The twins darted forward before Katherine could even draw in a steady breath. Their small feet pattered quickly across the floor, the sound echoing against the walls of Leonard's apartment as if their urgency filled every corner.
"Uncle Leo!" Nathan blurted, tugging insistently at Leonard's sleeve. His round eyes shone with worry, too large for his little face. "Are you okay? Does it hurt?"
Beside him, Maya mirrored her brother's anxious posture, her hand resting lightly on Leonard's arm as if she could somehow lend him strength through touch alone. Her lips pressed together in a tremble, her brows furrowed. "You don't look okay. You're too pale."
Their voices overlapped. It was the sound of innocence bleeding into compassion, and it pierced the heavy silence that had weighed down the room only moments before.
