Bucky doesn't normally let people touch him and he's a little shocked at her doing it but he doesn't stiffen. It's all right, for now, and he doesn't think Merlan has bad intentions. He hopes not, anyway.

"If I wake up to this arm choking me to death, I know who to blame," he teases, though his voice is a little tight. "It's not going to do that, is it?"