chapter 1
The horizon burned with the ominous glow of an incoming storm, dark clouds swirling in the sky like an army gathering for battle. The air was thick with anticipation, both from the weather and from the unspoken feelings simmering just beneath the surface in the storm-chasing vehicle. Tyler Owens had his hands gripping the wheel, his determined gaze fixed on the road ahead, but his mind was miles away, tangled with thoughts of his partner, Boone.
“Are we sure we want to go after this one?” Boone asked, his voice a mixture of anxiety and excitement. He glanced at the daunting clouds that seemed to swallow the last remnants of sunlight. While Boone had always thrived in the chaos of storm chasing, the personal storm brewing between him and Tyler was proving to be a far greater challenge to navigate.
“Absolutely.” Tyler’s response was instantaneous, a firm but gentle assurance. He could feel Boone’s anxiety radiating from him in waves. “This is what we do. We chase storms. Plus, we might catch a glance of that EF3 warning Javi just radioed about.”
Boone forced a smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Right. Storms don’t chase us, right?” He tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear, a nervous habit that had only intensified lately whenever he was near Tyler. He wanted to say more, but the words stuck in his throat like a hard knot—fear and uncertainty paralyzing him.
Lily Carter, sitting in the passenger seat, was all too aware of the tension brewing like a brewing storm. She and Kate shared quick, knowing glances, their heads bent over the laptop as they monitored radar changes. “Tyler, remember to check the altitude data for the storm coming in from the East!” she called out, but it was less about the storm and more about providing Boone with a distraction.
“Got it. Thanks, Lily,” Tyler replied, his voice steady and focused as he punched the numbers into the GPS.
As their convoy rumbled towards the chaotic mixture of dark clouds and crackling lightning, the unmistakable laughter of Scott and Javi erupted over the radio, injecting a sense of camaraderie into the air. “You guys better keep up! This cyclone is going to be a monster!” Javi’s voice, smooth and confident, brought a smile to Tyler’s face.
“Maybe you should focus on driving instead of daring us to catch up,” Tyler teased back, but there was an underlying tension in his tone. He suddenly turned his gaze to Boone, who was staring out the window, lips pursed tight.
“Hey, Boone,” Tyler said softly, trying to read him. “You alright? You seem distant.”
Boone turned his head, the flash of concern in Tyler’s eyes catching him off guard. “Yeah, I’m… fine.” But Tyler wouldn’t let him off the hook that easily. He could see it—the flicker of fear hiding beneath Boone's bravado, the way he subconsciously shrank into himself when the storm beckoned.
“Liar,” Lily chimed in, ever the fierce guardian of Boone’s heart. “Boone, we’re all here, you know? You don’t have to do this alone.”
The unspoken weight of Boone's feelings for Tyler hung thick in the air, suffocating him with every heartbeat. He wished he could be brave enough to admit it—the way he felt whenever Tyler's hand brushed against his, the way his heart raced when Tyler smiled at him with that genuine warmth. But the fear of ruining their partnership held him back, like a tornado tethered to the ground by a fearsome rope.
“Let’s get a bit closer to the storm first, and then we can talk,” Boone suggested, trying to buy himself time. He knew deep down that avoiding the conversation wouldn’t make it go away. Their team was close—tight as ever—but the distance felt immense when it came to admitting how he felt.
As they approached the storm, the vehicle began to shake with the wind’s fury. “Hold steady!” Lily called out, and Tyler gripped the wheel tighter, eyes flickering between the storm and his partner. The air crackled with energy, thick with the impending chaos.
Suddenly, Boone spoke, his voice barely audible over the roaring winds. “Tyler, can we—can we talk later? Like, really talk?” His heart raced, unsure if he was about to plunge into the most exhilarating or terrifying moment of his life.
Tyler looked at him, eyebrows knitting together as worry took over his features. “Of course, Boone. Whenever you’re ready.” A flicker of hope ignited within him. He could wait; he’d always been willing to wait for Boone to find his footing.
Before Boone could respond, Scott’s voice came through sharply over the radio. “Hey team, we’ve got a visual on the tornado from our location! You all need to redirect your path!” Scott's voice crackled through the radio, pulling everyone’s attention back to the task at hand. “It’s forming faster than we anticipated, and it’s intensifying. You don’t want to get caught in that mess!”
“Copy that, Scott. We’re rerouting now!” Tyler shouted over the howling wind, his heart pounding in sync with the adrenaline coursing through the vehicle. He quickly spun the wheel, adjusting their course while keeping an eye on the darkening clouds above.
Boone’s pulse raced as the world outside transformed into a swirling tempest. The once-distant tornado now appeared closer than ever, a monstrous column reaching from the sky to the ground, twisting and churning with terrifying power. It seemed to symbolize everything Boone felt—uncontrollable, wild, and beautiful, yet impossible to grasp.
Lily's fingers danced across her laptop, making calculations and reading radar data as Kate leaned in to get a closer look. “We need to be careful,” Kate murmured. “If it turns, we’ll have to reposition quickly. Can you keep up with that, Tyler?”
“No problem,” Tyler replied, a sense of determination flowing through him. But his focus was divided; he could feel Boone’s eyes on him, his presence both grounding and unnerving. It felt like the storm was demanding more than just their attention—it was unearthing emotions that had been buried deep within both of them.
“Boone, get the cameras ready,” Lily instructed, her gaze fixed on the impressive storm formation. “If it’s going to be anything like last time, we’ll need all the footage we can get.”
Boone nodded, fumbling with the equipment that sat in the back of the vehicle. As he set everything up, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this moment wasn’t just about the storm. He stole glances at Tyler, still wielding the wheel with steady hands, focused yet full of life. The juxtaposition of raw power—the storm outside and the turmoil inside—was overwhelming.
“Ready?” Tyler called out, his voice cutting through Boone's racing thoughts. Boone took a deep breath, mustering everything he had, both for the impending storm and the conversation he was still trying to prepare himself for.
“Yeah, let’s do this,” Boone replied, his heart racing with anticipation.
As Tyler navigated closer to the path of the tornado, the air crackled with tension and electricity. Thunder rumbled overhead, and flashes of lightning illuminated the sky, each moment only heightening the adrenaline thrumming through their veins. The storm was alive, a living entity that demanded respect and attention.
“Look! There it is!” Scott yelled, excitement bubbling in his tones as he spotted the tornado from his vantage point. “It’s forming into a multiple vortex! This is going to be a wild ride!”
“Stay safe, and don’t get too close!” Tyler called back, checking the GPS one last time before zeroing in on the tornado’s path. “We need to keep our distance but capture everything we can!”
Lily turned on the cameras, setting them to capture the turbulent beauty trying to break free from the confines of the sky. “You guys ready?” she asked, the atmosphere thick with excitement.
“Always,” Tyler grinned—a spark igniting in his eyes that mirrored Boone’s unsung emotions.
Yet, the more Tyler poured his energy into the storm outside, the more Boone felt the walls around his heart gasping for breath. He wanted to tell Tyler about everything that swirled inside of him—the warmth of his laughter, the pull he felt every time their hands brushed. But every thought seemed to scatter like debris in a tempest, and all he could do was focus on the ramping storm they were chasing.
“Get ready!” Tyler shouted as they neared the tornado’s base, the wind wrapping around them like a living thing. The roar grew deafening, the world outside turning chaotic, dramatic, and terrifying all at once. Everyone was alight with adrenaline, capturing footage and documenting each moment of the chase.
Boone took a deep breath, allowing the thrill of the chase and the beauty of the storm to fill him. Here, in this moment, it all felt perfect—the chaos was tangible, real, and within grasp. But then, he turned to catch a glimpse of Tyler, standing strong against the storm, and the tempest of feelings rocked him harder than any tornado ever could.
“Tyler!” he finally called out over the noise, his heart pounding louder than the thunder. “Can we—can we talk for a second?!”
The intensity of Boone’s plea was evident, and Tyler turned to him, a mix of surprise and concern coloring his features. “Now? There’s a tornado right outside!”
“I-i wanted to tell you that i uh-” boone doesnt actually tell tyler he chicken out again.
Tyler looked at him moving closer so boone wouldnt get hit by anything.
“Tell me what booney? We cant chat for to long-”
Boone swallowed” i-i wanted to let u know that i feel sick- thats why i wasnt being my normal self.
“Boone down!” tyler yells grabbing boone to duck the flying fence.
Boone heart was racing. Tyler had ahold of boone making sure his head was covered.
“ boone, why didnt u just say u didnt feel good?”
Boone looked at tyler who still had a hold of him cause flying fences, barns, cows,ect.
“I-i didnt want to upset you guys.” he said as tyler had pinned boone beneath him as a barn came flying through.
Boone avoided eye contact, the whole time. After that they all got back in the truck to go fully into the storm.