The voice got Rin's attention, but he didn't turn just yet, glaring down at the already dented grill that he actually had no part in damaging. He hadn't been kicking that hard.

He let out a huff, dragging a hand through the mess that was his hair.

"Yeah, well, it makes me feel bet--..."

And that's when he thought to turn.

The voice had hit him as slightly familiar, but it was the face that really got him. He felt something clutch at his heart, so tight he almost couldn't breathe. Memories charged at his mind, angry voices, screams, pain, tears--...

But even as his mouth moved to say something, the rest of his brain caught up with him.

It looked like Shiro, but all the familiar worry lines and wrinkles and signs of age and stress were missing. There was a weight to his shoulders just like there had been when Rin was growing up, but it wasn't quite as heavy.

His chest still felt too tight to breathe properly, so the rest of his cut off sentence tumbled out breathlessly and a little strained.

"better..."