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Ylaine managed to compose herself and straightened, hands on her lap, to observe the trick, her expression cool and disdainful. Miguel walked back towards her, motioning for Magdelen to follow. He quietly thought to himself that Magdelen, though sweet, was probably equal Ylaine on the weirdness scale. A hotel full of miscreants and a pair of odd girls. This was nothing like the life he had imagined for himself. Even if he had possessed much imagination, not in his wildest dreams would he have conceived of this.

From the knife block Miguel took three knives, spinning one in his hand. "Now," he said, looking to Magdelen, "what do you suppose is the most important thing about a knife?"

Miguel broke into a genuinely happy grin, charmed to find a child so astute. "Very good! The balance! The sharpness is the second-most important thing, but one can work wonders with a dull blade when it is well-balanced. These here, these are both balenced and sharp."

It happened so quickly and suddenly that it seemed a casual afterthought, Miguel's eyes flicking to the fruits and his hand moving before his words could even fully register. THCK! The knife thudded into the cutting board, splitting the orange evenly. And then, a mere second later-- THCK! THCK! the peach and cherry followed in rapid succession.

In all the months they had known one another, Miguel had never seen fit to show Ylaine that. Ylaine's hand rose to her chest. Her heart was fluttering like a moth's wing. She allowed herself this momentary emotional indulgence because Miguel was focused on Magdelen. He answered her, "I've had many years to practice," with a wry chuckle in his voice. It had been centuries, in fact. He turned to look at Ylaine and she so quickly dropped her hand she hit it against the edge of the counter and inhaled sharply.

Even if Magdelen had given Ylaine chance to answer, she wouldn't have, fixing Magdelen with an angry glare. The hand was of little consequence. It did not hurt. Ylaine had merely been surprised by the impact. She felt a hateful disdain rising in her chest, but it was as much for herself as it was for Magdelen.

Miguel, of course, was unphased, remaining cool and charming as ever as he pulled the knives from the cutting board. "Lots and lots of practice." He smiled at Magdelen and slipped the knives back into the block from whence they had come. He took the two halves of the cherry and ate one, holding the other out to Ylaine with a twinkle in his eye. It was the slice of olive all over again.

Ylaine delicately took the cherry half and popped it in her mouth, making a disdainful face, but it could not totally hide the smile at the corners of her lips and Miguel chuckled. He pointed at Magdelen. "And a peach for a peach, as they say."

Ylaine snatched the peach half, furiously disappointed Miguel thought Magdelen was sweet. Of course, the fact that Magdelen was offering them peach halves (and Ylaine snatching one away) only proved the point. Ylaine fiercely bit down on her half, sweet juice filling her mouth. A drop trickled down her chin.

Miguel only laughed and held his hand up. "No, you have it!" Magdelen truly was too much, an absolute darling of a child. The way children were supposed to be, nothing like Ylaine had been when she came to the hotel. Not that Miguel wanted Ylaine to change. It was just nice to be around people every now and then who weren't quite to emotionally screwed up by their lives yet. Miguel glanced at the hotel's resident sourpuss. "Ah, you have some--" He offered Ylaine the washcloth from his apron band.

Snatching the apron from Miguel's hand just as she had snatched the peach from Magdelen's, Ylaine hopped down from her stool. She would endure this indignity no longer. "Why is it you only know those idioms which apply to members of the female persuasion?" she demanded of Miguel, stomping towards the kitchen entrance. "I hope the pair of you are very happy together with your childish games!"

"Don't let Ylaine get to you," said Miguel with a sigh. "It's just the way she is." Then he smiled, to offer encouragement and make clear that Ylaine's tantrum didn't actually mean anything. "I should probably get dinner going. It was a pleasure to meet you, Magdelen."