closure - A Continuation of champagne problems
James sat on that same train he had booked a year ago after his failed engagement, crumpled letter buried deep in his coat pocket. Sirius had told him that Regulus was hosting another party, not unlike the one he had left with his heart shattered all over the marble floor last year. But it meant something to Regulus that he was coming and James was nothing if not a weak man.
Regulus’s letter had told him to move on and be happy and James had tried, really, but he could never move on from those lips and that glare and those words that could make or break him. Not without some sort of apology. In person.
He needed closure.
So that’s how James Potter found himself at the same doorstep he had stood at last year, ring in his pocket, Regulus’s picture in his wallet. And that’s how James Potter ended up walking across an empty dance floor to where Sirius and Remus and—Regulus—were sitting.
Looking at Regulus is hard. Even harder when Remus and Sirius excuse themselves from the table to go dance.
“James, I’m—”
“You don’t have to.” James couldn’t meet his eyes. It’s been a long time, yes, but not long enough.
“It—It isn’t right…the way that things went down,” Regulus continued, insistently. “And—and I know that now, but I still…I don’t think you would take me back even if I would…but—erm, well I’m still not ready…I don’t think I’ll ever be, but I just want to ask if you got my letter? I never got a response—but really I wasn’t expecting one—”
James really could’ve let Regulus flounder, but he didn’t feel like it. He didn’t want to listen anymore. “Yes, I got your letter. Yes, I’m doing better. I know that this,” he gestured between them, “is over and I don’t need your closure. It’s just for you. Everything always is.”
“I—I know and I’m really sorry…I just want to try and—well not fix things between us…but can we just be friendly? You—I’ve heard that you haven’t been too well…and well I just want you to be okay.” Regulus was fiddling with his rings. A nervous tick.
“Can you stop treating me like some situation you have to ‘handle?’” James sighed. “I’m fine with my tears and my bloody beers because have you ever been broken up with by the love of your life? No? Well that’s normal.”
“James—”
“No, this is only for your conscience because I know this whole situation is weighing on your new life like some crease in a nice shirt that you just want to be rid of.”
“I do care about you!”
“You should’ve thought about that before you made the choices you did.” James stood up, not bothering to give Regulus a second glance before leaving that grand house, once again.
Who needs closure?