For disclaimers, see the first chapter.

Warnings:
Rampant innuendo.

How you slice it
Featuring Tokiha Mai, Kanzaki Reito, Fujino Shizuru, Kuga Natsuki, Suzushiro Haruka and Kikukawa Yukino

"Alright, everyone!" Mai set down a white, porcelain dish with a beautifully arranged roast surrounded by vegetables. "We're missing a few people, but Yukino-san says to start without them, so dig in!"

"Allow me, ladies." Reito stood gallantly, and secured a knife from the holder at the end of the table before starting to work on the roast.

Shizuru – sitting across from him – watched him work for several moments while Mai poured wine into each of the six glasses. Then she shook her head, and stood. "Perhaps I should do this, Reito-san." She drew a second knife, which was slightly larger than the one he was using, and easily started slicing the meat with practiced, even strokes.

"Now, that's hardly fair," Reito objected as he seated himself again. "You have a longer knife."

One fair eyebrow raised, and almost disappeared behind Shizuru's bangs. "Really, Reito-san," she scolded. "It's hardly the length of the blade that matters, but the skill with which you wield it." She caught a muffled snort from beside her, and smiled. "Wouldn't you say so, Natsuki?"

"Ah..." Natsuki's mouth was twitching repeatedly. "Sure." She nodded her head vigorously, and kept her eyes fixed on her empty plate. "Skill over... um, length and-" A cough. "Yep. Definitely."

"Skill is vital," Mai noted as she sat down across from her; violet eyes twinkling knowingly as she readily joined in the banter. "And practice too, of course, yes?"

"Both Natsuki and I find practice very important," Shizuru noted calmly, and settled a slice of the steaming, rosy meat on her companion's plate. "There's no such thing as too much, so we make sure to practice every day. And clean our knives afterwards, of course."

Natsuki almost snorted her wine. "Absolutely," she offered, though her voice was somewhat choked. "Cleanliness is high on the list."

The sound of the door closing halted their conversation for the time being, and Shizuru divided more sections of meat to the remaining three people at the table. Then she looked up. "Good evening, Haruka-san, Yukino-san." She held up her knife. "Would either of you care for some meat?"

For some reason Mai seemed to find that funny, and burst out laughing.

"What is going on here?" Haruka demanded as she and Yukino approached, and took the two empty seats. "Reito-san, why are you letting Fujino do all the work?" She pointed to him, then the roast. "Stand up! Be a man!"

Reito, sadly, was at a total loss. "I assure you, I-"

"Ara, Haruka-san, I promise I don't mind." Shizuru deposited a serving on the remaining plate with a beatific smile. "And either way, my knife is both longer and sharper."

Mai nearly spat her wine across the table, while Natsuki buried her face in her hands. "Shizuru..." The latter of the two muttered. "Be nice."

"I thought I was." Red eyes widened innocently. "I served everyone, yes? It's hardly my fault that Reito-san's knife is dull."

Mai's head hit the table with a heavy thud, while Yukino seemed to have caught on and was now having a redness contest with the wine.

"I really don't understand you people," Haruka groused. "Of all the things to talk about at the dinner table, this?" She peered at each of them in turn. "I'd almost say sex was a more normal subject."

Natsuki clapped her napkin over her mouth, and was shaking all over from the effort not to laugh.

"Sex?" Shizuru seated herself and frowned faintly. "Really, Haruka-san. Some of us are trying to eat."