[Paul folds his hands behind his back, tucking his chin slightly, a smile that's nearly shy in its ambiguity making a crescent curve of his mouth. There's a lightness in his stance of a weight that, if not lifted, has been shifted to a more bearable balance.]

Now who's underestimating who?

[Like the near shyness, it's nearly teasing. If not for the violet hollows of worry under his eyes that no swift reprieve can remove, it might be wholly so. He hasn't gotten everything he wanted, but he's gained an assurance of something far more valuable.

And maybe he's managed to salvage something else he didn't know he had, until it was slipping through his fingers. He has such slight experience making friends the way people here seem to - what does he know about how it's done?]

Like I said. I'm not planning anything. [He turns serious at that, smile disappearing back to whatever fey place he called it from.] These are just contingencies.

Not everyone thinks like you do about people. Judges them on their own merits. Or lack thereof. [This, with a wry glance down at himself.] You should be proud of that. And I'm grateful for it.