Title:           Father of Three: Magic Tricks (2)
Author:          Meleas
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/BS42UVwy
First Edit:      Monday 19th of October 2015 04:43:49 PM CDT
Last Edit:       Last edit on: Tuesday 20th of October 2015 06:51:03 PM CDT

>This evening you're showing the girls magic tricks
>You decide to start with the quarter
>You discretely place quarters between your fingers and hold your other hand out
"Hold on," you say as you pretend to sneeze
>Aria leans away from you
>Sonata looks at you concernedly for a moment before she reaches into her skirt pocket for a tissue
"Okay, I'm good. There's just something..."
>You reach into your nose with a finger, picking it
"In my nose."
>"Ew, dad!" Aria cringes further away from you
"God, it's a big hunk of something."
>You dig further, burrowing your finger deeper in your nose
>Sonata's giggling at Aria, who's absolutely disgusted at you digging in your nose as if there's a national treasure buried there
>Adagio sits to the side with her legs curled up to her chest, arms wrapped around her knees
>She looks a bit more concentrated than usual
>Maybe she's amused
"Oh, it sure is something, I can feel it!"
>Sonata's laughing out loud now while Aria looks away and stretches both hands out towards you
>"Ugh! That is just NASTY."
>Adagio smirks
>Perfect
>You pull your finger out and simultaneously fake a sneeze
>A skilled flick of your hand sends the coins flying into Aria
>She screams and wipes herself down in a panic, brushing the quarters off
>You and Sonata are laughing like a couple of morons, much to Aria's chagrin
"They're just quarters, sweetie."
>Aria blushes furiously then gets up, stomping away to the hall
>"I don't want your stupid snotty quarters!"
"Aw, come back, honey. It's just a joke."
>You hear Aria groan loudly and slam her door
>Well, you still have the other two here
>Somewhat
>It's fine, she'll cool down
>You turn to Sonata as she tries to stop giggling
"Ready for another trick?"
>"Will it involve your nose again?"
>Adagio talked
>Both you and Sonata turn your heads to look at her
>Your poofy haired daughter just blinks at you both from behind her arms, now crossed over the top of her knees
>Are those circles under her eyes?
"Actually, no. It's a different trick."
>You pick up a deck of cards beside you and shuffle it
>You fan the cards out to Adagio and tell her to pick a card
>Her magenta eyes flip between you and the cards a couple times
>She takes a card
"Okay, now. Don't tell me what it is, but remember it."
>You wait just a moment
"Got it?"
>Adagio nods
>Sonata scoots closer next to her
>You gently take the card from Adagio's fingers and place it back in the deck
"Watch this."
>You rapidly shuffle the deck before them, smirking as Sonata tries to follow the cards flying between your hands
>You stop and tell Sonata to take the top card and read what it is
>"Three of Hearts?"
"Was that your card?"
>Adagio picks her head up from her arms and nods
>Sonata hands the card back to you
>"How did you do that?"
>You just grin and give the deck another shuffle
"Magic."
>Adagio eyes you at that
>You pull out another trick
>You put the deck to your side again, this time pulling a golden ring out of your pocket
>You hold it out to the two between your fingers
"Lovely ring, right?"
>Sonata nods, her eyes sparkling in wonder at what you'll do this time
>You wave your other hand in front of the ring back and forth
>On the fourth pass you clench your hand holding the ring and show both empty palms to the girls
"Now where'd it go?"
>Sonata leans in and inspects your hands
"It's on your sister."
>Sonata whips her head to look at Adagio
>Adagio lifts her arms up and searches herself
"Right..."
>You lean forward and reach behind her ear
"Here."
>You pull back and present the ring between two fingers
>Sonata claps in admiration and Adagio smiles slightly
>"Another! Do another!"
"Not until you finish your homework."
>"Aw."
>As Sonata gets up you grab the card deck and smack it into her hand
>She lifts it up to peer at it then looks back to you
"Finish your homework early tomorrow and I can teach you some."
>A large smile adorns Sonata's face and you watch as she runs down the hall to her room
>Turning back to the only remaining girl you find that her head's back to resting on her arms
>She's trying to stay awake, eyes fluttering every couple seconds
>You get up and place your hand on her shoulder
"Come on, let's go to bed, sweetie."
>You help the sleepy Adagio stand up and guide her back to her room down the hallway
>You let go of her hand at the door, letting her take a few zombie-like steps and flop down on her bed
>You slowly and quietly close the door, the last sliver of light highlighting her sleeping face
>You head to your study
>Truth is, you didn't know any more magic tricks
>Unless making an endless squirrel pile with only a nail gun and peanut butter is one
>You sit at your desk and turn your monitor on
>But this night you have found Adagio's weakness
>You'll have to expand your arsenal and learn some new corny tricks