SWEEP THE DECK | Lazar And Stein

SWEEP THE DECK | Lazar and Stein

fics and things: masterlist

hi! requests are open, so feel free to send in any ideas you'd like to see. all my works are under the cut:

personally, i found it very attractive: l. hughes

blurb: in which an interview with the devils' upcoming rookie takes the intern by suprise. / word count: 1.5k / pairing: luke hughes x fem!reader

definitely a surpise: l. hughes

[blurb: in which you and luke introduce the daughter the world never even knew you had to the nhl. / word count: 1.3k / pairing: luke hughes x fem!reader]

the pop-tart debacle: l. hughes

[blurb: this entire idea is based off of clips from The Basement Yard Podcast, which I will be using (for all self-indulging purposes,) as markers in which these conversations are based off of. this one is based off of episode #388 (no warnings, just minor cussing and mentions of drunkness/alcohol consumption!)  / word count: 1.04k / pairing: luke hughes x fem!reader]

basement yard conversations: l. hughes

[blurb: in which you overhear luke say that you’re much more attractive than him while he’s talking to jack and quinn.  / word count: 1.7k / pairing: luke hughes x fem!reader]

i'll take care of you: l. hughes

[blurb: in which luke takes care of you while on your period.  / word count: 0.9k / pairing: luke hughes x fem!reader (WARNING: mentions of pain and blood, period cramps too, but they are minimal.)]

kilby girl: l. hughes

[blurb: in which luke takes meets his kilby girl.  / word count: 2.2k / pairing: luke hughes x fem!reader]

the (infamous) hughes brothers sleepovers: l. hughes

[blurb: in which the hughes brothers continue their sleepover traditions.  / word count: 1.8k / pairing: luke hughes x fem!reader]

sweet girl / take a break: q. hughes

[blurb: in which quinn takes care of you when you need it most — this was originally an ask i wrote for @/ sweetestdesire and i am not finally reposting!  / word count: 1.4k / pairing: quinn hughes x fem!reader (WARNING: mentions of anxiety, anxiet attack, mental health.)]

strawberry wine: l. hughes

[blurb: in which luke is teased for how he treats you, but he doesn’t mind. Not if all of it’s for you / word count: 1.3k / pairing: luke hughes x fem!reader]

enchanted: q. hughes

[blurb: what taylor swift said. / word count: 2.4k / pairing: quinn hughes x fem!reader]

story of us: l. hughes

[blurb: the story between you and luke was over. / word count: 2.1k / pairing: luke hughes x fem!reader]

the good i'll do: j. quinn

[blurb: falling in love with jack; inspired by "the good i'll do" by zach bryan. / word count: 1.1k / pairing: jack quinn x fem!reader]

moments in june: l. hughes

[blurb: moments in june, falling in love and getting put back together by luke.  / word count: 1.5k / pairing: luke hughes x fem!reader / tw: mentions of anxiety and panic attacks; depression.]

making it through july: l. hughes

[blurb: moments in june, falling in love and getting put back together by luke.  / word count: 2.2k / pairing: luke hughes x fem!reader / tw: mentions of anxiety and panic attacks; general anxiety about getting older and change.part two to "moments in june"]

Chapter 2: 'twas a dark, stormy night...

Series Masterlist

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Summary: As a storm moves over Lake Wesding, you have no choice but to spend the night at the Hughes' house. Might the bout of bad luck lead to reconciliation between two friends?

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For as long as you could remember, you'd hated storms.

They never seemed to bring anything but trouble with them, and throughout the years, this theory of yours had only proved to be true again and again.

When you were four, a storm prevented you from spending Christmas Eve with your dad's family in Michigan.

When you were six, you broke your leg while riding your bike at the onset of a storm.

When you were ten, a tree fell on the roof of your house during a bad storm, forever instilling fear of the weather in you.

When you were twelve, there was such a violent storm the night before your birthday that none of the decorations you had helped your mom put up in the tent in the backyard survived.

When you were fourteen, your beloved kitten somehow got out during a storm and didn't survive the night.

When you were sixteen, you and Luke had your worst (and first) fight just before a storm broke out. He wasn't there to comfort you over the phone as he usually did. You both felt terrible still.

When you were eighteen, your most important soccer match yet got canceled due to looming bad weather.

This one looked to be no different. When Luke had left you high and dry shoreside with his brothers, not even sparing as much as a glance in your general direction, and steered the boat away from the dock, you had truly thought your day couldn't get any worse. He'd left you with a bunch of unresolved feelings, the biggest of them all burning embarrassment, that had made you want to crawl into a hole and disappear forever. Or maybe just burst into tears. So when you'd gotten more bad news, a text saying that a storm was moving over central Michigan and all flights were canceled, that's exactly what you did.

For thirty minutes, you had been inconsolable, tears streaming down your face and jumbled blabbering no one was able to decode spilling from your lips. Quinn had looked at you in concern, Jack had seemed unaware of how to handle your current state, and so it was Trevor and Cole who assumed the roles of court jesters to get you back in good spirits. They tried everything: poking fun of Luke, making fun of each other, pushing each other in the pool, and still, nothing helped.

Finally, Quinn got the bright idea of getting Annie and Isa on the phone, and while that helped a bit, the damage had already been done. Because as much as you loved the guys, Luke's hot and cold behavior had you looking forward to debriefing with Annie and Isa, and they simply couldn't compare. Not that you'd ever spill your inner tumult about Luke to the guys, though.

You talked to the girls for a bit, but with their plane never going airborne, they were scrambling to find other options. It resulted in them being rebooked to a flight the following day, meaning you'd have to spend a night all alone at your lake house.

With a storm soon to come.

Alone.

With a storm.

Did you mention you were going to be alone in a big empty lake house with a storm raging outside?

Thankfully, knowing how enthusiastic (not) you felt about that whole thing, Quinn had been quick to offer you a room at their house for the night, much like his initial suggestion had been when they were trying to convince you to come to Michigan in the first place. You didn't even try to pretend you were fine with going back to your own house.

The only flaw in the oldest Hughes' plan was that, although a big house, it only consisted of five bedrooms, all of which were currently occupied by various hockey boys. Quinn, Jack, and Luke all had their own, with Trevor and Cole sharing one of the guest bedrooms and Dylan, Ethan, and Mark sharing the other.

Fortunately for you (or unfortunately, depending on how you viewed the situation at hand), that had been the exact moment Luke and his friends had returned from their boating adventures, wandering into the living room right as you were telling Quinn you could just sleep on their couch.

"No, take my room," Luke grumbled as he passed you, trying to get to the fridge. Opening it and taking a slow perusal, you eyed the perfect opportunity to shoot daggers into his broad back. Who was he to come in and be all bossy with you? What if you didn't want to sleep in his bed?

But then again, you did want to. Somehow, his bed was the most comfortable one you'd ever laid in, but to be honest, your hurt and upset were clouding your rational thoughts. Which explained why you decided to be a pain in his ass and go the stubborn route.

"No, I'll take the couch," you bit back, only to receive a roll of his green eyes as he turned back around, Tupperware filled with some sort of leftovers in hand. "No, I'll take the couch. You take my room, end of discussion."

You huffed and opened your mouth to argue once more, but he simply held a hand in the air and pointed his fork at you.

"End of discussion."

Truthfully, you had thought he deserved a night on the uncomfortable, slightly dirty (it was the party hook-up spot) pull-out couch they kept in the basement, so you decided to let him win said discussion. Sure, the two of you could have shared his room, not strangers to sharing beds and the occasional cuddle, but it also didn't take a genius to realize the vibes were off between you.

And you hated it, hated how you hadn't gotten a proper hug from him or had him tell you about everything he had seen in Prague. Well, had him tell you a second time, but in your mind, Facetime hadn't properly counted, and it certainly hadn't compared to seeing the emotions flicker across his face in real time, in real life.

The rest of the day had gone no better, with an awkward, tense atmosphere lingering in the air. The boys had walked around on eggshells around Luke and you, no matter how much you could tell they tried to hide it with their usual jokes and weird antics. It had all felt strained and forced, and you worried the rest of the summer might continue like this.

Fights between Luke and you had been rare and far between, and you could only count the ones where you'd gone days without speaking on one hand. This also meant that everyone else around you seemingly forgot how to act.

Usually, you would have been nestled under Luke's arm during stormy movie nights, but due to the current circumstances, you were instead situated between Quinn and Cole, with Luke sprawled out on the other end of the big couch in the den. As everyone else filed into the room, ready for your Mighty Ducks marathon, they all shot you weird looks, trying to determine where to sit. You felt bad for making them uncomfortable, but Luke was still half-ignoring you and you weren't going to be the one to crack first and demand an explanation. Besides, Quinn and Jack had invited you, and sure, it was with the intent of coming for their little brother, but they had invited you nonetheless, and if Luke wasn't thrilled you were here, at least they were.

All day you had been passed around, a hot commodity (or more likely: someone new to talk to), and by the time evening had rolled around, Jack had been non-stop talking your ear off about all the weirdest little hobbies he'd acquired since his shoulder surgery had left him partly immobile. Quinn softly told you about the playoffs, Trevor tried to make you catch popcorn he was throwing from a two-person distance, and Cole not-so-subtly inquired about Isa's current love life.

The storm had officially begun not too long ago, washing in over Lake Wesding and the house, casting a gloomy glow over the room. Despite the loud noise of the TV and feeling safe with Quinn and Cole trying their best to distract you, you were still shaking.

On the other side of the couch, you briefly registered Ethan showing the rest of the Umich boys someone's Instagram, but the teasing words you had prepped and ready to go got stuck in your throat as lightning struck, thunder soon following. Immediately, Luke's eyes moved to yours, concern written all over his face.

Ignoring him, you pulled the blanket Cole and you were sharing tighter around you and moved closer to him in the process. Luke didn't get to be concerned if he couldn't even try to act happy seeing you. But as Cole tried his best to distract you, showing you dumb cat videos on his phone and wrapping his arm around you, you completely missed the way Luke's eyes hardened, his mouth forming a thin line, and his jaw clenching.

˚⋆𓇼˚⊹ 𖦹 ⁺｡°

It was late. Everyone had gone to bed, and you regretted not taking Trevor up on his suggestion to spend the night in his and Cole's room, joke or not.

The rain came down hard on the roof, and thunder and lightning continued to light up Luke's room before the clapping of thunder followed, making you jump each time. You were nestled in the middle of his bed, his comforters drawn up tight around you, and wearing his hoodie (his most recently used one that you'd stolen from the giant mountain of clothes piling on a chair in the corner of the room) with the hood up around your ears, trying to muffle the sounds. It wasn't helping in the slightest.

Had it not been for the alarm clock on Luke's bedside table flashing bright red lights of 2:03 am, you would have swallowed back your pride and ventured downstairs to find him. Luke had always been the one thing, the one person, who could distract you from a bad storm and simultaneously make you feel safe during it.

What you weren't going to do, though, was wake up the whole house in the process. And, perhaps, you were trying to cling onto the last shred of dignity you had left too.

Luke's room lit up once more, and you mentally prepared yourself for the boom of thunder that would inevitably follow. It did, only a few seconds later, telling you that the storm was moving closer. But this time, it wasn't the loud noise that sent a fright through your body. No, it was the way the bedroom door cracked open, and all you could see was a dark silhouette in the dim light coming from the hall.

"Can I come in?"

Luke. The person was Luke, and at the realization, you released a breath you hadn't realized you'd been holding.

"Y/n? Are you asleep?" You both knew you could never sleep through a storm this bad.

"No, you can come in." Your voice was shaky, and you cursed yourself for it, hating the way you were twenty years old and still afraid of rough weather.

The door creaked as he carefully shut it, once more encapsulating the room in darkness. Neither of you said anything as he tiptoed towards you, the silence almost sacred, something not to be broken. However, that didn't stop the small giggle you let out when you heard him bang his toe against the bedframe, a small curse leaving his lips.

"Are you okay?" he whispered once he found the bed, not asking for permission to lie down next to you and wiggle under the navy covers.

"Uh-huh," you were cut off by another flash of light, this one illuminating his sleep-riddled face and messy, laid-on curls. You almost felt bad that you had him awake at this time of night, but then you remembered he chose to come in here himself. Damn him and his thoughtfulness.

The boom brought you out of your thoughts, catching you off guard, and a pathetic little yelp escaped you. Luke didn't waste any time and quickly found your body in the darkness, pulling you closer and wrapping you in his toned arms. Deciding not to dwell on how this was the first time you were this close to him all day, you instead focused your attention on smushing your face into the center of his chest and taking in his comforting smell. You were both quiet as Luke rubbed soothing circles along your back, keeping you safely tucked into his body, and for the first time since the storm rolled around, you could relax.

That was until Luke decided to bring up the elephant in the room.

"You're upset with me." Not a question, not a pondering, merely a statement that was painfully obvious. The soft fabric of his t-shirt rubbed along your cheek as you nodded into his chest, foregoing words. He didn't deserve them yet.

"I'm sorry."

Pressing a kiss to the crown of your head, Luke held you closer, already having anticipated the clap of thunder that followed not even two seconds later.

"I really am, I acted like a shithead."

"Yeah," you whispered into his shirt, and he breathed out, the beginning of a laugh coming out choked as you continued.

"It's okay if you weren't happy to see me or if you do not want me here, Luke. We don't have to be together twenty-four-seven—" Your fingers found his shirt, and you grabbed onto it, bunching it up into your fist as you tried to play off the vulnerable note in your voice as sleep.

"No! I mean, I do want you here. God, I'm so happy you are here. I was going crazy without you," he was quick to interrupt you, pulling away a few inches so he could look you in the eye, or at least in the general direction of them, seeing as his room was pitch black. You could imagine his without any light, though. They were clear as day in your mind, the dark green orbs and the way they'd be ridden with guilt and regret.

"Then why—" Your voice cracked as a wet, hot tear landed on your cheek, momentarily distracting you. Always having been an emotional crier, whether said emotion was anger, sadness, or happiness, you were sure Luke had anticipated it.

"I—" Luke started, but he didn't seem to have an end to his sentence ready. Instead, you could feel him mentally check out of your conversation, mind going somewhere you couldn't follow, couldn't read him like an open book as you were usually so good at. Maybe to a place where he had an excuse.

⊹ 𖦹 ⁺｡° Twelve hours earlier ⊹ 𖦹 ⁺｡°

"So what is it with her?"

Luke would say he was pretty good at drowning out the nonsense his friends tended to spew. He'd been around them for three years, they never seemed to shut up. Learning by conditioning, he liked to say.

"He's into her," Ethan declared. Luke was still only listening with half an ear. It was a beautiful day, the sun shining hitting the lake just right and making it like someone had dumped a truck full of glitter into it. He should take a picture of it for Y/n, he thought, knowing it's one of your most treasured phenomenons.

"Yeah, he's been crushing die-hard on Y/n for ageees," Cole agreed, and at this, Luke snapped to attention and immediately lifted his head from the pool floatie it had been resting on. The floatie wobbled, and he tried to shift his weight evenly so it would stop.

Looking around at the gathering of guys (his brothers, Trevor, Cole, Ethan, Mark, and Dylan) in frantic bewilderment, he tried to gather his wits to defend himself.

"On Y/n? What? No! We're best friends—" His argument fell on deaf ears.

"Who said we were talking about you?" Well, except for Trevor's, but he ignored that. He knew they were. The way they were all sending him shit-eating grins confirmed as much.

"No, not a crush—" Dylan said, and to that, he listened, agreed, even.

"Thank you."

"—he's practically in love with her." Maybe he had spoken too soon.

"I'm not in love with her!" Somehow, his body reacted to the force he put behind those words, and the pink floatie Y/n tended to favor wobbled once more. This time his attempts to save himself bore no fruit, and soon he was standing on the floor of the pool, drenched from head to toe.

"Yes, you are; you talk about her all the time," Dylan deadpanned. The rest of his so-called friends murmured their agreement.

"That's not true," and yet, despite his words, Luke had a hard time coming up with evidence that disproved them.

"Hey Luke, where should we get lunch?" Trevor interrupted, momentarily distracting him from his efforts.

"Oh! Y/n mentioned wings the other day, and I've been wanting to go." Luke realized too late he'd been conned. Trevor spread his arms out in front of him as if to say, "See?"

So maybe Luke did talk about Y/n a lot, but she was his best friend. That was no crime; Jack mentioned his best friends all the time too.

His best friends aren't a girl, a gorgeous one at that, are they now? a traitorous voice in his head said. He shooed it away. Girls and guys could be platonic friends their entire lives without feelings ever being involved. They could share beds and cuddle and talk almost all hours of the day, and so what if one random New Year's Eve party ended up with them slee-

"How come we've never met this girl?" Mark asked, breaking the repetitive conversation of how much on a scale of one to ten Luke was down bad for his best friend. The question hung in the air, as still and expectant as the calm waters of the lake. Yet, Luke felt a storm brewing.

"Luke likes to keep her to himself," Dylan snickered. Luke splashed water onto him. It didn't shut him up, but it was worth a try. The dirty look he got from Quinn, who unfortunately ended up being collateral, had him retreating to the floatie, though.

"No, last year you guys just left before she got here," Luke avoided telling them he had planned it that way on purpose and that the plan came about after Ethan's "she's kinda hot" comment when he saw a Polaroid of her in Luke's college bedroom. It was simply an insignificant little detail, not one important to the overall explanation. Besides, Luke knew she was hot; he had eyes. That didn't mean he was in love with her, though. Did it?

---

"Luke?"

He had been quiet for a few minutes, and if it weren't for the way he was still caressing your back, your first thought would've been that he had fallen asleep.

The sound of your small voice seemed to bring him out of whatever haze he was in, and he cleared his throat as he pulled you closer once more.

"I don't know. I guess I was surprised to see you, and I didn't handle it well. I'm sorry." He was lying through his teeth, you could tell. Not about the sorry part; you knew that was sincere. A few years back, you had made a promise to each other that you'd only ever say the word sorry if you truly meant it.

No, he knew why he had acted off, and you could respect it if he didn't want to tell you. That didn't mean your mind wouldn't be racing 300 miles a minute trying to figure it out, though.

"Can we just... start over?"

Wondering for a brief second if you should push him to come clean, you decided to take the high road and instead nodded into his shirt. A deep breath escaped the boy curled around you, limbs relaxing into you in a more comfortable hold. But then, he rolled away from you, catching you off guard and leaving you wondering if you had done anything wrong.

As Luke moved to the other side of the bed, the cold quickly encapsulated you, your body mourning the loss of his heat.

"What are you—" You barely got the words out before he slung his long, lanky body on top of yours again, the weight of it crushing you and making you let out an oof.

"Ohmygoshyou'rehereImissedyousomuchwhatareyoudoingheresoearlyI'msohappyyourehere," Luke rushed out, cradling you into him, holding your head in his grasp like you were a precious thing. Your confusion quickly subsided as you realized he was quite literally starting over, pretending this was the first time today that he saw you. The ridiculousness of it all had you laughing, unable to stop once his fingers attached themselves to the side of your waist and started hurriedly moving up and down your sides.

The bastard was tickling you.

Soon, your laugh turned into cries of pleas, begging him to stop his assault, but there was no real force behind your request. It was nice having your dynamic back to normal.

"I missed you," Luke said once he had finally stopped and you were back in his arms, covers wrapped around you once more, despite them being all twisted and messed up from your antics. His face was closer to you now, and you could feel his warm breath on your cheek. The heat from it traveled all over your body, not just staying at the place it touched, and you scrambled to distract yourself from it.

"So I've been told," you teased him, squirming when his hand quickly shot down to poke your waist. "I missed you too."

Your admittance hung in the air for a second, and then, almost like magic, it was as if the past few hours had never happened. Like you were just Y/n and Luke again, no weirdness, no nothing. Despite the late hour, the two of you were quick to launch into a hushed catching up, telling each other what you had been up to in the last few weeks in such detail the other could almost pretend they were there.

You told him about your two weeks in New York and how you had found a bunch of food spots the two of you needed to try once the season and your school year started back up. You told him about the Yankees game you had gone to (he pouted and told you he wished he had been there. You shared the sentiment) and the elderly woman across the street whom you had started helping with groceries. You told him about how you hadn't realized you had missed your parents and your childhood home so much until you stood in the hall and had them welcome you back. You told him about all the hikes you had taken Wayne, your elderly Labrador, on and how excited you were for him and your parents to come to the lake.

And then he told you about Prague, about the city and how different it was from New York. He told you about getting to play in the World Championship again, how he had wished at least one of his brothers had been there but having Trevor and Cole had helped a little. He told you about how horrible he had felt when they had lost, and how happy he had been to be back on US soil. He told you that being in Jersey for a few days without you there had sucked, that he had been counting down the days until he came to the lake and you would be there.

Soon, you both went quiet. Except for the occasional thunder and light patter of rain, the only sound you could hear was Luke's heavy breathing and the feel of the steady rise and fall of his chest beside you in the darkness. You were so sure he was almost tipping over the edge into dreamland.

But one thing lingered in your mind; how he hadn't mentioned going to the Duke Lake House during Memorial weekend.

Maybe he forgot, you thought. Maybe it wasn't interesting enough to recount. Or maybe the nausea you'd been feeling the entire time he was there hadn't been unwarranted. He'd been texting you the entire weekend, Facetime was not an uncommon occurrence either.

But you knew Dylan's sister's friends were there that weekend as well, and you knew they were all pretty sorority girls, with long legs and no doubt experts in applying fake tan without it ending up patchy.

And as much as you were telling yourself you didn't care, that Luke was just your best friend and nothing more, nothing less, you couldn't help but wonder if he hadn't told you because he'd met someone there.

Talked to someone. Shared a bed with her.

Like he was doing with you right now.

“Did you have fun in Ohio?" you asked him when the tip of your tongue almost fell off from biting it. Your question lacked all the tact and nonchalance in the world, but you hoped he was too tired to pick up on it.

Luke was quiet for a second and took a beat to process your words. Possibly to figure out an answer. Or a lie, Negative Nancy whispered. But why would he lie to you if he had hooked up with someone? You were best friends, they talked about stuff like that. Except, that had never been the nature of your relationship. Ever.

“No," came his simple response at last.

“Oh, why not?” Stop pressing, you thought to yourself.

“Too many people."

You should've known that would be his reasoning. After all, Luke was your favorite introvert, and his social battery tended to drain quicker than a sieve. Not with you, though, never with you. Unless he just hid it better. But then why would he drag you with him when sneaking away from events and large family gatherings? Why would he come over to your house to seek refuge from the craziness going on in his own?

Big questions for three a.m., and you were losing track of the original conversation.

“Lots of people in this house too. You didn’t have a little fun?”

Luke hummed and scooted up so your head could rest in the crook of his neck. His nose had brushed against your hair, and you had quickly found yourself so comfortable that you'd almost forgotten you asked a question.

“Rather be here with you. Like the people here more."

You had been lying so close together that you could hear the words rumble up his throat, hear how it took him much more effort to get them out than a few minutes ago. He had been tired, and so had you, so you had taken his words at face value and had tried to convince yourself they weren't a deflection.

Either way, you had been the one he was lying wrapped around in that very moment, and that very thought was what finally had put you to sleep.

can you please write something for ryan leonard? could literally be about anything i just feel like that boy deserves more attention <3

i love ryry, he deserves more love. cute little freckle man

in which ryan's teammates cant leave the two of you alone in the library

under the cut !

"for fucks sake." ryan mumbled under his breath as he looked up from his book, only to be met with his friends sitting at the table of in front of yours.

"what's wrong, love?"

"they're here again. they're not even trying to be secretive anymore!" he scoffed as your eyes stayed glued to your work. you had a very important coming up, and you needed a good grade.

"just ignore them, babes. they're kids, let them be." you answered, leaning your head down on his shoulder as his eyes met with will's, who had wide smirk on his face.

"oh my god, what are you guys doing here?" gabe asked as they all got up and walked over to sit at your table. ryan let out a loud groan considering you were in a library as his friends made themselves comfortable.

"get out of here!" he spat at his teammates, making you chuckle a bit, but staying focused on your work.

"are we not allowed to study?" will asked, his smirk still present as ryan sent him a death glare.

"where're your books?"

"in my bag."

"take them out and study then. at another table." he said harshly, making all his friends laugh a bit.

"what if we want to sit at this table?" jacob asked, ryan rolling his eyes. your boyfriend looked over at you, begging you to tell the guys to leave, but you were too focused on your book to realize the look he was sending you.

"it's a library, be quiet." ryan warned the guys before looking back down at his work. your head was still leaning on his shoulder, making gabe snap a pic of the two of you. of course, the boy hadn't realized his flash was still on, making it blankly obvious what he was up to.

"get out!"

"what, why?"

"you're not here to study, you're here to bother us. so leave!"

"it was an accident!"

"can you guys go bicker somewhere else? i'm trying to study." you whispered harshly, making all the boys go quiet as they stared at you. you had finally looked up from your book, now sending ryan's friends a death glare that matched your boyfriend's. "all of you." you added, turning your head to look at ryan.

"me?" he gasped, his jaw dropping slightly.

"yes, you. you're the reason these ding dongs keep bothering me, so get out." you sassed, making ryan roll his eyes slightly before he started packing his bag.

"you guys are such assholes." your boyfriend mumbled as he got up from his seat, pressing a kiss to your forehead before making his way out. his friends followed closely, rambling about something that clearly wasn't making ryan happy.

lovey 🤍

give your side pieces some attention

i'll see you tonight loves <3

ryry 💗

i hate them, they're so mean

i miss you

come cuddle me

lovey 🤍

i'll be there in an hour max

love you

ryry 💗

love youuuu

Happy Graduation! Can you do “i love that no one else has seen you like this, that no one else has felt you before, been inside you. they don't get to have you, but i do.” with “you taste like heaven” with Luke Hughes?

For The First Time - L. Hughes

hockey masterlist || g's graduation celly

synopsis: You and Luke have been together for a while, and decide to take the next step in your relationship.

word count: 3.9k

warnings: smut! oral sex (f receiving), piv, virgin reader, cursing, protected sex, small mention of blood after sex (it's normal!)

When you first met Luke Hughes, you thought he was going to be like every other hockey player you had ever met. He was tall, lanky but muscular with unruly curls falling in front of his eyes. He stuck out like a sore thumb in the bar, constantly looking over his shoulder as if someone was going to kick him out. He was a New Jersey Devil, no one would even attempt to kick him out of the bar. Even before actually introducing yourself to him, you had already sized him up and came to a conclusion; he was a young hockey player, he only wanted one thing and you weren’t about to give him the time of day. But, he proved you wrong the moment your brother pulled him over to introduce him to you. 

“And this is Luke!” Nico said, a drunken smile on his face. You already knew you were going to be basically carrying him back to his room. But you weren’t going to stop his celebration, they had just clinched their spot in the play-offs, “This is my little sister!” 

“I know,” Luke nodded, “She’s the team photographer.” 

“So you met!” You shook your head. The word ‘met’ was one way to put it, you had said all of two sentences to him. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Luke,” You said, holding your hand out and shaking his. 

“You too.” 

“Nico!” Jack shouted, “I need you to be my beer pong partner.” 

“Coming!” Nico slurred and turned towards Luke, “She’s off limits and I know where you live, Hughes.” 

“God, Nico,” Heat was rising in your cheeks as you looked at him, “Go! Before Jack starts pouting.” 

Luke nervously chuckled as your brother walked away and over to Jack. You looked back towards your drink as Luke sat down next to you. There was an awkward tension in the air, as he sat close but far from you. The two of you sat in silence, you twirling your straw and Luke scanning the crowd. 

“So, you take pictures for the Devils,” Luke said, “That’s cool.” 

You looked at him, and couldn’t help but giggle. His face fell for a moment, before laughing as well. He had no idea what he was doing or why he was so nervous sitting here and talking to you. Maybe it’s because you were the captain’s younger sister, or maybe because he’s had a crush on you from the moment he saw you. 

“It is cool,” You smiled, “It’s really cool.” 

Ever since that night you and Luke had been inseparable. It was a shock to no one when the two of you announced you were together. Nico and Jack had a bet going on to see how long it would take for you two to tell everyone. Both the brothers approved of your relationship, Nico happy that you had found someone who looked at you like you hung the stars and the moon. And Jack was happy seeing his younger brother look happy, and that he had someone by his side during his rookie season. Jack knew first hand how tough being a rookie can be, and he was happy that Luke had someone he could confide in when it all got to be too much. 

You were currently laying on Luke’s bed, his lips against yours as you made out. He had just come back from spending the summer at the lake, and you in Switzerland. The two of you had only seen each other twice over the summer, you going to the lake for a week and him coming to visit you in Switzerland. But the phone calls, facetimes and texts weren’t enough. You had been wishing for this day all summer. 

“I missed you,” Luke mumbled, his lips on your jaw, “So, so much.” 

“Me too,” You sighed at the feeling, “It’s been too long.” 

Luke’s lips found yours again, as his hips rocked against yours. His hands roamed your body, moving up and down your sides, before one slipped under the hem of your shirt. A warmth grew in your body, a tingle in your core as his hardened cock rubbed against your clothed cunt. Soft moans fell from your lips as you lifted your hips to meet Luke’s. His hand trailed up higher, his thumb rubbing at the band of your bra. It was as if the lust had cleared from your mind, and you were suddenly all too aware of Luke’s body and his hands on you. 

“Stop,” You said, and Luke immediately sat back, looking you over. 

“I’m sorry,” He apologized, “Are you okay? Did I hurt you? I’m sorry.” 

You nodded your head, “Y-yeah I’m fine it’s just. . . god,” You covered your face with your hands as an embarrassing blush coated your cheeks. Luke was still looking at you with concern as you pulled your hands away, “I’ve never been touched there. . . or anywhere.” 

Luke’s eyebrows furrowed at your words, and then it clicked in his brain, “Oh. . .” He said slowly, “You’re a virgin.” 

“Oh god!” You dramatically exclaimed, “It’s so embarrassing.” 

“No it’s not,” Luke said, laying down next to you on his bed, “It is not embarrassing at all.” 

“Yes,” You looked at him, “It is. I am twenty years old and a virgin.” 

“It’s better than being forty and a virgin,” Luke shrugged and you shot him a look, “Baby, it’s not embarrassing at all. I’m not with you just to get in your pants. It’s okay that you’re a virgin.” 

His words only made some of the unease lift from your belly. It wasn’t that you were waiting for marriage, you just never felt the need to jump into bed with the first man that showed you interest. Sure you had boyfriends before Luke, but you never felt the level of attraction and love as you did for Luke. The moment the other boys found out you were a virgin, they were already blocking your number and running for the hills. 

“You promise?” You asked, holding up your pinky for a pinky promise. 

“Yes, I promise,” Luke said, locking your pinkies together, “And you don’t have to ask me if I promise that it’s okay that you’re a virgin. It's your body. I’m not going to force you into having sex with me. You get to decide that when you’re ready.” 

You nodded your head, letting out a slow breath, “Well, I guess I completely killed the mood.” 

Luke chuckled, “Not totally,” You looked at him as he sat up from the bed, and climbed off of it. He walked over to your side and got down on one knee. 

You sat up quickly,“What are you-” 

“Y/N Hischier,” Luke started, grabbing your hands in his, “You know I love you with all my being. You are the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me. . .” He paused for a moment, “Well, second greatest,” You rolled your eyes, “But, till you please make me the happiest man alive and be my date to the season opening gala?” 

“You’re such a dork,” You gently pushed him, laughing, “Of course I’ll go to the season opening gala with you. Who else would you take?” 

“Well Dawson asked-” 

“Over my dead body.” 

— — — 

The season opening gala was one of the biggest events for the Devils. It was when the team got to meet with donors and executive members. It was one of the last moments to come together as a team before the craziness of the season ensued. Several of the wives and girlfriends get together and plan the gala all through the off season. It was almost like a competition on how they could outdo themselves from the year before. You had attended the event in the past with your brother Nico, but this year, you were by Luke’s side. 

“Nervous?” You asked him as you sat in the back of the blacked out BMW. 

“A bit,” Luke sighed, running his hands over his gray plaid dress pants. He looked handsome in his designer suit, Nico had dragged him out to go get his first designer suit and said something about “you’re in the league now, kid”, and his fresh haircut. You had never been a big fan of mullets, until Luke walked through your front door supporting one. 

“Don’t be,” You assured him, grabbing his hand, “They’re gonna love you.” 

Luke looked at you. He had been speechless when you opened the door to your apartment. You had picked out a dark red dress, with a deep v cut that showed off just enough cleavage and a thigh high slit that showed just enough thigh. You wore most of your gold jewelry including the dainty necklace with a gold “L” charm. Your makeup was simple, not wanting to over do it, but made sure to put on lipgloss that would drive Luke wild. 

“Easy for you to say,” Luke scoffed, “You’re the team’s little sister. Everyone loves you.” 

“And now you’re the team’s little brother. Everyone is gonna love you,” You smiled up at him. Luke shared your smile as he leaned down and pressed a kiss to your glossy lips. 

The moment you walked into the ballroom, you gasped. The wives and girlfriends had outdone themselves again. The theme this year was “Old Hollywood”, and the room was decorated with various reds, golds and black items. You and Luke stood on the red carpet, your coworkers taking pictures of the players and their dates as they arrived. You felt bad not helping them, but they assured you that they would be okay without you for one night. 

The night went off without a hitch. You and Luke easily found your brother and his, who decided to be each other's dates instead of finding some girl to bring. You guys sat with them throughout the dinner and the speeches from the coach and the GM. Once the dancing portion of the night started, Nico and Jack disappeared, no doubt to find one of your female co-workers to dance with. 

You dragged Luke out to the middle of the dance floor, his hands on your hips while yours draped over his neck as the band played a cover of a pop song. You giggled as Luke twirled you around, your hands resting on his chest. His smile was so bright, it could’ve lit up the whole room. 

“I’m having fun,” Luke said in your ear. 

“Me too,” You said back. You weren’t sure if it was the bit of champagne in your system, or the excitement in the air, but you were feeling bold. You were very aware of Luke’s hands on your hips, and the way his hand had felt on your thigh earlier at the table. 

“Luke,” Your voice wavered a bit as he looked at you. You were about to say something when the band switched their tempo, to play a sensual slow song. The tension in the air seemed to grow, and you swallowed thickly as Luke’s eyes seemed to grow darker. His hands pulled you in closer to him, your chests nearly touching. 

“Luke,” You said again, and he hummed in response, “I. . . I want you.” 

“You have me, baby,” Luke answered, his eyebrows knitting in confusion. 

“No, I. . . I want you, Luke,” You said, putting emphasis on the word, “I’m ready.” 

It took Luke a moment, until the light bulb went off in his head, “A-are you sure? Cause there’s no rush. We don’t have-” 

You cut off his rambling with a soft kiss on his lips, “I want to,” You said again, “I promise I am sure.”

Your heart was pounding as Luke grabbed your face in his hands and brought his lips to yours for a passionate kiss. You both knew that this kiss was different as Luke’s hand wrapped around your waist, and pulled you close to him. Before things could escalate in the center of the ballroom, you pulled back, biting your lip and looking at Luke.

“Oh don’t do that,” Luke teased, pulling your lip away from your teeth, “Drives me fucking insane, I’d take you right here on the floor.” 

You whimpered at his words and rested your hands on his chest, “Take me to bed, Luke.” 

Luke pulled you quickly out of the ballroom, all but running for the elevator. You didn’t even stop and say goodbye to your brother or his, which you guess was a good thing. You didn’t really feel like explaining to them or telling them that you two were leaving early. There was a certain excitement as Luke put his arm around you, as you watched the floor numbers take them up to their room. The second the elevator doors opened, Luke grabbed your body and put you over his shoulder. 

“Luke Warren!” You exclaimed as he playfully smacked your ass. 

Luke opened the hotel room door and walked over to the bed, laying you down gently. He quickly climbed on top of you, putting his knee between your thighs as he leaned down to kiss you. Your hands tangled in his curls, tugging on them slightly. This part, you had done before, making out like teenagers. You felt comfortable doing this, but when you felt Luke’s hand skim up the slit in your dress, you froze a bit. 

“Wait,” You sucked in a breath, and Luke pushed off of you. It took everything in you not to frown at the loss of heat from his body. 

“We don’t have to do this if you don’t-” 

“I want to,” You assured him, placing a hand on his cheek, “It’s. . . you’re going to wrinkle my dress.” 

Luke chuckled, climbing completely off the bed and holding out his hand to you. He pulled you to your feet and you turned so your back was to him. Without even saying, Luke’s hands went to the zipper at your shoulders, carefully sliding it down your body. He leaned forward, placing soft kisses on the back of your neck and shoulders as he slid the straps down your arms. You leaned back into his embrace, letting the fabric of the dress fall to your feet. 

“Luke,” You whined, “It feels good.” 

“Does it?” You could feel his cocky grin against your skin, “If you feel this good from me kissing your neck, just you wait.” You looked over your shoulder at him, his green eyes a shade darker, “Lay down for me, baby.” 

You nodded, laying back on the center of the bed. Luke kicked off his shoes, making quick work of his dress shirt and pants, tossing them across the room. Luke hovered over you, taking in the sight of you under him. You tugged him down, until his lips were on yours. 

Luke’s hips grinded against yours, getting a moan to leave your lips as one of his hands pulled your leg over his hip and the other groped your breast. You had never been touched like this, and it made Luke’s cock stiffen even more, knowing that he was the first one. That you trusted him that much with your virginity. His other hand went around your back, and unclasped your bra. He leaned back on his heels as he gently pulled the bra off your body. Your hands went right away to cover yourself and Luke shook his head. 

“Don’t hide from me, sweetheart, don’t ever hide from me,” Luke said, “You are perfect. So fucking perfect,” Luke leaned down, his tongue swirling around your nipple before sucking it into his mouth. You gasped at the feeling, your hands going to the back of his head to hold him there. He looked up, seeing the blissed out look on your face. His fingers pinched and rolled the nipple of your other breast. 

“Luke, please,” You moaned, thrusting your hips up. You had felt this feeling before when you’d make out. The feeling of wetness and gentle ache between your thighs. You clenched your thighs together to try and relieve some of it but it wasn’t helping. You needed more. You needed Luke. 

“I got you, okay,” Luke assured you, “I’ll give it to you, but I gotta make sure you’re ready first,” You nodded as Luke began kissing down your body. The lower he got, the more you ached for him. His fingers tapped at the top of your black lace panties, and looked up at you. 

“Can I?” 

“Please,” You nodded your head. 

Luke pulled the garment slowly down your legs, before tossing them across the room. Your core was glistening and Luke let out a groan. It was hard for you to not try and cover yourself, especially with how Luke was looking at you. He ran a singular finger through your soaked folds, and you let out a moan. He circled your clit a couple of times in lazy circles, watching as your body withered from the pleasure. 

“Can I touch you here?” He tapped his finger at your opening and you nodded. Slowly, Luke pushed a finger inside of you, feeling you stretch around him. It felt foreign to you, and Luke didn’t start moving his finger until he felt you somewhat relax. He moved his finger in and out, slowly curling it against the spongy spot inside of you. 

The pleasure was nothing like you had felt before. It was beautiful and you were craving more. It felt like butterflies in your stomach, like when you’d go down a large drop on a rollercoaster. Luke watched you, and leaned in between your legs, his tongue licking your clit. 

“Oh!” You exclaimed, your hand going to his curls, “Fuck, yes, Luke.” 

“You taste like heaven,” Luke said from between your legs. His tongue lapped at you like he was a starved man, and you were the first meal he had in weeks. You felt the pleasure build, your legs beginning to tremble against his head. His large hands pushed your thighs down, keeping you open to him as he ate. 

“Luke!” You whined, “I- fuck!” Luke pulled away from your thighs, and you let out an exasperated whine. 

“Oh don’t start whining,” Luke chuckled, “Don’t worry baby, I’m gonna take care of you,” All you could do was nod and watch Luke as he climbed off the bed and over to the overnight bag he packed. He pulled out a condom, and discarded his boxers. Your eyes went straight to his dick, and you unabashedly licked your lips at the sight of it. He smirked, noticing your lust filled eyes on him as he opened the condom and rolled it on his shaft. 

Luke crawled back on top of you, placing one of his hands by your head. He grabbed himself in his hand, lining up with your entrance. You took in a deep breath, as you felt the tip of his cock nudging at your cunt. 

“If it hurts or becomes too much, tell me, and I’ll stop. If you don’t want to do this anymore, you tell me to stop.” 

Your hands skimmed up and down his muscular back, as you tilted your head back to look at him, “I want this, Luke.”

Luke placed a kiss on your lips as he slowly pushed himself into you. He let out a sharp breath at the feeling of your warmth and tight walls. You dug your nails into his back, tensing up at the feeling. Luke thrusted slowly, letting himself slip in little by little and then pulling back out. 

“Don’t pull back,” You whimpered, and Luke nodded. He pushed himself about halfway in, and you squeezed his bicep. 

He looked down at her in a panic, and could see the tears pricking in your eyes, "Baby, tell me how it feels. It hurts, doesn't it? I can stop."

"No," You sighed, "It just feels weird. Keep going please, and just. . .  wait for a moment."

Luke nodded and continued to push into your body, then becoming flush with your hips. You both let out gasps, and Luke caressed your cheek. He didn't even care about sex at this point, he was content with staying right here inside of you the whole night. You were keeping him warm and squeezing him just right. But then he felt you start to wiggle underneath him, moving your hips to try and get some friction.

"Move," You said softly, "Please."

"I'm going slow," Luke said, "I'll fuck you hard and fast another day. But I want to take my time."

You nodded and pressed your lips to his collarbone as he slowly drug his hips back, thrusting in and out of you. Your hands moved up his back and tangled in his hair. Grunts and moans left your mouths and mixed together in the air. Luke grabbed your thigh and hooked it over his hip, to reach a new angle. You closed your eyes as you felt the intense feeling in your lower body.

“Fuck,” Luke groaned, his hand gripping your thigh, “I love that no one else has seen you like this,” He was placing kissing on your neck, right below your ear, “That no one else has felt you before, been inside you.” 

“Luke,” You cried, feeling the pressure grow and grow. 

“They don’t get to have you, but I do,” Luke nipped at your neck. 

Everything felt so good from the way your body felt below his, to the way he seemed to hit all the right spots. The impending orgasms rose in your bodies and Luke smashed his lips to yours, swallowing your moans. Luke felt the rubber band in his stomach snap, and himself spilling into the condom. You could feel the warmth fill your body and Luke tried hard to not let his body collapse on top of you.

"Fuck," Luke moaned out, "I'm so sorry. I usually don't-" you cut him off with a kiss, and held his face in your hands.

"It was perfect," you said and Luke leaned his forehead against yours.

"Want to take a bath," Luke proposed and you nodded, "I'm going to pull out now, okay." Luke easily moved his hips back and you whined at the feeling, "Does it hurt?"

"Yeah," you answered, "It's okay."

Luke nodded and pulled back the blankets enough for him to slip out of bed. He could see the tiniest bit of blood on your thighs.

"Lay right there, I'll be back," Luke said, and went to the bathroom. He threw away the condom, and cleaned himself up. He slipped his boxers back on and grabbed a washcloth to clean you up. You were tapping your fingers on your tummy when Luke came back. You smiled up at him, as he kneeled between your thighs and cleaned you up. You hissed as the rough washcloth came in contact with your core.

"Sensitive?" Luke asked.

"Yes," You said, "D-Did I bleed?"

"A bit," Luke answered and kissed your cheek, "It's normal. Nothing to worry about, sweets. Do you want to get dressed?"

“No,” You shook your head, feeling comfortable laying naked on the soft sheets. 

"Get a snack and some water. I'll start the bath," Luke said, kissing your cheek. 

"I love you,” You said, placing a hand on his cheek before he could walk away. 

Luke smiled that half smile that made you weak in the knees, “I love you too.”

a/n: what do you guys want to see more of? blurbs, one shots, series, interactive series, insta edits? let me know!! :) (I am planning on a series hopefully soon)

Chapter 1: surprise! (jack and quinn belong in hell)

Series Masterlist

Summary: Deciding to take a leap and surprise your best friend doesn't end the way you hoped.

A/n: Hello hello, it's me! Mario! Just kidding, it's just me, and I am once again back with the first chapter of a new lil series! This one is near and dear to my little heart because it's full-on friends-to-lovers (with lots of idiocy sprinkled in there somewhere) and boy am I excited for you guys to follow along with this lil story. This one is a little extra special to me because there are some real-life things I've experienced thrown in there, and also because I spent a long time (three months to be exact) coming up with not only the storyline but also the fake Lake and the history surrounding it. So without further ado, I hope you enjoy:)

------------------- ˚⋆𓇼˚⊹ 𖦹 ⁺｡° -------------------

June 14th

Jack Hughes had been in your life since you were born and he was an annoying little two-year-old. As the years passed and you grew up, he never stopped being annoying. When you were a teenager, you thought there must come a day when he wouldn't be a pain in your ass. That day had yet to come, and for all intents and purposes, today wasn’t that day either.

Because Jack Hughes had been calling you nonstop for thirty minutes.

You supposed you could have picked up and put yourself out of your misery, but you were no fool; Jack wanted something from you, and while you would have done anything for him, a brother from another mother and all that jazz, your willingness was significantly less present at 6:30 am.

At last, the agitating noise of his specially chosen ringtone (Party in the U.S.A, which you otherwise loved, but again, not at 6:30 am) finally stopped and silence once more encapsulated your tiny childhood bedroom. A sliver of sun slipped into the room from a crack in your blackout curtains, leaving a soft glow and promise of the summery weather to come later in the day.

You were too comfortable to get up and start said day, though, so you snuggled further into your pink and white sheets, determined to get at least two more hours of sleep. Just as you were halfway to drifting off, your phone once more lit up the room, and you were prepared to chuck it somewhere far, far away. But then the lyrics of Party Rock Anthem blasted through your phone's speakers, and you sat up so fast your vision filled with temporary black spots. Frantically searching for the device, your fingers closed around the pinkly colored titanium, and you accepted the call.

"Quinn? Is everything alright?"

"Wow, Chippy, answering Quinn right away but not me? Guess he truly is the favorite," Jack's mock-offended voice crackled through the line. You groaned and let yourself fall back onto your pillow with a huff.

"You stole Quinn's phone? Really?"

"No, he willingly gave it to me. We have important business to discuss with you," Jack tsked, "now answer the call."

"What, Jack-" A new call, this time a request for FaceTime, came through and you sighed deeply before answering. You weren't too worried about your less-than-impressive morning state; they'd seen you looking worse.

The call connected and soon the two idiots you (sometimes) liked to call your honorary brothers popped up on your screen.

"Asshat. Hi Quinny." Jack rolled his eyes at the endearment, Quinn greeting you with a small wave. Rolling over and onto your side, you propped your phone against one of your decorative pillows and waited for Jack to present whatever "important business" he had.

"Great, now that the committee is gathered: How soon can you be in Michigan?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Has NYU really hindered your sense of understanding that much? I thought it was supposed to do the opposite," Jack mused and stuck his tongue out at you when you did it first. You looked to Quinn for some clarity.

"Can you be in Michigan soon?" he asked, leaving you no more and no less understanding than before.

"Um, well, I was going to this week but my parents aren't going to the lake until the fourth and I don't know if I want to be alone at the house," you told them, brows furrowing, mainly because you had already told Luke this and had up until now been pretty sure he'd told his brothers.

When you were three years old, your parents bought a lake house by Lake Wesding, a smaller lake in central Michigan, wanting to have a designated spot for when you came to visit your dad's side of the family. Growing up in New Hampshire, you had seen your mom's side the most, and buying a lake house in Michigan allowed you to spend extended amounts of time with your dad's side too.

The lake house quickly became your favorite place in the world, second to only the Hughes household, and ever since you could remember, you'd spent every summer there, and sometimes Christmas too. When the Hughes family moved to Toronto and away from your neighborhood in New Hampshire, the lake house soon became your designated meeting spot. Most of those summers you spent there were often in the company of Jim, Ellen, Quinn, Jack, and Luke.

When Quinn and Jack signed their first NHL contracts, they had grown to love the lake just as much as you and decided to buy their own house there. And so the last few summers began, with you (or them) spending every waking moment running back and forth between the two houses. Or rather: sailing, as your family's house happened to only be two docks away.

"You can bring friends?" Jack suggested, wiggling his brows and having you visibly gagging. You knew how he felt about your friends, Annie in particular.

"Or, just stay with us?" Quinn suggested, the smack he landed on the back of Jack's head not going unnoticed by you.

"And why would I do that?" you played along, already planning the trip in your head. You missed the lake, the feeling of summer, the boys, and especially-

"Luke is driving us crazy!" Jack threw up his hands in despair, a pained expression on his boyish face. "And before you ask, more than he normally does," Quinn added and you broke out in a small laugh, more so at the mention of your best friend than his brothers' current feelings about him. Because truly, you missed Luke so much it hurt to breathe, and you'd only been away from him for a mere four weeks.

As his season ended and he packed up to head to worlds, you stayed back in your college apartment in New York for a few weeks, wanting to spend a little extra time with your roommates and best friends before not seeing them until the beginning of your senior year. And then as he'd gotten back to Michigan, less than a week ago, you'd taken the trip up to your childhood home in New Hampshire to be with your parents until you'd fly with them to Michigan.

But Luke was also your best friend since diapers, the one person you trusted most in this entire world and could never live without. After being spoiled for the hockey season with him close by, the distance seemed further than ever. Further than even when he was living in Toronto and you in New Hampshire, and then again when they moved to Michigan.

"Why was he driving you crazy? I figured he'd be sleeping most of the day." Your comment made the three of you chuckle, all knowing that that's exactly what Luke Hughes liked to do on his days off.

"He does, but the 20% of the day he's awake, he does nothing-" "And we mean nothing," Quinn butted in, "-but complain about how much he misses you."

"Surely you're exaggerating," you deadpanned, but their words still sent a little ball of fire through your chest. Especially since you felt the same way, and not telling your parents a gazillion times a day that you missed Luke was almost as hard as the act of missing him.

"No, we counted. Yesterday, he said your name 72 times."

"And the day before 85."

"And today ten times."

"That's a lie; he's not awake yet." He would've texted you the very second his eyes opened, you knew that. So did they.

"Okay, but I heard him saying it in his sleep when I went to get water this morning!"

"Do you not have anything better to do than count how many times your brother says my name?" You tried to divert them, thinking before your cheeks caught on fire and they'd figure out you enjoyed hearing how much Luke thought and talked about you when you weren't there. Jack sighed and ran his hand down his face, groaning into his palm. "Are you coming or not? We're going insane here."

You wanted to scream yes, to pack your bags and be on a plane to Michigan tonight. One little detail had you hesitating, though.

"Are you guys sure he'd want me there?" You tried to question them like you didn't care, but a bout of insecurity hit you like a truck. Rationally, you knew Luke wanted you at the lake, considering he asked when you were coming at least three times a day. Not so rationally though? You were worried he'd rather want to spend time with his brothers and friends for a little while before you joined them.

Quinn saw right through you, though, an annoying skill he'd somehow managed to pick up throughout his years of knowing you. He smiled, kindly, letting you know his next words were serious, not just the product of overdramatics and siblings who (affectionately) wanted to strangle their little brother.

"Promise, once he sees you he won't let go of you the entire summer."

⋆｡𖦹 °. 𓇼 ⋆❀˖°

And so it was decided. The plan was for you to move your already booked flight to Detroit up, and after light persuasion (aka name-dropping of Jack and Cole), so were your two friends, Annie and Isa. Since they both opted to stay in your shared apartment in New York after your final exams, they were to fly in together on the evening of the 16th, with you arriving earlier the same day.

As soon as you had finally gotten dumb and dumber to hang up the phone (not before a little catching up as well as some light gossiping, though), your first call had been to your friends before you went straight to packing. It had been slightly stressed and a lot rushed now that the time you previously thought you had to plan your summer outfits had been condensed to a mere two days. Yet, you somehow managed, and before you could say Lake Wesding, it was June 16th and you were standing on Michigan ground, having just stepped out of your Uber from the airport.

You breathed in the lake air for a few minutes, taking in your favorite place: the garden and the flowers your mom tended to as if they were her children. The white wooden exterior with blue shutters and the big wraparound porch, home to your precious porch swing, stood in contrast to the green and blue of the garden and lake in the background, and as with every time you were there, you just felt at peace.

Said peace didn't last too long, though, as "Hey Baby" once more blasted through your phone speaker and replaced the serenity with guilt. Truth be told, you were ignoring Luke's calls and only answered the occasional text, too afraid you'd spill your carefully crafted surprise. Jack and Quinn had assured you that it would be fun for all (mostly them, probably) if none of you told Luke you were coming. But you also hated lying to the curly-haired boy, and when you had turned off your location, almost immediately having him blowing up your phone in concern, you had almost cracked right then and there. Somehow, you had managed to play it off, and now you were only minutes away from seeing him, relieving yourself of the guilt, and hopefully, him of his worry.

Well, after a quick shower. The airport air was lingering on your skin, and reuniting with Luke while feeling icky wasn't something you wanted. Maybe a small, tiny, little insignificant part of you also wanted to look nice, but you weren't ready to dwell on that particular thought.

Exactly 57 minutes later, freshly showered and redressed in your favorite bikini and shorts combination, you found yourself standing in front of the Hughes residence, your baby pink bike discarded by their garage. Their lake house, composed of dark brick and serving as a stark contrast to your own family's, had always exuded the same amount of comfort, homey-ness, and brought forth the same amount of happy memories.

Trying to ignore the way your hand shook as you reached up to knock on the brown oak door and simultaneously trying to quell the nerves climbing up your throat, you braced yourself for whoever might open it. When a full minute without a response went by, you pressed the doorbell an annoying number of times. A few seconds later, the door swung open and revealed an irritated Quinn Hughes, scowl that almost seemed permanently stuck on his face. It was quickly replaced once he realized it wasn't a random door-to-door salesman, and the corners of his mouth tugged up into a warm, inviting smile.

"Chippy! It's so good to see you! You don't usually knock?"

Quinn pulled you into a bone-crushing hug, and before you even had a chance to react or answer his half-question, you were pulled from his arms and into Jack's instead. If you thought the passing around was finished then, you were sorely mistaken, because the next thing you knew, you were tugged into Trevor Zegras' side (accompanied by a ruffling of your carefully crafted braid), eventually ending your destination in the arms of Cole Caufield. You greeted them all with the same enthusiasm, having missed them just as much.

It was a strange thing, growing up with the same people and continuing to meet at the same place every year. Like clockwork, you instantly fell into your old routines, the same bickering and sibling-like teasing, chirping, and distribution of roles. There was nothing you loved more.

As the reunion in the hall of their house came to an end (only after a good few minutes of you trying to catch up with the lot of them and answering their many questions as well), Jack threw his heavy (non-recovering) arm over your shoulder and started leading you through the house.

"Luke has been moping around all day, even though the guys are here," he told you in a hush-hush tone, pushing the sliding door to the side and stepping out with you, still under his arm, onto the porch.

You were quick to spot Luke, his height setting him apart from the three other guys standing around by the pool. Despite only having met Dylan, the shorter, dark-haired one, you still recognized Ethan and Mark. Luke and you had spent countless hours on FaceTime telling each other about every single thing in your lives, including his best friends from college.

It was Mark who noticed your presence, smacking Dylan on the chest to get his attention. Without thinking, Dylan hit him back, mumbling "ow" under his breath. Mark rolled his eyes and pointed in your direction, the move catching Ethan's attention too.

A mischievous smirk formed on Dylan's face, the only one to recognize you, as he flipped the shade of Luke's cap up and poked his side, sing-songing, "Ooohhh Lukeeyyy, look who's hereeee!"

Your best friend turned, and you found yourself in a scene from a movie, where the guy turns around and suddenly everything is in slow motion. You saw the curls first, how they bounced a little with his quick movement, the way they seemed even curlier than just a few weeks ago. Then came his face, with his kind eyes and prominent nose, the sharp jaw, and his smile. Your favorite smile in the entire world.

It took Luke a few seconds to comprehend what was in front of him: You, here, in Michigan. Then his face split open into an earth-shattering grin at the sight of you, leaving you with no choice but to send him back one of your own. You continued your perusal of his figure, now realizing that he was shirtless, abs on full display, and somehow even more prominent than last summer, no doubt due to the past hockey season.

It was only when Luke said your name in disbelief that you realized you were staring at his stomach, and heat immediately travelled from your neck to your cheeks.

"Surprise!" Jack yelled from behind you, clasping a hand on your shoulder and pushing you towards his little brother. You stumbled a few steps but quickly regained your balance, just in time to hear Ethan's question.

"That's Y/n? Now it makes sense."

Dylan and Mark snickered at their friend, but the words seemed to flip a switch in Luke, who was in the process of closing the space between the two of you with quick steps. He faltered and looked back at his friends, then to you, and you could almost see the war going on inside his head. Stopping a few feet away from you, Luke sent you a small, almost dismissive smile.

Your brows knitted in confusion, the line between them only deepening once he leaned in for a half-hug. Luke and you never did half-hugs, only full-on attacks of affection, and you'd be lying if you said it didn't hurt a little bit that he didn't seem thrilled to see you after so many weeks apart. Truthfully, it had you confused too. Were his texts and tired drawls over late-night FaceTime sessions all just words he didn't truly mean?

"Hey, what are you doing here?" he asked, eyes half on you, half warily eyeing the boys behind him.

"Um, I came early. I thought you wanted me—I wanted to come early," you interrupted yourself, already pulling an invisible guard up. Something was off about him.

"To see me?" Luke didn't sound happy, didn't sound excited or thankful, or whatever silly little feelings you had been feeling inside up until two minutes ago.

"Well, yeah, but Jack and Quinn too, and Annie and Isa are coming later-"

"Cool, cool." Cool? That's all he had to say? You moved your flight up for him and all he could muster was cool? His eyes went distant, and it felt like you'd been slapped as he continued, avoiding looking you in the eyes at all costs. The light breeze you had been thankful for on the way over here suddenly felt too cold, not providing relief from the Michigan heat.

"You're probably wanting to go unpack. We're gonna go on the boat for a bit, but I'll see you around, yeah?" A pat on the arm was all the goodbye you got as he left you standing there on the deck, frozen and unsure of everything you had changed and moved and planned to come here, and if coming here was even a good idea in the first place.

One thing you knew for sure: You were going to kill Jack and Quinn Hughes.