Midoriya is breaking in the new rice cooker. Prepping the sauce as best he can out of whatever's on hand gives Midoriya some much needed distraction. One thing at a time. For now, he (desperately) takes a simple joy in starting a dish of a size that's better shared.

Midoriya returns upstairs and knocks politely on the door. At Paul's muffled Come in, Midoriya enters. He's got an eggplant in his hand and resolve in his heart and nothing can stop him. He's going to make sure his friends are safe. Just like that one video he watched, he's got this.

"You said I could come in!!"

He holds the eggplant in front of him like a shield. It, of course, blocks nothing of the sweaty twine of his friends' bodies.