[ it doesn't matter. rin's not going to be the one to explain crying to heine, especially when he's still not owning up to the fact that he is, in fact, still shedding tears.

i won't stay dead.

that in and of itself is a terrifying statement, one ripe with meaning so disquieting that rin can't quite take in the shape of it. what does heine want, then? does he think dying would make up for a death that wasn't his fault? ]

You're not a thing.

[ the words flung from him like a jab, soaked again now that the flood has been unstoppered. rin, furious at himself - and at heine for saying something as idiotic as that - takes a deep breath, trying to control himself. ]

And none of that stuff is your fault.

[ heine was just a kid. scared and alone and forced into something incomprehensible in its cruelty.

rin doesn't understand. of course rin doesn't understand. cruelty comes in many forms in the world from which he came, but none of those involve what heine is admitting to him. ]

Besides -- you're the one standing here now. He didn't kill me, even though he could've. I don't know how we can fix this, but -- we're gonna find a way.

[ rin sounds like he believes it. because he does. ]

You give up, and I'll find a nice deep part of the flood to toss you into until you change your mind. Alright?

[ he already has an idea forming. tadashi's tech combined with rin's willingness to help. ]