There isn't anyone around right now, it could be lunch break or someone stocking in the back, which Knives doesn't mind at all since it's one less person he'll have to kill if a human stumbles in and interrupts. It's taking all his willpower not to scoop Vash back up and ruffle his hair and feathers into complete disorganization. Maybe, he thinks, he should be less critical of the human impulse to dote on children. Suddenly he's beginning to understand why they do, somehow it's just different when it's one of his own kind. Or maybe it's something deeper, that recognizes his twin even from another world and displaced by a century and a half, but he all but lights up with delight and misplaced pride when he can feel the touch of a mind on his. Better than he was doing at that age, telepathy took a while to get the hang of! It had ever been Vash's forte, he could hear, but speaking was harder... With Vash coming out of his hiding spot, he crouches and sits on the balls of his feet to bring them a little closer to the same height.

I can hear you, and I'm very sorry for frightening you like that. You can call me Nai if you want to, that was my name when I was about your age. How did you know?