[ while he most certainly had considered multiple different things he could say to them upon waking up, he'd tended to imagine something a little more fanciful than this - having their eyes flutter open while he was at their side so he could give them a cheeky "good morning," or maybe getting word of their awakening in the middle of the night and stealing in like, well, a thief. Instead, here is Cairngorm, back in the land of the living with zero fanfare, and if it weren't for the fact that it hadn't happened in several months, this scene would look no different from the dozens of other times he'd said hello to them in the morning.

Oh well. Lupin loves his plans, but he can improvise. That strange nervousness doesn't go away, but there is perhaps no man better at overpowering his nerves and charging in than him. Besides, he finds there's something delightful about feeling tense over something as mundane as talking to Cairngorm. Time might have calmed his emotions, but it's clearer than ever to him that it hasn't dulled them when he meets their eyes. His heart leaps, his expression brightens, and he can't help the spring in his step when he jogs the short distance between them. There's a surprising amount of overlap between being a romantic and a thrill-seeker... ]

Just a little morning exercise. It's no easy feat maintaining these looks, you know - not all of us get a few months' worth of beauty sleep. [ Their apparent attempt to run doesn't seem to have fazed him at all, though there's no doubt he didn't notice. It's something he can contend with later. For now, he's just happy to see them - to talk to them again, complaints and all, and his playful grin softens. ] Good morning to you, too. Rest well?