Midoriya moves his hand over the memory of someone else's wound, and Paul realizes that he's already decided to tell him. Not yet, not here, but he will, because he wants to.

"You are making me feel better." Paul looks at Midoriya's downcast eyes, the bruised shadows underneath them. "I didn't think you were pretending everything was all right. It's not. We know that. Sometimes -" Paul glances up, and inspiration strikes from the heavens, or at least Gideon's room "- things just fucking suck."

"But we're still here, having tea." Paul lifts his cup in his friend's direction, half-smiling all the way up to his own heavy eyes. "That's something. I'm all right to ask for favors. I promise. What do you need?"