[He tipped his head in a noncommittal answer. Haitham's seen Aether in passing when he was on his way to other places, but never interfering. Music in the forest wasn't wholly unheard of for many reasons, but the time he heard it from someone he knew stuck in the back of his mind until now.

Hearing it was due to the aranara caught his attention, turning his head to look more at Aether. It wasn't surprising. If anyone was going to interact with them in adulthood, he was in the company of all the ones he's immediately pin for it. The books and papers written have obviously been numerous. Alhaitham knew as much as a person who's never seen them could know.

His attention was stolen by the appearance of the lyre, finally closing his book and setting it off to the side. With his headphones off and sitting away from him, he could hear every vibration. Leaning back, he rested his head on his hand, elbow rested on the back of the couch, his eyes on Aethers fingers and how he picked and plucked the notes. Once the accompaniment ends, his gaze lifts to Aether proper.]

You went through a lot here. [He could have said 'we', he acknowledges to himself. He may have stumbled on him by change the first time, and spent a significant leg of the Sumeru journey together, but Haitham knew there was far more to it for the other than there was for him.]

I think everyone got used to seeing you around. That does typically invoke a feeling of acceptance and belonging. They still talk about you now and then.