It was nearing 1PM, but Liam and Brandon were still deep in amusement park chaos.
"Let's hit one more ride—oh! The merry-go-round!" Liam beamed, eyes sparkling.
Brandon chuckled, raising an eyebrow. "You still got energy, huh, little man?" He flashed a grin. "Alright then—let's—"
"Freeze."
Malia's voice cut through the air like a blade as she appeared behind them, snatching both their ears in one smooth motion. "Didn't you geniuses promise Mr ice cube you'd be back by one? Check the time. You're toast."
"Aw, come on, Malia! Don't be such a killjoy," Liam squirmed, trying to pry her fingers off his ear.
"Yeah, just one more ride—ow, ow—" Brandon winced as she yanked harder.
"You?" Malia shot him a glare. "You're the main problem."
She didn't let go.
With both boys now slightly hunched, wincing in pain, she began marching them away.
"Let's go, knuckleheads. Fun time's over."
They arrived at the meeting spot, and Jason and Daphne were already there, waiting. Jason stood with his usual calm edge, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
"Took you long enough," he said, casting Brandon a side glance. Then, without another word, he turned to leave. "Let's go."
But just as he stepped forward, something tugged at him. He looked down.
Liam. Clutching his sleeve with both hands, eyes wide, shimmering with innocent desperation.
"C'mon, big bro… just one more hour. Or half. Or maybe… ten minutes?"
That last part came out barely above a whisper.
Jason froze. 'Big bro?' The words echoed in his head like a bell he didn't know he'd been waiting to hear. "Come to think of it he said that before, didn't he? When I got back from the Dork"
His expression shifted, the edge in his eyes softening just for a second. "Does he… trust me that much?"
"Yeah, come on, Jay-Jay," Brandon chimed in casually, stepping up beside Liam. "We can't just crawl back to that dusty motel like sad sacks. One more ride—"
Jason turned to him slowly, eyes cold.
Brandon gulped. "…Never mind." He took shelter behind Liam like a human shield.
Jason looked back at Liam. His voice was calm, low. "Hey, you know this wasn't the—"
"No!" Liam snapped, gripping him tighter. "Just one more… please."
Jason hesitated.
"…Pretty please?"
Brandon joined in, poking his head from behind Liam.
Two pairs of eyes locked on him like a final boss fight.
Jason exhaled, dragging a hand through his hair, clearly losing the battle.
Jason glanced at Brandon, then at Liam. "Alright, fine. But—"
He didn't even get to finish. Liam grabbed his hand and yanked him forward with a grin. "C'mon! There's still so much I wanna do with you!"
"Wait up!" Brandon called, rushing after them as they disappeared into the sea of lights, laughter, and chaos.
The next hour blurred into thrill rides, arcade games, and enough cotton candy to knock out a rhino. Liam was glowing, his energy contagious. Brandon laughed like a kid again, and even Jason, somewhere between the roller coasters and rigged shooting games, cracked a real smile.
They were searching for their next ride when Malia suddenly cut in front of the squad, eyes lit up with mischief. "Alright, new plan—food contest."
Jason raised a brow, unimpressed. "A food contest? Seriously? Out of all the—"
Before he could finish, she grabbed him by the arm. "No whining, soldier. You're coming with me."
The contest booth was manned by a round-bellied guy with a long, twirled mustache that looked like it had a life of its own.
Liam snorted. "His mustache looks like a confused worm."
The man's eyes narrowed. "What'd you just say, kid?!"
Jason stepped forward like a wall, casting a cold, deadly glare that made the man stumble back with a nervous cough. "Ahem—are you… here for the contest?"
"We sure are!" Malia declared, fire in her eyes. "And I'm going head-to-head with this guy." She threw an arm around Jason.
Daphne flinched, cheeks tinged pink.
Jason scowled. "Touch me again and you'll lose that arm."
"Sheesh, chill! Just messing with ya." Malia stepped back with a grin and smacked his back lightly. "Learn to have fun, ice cube."
Jason opened his mouth, but she cut him off and turned to the host. "Well?"
"Y-Yes! Right this way!" The man hurriedly motioned to two side-by-side tables. "Take your seats! Contest begins now!"
Jason stared at the table. "I never agreed to this—"
"Jaaaay-jay…" Brandon began, voice sly and playful.
"Jaaaay-jay…" Liam joined, eyes sparkling.
Jason's face darkened. "No."
"Jaaaay-jay…" Malia added with fire in her eyes.
"I said no—"
But they kept going. Louder. Faster. The chant swelled.
"Jay-jay! Jay-jay! Jay-jay!"
Jason groaned, dragged a hand down his face. "This is a nightmare…"
But he sat.
Cheers exploded from the group.
Liam punched the air. "Let's gooo!"
Malia cracked her knuckles. "You're going down, ice prince."
"Wait!"
Everyone froze, turning toward the voice. It was Daphne, stepping forward with sharp urgency in her tone. "Wait just a minute," she repeated, lifting a hand as she walked up. She snatched a spoon from the nearby table and dipped it into Jason's food.
The contest host blinked, caught off guard. "What are you—"
"There it is," Daphne muttered, ignoring him. She gave the spoon a cautious sniff, then turned to face the group. "I knew I smelled cinnamon. He can't eat this. He's allergic."
The man paled. "Bon Bondyé… I-I'm so sorry! My friend, I'll replace it right away." He scooped up the plates and hurried off.
Malia whistled with a grin. "Damn, Daphne. Didn't know you cared so much about Mr Ice cube."
Daphne flushed instantly. "I-It's not like that! I just didn't want him ending up like last time , that's all." Her eyes flicked toward Jason. He was already looking at her. She quickly glanced away and crossed her arms with a quiet, "Hmph."
"…Thanks," Jason said simply.
Her shoulders dropped a little, softer now. "You're welcome."
Brandon clapped his hands together. "Alright, enough drama. Let's crank this up—how about we bet on the winner?"
Jason rolled his eyes. "Really? What are you, seven?"
"Scared you'll lose, Mr. Ice Cube?" Malia smirked.
Jason paused, then gave a cool grin. "What's the bet?"
"Simple," Malia stretched her arms behind her head, "Loser has to grant two wishes to the winner. Anything."
"Three!" Liam chimed in, bouncing excitedly. "Like a genie!"
Jason raised an eyebrow. "Three wishes, huh?"
"Make it interesting," Malia shrugged.
Just then, the host returned, setting down two fresh plates. Brandon casually swung an arm around the man's shoulder. "So, Mustache Guy—what's the prize for winning anyway?"
The man chuckled. "You can pick anything from that stand outside."
Brandon gave an approving nod. "Nice."
The host stepped back dramatically. "Now... let the contest begin!"