Max cannot help but stare at her shadow in awe. It's fascinating. Distractingly so. So, she'll catch him lifting his head, startled by her words. They need a moment to penetrate, but it's very obvious once they have because tears come to his eyes and it has nothing to do with the onions.

"I... never thought of it that way." His voice is thick with emotions he can't swallow past. "I just thought... I don't know." He thought maybe they didn't find him worthy to face. Like they equated fighting him to fighting a child.

"I'm not helpless. But I didn't really want to hurt anyone. I still don't."