"I think what I took most comfort in was my wooden raven pendant. My mother made me one after my coming-of-age ceremony on Ryyanranot Island, since my father couldn't carve a thing to save his life. It was the only thing I kept through the gulag and the train crash, but SHIELD confiscated it after they found me and I never managed to get it back."

His hand moved to gently touch the scars, frowning, completely distracted. "I shouldn't complain. I can't imagine how much pain you've been through - and you were awake for at least some of it. I got to sleep through all of mine." It's a little awe-inspiring, how Dolemeck didn't let what happened bring him down, and Ilya resolves to do the same with his own issues.