Genie is historically exceptional at catching him off guard--in little ways, generally, but it as though she in particular has a knack for finding the moments in between moments where he is not watching for that knife in his back, or saying the words that were not part of any script. It is, ultimately, a large part of what he finds so addictive about her.

And she takes him absolutely unawares.

Enough so that the sensation of pain itself is delayed--he feels the tip slice into his arm, feels his skin split open in a sharp moment, but then it's gone and doesn't come back until two, three seconds later, all at once as she's already shoved him backwards, stumbling, his blue eyes widening as his breath turns into a gasp of consternation and pain.