While the sudden compliment took Remus aback, he wasn’t particularly discomforted by it. Something changed in his expression before a grin had the chance to follow, ghosting at the corner of his mouth as he picked the cigarette from his lips.<br/>His own reaction solidified to him how caught-between-worlds this felt, unsure if he could have bared to receive any acknowledgement of the sorts were it said just a few hours later. Now, however, Remus couldn’t help but perk up at it, his interest piqued, too used to hearing compliments spoken with a clear intention.<br/>“Thank you,” he replied through a held breath, a smile briefly but brightly on his lips before he exhaled the smoke. Remus watched Sirius through it as it filled the space between them, uncertain if Sirius really was being as bold as Remus was interpreting him to be.<br/>So, as he raised the last half an inch of his cigarette to his lips, Remus asked what he thought to be a more pressing question.<br/>“Why Poppy?”