moved closer, he felt a brief flash of déjà vu. This was the place. The place where everything had gone wrong 15 years earlier.

"Dude, what are you doing?" he asked with a chuckle, gently placing his hand on Arthur's upper arm as more people glared at them for blocking the exit.

"I'm trying to remember what he looked like," Arthur murmured, as if speaking to himself. "He reached down for his watch and then he just... disappeared."

Alfred's heart began pounding in his chest and his hand dropped to his side. The clues added up. Why else would Arthur faithfully visit a place he didn't like for so many years? In fact, that was probably why he disliked the place to begin with. And Alfred had always tried to find his soul mate on American sites, not British ones. He kicked himself for his short-sightedness. As soon as he realized that accents were sexy, he should have expanded his search! There was only one way to find out...

"Did you lose your soul mate too?" Alfred whispered.

Arthur gasped as his eyes jolted open. For two heartbeats, they both stared at each other in shock. "It's you!" Arthur cried, a grin slowly spreading across his face.

Before they had any more time to react, someone pushed their way between them. Alfred found himself briefly separated by the crowd and he remembered the fear he had felt as a four year old seeing his destiny slip away from him. The terror of the thought of a lifetime alone clenched at his heart.

But he wasn't a helpless child this time. He could see above the crowd. He was bigger and stronger. Alfred lunged forward and grabbed Arthur's hand, holding it tightly and feeling Arthur squeeze back as they left the park together. They had 15 years to make up for, and this time he was never letting go.

.

.

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THE END

Author's Notes

I hope y'all wanted diabetes! :)

Also, I received zero compensation for this Dole Whip advertisement, but if Disney does want to pay me, preferably in the form of park tickets and Dole Whip, I will happily accept payment.