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The dining table was silent, the only discernible sound was forks screeching against the dinner plates. Phil’s eyes darted to each child, Wilbur and Tommy on one side and Techno on the other.
Wilbur was scrolling through his phone quietly, not eating or even acknowledging there was food in front of him.
Phil desperately hoped it was a phase that he was acting so off, and not something deeper. Peering over his shoulder, looking at whatever Wilbur was even doing, was the youngest of the family and the newest to join the household. Tommy seemed to be deeply intrigued by Wilbur’s internet surfing.
The main thing that caught his attention though was how uncomfortable Techno looked, tucking his hair behind his ear and foot tapping against the wooden floor. He seemed to slightly open his mouth to say something, but then draw himself back and stop himself last minute.
Phil pursed his lips, leaning forward against the table. “You like the food, kiddo?”
Techno looked up for a moment, alarmed, before wringing his fingers together. “Yeah... The rice tastes okay.”
Phil heard the lie laced in the sentence and looked at Tommy’s plate. The boy who’d always stuff his face with whatever he was given, his plate was empty and untouched. A realization came crashing down on him.
“It’s disgusting, isn’t it?” Phil said, eyes moving to his own plate.
Wilbur let out a small snort under his breath and Tommy just kept silent. Techno shot up and grabbed the fork, starting to force the food down his throat, much to Phil’s alarm.
The man grabbed the fork out of the teenagers hand and placed it back on the table. “Techno, you’re obviously stressed. Is there anything bothering you?”
“Erm...” Techno burned holes through his feet, eyes covered by his bangs. “Can I go to the hairdressers.... Soon?”
“Of course, that’s what you were nervous to ask me about?” Phil raised an eyebrow, he had noticed that Techno’s hair had grown quite long and was now past his shoulders. “We can cut it if you want.”
Techno’s hands tightened as he cleared his throat. “I actually wanted to dye it... Not cut it...”
“Oh, what color do you want to dye it?” Phil asked, thinking it through.
A nice blonde color would look fabulous on the current brunettes hair, maybe he was talking with bias because of his own hair though.
The thoughts of Techno with shoulder length blonde hair, they could be the perfect father and son duo. Tommy was blonde, they could be a trio. Maybe even convince Wilbur to dye some of his hair blonde?
“Pink.” Techno blurted out, and exhaled right after, obviously getting a lot of weight off of his chest after asking.
Wilbur nearly dropped his phone on the floor, catching it skillfully with one hand. “I’m sorry, what did you just say?”
Tommy had clear confusion in his eyes. “Is.... Is Techno ga-“
“No.” Techno shot back, before continuing. “It’s just a nice color, okay? Red is too bright and blue is too.... Blue...”
“Techno, are you sure you want to dye it pink?” Phil said, and Techno nodded.
Phil paused and looked Techno dead in the eye. “What do you think about blondes?”
He wasn’t able to convince any of them in the end, and Phil’s daydream had gone down the drain.