Elaine scanned the nearly vacant lot of the amusement park as they arrived on scene, letting out a small sigh as she reluctantly parked beside Luca's car. The place was empty of the usual crowd, and cars were slowly rolling into the lot like spooked gazelles. Elaine slowly glanced up in her rearview mirror before turning to Eleanore.
"Please, for the love of everything, do not act as if you've never met or seen a musician."
"So…" Eleanore's brows furrowed, "Behave like a normal person?"
"Please."
"Excuse you!" Eleanore's head snapped toward her, "I'm always on my best behavior."
"That's what worries me," Elaine groaned, then stepped out of the car, making her way around the back, where she noticed the five familiar faces approaching… Eleanore also caught notice, and her jaw dropped.
"Oh my god, that's actually-"
Elaine clapped a hand over Eleanore's mouth, glancing at her sideways, "I mean it, Eleanore, behave."
Eleanore stared at Elaine with wide eyes before nodding vigorously. Elaine slowly removed her hand, smoothing out her jacket as they began to make their way over to the group. Casen's eyes brightened as he caught sight of both of them. As he was about to run forward, Lucian reached out and grabbed his shirt collar, nearly taking him down.
"Ack! Luci!" Casen whined before looking back at Elaine and Eleanore, "You actually came!" He beamed.
"He owes Lucian twenty bucks," Rylan snickered.
"You should've raised that bet," Elaine murmured, looking between Lucian and the others.
Luca's arms were crossed from where he stood next to Enzo, watching them through his sunglasses. "Renting out an entire amusement park for celebrities is excessive."
"Only if you hate fun." Casen shot back.
Luca tilted his head just faintly, glancing over his sunglasses at Casen. Rylan snorted, grabbing Casen's wrist to jog ahead towards the front gates.
"Well, at least two of the group are enjoying themselves," Lucian mused, walking backward as he looked Eleanore over through his own sunglasses, "Lucian."
Eleanore's eyes brightened, "I'm Eleanore! You're… wow."
Elaine glanced toward Eleanore, checking her reaction before looking back toward Casen and Rylan, who were waving at them in the distance. "I've been working with them since the Black Diamond performance."
"And you just what?" Eleanore whipped around to her, "Forgot to tell me?"
Elaine glanced at her, but before she could respond, Casen jogged over, grinning like a fool. "Let's go to the roller coasters! Come on!"
"Pass." Elaine and Luca nearly said in unison before glancing at each other. Enzo inched behind Luca, glancing at Lucian, who cracked a smile but didn't say anything.
"Okay, okay!" Eleanore looked between everyone before hopping forward, "Let's go!"
Casen's grin only widened, grabbing her hand, "I'll get everyone to do something before we leave, mark my words!" He shouted as he ran away with Eleanore, who was laughing.
"Well," Lucian gave a small smirk, "If she can keep up with those two, I think she'll be just fine."
Enzo stepped around Luca, glancing around at the rides, his brows furrowing as he heard a scream in the distance from one of the rides.
Lucian looked between the three, "You know, this is supposed to be fun… A no-camera, no-fan day… Just other people who deal with the same things."
"Then why am I here?" Enzo grumbled.
"Because it's mandatory, and if I didn't make you come, you'd still be sitting in your studio pretending sleep isn't real."
Enzo huffed, and Luca tugged his hat lower. His sunglasses reflected the sunlight as he crossed his arms again. "I could be finalizing that new track."
"You could," Lucian nodded, "But instead, you're going to eat something fried and let the sunlight touch you for once."
Elaine pursed her lips, quickly covering her mouth to prevent laughing. Luca gave her a sideways glance. "What's so funny?"
"Oh…" Elaine snickered slightly, "Just… imagining you trying to argue with the sun."
Lucian looked between the two, slowly sidestepping behind Elaine before making his way behind Enzo, clapping his hands over his shoulders. "Come on, Roth. Let's go see if Casen convinced Rylan to throw up yet."
"Hey, wait-" Enzo was steered away by Lucian, who wasn't giving in to his complaints, leaving Elaine and Luca standing behind at the gate.
Elaine squinted faintly through her sunglasses, "Mm… So-"
"Nope." Luca turned on his heels, and Elaine caught his arm.
"Ah, no." Elaine shook her head, "If I'm stuck here, so are you."
Luca glanced between her and her hand before shaking it off, slowly crossing his arms, "...I don't even like stuff like this."
Elaine refrained from sighing, watching him for a moment, "Are you allergic to fun or just avoiding it?"
Luca's eye faintly twitched as he sucked his teeth. "Both sound on-brand," he muttered dryly.
Okay, he's acting a bit off. Elaine gestured toward the park, "Let's just walk around, okay?"
Luca gave a frustrated sigh, "Fine."
Elaine slowly walked beside him, recognizing some people who began to filter in, while others were unfamiliar. She watched the rides and games they passed by before pausing to look at a ring toss game. "How about… one game? If I win… You have to at least try to have fun."
Luca tilted his head, looking between her and the game, "And if I win?"
Elaine blinked, glancing at him. "Then… I'll buy you the world's worst souvenir."
Luca looked down at her for a moment before lifting a hand, "Deal."
Elaine cracked a small smile, shaking it before they walked over to the booth, paying for a round. Elaine tossed a few rings, each one missing miserably. She grimaced, holding the last one, then tossed it. It hit the rim of the bottle and vanished between them, "Okay… that one moved."
Luca covered his mouth with his sleeve, concealing the smirk over his lips, "Mm… sure it did." He slowly picked up a ring, shifting it between his fingers before landing a perfect toss. Elaine's jaw dropped, staring at him. "Oh."
Luca gave a half-laugh, tossing another; it missed, but the next one landed. By the end of it, the booth's attendant handed him a small stuffed wolf, and Luca chuckled, holding it out to her. "I guess… that means you owe me."
Elaine gave a soft laugh as they walked from the booth, taking the small wolf plush from him, "I'll find you something hideous, promise."
Luca shook his head, lingering behind her as they walked around the park, checking out the rides while mapping out the layout.
He glanced at Elaine as she looked up at one of the roller coasters, "What made you decide to come today?"
Elaine blinked, turning her head to look at him as they walked. "I didn't really have a reason not to… I thought Eleanore would have fun, and I… didn't really have an excuse to get out of it."
Luca snorted, shaking his head, "So… Boredom brought you here?"
"Pretty much." She gave a faint smile, "I wasn't planning to, though… I'm not the theme park type."
"No?"
"The whole… crowds of people screaming like this. It's not really my thing."
Luca lifted a hand to his mouth, giving a small chuckle. "You sound like Enzo."
"Well," Elaine cracked a smile, "Maybe he's onto something?"
Luca shook his head, looking around as Elaine paused to watch a kid squealing while holding a stuffed duck that was nearly the same size as him. She shook her head, turning back to Luca. "Is that a smile, Mr. Hunt?"
Luca's lips were partially curled; however, they dropped. "I don't know what you mean."
"Sure." Elaine chuckled, "You're less tense than you were earlier."
Luca raised a brow, "I didn't realize you'd been studying me."
"Observing, not studying." Elaine corrected.
"That's what people say right before they pull out a notebook."
"You're deflecting."
Luca gave a soft snort, "Maybe…"
"So, why did you decide to come?" Elaine inquired.
"It was mandatory." Luca murmured, "That… and Lucian dragged me out of my studio."
"Maybe he just didn't want you to sit there alone."
"Maybe…" Luca sighed, "I guess even solitude has its limits."
Elaine gave a small nod. "I used to think it didn't."
"And now?" Luca inquired, raising a brow.
"Now…" Elaine tilted her head faintly, "Sometimes it's quiet enough that it starts echoing back."
Luca's lips parted faintly before he pressed them together. His gaze shifted around the park, listening to everyone as they laughed and had fun at the booths and stalls. "Hm… then maybe being here is… good?"
Elaine looked up at him, chuckling slightly, "You're not as serious as some people say."
"Don't tell anyone," Luca snorted, "It'll ruin my reputation."
Elaine rolled her eyes, laughing faintly. He tapped her shoulder as they rounded the tents to a shaded picnic area. Some other artists looked up curiously before Luca stepped beside Elaine, steering her towards the vendor stalls.
Elaine glanced at him, continuing the path, "I've noticed you do that a lot."
"Do what?"
"Step in front of people."
"Force of habit, I suppose."
"From what?"
Luca tilted his head, "Too many stages. Too many crowds… You start reading body language before you even notice it."
Elaine blinked up at him, then turned her gaze toward the stalls, chuckling. "Alright, philosopher." She shook her head, "How about you pick. What's the least regrettable thing to eat at an amusement park?"
Luca snorted, "None of it's safe." He paused, "But… I'm willing to risk fries if you are."
Elaine blinked at him before shaking her head, laughing, "That's the most unconvincing sales pitch I've ever heard."
"Good thing I'm not selling. I'm buying." Luca gave a light smirk, sidestepping around her to walk towards a stall.