[Sometime later]
DJ and Deonte were hanging out in the living room, waiting for Theo and Tate. DJ glanced at the clock and sighed. "What’s taking them so long? Deonte, can you go check if they’re ready?"

"Otay!" Deonte chirped, hopping up and toddling over to Theo and Tate’s room.

He knocked on the door with his little fist. "Teo, Tat!"

Tate opened the door, half-dressed, with his shirt on backward. "Heya, Deonte!"
Tate waved at the toddler.

"Hi, Tat! Big budda say you an Teo take wong time," Deonte relayed with a serious expression, doing his best to repeat DJ’s words.

Tate chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Oh, sorrry. We’re trying to put on clothes that fit."

"Tat an Teo too big?" Deonte asked, Tat nodded in response.

"Tat an Teo have my cwothes" Deonte offered, his big eyes shining with helpfulness.

Tate giggled. "Thanks, Deonte, but your clothes is to little for me and Theo.

Deonte tilted his head. "I ged Big Budda?"

"No, we’re good! We don’t need him!" Theo grumbled from inside the room, struggling to pull a too-tight shirt over his head.

Tate peered in and raised an eyebrow. "Theo, you look like a sausage!" Tate giggled, pointing at his brother as Thei was trying to squeeze into clothes that no longer properly fit him.

Theo huffed, finally managing to get the shirt on. "If it fits, it’s fine. Let’s just—"

{RIP!}

The sound of fabric tearing filled the room, and Theo froze. Deonte started laughing, pointing at the hole in Theo's pants. "See Teo butt!"

Tate burst out laughing too, nearly doubling over.

Theo sighed in annoyance.
"Can you get DJ please."

Deonte nodded and quickly ran off. A moment later, he returned with DJ in tow.

{Knock knock}

DJ knocked on the bedroom door. "Hey boys, Deonte said you guys needed help?"
Tate opened the door, his shirt on but still struggling to find pants that fit. "Um, sorry we taked so long, Dad. Our clothes don't fit no more.

From inside the room, a string of muffled expletives and a sudden rip filled the air.
"GOD DAMMIT, NOT ANOTHER ONE!" Theo yelled in frustration.

Theo looked down at the new hole in his pants and groaned. “These used to fit just fine a year ago…”

Tate snickered, pointing at Theo’s ripped pants. “I see London, I see Fra—”
“Finish that song and you're dead!” Theo shot back, glaring at his little brother.

“Easy, Theo. And Tate, don’t tease your brother,” DJ said, giving them both a stern look.

“Sorry,” they both mumbled.
Theo sighed, rubbing his temples. “Sorry I snapped. I just thought I could still fit into these. I got ’em last year”

"Well Theo you're a growing boy, Kids outgrow clothes quicker than you think,” DJ said, trying to reassure him.
“Growing up sucks,” Theo grumbled as he tossed the torn shorts aside.

"So, neither of you have anything that fits anymore?” DJ asked, seeing them both shake their heads.

“Nuh-uh. The orphanage gave us secondhand clothes, and lots didn’t fit, or Tate hated how they felt,” Theo explained.

DJ thought for a moment. “Tate, why don’t you try putting on one of Theo’s outfits?”

“Okay!” Tate chirped.

Theo tossed an outfit to Tate. “Here, maybe now you’ll look cool for once.”

Tate slipped on the clothes, but they hung off him like a tent, the shirt almost swallowing his small frame, and the shorts dragging on the floor. “It’s too big… and itchy!” Tate whined as he started scratching at the fabric.

DJ looked over at Theo. “He doesn’t like those kind of materials either”
“Yeah, he’s real picky about clothes,” Theo confirmed.

“No worries. You won’t be in those for long. We’re gonna go clothes shopping today, too,” DJ assured them before turning back to Theo. “But what about you? We gotta find you something to wear.”

“I’ll just stay here. I don’t have anything that fits,” Theo said with a shrug.

“Well… I might have somethin’ you can wear… but…” DJ trailed off, a bit hesitant.
“But what?” Theo asked, eyeing DJ suspiciously.

“Better you just see for yourself,” DJ said as he quickly left the room.

“What d’ya think he’s got? Bet it’s somethin’ really cool!” Tate said, struggling to keep Theo’s oversized clothes from slipping off.

“At this point, I don’t care. I just want somethin’ that fits,” Theo grumbled.

DJ returned with a bag in hand. “Here you go, Theo.”
“Thanks… but where’d you get this from?” Theo asked, peeking inside.

“Used to be mine when I was a kid. Figured it might fit you,” DJ explained.

“Knowing you, it’s probably some old-school hood clothes,” Theo said with a smirk. “Not really my thing, but I’ll make it work.”

Knowing you, it’s probably some old-school hood clothes,” Theo said with a smirk. “Not really my style, but I’ll make it work.” He dug through the bag, half-expecting something ridiculous.

"Actually, this was from before all that,” DJ admitted.

Theo pulled out the outfit and his eyes went wide. “No way... A Boy Scout uniform?! You were a Scout, DJ?” Tate asked, bouncing on his toes.

“Yeah, for one summer. My grandma made me do it,” DJ explained, shrugging.

Theo stared at the uniform, his face twisting in disbelief. “There’s no way I’m wearing this,” he said, shoving it back in the bag.

“You just have to wear it until we get you some new clothes at the store. Then you can change,” DJ said, trying to coax him.

Theo eyed the uniform like it was some kind of torture device. “Just until we get to the store?” he asked, hoping for a way out.

“Yep. Then it’s new clothes for you and Tate,” DJ promised.

Theo groaned but figured he could deal with it for a little while. “Grrr, fine, give it here!” he grumbled, snatching the uniform and stomping off to the closet to change.

A few minutes later, Theo emerged, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, wearing DJ’s old Boy Scout uniform. It hung awkwardly on him, making him look every bit the reluctant participant.

“Aww, look at you! You look great, Theo!” DJ said, barely hiding a grin.

“You look super cool, Theo!” Tate added, eyes shining. He secretly wished he had a uniform too.

“Don’t patronize me!” Theo snapped, turning away, trying to hide his blushing face.

“Wait, hold on—this is too good. I need pictures,” DJ said, whipping out a digital camera like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

“Hey, quit it!” Theo shouted, lunging for the camera.

DJ easily sidestepped the boy’s attempt and, in one swift motion, scooped Theo up in a fireman’s carry. “Glad to see Mr. Grumpy decided to join us!” DJ teased, grinning at Tate and Deonte.

“H-Hey! Put me down!” Theo demanded, squirming.

“Oh, oh! Me next!” Tate cheered, raising his arms to DJ.

“Budda wan go ub!” Deonte echoed, mimicking his big brother.

“I’ll get everyone up later, but right now, let’s get moving, gang!” DJ announced, heading for the door.

““Put me down, or I’m teaching Deonte all the curse words I know,” Theo growled, though his voice lacked its usual bite.

“What was that? You want all your future outfits to be glorified baby clothes?” DJ teased back, still carrying Theo.

“You wouldn’t dare!” Theo shot back, trying to sound tough.
“Try me,” DJ quipped, grinning as Theo grumbled, finally giving in.
Tate giggled as they all left the room and headed out the front door.

[Outside]

They made their way to the parking lot and over to DJ’s car. As soon as they reached it, Theo made a break for the front seat. “Shotgun!” he yelled, quickly buckling himself in.

"Aww, but I wanted to ride up front," Tate whined, looking a little downcast.

"Tate, you rode up front yesterday. It’s only fair that Theo gets a turn today," DJ explained gently.

Tate pouted for a moment but nodded, understanding that it was only fair to take turns. "Okay, I guess that’s fair."

"Good man," DJ said with a smile as he helped Deonte into the car and buckled him into his car seat. Once everyone was settled, DJ got into the driver’s seat. "Alright, everyone ready?"

"Ready!" Tate exclaimed, a bit more cheerful now.

"Ready," Theo said, sounding more relaxed.

"Weady!" Deonte shouted with excitement.

"Cool, then we’re off," DJ said, starting the car and pulling out of the driveway.

As they drove, Tate couldn’t shake a lingering unease. DJ had promised that this drive wasn’t about taking them back to the orphanage, but that fear still gnawed at the back of his mind.

Noticing Tate’s quietness, Deonte turned to his adoptive older brother. Sensing something was off, he pointed to a black backpack on the floor of the backseat. "Tat ged toy," Deonte said, trying to cheer him up.

Tate looked up at DJ. "Uh, Dad, Deonte wants me to get a toy out of the backpack down here."

"Oh yeah, that’s just his diaper bag. I packed some toys in there—you can grab them," DJ replied.

Tate bent down, grabbed the bag, and pulled out two toys, handing them to the eager toddler. Deonte took one toy, then looked up at Tate with a hopeful smile. "Tat pway wif me," Deonte asked.

Tate couldn’t help but smile at the idea. Playing with Deonte would be the perfect distraction from his worries. "Okay," Tate said, feeling a bit more at ease as they started to play in the backseat.
The two younger boys began their game, not really sure were either one was playing but they were having fun nonetheless.

After what felt like an endless car ride, the family finally pulled into the parking lot of a massive mall. Tate’s eyes widened in amazement as the giant shopping center came into view. "Whoa!"

"Alright, everyone, we’re here," DJ announced as he parked the car.

"Good. The sooner I’m not wearing this, the better," Theo muttered as he stepped out, still not thrilled about his boy scout uniform.

"Let’s go!" Tate shouted, eagerly unbuckling his seatbelt and hopping out of the car—only to yelp in surprise and quickly jump back in. "Why’s the ground so hot?!"

DJ glanced over and noticed Tate was barefoot. "Oh, you just need to put your shoes on," he said, pulling Deonte out of his car seat and putting the toddler into a child harness backpack.

Tate looked down at his feet, suddenly realizing his mistake. Theo gave him a knowing look. "You did bring your shoes with you, right?"

"Uhh… well, about that," Tate mumbled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"Tate?" DJ asked, raising an eyebrow.

“…no,” Tate admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I didn’t think I’d need them."

"You serious, Tate?!" Theo groaned, clearly annoyed.

"I’m sorry! I thought since we were going inside, it’d be okay," Tate said, hanging his head in shame.

DJ chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood. "Didn’t you say you wanted a ride on the DJ Express earlier?"

"The what?" Tate asked, confused.

Before he knew it, DJ had scooped him up and placed him on his shoulders. "Whoa! Hahaha, I can see everything from up here!" Tate exclaimed, the excitement quickly returning to his voice.

"Ah ah!" Deonte raised his arms toward DJ, wanting to join in on the fun.

"Use your words, Deonte," DJ gently reminded the toddler.

"Wan ub too," Deonte said, looking up at DJ with big, pleading eyes.

"Alright, but it’s gonna be a little crowded," DJ said with a grin, picking up Deonte and holding him on his hip.

Theo smirked as he watched DJ juggle both boys. "Having trouble there?" he teased.
""Nope, just peachy."
DJ grunted as he started walking towards  the shopping center., Tate giggling from his perch on DJ’s shoulders and Deonte content on his hip. Theo followed close behind, rolling his eyes but unable to hide the small smile on his face.

Once inside the mall, DJ led the family over to the stroller rentals. "Alright, you two, time to get down," DJ said as he gently placed Tate and Deonte on the floor.

"Yeah, don’t break this old guy’s back," Theo quipped with a grin.

"You’ve got jokes, don’t you?" DJ replied, raising an eyebrow.

"Plenty," Theo shot back, smirking.

DJ chuckled and turned his attention to Deonte. "Alright, Deonte, pick a stroller." He presented the toddler with the selection of strollers, each shaped like a different vehicle.

"Fietwuck! Fietwuck!" Deonte shouted excitedly, pointing at the fire truck stroller.
"I think he wants the fire truck," Theo said dryly.

"I can tell," DJ laughed as he rented the fire truck stroller. "Alright, let's get you in," he said, picking up Deonte and buckling him into one of the seats.

"DJ, DJ! Wook! Id have drive thingy wike ou drive!" Deonte exclaimed, spinning the little steering wheel in front of him.

Tate watched Deonte with a mix of curiosity and envy. He knew the stroller was meant for younger kids, but it looked like fun. "C-can I ride?" Tate asked timidly.

"Tate, you know you’re too big for it," Theo said, causing Tate to pout.

"I can fit, right, DJ?" Tate turned to his adoptive father, hopeful.

DJ gave Tate a sympathetic smile. "Theo might be right on this one, buddy. You’re a little too big for the stroller."

"Told ya," Theo added, though not unkindly.

"Sorry, Tate. If you could, I’d let you," DJ said, ruffling Tate’s hair, earning a small giggle from the boy.

"Alright, to the clothes store we go," DJ announced as he started pushing the stroller.

DJ and the boys walked around the mall for a few minutes until DJ stopped at a suitable clothing store. After grabbing a basket and putting Deonte in it, the group looked around the store until they stopped at the children's clothing section.
"Here we are boys, go nuts."
DJ said to Theo and Tate.

The two brothers looked at each other then at DJ.
"Uhh, everything okay?"
DJ asked, slightly nervous of the two boy's silence.

You're not gonna pick weird outfits for us, right?" Theo asked, eyeing DJ cautiously.

"Nah, you guys can pick whatever you want, within reason," DJ reassured him.

Tate's eyes lit up, and he gasped in excitement as he began rifling through the racks of clothes. Theo, however, paused and turned back to DJ.

"They never let us pick our own clothes at the orphanage. They just handed us whatever, and we had to deal with it," Theo explained.

DJ raised an eyebrow. "You sure that place wasn't a prison?"

"Might as well have been," Theo muttered, before turning back to the clothes.

"Well, while you two are at it, I'm gonna head to the baby section to find some clothes for Deonte," DJ said, steering the stroller toward the nearby baby section.

[A few moments later]

Theo and Tate came back over to DJ, their arms loaded with clothes.

"Hey, what’d you guys pick out?" DJ asked, curious.

"Got some pants, a few t-shirts… and finally, some socks," Theo said, looking relieved.

Tate proudly held up a pair of Crocs, his face beaming—until Theo snatched them and flung them aside.
"Hey!" Tate protested, his excitement turning to confusion.

"No way are you wearing those," Theo said firmly, shaking his head.

"Come on, Theo, be nice. If Tate wants Crocs, he can have them," DJ said, giving Theo a pointed look.

Tate stuck his tongue out at Theo as he picked up the Crocs. "They're not ugly; they're practical," Tate pouted.

“They’re so… ugly. And you know he’ll probably lose them to a bet or something,” Theo muttered.

"I like Tate’s shoe," Deonte chimed in, nodding at Tate.

"Aww, thanks, Deonte," Tate beamed, feeling validated.

"I still think they’re lame," Theo grumbled.

"Chill-out, Theo," DJ said firmly. "If he’s happy with them, that’s all that matters. Now, let’s see what else y'all picked out."

Theo reluctantly held up a plain pair of jeans and a t-shirt, his choices simple and straightforward. Tate, on the other hand, showed off a bright array of colorful outfits with cartoon characters splashed across them, including a shirt with Spongebob Squarepants on it.

"SpongeBob!" Deonte pointed excitedly at Tate’s shirt.

Theo shot a side-eye at his younger brother. "Really, Spongebob? Are you a baby or something?"

"I like Spongebob," Tate defended himself.

"SpongeBob is for little kids, Tate," Theo said dismissively.

DJ stepped in, “Theo, he is a little kid. And so are you, technically, so let him wear what he wants.”

Tate nodded, still holding onto his favorite shirt. DJ smiled at him. “Go grab some more stuff you like.”

“Okay!” Tate said excitedly, rushing off to find more clothes.
As Tate disappeared into the aisles, Theo sighed. "I just hope his next choices aren’t too kiddie."

DJ raised an eyebrow. "How old are you two, anyway?"

"I just turned 10 not too long ago and Tate's 5, almost 6" Theo answered.

DJ nodded, then looked thoughtfully at Theo. "You’re both pretty young. I’m wondering—why don’t you want to wear something more… fun?"

"Because I’m not a kid, and no one’s gonna take me seriously if I dress like one," Theo replied, folding his arms defiantly.

"Technically, you’re a tween, but you’re still years away from being considered anything but a kid," DJ pointed out. Theo huffed, clearly annoyed. "Look, I’m just saying, pick clothes you want to wear, not what you think people expect you to wear."

Theo smirked, sensing an opportunity. "Fine." He glanced around and spotted a heavily studded and spiked leather jacket with the words “Babe Magnet” emblazoned on the back. "Ooh, what about this?"

DJ cringed but kept his cool. "If that’s what you want, I’ll get it for you."

Theo looked at DJ, testing the waters. “Huh, …nah, that was a test. Saw it on the way in—I’m not the type to wear leather.” He tossed it back on the rack and picked out some clothes that were a bit more interesting but still not over the top.

DJ let out a quiet sigh of relief. "Good call. But remember, I support whatever you pick… within reason."

“Like you support those glorified giant packing peanuts Tate picked out?” Theo joked.

DJ chuckled. "Well, I’m actually planning to find him some more specialized shoes, given how he hates certain fabrics and materials."

"Specialized shoes?" Theo asked, puzzled.

"Yeah, like the ones they make for kids who have autism or sensory issues," DJ explained.

Theo’s expression darkened. "He doesn’t have anything. He’s just different!" he snapped.

Deonte whimpered at Theo’s outburst, raising his arms to DJ.
"Whoa, where did that come from?" DJ asked, scooping Deonte into his arms.

Theo rubbed his arm awkwardly. "I didn’t mean to scare him… I just don’t like it when people say Tate is weird."

"You’re just being a protective big brother. I’m the same way with this little guy," DJ said, nodding to Deonte. He then looked at the toddler.

Theo rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm sorry Deonte, didn't mean to scare ya. Can you forgive me?"

Deonte looked at Theo, then smiled. "Id otay… bud Teo haf gif me toy ad Mc. Donal gan."

Theo chuckled. "Deal."

Suddenly, the flash of a camera went off. Theo turned to see DJ holding a camera, grinning.

"Aww, that was adorable. This one’s going in the family album," DJ said, looking at the photo fondly.

“H-hey, no pictures!” Theo protested, his face flushing red.

"Teo wed, DJ. Teo sick?" Deonte asked, concerned.

DJ laughed. "No, Deonte, he’s not sick. He’s just a little worked up."

“Oh, Teo nod woke ub,” Deonte said seriously to Theo.

“Uh, what?” Theo looked confused as he turned to DJ.

"He’s telling you not to get worked up," DJ translated with a chuckle.

“Yeah, yeah, I won’t,” Theo mumbled, turning away, clearly unused to this kind of attention.

Just then, Tate came running back, his arms full of clothes—mostly in varying shades of green.

"Wow, you really like green, don’t you, Tate?" DJ commented, noting the consistent theme in Tate’s selections.

Tate nodded enthusiastically. "It’s our favorite color!"

DJ smiled, turning to Theo. "You and Tate both like green, huh? Why don’t you pick out some green clothes too?"

Theo hesitated for a moment, then shrugged. "Maybe… I’ll think about it."

Theo started thinking, realizing that adding some green to his outfit wouldn’t make him look too childish. "Fine, I guess I’ll get something if you’re really gonna twist my arm," he said, feigning reluctance as he walked off.

A moment later, Theo returned with a few pieces of clothing that incorporated his favorite color. DJ grinned, "See? It doesn’t hurt to have a bit of color on you."

"Yeah, yeah, don’t patronize me," Theo replied with a smirk.

"I’m not," DJ assured him. "Now, let’s head to the dressing room and see how everything fits."

"Good. I can finally get out of this stupid uniform," Theo muttered as he quickly made his way to the dressing area.

DJ and Tate followed, DJ pushing the cart into the dressing area, which was lined with numerous changing stalls. "Alright, you two start trying stuff on. Deonte and I will wait out here," DJ said as he settled on a nearby bench.

Theo and Tate each grabbed their chosen outfits and headed into separate stalls. Theo was quick to nudge Tate out of his stall. "Nu-uh, I don’t need an audience," Theo said before locking his door.

"What? I’ve seen you naked before. I don’t get the big deal," Tate said, confused.

DJ chuckled at Tate's innocence. "Some people, like Theo, just appreciate their privacy a bit more. Don’t take it personally," DJ said as he opened another stall door for Tate. "You can change in here."

Tate shrugged, not fully understanding why Theo was so concerned about modesty, but he went into the stall DJ offered. DJ then sat back down on the bench, keeping an eye on Deonte, who was engrossed in something on his tablet.

"Whatcha doing over there, Deonte?" DJ asked.

"Baby Shark," the toddler replied without looking up.

DJ shook his head with a smile. "Ah... I don’t know how kids enjoy that stuff so much," he mused as he continued waiting.

A moment later, Tate emerged from his stall, wearing a new outfit—shorts and a green shirt. "I got it on!" Tate announced proudly.

"You look great in your new clothes!" DJ exclaimed, immediately snapping a few pictures. Tate grinned, more than happy to pose for the camera.

"I’m coming out now, and you better not take any photos," Theo called out as he exited his stall. He wore a green button-up shirt over a black T-shirt, paired with jeans.

"You both look so handsome!" DJ practically squealed, taking what seemed like a thousand photos despite Theo's protest.

"Enough with the photos," Theo groaned, rolling his eyes.

"I wike Tat an Teo cwothes," Deonte said, looking up from his tablet.

"Aww, thanks, Deonte," Tate replied with a smile.

DJ turned to the boys. "So, how the clothes fit? Too tight? Too big?"

Theo moved around in his outfit, testing it out. "I can actually move in these, so I’d say they fit pretty well."

Tate nodded enthusiastically. "These are way cooler than our old clothes!" he said, beaming.

"Alright let's go pay for everything and we can continue shopping."
DJ said as he stood up.
Theo and Tate loaded everything into the cart, and DJ wheeled it to the register. After purchasing the clothes, they headed out of the store.

"Alright, now that we've got you two some clothes, it’s time to move on to the fun stuff," DJ said with a grin.

"Yay!... What fun stuff?" Tate asked, his excitement bubbling over.

"Decorations and other surprises," DJ replied.

"Oh yeah, we can actually decorate!" Tate cheered.

"That’s right, but first, let me put these bags in the car. You two mind keeping an eye on Deonte while I do that?" DJ asked.

"Sure, we’ll look after him or whatever," Theo said with a shrug.

"Dope, be right back," DJ said, heading off with the bags.

As soon as DJ left, Deonte looked around, a little worried. "DJ go?" he asked.

"Just for a little bit, but your big brother’s gonna be right back," Tate reassured him.

"Hm, sure he won’t ditch us," Theo muttered, half-joking.

Tate huffed, "I know you're lying because DJ promised he wouldn’t do that."

Deonte tugged on Theo's shirt, looking up at him with wide eyes. "Teo nod wike DJ?" the toddler asked.

"What? Uh, no, I do... it’s just..." Theo struggled to find the right words to describe his complicated feelings.

"I like him a lot. He's the coolest dad I’ve ever met!" Tate exclaimed.

"You shouldn’t be so quick to call him ‘Dad.’ This is still just a trial period, remember?" Theo reminded his younger brother.

"I know, but he bought us new clothes and stuff, and we got our own room," Tate argued.

"True," Theo sighed, leaning across the stroller. "Gotta admit, having new clothes is nice. Feels good to not have my balls all squished up."

"Theo! You’re not supposed to say that," Tate groaned, cringing at his brother’s bluntness.

"Shit, my bad," Theo quickly covered his mouth, realizing his mistake.

"Theo!" Tate said, exasperated.

"Wad Teo say?" Deonte asked, looking confused.

"Nothing, he just thinks he's old enough to say bad words," Tate explained with a sigh.

"Not 'pose to say bad stuff. DJ say bad stuff for bad guy," Deonte stated as if it were a fact.

"Yeah, you gotta listen to DJ," Tate agreed.

Theo grumbled, crossing his arms. "Fine..."

Just then, DJ returned. "Glad to see you guys waited."

"Yeah, it’s not like we were gonna take off—we don’t even know this place," Theo responded.

"Well, thanks for staying put. Now, let’s get those decorations," DJ said, smiling.

"Yaaay!" Tate cheered, about to dash off before Theo grabbed him by the collar.

"Hey! Let me go!" Tate protested.

"Didn’t I just say we don’t know this place?" Theo said, holding his younger brother back.

"Listen to your brother, Tate. We can’t have you getting lost," DJ added as he started pushing the stroller.

"Okay," Tate pouted, but he listened.

DJ smirked. "You know, Theo, you’re a pretty good big brother," he said, playfully ruffling Theo’s hair.

"Don’t touch me," Theo muttered, but despite his tough words, a blush crept onto his cheeks.

"Is that a blush I see?" DJ teased.

Theo looked away, embarrassed, while Tate giggled. "Oh, DJ, can we go to the game store first, please?" Tate pleaded.

"He said decorations first, not games," Theo reminded him.

"We could grab the games first if that’s what you guys want," DJ offered.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Tate practically bounced with excitement at the idea of getting a game.

Theo shrugged. "I’m down for that too."

"Alright then, let’s get some games," DJ said.

"Yes!" Tate cheered, his excitement barely contained.

With everyone in agreement, DJ led the boys to a nearby video game store. As they approached, all three kids were in awe. Tate was bouncing on the spot, barely able to contain his excitement, while Theo did a better job of hiding his eagerness.

"Alright, I can tell you guys are raring to go, but if you’re gonna look around, Theo, can you keep Deonte with you?" DJ said, taking the toddler out of the stroller.

"Sure, I’ll look after him," Theo agreed.

"Okay, can we go now?" Tate asked, practically vibrating with excitement.

"Sure, as long as you three stay in the same area. Deonte and Tate, I want you two to listen to Theo," DJ instructed.

"Otay," Deonte said.

"Okay," Tate echoed, nodding enthusiastically..

"Alright, go ahead and look around. I’m gonna grab something for myself too," DJ said.

The boys practically sprinted off in different directions, each on the hunt for their favorite games.

"And they’re off," DJ muttered, chuckling to himself as he headed toward a section of his own interest.

Tate wandered around the wall of games, eyes wide with excitement. The sheer number of options was overwhelming. He wanted them all, but he knew he’d have to settle for just one—or maybe two, if he was lucky. As he scanned the shelves, a sound caught his attention—{Vroom vroom}—the unmistakable hum of a race car engine. He followed the noise, finding a demo setup for Nintendo Switch games.

"Whoa," Tate breathed, mesmerized by the vibrant display of the console and its colorful games.

He grabbed hold of the demo controllers, his face almost pressed against the glass, when Theo walked up and pulled him back.

"Dude, you’re smudging the glass," Theo said, holding up a voucher for his own desired Xbox console. "Just grab a voucher, and they’ll get it for you."

"But I was looking!" Tate protested, rubbing the glass with his sleeve like it would make a difference.

"Yeah, well, you can look without fogging up the display."

Deonte, perched in his stroller, giggled. "Tat haf funny face!" he exclaimed, pointing at Tate.

Theo smirked. "He sure does," he said, pulling Tate back before handing him the voucher for the Nintendo Switch.

"Are you serious? We actually get our own consoles?" Tate’s eyes widened with excitement.

"Looks like it," Theo shrugged. "Let’s go find DJ."

The trio made their way back to DJ, who was browsing through games for himself.

"Find what you wanted?" DJ asked.

"Yeah," Theo said casually, though a slight grin crept onto his face.

Tate, on the other hand, was bursting with excitement. "YES! YES! YES! YES!" he practically yelled, thrusting the Nintendo Switch voucher at DJ.

"Alright, someone’s excited," DJ chuckled, taking the voucher.

Theo handed over his Xbox voucher. "I got what I wanted too."

"Nice. You guys pick out any games yet?"

"Not yet," Theo admitted. "I figured I’d ask for your recommendation."

"Good call. Let’s see what they have," DJ said, guiding them to the wall of Xbox games.

Theo scanned the shelves, eyes landing on Fallout 4 and Halo 5. "These look cool," he said, holding them up for DJ to see.

DJ raised an eyebrow. "You know these are rated M, right? Were you allowed to play stuff like this before?"

"Uh... yeah, in the orphanage... kinda," Theo said, though his hesitation was obvious.

DJ smirked, remembering his own childhood playing games like Mortal Kombat. "Alright, I’ll allow it. But remember, if it gets too intense, take a break."

"Cool," Theo said, though his excitement slipped through as he clenched his fists in a small victory.

Turning to the younger kids, DJ asked, "And what about you two? Any games catching your eye?"

Tate rushed over to the Nintendo section, overwhelmed by the number of options. So many Mario games, so many choices... He grabbed a couple of titles that looked fun and cozy, along with some classics featuring Mario.

"DJ, I want these!" he said, holding up the games proudly.

"Solid picks," DJ nodded approvingly.

Theo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, if you’re like... five."

DJ smirked. "Well, technically, he is a little kid—and these are perfect for him."

Tate stuck his tongue out at Theo. "Ha!"

Before Theo could retort, Deonte came running up, holding a case in his tiny hands. "Wan dis!" he exclaimed.

DJ glanced at the game. "Baby Shark The Video Game?" he read aloud, barely believing the title.

Theo groaned. "Please tell me we’re not buying that."

DJ looked down at Deonte, who was giving him the classic wide-eyed toddler look. "If that’s what he wants... then yeah, I’m buying it."

"But it’s Baby Shark! You know he’s gonna play that song over and over and over!" Theo protested.

"Look, it’s familiar to him, and that’s what matters," DJ said.

Tate, overhearing the conversation, started muttering to himself. "Familiar... what’s familiar to me?" His eyes scanned the shelves again until he found what he was looking for—Mario games. Mario was always safe. He grabbed a couple more and added them to his selection.

After getting everyone’s choices together, DJ led the boys to the register, paid for everything, and they left the store.

As they stepped into the mall, Tate was practically bouncing with excitement. "I never had my own game system before! This is awesome!" He ran ahead of the group, too caught up in the moment to notice something important.

DJ noticed first. "Tate... where are your Crocs?"

Tate looked down at his bare feet, panic quickly setting in. "I-I... I don’t know!"

"Relax, man, we’ll figure it out. Just retrace your steps." DJ said calmly.

"I told ya he’d lose them," Theo said smugly as he pulled the Crocs out of the stroller’s basket and tossed them to the ground.

"My shoes!" Tate exclaimed, quickly slipping them back on.

"Where’d you even lose them?" DJ asked.

Theo smirked. "When we were at the register."

"That was mean, Theo!" Tate pouted.

"Hey, I wouldn’t have done it if you weren’t always losing stuff," Theo shot back.

DJ gave Tate a reassuring smile. "Just be more careful next time, alright?"

"Okay,” Tate nodded.

“Good. Let’s grab some decorations,” DJ said, giving a casual nod to the stores ahead.

“Yeah!” Tate cheered, but then his stomach let out a growl.

DJ raised an eyebrow, glancing down at him. “You hungry, bud?”

Tate rubbed his belly and nodded. “A little. But I wanna look at the cool stuff first.”

“How can you be hungry? We just had a big breakfast,” Theo chimed in, but his own stomach betrayed him with a loud grumble.

“Uh-huh,” DJ smirked. “Can’t have hungry kids on my watch. Let’s grab a bite first.”

He led the boys toward the food court, the smell of different restaurants filling the air. “Alright, what are you guys feelin’ like eating?”

“Ice cweam!” Deonte squealed, eyes bright with excitement.

Theo shook his head. “Deonte, you can’t have ice cream for lunch. You gotta eat real food.”

Tate’s hand shot up. “I want a pretzel!”

Theo gave him a look. “Tate, pretzels aren’t real food either.”

“Not fair!” Deonte pouted.

“Yeah! Not fair!” Tate joined in.

DJ chuckled, shaking his head at the two. “Alright, listen to your big brother. He’s got a point.”

“Okay…” Tate muttered, shoulders slumping.

“Otay…” Deonte echoed.

“Good. Now, what actual food do you guys want?” DJ asked.

“Chicken tenders!” Tate shouted, as if it was the best idea ever.

Deonte’s face lit up. “Wan chicken too!”

Theo scanned the nearby restaurants. “I’ll take a slice of cheese pizza.”

DJ clapped his hands. “Alright, chicken tenders and pizza it is. Y’all go find a table while I grab the food.”

“Come on, let’s find a spot,” Theo said, already pushing Deonte’s stroller toward an empty table.

Tate sprinted ahead, diving into a chair. “I win!”

Theo raised an eyebrow. “You win what?”

“Uh… I dunno.” Tate grinned, clearly just happy to have sat down first.

Deonte squirmed in his stroller. “Teo, I ged out?”

“Yeah, I’ll get you out,” Theo said, starting to lift him—then froze. “Wait… ugh, what is that smell?”

Tate’s nose wrinkled. “Eww, did you fart?”

“I was gonna ask you the same thing,” Theo shot back.

Tate blinked. “If it’s not me… and it’s not you…” He slowly turned to Deonte.

“Oh no.” Theo groaned, realizing the source. “Deonte, do you need a diaper change?”

“Nu uh,” Deonte shook his head, but his guilty expression said otherwise.

“Yeah, you do.” Theo checked the back of Deonte’s diaper and winced. “Definitely need a change.”

“Maybe we should go get DJ?” Tate suggested.

“Nah, it’ll be quicker if I do it. He’s in line, and we don’t wanna lose our spot.” Theo grabbed the backpack. “Let’s go.”

“But I wan tendey!” Deonte whined.

“You don’t wanna sit in a stinky diaper while eatin’, trust me,” Theo reasoned.
“…No,” Deonte agreed reluctantly.
“Right, so let’s get you cleaned up quick, then you can eat.”

Theo carried Deonte toward the family bathroom. “Tate, tell DJ where we went!”

“Okay!” Tate called back, watching them disappear into the bathroom.

Once inside, Theo laid Deonte down on the changing station and sighed. “Alright… let’s see what we’re working with.”

The second he undid the diaper, Theo gagged. “Oh man, this is bad…”

“Sowy,” Deonte said softly.

“…It’s fine, I got this.” Theo took a deep breath before gagging again.

“Ged big budda?” Deonte asked.

“No, I can handle it,” Theo said, pulling his shirt over his nose and getting to work. He quickly tossed the diaper and reached for the wipes.

Just then, DJ knocked on the door. “Yo, Theo, Deonte, you in there?”
Theo’s relief was palpable. “Thank God! Yeah, we’re in here!”
DJ walked in, grinning. “Tate told me where y'all and I figured you might need help, but looks like you got it.”

“I mean… yeah, but can you finish? Please?” Theo gave DJ a pleading look.

DJ laughed. “You already did the hardest part. Just gotta wioe him down and put a new diaper on him.”

Theo looked back at Deonte, then back at DJ. “…Fine.” With determination, Theo wiped Deonte down, holding his breath.

“Teo, id cold!” Deonte squirmed.

“I know, almost done.” Theo worked quickly, grabbing a clean diaper and securing it.

After Deonte was clean, Theo put on a fresh diaper and secured the tabs. DJ came over, inspecting Theo’s work.
“Not bad. For your first time, that’s pretty solid.”
Theo stood there, proud for a moment, before DJ snapped a quick picture.
“I’m gonna call this ‘First-time diaper survivor," DJ laughed.
“Real funny,” Theo muttered as he pulled Deonte’s pants back up.

“Tank ou,” Deonte said sweetly, jumping into Theo’s arms and hugging him.
Theo smiled, hugging him back—until he noticed DJ still filming. “HEY!”
DJ shrugged, laughing. “Couldn’t help it, man. Too cute… Anyway, food’s on the table, so come on.” DJ said as he left the family bathroom.

“Tendy, tendy!” Deonte chanted, wiggling in excitement.
“Hold up, we gotta wash hands first,” Theo said, guiding Deonte to the sink

“Otay!” Deonte agreed, hopping up but still too short to reach. Theo chuckled and lifted him to wash his hands. Deonte sang a little hand-washing song as he scrubbed.
“Ms. Angie say when da song done, my hands clean!” Deonte said, proud of himself.
“That’s cool. Now stay put while I wash mine,” Theo said, setting him down.

Once they were both done, Theo grabbed Deonte’s hand. “Alright, let’s go eat.”
“Yay! Tendy time!” Deonte cheered as they left the bathroom.