[ Time was something he was unable to grasp, when he was in the grip of his own pain; he doesn't know how long it's been since he died. All these years, his friend says, and the shock (somewhere between surprise and horror) shows on his face before he can stop it.

(He'd already suspected, but it's one thing to suspect and another thing to confirm it.)

Since they're already pretending anyway, he speaks normally and pretends it didn't happen. ]

What else was I supposed to call you, hmm?

I can't very well call you a genius for hitting yourself on the head. That would just be rewarding you for idiotic behaviour.

[ Like he hasn't technically rewarded him already..... ]