[ ok def won't be as many chapters tomorrow because I have plans but I really enjoyed just writing a ton this last 24 hours (and yes, I swear I slept between writing the first 6 chapters). enjoy confrontation.

and may I have a post notif please? for Christmas? ]

☆︎

SCOTT'S AN ASSHOLE.

"HIMARI?" Scott said her name again in that soft tone.

Fuck, how did he sound so gentle saying her name as if he hadn't been helping take advantage of an innocent, mourning man just seconds ago?

Rather than melt at his tone and touch like she had the night before, she just pulled her hand free.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her. "I thought you were in Tulsa?"

"Told you my boss travels," she said stiffly. "I think you know them."

As Himari nodded over her shoulder at the caravan, Scott got the idea. His face fell with realization as he looked from Tyler and Boone — who were watching them carefully — and back at Himari.

"You're joking," he said in a flat tone, all softness gone as he narrowed his eyes. "You're not one of those dumbasses?"

He couldn't help it. Scott hated Tyler Ownes and his crew. He hated how they always got in their way and made them fail over and over again, which always ended with Riggs yelling at Scott. He hated their flashy nature and loud music. He hated that he'd woken up to an empty bed that morning all because Himari had to meet with them.

Himari scoffed, her mood worsening. "Those dumbasses have been in my life since I was born, so watch your fucking mouth," she warned. "And you know, last night when you were playing the whole 'bashful, shy engineer thing' you forgot to mention something really important. You know, the fact that you're ruining people's lives."

Now it was Scott's turn to scoff. "And you just trust everything Owens tells you, huh?"

"He wouldn't have had to tell me. I just saw it with my own eyes," she said, pointing to the bookstore owner who was shaking hands with Riggs. "God, I can't believe I slept with you! Maybe you're not shelling out the money, but you're just as bad as your uncle."

"Hey, you don't know shit about my family," he huffed, his own anger spiking. "And like I'm thrilled by this predicament. I wouldn't have touched you if I knew you were stupid enough to call yourself a Tornado Wrangler. You're willingly working with the most useless crew in storm chasing."

"Says the one whose truck got stuck in the mud," she laughed. "And from what I hear, you're the ones that have trouble getting results, not the other way around."

Scott's face was red with frustration, both knowing she was right. It was common knowledge that StormPAR was struggling on how to properly place their PARs in order to get the data they needed. Sometimes, it was because the Tornado Wranglers got in their way, but they couldn't blame every failure on them.

"You think you know everything—"

"Do we have a problem here?"

It was Tyler who cut Scott off, wandering over with Boone. Sure, Tyler was four inches shorter than Scott, but he still stood with his chest puffed out and a glare on his face as he eyed Scott, Boone at his side.

"No, we don't have a problem," Scott said stiffly, taking a step back from Himari.

"That right, baby?" Boone asked Himari, not trusting Scott who was so clearly lying.

Himari watched as Scott's jaw twitched in annoyance as Boone calling her 'baby' right in front of him. It made a sort of sick sense of pride was over her, and she wanted to rub it in a bit.

"We're fine, Booney," she said while leaning against him, letting him wrap an arm around her shoulder. Scott's furious blue eyes followed the movement, clenching his fist. "I was just getting to know the chief engineer of StormPAR."

"That right?" Tyler asked skeptically. "What do you make of him?"

"I say we leave the pocket-protector wearing, gold-digging fascist to his business — you know, gentrifying the whole state," she said, glaring at Scott, who looked downright appalled by her insult. "Been nice meeting you, Scott."

"Can't say I repeat the sentiment, Sweetheart," Scott muttered bitterly, all that bliss from the morning now gone like it was never there.

He casted one last glare at Boone before turned and storming back toward his uncle and Javi, the latter of whom had been silently watching it all. It left Himari glaring at his broad back as Boone and Tyler shared a curious look.

"Mari," Tyler said in a careful tone. "What'd Scott say to make you so mad?"

"I saw him and his uncle taking advantage of that man like it was nothing. It was disgusting, and I told him as much," she huffed, leaving out that it wasn't the first time she'd met Scott. "You're right though, Boone. Scott's an asshole."

"Least you know to stay away from them now," Boone said. "Come on. Dex fixed a sandwich for us all. We're gone take a break before getting back at it."

☆︎

Of fucking course, StormPAR had to be at the same motel that the Wranglers were staying at. Himari didn't notice them at first as they simply got their rooms and filed in for the night.

No, she was too busy hanging out with her new crew, crammed into the bed of Tyler's truck with him and Boone while the other three sat around them in lawn chairs. The Wranglers were all trying to get to know her better since they'd be on the road for months together. And Tyler and Boone had plenty of stories to tell from when she was younger too.

It was a night full of laughs in the parking lot as they passed beers around to each other. And Himari was verging on tipsy when she saw the StormPAR trucks on the other end of the poorly lit parking lot.

"You know what'd be funny?" she asked, grinning a little bit.

"What's funnier than you biting Tyler so hard he had to get seven stitches because you were losing at Mario Kart?" Dexter asked with a chuckle as he recalled the story Boone just told.

"It's not funny," Tyler whined. "I still have a scar."

To prove it, he rolled up the sleeve of his flannel to show it off on his forearm. Himari cooed teasingly, pretending to feel sympathetic before sitting up better. Her glasses, which she'd put on after getting a shower at the motel, slipped down her nose, so she pushed them back up.

"That was really funny," she said, swaying a bit. "But those little nerds left their toys strapped to the back of their trucks. It'd be mighty shameful if something happened to them."

"Ooh, I like the way you think," Lily said with a big grin.

Himari moved to get out of the truck and go mess with the StormPAR equipment, but Tyler was faster. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her back down, half on his lap.

"Not happening, Squirt—"

"I'm five-fucking-seven!" she whined as he called her short with the nickname he'd used a lot when she was younger.

"That sounds like a lawsuit waiting to happen," Tyler said, grinning.

"But a funny one," Boone smirked.

"That's enough beer for the both of you," Tyler said, shaking his head. "You too, Lil. I see that grin on your face."

All three of them shouted 'boo's at Tyler, and Lily threw her empty can at him. He just rolled his eyes playfully and settled against the back of the truck cab, still keeping a squirming Himari in place.

That was how the two faces of StormPAR found them. Javi didn't much care, but Scott sure hated the sight of Himari practically on Tyler Owens' lap. He chewed restlessly on his gum, jaw flexing as he glared pointedly at them, not even able to appreciate how cute Himari actually looked with the glasses she hated on her face. Javi looked much less hostile, though.

Of course, Himari barely noticed Javi. No, her eyes were fixed on Scott. He had changed out of his muddy clothes but still wore a branded StormPAR white button-up shirt. Sleeves were rolled up, showing off strong forearms, and it made her hate him.

Because how dare he look so goddamn handsome knowing what a dick he was now?

"Howdy, StormPAR," Tyler managed to greet them civilly. He didn't like how Scott was glaring at Himari. "Want a beer?"

"Oh, nah," Javi said. Then he sighed. "I just wanted to apologize for how I acted today. There wasn't an accident or anything, so I didn't need to yell."

Himari was a bit surprised he was apologizing, especially since Javi hadn't actually done anything wrong.

"Man, it's okay. No harm, no foul," Boone waved him off. Then he smirked a bit, eying Scott. "I'm guessing Scotty Boy is here to apologize too."

Scott couldn't help but scoff. "What on earth for?"

"For giving Himari just a horrible welcome to Oklahoma," he huffed, crossing his arms.

Himari's cheeks burned, but everyone except for Scott thought it was from anger as she remembered what happened earlier in the destroyed neighborhood. But no, she was remembering how Scott thoroughly welcomed her to Oklahoma the night before.

And it was so evident by the hardly-there smirk on Scott's face that he knew what she was thinking about.

God, she wanted to wipe that dimpled smirk on his face — with her lips or fist, she didn't know.

"Well, I think if Himari couldn't take that, she's gonna have a rough time with what's to come in this business," he said snidely, knowing he was using the same words he'd used while knuckles deep inside her the night before.

"How about you just fuck off and let us have a nice night, yeah?" Himari asked, speaking up finally. "You're not exactly the ideal drinking buddy."

He'd been a perfect one the night before.

"And you're not—"

"Let's just leave 'em, Scott," Javi said quickly, touching his shoulder and gently pulling him back before he could say something worse. Then Javi nodded to the others. "Have a nice night, y'all."

As half of the Wranglers nodded politely to Javi and bid them goodbye, Himari just glared along with Tyler and Boone. It was like the three fed off each other's energy, their hatred for Scott and StormPAR increasing tenfold because of their combined presence.

"I've changed my mind," Tyler said as Scott went to the second floor while Javi went to the bottom.

"Bout what?" Dani asked before burping and chuckling drunkenly.

"What'd you wanna do to that PAR, Squirt?"

Himari grinned evilly, looking up at Tyler. "Maybe I'd like to try my hand and being an engineer. See if those wires inside do anything important."