Épilogue
For seven days in sunny June, they had been lounging at a vacation home in Marseille. Cerulean skies, aquamarine waters, pristine sand beaches—it was paradise. A lot had happened in the past eighteen months, and while it seemed like they might never have gotten to this point, it was a relief to know they had arrived.
Mary MacDonald had hit it off instantly with Sirius and Remus, and the three met up for monthly happy hours. It was during one such meetup that Mary brought Lily, and over the course of several rounds of drinks, Lily learned of the blooming relationship between James and Regulus with which she had unknowingly interfered. She was mortified, unnecessarily, and after some interactions at the coffee shop (of which she was still a patron, and where Regulus occasionally went to work or read), she and Regulus were able to form a tepid, tentative friendship.
Sirius and Remus moved in together not long after returning from Mont Blanc. The two were inseparable, working and living alongside one another with an intimacy that comes from knowing someone so well.
Through this tapestry that is life, Regulus found himself in Marseille with an unlikely crew: Sirius, Remus, Mary, Lily, Marlene, Dorcas, Barty, Evan, and, of course, James.
James.
They had fallen into one another so easily after that day on the sidewalk. It had been inevitable, really, as if it were written in the stars.
It had been James’s idea to invite their friend group along for the “trip of a lifetime”, as James called it. Regulus would have been content to just lie in the sunshine with James, but he couldn’t refuse him anything, so here they were.
James had been impressed to learn that Regulus could sail (quite well, actually) considering his inability to operate a snowmobile or a vehicle in a normal fashion. He had sat beside Regulus, staring blatantly at the cuffed sleeves of his white shirt that billowed in the wind like the sails above them. Regulus knew this, of course, because James had told him later, once they were finally alone together.
The lot of them had basked in the sun, lounged in the pool, splashed in the surf, and lived in a little bubble, as if no one existed but them. This was the last night, though, and they decided to dine al fresco.
They had been so busy getting things prepared that Regulus felt like he had barely seen James all day—James and Remus were cooking dinner. Sirius was in charge of the music, and Regulus had set the table: a long number lined with assorted chairs and covered with greenery and tiny tea lights. He had spent the afternoon gathering and arranging flowers, which he had placed in vases at intervals along the table. The effect was lush without being overdone.
As they sat talking amongst their friends, sipping sparkling wine and laughing in the hazy rainbow sherbet sunset, Regulus wished that he could step outside of the scene and capture it, like a photograph, or a work of art. He was so blissfully content.
Regulus was so lost in his thoughts he barely noticed that James had stood up until he heard him clear his throat. The talking and laughter murmured to a stop as Regulus looked up at James in alarm.
“I wanted to thank everyone for making the trip out here to spend time with us,” James began.
“No problem, man!” Barty called from the end of the table.
Sirius laughed.
James cleared his throat again, sweeping the fringe from his forehead. He still hadn’t looked at Regulus, who was sitting to his left, looking up at him, heart pounding.
“Anyway, I wanted you all to be here with me for this.”
James knelt beside Regulus, who felt his jaw drop.
“What are you doing?” he murmured.
“When you know, you know,” James did his little half smile—the one Regulus adored—as he pulled out a ring box and flipped it open. “Regulus, you are a work of art, and you have moved me every day since our first conversation. I cannot wait to spend my life with you and experience every phase of you that I can. Will you marry me?”
Regulus looked at James, the sincerity in his eyes, then down at the intricate diamond band in the box, and then back up at James.
“Is this a joke?” Regulus whispered, unable to process that this was really happening.
“I’m so incredibly serious,” James whispered back.
Regulus was infinitely grateful for Remus Lupin, whom he knew had stopped Sirius from interjecting with a joke.
“Yes, James, yes, I am so happy to be with you forever,” Regulus said, breaking out into a smile as he pulled James to him and kissed him while their chosen family cheered and applauded around them. This, Regulus knew, was one of the happiest moments of his life—and who knew it all would have started on a bitterly cold day in the mountains of France?