Curate, connect, and discover
So sweet😭
~Those Eyes by New West~
Author's Note: idk! tehe as always italics are flashbacks Summary: Y/N surprises Luke after a long few months near the end of his rookie season Warnings: implied smut, swearing Word Count: 3,887 Luke Hughes x fm!reader
The exhaustion on his face was heartbreaking enough. The loss was probably one of the hardest games she’s ever watched. The second half the roster left the ice within the first two seconds she knew it was going to be a long night.
They fought hard and almost tied it late but the game ended in a disappointed loss. The camera panned towards Luke dart towards the tunnel with his head hanging low. Her shoulders hung low as she dropped her head into her hands.
She wanted nothing more than to hug him and hold him.
A groan fell from her lips as she took a deep breath. She stood up and wrapped her dark blue blanket around her body as she stumbled out of her bedroom. The blanket was draped acrossed her shoulders as she snuggled the ends against her chest.
“How’d it go?” her roommate and best friend, Hannah, said as she saw Y/N walk out of the room.
“Bad,” she let out as she wandered towards the kitchen, in desperate need of an alcoholic drink. “Luke looked so tired,” her voice cracked slightly.
“Shit,” Hannah muttered as she brushed a few pieces of hair away from her face.
The party was in full swing and Luke spent most of the night trying to find Y/N. She promised that she was going to be there but not until after eleven. It was well past eleven and he couldn’t find her.
Y/N texted him ten minutes ago and he was on the hunt for her instantly.
They were in a new relationship, only a few weeks but he was desperate to find her. There was barely any room to move or breathe. Shoving through the crowd, he kept shouting apologize yet no one seemed fazed by his efforts. Shimming his shoulders to the beat of the song every time he squeezed through a group of people to pretend like he was having a good time.
He would be having a good time if he could find her. Pressing his lips together he scanned the party. He was taller than majority of the crowd, so it was easy to scan the crowd. He brought his beer towards his lips as he bobbed his head to the music. Eyeing the crowd, he saw his teammates happily dancing with random girls they met just that night.
He ran his fingers through his hair as he continued to scan the crowd, a couple of girls met his gaze. Smiling or shyly looking away, none of them were even close to his girl.
After a few seconds, he finally found her. It was as if time stopped once he saw her, she slowly turned her gaze towards him. Smiling widely towards him, she leaned away from the wall she was against. His heart jumped into his throat as he smiled widely.
He began stumbling through the crowd, still shouting apologizes as he squeezed through a large crowd of his teammates. He looked up hoping to see her but he couldn’t, until he felt a tap against his arm. Spinning around, he met her gaze.
“Hey!” he shouted as he admired the way her lips curled up into a grin.
“I didn’t realize how crazy this was going to be!” she shouted back. Luke nodded as he rested his hand onto her lower back, subconsciously pulling her towards him.
Leaning down, he whispered against her ear, “Do you want to stay out here or go somewhere quieter?”
He pulled away, meeting her gaze. She pressed her lips together as she waved her finger towards him. He leaned back down as she delicately took a hold of his jaw. “Can we get a drink before we disappear?” she pulled back, her hand still holding his jaw. He immediately nodded. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he guided her towards the kitchen.
They bumped into a handful of his teammates and they were forced into conversations for a while before was able to get a drink. Even after she got her drink, she nearly finished it before they disappeared into his room.
He shut the door and the music instantly got quieter but it was still shaking the floor slightly. Luke smiled awkwardly towards her as he wiped his hand across his nose. She took another sip of her drink as she kept looking towards him.
“You know what I’m in the mood for?” Luke asked as he stepped towards her, taking a hold of her waist, he stumbled back towards his bed. She raised her eyebrows suspiciously, “A friends marathon,” he let out as his legs hit the back of the bed, nearly forcing him to fall onto his back.
She barked out a laugh as she rolled her eyes playfully, “I could always watch that,” she mumbled as she climbed over him, laying beside him. He looked towards her, smiling softly as he began to pull up the TV show.
“Come ‘ere,” he mumbled as she happily laid in his arms.
Y/N took a hold of two White Claws and walked towards the living room. Hannah eyes widened as she held out her hand excitedly for the drink. Y/N tossed it towards her. They both popped open their drinks as she sat down beside Hannah. She draped the blanket over the both of them.
“You know, spring break is next week. You should go visit him,” Hannah offered before she brought the drink towards her lips. Y/N tilted her head back and let out a groan.
“I don’t have the money for that,” Y/N mumbled as she tilted her head against the top of the couch. Shutting her eyes, an image of Luke on the bench. Defeat written all over his features.
“You know who does,” Hannah expressed, “Your boyfriend.”
“I am not going to ask him for money,” she let out before she brought the drink towards her lips. Hannah let out a long dramatic sigh as she smacked her hand against the couch dramatically.
“It’s not asking him for money if it’s to visit him,” Hannah let out. Y/N pouted her lips as she tilted her head against the top of the couch. “Sounds like he really needs it,” Hannah urged.
“Yeah,” she mumbled, “I need it too.” Y/N shifted her gaze towards the TV to see a movie on the screen. It was one of her favorites and it was one of the new ones on Netflix.
Hannah shifted her gaze towards Y/N, frowning slightly before glancing back towards the screen. Hannah clenched her jaw as she frowned slightly. Y/N pulled her phone from her hoodie pocket, glancing at her phone screen to see a photo of Luke and herself.
It was a photo from one of his frat parties, the lights were dark and it was nearing the end of the party. They were both asleep on the half broken couch, they were facing one another, Luke’s hands were wrapped around her body. One of his hands were on the base of the neck and his other was low on her hip. Her arms were around his upper body. In the photo, Dylan was tossing a blanket over them in the live photo and Mark was giggle as he took the photo.
Blinking rapidly, she felt her eyes start to well up in tears. She turned off the screen as she tilted her head back up to meet Hannah’s eye. There was a look in her eye that felt as though she was right.
After a few seconds, her phone started to ring. Pulling her phone up to see Luke was calling her.
She shot up, staring at his contact photo for a moment. It was a screenshot of him on FaceTime after he scored his first goal. He was smiling and laughing and so happy. It’s been a little while since she’s seen him like that.
Jumping off of the couch, she tossed the blanket towards Hannah. She brought the phone towards her ear. Neither of them said anything at first. Y/N walked towards her bedroom.
Luke took in a sharp breath as he sniffled.
“Luke, are you back at the hotel?” she questioned, before swallowing hard. He hummed. Shutting the door behind her, she immediately collapsed onto her bed. “Are you okay?” she asked.
“No,” he choked out, “I’m so tired and I want the season to be done and my body fucking hurts,” he explained as he started to cry. She’s only seen him cry tears of joy. “I don’t know how to do this, I can’t do it anymore-it’s too much. I just want to go back to school and you. I just want to go back to you,” he sobbed. “I can’t do another year of this,”
He took another sudden breath and another sob falling from his lips.
“Lukey, I’m so sorry,” she mumbled, “The season’s almost done, my love-”
“What if I don’t make it?” he let out, his voice completely cracking in the process.
“M-make what?” she let out while shaking her head. It was silent on his end of the phone as she heard him sniffle and take a deep breath.
“I’m supposed to be as good as Quinn and I-I can’t and the fans hate me,”
“They don’t hate you, Luke,” she tried to comfort him. “You’re a Calder contender, Luke that’s incredible, love, you’re almost through the toughest year in the league. You’re getting through this,” she explained, trying not to tear up.
“When do you graduate again?” he let out, his voice cracked.
“Decemember,” she mumbled, “Barely a year left, my love.”
“I can’t do another year without you,”
That was the moment she realized that she needed to visit him when he was back in New Jersey. For the next hour she was on the phone with him, calming him down. There wasn’t much of anything that she could say that truly could make him feel better. He was so exhausted that he ended falling asleep while on the phone with her.
After Luke fell asleep, she immediately called Jack. It ran a few times before he answered. “Uh-hey, Y/N?” he let out groggily.
“Hey Jack, I’m sorry that I woke you,”
“‘S cool, what’s wrong?” he muttered.
She took in a shaky breath, “Luke’s really struggling and I was hoping you could help me with something,” she mumbled. There was shuffling on his end of the phone.
“Do you need money for a flight? I’ll do anything, the kid is miserable,” he let out a dry chuckle before he continued to shuffle on his end of the phone.
Taking in a deep breath, “Yeah.”
“Okay, so we come back late Saturday, can you be here by then? Our neighbor has an extra key. I’ll let him know that you’ll be there to grab it,” he explained.
“Wait really?” she asked.
“He needs to see you. I’ll keep it a suprise,” he expressed. “Just let me know how much the flights are,”
“Thank you Jack,” her voice cracked as she spoke.
The party was nearing it’s end but Luke and Y/N were already in his room. It was normal for them to disappear near the end of the parties. Or in the middle of the parties. Or in the beginning of the parties. It was something they’ve been doing since the first party she attended six months ago.
He was laying on the bed, his hands were resting beneath his head. Sitting up, she brushed a few pieces of hair away from her face. Her lips fell into a pout as she delicately glided her hands across the curve of his abs line.
Pouting his lips, his eyes flickered up and down her frame. The small skin tight dress was starting to ride up her thighs. More and more of her skin was starting to get exposed. Swallowing hard, he tilted his head to the side. Pulling his hand away from his head, he took a delicate hold of the side of her thigh. He began to absentmindedly rub against her skin.
“Do you want to change into something comfier?” he asked as he ran his hand higher and higher. A small smirk formed to her lips as she leaned towards him. Her hands slowly glided up from his abs towards his jawline. Her fingertips glided so softly, his skin started to erupt in goosebumps.
His lips curled upward slowly as she slowly climbed onto his lap. His cheeks started to flush red as he continued to look towards her.
“I don’t really have anything here,” she mumbled as she slowly leaned towards him. His hands slowly slipped down towards the back of her thighs. He squinted his eyes slightly as he fought the smile that was starting to form on his lips.
“I’ve got clothes. Pretty comfy clothes. I mean I think they’re pretty comfy,” he mumbled as he took in a sharp breath. She giggled as she leaned towards him, delicately pressing her lips against his. He hummed against her lips as his slowly ran his hands up the back of her thighs, climbing higher up her dress. She pulled away, raising her eyebrows suspiciously.
“Well give me some options,” she muttered before pressing her lips against his again for a few seconds. He smacked his hands against her ass forcing a giggle from her lips. “Luke!” she scolded as she climbed off his lap.
He fought off a grin forming to his lips as he followed after her. Stumbling towards his closet, she adjusted the bottom of her dress. Biting his bottom lip, he started looking through his t-shirts and hoodies.
“O-or you could just take the dress off,” he said shyly. Looking down towards her, she looked up towards him widening her eyes while fighting off a smirk.
“Are you trying to get me naked?” she let out teasingly. He pursed his lips forward, a blush forming to his cheeks.
“I didn’t-I mean. If you don’t feel comfortable or-”
“Luke,” she teased as she rested her hands onto his arms, “I was messing with you.”
“Right,” he muttered as he took in a sharp breath as he reached into his closet and pulled out a random t-shirt. “It’s-um pretty comfy if you want-” he let out.
She smiled up towards him as she took a hold of the shirt. She stepped backwards, looking into his eyes. “Can you help me?” she asked, smirking softly. Slowly, she spun around and pulled her hair away from her neck. Luke swallowed harshly as he felt his heart racing suddenly.
“Are you sure? I was technically kidding-”
“Luke,” she whispered.
“Right,” he let out as he slowly reached his hands towards her. He delicately rested his hand onto her hip while he reached for the zipper. He clenched his jaw nervously as he slowly started to glide the zipper down her back. Once it was completely unzipped he kept his hands on her waist. “Can I?” he asked barely above a whisper. She hummed.
Stepping towards her, he slowly glided his hand up her back. He slowly began to push the dress off of her body. Leaning towards her delicately pressed his lips against her shoulder. Tilting her head back, she rested it against his chest. Slowly the dress fell from her frame. Luke’s hands happily wrapped around her body as she spun around to face him.
Looking up into his eyes, he felt his heart jump into his throat. “Is this okay?” he let out. She nodded as he leaned towards her kissing her softly yet urgently. Reaching down, he took a hold of her thighs. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she jumped up wrapping her legs around his waist. He walked towards the bed and delicately laid her onto it.
She looked up towards him with those eyes that he could never get tired of seeing. He smirked as he climbed on top of her, urgently leaning down and kissing her passionately.
She had been pacing in Luke’s apartment for nearly an hour as she waited for both Jack and Luke to enter the apartment. Jack explained that after they landed in the airport, they would be back at their place within the hour. Which she found out was a lie because it’s been much longer than an hour and she needed to hold him.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she quickly pulled it out to see a text from Jack. They were almost up from the parking garage. She took in a deep breath as she continued to pace in a short three step cadence.
Her body was engulfed in tingles as she was starting to breath heavier and heavier. This was the first time she’s even attempted a surprise like this and she was feeling the pressure.
Especially since Jack had been texting her since they planned it, telling her how much Luke needed to see her. How much he needed this surprise. It was everything for both of them.
She heard keys outside of the door and Luke’s laugh.
She stopped moving, nearly stopped breathing. She stood awkwardly a handful of feet away from the front door.
The door was pushed open and Jack was the first one to step inside. He had a wide grin on his face as he nearly hopped away from the front door, holding his phone up excitedly.
Luke’s gaze was on his phone as he walked inside. Abesentmindedly slipping his shoes off and rolling his suitcase to the side. He shoved his phone into his pocket at the same time she felt her phone vibrate in hers.
Luke lifted his gaze to see her standing in the living room. Their eyes connected and it felt like time stopped.
His mouth fell open as stood in shock for only a second. “Oh my god,” he mumbled as he began to blink rapidly. His lips started to quiver and fall into a small pout as he took fast steps towards her.
A giggle fell from her lips as he held his hands out widely as he practically leaped towards her. He completely submerged her body in his as he urgently took a hold of her. She wrapped her arms around the center of his back.
“Oh my god,” he let out as he shut his eyes harshly. One of his hands took a hold of the center of her back as his other one took a hold of her head, holding her tightly to his chest.
He didn’t let go, he couldn’t because if he did let go, she could be gone and he could wake up from a dream.
“Fuck,” he let out as he pulled away, but kept his hand on her lower back and he moved his hand to the base of her neck. Scanning his features, she saw a few tears fall onto his cheek. Quickly, he submerged her in a bear hug again, still afraid of letting go.
Still holding her to her chest, he shifted his gaze towards Jack; who was no longer recording. He was simply smiling as he leaned his head against the wall. “Did you know?” he asked Jack. He simply nodded before he started walking towards his own bedroom.
After several more seconds, he finally pulled away. His hands were still rested on her waist as he looked deeply into her eyes. “I can’t believe you’re here,” he mumbled, “I can’t-” he shook his head as a wide smile formed to his lips. Bringing his hands up, he wiped the tears falling from his cheek. “Cried twice this week, new record I think,” he joked as he reluctantly stepped away from her.
She pouted her lips as she watched he jog towards his suitcase quickly before he began dragging it. He held his hand out towards her and she gladly accepted it. They both began to walk towards his bedroom. He dragged the suitcase into his room, leaving it next to the door before he shifted his gaze towards her.
“You’re actually here,” he mumbled.
“I am,” she let out barely above a whisper. He smiled softly as he rested his hands onto her cheeks and pulled her towards him. He kissed her as if a bomb was about to go off if he didn’t. His entire body relaxed the second he felt her lips on his.
It was almost as if every ounce of tension, body pain, and exhaustion left his body. Her hands rested on his chest as also felt her entire body relax. He pulled away, taking a small breath as he rested his forehead against hers.
“You have to tell me how you and Jack pulled this off,” he muttered before he stepped back. A chuckle fell from her lips. He pulled the winter jacket away from his body, his cheeks were flushed red. She sat down on the bed looking up towards him.
“After the Rangers game and after we talked, I called him and he helped me with getting a flights until Wednesday. I couldn’t not see you after that,” she explained. He tiled his head to the side for a moment before he took off his hoodie. He tossed it towards the floor before he stepped towards her. He took a hold of her chin.
“Best girlfriend ever,” he mumbled half joking as he looked into her eye. While maintaining eye contact she scooted away from him, lying at the center of the bed. He quickly climbed on top of her. A giggle fell from her lips as his body weight was crushing her for a brief moment. He rested his head in the crook of her neck, as she ran her hand up and down his back slowly. Her fingertips sent shivers up and down his body.
Every few seconds, he’d sleepily press his lips against her neck. “Lukey,” she muttered.
He hummed.
“I love you,” she whispered. She could feel him smile against her neck for a few seconds before he lifted his head up to meet her eye. Leaning down, he kissed her softly as he began to hold himself up as their lips remained connected.
Her hands started gliding through his hair, as he slowly pulled away. His lips were still hovering over hers, “I love you so much,” he muttered before he pecked her lips a few times before he reluctantly rolled onto his back. He began to slip under the comforter, she followed in pursuit.
“If I didn’t have a game tomorrow, we would be busy but-” he explained while rolling onto his side to face her. Following him, she faced him as she reached her hand over and delicately took a hold of his cheek. He shut his eyes as his lips slowly curled upward in a small smile.
“I know, my love, sleep good,” she whispered. He bit his bottom lip as he reached towards her, taking a hold of her thigh and dragging her body towards him, practically on top of him.
“Oh I will,” he whispered before he pressed his lips against hers for a long moment. “You really are the best, you know that?” he whispered against her lips.
summary: Luke Hughes is a clingy person. here’s four times everyone around you found it excessive and the one time they didn’t.
note: I missed writing for Luke <3
warnings: use of she/her pronouns and y/n, fem!reader, luke being clingy and all lovey.
1. first day at the lake house
“You’re here!”
You stumbled backwards as Luke’s body engulfed you, the force from his run down the driveway to meet you, pushing you back. His arms held you tight to his chest, your body squished in his firm hold. You hadn’t seen your boyfriend in three weeks, due to you visiting family, and to say the boy missed you would be an understatement.
“Missed you,” you breathed out, manoeuvring your arms around his waist.
"I missed you more," Luke mumbled into your hair, his voice low, only for you to hear. His grip tightened as if he feared you might disappear again if he let go. You could feel his heartbeat drumming against your chest, fast and steady, as you leaned further into his warmth.
Luke didn’t move, relishing the feeling of you in his arms.
"I'm not going anywhere," you promised, giving him a warm smile.
Luke's grip tightened even more for a moment before he finally loosened it slightly, just enough to pull back and look at you. He smiled, a soft, relieved smile that made you want to melt, a smile reserved solely for you.
"Good," he said simply, pressing a gentle kiss to your forehead. "Because I don't think I could handle it if you did, three weeks was enough.”
"Well, I'm here now, and I'm not planning on leaving anytime soon." You laughed softly, the sound soft and muffled against his chest.
"Oh god, look at them! Absolutely horrible."
You slightly broke away from Luke, as Jack’s teasing voice carried across the driveway. You glanced towards the sound, noticing both Quinn and Jack watching the two of you. You raised your hand bashfully and waved at both of the brothers.
"Luke, you're so clingy, man!" Quinn groaned, his eyes rolling as Luke turned to fake laugh at them.
"Yeah, seriously," Jack added, his lips drawn back into a smirk. "You act like she’s been gone for a year or something."
"Shut up, you two," Luke called back, rolling his eyes, but you could see the hint of a smile tugging at his lips.
You couldn't help but laugh along with them.
"It's okay, Luke," you reassured, looking up at him, as he pulled you in for another kiss. "I like that you're kind of clingy."
His lips met yours in a delicate kiss as Jack and Quinn both groaned
“Disgusting, dude!”
“Get a room!”
2. the boat day
The boat bobbed gently beneath you from where you were seated comfortably on Luke's lap, his arms wrapped securely around you as you leaned against his chest.
The sun was shining down on Michigan, leaving the perfect opportunity for a boat day. A few friends of the brothers were scattered around the boat, chatting and laughing, soaking up all the sun they could.
Every so often, you felt Luke's lips press a light kiss to your shoulder or his fingers brush against your arm. His head rested atop of yours, the hum of his heartbeat thrumming beside your ear.
"You know, she’s going to melt onto your lap, if you keep her there all day," Quinn teased from the wheel of the boat, shading his eyes with his hand as he looked over at you both.
You rolled your eyes but couldn't help but smile as Luke buried his face in your neck.
“I’m comfortable, thanks." He mumbled against your skin, his lips pressing against the fading purple he’d marked you with last night.
"Yeah, I bet you are,” Jack snorted before settling his gaze on you. “You know you’re stuck with him like this… he hasn't let you out of his sight since we got on the boat."
“Not just on the boat!” Cole called out from the bow of the boat.
Luke chuckled, his chest vibrating against your back. "Can't help it," he said, kissing the top of your head. "I like having her close."
"You both need to cool off, I mean we all knew Luke was clingy, but this is a new level,” Trevor piped up from the bow, “I feel like we need to start calling you Velcro for you to stop."
From beside Trevor, Cole tilted his head back in a small laugh, nearly losing the drink in his hand in the process.
Luke chuckled along, but his hold on you didn't loosen. If anything, he seemed to pull you even closer, his fingers intertwining with yours.
“You two are almost sickening,” Coke taunted with his lovable smile.
“Jealous, Caulfield?” You finally asked with a raised brow that was paired with a teasing grin.
"You caught me," Cole feigned a dramatic sigh, pressing a hand to his heart.
You giggled as Luke suddenly stood up with you in his arms, the boat steady on the water.
“Luke, I swear,” you threatened, clinging to your boy as he approached the back of the boat.
“Didn’t you hear Trevor, sweet girl?” He mused, nose brushing your cheekbone. “We need to cool off.”
Without another word, Luke jumped into the water with you still firm in his hold, a soft scream escaping your grinning lips.
3. the party
The Hughes brothers were known for their annual summer party filled with various friends and NHL players, and tonight was no exception. The house was alive with loud music and laughter, all of which you’d ended up getting lost in when trying to grab a drink.
You wandered through the crowd, looking for a drunken Luke. Your boyfriend had been given a ‘get out of jail free’ card from his brothers for this years party.
Luke could drink what he wanted as long as he was responsible enough.
You’d gotten separated from him when you’d gone to get water for Luke and yourself, and now you searched for your boyfriend’s curly mop amongst the crowds.
Meanwhile, Luke was on the other side of the house, clutching an almost emptied beer and animatedly talking to Jack and Trevor, who both watched with signature shit-eating smirks. Luke’s face was flushed, whether from the alcohol or his words, it was hard to tell.
"You don't understand," Luke slurred, waving his hand. "I love her so much. Like, really, really love her."
"We know, Luke,” Jack rolled his eyes, prying the drink from his younger brother’s hands. “You've told us about a hundred times tonight alone."
"Yeah, man, we get it,” Trevor laughed, taking a sip of his drink. “You’re head over heels…but, where is she?"
Jack shot Trevor a glare, knowing his younger brother would instantly lose his shit and be intolerable when alerted to the fact you were nowhere to be seen.
Luke's eyes widened suddenly, his heart dropping as he looked around the living room for you.
"Oh my God, I can't believe I lost her,” he stammered, running a hand through his mussed curls. “She's the best thing that ever happened to me, and I lost her!”
Jack put a hand on Luke's shoulder, trying to calm him down.
"Relax, Luke,” Jack reassured, placing down his beer. “She probably got caught talking to someone, she’ll find us eventually."
“Y’know I didn’t believe Jack when he said you're like a lovesick puppy,” Trevor began, his eyebrows raised. “I’m starting to believe him now.”
"I can't help it," Luke briefly with a pout, his eyes flitting around the room, entirely focused on finding you.
Just then, you turned the corner into the living room and spotted the trio amongst the crowd. Your heart did a tiny, little flip at the sight of Luke’s puppy-dog eyes scanning the room desperately.
His head suddenly snapped in your direction, and a huge grin spread across his face. You sheepishly smiled and wiggled your fingers in a wave as the boy jumped to his feet
"There she is!" he practically shouted at Jack and Trevor, making his way over to you with surprising speed given the crowd.
When he reached you, he pulled you into a tight embrace, lifting your feet off the ground slightly as the drinks in your hands splashed dangerously. You shook your head at the smell of alcohol wafting from him, knowing how extra clingy he managed to get when slightly intoxicated.
I was so worried," he mumbled sadly into your ear, as you handed him the water and tilted your head to listen. "I thought I'd lost you."
"I was just getting some water for us,” you hummed, combing your free fingers through his unruly curls. “I was just looking for you too."
He set you down but kept you close, his eyes serious despite his tipsy state.
“I love you so much," he spoke earnestly, his tone almost pleading. "I can't even explain it…you make me so happy."
You felt a warmth spread through you, his drunken words filling your heart. You knew that despite his intoxication, your boy was an absolute sucker for you.
"Love you too, Luke,” you softly answered, “…now I think it’s time you drink that up, you don’t want to be sick in the morning.”
Jack and Trevor, standing a few feet away, exchanged amused glances, watching as Luke admired you as if you were the rarest diamond amongst countless lumps of coal.
“He’s down so bad,” Trevor whistled, raising his own drink to his lips as the two watched you talk away to Luke who steadily drank the water you’d given him.
“Oh, bud,” Jack sighed, pinching his brow. “You’ve got no idea.”
4. dinner with the hughes family
You nervously fidgeted with the rings on your fingers as you stood outside of the restaurant beside Luke. Tonight you’d be having dinner with the Hughes family, including Ellen and Jim, at a fancy restaurant.
You’d met Luke’s parents multiple times before but your nerves still shook. You were never a severely social person and you were terrified that one slip-up around his parents would cost you the greatest relationship you’d been in.
“Hey, sweet girl,” Luke mumbled, breaking your stupor as he took your fidgeting hands in his own. The two of you had driven together whilst Quinn and Jack had opted to pick up their mom and dad.
“They already love you,” Luke continued, his thumb smoothing gentle circles over your skin, his eyes locking with yours. “Mom won’t stop asking me about you, there’s no need to be worried.”
He bent down ever so carefully and pressed a gentle kiss to your forehead, almost instantaneously relieving most of the nerves swirling in the pit of your stomach. You took a deep breath, trying to steady your racing heart. Luke’s reassurance helped a little, but you couldn’t completely shake the nerves.
He leaned in, his arm wrapping around your waist as he led you inside
As you walked into the restaurant, the two you weaved your way towards the rest of the Hughes family at a table near the back. The four of them were already seated, causing your stomach to knot.
That knot, however, loosened as soon as you witnessed Ellen's face light up when she saw you, and she immediately stood to give you a warm hug.
"There you guys are!" Ellen spoke with a smile that reached her eyes, her gaze locked on you. "It's so good to see you again."
"How have you been?" Jim offered a friendly nod from his seat as Luke helped you pull out your own before sitting down in the middle of you and Jack.
"I've been good, thank you. How about you guys?" You smiled, feeling a bit more at ease, Luke’s hand intertwined with your own, squeezing lightly as if to anchor you.
Throughout the dinner, your boyfriend never strayed far from you, whether it be his hand resting reassuringly on your knee under the table, brushing a hair out of your face, his fingers smoothing circles on your palm or his leg brushing against yours.
Every so often, Luke would lean over to whisper a sweet nothing or joke in your ear, making you laugh and easing your simmering nerves. He'd even tried to sneakily press a kiss to your temple or cheek, which you’d rolled your eyes at. You loved how clingy your boy was but you didn’t want to make dinner awkward with excessive PDA.
When the main courses were served, Jack leaned back in his chair, a mischievous glint in his eye as he looked between you and Luke.
“You know, Mom, Dad, we've got to talk about something," he grinned, still glancing between the two of you.
"Oh?" Ellen asked, her eyes flitting towards Jack.
"Yeah, it's about Luke,” Jack tried to stifle his chuckles. “Ever since he bagged y/n, he's been like superglue,”
“He can't go five minutes without her," Quinn added with a shit-eating smirk.
"Hah, hah, so funny." Luke rolled his eyes, squeezing your hand, as heat rose to your cheeks.
"Oh, you boys,” Ellen chuckled, shaking her head as she wiped her mouth on a napkin. Her kind eyes fell on yours as you winced. “Out of the three of them, Luke's always been the affectionate one.”
You ducked your head with a bashful smile and squeezed Luke's hand as he watched you with love-shining eyes.
+1. the aftermath of dinner
You and Luke walked just slightly behind his brothers and parents as you walked towards an ice cream shop the family typically frequented during the summer. Your arms were linked as Luke babbled on about anything and everything, your full attention on him.
Ellen glanced back, a warm smile spreading across her face as she watched Luke lean in to whisper something in your ear, causing you to laugh softly. His arm was draped casually around your shoulders, fingers tracing light patterns on your arm.
“Look at them,” Ellen murmured to Jim, who allowed himself to look back.
“They're good together,” Jim replied, his voice filled with pride. “I don’t think I’ve seen him so happy without skates under his feet.”
“Remember when he used to be that shy, quiet kid who wouldn’t even look at girls, let alone talk to them?” Ellen chuckled, linking her arm through his. “Now look at him, head over heels.”
“Yeah, he’s grown up a lot…and she’s been great for him.” Jim hummed, “You can tell he’s more confident, more sure of himself.”
As everyone reached the ice cream shop, you and Luke lagged a bit further behind, completely lost in your own little world. Ellen watched as Luke stopped to tuck a strand of hair behind your ear, his eyes never leaving yours. He seemed to say something else that made you gently hit his arm and giggle before he leaned down to press a gentle kiss to your lips.
Luke was a very clingy person, so much so that at times it could be classed as disgustingly overwhelming, but you didn’t care.
He was yours to keep and you loved every clingy bone in his body.
invisible string L. Hughes
Luke Hughes x fem!reader
synopsis - Luke had been one of your closest friends since childhood. Somehow, everything in both of your lives just came back to each other.
wc - 3.8k
contains - cursing, literally nothing, extremeeeeeeeee fluff, kissing, hugging, cuddling, (im just a girl ok), obliviousness, this is a bittttt cliche... THEY CONFESS AND KISS IN THE RAIN OK???? idiots in love, eating and drinking. TAKES PLACE SUMMER 2023 (like end of May???)
an - SLIGHTLY EDITED!!! im hunrgy. anyways THIS WAS SO FCUKINF CUTE TO WRITEEEEEEE. my luke baby is so invisible string😇😇😇😇. ugh i miss him. i (possibly intoxicatedly) karaoked better man by Taylor Swift the other night just fyi. my author notes are like my personal diary because i assume no one reads them. i could prob say my ss number and full name address and no one would ever know. do u guys know how fuckign embarrassing it is to reread a fic u posted a few days ago and find typos like u guys probably think im stupid and hate me now. this was not at all about Luke Hughes or Invisible String... ENJOY BABIES!!!!
-
green was the color of the grass, where i used to read in centennial park. i used to think i would meet somebody there.
You were what some would call a hopeless romantic. You loved love. You loved reading it, watching it, seeing it in real life, it was just beautiful to you.
You'd grown up with the Hughes boys. They were your neighbors during the summer, your family's lake house being next to theirs. You were the same age as their youngest son, Luke. You two were ride or dies during the summer, and when you finally got a phone in seventh grade, you two texted the rest of the year.
It was finally summer, your school year at Notre Dame had come to a close and you were able to fly home and go to the lake with your family all by May 13th. You watched the final Canes games against the boys, you were sad for them, but so proud of your best friend.
It was nearing June, and you were alone in the lake house, opting out of the afternoon boat ride for some peace and quiet. You walked through the halls, stopping at the dresser covered in summer photos. You and your brother, you and Luke, more you and Luke, and some of your brother and the Hughes.
teal was the color of your shirt, when you were sixteen at the yogurt shop. you used to work at to make a little money.
You noticed one of your favorite photos wasn't there, the one of you and Luke when you were about 16, you're both standing behind the counter at the ice cream place you two worked at during that summer. You spent all day with Luke during those days, and it was the best.
You opened the dresser the photos sat on, seeing more photos. The ice cream shop one, and one you weren't anticipating. You didn't know your mom had printed and framed it. It was you and Luke the summer you were 18, both smiling at the camera with the sunset in the background as you sat on his lap in an Adirondack chair in the backyard of the Hughes' house.
The photo gave you crazy butterflies. That summer was the last time you saw Luke during the summer. Last summer you two were both at the lake at different times, you'd seen his whole family, minus him. His mom told you how he was still with his college teammates on a different Michigan lake. You had to act like you didn't really care, even though you did, so much.
Since the picture was just sitting in the dresser, not on display, you decided to take it to your room. You placed it gently on your bedside table, smiling then leaving to go down to the pool.
time, curious time. gave me no compasses, gave me no signs.
It was weird how you and Luke always seemed to be pulled together. There was some driving force between you two that was unbreakable, not even if you wanted it to. When it wasn't the summer, you lived three hours from the Hughes family, so randomly bumping into Luke was even more bizarre than anything else.
You remember when you were 15, you and your mom were picking up dinner one night at a local place and in walks Luke, Jack, and Ellen. You squealed when you saw him, running over to say hey. The boys had been in town for hockey, weirdly enough.
Interactions like that happened way more often than normal, you randomly bumped into the boy at least once every two or three months for years.
were there clues i didn't see? and isn't it just so pretty to think,
You remember when you were surprised by Luke at age 17. He came and surprised you as your prom date and you were floored. He had flowers and a corsage for you, and his tie matched your dress perfectly. Your moms thought it was the cutest thing ever, how you both blushed and giggled when near each other.
all along there was some invisible string, tying you to me?
Even though you two couldn't seem to get away from each other, neither of you ever made a move romantically. It just didn't seem realistic, you already lived hours away from each other and were going to colleges even farther, well Luke was going to the NHL but you get the point.
You guys were just best friends, always best friends. Your families knew, especially his brothers. They were your biggest fans, probably because they saw how you made their baby brother, how soft he was with you. You made him gentle, but also made him more comfortable and talkative, which Quinn and Jack loved.
ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Luke made you weak, and your family noticed. You could jokingly bicker with him, but when it came down to real disagreement, you never could with Luke. He just gave you those deep hazel eyes and you were melted on the floor. He was just that person for you. The one who could ask you to do anything under the sun and you'd do it for his praise.
You spent long nights with Luke, sitting in the backyard of one of your lake houses and watching the moon and stars and talking about anything. You could listen to Luke talk about property tax for hours and probably never get bored, that's how much you admired him.
bad was the blood of the song in the cab, on your first trip to L.A. you ate at my favorite spot for dinner.
You remember the weirdest instance of your bumping into each other, you were in Los Angeles with friends during the very beginning of winter break and saw Luke eating in the same restaurant as you with a couple of his friends.
You texted him, not believing what you were seeing. You asked him if he was in L.A. When he responded 'Yes just for a few days why' you were shocked. You stood and made your way across the noisy restaurant and went up to his table, where you put your hand on his shoulder and when he turned around, he was the most surprised he'd been in a long time.
You remember he jumped up, hugging you so tightly, pulling away with his jaw still dropped. You guys always told each other you had to stop meeting 'like this', but it never seemed to stop.
The next day, you two planned to branch out from your friends and meet up for lunch. You guys drove a little ways from Los Angeles, east into the country, and ate at the cutest restaurant that had a view of a lake. You two always found yourselves together by lakes.
bold was the waitress on our three year trip, getting lunches down by the lake. she said i looked like an american singer.
You remember how bold your waitress was at that restaurant, immediately boasting about how she thought you two were the cutest couple she'd ever seen. Your face was burning hot, trying not to have a breakdown in the middle of the restaurant. It got even worse when Luke didn't correct her and just said 'Thank you', instead.
That was the last time you saw Luke, you were hoping to see him very soon, though. It had been almost two weeks since the loss to the Canes, so it made sense for the boys to be arriving soon. You'd already seen Ellen and Jim a couple of nights on the back porch with your parents, but no 6'2 boys named Luke were to be seen.
time, mystical time. cutting me open then healing me fine. were there clues i didn't see?
You'd had two boyfriends in your life. One in your 8th-grade year and freshman year of high school, then one in your junior year of high school. You'd broken up with boyfriend #2 because you realized you compared him to Luke, every move he made, you compared to Luke. It made you feel terrible, but you were head over heels for another boy.
You and Luke had your senior sunrises on the same day during your senior years, and decided to skip them and drive to the lake to watch the sunrise together. Your moms were furious, but it was one of the best memories you had with him.
Your interest in each other was so painfully obvious that most of your and his family referred to you as his girl during the summer. 'Where's Luke's girl?', or 'We're just waiting for Moose's girl.' It was never when you two were in the same room, so your reactions were always priceless.
and isn't it just so pretty to think, all along there was some invisible string, tying you to me?
Your family was back from their afternoon boating escapade and you could hear them all bustling in. The second they walked in you heard your brother shout for you.
"Moosey's girl! Come down here!"
ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
You blushed madly, getting up from your bed and walking down the stairs with an annoyed look on your face. When you got to the bottom of the stairs you could see your sister-in-law slapping your brother across the back of his head, telling him to leave you alone.
"What do you want?"
You immediately went from annoyed to overjoyed when your almost two year old niece ran over to you, shouting out your name. You picked her up, giving her a kiss on her tubby cheek, embracing her sandy and salt water ridden love.
"We're going out to dinner in like, an hour and a half? Honestly just whenever we can get that little monster bathed and dressed."
You nodded but immediately jumped to defend your little best friend.
"This thing? This baby is an angel, aren't you?"
The little girl nodded, a sassy smile on her face as she tried to say 'angel, dada.' in her slurred toddler speech.
"See?"
Your brother gave you both a look, before springing into action to grab his baby, tickling all the giggles and sqeals out of her.
You talked and played for a little longer before getting ready to go. You quickly showered and dried your hair, putting on a little linen white summer dress, and your old pair of Birkenstocks. You drove with your brother and sister-in-law on the way to dinner, sitting next to your niece in the backseat.
a string that pulled me out of all the wrong arms, right into that dive bar.
You guys were seated immediately at the restaurant, you sat between your sister-in-law and dad at the table, just close enough to talk to your favorite niece.
The restaurant was a popular spot for locals and tourists near the lake. It had a big bar in the middle and lots of tables surrounding, it was loud, but not obnoxious, and very homey. You'd probably been there over a hundred times in your life.
You were watching a random golf tournament on one of the many TVs in the bar when your brother called out your name. You looked up and the look on his face was excitement and shock.
"Look who happened to show up!"
something wrapped up all of my past mistakes, in barbed wire. chains around my demons. wool to brave the seasons.
He pointed behind him, and your eyes followed the trail to the entrance, where you saw none other than Luke Hughes standing with his family, waiting to be seated. Your jaw dropped, and a smile came over you. You saw Quinn hit Luke and then point directly at you, and when your eyes met Luke's, you could've fainted. He was in khakis and a white polo and looked so handsome.
You stood up, mumbling something to your family before practically running over to the entrance, throwing your arms around Luke.
one single thread of gold tied me to you.
"Holy shit."
Luke had his arms wrapped around you so tightly, he was so surprised to see you. He knew he would have seen you tomorrow if not tonight but he still just missed you and was shocked.
"We have gotta stop meeting like this."
You giggled when you pulled away from him, as reluctant as you were on the inside. You quickly hugged the rest of his family, not without Jack whispering, 'hey Moose's girl' to you.
You pleaded with the bar staff to push more tables together so you could sit with the Hughes, and it didn't take much convincing, seeing they'd known you since you were 6.
You sat next to Luke after the readjustment for the new tables, now sitting between him and your niece, who had all but thrown a fit about how she wanted to sit by you, not her dad, which made you laugh in his face.
At some point, you'd taken the baby from her high chair and brought her into your lap. You and Luke were both in your little world with her, she was so cute and loving. You guys didn't notice how practically the whole table stared at you with knowing eyes, they all knew, everyone except for you two.
The food came, and the baby was back in her seat. You just talked and talked and talked to Luke. You'd last seen him in December, and there was just so much to say. You'd both had tons of stuff happen to you, his NHL career, your career, everything was so exciting to tell him about.
Luke was so heavily infatuated with you, it was funny. His brothers watched as he folded for you so easily, admiring every syllable that left your mouth, nodding like a man possessed. They mumbled to each other, making fun of their baby brother's obliviousness.
cold was the steel of my axe to grind, for the boys who broke my heart. now i send their babies presents.
At some point, dinner got a little bit boring so you pulled out your phone, and what popped up was the baby registry you were buying something off of for your ex-boyfriend's pregnant wife. It was funny, how everything boiled down. Luke saw the infant clothing on your phone and gave you a questionable look.
"'S there something you're not telling me?"
You looked up at him, then back to your phone, your eyes going wide at the insinuation.
"Oh my God, Luke, no! This is for Darren's soon to be born baby, with his wife.
"Darren? Like your ex boyfriend Darren?"
You nodded, laughing and explaining the whole thing to him. You'd somehow become friends with his now wife in your freshman year of college, her junior year, and with the way the world worked for you of course she was married to your ex-boyfriend.
The rest of the night was perfect, and ended with your whole family, minus your sleeping niece, in the Hughes' backyard around the fire pit. That night you ended up right back where you were in the picture on your nightstand, right in Luke's lap in your favorite Adirondack chair.
You spent the next week with the Hughes boys, specifically your Hughes boy. You drove the boat out on the lake, wake surfed, Luke even convinced you to go golfing, not that it took him very long because you would say yes to anything he asked.
gold were the color of the leaves, when i showed you centennial park.
You sat by Luke at the end of the dock while you two watched the very cloudy sunset. There was supposed to be rain soon, but it didn't mean the sunset wasn't still pretty. Your thighs were pressed together with how close you sat to each other, giving you both warmth in your chest.
Neither of you said anything, but you both felt something when you let your head rest on his shoulder.
"This is so pretty, Lukey. I missed this with you."
It wasn't much, but it was a way to say that you loved him without saying the real words. I missed watching the sunset with you, I've always loved you.
hell was the journey, but it brought me heaven.
"I missed you."
You closed your eyes, you just wanted to be with him, didn't matter where. You could be watching a sunset on the lake or climbing a mountain, if you were with Luke you were happy.
"Think it's gonna rain soon?"
You looked up at him when you asked, your head never leaving his shoulder. He looked down for a second, before looking out at the sky.
time, wondrous time. gave me the blues and then purple-pink skies.
"Probably, but let's just stay for a few more minutes, okay?"
"Okay."
You relaxed into him further. His arm went to your back, rubbing back and forth. It could probably be pouring down rain and you wouldn't even notice, not when you had Luke with you, like this, you were Moose's girl after all.
It started sprinkling, causing you to look back at Luke, waiting to see if he reacted. He didnt, so you just stayed. Rain never hurt anybody, you'd be the last person to ruin this moment complaining about rain.
This was so strange. It felt like you were stuck in time, the gentle rain made you feel encapsulated in the moment. You sat there, staring off at the sky, the sunset was not as clear now with the thick clouds rolling in, but the colors were still there. The rain kept on passing through, the drops gaining weight and speed.
Luke didn't mind the rain, but he didn't want you to feel like he was forcing you out here, so he shifted to stand, grabbing your hand.
"C'mon, you can't get sick during summer."
You sighed, letting him pull you to your feet. He didn't let go of your hand as he turned to pull you back to your house. You don't know what came over you, but the circumstances seemed perfect, you felt like you had to tell him. You pulled him to a stop, and he turned to look with a confused face.
"What's wrong?"
You looked from him to the ground, looking at your feet, the worn dock you'd run around on summer after summer, the lake you grew up swimming with him in. This place was so full of Luke, of you and Luke.
"I, I really like you Luke. Like literally since we were 12, and I, I just.."
You trailed off, looking anywhere but those eyes.
Luke was flabbergasted. That's the only word to describe how he felt. The girl he was in love with, just said she liked him since they were little. He just stared at her, not believing what he heard.
"Are you for real?"
You would've been embarrassed, had you not heard the pure hope in his voice. You nodded, feeling your face heat up. You covered your face with your hands self-consciously. If you could look at Luke's face, you would’ve seen how he was red all from his neck to his ears.
Luke gently grabbed your hands, pulling them away from your face, and replacing them with his own. He tilted your head back so you looked at him, staring at you for just a second before pulling you in, kissing you, finally.
and it's cool, baby, with me.
Holy shit. You were freaking out, you were probably gonna be jumping up and down whenever he decided to stop kissing you. He did pull away, after a long while, when the rain started pouring. The colors of the sunset had been drowned out by the thunderclouds but you two still felt all sunny on the inside.
There was a rumble in the far distance, while you stared at him, and him back at you. You couldn't contain your excitement, you felt like running a marathon.
"Oh my God."
Your hands went back to your face, and you literally jumped. Luke laughed as you surged with happiness. He felt the same way, his smile bigger and brighter than ever before.
You grabbed his hand, tugging him back to your house quickly. You were finally under the cover of your back porch, out of harm's way. You grabbed two towels from the outside cupboards and wrapped yourselves up, you dried your feet off before running up the stairs, Luke hot on your tail.
You two got upstairs and sat on your bathroom counter while you dried off. You talked quietly, giggling an awful lot.
Once you got dry enough, you led him to your bedroom. You grabbed one of his sweatshirts you had before going to take a pair of your brother's shorts, throwing them to Luke when you got back to your room.
"Here, go change so you don't get sick."
You noticed he had more than the stuff you'd just thrown at him in his hands, he had the picture that previously sat on your night stand.
and isn't it just so pretty to think,
"I like this picture, you have to send it to me, baby."
Baby? You could've died. You nodded, mumbling out an butchered agreement, gesturing for him to leave and get dressed again.
While he was gone, you changed into some sweatpants and another one of Luke's sweatshirts, one you'd had for almost two years. When Luke came back into your room, he'd noticed your sweatshirt immediately. It was from his travel team when he was 16, and it made him so happy.
all along there was some invisible string,
You smiled at him sweetly as he walked back over to you, grabbing your face and kissing you for the second time in the last thirty minutes. You got the same butterflies you'd had living inside you since you were a little girl. This boy had been living in your head since you'd known him, and he was finally yours after you'd been his girl for so many years.
tying you to me?
You both pulled away, wrapping each other in a hug. Luke rocked you two back and forth, leaving kisses on your head.
"I love you, Moosey."
"I love you."
ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh he-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Luke would take every opportunity he could to kiss you.
If you’re in an elevator, he’ll be pulling you close the second the doors are shut, pinning you against the wall or simply pressing soft kisses to your lips. He’d only pull away if anyone came in, a little sly crooked grin on his face.
When you’re stopping for red lights, he’ll learn over the centre console, grabbing your face and pressing his lips to yours, more often than not cutting you off mid sentence. Usually, the car behind you has to honk before he realises the light’s turned green.
If you’re waiting in line, the two of you are so that couple that has a hard time keeping your hands off each other, stealing pecks and having your arms around each other.
Same goes for if you’re waiting for Jack to get ready (or anyone else, really). Luke would love nothing more than those extra few minutes with you, pouring all his love and affection into little kisses to your lips.
Now, I’m also convinced Luke would kiss you “goodbye” and “hello” each time you leave him and return, even if it’s just for a second to get something from another room. This of course includes goodnight and goodmorning kisses, Luke never being able to sleep or properly wake up if he doesn’t get them.
No matter what the scenario is, he will take it. Luke just loves kisses you and he’ll always do it in groups of three, silently telling you I love you🥰