A Meeting of Friends (P, IO)

Approved big dawg

The twins were quick to leave, everything seeming to finally catch up to them. Everyone seemed to be a bit on edge, anger and sorrow crashing through the room like waves to a beach. There was nothing else he could really say as they left. Max wanted to speak up, wanted to ask them to remain for their presence alone comforted him. But his words simply couldn’t be found, and so with silence they had left.
 
Sakana would then speak up, regarding something that couldn’t have been easy for him to say. He had one of the tailed beasts, and he gave Max a welcome invitation to speak with him regarding what they were and how he could learn a bit more about them, and also offered an invitation to his own home. A change of scenery to help ease the mind and help stop the memories from flooding in and bringing tears to his eyes. He might end up taking Sakana up on that offer. Max didn’t have the words to say anything back, his throat a seeming ball of misery at the moment but he did give a nod to Sakana before he left, hoping to show his appreciation for everything.
 
All that remained were Renji, Reizo and Saya. Renji seemed to be taking everything pretty hard, his sadness seemingly swallowing him up and preventing him from saying anything. Max understood that feeling more than anyone else, he imagined.
 
Saya would offer her help as well. She stepped over towards the boy, her eyes showing the emotions that were welled up inside of her. Her words seemed so filled with sorrow and heartache, and she wrapped her arms around Max. He would embrace the hug, his held back tears now pouring down his face yet again. Despite his shinobi status, and despite everything that he had been through the bottom line was that Max was still just a child and sometimes he needed to not have to be strong. His sobs filled the quiet room, and the comforting of Saya reminded him of a closeness to people that he had thought this world would now be devoid of. Reizo would use this time to clean up the broken glass from Renji’s cup. The blonde chuunin would simply cry, his tears seeping into anything they could. 
 
Reizo would then inform them that he too had one of those tailed beasts… inside of him? These creatures were carried inside of people? That is rather strange to say the least. Max would fight back the tears and sobbing long enough to thank Reizo, both for his offer of help and for his wise words in regards to Max’s dealing with Maku. Max knew that Reizo had a point, but who else could he go to that would have such information available to them?
 
Max didn’t know how to feel in regards to his offer of leading their team. On the one hand, he was a good friend and a capable shinobi. On the other hand, though, every single time they went on a mission he would see Reizo and be reminded of the reality of everything. He would be reminded of how much he had lost, and that’s not something he wants to pin on Reizo. He is not to blame for what had happened. So Max would have no words, allowing Renji or Saya to make the decision.

Something about Reizo seemed… off, though Max’s vision was greatly blurred through his own tears and so luckily he didn’t see the evil, red eyes of a demon that the Jounin now seemed to possess. It was likely for the best, as he probably couldn’t deal with any more trauma at the moment.