And yet he’s one of the best spies the KGB has, tells and all. And one of the most mysterious, as well- Natalia knows about his parents, she’s the one that knows the most about him in this place but he doesn’t even know their names, or where Illya was born. He’s survived this long because he knows people will see his tells and stay on the surface, and so far it’s worked just fine for him.

“It seems to be working just fine as finger paint, for me.” He reaches to poke her nose. Have a magenta spot on the tip, Nat.

He doesn’t comment on the placebo thing, because she’s probably right. Technology and science are pretty advanced in his country as far as he’s concerned, but he knows he’s literally decades behind everybody else’s so instead of arguing that kind of thing, he listens and learns.

He grabs her arm to lick her arm- she didn’t ask for permission, so he doesn’t either. But she doesn’t make a show of it, still just licking with the tip of his tongue. And then, he grins.

“I win this round.”