Finished this earlier as a writing exercise for something I have planned in the future. Also available on my AO3 account (link in profile)
It's just for one afternoon, thought Leo. Just keep Elise happy, that's all I need to do. Then again, keeping her happy here involves…
The sound of Xander clearing his throat knocked Leo out of his thoughts.
Camila stood in front of Leo on the other side of the gate. She smiled and held a hand out to Leo.
"Aren't you coming?"
Leo wordlessly walked through the gate, Xander and Elise following.
"This is so exciting!" said Elise. "What should we ride first? The teacups, the drop tower, the big roller coaster, the-"
"We can do whatever you'd like," said Xander.
"Hooray!" Elise beamed, giving Xander a hug. Scanning the area, her eyes went wide in the direction of an ice cream cart. The woman behind it waved.
Leo shook his head.
"If you eat ice cream and then go on rides, you're going to feel sick."
Elise puffed out her cheeks.
"I only want something small, that shouldn't be too bad, right? And the lady with the pretty long blue hair is waving at us."
Camilla giggled.
"You will probably get sick. Your brother is very smart. He knows best about this kind of thing, don't you think?"
"But…" Elise frowned and looked at her feet. "…Okay. You're right."
Leo felt his heart sink at her crestfallen expression. Then again, she's the one who wanted to come…
"…Maybe you should ask Xander if he'll buy you some."
Xander put a hand on Elise's shoulder.
"If that's what you would like, I'll buy you something small."
Elise looked at her sibling and smiled.
"Really? Thank you, Xander!"
The siblings approached the ice cream cart, only to get cut off by a group of four others.
…Great, thought Leo.
"That one looks good…" said the short girl with shoulder-length pink hair. She pointed at a popsicle on the stand's menu.
"That's a good one, Sakura," said the tall man with spiky chestnut hair done in a ponytail. He reminded Leo of a samurai.
"I'd like two scoops of pineapple in a cone," said the young man. His blond hair still extended down past his waist, despite being tied in not one but two ponytails.
"No, Takumi, you're supposed to order from here," said the crimson haired woman. She pointed at the menu.
"Is that so…that I guess I'll have what she's having," said Takumi.
"Are you talking about Hinoka or me?" asked Sakura.
"You, of course," said Takumi.
Hinoka crossed her arms.
"Are my choices not good enough for you?"
Leo felt a throbbing pain come on in his head. Hurry up, please…
"It's not that, I just want what Sakura wants," said Takumi. "Ryoma told her it was a good choice, right? So…"
Hinoka let her arms down. She briefly looked at Leo, then back at Takumi.
"Alright, that's fair I guess."
Leo tapped his foot as the woman handed Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi, and Sakura their food. He sighed as they walked off.
"Sorry about that," said the woman.
Elise pointed at the woman's hair.
"Your hair is so pretty! The blue is really nice!"
"Thank you." The woman smiled. She opened the cart and pulled out two ice cream sandwiches. "Unfortunately, these are all I have left. Do you want them?"
"Yeah!"
Xander put the money on the cart as Elise accepted the sandwiches.
"I think two sandwiches is too much," said Leo.
Elise grinned and held one out to Leo.
"You can have this one."
"I'd rather not."
Camilla laughed.
"You were the one who said two was too much. I think you should have it, too."
"I don't want it," said Xander. "And we shouldn't throw it out."
Leo glanced back and forth between his siblings. He sighed.
"Fine."
"Look!" said Elise, pointing. "Nobody's in line over there!"
Looking to where she was pointing, Leo's eyes widened.
"Seriously? The teacups are the worst thing to go on after you've eaten. In fact, they're just plain awful regardless if you've eaten or not."
"Huh? How so?" Elise cocked her head.
"Because every time we go, we feel sick at the end and wonder why we ever went on in the first place," said Leo. "Don't you remember how Xander vomited after we got off last year?"
"Yeah, but…"
"It's okay," said Camilla. She wrapped her arm around Elise. "Xander doesn't have to go on this time. Leo, you should come on."
"I really don't think I should. I had ice cream too, and-"
"Please?" Elise's eyes shined as she looked directly into Leo's.
Leo felt the blood rush to his face as he put a hand to his forehead. Damn it…she just has to use those eyes on me…
"Only because you asked nicely," said Leo.
Elise's face lit up.
"Hooray! Let's go!" She took Leo's hand and dragged him to the ride's entrance. Camilla followed suit.
The ride attendant led the three siblings onto a cup and closed it, Leo sitting between his sisters.
Leo groaned when he looked at the people across from him. We just have to share a cup with those guys from earlier, don't we?
Takumi sat across from Leo, smiling weakly.
Leo responded with a glare, causing Takumi to glare back.
"Didn't you have a girl my age with you?" asked Elise.
"We do, but she isn't fond of this ride," said Ryoma.
Camilla stuck her tongue out at Hinoka, flustering her.
"You cut us off earlier," growled Leo.
"Considering your despicable face right now, I'm glad," said Takumi, his eyes boring into Leo's.
The ride began with a jolt, making Leo fall to the side and onto Camilla's lap. He quickly pushed himself up and continued to stare into Takumi's eyes, not losing contact even as the ride began to spin faster.
Eventually the ride got so fast that Takumi's hair began to float and fly to the side, hitting Hinoka's face. Her scarf flew off and into Camilla's face.
Leo began to laugh and point at Takumi. Elise's pigtails then flew into his face, giving him a mouthful of hair.
Takumi smirked.
Leo clutched his stomach as he stumbled off the ride, barely able to keep himself on his feet. He watched as Elise wobbled over to Xander, falling at his feet. Takumi held onto Sakura's arm, steadying himself. Camilla lay face down on the ground with her hands sprawled out. Hinoka took her scarf from Camilla and fell backwards onto the ground. Ryoma wandered over to Xander and vomited next to Elise.
"Ewww!" Elise quickly scrambled to her feet, stepping away from Ryoma. She vomited to the side, causing Xander to sidestep.
"I told you this was a bad idea," said Leo. He tripped over Hinoka and fell next to Camilla.
I hope my stomach holds for this ride, thought Leo. The ride attendant strapped him into his seat, again between Camilla and Elise.
"We haven't been on the drop zone in quite some time," said Camilla.
"It's your favourite, right?" asked Xander, sitting on Elise's other side.
"I love it," said Camilla.
I don't like this ride one bit, Leo wanted to say.
"Whoo! It's starting!" said Elise.
Leo's stomach began to cramp as the ride slowly got higher and higher.
"We're so close!" Elise raised her arms in anticipation.
"I think I'm going to hurl," said Leo.
The ride shot down, the cacophonic screams of the riders filling the air. Leo repeatedly spat as Elise and Camilla's hair whipped his face, filling his nostrils.
When the ride hit the ground, Leo quickly removed himself and ran to the ride's barrier. Failing to realize that the lineup was on the other side, he hurled over onto someone's shoes. He raised his head to see Hinoka and Takumi narrowing their eyes at him.
"Hey, watch where you're doing that!" said Hinoka.
"You disgust me," said Takumi.
Leo smirked.
"What a coincidence. You disgust me also."
"Enough, Leo." Xander grabbed Leo's shoulder, pulling him away.
"This haunted house better be scary," said Leo.
"It scared Xander last year," said Camilla.
Xander blushed and grimaced, turning away.
"Why didn't you go last year, Leo?" asked Elise. "Could it be…you're scared too?"
"Me? Scared? As if," said Leo.
"Of course it's scary," said a voice.
Leo scowled as he looked behind, Takumi, Hinoka, and Ryoma standing right behind him.
"You're right," said Leo. "Your presence is enough to make this entire thing horrifying."
"I was about to say the same thing," said Takumi.
"C'mon Leo, just ignore him," said Elise. "It's our turn to go in!"
Leo yawned as a sheet fell from above, landing on his head.
Camilla giggled.
"Leo's a ghost!"
"Boo," said Leo.
"Lame," said Takumi, he and his family passing Leo. They went around the corner.
I agree, thought Leo. As if I'll tell him that, though.
A scream sounded from around the corner; Takumi raced back over, slamming into Leo and knocking him over. He lay on top of Leo, making it difficult for Leo to move.
"Get off of me!" cried Leo pushing Takumi off.
"Whoa! What was around the corner?" asked Elise.
"Something terrifying," said Takumi.
Leo stood and looked around the corner. A man dressed in a wolf costume was arguing with a man in a fox costume.
"I don't get paid enough for this," said the man in the wolf costume.
"At least you actually managed to spook someone this time."
Leo began to laugh.
"Hooray! Roller coaster time!" said Elise, getting onto the coaster. She climbed in beside Xander in the front car and strapped herself in. Leo entered the car behind his siblings, Camilla entering the car behind him.
A few seconds later, Sakura took the seat beside Leo.
Leo said nothing.
Sakura spoke.
"I-I'm sorry for how rude my brother has been acting towards you…" said Sakura.
Leo snorted.
"As long as he keeps away from me, I don't care." He felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning, Leo gritted his teeth.
"Hey, you! Let's swap spots!" said Takumi. He leaned away from Camilla, who held his ponytail, stroking it.
"Yeah, right! If it'll please you, there's no way it's happening," said Leo.
"Ooh, the ride's starting," said Camilla.
Leo turned away as the ride began. As the coaster rode up the hill, he leaned back.
"Please stop fighting," said Sakura.
Leo ignored her as the coaster shot down, remaining stoic as everyone around him screamed. He looked over and saw Elise's hair getting in Sakura's face.
"I'm glad your hair isn't as long!" he shouted at Xander, just as the coaster turned and Elise's hair whipped his face again. He groaned. "Elise, get a haircut!"
The coaster looped upside down several times, causing Sakura to cling to Leo's arm.
"…Maybe I should've switched spots with your brother."
The coaster began to slow as it hit another loop, completely stopping as everyone hung upside down.
"That was awful," said Camilla.
"I don't ever want to go on that again," said Elise.
Xander nodded.
Leo smirked as he looked at the handful of extremely long hair he held.
Takumi marched over to Leo and tore the hair out of his hands.
"What's your problem, seriously?"
"I don't have a problem," said Leo. "You're the one who responded poorly to my comments, after all."
"Maybe so, but you started it," said Takumi.
"Well maybe if you-"
"Please stop fighting," said Elise, taking Leo's hand.
"This doesn't concern you, Elise," said Leo. "Please ignore us."
"B-but it's my fault for wanting ice cream!" said Elise.
"Maybe so, but you're not responsible for any of this," said Leo.
Takumi growled.
"Why'd you grab my hair anyway? That was completely uncalled for."
"Because we could've used it as a rope with how long it is," said Leo. "You may as well be a male version of Rapunzel."
"Male version of- I'll make you eat those words." Takumi lunged at Leo, pinning him to the ground.
Leo stared at Takumi in stunned silence before smirking once more.
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair…"
Takumi bared his teeth.
"…So, I'm Rapunzel, huh? Well, let's continue the story, shall we?" He kissed Leo on the lips.
Leo shoved Takumi away and narrowed his eyes.
"So that's the way it is, huh? I hate you."
"And I hate you."
Camilla walked over to Leo and put her hand on his shoulder.
"I think we should go home."
Leo nodded.
"Please."
"I'm still amazed we managed to run into that family so often," said Elise.
"That older sister was kind of cute," said Camilla.
"I think we all could've gotten along," said Xander, stopping it at the red light. He looked at Leo for a moment.
Leo said nothing. He leaned against the window and sighed.
A moment later, a car rolled up beside them. Leo's jaw dropped, noticing Takumi staring at him from the other car.