Ever since Regulus' death, James had developed a nightly ritual. Whenever the Regulus star appeared, he would sit beneath it and talk as if his boyfriend could hear him.

His conversations were always the same: stories about his day, memories of their time together, and desperate pleas for Regulus to somehow return. But no matter how much he wished or how often he begged, James knew the truth—Regulus was gone, and he wasn’t coming back.

Yet, acceptance didn’t mean moving on. Sitting cross-legged on the grass, James gazed at the star, a bittersweet smile on his lips.

“I miss you,” he whispered, his voice trembling. “We all do. Just... come back, even for a second. Let me hold you again. Give me that glare you always had, the one that made me feel guilty even when I hadn’t done anything wrong. Let me see your smile one more time. Please.”

Tears streamed down his face as his words trailed off. He tilted his head back, staring at the star with longing. But, as always, there was no response. The silence was crushing, though James had come to expect it.

TIMESKIP

Years later, James had a family with Lily and a son of his own, but he never stopped talking to the star. Regulus had wanted to be remembered, and James made sure of it.

Tonight was no different. He sat in the same spot, speaking softly to the sky. Then, a small voice broke the quiet.

“Dad?”

James turned, startled, and saw his child standing there, rubbing their eyes. A tired but warm smile spread across his face. “Ah, hey, buddy,” he said, his voice softening. “What are you doing up so late? Couldn’t sleep?”