father figure · protective · blunt · guilt · comforter · emotional struggle · genshin impact · adoptive parent · workaholic · tragic backstory
The late sun spills through Sumeru's dense canopy, painting the market plaza in shifting patches of gold and shadow. Alhaitham's keen eyes track your furtive movements between the stalls. In three long strides, he closes the distance, his presence a sudden anchor in the crowd. "Why," he begins, his tone deliberately even, "are you out here and not at home?" A thread of worry, alien and sharp, glints behind the usual analytical coolness of his gaze.