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The Minecraft house was a pleasant place to be. Well, pleasant if you like excitement. Phil loved his kids, even though they could be much sometimes. Technoblade and Wilbur, the twins of the family. They were sweet kids but were chaotic at times. Even though they could be troublesome sometimes, Phil still loved the 13-year-old twins to death. Then there is Tommy, the youngest of the family. The best way to describe him was a 5 year old with too much energy. Phil nor the twins knew how his little body could hold so much excitement but they loved him for it. It at least made bedtime super easy with Tommy because he was zonked out by the end of the day.
Phil was making dinner while listening for when a kid would start to cry. Wilbur and Technoblade were roughhousing which 90% of the time had Tommy crying for various reasons. You never really knew when it came to that kid, he was very dramatic. Tommy has been having trouble with eating dinner lately and doesn’t like anything that Phil will put in front of him. Phil is hoping Tommy will eat the chicken tonight, he worked hard to make this dinner. He finally finished with it all and set the table up, ready for the boys to come and eat.
“Boys! Dinner!” Phil yelled. Most families would quietly get each kid but not in this household. Yelling is how you get yourself heard and it has been like that even before Tommy was adopted.
“Coming dad!” The twins shouted back. It still freaked Phil out when they would somehow say the exact same thing at the exact same time but whatever, he doesn’t understand twins. The boys came running in and sat down fast, they love chicken. Phil then heard some other quieter footsteps running to the kitchen. Tommy emerged and sat down in his seat and stared at his food for a solid 5 seconds before…
“I don’t like it”
Phil sighed, that is all Tommy said nowadays.
“Well Tommy, if you don’t eat at least half of it you will get no ice cream for dessert.” When Phil said that he got the deadliest glare from Tommy.
“I don’t want to eat this, I want ice cream.”
“Well like I said, you don’t get ice cream if you don’t eat your chicken.”
Tommy looked mad. Very very mad. He wasn’t going to budge until Phil thought of maybe the best idea he has ever thought of.
“Tommy, I have a good idea! Do you want to play the crunch game with me?” Phil asked trying to put a big and excited smile on for his youngest.
“What is the crunch game?” Tommy curiously tipped his head to the side.
“It is a very fun game that we can all play, even Wilbur and Techno. Here is how it works. You have to eat a little bit of your food for it, though. We all have to be super silent. Then the person who is up will take a little bit of the food and bite into it. We have to see if that food made a crunch or not. I will go first everyone be silent!” Phil exclaimed, trying to sound as excited as possible so Tommy would be intrigued. Phil carefully took a piece of chicken and put it in his mouth. He then slowly chomped down on it. “Did you guys hear any crunch?”
Tommy shook his head side to side with a big smile on his face.
“Aw, Wilbur how about you do the crunch game with a carrot?” Phil asked while giving Wilbur the ‘you better act super excited so I can get your brother to eat or you will be facing consequences’ face.
“Ooooooo okay okay okay. Are you guys ready? Everyone be silent don’t make a noise I want to hear the crunch!” Wilbur smiled, seeing his little brother’s face lit up. Wilbur took the carrot and took an exaggerated bite out of it making a huge crunch.
“HEARD IT! I HEARD IT!” Tommy laughed, feeling proud that he heard the big crunch.
“Wow, nice work Tommy! I heard it also, that was a big crunch, Wil. Good job!” Phil happily sighed, glad that this might be the thing that gets his son to eat his food.
“My turn! My turn!” Techno said, knowing he had to act like this or his Nintendo would be taken away. Techno took a strawberry and chomped on it fast and hard, he thought this game was dumb.
“TECHNO I HEARD YOU CRUNCH ON IT! MY TURN MY TURN MY TURN!” Tommy yelled and clapped his hands together. Tommy took a piece of chicken and quickly chomped down on it.
“I didn’t hear it crunch, maybe you should try again?” Phil said smiling wide because Tommy was finally eating his dinner.
“Okay!” Tommy squealed.
This game was used every day until Tommy was old enough to eat his dinner without complaint. It was definitely the best game Phil has ever come up with.
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“Techno, I’m not hungry,” Tommy said while looking down at his scarred hands. “I haven’t eaten much since exile and I don’t think I can start doing it now.”
Techno smiled sadly, exile was hard on Tommy and he was hoping that he could help with some of the trauma he went through. The perfect idea popped in his head.
“Hmm, how about we play the crunch game?” Techno asked with a smile.
This was the first time he saw Tommy genuinely smile since he arrived at his house.