#scott rivera

[ask-ronndoll]

purplephone redesign!!!

behold! the Filipino-fication of og characters Vincent and Scott! tbh this is a rushed product from a small manic episode at 1am, and I’m starting to cook with this new design.

honestly, a lot needs to be ironed out about the whole Nadiverse lore, including these two. Most of all Vincent, since he was once thought of as William. In my AU, (as of 2024), William and Vincent are not the same anymore. ties.

as for Scott, he is pure filo, migrated to the US with plans to bring his family with him. but when his high paying job’s main ship sunk, he lost all funds to be able to come back home. hence, ending up at Freddy’s. ( a small nod to the difficulties of Overseas Filipino Workers )

aniways, i am need eep, more to come soon!

[clairewritesandrambles]

Currently watching Twisters with headphones and subtitles (as it should be experienced). If you had a hard time hearing some of the quieter dialogue like me, here is a list of little details I didn't notice the first time:

Scott's driver tells to Boone to blow him when the Tornado Wranglers arrive at the first gas station.

Ben telling Tyler to keep his eyes on the road when he is staring at Kate as she and Javi pass them.

As Boone is hanging out the window loading rockets, he sings 'Dead End Road' by Jellyroll and then when the camera pans out he yells "SING IT BEN!" (Honestly this rewatch caught a lot of background dialogue for him, made me love Boone even more).

The cause of the broken trigger during the second tornado is melted chocolate and Tyler is lecturing Boone about eating chocolate in the truck.

In the background after the Stillwater tornado you can see the StormPAR guys digging the truck out of the wreck of the motel. (Still find it hilarious that it survived, considering we see a - slightly smaller - truck get sucked straight into the tornado in the same area).

Scott 100% calls Riggs his uncle. I already was pretty sure that was what he said, but subtitles confirmed it.

You can barely hear the dialogue, but the entire time during the EF5 that hits El Reno Scott is the one talking in the truck with Javi. It's all super quiet because of the music and sound of the tornado, but throughout the entire thing it is Scott who is showing fear and Javi is the calmer one (while still being realistic for the scene). I think it just adds an interesting take on how calm he is later and wanting to go back to the tornado. Maybe a bit of a pride thing?

Not so much something that I *just* noticed, but I find the inconsistency with Tyler's truck damage at the end hilarious. The thing just got rolled by an EF5 and a few days later (StormPAR truck is still covered in mud, so it can't be a big time gap) it seems fine at the airport. I can totally see him being the type of guy who would absolutely run it to the mechanic as soon as possible, that is HIS BABY.

This has been Live Watching with Claire.

[a-reader-and-a-writer]

Sweeter Than Revenge Part 1

Fandom: Twisters, Tyler Owens, f!reader, Scott's Sister!reader Summary: When you try to surprise your brother with a visit in the hopes of mending your strained relationship, it does not go as planned. Rudely dismissed by Scott, you decide to get a little revenge. And who better to do it with than the head Tornado Wrangler himself... Word Count: 3509 TW: Family Conflict, Brief Mention of Reader's Clothes/Breasts, Unsucessful Flirting, Language Notes: A massive thank you to @blue-aconite and @green-socks for reading this over for me and for all the constant support! And to @mayhem24-7forever for always answering my late-night panicked messages

Divider created by me (please ask/credit before using)

Series Masterlist

Grabbing your backpack off the seat beside you, you stood and joined the crowd of passengers making their way to the front of the bus. You stopped to let an elderly couple join the line in front of you and used the momentary pause to glance out the window at your destination. A small diner in need of a fresh coat of paint and a good window washing sat off to the left while several rows of gas pumps were lined up on the right. Trucks, vans, campers, and SUVs filled almost every parking spot and spilled into the grassy field around the lot. Some vehicles were ancient, rusted machines that barely looked driveable while others were so fresh and high-tech they could have just been driven off a lot. Those were the vehicles you were looking for.

Stepping off the bus, you headed towards the group of four shiny new vehicles on the other end of the parking lot. On the way, your head was on a constant swivel as you took in everything around you: a middle-aged couple arguing loudly about who forgot to tie down the lawn chairs the last time they stopped, a somewhat familiar-looking man in a cowboy hat unloading a piece of equipment from his huge red truck while another long-haired man filmed him, a woman with dreadlocks fiddling with a remote control only for a large drone to drop out of the sky a moment later and land at her feet, a few children racing towards the diner with their exasperated mother trailing behind yelling at them to watch where they were going. 

It was utter chaos and you loved it already. 

As you approached the vehicles, you saw the Storm PAR logos printed on the sides and breathed a sigh of relief that after this sixth bus stop, you had finally tracked them down. You still didn’t see who you were looking for, so you walked up to a man with dark curly hair wearing a white button-down Storm PAR shirt who was currently crouched down examining a weird solar panel-looking piece of equipment set up next to one of the vans. As you cleared your throat, he looked up from the machine and blinked, as if he was shocked to see someone standing there despite the crowds of people around him. Glancing around, he asked, “Um…can I help you?”

You guess you shouldn’t be too surprised by his reaction. In your cut-off shorts, boots, and halter top, you looked like you should be hanging out one of the trucks you passed when you first got off the bus, not the polished, company polo shirt-wearing tech heads milling around the Storm PAR vehicles. And you didn’t even want to know what your hair and makeup looked like after four hours on that poorly air-conditioned packed bus. 

So, instead of taking offense at this guy’s slightly dismissive tone, you smiled as you adjusted the backpack on your shoulder. “Hi. I’m looking for Scott.”

The man glanced over his shoulder but made no move to stand up. “He’s here but he’s in the middle of some data calculations. Can I help you with something?”

“Not really. I had time off college and he mentioned you guys were having a really active season so I figured why not come out and see all this in action.” The man was still looking at you like he couldn’t understand why you were talking to him and you suddenly realized you hadn’t explained the most important detail. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I guess I should have mentioned, Scotty’s my older brother.”

Instantly, the man’s demeanor shifted and a huge toothy smile spread across his face. “Oh! You should have led with that. Nice to meet you.”

Rising to his feet, he stuck out his hand and you shook it, officially introducing yourself. When he said his name was Javi Rivera and it was your turn for things to click into place. “Javi! You’re Scotty’s business partner, right? He’s told me about you.”

Javi let your hand drop and his eyes shifted towards his equipment once more. “Really? Well, um, you know, I’ve, uh, heard great things about you too.”

You grinned, grabbing onto the straps of your backpack. “Scotty never even mentioned he had a sister, did he?” Javi gave a slight shrug, still not looking directly at you and you laughed. “Yeah, that sounds like him. Never wants to get personal, everything’s about business with him. To be honest, I don’t see or hear from him that much which is just another reason I figured I’d come surprise him when I had the chance. Plus, I read some research Scotty left lying around last time he came home and it was really interesting. I’m excited to be able to see what you guys do firsthand.” 

“Well, I’m sure Scotty will be glad to see you. Let me go grab him.”

Javi turned and disappeared into one of the vans. A moment later, he returned with your brother following closely behind. “Javi, I was in the middle of some important calculations. Why did I have to–” Scott stumbled to a stop as he saw you standing there.

Since he was a teenager, Scott had mastered the art of keeping his emotions hidden. He could be fuming mad, joyously happy, or heartbrokenly sad, and in each case keep the same perfect mask on his face. However, you knew his one tell. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t keep the emotion out of his eyes. And right now, you could practically see flames burning within them. 

For the first time, you wondered if coming to see him had been such a good idea. Shifting from one foot to the other, you tried to force a smile as you half-heartedly held out your arms. “Surprise.”

Scott remained rooted to the spot, his only movement the constant forceful chewing of his gum. Javi glanced back and forth between the two of you, the smile slowly draining from his face. Hesitantly, he explained, “She said she was your sister so I figured…”

A cultivated smile spread across Scott’s lips but it didn’t reach his eyes as they continued to burn into yours. “No, it’s all good. I’m just surprised to see her.” Without breaking eye contact, he held his tablet out to Javi who took it from him. “Give me a few minutes to talk to her and then I’ll get back to those numbers.”

Javi started to protest, assuring him there was no rush and he could take his time, but Scott had already closed the distance between you. Grabbing your arm tightly to the point of slight painfulness, he guided you past the rest of the Storm PAR vehicles and into the empty field. 

Once you were far enough away that you knew none of his co-workers could hear you, you wrenched your arm from his grasp, snapping, “Get off of me!”

“What the hell are you doing here?” he growled, his mask finally slipping as his nostrils flared and lips curled into a snarl.

“Well, hello to you too!” You examined your arm where he had grabbed you, massaging it gently. “Can’t a girl come visit her big brother?”

“Not when she wasn’t invited or even asked if she could come beforehand! What were you thinking? This isn’t one of your wild party vacations. This is my job!”

“I know that. I wasn’t expecting you to drop everything and take me sightseeing. I just thought I could hang around and watch you guys in action. I’ve read some of the research you left at Christmas and I was hoping maybe I could learn a little more about it.”

Scott shook his head, his hands on his hips. “This is our busiest time of the season. I don’t have time to babysit you.”

“What do you think I am? Eight? I don’t need you to babysit me. I told you, I’m interested in what you do and thought I could just hang around and see how it all works.” You shrugged, “Maybe you could even take me on a chase or two.”

“Hell no. I won’t have you getting scared and causing us to have to turn around in the middle of a storm run. Javi and I have worked too hard to get this company to where it is and I’m not going to let you ruin that because, on a whim, you thought it would be fun to see a storm.” Scott scoffed as he rolled his eyes. “It’s so typical of you to still think that just because you want something or because Mom and Dad will pay for it, everyone else will bend over backward to accommodate you. Well, I don’t have to put up with your bullshit anymore.”

You took several deep breaths and tried to keep your anger in check. This was not at all how you thought this would go, but lashing out right now would only make things worse. So, in a calm, steady voice, you tried to shift approaches. “Scotty, we haven’t spent any real time together since you left for MIT. And back then…I’m not proud of the person I was and I can’t imagine what that must have been like for you. But I was a kid who didn’t know any better! I’ve grown up since you left. And this trip isn’t just something I thought would be fun to do ‘on a whim’. I worked hard to save up the money to come here because I wanted to see you and spend time with you—however little time you may be able to work into your schedule. And I promise I won’t get scared or make you stop your chase. If I don’t like it, I’ll suck it up until it’s over then not ask to go again.” Taking a step forward, you gently placed your hand on his arm and gave him a timid smile. “Let me show you who I am now…how much I’ve changed. Please, Scotty.”

But Scott yanked his arm away and took a step back. “I don’t care where you go, but you need to stay away from me and Storm PAR. Now, I have work to do.” He took one last look at you, and, for just a moment, you thought maybe he felt bad for what he said and was reconsidering things. But then, he blew a small bubble with his gum and popped it loudly in your face. You jumped slightly, the sound sharp and startling, before glaring at him. He had been doing that since you were kids and he knew how much you absolutely despised it. Shooting you one last smug smirk, Scott turned and walked off towards the cluster of Storm PAR vehicles. 

You turned to look out into the open field, lip quivering, as you fought against the tears that were burning your eyes. Things between you and Scott had been pretty bad when he left for college, but you hadn’t realized he still really thought so poorly of you. The last few holidays or family events he had been forced to come to, things seemed to be getting a little better. You thought that maybe you had reached a turning point in your relationship. But now it was clear you had been very wrong.

Looking back at the diner and overflow of vehicles, you wondered what you should do now. You had no idea when the next bus came by or how to get a ticket home or if there was a motel nearby you could stay in for the night or how you would even get there if there was or what you would do in the morning or—

UGH! The longer you stared at the Storm PAR logo on the side of the van Scott had disappeared into, the less hurt you felt. Instead, the pain began to shift into outrage. How dare Scott treat you like this? You had spent a lot of money and wasted two weeks of your summer vacation to take this trip to see him. You knew it would involve listening to him drone on about numbers and graphs you could barely comprehend for most of the time, but you were willing to smile, nod, and seem interested to show you cared about what he did. But no! He didn’t even give you a chance to explain yourself or prove that you weren’t here to interfere with his work. He had just torn you down before turning his back on you and walking away. That asshole!

The sun was starting to dip lower in the sky and you realized standing here fuming about Scott wasn’t going to help your situation. You could do that once you found a bus schedule or a place to stay for the night. However, as you stormed back through the parking lot, something caught your eye. 

When you had come through the first time and passed the familiar-looking man and the long-haired guy with the camera, you had only seen their truck from behind. But now that you were looking at the front, you noticed the distinctive metal logo attached to the front of the truck’s grille: a tornado with horns jutting out the top of the vortex. And you realized why the man in the cowboy hat looked familiar. 

Scott might not talk to you very often, but during the instances that he had, you had heard plenty of complaints about Tyler Owens and his group of Tornado Wranglers. Everything they did was the complete opposite of how Storm PAR operated and it drove Scott crazy that while he was out there doing the “real work”, this group of amateur YouTube chasers were the ones getting all the attention and acclaim when all they were really doing was getting in Storm PAR’s way. 

And Scott seemed to have another level of hatred for Owens himself.    

Out of curiosity, you had looked up the Wranglers’ YouTube channel and found it pretty entertaining. While Scott viewed every aspect of his work with complete seriousness and professionalism, these guys tackled the same work like they were having the time of their lives. They were still informative, explaining to their viewers how tornadoes formed and the types of destruction they can cause, but they would then drive straight into the center of a funnel or take chat requests of crazy things to do in the storm. It honestly seemed like a great way to get people excited about learning about tornadoes while also keeping them entertained. And it seemed like their nearly 850,000 followers would agree. No wonder Scott hated them so much. 

Suddenly, you had an idea—the perfect little act of revenge.

Changing directions, you made your way over to Owens’s truck. You could see he was now alone, tinkering with the equipment attached to the bed of his truck. He had traded his white cowboy hat for a faded backward cap and had pushed his sleeves up above his elbows as he worked, his sun-bronzed skin on full display in the dying light.

Though you had only watched a handful of the Tornado Wranglers’ videos, you had a pretty good idea of the kind of man Tyler Owens was and how you could persuade him to help you. After all, these narcissistic, jacked-up truck-driving, overcompensating pretty boys were all the same. The kind who had been fawned and swooned over their entire adult lives just because they flashed a charming smile or a playful wink in the right direction. However, with just a little stroking of their ego or a bat of your eyes, they could become putty in your hands. All you had to do was introduce yourself.

Reaching the side of the truck, you tucked your hands into your back pockets so it thrust your chest forward and, biting your lip, called out coyly, “Hey there, cowboy.”

Owens glanced up, a curious smile curling across his lips as he saw you, his eyes traveling from your head to boot and back up. “Well, hello there.”

Giggling softly as you placed your hand on the side railing, you asked in a sing-songy voice, “You’re Tyler, right? The big...bad…tornado wrangler?” With each word, you walked your fingers across the railing, your eyes locked on his.

He leaned back, wiped his hands on his jeans, and said, “I might be. Depends on who’s asking.” He was still looking at you but his smile had slipped slightly and you realized you might not have grabbed his attention as well as you thought.

Placing both hands on the railing now, you pushed yourself up slightly, your chest pressed together, and you looked up at him from under your lashes. “What if I’m asking?”

Owens stared at you for a long moment, his eyes still examining you thoughtfully, though you were shocked to see they stayed locked on your face and didn’t dip down to your breast like you had expected. Then, finally, he said, “You seem like a nice girl, sweetheart, but I don't think I'm what you're looking for. Good luck though.” He gave you a kind, yet dismissive nod, and went back to whatever he had been working on.

Your jaw dropped, lips moving silently as you tried to figure out what just happened. This kind of thing always worked on guys like him in the past. Show a little skin, stroke their egos a little, and they would be wrapped around your finger in no time. But he hadn’t even given your act more than a passing glance. It was possible you weren’t his type or maybe he was in a committed relationship, but neither of those things had exactly deterred guys in the past. 

You turned around—properly dismissed—and were just about to walk away when another thought crossed your mind. What if…what if you had misjudged him? What if he wasn’t the kind of guy you assumed he was? From what you had seen in his videos, he was cocky and overconfident and a huge flirt, but what if that was all for the cameras? During your very brief interaction, he seemed polite and respectful even as you tried to throw yourself at him, something no other guy had ever done in that situation. 

Maybe you had gone about this all wrong. Maybe you needed a different approach. A more honest one…

You hurried around the other side of the truck so you were in front of him once more. Dropping all the over-the-top flirtatiousness from your voice, you said, “Okay, I’m sorry. I thought…it doesn’t matter what I thought, but the point is I shouldn’t have done that. I’ve had a really shitty day and approached this situation all wrong.”

Owens didn’t raise his head, but his eyes drifted back in your direction. Feeling like he was offering you a chance, you explained, “Listen, the deal is I came here to surprise my brother with a visit, and as soon as he saw me, he told me he doesn’t want me here and I should fuck off out of his way.”

That got his attention. Looking up, his brow furrowed, Owens asked, “Your brother said that to you?”

You rolled your eyes and hit the heel of your palm against the side of the truck. “Well, not in those exact words but the sentiment was there. The point is, he told me he didn’t care where I went as long as I left him and his team alone. So, I plan on respecting his wishes…and wondered if I could hang out with your team instead.”

“Well–” He leaned back, clearly not interested in your request, but you cut him off before he could turn you down.

“Please! It’ll just be for a day or two. I promise not to get in the way or mess with any of your work. I just know he has a problem with you guys and seeing me with you will drive him insane.” 

Putting down the wrench he was holding, Owens shook his head. “Back up…who are we talking about now? Who’s your brother?”

You realized you needed to get better at introducing people into a conversation before jumping right in. “Scott? He works for Storm PAR?” He hesitated so you sighed and turned towards the other group of storm chasers at the other end of the lot. With one hand on your hip, you pointed lazily with the other, “The surly tall one who never takes off his stupid baseball cap?”

Instantly, Owens straightened up and you knew you had piqued his interest. Chuckling, he asked, “Wait, so you’re telling me Mr. Clipboard and Chewing Gum is your brother?” You nodded. “And you want my help messing with him?”

“Yeah, that about sums it up. So, will you do it?”

The cowboy leaned over the side of the truck and gave you a wide grin. “Oh, sweetheart, you’ve come to the right place.”

Part 2 coming 8/19!

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[a-reader-and-a-writer-for-all]

Sweeter Than Revenge Part 1

Fandom: Twisters, Tyler Owens, f!reader, Scott's Sister!reader Summary: When you try to surprise your brother with a visit in the hopes of mending your strained relationship, it does not go as planned. Rudely dismissed by Scott, you decide to get a little revenge. And who better to do it with than the head Tornado Wrangler himself... Word Count: 3509 TW: Family Conflict, Brief Mention of Reader's Clothes/Breasts, Unsucessful Flirting, Language Notes: A massive thank you to @blue-aconite and @green-socks for reading this over for me and for all the constant support! And to @mayhem24-7forever for always answering my late-night panicked messages

Divider created by me (please ask/credit before using)

Series Masterlist

Grabbing your backpack off the seat beside you, you stood and joined the crowd of passengers making their way to the front of the bus. You stopped to let an elderly couple join the line in front of you and used the momentary pause to glance out the window at your destination. A small diner in need of a fresh coat of paint and a good window washing sat off to the left while several rows of gas pumps were lined up on the right. Trucks, vans, campers, and SUVs filled almost every parking spot and spilled into the grassy field around the lot. Some vehicles were ancient, rusted machines that barely looked driveable while others were so fresh and high-tech they could have just been driven off a lot. Those were the vehicles you were looking for.

Stepping off the bus, you headed towards the group of four shiny new vehicles on the other end of the parking lot. On the way, your head was on a constant swivel as you took in everything around you: a middle-aged couple arguing loudly about who forgot to tie down the lawn chairs the last time they stopped, a somewhat familiar-looking man in a cowboy hat unloading a piece of equipment from his huge red truck while another long-haired man filmed him, a woman with dreadlocks fiddling with a remote control only for a large drone to drop out of the sky a moment later and land at her feet, a few children racing towards the diner with their exasperated mother trailing behind yelling at them to watch where they were going. 

It was utter chaos and you loved it already. 

As you approached the vehicles, you saw the Storm PAR logos printed on the sides and breathed a sigh of relief that after this sixth bus stop, you had finally tracked them down. You still didn’t see who you were looking for, so you walked up to a man with dark curly hair wearing a white button-down Storm PAR shirt who was currently crouched down examining a weird solar panel-looking piece of equipment set up next to one of the vans. As you cleared your throat, he looked up from the machine and blinked, as if he was shocked to see someone standing there despite the crowds of people around him. Glancing around, he asked, “Um…can I help you?”

You guess you shouldn’t be too surprised by his reaction. In your cut-off shorts, boots, and halter top, you looked like you should be hanging out one of the trucks you passed when you first got off the bus, not the polished, company polo shirt-wearing tech heads milling around the Storm PAR vehicles. And you didn’t even want to know what your hair and makeup looked like after four hours on that poorly air-conditioned packed bus. 

So, instead of taking offense at this guy’s slightly dismissive tone, you smiled as you adjusted the backpack on your shoulder. “Hi. I’m looking for Scott.”

The man glanced over his shoulder but made no move to stand up. “He’s here but he’s in the middle of some data calculations. Can I help you with something?”

“Not really. I had time off college and he mentioned you guys were having a really active season so I figured why not come out and see all this in action.” The man was still looking at you like he couldn’t understand why you were talking to him and you suddenly realized you hadn’t explained the most important detail. “Fuck, I’m sorry. I guess I should have mentioned, Scotty’s my older brother.”

Instantly, the man’s demeanor shifted and a huge toothy smile spread across his face. “Oh! You should have led with that. Nice to meet you.”

Rising to his feet, he stuck out his hand and you shook it, officially introducing yourself. When he said his name was Javi Rivera and it was your turn for things to click into place. “Javi! You’re Scotty’s business partner, right? He’s told me about you.”

Javi let your hand drop and his eyes shifted towards his equipment once more. “Really? Well, um, you know, I’ve, uh, heard great things about you too.”

You grinned, grabbing onto the straps of your backpack. “Scotty never even mentioned he had a sister, did he?” Javi gave a slight shrug, still not looking directly at you and you laughed. “Yeah, that sounds like him. Never wants to get personal, everything’s about business with him. To be honest, I don’t see or hear from him that much which is just another reason I figured I’d come surprise him when I had the chance. Plus, I read some research Scotty left lying around last time he came home and it was really interesting. I’m excited to be able to see what you guys do firsthand.” 

“Well, I’m sure Scotty will be glad to see you. Let me go grab him.”

Javi turned and disappeared into one of the vans. A moment later, he returned with your brother following closely behind. “Javi, I was in the middle of some important calculations. Why did I have to–” Scott stumbled to a stop as he saw you standing there.

Since he was a teenager, Scott had mastered the art of keeping his emotions hidden. He could be fuming mad, joyously happy, or heartbrokenly sad, and in each case keep the same perfect mask on his face. However, you knew his one tell. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t keep the emotion out of his eyes. And right now, you could practically see flames burning within them. 

For the first time, you wondered if coming to see him had been such a good idea. Shifting from one foot to the other, you tried to force a smile as you half-heartedly held out your arms. “Surprise.”

Scott remained rooted to the spot, his only movement the constant forceful chewing of his gum. Javi glanced back and forth between the two of you, the smile slowly draining from his face. Hesitantly, he explained, “She said she was your sister so I figured…”

A cultivated smile spread across Scott’s lips but it didn’t reach his eyes as they continued to burn into yours. “No, it’s all good. I’m just surprised to see her.” Without breaking eye contact, he held his tablet out to Javi who took it from him. “Give me a few minutes to talk to her and then I’ll get back to those numbers.”

Javi started to protest, assuring him there was no rush and he could take his time, but Scott had already closed the distance between you. Grabbing your arm tightly to the point of slight painfulness, he guided you past the rest of the Storm PAR vehicles and into the empty field. 

Once you were far enough away that you knew none of his co-workers could hear you, you wrenched your arm from his grasp, snapping, “Get off of me!”

“What the hell are you doing here?” he growled, his mask finally slipping as his nostrils flared and lips curled into a snarl.

“Well, hello to you too!” You examined your arm where he had grabbed you, massaging it gently. “Can’t a girl come visit her big brother?”

“Not when she wasn’t invited or even asked if she could come beforehand! What were you thinking? This isn’t one of your wild party vacations. This is my job!”

“I know that. I wasn’t expecting you to drop everything and take me sightseeing. I just thought I could hang around and watch you guys in action. I’ve read some of the research you left at Christmas and I was hoping maybe I could learn a little more about it.”

Scott shook his head, his hands on his hips. “This is our busiest time of the season. I don’t have time to babysit you.”

“What do you think I am? Eight? I don’t need you to babysit me. I told you, I’m interested in what you do and thought I could just hang around and see how it all works.” You shrugged, “Maybe you could even take me on a chase or two.”

“Hell no. I won’t have you getting scared and causing us to have to turn around in the middle of a storm run. Javi and I have worked too hard to get this company to where it is and I’m not going to let you ruin that because, on a whim, you thought it would be fun to see a storm.” Scott scoffed as he rolled his eyes. “It’s so typical of you to still think that just because you want something or because Mom and Dad will pay for it, everyone else will bend over backward to accommodate you. Well, I don’t have to put up with your bullshit anymore.”

You took several deep breaths and tried to keep your anger in check. This was not at all how you thought this would go, but lashing out right now would only make things worse. So, in a calm, steady voice, you tried to shift approaches. “Scotty, we haven’t spent any real time together since you left for MIT. And back then…I’m not proud of the person I was and I can’t imagine what that must have been like for you. But I was a kid who didn’t know any better! I’ve grown up since you left. And this trip isn’t just something I thought would be fun to do ‘on a whim’. I worked hard to save up the money to come here because I wanted to see you and spend time with you—however little time you may be able to work into your schedule. And I promise I won’t get scared or make you stop your chase. If I don’t like it, I’ll suck it up until it’s over then not ask to go again.” Taking a step forward, you gently placed your hand on his arm and gave him a timid smile. “Let me show you who I am now…how much I’ve changed. Please, Scotty.”

But Scott yanked his arm away and took a step back. “I don’t care where you go, but you need to stay away from me and Storm PAR. Now, I have work to do.” He took one last look at you, and, for just a moment, you thought maybe he felt bad for what he said and was reconsidering things. But then, he blew a small bubble with his gum and popped it loudly in your face. You jumped slightly, the sound sharp and startling, before glaring at him. He had been doing that since you were kids and he knew how much you absolutely despised it. Shooting you one last smug smirk, Scott turned and walked off towards the cluster of Storm PAR vehicles. 

You turned to look out into the open field, lip quivering, as you fought against the tears that were burning your eyes. Things between you and Scott had been pretty bad when he left for college, but you hadn’t realized he still really thought so poorly of you. The last few holidays or family events he had been forced to come to, things seemed to be getting a little better. You thought that maybe you had reached a turning point in your relationship. But now it was clear you had been very wrong.

Looking back at the diner and overflow of vehicles, you wondered what you should do now. You had no idea when the next bus came by or how to get a ticket home or if there was a motel nearby you could stay in for the night or how you would even get there if there was or what you would do in the morning or—

UGH! The longer you stared at the Storm PAR logo on the side of the van Scott had disappeared into, the less hurt you felt. Instead, the pain began to shift into outrage. How dare Scott treat you like this? You had spent a lot of money and wasted two weeks of your summer vacation to take this trip to see him. You knew it would involve listening to him drone on about numbers and graphs you could barely comprehend for most of the time, but you were willing to smile, nod, and seem interested to show you cared about what he did. But no! He didn’t even give you a chance to explain yourself or prove that you weren’t here to interfere with his work. He had just torn you down before turning his back on you and walking away. That asshole!

The sun was starting to dip lower in the sky and you realized standing here fuming about Scott wasn’t going to help your situation. You could do that once you found a bus schedule or a place to stay for the night. However, as you stormed back through the parking lot, something caught your eye. 

When you had come through the first time and passed the familiar-looking man and the long-haired guy with the camera, you had only seen their truck from behind. But now that you were looking at the front, you noticed the distinctive metal logo attached to the front of the truck’s grille: a tornado with horns jutting out the top of the vortex. And you realized why the man in the cowboy hat looked familiar. 

Scott might not talk to you very often, but during the instances that he had, you had heard plenty of complaints about Tyler Owens and his group of Tornado Wranglers. Everything they did was the complete opposite of how Storm PAR operated and it drove Scott crazy that while he was out there doing the “real work”, this group of amateur YouTube chasers were the ones getting all the attention and acclaim when all they were really doing was getting in Storm PAR’s way. 

And Scott seemed to have another level of hatred for Owens himself.    

Out of curiosity, you had looked up the Wranglers’ YouTube channel and found it pretty entertaining. While Scott viewed every aspect of his work with complete seriousness and professionalism, these guys tackled the same work like they were having the time of their lives. They were still informative, explaining to their viewers how tornadoes formed and the types of destruction they can cause, but they would then drive straight into the center of a funnel or take chat requests of crazy things to do in the storm. It honestly seemed like a great way to get people excited about learning about tornadoes while also keeping them entertained. And it seemed like their nearly 850,000 followers would agree. No wonder Scott hated them so much. 

Suddenly, you had an idea—the perfect little act of revenge.

Changing directions, you made your way over to Owens’s truck. You could see he was now alone, tinkering with the equipment attached to the bed of his truck. He had traded his white cowboy hat for a faded backward cap and had pushed his sleeves up above his elbows as he worked, his sun-bronzed skin on full display in the dying light.

Though you had only watched a handful of the Tornado Wranglers’ videos, you had a pretty good idea of the kind of man Tyler Owens was and how you could persuade him to help you. After all, these narcissistic, jacked-up truck-driving, overcompensating pretty boys were all the same. The kind who had been fawned and swooned over their entire adult lives just because they flashed a charming smile or a playful wink in the right direction. However, with just a little stroking of their ego or a bat of your eyes, they could become putty in your hands. All you had to do was introduce yourself.

Reaching the side of the truck, you tucked your hands into your back pockets so it thrust your chest forward and, biting your lip, called out coyly, “Hey there, cowboy.”

Owens glanced up, a curious smile curling across his lips as he saw you, his eyes traveling from your head to boot and back up. “Well, hello there.”

Giggling softly as you placed your hand on the side railing, you asked in a sing-songy voice, “You’re Tyler, right? The big...bad…tornado wrangler?” With each word, you walked your fingers across the railing, your eyes locked on his.

He leaned back, wiped his hands on his jeans, and said, “I might be. Depends on who’s asking.” He was still looking at you but his smile had slipped slightly and you realized you might not have grabbed his attention as well as you thought.

Placing both hands on the railing now, you pushed yourself up slightly, your chest pressed together, and you looked up at him from under your lashes. “What if I’m asking?”

Owens stared at you for a long moment, his eyes still examining you thoughtfully, though you were shocked to see they stayed locked on your face and didn’t dip down to your breast like you had expected. Then, finally, he said, “You seem like a nice girl, sweetheart, but I don't think I'm what you're looking for. Good luck though.” He gave you a kind, yet dismissive nod, and went back to whatever he had been working on.

Your jaw dropped, lips moving silently as you tried to figure out what just happened. This kind of thing always worked on guys like him in the past. Show a little skin, stroke their egos a little, and they would be wrapped around your finger in no time. But he hadn’t even given your act more than a passing glance. It was possible you weren’t his type or maybe he was in a committed relationship, but neither of those things had exactly deterred guys in the past. 

You turned around—properly dismissed—and were just about to walk away when another thought crossed your mind. What if…what if you had misjudged him? What if he wasn’t the kind of guy you assumed he was? From what you had seen in his videos, he was cocky and overconfident and a huge flirt, but what if that was all for the cameras? During your very brief interaction, he seemed polite and respectful even as you tried to throw yourself at him, something no other guy had ever done in that situation. 

Maybe you had gone about this all wrong. Maybe you needed a different approach. A more honest one…

You hurried around the other side of the truck so you were in front of him once more. Dropping all the over-the-top flirtatiousness from your voice, you said, “Okay, I’m sorry. I thought…it doesn’t matter what I thought, but the point is I shouldn’t have done that. I’ve had a really shitty day and approached this situation all wrong.”

Owens didn’t raise his head, but his eyes drifted back in your direction. Feeling like he was offering you a chance, you explained, “Listen, the deal is I came here to surprise my brother with a visit, and as soon as he saw me, he told me he doesn’t want me here and I should fuck off out of his way.”

That got his attention. Looking up, his brow furrowed, Owens asked, “Your brother said that to you?”

You rolled your eyes and hit the heel of your palm against the side of the truck. “Well, not in those exact words but the sentiment was there. The point is, he told me he didn’t care where I went as long as I left him and his team alone. So, I plan on respecting his wishes…and wondered if I could hang out with your team instead.”

“Well–” He leaned back, clearly not interested in your request, but you cut him off before he could turn you down.

“Please! It’ll just be for a day or two. I promise not to get in the way or mess with any of your work. I just know he has a problem with you guys and seeing me with you will drive him insane.” 

Putting down the wrench he was holding, Owens shook his head. “Back up…who are we talking about now? Who’s your brother?”

You realized you needed to get better at introducing people into a conversation before jumping right in. “Scott? He works for Storm PAR?” He hesitated so you sighed and turned towards the other group of storm chasers at the other end of the lot. With one hand on your hip, you pointed lazily with the other, “The surly tall one who never takes off his stupid baseball cap?”

Instantly, Owens straightened up and you knew you had piqued his interest. Chuckling, he asked, “Wait, so you’re telling me Mr. Clipboard and Chewing Gum is your brother?” You nodded. “And you want my help messing with him?”

“Yeah, that about sums it up. So, will you do it?”

The cowboy leaned over the side of the truck and gave you a wide grin. “Oh, sweetheart, you’ve come to the right place.”

Part 2 coming 8/19!

[vaultdwellerbarbie]

hcs: going on a chase (twisters)

ft. boone gabi, javi, kate, lily, scott, and tyler (addy was barely in the movie but let me know if y'all want me to write about her too - i'm totally down! just not sure if anyone is interested)

content warning for tornadoes, imminent danger

divider credit to saradika!

boone

boone is probably the most fun person to go on a chase with! he definitely has a lot of fun with what he's doing and likes to try new things, he'll always keep you entertained.

he's very energetic, so he might get a little overexcited and tease you if you get nervous during it

but, if you genuinely are in danger or terrified of the chase, he'll stop teasing and make sure that you're doing okay. his personality can come off as a bit much sometimes, but it's so clear that he cares

boone for sure gets a look in his eyes during a chase - no matter how many times he's gone on one, he's still in awe of it

also, if it's your first time going on a chase with him, he's going to go all out to impress you

and i mean all out

he's going to make sure that there are rockets and fireworks, he's going to sing and blast music, and he's going to act incredibly confident even if he feels a little bit nervous (most of his nerves are coming from the fact that he wants to impress you)

even with how overzealous he gets, you're still going to be a top priority for him. if you somehow get hurt, he's going to do everything in his power to make sure that you recover

maybe, a bit too much! he'll try to keep you out of chases for a little while over a scratch, but when you finally convince him that you're fine, he'll praise how strong and independent you are

after chases, too, if there are any people to help in a wrecked town he's going to be the one that tries to make the people smile. in turn, your spirits are going to be lifted quite a bit from sticking by his side

gabi

the first thing about gabi going on a chase is that she's for sure going to give you her hat for 'good luck'. in theory, she could buy you a hat (and probably has) but she thinks that it's better luck for you and for the case if you're wearing her hat

every time, she's going to take a moment to make sure that she places her hat atop your head and adjusts it to make sure that it's not covering your eyes

she's also somewhat protective. even though she's been around the bush with chasing, and she knows that the team is doing everything in their power to keep things as safe as possible, things can go wrong. she'll blame herself if anything happens to you, so she makes sure to do her best to keep you safe.

that can include something as simple as putting her arm in front of you, to buckling you into your harness yourself. or, it can be something like her refusing to let you go in a car without her because she's not comfortable with you being out of her sight

if you are, for whatever reason, in a different vehicle during a chase, she's going to make sure that you're safe the moment that you're away from the action.

she also hypes you up! if you make a prediction about something, she's going to make sure that everyone listens and that she supports you!

if you make a mistake, she'll comfort you and let you know that everyone on the team has done so. she's made mistakes, even tyler has made mistakes. gabi will ensure that, no matter what, you know that you did nothing wrong.

if you're right, well nobody will ever hear the end of it. she's going to make sure that you get to speak again, that everyone thanks you, even if strangers know that it was you who predicted something, she's gonna tell them too. she'll make you feel like the smartest person in the world.

she's also so sweet when helping towns and victims of tornadoes recover. somehow, around as sweet as she is with you.

if you get injured, she'll quite literally nurse you back to health. she'll insist you go to the hospital for anything worse than a bruise, but she might be even a bit more concerned for your health than you are.

bonus, she'll tease you if you hold her hand during it but secretly she very much enjoys it.

javi

having previously lost three close friends to tornado chasing, javi is often worried about you. however, his perspective is a bit different than the others.

he stayed back to collect data when he lost his friends, and that arguably saved his life. but, he also remembers how terrifying not knowing was, and he doesn't want you to feel that. so, he agrees but makes sure that you stay with him so neither of you feel that anxiety.

going on chases with javi, he makes sure that his vehicle is equipped with anything he may need to keep you safe. whether that be investing more on more secure seatbelts, making sure that the glass is as reinforced as possible, or simply keeping an eye on you.

there is always a somewhat distracting air about how he feels after a chase if it effects other people, because it's clear that he wants to do more and feels like he can't. you often end up trying to comfort him after a chase, especially because you know that he already lives with a lot of guilt.

if you get hurt, there are some issues beyond his worry that comes along with it.

scott doesn't think it's that big a deal, and gets especially upset if it gets in the way of data collection. but javi will do everything in his power to not lose any more people that he loves. he'll take any amount of heat if it means making sure that you're safe - he'd ultimately rather put his funding in danger if it means that he doesn't lose you.

when things go well, and he doesn't need any comfort, you always feel like the ending of the chases are the best part. his wide smile, his bright eyes, the way that he looks at you if indescribable, but it makes your heart feel so warm

kate

there are two versions of chase kate - pre-losing her friends kate is a totally different person to chase with. for this, i'll be focusing on post-trauma kate.

kate is protective to a fault. she really doesn't even want you going on a chase, even though you insist that you're going to be okay. ultimately, you understand why she's so apprehensive and let her find peace with the idea herself. she needs to be the one to invite you on a chase, and she ends up coming around to the idea of it after a while of contemplation.

kate will make sure that you know exactly how to stay safe. what to do if the car flips, what to do if the tornado is stronger than expected, what to do in the event of you not being able to see through the rain, or hail, or any other event that could take you by surprise.

she's incredibly thorough, but you understand why. she doesn't want to lose anyone else because of these things.

seeing her in her element is absolutely beautiful, though. you always knew that she had a gift, but you had never been able to see it up close and personal. finally being able to see it, to see the awestruck look in her eyes, makes you wish that you could go on a million chases with her.

seeing her smile afterwards, knowing that she's made a difference in some way and that you're both safe, is also a beautiful experience. her smile is like sunshine and rainbows to you, especially after witnessing a tornado first-hand.

kate being able to go on chases with you is therapeutic for her too, after she gets past the initial fear. but, if you do get hurt in some way, she's going to be incredibly worried for you. though you understood the risks, as she did, she also can't help but think back. it'll take some convincing to let you back with her on a chase, but she ultimately does end up feeling more comfortable with you close to her during a storm than away from her.

lily

like boone, lily can be a little eccentric at times. she says things that can make you laugh even during the worst situations, and she always sticks her neck out to make sure that you're safe

granted, she might be more nervous than anyone else to go on a chase with you. the first time you ask her to take you on a chase, she's going to be apprehensive. i doubt she'll even be the deciding factor, it will probably be boone or gabi who convinces her that you're going to be okay.

seeing her during chases is always fun, though. hearing her crack little jokes that make nobody but you laugh, watching her in her element, speaking so expertly about the weather, is something that makes your heart feel warm.

she's going to keep you close, too. even though she won't insist that you ride with her, she prefers it when you do. she likes to keep an eye on you, sure, but she also just loves having you physically close.

holding your hand, wrapping an arm around you, letting you rest your head on her shoulder until you see the tornado and after you're out of harms way. she likes having you close to begin with, but it gives her a bit more confidence than she otherwise would have.

also, having you on camera holding her hand when she can naturally be a little awkward in front of the camera? it relaxes her, even though you're both still on the edge of your seat because of the work that you're doing.

lily does tend to be protective - naturally - but she's a little more shy about it so she doesn't always express it. she doesn't want you to feel overwhelmed, so you often reassure her that you don't mind if she's a little protective.

in the event of you getting hurt, she'll do everything she can to make sure that you get to a medical professional and that you're tended to in the meantime. though, i think she enjoys patching you up herself sometimes.

scott

this man will tell you straight to your face that he doesn't care if you get hurt if you ask him about it, and honestly, he probably believes that he's telling the truth.

he's going to spend most of the time worried about the numbers, worried about money and absolutely nothing else. he doesn't even seem awfully invested in the weather or storms, so much as he is in the dollar signs associated with them.

when you go on a chase with him, you don't often enjoy it at first because he can come off as so emotionless and because he really doesn't seem all that bothered by the idea of you not making it back.

things change when something actually does go wrong. if a storm is stronger than usual, he's going to be a little bit on edge. he's worried about himself, sure, but he's making sure every other second that you're not hurt and that you're alive. for someone who doesn't care, he certainly comes across like he does.

if you end up injured, he's going to insist that you never go on a chase again, and will only change his mind after you've recovered. but, after that, chases are different because not only do you know that he cares if you're hurt, but he also has found out that he cares if you're hurt.

he'll become almost overbearing with how protective he is after that, but you won't be able to be upset about it. after so long of him acting like he doesn't care at all, it's nice to have concrete proof that he'd be upset if something happened to you.

he also insists that you ride with him. he doesn't trust anyone else to keep you safe after the incident, even if it happened when he was around. he isn't going to let anyone put your life in harm's way, so he insists that you're with him at all times.

tyler

tyler is so fun to go on chases with!

he seems incredibly calm about it, even though you know for a fact that he's still just as scared of tornadoes as he was the first time that he ever saw one.

if it's your first chase, he's going to feel responsible for showing you the ropes and making sure that you know what your doing. meaning: he may as well have a binder of information that he's going to present to you.

it can be hard to forget that he's so educated with how he acts sometimes, but that fun persona is barely there when he's teaching you everything about 'chase safety' and 'what's in the truck' and 'what not to touch' and 'when to get out of the vehicle' and literally everything under the sun. some of these things are just common sense, but he's touching all his bases.

when he knows that you know what you're doing, he brings you along but makes sure that his predictions are a baby tornado. something so small that he knows you're not going to be at risk.

when he eventually lets you level up to bigger tornadoes, you get to see more of his personality. he also, like boone, likes to go all out to impress you. he totally makes sure to stock up on rockets, fireworks, flares, anything that he can really think of so he can impress you and make you smile.

but that's another fun thing about him on chases, he absolutely loves making you smile. he'll say the most out of pocket stuff out of no where just because it makes you laugh.

if you get hurt, he's absolutely petrified and will volunteer to patch up your wounds even if your injury is something as small as you twisting an ankle on the way out of the truck or your knee smacking into the glove box.

[twisters-incorrect-quotes]

Dani: Good morning. Lily: Good morning. Javi: Good morning. Kate: Good morning. Dexter: Good morning. Tyler: You all sound like robots. "Good morning. Good morning." Spice it up a bit! Boone, opening the door so hard it slams into the wall: Howdy, fuckers!

[jakeotters]

wait… scott was supposed to say “i’m just doing what you promised us we’d do” during this scene…. oh that hit me hard

[twistersobsessed]

boone request !! i would love to see kate bringing along her friend from new york who’s like a girl version of scott !! maybe she’s a bit in love with scott but it’s one sided so she finds comfort in boones sweet nature and falls for him

His Warmth Melts Ice | Boone x Reader

Warnings: Weed, reader smokes

A/N: No one can convince me Boone isn’t a stoner.

You were in a bad mood. You were almost always in a bad mood but today’s mood was particularly foul. Because of a man. You cursed yourself for letting a man have this much of an effect on your mood.

It’s not like you were in love with Scott but he was exactly your type and the two of you basically had the same personality. So his cold indifference to you hurt. He was meaner to Kate though.

Scott was currently ignoring you both, in an argument with Javi. “I’m gonna go get a drink,” you mumbled to Kate. “Okay,” she patted your arm. You made your way to the convenience store, trailing behind Tyler Owens and his crew.

They all filed into the store but the last guy, Tyler’s camera man, you recognized him, caught a glimpse of you behind him. His eyes widened and he stepped back to hold the door open for you. His friend gave him a weird look.

“Thanks,” you mumbled, walking past him.

You were getting a slushie from the machine when the same guy sidled up next to you. “Hey,” he greeted you eagerly. “I’m Boone. You’re Kate’s friend, right?” You briefly wondered how Boone knew Kate’s name, but then remembered Tyler talking to Kate yesterday.

“Yeah,” you answered coldly. You didn’t offer your name. This didn’t deter Boone though. “What’s your name, honey?”

You side-eyed him. He wasn’t really your type, but you had to admit he was cute.

“(Name),” you replied after a minute.

“(Name),” he repeated, your name rolling off his tongue smoothly. “What a pretty name for a pretty girl.”

You kept your face carefully blank and didn’t respond.

“Boone!” Tyler barked from the door. “Come on!” Boone gave him the finger before turning back to you. “Gotta go. See you around, East Coast!”

You watched him follow Tyler out the door. You rolled your neck before capping your slushie and paying for it up at the counter. Then you made your way back to Javi and Kate.

The second time you talked to Boone was at a local bar. Both Storm Par and the Wranglers had coincidentally chosen the location to unwind for the night after a day of chasing. You were sat at the bar, pounding back drinks. Maybe you had some alcoholic tendencies.

“East Coast!” A cheerful voice rang out.

You turned on the bar stool to face Boone. “Boone,” you greeted flatly. His eyes wandered over to the plethora of empty glasses on the counter in front of you. “Good lord, girl,” he whistled. “How are you not knocked on your ass right now?”

You shrugged.

“Wanna dance?”

“I don’t dance.”

“I can teach you.”

“I don’t dance.”

Boone shrugged, helping himself to the stool next to you. “That’s alright, baby, we can just sit here.”

You felt your cheeks warm. You blamed it on the alcohol.

“So tell me, East Coast, what brings you ‘round these parts?”

You sipped from your waterbottle. “Javi brought Kate on board to help track storms because she’s a natural at predicting all things tornado. I came for moral support.”

“Aw, what a sweet friend you are,” Boone beams at you. “How long have you and Kate been friends?”

Normally you’d be sarcastic until he stopped asking questions, but the liquor loosened your tongue and lowered your defenses. “Five years. We met her first week in New York.”

Boone seemed genuinely interested. “Tell me about you, East Coast.”

It had been a long time since anyone wanted to hear anything about you. You didn’t know what to say. Boone seemed to pick up on how the question stumped you. “What’s something you love?”

“The ocean,” you answered in a heartbeat.

Boone blinked. “The ocean?”

You nodded, getting a far off look in your eye. “I’m at home when I’m near the sea.”

“Well you’re a far way from home, East Coast.”

You shrugged.

“Any siblings?”

“Two younger brothers.”

Boone hummed. “That’s nice, I always wanted a sibling growing up.”

“You’re an only child?”

“Yup!” Boone exclaimed. “But Tyler’s like my brother.”

You both looked over to Tyler, who was currently in a staredown with Javi while Kate stood between them looking uncomfortable.

“Oh lord,” you muttered. You stood to go intervene, but Boone stopped you with a hand on your shoulder. “Let it play out,” he encouraged. “That lil love triangle is their problem.”

It was true, you really didn’t feel like getting involved. “Yeah, okay,” you grumbled, turning back in your seat. You flagged down the bartender for another shot. He set it down in front of you and you knocked it back while Boone watched you.

“Well it was nice talking to you,” you told Boone flatly. Although while you’d never admit it out loud, you’d enjoyed it. You stood on shockingly steady feet, and Boone mirrored your action. “Aw, you leavin’?”

“Yup.” You stood awkwardly, unsure of the right way to end this interaction. Something felt wrong about just walking away.

Almost like Boone sensed your inner turmoil again, he held out his hand. You took it reluctantly, and Boone raised your hand to his lips and kissed the back of it.

“Goodnight, gorgeous,” Boone winked, before turning and making his way back to his group. You watched him go, caught off guard by the move. You shook your head like the physical action would clear your thoughts before tipping the bartender and going back to your motel room.

The third time you talked to Boone was in a much more intimate setting. It was late, real late, late enough that the tailgate outside the motel was packing up as everyone headed to bed. You’d been stargazing in a field, so you were late coming back to your room.

You spotted him before he spotted you this time. Tyler’s truck was parked right next to the stairs you’d need to take to your room. Boone was sitting in the bed of the truck with one of his crew members, the girl with short hair who you always saw in the RV. The rest of his crew wasn’t around, you assumed they’d gone to bed.

You didn’t say anything nor look at him as you went to ascend the stairs, but despite that…

“Hey, ocean girl!” Boone’s friend called to you. You don’t think she’s talking to you at first, but there’s no one else around.

“Sorry?” You raised an eyebrow.

“Come talk to Boone, he’s been missing you!”

“Dani!” Boone scowled and hit her lightly in the arm.

You felt a smile creep onto your face and turned it into a smirk. You walked over to them, standing in front of the truck bed and crossing your arms.

“Booney baby,” you cooed mockingly. “Did you miss me?”

Boone’s face turned bright red and you accidentally giggled. A grin spread across Boone’s flushed face at the sound. Emboldened by a show of your real emotions, he responded, “Maybe I did.”

Dani glanced between you two, smirking before standing and jumping out the bed of the truck. She motioned for you to take her place. “I’m going to bed. You two have fun,” she winked.

Reluctantly, you did end up taking her place in the bed of the truck.

“You smoke?” Boone asked, pulling out a bong. “I do.” Who were you to turn down free weed?

Boone grinned, setting the bong between his feet and pulling out a grinder. As he began packing the bowl, you asked, “So why’d your friend call me ‘ocean girl’?”

Boone didn’t look at you as he continued to pack the bowl. His cheeks turned pink but you could hardly tell in the lighting. “I might have mentioned you.”

“What’d you say?” you asked curiously.

“Ask me later.” Boone handed you the bong and pulled out a lighter. He lit the bowl for you and you took a hit. You passed it back to Boone. Boone took a hit. “So what are you doing coming back to your room so late?” He passed you the bong.

“I was stargazing in a field,” you answered before putting your lips to the bong. Boone watched you intensely as you took a hit and blew the smoke. “That sounds nice,” he finally said. He took the bong when you offered.

“It was.” You’d only taken two hits, but as large as they were and as good as Boone’s weed was, you were feeling pleasantly relaxed.

“Why are you up so late?”

Boone blew smoke. “Oh I’m always the last one to go to bed, I smoke before I sleep every night.”

Boone continued lighting the bowl for you every time it was your turn.

You finished the bowl and you were both perfectly high. The conversation flowed as you both relaxed in the truck bed. Time flew by and before you knew it, you’d been there for an hour.

“Hey,” you said with a smirk. “Guess what it is.”

Boone looked confused. “Huh?”

“It’s later,” you drawled. “So what did you tell your friends about me?”

Boone was high enough that he actually answered you truthfully.

“They been askin’ bout you since I held the door open for you at the gas station. Cause they noticed how interested in you I was. Then I learned a little about you and of course they demanded to know what…”

“Why were you so interested in me?”

“I thought you were real pretty,” Boone said simply. “And I’m loving every second of getting to know you.”

You blushed, thankful it was dark out and he probably couldn’t see it. You didn’t know what to say now though. “...Thank you,” you eventually managed. “It’s been… nice to get to know you too.” Weed made you too honest.

Uncomfortable with how intimate it had become, not because of Boone but just because of your anxiety, you clambered out of the truck bed. “Goodnight, Boone. Thanks for the sesh.” You didn’t know what to do to let him know he hadn’t done anything wrong, so you just reached into the bed and patted his thigh. Then you turned and went to your room.

Boone was weird after that. Your message hadn’t gotten across, because Boone one hundred percent believed he had scared you off.

You felt awful, for some reason, and even Scott had noticed the absolute drop in your mood. Kate was worried.

You found yourself seeking him out after a week because he hadn’t sought you out. You couldn’t get a chance to get him alone, but you knew you had to talk to him. So you boldly approached his entire group at a tailgate a week later.

Boone looked excited to see you, to your relief.

“East Coast! You comin’ to see me?”

You rolled your eyes but couldn’t help but smile. “I did. Could we take a walk? I wanted to talk to you.”

Boone jumped down from the top of the truck, eagerly following you. You both fell into step side by side next to the empty road.

“I’m sorry about the other night,” you said quietly.

“Aw, it’s okay, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“You didn’t.”

Boone looked at you but you looked away.

“I just got nervous.”

Boone was silent for a moment. “Yeah?” His voice was quiet.

“If you were saying that you like me, I like you too.”

Boone stopped walking, grabbing your shoulders in his hands. “Can I kiss you?” He almost whispered the question. You nodded eagerly. Boone cupped your face in his hands and kissed you sweetly.

You felt your heart start beating faster.

You clung to Boone’s shirt as he kissed you. His mustache tickled under your nose, but it was soft.

When Boone pulled back, he rested his forehead against yours as you both caught your breath. “So do you maybe wanna go on a date?”

You smiled genuinely, purely happy.

“Definately.”

[child-of-of-the-sunshine]

Okay random Headcannon for twisters

After Kate gets back from New York and they get the grant, there’s now joke weather Tyler’s truck will hold or not, it annoys the fuck out of Tyler

Kate is not allowed to drive the truck that often because well you know

Javi also remembers after the tornado he left Scott in the middle of the road Scott was fine though he found ditch

Javi doesn’t like being shown on camera sometimes so Boone will ask him if it’s a camera day

They all agreed that if Kate and Javi don’t like the look of a storm they all turn back no if ands or buts

It Javi some time getting used to the fact that Tyler will just drive into a damn tornado

They also all went his parents house and there’s a load of photos from Tyler’s rodeo days, his buckles are also on display at his parents house

His parents are very proud of there son for making a difference

Tyler’s dad also used to Bull Ride until his parents found out his mom was pregnant with him

Tyler is an only child

Tyler and Boone grew up together

[autumnleaves1991-blog]

Twisters Masterlist

Welcome to my new hyperfixation. Enjoy the ride folks, because if you feel it...CHASE IT!

Please note all stories are written using a female (she/her) reader.

Javier 'Javi' Rivera

x F! Reader (Kate's baby sister) Mini-Series

We Found Love in a Tornado

Can't Take the Home out of Oklahoma

Dead End Road

More Coming Soon...

Tyler Owens

Coming Soon...

Scott 'Sparkling Personality' Miller

Coming Soon...

Boone 'Booney baby'

Coming Soon...

[anthonys237thfreckle]

petition to have Javi’s nickname be Jalapeño

[dovesdreaming]

Twisters masterlist ->

“You don’t face your fears, you ride ‘em”

-

Masterlist navigation

Characters:

Kate carter-

-The eye of the storm: it takes reader getting injured while storm chasing for Kate to realise her feelings for them.

-Storm of the heart: reader has always had a fascination with the weather yet never pursued it. Kate offers her a chance to chase a tornado and she says yes.

-Kate tells reader the story of how she lost her friends: coming soon

-Windswept love: You help kate stop a tornado, with the rush of emotions feelings are revealed.

Javi Rivera-

-javi being jealous of Tyler ‘flirting’ with reader: coming soon

-enemies to lovers with javi and reader from Tyler’s crew: coming soon

Tyler owens-

-reader being jealous of Tyler’s fan girls: coming soon

Boone-

-Chasing the calm: Boone and reader are complete opposites yet they compliment each other in every way

-mr steal your girl: Boone steals reader from Tyler: coming soon

Lily-

-

Scott miller-

-

[unknowntoyou2205]

Never enough

Info: It’s unusual to see the soft side of Scott, but y/n takes it out of him when she feels insecure bout herself.

relationship: Scott x reader

Warnings: Slight mention of eating disorder, body shaming

Y/n and Scott were two completely different people. While y/n was sweet and kind, Scott was cold and snappy to people. Y/n always smiled in greeting to whoever she spoke to, Scott made his conversations short and simple, refusing to talk longer than necessary. So the reasons for y/n taking a liking to the stone cold man were unknown, but it would be a lie if someone were to say that the two weren’t cute together. The short and few moments they had together in public would make you melt. If there was a hair stray on y/n’s head, Scott would tuck it behind her ear. When Scott chewed his last piece of gum, y/n would have a replacement pack ready for him. When y/n was cold, Scott would be quick to grab a jacket from behind his car and wrapping it around her shoulders. When Scott got stressed after a bad chase, y/ would be quick to pull him away from the situation, and get him out of a harsh tongue from Marshell.  Y/n was the only person who could make Scott smile an actual smile, and Scott could always make y/n blush with short remarks. The two were imperfectly perfect for each other, and both were content with each other.

So when y/n starts acting out of character, Scott is the first to pick up on it. Javi had grown up with y/n, which is how she winded up with Storm Par, and Scott was aware of that y/n wasn’t always as confident as she seemed. In high school y/n struggled with her appearance. She was body shamed by a group of tween girls which lead to her refusing to eat. She’d go days without eating before bulk eating and forcing herself to throw it back up. Javi had been the one to catch her forcing herself to get sick, and had grown to learn the symptoms of when things got bad. It was during the early days of y/n and Scott’s relationship when Javi told Scott. Y/n sometimes returned to her bad habits, and Javi was afraid it would get too bad, so he confided in Scott who was determined to prevent history repeating itself.

Y/n woke up feeling out of sorts. Turning her head, she seen Scott lying beside her, arm draped over her stomach, eyes closed as he slept soundly. Feeling her skin burning under his touch, y/n grimaced as she pushed his arm off her, swinging her legs to move off the bed. She looked back at Scott to see him move slightly, and she sighed when he didn’t awaken. Moving towards the bathroom, she grabbed her clothes  before closing the door, her vision stopping at the cracked mirror behind the door. Her eyes wandered over her body, and her hands moved to grasp at the skin that was on her hip. She narrowed her eyes at herself, looking down at the rolls that appeared as she changed for the day.

“Hey, there you are.” Scott greeted her as she opened the door of the bathroom. “Morning.” Y/n smiled, folding up her pyjamas and placing them in her bag. “I didn’t feel you getting up this morning.” He frowned, leaning over to tie his shoe laces. “Oh.” Y/n mocked confusion. “Thought you had abandoned me.” Scott joked as he got off the bed, brushing down his trousers before walking over to wrap his arms around her. “Never.” Y/n smirked, wrapping her arms around his neck as she tried to ignore the slight burn she felt from his touch. “Breakfast?” Scott asked, looking down at her slightly. “Nah, I’m good. Think I’m going to see Javi before we meet with the group. Sort out some things before Kate gets here.” Y/n shrugged as she ran her fingers through his hair. “You good?” Scott asked, unable to read her. “Yeah.” Y/n nodded, kissing Scott’s cheek before pulling away from him slightly. “I’ll grab you a coffee than. Creamer, no sugar.” Scott pointed at her as he recited her usual order. “You got it.” Y/n smiled as she grabbed his cap from the side of their bed and placing it on his head. “ “I love you.” Scott spoke as she adjusted the hat on his head. “I love you too.” Y/n smiled before they left the room.

---

Y/n had told a slight lie to Scott, she never meet with Javi, instead she had went for a long walk along the woods that was just across from the motel they were currently staying at. She hated lying to Scott, they didn’t allow for lies in their relationship, but she knew Scott would only stop her from doing the long walk if he had known. She had meet with Javi on the way back, and they were currently walking to where Storm Par had parked their cars the night before after a long day of chasing. Tiredness was evident on y/n’s face and Javi eyed her warily as she smiled upon seeing Scott. Wordlessly, Scott handed y/n the coffee and y/n smiled, forcing herself to inhale the scent of coffee with a smile.

“Alright guys, we have two storms that look promising today. One on the east and the other on the South.” Scott stated, and y/n leaned on one of the jeeps as she listened to her boyfriend accordingly. “We have a long drive ahead of us, so I advise getting enough food and drink to last, because we won’t have much time for stops unless necessary.” Javi continued for his partner, being the considerate one of the two. “We leave in 5, no later.” Scott stated, and the team separated to get ready for the day.

Scott watched the crowd leave before moving towards y/n, going to take her hand and intertwine their fingers. Y/n forced a half smile at him and decided to lean into hm slightly, faking tiredness. Kissing her head, Scott moved them towards the gas station, and y/n moved away from him slightly to allow their hands to swing in between them. Eyeing her slightly, Scott said nothing as he opened the door and allowed her to go through. She let his hand go to grab a basket and replaced it with her coffee before they began to walk the aisles to get their food. Scott smirked as he seen y/n grab two boxes of chewing gum and throw them into the basket, and she looked at him from the corner of her eye, pretending not to see. His smirk dropped as he seen her grab his usual sweets and stay away from hers. He eyed her gently and grabbed a small packet of f/s (favourite sweet) and placed it beside his as she moved towards the fruit and grabbed apples and bananas before grabbing two bottles of water from the fridge. His frown increased as she avoided her  favourite fizzy drink and move over to grab two sandwiches for them. He couldn’t help the worry he felt as she moved to check, watching her as he realized the signs.

“I’m just going to run to the bathroom. I’ll meet you at the truck.” Scott stated, moving to kiss the back of y/n’s head. “Ok.” Y/n looked up at him with a slight smile on her lips before Scott left.

He turned back to see y/n talking to Boone, and while he would usually frown at seeing her talk to their rivals, the frown was replaced with worry as he walked back to the trucks where Javi was talking to some members of their team.

“Javi.” Scott called out as he walked towards the man. “Yea.” Javi asked, not looking at Scott for a minute before glancing at him when he didn’ answer. “Come here.” Scott indicated with his head for Javi to come to him. “What is it man, we’re sorting out where best to place the..” “How did y/n seem today when you guys were talking?” Scott got right to the point, his voice gruff. “What? I wasn’t talking to y/n today.” Javi spoke, confused with question. “Y/n didn’t have breakfast this morning because she was going to see you to talk before Kate got here.” Scott stated. “I haven’t talked to y/n today. I only seen her when she was walking back to the motel.” Javi spoke, her eyes widening slightly as he realized something. “If she didn’t meet you than, where did she..” Scott stopped as he figured out where she was “She went for a walk.” “A long walk.” Javi nodded at him before looking over Scott’s shoulder to see y/n dragging her feet as she made her way towards the group.

Y/n’s eyes remained on the ground before looking up as she neared the group. Her eyes scanned Javi & Scott’s face as they watched her walk up to them, and she smiled slightly in greeting before stopping as the team returned. Javi gave a brief overview as to where each person would station and everyone nodded before moving to their respective cars. Scott and y/n moved to their own transport, and Scott opened the door for y/n before taking the bag from her and replacing it with her still warm cup of coffee.

“Here, drink this. It’ll waken you up.” He smiled at her as she got comfortable in her seat. “Thanks.” Y/n smiled, taking a sip of it as Scott placed the bag at her feet before closing the door and moving to the drivers seat.

“You know I care about you right?” Scott asked, looking at y/n as he took her hand. “I know.” Y/n nodded after a short silence, her eyes squinting in confusion as Scott squeezed her hand before letting it go and starting the car.

---

That night y/n was exhausted. The group had been travelling none stop all day, and the little energy from her coffee had long since left her body. Scott draped his arm over her shoulder, ignoring as she flinched before placing her head on his shoulder. He kissed her head gently before glaring at those who took a double take of them together. It wasn’t usual to see the two of them being so close in public, but y/n welcomed it, smiling tiredly as she felt his lips on her hair. Javi glanced towards them as he got out of his truck, and him and Scott shared a knowing look before heading off to reception to get the keys for the night. Scott and y/n were close behind, and Scott nodded in thanks to the receptionist as they got their keys before leading y/n towards their room.

Once in the room, y/n left Scott’s side and dropped her bag on the bed, opening it to grab her comfy clothes for the night. Scott frowned as she headed to the bathroom, hearing the dodgy lock lock behind her. Usually y/n would have no problem getting changed in the same room as him, they had been together for over a year now so there wasn’t anything he hadn’t seen. He sighed before dropping his own bag to get ready for the night. He looked up as he heard the lock unclick, but the door didn’t open. Deciding to check if y/n was okay, he knocked on the door before opening it.

Y/n stood in front of the sink, and her back was towards the sink as she looked at herself in the mirror behind the door. Her vision looked up as the door opened, and her eyes widened as she seen Scott come through the door. One look at her and Scott knew what he and Javi thought were true, for her eyes watered slightly before turning away from him, arms wrapping around herself. Sighing in slight frustration he walked further into the bathroom and wrapped his arms around her. Y/n pushed against his chest slightly and Scott allowed her to part from him before they walked to the room. Y/n refused to look at the man who stopped in front of her as she sat on the bed.

“Y/n, talk to me.” Scott pleaded. “About what, I’m tired I need to sleep.” Y/n muttered, refusing to make eye contact. “Your not yourself. I need to know that your okay, but I can clearly see your not.” Scott replied. “ I’m fine.” Y/n snapped, and Scott arched his brow, knowing that she wouldn’t usually snap that quick. “No your not. Your feeling down and that’s okay. You can feel that way, but I need you to accept that I am going to care about you both on your good days and your bad days. Just as you care about me even when I’m stone cold to everyone else.” “Scott…” Y/n started, not sure what to say. “You don’t seem to realize how perfect you are. Everyone have flaws and yours is what I love about you the most.” Scott stated, moving to place his hands on y/n’s shoulder, kneading them slightly. “Stop.” Y/n murmured, not agreeing with him. “What do you hate about you the most?” Scott asked suddenly, leaning down to kiss y/n on the lips. “No.” Y/n muttered against his lips, closing her eyes gently. “Tell me y/n.” Scott stated, kissing her checks and moving down to her neck. “My sides.” She whispered, her breath caught in her throat slightly. “Hmm.” Scott breathed gently as he moved his hands either side of y/n, forcing her to lower down gently. “My sides.” Y/n spoke again, and she shivered as she felt Scott smirk against her neck, running his fingers down her body, stopping at her hips. “These.” He asked, bringing her hands to a stop before squeezing them slightly. “Stop.” Y/n begged, eyes widening slightly. “I happen to think your hips are one of your best characteristics.” Scott mumbled before moving down her body, bringing her top up a bit so he could kiss the skin on her hips. “Scott please.” Y/n cried out, her body freezing as he paid attention to her insecurity. “Your beautiful y/n, hips included.” Scott murmured as he nuzzled her body with his nose as he made his way back up to meet y/n’s eyes. “No.” “Yes.” Scott replied to her denial, before kissing her again.

Y/n sighed as Scott never moved his hands from her sides, instead holding a grip on them as he hovered over her. She accepted his attention, bringing her hands up to his neck, fingers going through his hair. The kiss was short, and y/n breathed deeply as Scott moved to lie beside her, arms snaking under her back to keep her close. His other hand moved to play with her hair, causing y/n to close her eyes and lean into his touch. Kissing her head, Scott laid his chin on her head.

“You are perfect just the way you are y/n.” Scott mumbled, twirling some hair around his finger. “Hmm.” Y/n sighed, scrunching her nose slightly as Scott tickled her side. “I’ll never be enough.” “You’ll always be enough.” Scott replied quickly, and y/n rolled her eyes as he pulled her closer, allowing sleep to consume them both.

[a-reader-and-a-writer]

Sweeter Than Revenge Part 5

Fandom: Twisters, Tyler Owens, f!reader, Scott's Sister!reader Summary: After Dani's warning, you try to put a little distance between Tyler and yourself. However, when he confronts you about your strange behavior, you get some of the answers you were looking for. Word Count: 4766 TW: Flirting, Doubt, Developing Feelings, Unrequited Feelings (or are they...), Mentions of Death and Grief, Language Notes: A massive thank you to @blue-aconite and @green-socks for reading this over for me and for all the constant support! And to @mayhem24-7forever for always answering my late-night panicked messages

Divider created by me (please ask/credit before using)

Series Masterlist

The rest of the day passed in a blur and you had little time to think about what Dani had said about Tyler. You had seen plenty of tornados on television before, either in weather reports or movies, but this was the first time you saw one with your own eyes. The crew encountered one fairly big storm in the afternoon and even though everyone else parked some distance away to watch Tyler and Boone do their thing, it was still an exhilarating experience. 

Almost immediately, you understood why these other “storm tourists”, as Dani called them, followed the trained chasers around; one look and you were hooked. And the storm seemed just as captivated by you as it tugged at your clothes, almost like a child urging you to come play, while you stood outside the camper van and stared up at the towering wall of wind. You were surprised to see there was no rain and the sun was shining brightly in the surrounding blue sky, almost as if the rest of Mother Nature refused to acknowledge the massive destructive force cutting through the plain. You mentioned it to Dexter but his explanation made your head hurt so you just accepted it and enjoyed the view.

However, as much as the storm captivated you, you couldn’t take your eyes off Tyler’s truck. He tore through the uneven terrain bucking and rearing like he was on the back of one of his bulls, not driving a pickup. And even though you had seen some of his videos and knew what he was planning, your heart still leaped in your chest as the truck disappeared into the tornado. The other Wranglers were gathered around Dexter’s tablet, watching the live feed coming from Boone’s camera, but you couldn’t tear your eyes away from the real thing. At least the sounds of Tyler and Boone hooting and hollering like they were having the time of their life reassured you that everything was alright. But you didn’t realize you were holding your breath until the storm moved, revealing the truck safe and sound, and you let out a loud whoosh of air. 

As Tyler and Boone jumped out of the truck, running around and celebrating their successful chase, you felt the butterflies fluttering in your stomach once again. And the feeling only became more intense as you heard Tyler yell on the feed, “Thanks as always to my fabulous crew, and to our newest member who’ll be tagging along for a bit. Next storm—you and me, Sweetheart!” 

You bit your lip to keep your smile from consuming your entire face as your toes curled in your boots. However, as you glazed over to see Tyler on the tablet, you caught Dani’s eye and the look of concern on her face instantly sapped all the joy you were feeling. Instead, all the fears you had about your relationship with Tyler came rushing back.

After it became clear you weren’t going to encounter any more tornados for the day, the Wranglers headed to a nearby diner. When you parked, Tyler materialized at the camper door the minute you opened it and offered you his hand. Taking it, you gave him a small smile and let him help you out of the vehicle. He asked you a million questions about what you thought of the storm and his antics with Boone. 

As you started walking, trying to find the words to express how incredible the tornado was, you noticed Tyler beginning to stretch out his arm to wrap around your shoulders. Panicking, you dropped your purse on the ground and ducked to pick it up, narrowly avoiding Tyler’s arm. When you stood back up, he gave you a quizzical look but didn’t comment or try to put his arm around you again. 

The crew entered the diner and you excused yourself to head to the bathroom. When you returned to the table, you found everyone crammed into one circular booth. Tyler sat on one end, with a decent amount of space available next to him—clearly meant for you—and Lily sat on the very edge of the other end, one half of her butt practically hanging off the edge of the booth. Ignoring the slight nod Tyler gave you to the space next to him, you approached Lily and asked to sit next to her since you hadn’t had much time to get to know her yet. 

All eyes shifted to Tyler. He stared at you for a long moment, his eyes searching your face. But then he nodded, pulling the brim of his cowboy hat down low over his face, and slid over to fill the gap next to him. Taking their cue from him, the rest of the crew scooted over and allowed you to fit next to Lily. 

The two of you started up a lively conversation, but it took all of your willpower not to look over at Tyler. Only when the waitress arrived to take your order several minutes later did you dare chance a glance. He was staring at you, his green eyes cast in shadow and barely visible under his hat. But even with the obstruction, you noticed he followed your every move: when your hand reached out to give the waitress the menu, when you shifted closer to Lily, when you reached for a napkin to place under your glass of water. But his stares didn’t feel malicious or lewd—they felt confused, seeking answers. You knew to him this cold shoulder must have felt out of nowhere, but you couldn’t risk falling harder for him until you knew what his true intentions were—friendship or potentially something more. 

After dinner was over, you rode with Tyler and Boone to the new motel you were staying at for the night. You liked Boone. He was really sweet and the kind of nervous shy where he sought to fill every moment of silence so things didn’t get awkward—which was exactly what you needed riding with Tyler in the truck. You caught him glancing at you in the rearview mirror a few times, but he didn’t say much. Only interjecting a few details or jokes here and there in the middle of Boone’s stories. 

Boone also mentioned that while the different teams of storm chasers changed sleeping locations pretty much every night, they tended to all end up at the same places considering they mostly chased the same storms. So it didn’t surprise you to see the group of Storm PAR trucks parked next to the main office when you pulled into the motel. Though, luckily, you didn’t see any sign of your brother.

Once Tyler parked, you tried to follow Boone over to the camper van, but Tyler grabbed your arm. “Hey. Do you mind coming with me to check in?”

Crossing your arms over your chest as you raised an eyebrow, you scoffed, “Since when does it take two people to book a handful of rooms?”

He grinned, some of the tension leaving his shoulders as your playful banter returned. “Sometimes it helps to have a pretty face making the reservations. And it turns out, this one–” he pointed to his face “–doesn’t work on everyone.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t I believe that?”

As his grin widened and you felt the butterflies beginning to stir, you quickly pivoted and hurried towards the main office. When you didn’t hear anyone behind you, you glanced over your shoulder and asked, “Well? Are you coming? I might have the pretty face, but you have the credit card.”

Tyler’s face had dimmed as you walked away, but the light returned at your words and he jogged after you. As he fell into pace beside you, he didn’t try to take your hand or place his arm across your shoulder like all the times before. And that stung. Even though you knew it was your fault. Even though you knew you kept playing hot and cold with him, the fact he seemed to be finally giving you the space you were clearly showing you wanted, hurt. 

The two of you make quick work of the reservations (a sly wink from you at the nervous young man behind the desk saved you 10%). Tyler made sure to get you another room on the second floor. You didn’t mind either way, but he assured you that it was best to be as far above the parking lot as possible since the various teams of storm chasers and storm tourists could get pretty loud in the middle of the night. Considering most nights back home you were lulled to sleep by the sound of helicopters, emergency sirens, and the blend of yelling and pounding music coming through your paper-thin walls, you didn’t think it would be a problem. But you just smiled and thanked him as you took your room key from him. 

On your way out, you noticed a soda machine between the main office and one of the Storm PAR trucks. You told Tyler to go ahead and you’d meet him back at the trucks. He hesitated, but when he noticed Lily struggling to wrestle her drone out of her truck, he reluctantly set off alone. 

Pulling out a dollar bill from your purse, you tried to put it into the machine but it wouldn’t take it. You sighed as you rubbed the bill on the side of the machine and tried again. Still no luck. Cursing under your breath, you dug through your purse trying to find another dollar crumpled at the bottom. 

Just as you were about to give up, a voice said, “Here” and a dollar was thrust in your face.

“Ah, fuck!” you cried, jumping a few inches into the air. But once your heart stopped racing and you realized who it was, you offered a small smile. “Oh, hey. Just a bit of advice, maybe don’t creep up on a girl like that next time.”

Javi chuckled. “Sorry ‘bout that. You just looked like you were having a little trouble.”

“Thanks,” you said, taking the dollar from him. This one was accepted immediately and you pressed the button for a Dr. Pepper. You picked up the bottle when it dropped into the slot, cracked the top open, and took a sip.

“Caffeine this late at night?” Javi shook his head. “You’re just like your brother. I’ve never seen someone drink as much coffee or energy drinks as he does at three in the morning, only to immediately go to sleep. You must take after him or something.”

Your eyes narrowed as you took another sip. “I don’t think that’s the compliment you think it is.”

“No. I guess not.” He ran his hand across the back of his neck as he said, “I didn’t just come over to offer you a dollar. I was actually wondering if we could talk for a minute.”

“Umm…” you looked around the parking lot. Tyler was helping Lily unload her drone from the back of her van, the two deep in conversation, and you didn’t see any sign of your brother anywhere. 

Seemingly understanding your concern, Javi said, “Scott’s on a phone call that should keep him busy for a while. That’s why I thought now might be a good time to do this. I figured it was better he didn’t see us talking.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t want to get you in trouble,” you nodded. “What’s up?”

Javi sighed. “Listen, I don’t know what happened between you and Scott but that conversation you two had yesterday didn’t look good. When he came back, he didn’t say why but he told me that you weren’t staying. So when I saw you last night with Owens, then again with his team today…”

You folded your arms across your chest, your drink still in your hand. “What? You have a problem with me hanging out with the Wranglers too? Scotty already made it very clear last night that he didn’t approve of me spending time with Tyler.”

Javi held up his hands. “It’s not my place to tell you what to do. Just be careful, alright.”

You rolled your eyes. “No offense, Javi, but they’ve been nothing but welcoming and kind to me. I can’t say the same about everyone on your team.”

“I don’t mean it like that. It’s…” He sighed again and scrubbed his hand over his face. Then, taking a deep breath, he continued. “They are good people but they’re also arrogant and overly cocky. They think because they’ve pulled off so many of their boneheaded tricks that they’re pretty much invincible. I just don’t want you to be dragged into it when they find out they’re not.”

Javi may have a point. You had seen enough of the Wranglers’ videos to know they had had more than a few close calls in the past. Yet since they all walked away relatively unharmed, they continued upping the chaos. However, you weren’t going to let Javi talk badly about the people who had welcomed you with open arms, so you said, “You don’t have to worry about that. Despite what Storm PAR may think, the Wranglers know what they’re doing.” 

You start to walk away but then paused as another thought crossed your mind. With your back still to Javi, you asked quietly, “You know, it’s been bugging me ever since I met you yesterday. Why did you do it? Why did you partner with him? With Scotty?”

There was a small chuckle in Javi’s voice when he responded. “You mean, why’d I partner with someone who’s half-robot and takes everything way too seriously?” 

“That’s one way to put it,” you said, turning back to face him. “I just don’t get it. You seem so different from my brother and I can’t imagine what would have brought the two of you together.”

Javi’s eyes dropped to the dirt, his jaw clenched. For a moment, you weren’t sure he was going to answer, and you wondered what could be so bad that this sweet, kindhearted young man ended up working with Scotty on some supposedly shady business. 

When Javi finally spoke, his eyes remained locked on the ground as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I used to be a lot like the Wranglers, actually. I looked at this whole thing as a game, a chance to hang out with my best friends, doing something we loved, and trying to make a difference. We were so sure of what we were doing, we thought we couldn’t possibly fail. But then we did—spectacularly. Three of the closest people in my life died because of it and the fourth…well, she ran away from all of this—from me—because it was too much of a reminder of what happened.”

You closed the distance between you and placed your hand on his arm. “Javi, I’m so sorry. I-I didn’t know.”

He nodded slightly and continued. “I ran away for a while too, joined the army just trying to forget—but you never forget. So, when I came back and decided to give this another shot, I knew I needed to buckle down and remain firmly grounded in what we were doing. And as soon as I met Scott, I could see he would make sure that happened.”

You nodded softly. “So that’s really why you don’t like the Wranglers. They remind you too much of your old team.”

“The Tornado Tamers.” Javi smiled softly, a far-off look in his eyes. “We called ourselves, the Tornado Tamers.” You squeezed his arm and he looked up, the smile still on his face but his eyes less clouded by the past. Clearing his throat, he said, “So I know from experience what can happen out there. I’m not telling you to stay away from them, I just want you to be safe. He may not show it, but I know deep down—deep, deep down—Scott cares about you. And I don’t want him to have the same regrets or guilt I do if something happens.”

You bowed your head as you thought over his words. Finally, you said, “I’m not going to stop riding with them. But I’ll make sure to keep my eyes wide open and if I feel like something’s not safe, I’ll get out of there. Deal?”

“Deal.” 

The look on Javi’s face and everything he shared with you still tugged at your heart and you found yourself asking, “Do you think I could give you a hug?”

Javi blinked in surprise but then smiled. “Yeah. I think I’d like that.” 

Stepping closer, you wrapped your arms around his neck as his slid around your waist. You had expected it to feel a little strange hugging this virtual stranger, yet somehow, it felt right. 

As you squeezed him a little tighter, you whispered, “Thank you for looking out for me, even if he isn’t.” 

“He’s trying,” Javi whispered back. “I just don’t think he knows how. But just give him some time. I think he’ll surprise you.”

Biting your lip to keep the tears from tumbling down your face, you nodded. After a moment, the two of you pulled apart, and you were surprised to see Javi’s eyes were misty too.  

Giving his hand one last squeeze, you said, “Thanks, Javi. You stay safe out there too.” 

He smiled and squeezed your hand back. “I’ll try my best. See you around.”

“See you.”

Walking across the parking lot, wiping your eyes, you looked up to see Tyler once again staring at you. You stumbled slightly in surprise. How much of that had he seen? Was he mad you were fraternizing with “the enemy”? 

But then he walked towards you, flashing you a smile, and you felt some of the tension ease in your chest. As he reached you, he held out your backpack you hadn’t even noticed he was carrying. Taking it from him, you said, “Thanks. But why do I need this?”

“Everyone else is just finishing up for the night so I thought now might be a good time to get you settled into your room.”

“Oh.” It seemed a little strange that you weren’t going to tell anyone else goodnight before turning in, but you also didn’t want to bother them if they were busy with their equipment. “Okay, I’m fine with that.”

“May I walk you to your room?” Tyler asked. You floundered for a moment, trying to think of a reason why he shouldn’t. When he saw your hesitation, he added, “I think we need to talk.”

This was the moment you had both been dreading and looking forward to. Right now, from your point of view, you and Tyler had the Schrödinger’s Cat of relationships: you could be friends, you could be more, but until that box was opened, you couldn’t be sure which it was. And right now, you could still try to pretend it could be more. But if you asked and he told you differently…

So, you nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

Tyler took your backpack back from you and the two of you headed to the stairs in silence. With each step, the air between you grew thicker as the weight of so many unsaid things bore down on you. You tried to keep your breathing as level as possible, but it felt as if your heart would pound out of your chest at any moment.

Finally, as you reached the top of the stairs, Tyler broke the silence. “Are you okay?”

That was not what you expected him to ask you. Blinking, you said, “Yeah. Why do you ask?”

He tipped the brim of his hat up slightly so he could see you better. “I don’t know. You just seem a bit…off since this morning. Did something happen when you were with Dani and Dexter? I know they can be a lot when they get going, but—”

“No, Tyler, nothing happened.” You stopped walking and placed your hand on his arm. “Like I said on the radio, I really enjoyed riding with them. It’s just…I think I got so caught up in how nice you’ve all been that I forgot this isn’t my life. I’m not a Wrangler. I’m a college student with an asshole brother. That’s the only reason I’m hanging out with you guys.”

You started walking again, but this time it was Tyler who reached out and grabbed your arm, his fingers digging into your biceps as if he were afraid you’d slip away. “Is it?”

“Is it what?”

Staring at the ground, he ran his free hand over the back of his neck as he said, “Listen, the reason that you’re doing this doesn’t change anything. We’re still more than happy to let you ride with us either way, but I have to know for my own peace of mind.” He lifted his head so his green eyes bore into yours. There was an uncertainty there that echoed the one you had been feeling all afternoon and you held your breath as he asked, “Are you still hanging out with us just to get back at Scott or are you here now because you want to be?”

Your heart fluttered in your chest. Just like the uncertainty in his eyes, the fear and nervousness in his voice mirrored how you felt earlier in the van when Dani made you question Tyler’s intentions. Could that mean…was Dani wrong and Tyler wasn’t acting the same way around you as he did with everyone? 

Tapping your chin as you pretended to consider the question, you said, “I do get a little twinge of satisfaction whenever I see Scott glaring at us together—” your expression softens “—but no, that’s not what I’m still doing here. I like you, Tyler. A lot. You and your entire team. You all have been nothing but accepting of me barging into your lives and I really appreciate it.” He nodded, a smile tugging at one corner of his mouth, yet he still seemed hesitant. “Is there something else?”

He shook his head and then reconsidered. “Um, I saw you and Javi just now. It seemed like maybe you had decided he would be better at making Scott jealous. For a minute there, I thought you might leave us.”

“That thing with Javi…he just told me some really heavy stuff about his past and why he’s working with Scotty. That’s all. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” Taking his hand, you added, “But if you ever change your mind or think I’m just using you, say the word and I’ll go.”

“No.” The single word burst from his mouth immediately, seemingly surprising both of you with its conviction. Tyler cleared his throat and shifted his weight to his other foot. “No, um, listen, I’m not trying to run you off or anything like that. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page. I–We like having you around and, uh, Boone was real excited to take you into a storm tomorrow.”

You smiled as you took a step closer to him. “Oh, Boone was, was he?” A slight redness began creeping up Tyler’s neck as he looked at the ground so you took pity on him. “Well, I can’t let Boone down, can I? Not after everything he’s done and how wonderfully he’s treated me since the moment we met. It’s the least I can do.” 

The last words slipped from your lips as barely more than a whisper. This close to Tyler, that magnetic pull from the night before returned as you smelled a faint trace of the earthy cleanliness of his skin. And you couldn’t pull your eyes from his lips as his tongue ran slowly across them. 

Tyler’s eyes darkened as he stared down at you. He reached out and cupped your cheek in his hand as he murmured, “He’ll be glad to hear it.”

He began to lean into you, forcing you backwards, and just as you thought he might press his lips against yours—your back jammed into the door handle of one of the rooms. 

“Ah!” 

You jumped forward, slipping out of Tyler’s grasp, and rubbed your back. He glanced between you and the door then back again. Sheepishly, he muttered, “Sorry about that.”

“No, it’s alright. I just didn’t realize—” you stared at the door number, your jaw hanging open slightly “—that this is my room.”

“Really?” Tyler looked at the key card in your hand. “Huh. Then I guess this is where we say goodnight?” 

There was a slight question in his tone, but he made no move to stop you as you opened the motel door. You stepped inside and waited for him to make the next move. 

For what seemed like a lifetime, neither one of you moved. You seemed to barely breathe. Then, Tyler reached out and took your hand just as he had the night before. However, this time when he pressed his lips to the back of it, they pressed harder, no longer just a faint brush but a deep caress. And as they lingered there, you wondered it would have felt like if he had kissed your lips instead of your hand: how the slight stubble on his face would feel scratching tantalizingly across your skin; what he might taste like on your tongue; the way he would press himself against you, his leg slipping between yours— 

Abruptly, he straightened, letting your hand drop to your side, shaking you from your fantasy. Without a word, he gave you a sharp nod before turning and hurrying down the corridor towards the stairs. In just a few seconds, he was gone.

Still shaken by everything that had happened in the last few minutes, you stumbled further into your room and shut the door.

Tonight might not have gone as you expected, but one thing was now clear. He felt it too. That growing connection between you wasn’t one-sided. Whatever it was, it was more than friendship. If only that fucking door hadn’t gotten in the way!

Yet, this wasn’t all the door’s fault either. You gave Tyler the opportunity to try to make another move but he didn’t. He kissed your hand—albeit sensually, as if from a 1800’s romance novel—but then he walked away! What a fucking tease!

Well, two could play at that game…

The next morning, you threw all of your stuff into your backpack and hurried out of the room before Tyler could come up to meet you. Taking the stairs two at a time, you made it to the ground floor and rushed over to where the Wranglers were parked. On your way, you caught a glance of Scott out of the corner of your eye glaring at you from the other end of the parking lot, but you ignored him and continued on.

As you neared your destination, Tyler noticed you approaching from under the brim of his cowboy hat and put down the equipment he was loading into the back of his truck. Removing his sunglasses and slipping them onto the collar of his shirt, he walked towards you with his arms open. 

“Someone’s ready early this morning. I was just about to come up to walk you dow–” 

“Yeah, thanks,” you said, shoving your backpack into his arms but never wavering as you continued forward. You just had time to register the shocked bewilderment on Tyler’s face before walking past him.

While the other Wranglers scurried around packing up their vehicles, you waltzed over to where Boone was talking to Lily and tackled him into a huge hug. He froze underneath your embrace, tripping over his words as he tried to grasp what was going on. Squeezing him tighter, you gushed loudly about how you were just as excited as he was that you were riding with him and Tyler into the storm today. Then you pulled away without explanation and headed over to where Dexter was handing out breakfast, pausing briefly to shoot Tyler an innocent smile over your shoulder. Still holding your backpack in his arms, you saw his lips were now curled into a knowing smirk and his usual playfulness had returned to his eyes. He shook his head and you shot him a quick wink.

Just as you began to turn away and take the plate of eggs and bacon Dexter was offering you, you saw Boone walk over to Tyler, scratching his head as he muttered, “I think the new girl’s in love with me.”

Part 6 coming 9/16!

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[a-reader-and-a-writer-for-all]

Sweeter Than Revenge Part 5

Fandom: Twisters, Tyler Owens, f!reader, Scott's Sister!reader Summary: After Dani's warning, you try to put a little distance between Tyler and yourself. However, when he confronts you about your strange behavior, you get some of the answers you were looking for. Word Count: 4766 TW: Flirting, Doubt, Developing Feelings, Unrequited Feelings (or are they...), Mentions of Death and Grief, Language Notes: A massive thank you to @blue-aconite and @green-socks for reading this over for me and for all the constant support! And to @mayhem24-7forever for always answering my late-night panicked messages

Divider created by me (please ask/credit before using)

The rest of the day passed in a blur and you had little time to think about what Dani had said about Tyler. You had seen plenty of tornados on television before, either in weather reports or movies, but this was the first time you saw one with your own eyes. The crew encountered one fairly big storm in the afternoon and even though everyone else parked some distance away to watch Tyler and Boone do their thing, it was still an exhilarating experience. 

Almost immediately, you understood why these other “storm tourists”, as Dani called them, followed the trained chasers around; one look and you were hooked. And the storm seemed just as captivated by you as it tugged at your clothes, almost like a child urging you to come play, while you stood outside the camper van and stared up at the towering wall of wind. You were surprised to see there was no rain and the sun was shining brightly in the surrounding blue sky, almost as if the rest of Mother Nature refused to acknowledge the massive destructive force cutting through the plain. You mentioned it to Dexter but his explanation made your head hurt so you just accepted it and enjoyed the view.

However, as much as the storm captivated you, you couldn’t take your eyes off Tyler’s truck. He tore through the uneven terrain bucking and rearing like he was on the back of one of his bulls, not driving a pickup. And even though you had seen some of his videos and knew what he was planning, your heart still leaped in your chest as the truck disappeared into the tornado. The other Wranglers were gathered around Dexter’s tablet, watching the live feed coming from Boone’s camera, but you couldn’t tear your eyes away from the real thing. At least the sounds of Tyler and Boone hooting and hollering like they were having the time of their life reassured you that everything was alright. But you didn’t realize you were holding your breath until the storm moved, revealing the truck safe and sound, and you let out a loud whoosh of air. 

As Tyler and Boone jumped out of the truck, running around and celebrating their successful chase, you felt the butterflies fluttering in your stomach once again. And the feeling only became more intense as you heard Tyler yell on the feed, “Thanks as always to my fabulous crew, and to our newest member who’ll be tagging along for a bit. Next storm—you and me, Sweetheart!” 

You bit your lip to keep your smile from consuming your entire face as your toes curled in your boots. However, as you glazed over to see Tyler on the tablet, you caught Dani’s eye and the look of concern on her face instantly sapped all the joy you were feeling. Instead, all the fears you had about your relationship with Tyler came rushing back.

After it became clear you weren’t going to encounter any more tornados for the day, the Wranglers headed to a nearby diner. When you parked, Tyler materialized at the camper door the minute you opened it and offered you his hand. Taking it, you gave him a small smile and let him help you out of the vehicle. He asked you a million questions about what you thought of the storm and his antics with Boone. 

As you started walking, trying to find the words to express how incredible the tornado was, you noticed Tyler beginning to stretch out his arm to wrap around your shoulders. Panicking, you dropped your purse on the ground and ducked to pick it up, narrowly avoiding Tyler’s arm. When you stood back up, he gave you a quizzical look but didn’t comment or try to put his arm around you again. 

The crew entered the diner and you excused yourself to head to the bathroom. When you returned to the table, you found everyone crammed into one circular booth. Tyler sat on one end, with a decent amount of space available next to him—clearly meant for you—and Lily sat on the very edge of the other end, one half of her butt practically hanging off the edge of the booth. Ignoring the slight nod Tyler gave you to the space next to him, you approached Lily and asked to sit next to her since you hadn’t had much time to get to know her yet. 

All eyes shifted to Tyler. He stared at you for a long moment, his eyes searching your face. But then he nodded, pulling the brim of his cowboy hat down low over his face, and slid over to fill the gap next to him. Taking their cue from him, the rest of the crew scooted over and allowed you to fit next to Lily. 

The two of you started up a lively conversation, but it took all of your willpower not to look over at Tyler. Only when the waitress arrived to take your order several minutes later did you dare chance a glance. He was staring at you, his green eyes cast in shadow and barely visible under his hat. But even with the obstruction, you noticed he followed your every move: when your hand reached out to give the waitress the menu, when you shifted closer to Lily, when you reached for a napkin to place under your glass of water. But his stares didn’t feel malicious or lewd—they felt confused, seeking answers. You knew to him this cold shoulder must have felt out of nowhere, but you couldn’t risk falling harder for him until you knew what his true intentions were—friendship or potentially something more. 

After dinner was over, you rode with Tyler and Boone to the new motel you were staying at for the night. You liked Boone. He was really sweet and the kind of nervous shy where he sought to fill every moment of silence so things didn’t get awkward—which was exactly what you needed riding with Tyler in the truck. You caught him glancing at you in the rearview mirror a few times, but he didn’t say much. Only interjecting a few details or jokes here and there in the middle of Boone’s stories. 

Boone also mentioned that while the different teams of storm chasers changed sleeping locations pretty much every night, they tended to all end up at the same places considering they mostly chased the same storms. So it didn’t surprise you to see the group of Storm PAR trucks parked next to the main office when you pulled into the motel. Though, luckily, you didn’t see any sign of your brother.

Once Tyler parked, you tried to follow Boone over to the camper van, but Tyler grabbed your arm. “Hey. Do you mind coming with me to check in?”

Crossing your arms over your chest as you raised an eyebrow, you scoffed, “Since when does it take two people to book a handful of rooms?”

He grinned, some of the tension leaving his shoulders as your playful banter returned. “Sometimes it helps to have a pretty face making the reservations. And it turns out, this one–” he pointed to his face “–doesn’t work on everyone.”

You raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t I believe that?”

As his grin widened and you felt the butterflies beginning to stir, you quickly pivoted and hurried towards the main office. When you didn’t hear anyone behind you, you glanced over your shoulder and asked, “Well? Are you coming? I might have the pretty face, but you have the credit card.”

Tyler’s face had dimmed as you walked away, but the light returned at your words and he jogged after you. As he fell into pace beside you, he didn’t try to take your hand or place his arm across your shoulder like all the times before. And that stung. Even though you knew it was your fault. Even though you knew you kept playing hot and cold with him, the fact he seemed to be finally giving you the space you were clearly showing you wanted, hurt. 

The two of you make quick work of the reservations (a sly wink from you at the nervous young man behind the desk saved you 10%). Tyler made sure to get you another room on the second floor. You didn’t mind either way, but he assured you that it was best to be as far above the parking lot as possible since the various teams of storm chasers and storm tourists could get pretty loud in the middle of the night. Considering most nights back home you were lulled to sleep by the sound of helicopters, emergency sirens, and the blend of yelling and pounding music coming through your paper-thin walls, you didn’t think it would be a problem. But you just smiled and thanked him as you took your room key from him. 

On your way out, you noticed a soda machine between the main office and one of the Storm PAR trucks. You told Tyler to go ahead and you’d meet him back at the trucks. He hesitated, but when he noticed Lily struggling to wrestle her drone out of her truck, he reluctantly set off alone. 

Pulling out a dollar bill from your purse, you tried to put it into the machine but it wouldn’t take it. You sighed as you rubbed the bill on the side of the machine and tried again. Still no luck. Cursing under your breath, you dug through your purse trying to find another dollar crumpled at the bottom. 

Just as you were about to give up, a voice said, “Here” and a dollar was thrust in your face.

“Ah, fuck!” you cried, jumping a few inches into the air. But once your heart stopped racing and you realized who it was, you offered a small smile. “Oh, hey. Just a bit of advice, maybe don’t creep up on a girl like that next time.”

Javi chuckled. “Sorry ‘bout that. You just looked like you were having a little trouble.”

“Thanks,” you said, taking the dollar from him. This one was accepted immediately and you pressed the button for a Dr. Pepper. You picked up the bottle when it dropped into the slot, cracked the top open, and took a sip.

“Caffeine this late at night?” Javi shook his head. “You’re just like your brother. I’ve never seen someone drink as much coffee or energy drinks as he does at three in the morning, only to immediately go to sleep. You must take after him or something.”

Your eyes narrowed as you took another sip. “I don’t think that’s the compliment you think it is.”

“No. I guess not.” He ran his hand across the back of his neck as he said, “I didn’t just come over to offer you a dollar. I was actually wondering if we could talk for a minute.”

“Umm…” you looked around the parking lot. Tyler was helping Lily unload her drone from the back of her van, the two deep in conversation, and you didn’t see any sign of your brother anywhere. 

Seemingly understanding your concern, Javi said, “Scott’s on a phone call that should keep him busy for a while. That’s why I thought now might be a good time to do this. I figured it was better he didn’t see us talking.”

“Yeah, I wouldn’t want to get you in trouble,” you nodded. “What’s up?”

Javi sighed. “Listen, I don’t know what happened between you and Scott but that conversation you two had yesterday didn’t look good. When he came back, he didn’t say why but he told me that you weren’t staying. So when I saw you last night with Owens, then again with his team today…”

You folded your arms across your chest, your drink still in your hand. “What? You have a problem with me hanging out with the Wranglers too? Scotty already made it very clear last night that he didn’t approve of me spending time with Tyler.”

Javi held up his hands. “It’s not my place to tell you what to do. Just be careful, alright.”

You rolled your eyes. “No offense, Javi, but they’ve been nothing but welcoming and kind to me. I can’t say the same about everyone on your team.”

“I don’t mean it like that. It’s…” He sighed again and scrubbed his hand over his face. Then, taking a deep breath, he continued. “They are good people but they’re also arrogant and overly cocky. They think because they’ve pulled off so many of their boneheaded tricks that they’re pretty much invincible. I just don’t want you to be dragged into it when they find out they’re not.”

Javi may have a point. You had seen enough of the Wranglers’ videos to know they had had more than a few close calls in the past. Yet since they all walked away relatively unharmed, they continued upping the chaos. However, you weren’t going to let Javi talk badly about the people who had welcomed you with open arms, so you said, “You don’t have to worry about that. Despite what Storm PAR may think, the Wranglers know what they’re doing.” 

You start to walk away but then paused as another thought crossed your mind. With your back still to Javi, you asked quietly, “You know, it’s been bugging me ever since I met you yesterday. Why did you do it? Why did you partner with him? With Scotty?”

There was a small chuckle in Javi’s voice when he responded. “You mean, why’d I partner with someone who’s half-robot and takes everything way too seriously?” 

“That’s one way to put it,” you said, turning back to face him. “I just don’t get it. You seem so different from my brother and I can’t imagine what would have brought the two of you together.”

Javi’s eyes dropped to the dirt, his jaw clenched. For a moment, you weren’t sure he was going to answer, and you wondered what could be so bad that this sweet, kindhearted young man ended up working with Scotty on some supposedly shady business. 

When Javi finally spoke, his eyes remained locked on the ground as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I used to be a lot like the Wranglers, actually. I looked at this whole thing as a game, a chance to hang out with my best friends, doing something we loved, and trying to make a difference. We were so sure of what we were doing, we thought we couldn’t possibly fail. But then we did—spectacularly. Three of the closest people in my life died because of it and the fourth…well, she ran away from all of this—from me—because it was too much of a reminder of what happened.”

You closed the distance between you and placed your hand on his arm. “Javi, I’m so sorry. I-I didn’t know.”

He nodded slightly and continued. “I ran away for a while too, joined the army just trying to forget—but you never forget. So, when I came back and decided to give this another shot, I knew I needed to buckle down and remain firmly grounded in what we were doing. And as soon as I met Scott, I could see he would make sure that happened.”

You nodded softly. “So that’s really why you don’t like the Wranglers. They remind you too much of your old team.”

“The Tornado Tamers.” Javi smiled softly, a far-off look in his eyes. “We called ourselves, the Tornado Tamers.” You squeezed his arm and he looked up, the smile still on his face but his eyes less clouded by the past. Clearing his throat, he said, “So I know from experience what can happen out there. I’m not telling you to stay away from them, I just want you to be safe. He may not show it, but I know deep down—deep, deep down—Scott cares about you. And I don’t want him to have the same regrets or guilt I do if something happens.”

You bowed your head as you thought over his words. Finally, you said, “I’m not going to stop riding with them. But I’ll make sure to keep my eyes wide open and if I feel like something’s not safe, I’ll get out of there. Deal?”

“Deal.” 

The look on Javi’s face and everything he shared with you still tugged at your heart and you found yourself asking, “Do you think I could give you a hug?”

Javi blinked in surprise but then smiled. “Yeah. I think I’d like that.” 

Stepping closer, you wrapped your arms around his neck as his slid around your waist. You had expected it to feel a little strange hugging this virtual stranger, yet somehow, it felt right. 

As you squeezed him a little tighter, you whispered, “Thank you for looking out for me, even if he isn’t.” 

“He’s trying,” Javi whispered back. “I just don’t think he knows how. But just give him some time. I think he’ll surprise you.”

Biting your lip to keep the tears from tumbling down your face, you nodded. After a moment, the two of you pulled apart, and you were surprised to see Javi’s eyes were misty too.  

Giving his hand one last squeeze, you said, “Thanks, Javi. You stay safe out there too.” 

He smiled and squeezed your hand back. “I’ll try my best. See you around.”

“See you.”

Walking across the parking lot, wiping your eyes, you looked up to see Tyler once again staring at you. You stumbled slightly in surprise. How much of that had he seen? Was he mad you were fraternizing with “the enemy”? 

But then he walked towards you, flashing you a smile, and you felt some of the tension ease in your chest. As he reached you, he held out your backpack you hadn’t even noticed he was carrying. Taking it from him, you said, “Thanks. But why do I need this?”

“Everyone else is just finishing up for the night so I thought now might be a good time to get you settled into your room.”

“Oh.” It seemed a little strange that you weren’t going to tell anyone else goodnight before turning in, but you also didn’t want to bother them if they were busy with their equipment. “Okay, I’m fine with that.”

“May I walk you to your room?” Tyler asked. You floundered for a moment, trying to think of a reason why he shouldn’t. When he saw your hesitation, he added, “I think we need to talk.”

This was the moment you had both been dreading and looking forward to. Right now, from your point of view, you and Tyler had the Schrödinger’s Cat of relationships: you could be friends, you could be more, but until that box was opened, you couldn’t be sure which it was. And right now, you could still try to pretend it could be more. But if you asked and he told you differently…

So, you nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

Tyler took your backpack back from you and the two of you headed to the stairs in silence. With each step, the air between you grew thicker as the weight of so many unsaid things bore down on you. You tried to keep your breathing as level as possible, but it felt as if your heart would pound out of your chest at any moment.

Finally, as you reached the top of the stairs, Tyler broke the silence. “Are you okay?”

That was not what you expected him to ask you. Blinking, you said, “Yeah. Why do you ask?”

He tipped the brim of his hat up slightly so he could see you better. “I don’t know. You just seem a bit…off since this morning. Did something happen when you were with Dani and Dexter? I know they can be a lot when they get going, but—”

“No, Tyler, nothing happened.” You stopped walking and placed your hand on his arm. “Like I said on the radio, I really enjoyed riding with them. It’s just…I think I got so caught up in how nice you’ve all been that I forgot this isn’t my life. I’m not a Wrangler. I’m a college student with an asshole brother. That’s the only reason I’m hanging out with you guys.”

You started walking again, but this time it was Tyler who reached out and grabbed your arm, his fingers digging into your biceps as if he were afraid you’d slip away. “Is it?”

“Is it what?”

Staring at the ground, he ran his free hand over the back of his neck as he said, “Listen, the reason that you’re doing this doesn’t change anything. We’re still more than happy to let you ride with us either way, but I have to know for my own peace of mind.” He lifted his head so his green eyes bore into yours. There was an uncertainty there that echoed the one you had been feeling all afternoon and you held your breath as he asked, “Are you still hanging out with us just to get back at Scott or are you here now because you want to be?”

Your heart fluttered in your chest. Just like the uncertainty in his eyes, the fear and nervousness in his voice mirrored how you felt earlier in the van when Dani made you question Tyler’s intentions. Could that mean…was Dani wrong and Tyler wasn’t acting the same way around you as he did with everyone? 

Tapping your chin as you pretended to consider the question, you said, “I do get a little twinge of satisfaction whenever I see Scott glaring at us together—” your expression softens “—but no, that’s not what I’m still doing here. I like you, Tyler. A lot. You and your entire team. You all have been nothing but accepting of me barging into your lives and I really appreciate it.” He nodded, a smile tugging at one corner of his mouth, yet he still seemed hesitant. “Is there something else?”

He shook his head and then reconsidered. “Um, I saw you and Javi just now. It seemed like maybe you had decided he would be better at making Scott jealous. For a minute there, I thought you might leave us.”

“That thing with Javi…he just told me some really heavy stuff about his past and why he’s working with Scotty. That’s all. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.” Taking his hand, you added, “But if you ever change your mind or think I’m just using you, say the word and I’ll go.”

“No.” The single word burst from his mouth immediately, seemingly surprising both of you with its conviction. Tyler cleared his throat and shifted his weight to his other foot. “No, um, listen, I’m not trying to run you off or anything like that. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page. I–We like having you around and, uh, Boone was real excited to take you into a storm tomorrow.”

You smiled as you took a step closer to him. “Oh, Boone was, was he?” A slight redness began creeping up Tyler’s neck as he looked at the ground so you took pity on him. “Well, I can’t let Boone down, can I? Not after everything he’s done and how wonderfully he’s treated me since the moment we met. It’s the least I can do.” 

The last words slipped from your lips as barely more than a whisper. This close to Tyler, that magnetic pull from the night before returned as you smelled a faint trace of the earthy cleanliness of his skin. And you couldn’t pull your eyes from his lips as his tongue ran slowly across them. 

Tyler’s eyes darkened as he stared down at you. He reached out and cupped your cheek in his hand as he murmured, “He’ll be glad to hear it.”

He began to lean into you, forcing you backwards, and just as you thought he might press his lips against yours—your back jammed into the door handle of one of the rooms. 

“Ah!” 

You jumped forward, slipping out of Tyler’s grasp, and rubbed your back. He glanced between you and the door then back again. Sheepishly, he muttered, “Sorry about that.”

“No, it’s alright. I just didn’t realize—” you stared at the door number, your jaw hanging open slightly “—that this is my room.”

“Really?” Tyler looked at the key card in your hand. “Huh. Then I guess this is where we say goodnight?” 

There was a slight question in his tone, but he made no move to stop you as you opened the motel door. You stepped inside and waited for him to make the next move. 

For what seemed like a lifetime, neither one of you moved. You seemed to barely breathe. Then, Tyler reached out and took your hand just as he had the night before. However, this time when he pressed his lips to the back of it, they pressed harder, no longer just a faint brush but a deep caress. And as they lingered there, you wondered it would have felt like if he had kissed your lips instead of your hand: how the slight stubble on his face would feel scratching tantalizingly across your skin; what he might taste like on your tongue; the way he would press himself against you, his leg slipping between yours— 

Abruptly, he straightened, letting your hand drop to your side, shaking you from your fantasy. Without a word, he gave you a sharp nod before turning and hurrying down the corridor towards the stairs. In just a few seconds, he was gone.

Still shaken by everything that had happened in the last few minutes, you stumbled further into your room and shut the door.

Tonight might not have gone as you expected, but one thing was now clear. He felt it too. That growing connection between you wasn’t one-sided. Whatever it was, it was more than friendship. If only that fucking door hadn’t gotten in the way!

Yet, this wasn’t all the door’s fault either. You gave Tyler the opportunity to try to make another move but he didn’t. He kissed your hand—albeit sensually, as if from a 1800’s romance novel—but then he walked away! What a fucking tease!

Well, two could play at that game…

The next morning, you threw all of your stuff into your backpack and hurried out of the room before Tyler could come up to meet you. Taking the stairs two at a time, you made it to the ground floor and rushed over to where the Wranglers were parked. On your way, you caught a glance of Scott out of the corner of your eye glaring at you from the other end of the parking lot, but you ignored him and continued on.

As you neared your destination, Tyler noticed you approaching from under the brim of his cowboy hat and put down the equipment he was loading into the back of his truck. Removing his sunglasses and slipping them onto the collar of his shirt, he walked towards you with his arms open. 

“Someone’s ready early this morning. I was just about to come up to walk you dow–” 

“Yeah, thanks,” you said, shoving your backpack into his arms but never wavering as you continued forward. You just had time to register the shocked bewilderment on Tyler’s face before walking past him.

While the other Wranglers scurried around packing up their vehicles, you waltzed over to where Boone was talking to Lily and tackled him into a huge hug. He froze underneath your embrace, tripping over his words as he tried to grasp what was going on. Squeezing him tighter, you gushed loudly about how you were just as excited as he was that you were riding with him and Tyler into the storm today. Then you pulled away without explanation and headed over to where Dexter was handing out breakfast, pausing briefly to shoot Tyler an innocent smile over your shoulder. Still holding your backpack in his arms, you saw his lips were now curled into a knowing smirk and his usual playfulness had returned to his eyes. He shook his head and you shot him a quick wink.

Just as you began to turn away and take the plate of eggs and bacon Dexter was offering you, you saw Boone walk over to Tyler, scratching his head as he muttered, “I think the new girl’s in love with me.”

Part 6 coming 9/16!

[kai-ninjago]

The way he looks at her is so sweet 😭 this man is in love

Bonus hug <3