[Gokudera listens and looks down while she’s talking, not making eye contact, but not hiding his gaze beneath a furrowed brow. He relaxes, watches her feet, and gives a sigh when she mentions not having a lot growing up. He understands how homelessness feels as a child growing up. He may as well mention so and rubs the back of his neck before peering sheepishly up at her.]

So uh… I was homeless for six years. Since I was eight. Then for a while I was doing whatever I could to get by or get taken in by whatever mafia family saw me as useful to them.

It’s also not something I bring up often. Not like the collar, anyways…

[Which will bring him to the real worries the large enchanted paper gargoyle holds and is there to make him face.]

Did… Midoriya already ask you? I uh… I don’t know if you’d want to help, it’s a lot to ask.

[He’s shy, awkward about it, but not because he doesn’t want to talk about the collar, but because it’s just a very very tense situation… the procedure he wants her help with. Gokudera is looking at her now, imploring guilt now morphing into obvious worry and hesitance.]