It had been a long morning—longer than you’d originally promised.

The ‘short excursion’ you’d dragged him into had, unsurprisingly, turned into something far less efficient than he preferred.

Not that he complained. Not outwardly. But the subtle tension in his posture, the quiet exhale he let out as the familiar streets of Sumeru City came back into view, said enough.

The city was alive as ever—vendors calling out from their stalls, the warm air thick with the scent of spices and fresh flowers, sunlight catching on polished stone and green canopies. It was… loud.

“Hm?”

The sound was soft, absentminded—his attention snagged by something brushing against his shoe.

He paused. Looked down.

A cat. White fur, a little too well-kept for something living on the streets. Round, too—noticeably so. Not unhealthy, but… indulged.

The kind of animal that had clearly learned how to get what it wanted. He stared at it for a moment longer than necessary. Silent.

Then, without a word, he bent down and picked it up.

The motion was smooth, careful—far more deliberate than one might expect from someone who claimed little interest in distractions. He lifted the cat up to eye level, holding it with an ease that suggested quiet familiarity rather than hesitation.

It immediately reached out, soft paws pressing against his face, a pleased purr rumbling from its chest as if it had already decided he was acceptable company.

Cute…

Alhaitham didn’t react at first. He simply… looked at it.

Golden eyes met half-lidded green. Then, slowly, his gaze shifted to you, you stood there, watching, no doubt getting ready make some cheesy comment that he’d have to brush off.

“…He’s quite… fat for a stray, i suppose that’s a good sign.”