[They laugh like it’s ridiculous — like it hasn’t been true before in more ways than one. They really laugh because it’s fun and they like getting to see him smile. When it starts to fall and they can see the familiar ghost of memory in his eyes, they slow their touch to rest against him instead and give him time to readjust to whatever it is he needs to work around in his mind, now. He comes back soon enough, though from all their time with memories, they’re sure that moment stretched longer inside of him, and he rewards his finding his way back with an impish little grin.]

We can play ‘knots’! It’s a game I made up when I was little. Only it’ll be better this time because there’s someone else to play it with.

[And maybe they’ll put little braids in here and there. They know it will ache, but...would it be nice to think about them around another, instead of just waiting?]

When you find a knot, you think about what sort of secret got all tangled up in there, and while you’re thinking really, really hard you set it free! Sometimes the secrets aren’t as secret as others.

[They lean away finally and hop back onto their feet, fluffing their own mane for show.]

I mostly grew out of my knots! But I bet my hair remembers how, so you can have something to do, too! If you want. It’s more fun when they aren’t your own.