A badger and a fox walk into a bar. There was certainly a joke to be made here, but it wasn’t a bar and the participants weren’t actually animals unless you counted the hair colour of one of them.

“You do this for all your friends? Pop by before the week they leave?”
“...if they tell me.”
“I’m honoured. So. Afore I go. You got anything you want to tell me? Ain’t seen you since we met, got me a little worried. Where do you wanna go?”
“Why me? Nothing you want to see before you leave?”
“You numpty, I can pop over here on a weekend to sightsee anytime. I’d rather you pick a place you wanna go. Think of it as preppin’ you for those date nights.”
“Wh-- You--” Grumbles ensued. “Fine. Hyde Park. Biggest secret I’ve ever kept, so don’t go around shouting it.”
“Biggest…? Oh. I see. Very droll, Arc. The biggest park in London. Somehow I’m not surprised that this is your type of humour as an adult.”

It was quite an okay day, as far as February days go.
“You don’t tell anyone about Hyde? Even if they ask what’s your favourite place in London?”
“No, why should I? This is the place I go to when I’m at my lowest point. It isn’t my ‘favourite’.”
“You’d be surprised. Those at their lowest point are open to the greatest change.”
“You say it like you’ve had personal experience with it.”
“I have. I’m very glad for it. That said, are you sayin’ that your lowest point is with me?”
“When did I ever say that? You… you just happen to be along for the ride.”
“To be fair, everythin’ your emotions do is like a wild ride anyway. Hope you don’t mind if I wanna get off later?” Her grin was immense mischief. “I’m jokin’. What’s on your mind? I get the feelin’ you need me here as a wall to protect your most vulnerable side, which you’re showin’ right now no doubt about it.”
“Nothing’s on my mind, just… feelings. Lots of silly feelings.”
“Now now, don’t be so hurtful to those feelins’. They’re not silly! You got a big heart, can’t you spare some of it for yourself? I know you wanna give it to people all the time, but you matter too.”
“But it is silly. It’s all just feelings of regret. Regrets on this, on that… Look, this isn’t the point. Why are you making it about me? This should be about you. You’re going back, you should’ve picked--”
“Shh. Shhhshhhhhshhshhhh. Stop. No. Not a word outta you. Shush. It’s very much about me as much as it is about you, Arc, because I get to spend time with a friend I’ve missed for ten years. Spendin’ time means listenin’ to all the goods and bads. Being there for both. I didn't ask you for your favourite place, Arc, I asked you where you wanted to go. You didn't mind me comin' along here. That means a big deal to me because I know it's a big deal to you to ask me to come here.”

They watched swans for a while.
“Is one of those regret feelins’ about Ceph?”
“What could I do to ask you to sometimes be a little less perceptive?”
“Hoho! So I’m spot on! Always feels good to be right. No, I was just wonderin’, but now it’s on the menu! You told me when we met not to talk about what happened so I won’t, but I’m surprised you managed to turn him off. He’s a chill guy.”
“You… know him?”
“Uh yeah. Pureblood circles and all that. Even if we weren’t I woulda made friends anyway. Yes, I know you feelin’ the guilt, class difference and all that. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again - class don’t make no bit o’ difference. Some people here act like their bum’s stuffed with tweed, sure, but you know I don’t and neither does he. We don’t mind mixin’ with others.”
“Then you’d be glad to know whatever transpired wasn’t that.”
“I don’t doubt it. Let me guess - was it your award-winnin’ need for self-pity? Your abrupt silence tells me yes. It was a guess you dolt, which I think that’s an appellation you deserve proper, but you can un-deserve it. Why don’t you start by apologisin’?”
“Do you think he wants to see me after that?”
“Maybe not? I can’t speak for him, but apologisin’ sounds right? How about a letter to start? You don’t have to see him, he don’t have to see you, you can write it in the confines of your private time in your office and he can deal with it whenever he feels like it. Nothin’ about confrontation.”
“It still shouldn’t be because I feel bad. It’s not-- it’s not about me.”
“What the f-- It is very much about him, as much as it is about you. He feels bad, you feel bad. Your apologisin’ lets him know you didn’t mean it, you were being a goof and you didn’t mean to make him feel bad. So just do it.”
“He gets to move on.”
“So do you!”

Silence.
“Oh, that hurt didn’t it? It means you like him, and that’s fine. That should be embraced. Now it’s time that you stop worryin' about what the world thinks when you f-- mess up, and start thinkin' about how to move forward and make up for things as you go along. The world won’t wait for you, you’re right. But with you tryin’ to sort your life out, you’re makin’ to show an attempt to move forward and that’s great! Good effort.”
The slap on his back made him wheeze.
“It’ll be hard, but you’re showin’ that you wanna move forward and be better. I know you’re tired and emotionally drained and mentally exhausted, but you gotta believe in yourself. Put your big heart in front of yourself. Be you. Be scared, but brave. It’s okay to be scared.”
“It’s scary to be myself. What if people take advantage of it or don't like it?”
“That’s on them, not you. Not your fault. Let them know you don’t like being taken advantage of. Show more of your feelings, talk about them more, don’t hide them under excuses. Everyone’s too polite these days, it’s infuriating. See? You agree with me! So what are you going to do about it?”

It took a bit of time. “Be me.”
“You got it.” The grin was back. “First step on the way to being yourself. And if you still don’t believe in yourself, believe in me who believes you can do it. Okay?”
“I can’t make any promises to not let you down.”
“I don’t need a promise, Arc. I know you won’t.”