"You have countless of younger siblings, don't say that you haven't never had to lure them into doing something, never nudge them into a right direction?"

"Angels are soldiers of God, we do as we are told. We have never so…" Michael glanced the toddler in the next room, who was lying on the floor and staring apathetically TV, "so helpless."

Adam snorted. He had had to give the angel almost as much help about putting on layers as for Kyle when they had gone outdoors earlier. Mighty warriors indeed.

"But of course I could-"

"No, you don't try that." Adam sighed. "I'll come up with something. Watch that he doesn't wander away or anything. I need to see if I can find any materials."

After ten minutes he returned to the living room to see Kyle still on the same spot on the floor and Michael perched on the couch behind him keeping a close eye on the boy. "Alright, enough infomercials for now." Adam shut the TV. "You should be cleaning your toys."

"Don't want to."

"I know, but what about if we make a deal." Adam sat down and spread a deck of cards in front of him. "If I can manage to guess the color of ten of these cards you get to pick, you'll clean your room, but if I get one wrong, Michael and me are going to do it. Deal?"

The boy chewed his lip and eyed the cards. "Okay."

"Great," Adam grinned "Point a card."

The boy did as he was told. Adam leaned forward and squinted intensely at it. "It's red, isn't it?"

Kyle snatched the card from the carpet and revealed 8 of hearts. "It is!" "Point another." He poked one. "That's easy, it's black." Queen of spades.

Eventually Kyle had six black and three red cards in front of him. "Alright, the last one. Choose wisely."

The boy chewed his lower lip and slowly tapped the card nearest to him. Adam took his time leaning to his fingertips and staring at the card. "Red."

Kyle quickly flipped the card but then just as quickly turned it back downwards. "No it's not!"

"We both know it is. Now, time to go to clean your room as your mother told you and then it's dinner time. Chop-chop." Adam pushed himself up and started to usher the boy towards his room.

"Do another one!" "Nope. The deal was ten. Now clean it properly because I'll check it before you get any pizza." The boy muttered opposes but started his chores.

"Alright, Michael, do you want to take the responsibility of warming up the pizza or do the di-" Adam had to stifle a laugh when he got back to the living room. Michael had moved from his perch on the couch and was now sitting on the floor inspecting the cards. "So you couldn't figure out the trick then?"

"You couldn't have remembered their order by heart. You don't have that good memory. There has to be some sort of marking."

"Well, thank you. Just for that I won't tell you how I did it." He tapped the angel on the nose. "You get the dishes."

"I'll figure it out sooner or later" Michael muttered behind him as he went to the kitchen.


"Alright, I surrender. How did you do it?" Michael huffed immediately when they reached their own hall in the end of the evening.

"Told you, I'm not going to tell you."

"Please?" Michael wrapped his arms around him.

"Nope" Adam sank his hand into the angel's hair and pulled him closer to peck him. "It would ruin the magic." He pulled his hand back and gave Michael the coin he had conjured out of nowhere as he slipped towards the bedroom holding back his grin.