Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Summary: A week before Regulus' death, he and Sirius share one final talk. Amends are made.

Sirius drags a finger across the beach's warm sand, absently marking his name as he watches the waves crash down on one another. It's a peaceful sound.

"I didn't think you were going to show up," he says without looking up and he is met with a small chuckle. The hair on his arms stand up and oh, how long has it been since he's heard his brother's laugh? Four years? Maybe. Maybe forever.

"I was the one who invited you," Regulus points out as he sits down beside him and Sirius doesn't have to see him to know that his brother's lips are curled up into this familiar half smile and Sirius laughs because he's not sure what else he should do.

It's silent for a moment before his brother breaks it with, "I'm glad you could come." Sirius nods stiffly. There's so much tension, so many words left unsaid, too much pain mixed in there. Where do they start?

"Why did you ask me here?" he asks Regulus, because he needs to know, he has to.

If he was expecting anything, it wasn't the harsh laugh Regulus gives or the words that fall from his mouth. "Do you remember when we were kids and we used to sneak out, come here and run through the waves?"

Sirius raises his eyebrows, nods because yes, he remembers, of course he remembers. "Yes, I do. I still wonder how no one ever caught us."

This time, Regulus gives a different laugh, a warm one that makes Sirius wonder, not for the first time either, where everything went wrong. "Honestly, brother, you never did give me enough credit."

Sirius involuntary flinches. He hasn't been called that in a long time now, such a long time. "Why did you ask me here?" he asks again and this time silently adds, after all this time? That's the real thing he wants to know.

At one point, before their family had divided them and forced them apart, Regulus and Sirius had been inseparable, closer than blood. But now, they are on different sides of a war.

Regulus doesn't say anything for a moment and Sirius would give just about anything to know what's going on in his brother's mind. Though he's tempted to ask, he doesn't. Because one, it's not his place anymore and two, Regulus never says anything unless he wants to.

So while his brother broods over whatever is currently on his mind, Sirius sneaks a look at him. Regulus has always been on the lanky side of things but this. This is downright ridiculous. His cheekbones are more pronounced than ever before and his eyes are huge against his gaunt face. He looks older than his eighteen years.

Sirius looks away, turning his attention back to the still crashing waves. It's not his place. Not his place at all.

"Because I wanted to talk," Regulus says finally and it tartles Sirius.

"About what?" he asks and he's proud he keeps a bitter edge from his voice. He's frustrated and just a little bit angry; he's not sure at who or what, but he knows better than to take it out on his brother like he did when they were kids. He suspects now that that was one of the reasons that Regulus drew away from him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sirius catches Regulus throwing his hands up in a defeated gesture. "Merlin, Siri, you're determined to make this hard on me, aren't you?"

At this, Sirius fights not to let his lips curl upwards. Damn right he is. Because older brothers like to watch their little brothers squirm and that isn't going to change.

Regulus sighs. "You know what? Forget it." He makes a motion to stand up. And before Sirius knows it, he's reaching out and locking his hand around Regulus's wrist, forcing him to stay sitting.

It's the first time they've made eye contact all night. Gray eyes stare into matching gray and there's anguish and guilt in both pairs.

"I'm sorry," Sirius breaths, and he is. He's sorry for leaving and not protecting him. Sorry for letting a war divide them;sorry for everything.

Regulus nods, whispering "I'm sorry too."

They stay like that for a moment before Sirius breaks away with a forced laugh and he's never been good at comforting and dealing with his emotions.

He runs his hands through his hair as he tries to erase all earlier expressions of emotion gone then his eye catches the ocean's waves and he gives a slight grin. "Want to?"

It doesn't take long for Regulus to realize what Sirius is thinking. "Race you," he says with a laugh, standing and kicking off his shoes, pulling his shirt over his head. Sirius isn't too far behind him and in seconds, both are running towards the waves a few feet away from where they were sitting.

Standing knee-high in rushing water, Sirius takes a moment to look at his brother. He smiles and thinks, yeah, they still have issues and it's going take a long time to work them out, but they will. Then, he laughs and successfully dunks Regulus. And for just a little while, they are two boys again, two brothers who believe that nothing can tear them apart.

(Regulus dies just two days later in an attempt to save his brother from being killed by his master but hush, let's not ruin this for them, shall we?)