"How have you been? Are you okay? Do you have any limbs missing?" Elena asked breathlessly after hugging Leo for a few seconds, her hands moving frantically over his body in search of any injuries, only letting out a long, shaky sigh of relief once she confirmed that he was indeed whole.
"I'm fine. I'm taller and stronger than I've ever been," Leo replied with a soft smile, stiffening his muscles slightly to demonstrate the progress he had made, a subtle invitation for her to notice how much he had grown.
However, his mother heard none of it.
"Taller and stronger my foot," she scolded, her brow creasing in concern. "Look at how skinny you look. There's not an ounce of fat on those muscles, and your skin is so thin and veiny… did you not eat properly these past few years?" she asked in a voice full of worry, as if his physical appearance alone confirmed her worst fears.
*Chuckle*
