Disclaimer: I don't own anything

Season: Post NS/DT team-up

Dedication: Anyone who loves a Hunter/Tori

Pairing: Hunter/Tori

Challenge: Hunter/Tori

And now to pay attention to another favorite couple of mine: Hunter and Tori. As with Conner and Kira, I don't really acknowledge the Blake/Tori pairing the episodes of Ninja Storm implied only because if he really cared about her, he wouldn't have left. But that's just my thinking that doesn't really pertain to this story.

Love, Hate, It's all the Same

"You self-centered, chauvanistic pig! How dare you say that?"

"Because it's proven itself to be true or need I remind you what just transpired five minutes prior?"

"You're basing it on one occurrence?"

"No, I'm basing it on proven fact!"

"Proven fact on one time! Or need I remind you what transpired two weeks ago?"

"Two weeks ago, I had a cold!"

"Oh, that figures! So you're going to be petty enough to blame it on something instead of admitting I kicked your ass?"

"SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU! THE CUSTOMERS ARE STARING! TAKE IT OUTSIDE OR BOTH YOUR ASSES ARE GOING TO BE FIRED WITHOUT THE WEEK'S PAY!"

"Sorry, Kelly"

"Yeah, sorry, Kelly"

xxx

Shane Clarke, Dustin Brooks, and Cam Wantanabe leaned against the front counter at Storm Chargers. The action-sports store was pretty dead as the many extreme athletes flocked across the boardwalk to the sands of Point Break Beach, taking advantage of the monster swells that graced the shores of their coastal town, a hearty salute to the prime days of the summer season. The lack of activity gave the three rangers the opportunity to lounge around, and together, Shane, Dustin, and Cam gazed in amusement at the spectacle before them. This was better than HBO. None of the local networks held a candle to the drama that played right before their eyes, and the trio of rangers believed that no writer in his right mind could think up this scenario. Dustin leaned in towards his two companions, muttering in an undertone.

"Dudes, do you think they'd notice if we broke out the popcorn?"
Shane shook his head, one hand propping his chin up, the other rested beneath the crook of his arm, "No, but I'd bet he'd be pretty pissed if we asked him to pop it for us."

Cam cocked his head, surveying the scene, "He'd probably end up frying us." Returning his attention back to where it came from, Cam quirked an eyebrow, "How long have they kept this up?"

Dustin glanced down at his watch, "It's going on fifteen minutes."

Shane groaned with fatigue, "We have got to make them to get along. For their sake."

"And ours…" Cam added. Sighing in unison, the green, red, and yellow Ninja Storm rangers reverted their stares to their blue and crimson companions.

xxx

Hunter Bradley and Tori Hanson stood situated at opposite sides of Storm Chargers, going about their respective tasks, a look of pure fury splayed across each attractive face. For the last fifteen minutes since Kelly had abruptly arrested their shouting match, that drew the attention of many the customers, the crimson and blue rangers determinedly avoided one another, staying in the general area of their current setting. Only if deemed absolutely necessary did the two teenagers move, and if they did, it was to a location far away from the latter, staring only at the task before them, refusing to make eye contact. But, as the perceptive observer would have noticed, each pair of crystal blue eyes would occasionally flick upward in the direction of their second when they figured no one was looking, a gesture that didn't go unnoticed by either the owner of Storm Chargers or their fellow rangers. The two continued their work, oblivious to the planning and schemeing transpiring around them.

"Okay," Shane whispered, "So we all know what to do?" As his two companions nodded in comprehension, Kelly sidled up to the trio.

"Are you guys plotting to end this insufferable bickering?"

The three rangers bobbed their heads sheepishly, and Kelly quirked a grin, "Whatever you guys are doing, let me in. Those two need to settle their differences before they scare away all our customers or I personally castrate the both of them."

Smirking at his co-conspiritors, Shane beckoned Kelly closer, "Alright, here's how it's gonna go down…"

As the discussion ended, Tori plopped down in the chair across from Dustin, "Hey, guys, what are you talking about."

Cam shrugged, "Movie tonight. You in?"

Tori smiled, "Yeah, sounds good. I really want to watch that new Batman movie." Her eyes shifting downward to her watch, the surfer groaned, "Damn, I gotta go. I promised my mom I'd pick up my little brother from soccer. I'll meet you guys there at say, six?" As her male companions nodded in assent, the blue ranger headed for the door, "Okay, then. See you guys."

Smirking wickedly, Cam cocked his eyebrow, "Awesome. I know Hunter is dying to see that movie too." Turning his head, the green-clad man called to the broody thunder ninja torquing on the gears of a motorbike, "Hunter, movies tonight. We're gonna see Batman Begins. Wanna come?"

The crimson ranger briefly flicked his gaze upward to Tori's retreating back before shrugging indifferently, "Sure, why not."

"Alright. We'll meet you there at six."

Nodding absently, Hunter grunted an affirmative as he tightened a gear. Cam rotated back to his friends, "And we're off."

xxx

Cam, Shane and Tori stood outside the movie theater. Shifting from one foot to another, Tori shot a glance to her male counterparts.

"Who are we waiting for? I thought Dustin was already inside saving us some seats."

"Hey, guys. Sorry I'm late." Hunter came running up to the group, nervously running a hand through his unkempt hair. The crimson ranger stopped short upon spotting a certain blonde standing with Cam and Shane. Tori's clear sapphire eyes narrowed in suspicion as she glared at the approaching thunder ranger, slowly inching her way towards him. Hunter and Tori came to a halt before each other, staring down the blonde standing across, and they spoke in unison.

"What are you doing here?"

Tori glared up at Hunter's hulking form, taking in his appearance. Even through the overwhelming annoyance coursing through her veins, Tori couldn't help but be pleased at the way the tight short-sleeved crimson button up embraced his muscular torso or the faded black jeans hung low on his hips, showing a slight sliver of the crimson boxers he wore underneath. Tori pushed away her thoughts. No. You can't be thinking about Hunter like that. Not after what happened with Blake. It's because you haven't been with a guy since then. Yeah, that's right. You're blaming this on hormones.

Hunter glowered down at Tori, one eyebrow cocked in equal irritation. His gaze flicked down, and the second eyebrow shot skyward at her choice of wardrobe. A sheer, white off-the-shoulder top exposed a bit of her midriff, and a pair of low-rise blue jeans complimented her fit frame. Whoo. Blake got it right. She is fine. His mouth tightened, forcing himself to control his temper.

"Cam invited me."

Now it was Tori's turn to quirk an eyebrow, "Cam invited me, too." Two pairs of brilliant blue eyes flicked over to the samurai ranger, glinting with impatience. Eager to defer a potentially messy situation, Shane beckoned to his friends, hastily pushing Cam before him.

"Uh, c'mon, guys. Let's get going. Dustin's gotta be wondering where we are."

The quintet of rangers sat through the movie, tension seeping from their crimson and blue counterparts. As the film ended, Shane stopped before Hunter and Tori.

"Hey, Hunter. Would you mind driving Tori home? Me, Dustin, and Cam promised Sensei we'd move in the new mats for training, and you live closer to her than we do."

Hunter's cobalt spheres, dashed with silver regarded Shane with slight suspicion before nodding almost imperceptibly. "Yeah," The crimson ranger relented. Rotating, he gestured to the water ranger, "C'mon." My truck's this way."

xxx

The first three minutes of the drive home transpiring edgy silence as Hunter's crimson Colorado LS rolled down the streets of downtown Blue Bay Harbor. Swallowing hard, Hunter cast an anxious glance at the blonde beside him.

"So, uh, how have you been…since, y'know?"

"The breakup?" Tori shrugged, "Okay." She played with the hemp choker around her neck, "I actually thought you'd be happy. You never really seemed to like us together."

Hunter's fingers drummed a pattern on the steering wheel, "Well, to be honest, I guess I was kinda jealous."

Tori's eyes widened incredulously, "You? Jealous?"

The tousled blonde head bobbed up and down, "Blake was always the charming one. Always got the girls. I was always the one who was too busy trying to make ends meet. I'm not complaining or anything. Those were just the cards I got dealed with. But, I denno, I guess I just wanted to experience a normal relationship." Hunter's stormy eyes tinged with remorse and regret, "I guess I was envious how he got to live life while I was stuck making that life." A corner of his mouth tugged upward.

"I don't know. I mean, I felt something for you when we first met. I was really attracted to you and was considering asking you out. But when Blake showed his interest, I had to bury it all down. I figured you'd fall for him, and I didn't want to ruin anything between my brother and you."

Tori gaped at the crimson ranger, unable to form words. Her body jerked slightly as Hunter's truck clambered up the curb in front of her house. As the car settled to a stop, Hunter forced out a tight smile to the water ninja.

"Well, here we are. Good night, Tori."

Almost in a daze, Tori climbed out of the truck, barely managing a good bye of her own. As Hunter's truck roared away, Tori continued to stare at the path it left long after the fading glow of his headlights disappeared into the darkness. Hunter had feelings for her ever since he had met her. Aye, there was the rub…

xxx

A few days later, Shane, Dustin, and Cam leaned once more against the Storm Chargers counter, observing Hunter and Tori from afar. Today proved a definite contrast in results. The trio expected forcing the two to hang out with one another would bury the proverbial hatchet of whatever feud their teammates were currently engaging in. However, instead of fighting, a different circumstance presented itself. Hunter and Tori still stood situated on opposite sides of the store, but this hushed avoidance of one another reeked of awkwardness as opposed to the tension before. Motioning Kelly over, Dustin lowered his voice.

"Okay, so phase one was a definite bust. Time to go to the extreme part of phase two."

Nodding conspiritorally, Kelly sauntered casually over to where Hunter kneeled at the foot of a dirt bike, his gray Storm Chargers' work button-up stained with grease. Bending down to the his gray-capped head, Kelly spoke softly into his ear. Nodding earnestly, Hunter stood, wiping the oil from his hands with a rag, sticking it into the back pocket of his low-riding jeans, and followed his boss to the store room.

Moments later, Kelly emerged, making her way over to the other blonde. Tori set up the surfboard she was bringing in on the rack and straightened up the display, oblivious to the absence of the crimson ranger. Kelly approached the surfer and, as with Hunter before, conversed for a moment with Tori, beckoning for the girl to follow her. Stealthily, Shane, Dustin, and Cam proceeded the two women, and waited as Tori stepped into the store room.

xxx

Tori's pale gaze narrowed as she found Hunter standing by the shelves in the store room, his back to her, a pad in his grease-stained grasp. Alerted to her presence, he turned, eyeing her wearily.

"Uh, hi."

"What are you doing?" Tori's suspicion climbed another decible as she stared at the tall man before her.

Gesturing to the pad, Hunter shrugged, "Kelly asked me to take inventory."

Advancing slowly on her crimson counter part, Tori frowned, "No, Kelly told me to take inventory."

His brow furrowing in suspicion, Hunter tossed the pad on a nearby shelf, stalking to the door of the store room. Grasping the knob, Hunter attempted to open the door to find it locked from the outside. Seeing his look of frustration, Tori rushed to the door to find that it was indeed locked. Pounding on the door, the two rangers screamed furiously at the quartet bracing the entryway.

"Guys, let us out! This isn't funny!"

"Not until you two settle whatever differences that're between you!" Shane reasoned, pushing another chair into place in front of the door, "This is for all our sanities!"

Growling in frustration, Hunter backed away from the door, "This is getting ridiculous." Setting a distance between himself and the accessway, Hunter judged his path. Backing away, realizing what Hunter was attempting to do, Tori looked on in amusement. Taking a running start, Hunter began his flying attempt to bust his way through their predicament. A shout from the other side of his destination alerted his attention moments before he reached the door.

"Hunter Bradley, if you break down this door, it's coming out of your paycheck!"

A look of fear crossed Hunter's face as he made an effort to impede his momentum. Tripping over his frantically skidding feet, Hunter ran headlong into the door, flying backwards from the impact. Seeing him rolling on the ground, groaning, Tori couldn't contain her laughter.

Hefting himself up from the ground, Hunter shook his head to clear the fog, "Okay, that did not go well."

Tori surveyed the situation, "Do you think you can blast us out?"

Hunter cocked an eyebrow, "Using my thunder power? No, not unless you want to be flambéd." He motioned up to the ceiling, "Metal vents." He turned to Tori, "What about you? Call up some tsunami or something"

Tori shook her head in the negative, "Electrical box. We'd be roasted."

Nodding in consent, Hunter sank to the ground, "Well, I guess we're stuck here until we comply."

Shrugging her own agreement, Tori settled down against the box next to him. A silence transpired before she turned to Hunter who was wiping the remaining stains of grease off of his hands.

"Did you mean what you said in the truck?"

Turning his head to meet her gaze directly, Hunter smiled, playing with the medallion around his neck, "Yeah, I did. Why do you think I pestered you while we were rangers?"

Tori raised an eyebrow in interest, "You bugged me because you liked me?" She teasingly nudged Hunter gently with an elbow, "How third grade of you."

Hunter stood and leaned against a shelf, grinning a lazy smile that sent Tori's senses into overdrive, "Hey, I was the dark and brooding one. I'm not that smooth with the ladies. I utilize the mystery factor."

Tori sat in silence, mulling over Hunter's statement. It was true, the boy did have a certain aura of ambiguity surrounding him that appealed to both Tori's curiosity as well as sparking her interest. She wanted to know more about the mystifying thunder ranger, wondering if his broody exterior housed a similar heart or a soft-centered inside. As Tori got to know him, she caught fleeting glimpses of a different Hunter: kind, charismatic, and playful, easy to smile and laugh. The rare occurences when Hunter had unleashed his lazy, lopsided smile, Tori felt herself drawn to the way the simple smile accentuated his handsome features, and looking at the grin currently tugging at the corners of Hunter's mouth, the water ranger felt endearment slowly creeping up on her. She stood to face him.

"So where does this leave us?"

Hunter shrugged, "You know how I feel about you, but if it's gonna be unrequited…"

"You'll what?" Tori tilted her head, gazing in interest at the thunder ranger.

Hunter smirked, "I'll wear you down until you toss me off the Pierson Bridge."

"So you're serious about pursuing me?"

"Tori, I've been serious about pursuing you since Blake's stupid ass broke up with you. One thing about my brother is that he sometimes doesn't recognize the good things in front of him."

"How can this work if we fight all the time?"

Hunter scooted closer, reaching up to gently cradle Tori's cheek. Leaning in, he lightly brushed his lips across hers. The simple action sent her nerves on the Ricter scale, and Tori whimpered slightly when Hunter pulled away.

"When it feels like that."

Pulling her face closer to his, Hunter once again ghosted a hesitant kiss against Tori's lips, a tentative question hanging in the easy gesture. Staring deep into the silvery-blue spheres of his eyes, Tori allowed her own eyes to drift shut before darting in and crushing her lips to his in a kiss gushing with passion, asserting her stance on their situation. Arms twining around each other, Hunter drew Tori tighter against him, deepening their liplock by parting her pliable lips.

The door to the room abruptly flew open, sending Shane, Dustin, and Cam tumbling into the stock room, tearing apart Hunter and Tori. The first one to recover from his shock concerning the moment they just interrupted, Cam forced out a sheepish grin.

"Uh, good to see you guys worked it all out." Grasping Dustin and Cam by the arms, tugging them ernestly out of the room, Cam threw a confused look at his teammates, "We'll just leave you alone now."

Disentangling himself from Tori's embrace, Hunter made his way to the door. Tori watched his retreating back with regret, assuming he was on his way out. Much to her surprise, he, instead, closed the door, turning the inside lock. Rotating back to Tori, he held out his arms, which she willingly stepped into. Hunter quirked a grin.

"So, where were we?"

Tori gazed up into his azure orbs, "Hang on a sec, we haven't even decided on where we stand."

Hunter shrugged, "I figured I'd show you how to be properly be wooed first. Maybe that will sway your judgement."

Tori giggled, "Hunter, I really hate to defer your plans, but you definitely had me the moment you tried to bust us out with that flying kick."

"Damn, that means I'll have to return all those flowers and chocolates…"

"Wait…there were flowers and chocolates?"

Yay! Another one finished. Yes, I am still taking more challenges. Make them tougher! I challenge you to challenge me. Insert dialogue, circumstances, anything! Just give me something to think about, plant a seed in my head, if you will. The words will flow from there. Until next post.

Roxie