His memories go sharp and clear and precise and he can suddenly think about five times as much at once. The reflex boost is not obvious.

Wag wag. "It works!"

"Oh good. In a couple years we can have enough to go around - maybe Milliways will make the time dilation helpful - and then Timothy will not have to decide which he likes better, you or the kind of brain he would tailor himself to run an empire."

"I suppose I could just get around to putting a chip in my head." He sighs and returns the necklace.

He slips it back on. "I'd also love to know if they stack with the chip kind. How do you get a chip magicked so it's not forkable, do you need to interact with a Vala for that?"

"Possibly not on an individual basis."

Nod. "Thank you." 

And he goes upstairs.

"I have decided that I want to put your hair back."

" - they can do that?"

"Yes. Don't need to touch it or anything."

Nod.

"Come over here."

And he ruffles his hair and sighs. "Maybe someday."

"You're really not trying, are you? You could pretend to be regretting having done it -"

"Yes, I could. And instead I'm being honest; that's trying in its own way, isn't it? I like you this way and I am going to miss it and I am not moved by how much you hate it and I actively enjoy how much it hurts you but I don't fancy attempting to explain it. Okay?"

"If that were not okay I wouldn't say so, you're doing something I want and I don't want to distract you from it."

"But is it okay?"

"...it's not inherently incompatible with being someone I respect?"

Pat pat. 

He sighs. 

He summons a demon.

"Ooh, Elf summon, score. Hi!" says a demon.

"NIce to meet you! I'm Maitimo, this is Findekáno -"

"Chori. What can I get for you?'

"We would like his hair to be about the length of mine, can you do that?"

"Easy. What's on offer?"

"I don't know what you're looking for but I know a bunch of songs that have never been recorded anywhere and a great many books Hell will not yet have and also this is a magic ring - you won't be able to copy it - that lets the bearer walk on water."

"Water walking ring? Can I test it out first, make sure it's legit?"

"Yeah, sure, but if anyone downstairs asks what I summoned you for I would like you to say it was a bunch of books."