It was so much more complicated than just 'taken' or 'volunteered'. Fooled was the most accurate statement, and from there, escape had not been possible. But horror stories weren't the point of the evening. Perhaps it would not be the point for a while.

"Languages are nice to learn," he admits. "They are... freeing. Yes. That is the word I want. They make me feel free. Like borders are just lines that do not divide us. I would be happy for lessons."

Just as he is happy to stretch an arm around her shoulders. Because yes, it should be comfortable, to be touching. There is nothing wrong with such things. Comfort in friends and other people should be celebrated when the world is, as it clearly is, a scary place.

"Speed is good, but sometimes you run into people that can almost keep up. They should be handled with skill as well. So I must learn skill. So I would be happy to take what lessons I will be offered. The way I was taught before was mostly 'run at it very fast and knock it over'."

Clearly Hydra had not wanted to put effort into making him actually dangerous. And lessons mattered a lot less than the other thing. Adjustment was a lesson all its own. Like thinking about trips.

"My skin is only so fair right now because so much time spent in bunkers when I was held. I tan up very nice. Though I would indeed prefer to avoid cold right now. It was cold, when Sokovia was in the sky."

And that chill would not leave him soon.