The first time it happened, Luke, like any normal guy, thought y/n was trying to initiate sex. But when her hand just stopped there he took a couple minutes to realise that wasn't.

Luke sighs as he sits down y/n perched on the sofa, waiting for him.

He just picked her up from work and they were fed by Jack who acts like a mother hen with making sure they're both fed. It's jarringly out of character when compared to his public image which y/n had known before starting to date his younger brother. But it's something he seems to feel responsible for.

But they'd done the dishes while Jack headed to shower and wind down for the night.

"Alright, gorgeous." Luke laughs lying back as she smiles shyly and lies tossing her leg over him, her hand tucking down under his waistband before resting her hand at the base of his dick that for now isn't feel a blood rush.

He's gotten pretty good at ignoring that urge to get hard under her touch. Though he can never maintain it for long, he's always at least semi-hard most of the time. Not that she cares.

For y/n it's just physical touch, it's not sexual for her but just a means of comfort for her.

"How's your day been?" Luke asks softly trying not to smirk in amusement at the feeling of her hand smoothing down the hair down there.

"Let's just say I'm happy to be back home with you." Y/n mumbles while his arm that's around her pulls her slightly closer. "Days like this make me tempted to take you up on your offer to just let you get me pregnant."

"Don't tease me like that when your hand is already so close to my dick." Luke grunts while y/n smiles innocently then kisses his peck before lying her head on it.

-

It'd be a mistake to think y/n's habit is limited to their time alone. Luke nearly jumped out his seat the first time she did it in a restaurant. Now he practically expects it.

So when they go out for dinner with his family, he makes sure that her seeking out comfort is covered by the table cloth.

It's not like she sits down and shoves his hand down his pants as soon as she can. But as conversation carries out, y/n's hand that hand rests on his thigh strays upwards and Luke smiles a little to himself. He doesn't react to it, but he's certain Jack notices the shift. Not that he makes comments.

They make it through the meal with y/n's hand frequently leaving his pants and returning. He can't help but shiver a little feeling the patch grow cold without her touch.

Some people might question the hygiene but Luke is a pretty thorough in the shower (half of the time stealing y/n's fancy soaps and scrubby loofahs) and as much as he'd never actually say it out loud. Y/n's hand has been all over his dick in much more compromising positions and often enough they've given each other head. So it's hardly like a line is crossed and she seems to be cautious to never touch anyone else until she's washed her hand.

Her timing at the end of the meal to go to the bathroom right before goodbyes isn't just because she needs to pee before they leave.

"You ok baby?" Luke asks as they step out and he rubs her back feeling her hug him from the side, her fingertips dipping into his waistband though it's really just her fingertips.

"Yeah, this was fun." Y/n smiles as she turns around so they're chest to chest and she's looking up at him. "I'm tired."

"I know, we'll get home soon." Luke smiles feeling her fingers dip past his tucked in shirt as she leans up to kiss him, pushing onto her toes while he smiles meeting her half way as he feels the brush of her skin on his own.

-

Y/n and Luke sharing a whole day off is a once in 6 months event.

"Can I ask you something?" Luke asks softly as they lie in bed together as y/n's hand trails downwards.

"Mhmm..." Y/n smiles, eyelashes fluttering as she looks up at him.

"Have you done this with other guys?" Luke mumbles feeling a thrum of jealousy pulse through him at the idea. He's not experienced such a display of love with anyone else, or even knew that it existed. The idea y/n might've just done this with every guy she's been with suddenly makes his stomach twist.

"No. It's just you...but I don't know why." Y/n murmurs then biting her lip. "I just want to touch you in a place that I know I can and others can't...apart from maybe the physio."

Luke huffs a laugh before he rubs her hand with his own, pressing into the squish of his own skin above the apex of his thigh.

"I know it's weird." Y/n sighs earning a frown. "Don't give me that look. It is weird."

"It makes me feel like I'm home." Luke admits feeling his own face heat up a little but y/n just about bursts with a smile.

"You are home for me too, baby." Y/n grins then moving up to kiss him softly. "I love you so much."

"I love you too...especially with how you remind me you love me. I love this love language." Luke states not wanting to leave room for an ounce of doubt over his words.

The first time you wake up, it’s because of thunder.

Low and distant over the lake, vibrating softly through the walls of the lake house while the fan hums somewhere in the corner. The room is dark except for silver moonlight spilling through the curtains, enough to make out the shape of Luke beside you.

Bare chest. Curls sticking up all over the place. One arm heavy around your waist, even asleep, keeping you tucked close against him.

And god, that’s the problem.

Because you’ve been trying to behave all week.

Trying not to think about the way his swim trunks hang low on his hips when he’s carrying coolers down to the dock. About the lazy touches he gives you in passing, completely unaware of what they do to you. His hand settling on your thigh during movie nights. His mouth brushing your temple when everyone’s around. The teasing little “you okay, baby?” when he catches you staring too long.

You’ve been trying.

But now it’s the middle of the night, warm rain tapping softly outside, and you wake up aching.

Actually physically aching.

Your thighs press together instinctively beneath the blankets, and you let out the smallest frustrated breath into the dark.

Beside you, Luke shifts.

“Baby?” His voice is rough with sleep.

You close your eyes for a second. Of course he decided now would be the perfect time to be a light sleeper. “Go back to sleep.”

Immediately, he’s more awake, one hand sliding slowly over the surface of your waist. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Mm.” He pulls himself up onto one elbow, peering down at you with sleepy suspicion. “You’re squirming around.”

Heat floods your face.

“Lu,” you whisper miserably.

That alone tells him everything.

He softly exhales through his nose, his hand squeezing your hip gently, the mattress shifting when he tries not to laugh too hard.

“My poor girl,” he murmurs.

You groan quietly and bury your face in his chest. “Don’t make fun of me.”

“I’m not.” His lips brush your hair. “C’mere.”

He shifts onto his back and pulls you over him until you’re half sprawled across his chest, one of his hands smoothing slowly down your spine beneath your oversized sleep shirt that you had stolen from his closet earlier.

“You need me that bad?”

Your silence answers his question.

Luke lets out the quietest laugh, warm and sleepy and unfairly sweet. “Baby…”

“It’s your fault,” you mutter against his skin. “Walking around looking like that all day.”

“Looking like what?”

You lift your head just enough to glare at him.

His grin appears faintly in the dark.

“There she is.”

You try to hide your face again, but he catches your chin gently between his fingers before you can.

Moonlight catches the softness in his expression when he looks at you.

No longer teasing, just completely gone for you.

“My love,” he says quietly, thumb brushing your bottom lip, “you could’ve woken me up.”

“I just did.”

“Mm. True.”

His mouth finds yours slowly, lazily at first.

Sleepy kisses that melt deeper after only a few seconds because you can’t help it—you kiss him like you’ve been starving all week. Your fingers slide into his hair immediately, tugging softly, and Luke exhales against your mouth, chest rising sharply beneath yours.

“Easy,” he murmurs, though his hands tighten on your waist. “You’re basically shaking.”

“I know.”

“You wanna tell me what you need?”

Another whine leaves your throat before you can stop it, and Luke actually groans this time, forehead dropping briefly against yours.

“Jesus christ.”

Your hips shift instinctively against him, feeling out how hard he already is beneath his boxers, the sensation makes your head spin.

“Baby,” he breathes warningly, but he doesn’t stop you.

One large hand settles firmly on your hip while you move against him again, slow and desperate through the thin fabric between you both. The friction pulls a quiet gasp from your mouth, and Luke’s eyes close for a second, his jaw tightening while he fights for control.

“There you go,” he whispers. “That feel good?”

You nod quickly.

“So needy tonight.”

You kiss him again before he can tease you more, and he lets you climb further over him, lets your thighs spread around his hips while his hands drag slowly up and down your sides.

The rain outside gets heavier, but inside, everything feels warm and hazy and messy.

Luke’s mouth leaves yours only long enough to kiss along your jaw, your throat, lingering beneath your ear when you grind down harder against him.

“Fuck,” he mutters softly.

Your hands clutch at his shoulders.

“Lu, please—”

“I know, sweet girl. I know.”

His voice drops lower, soothing enough to make your stomach tighten.

One hand slides into your hair, tilting your head back gently so he can look at you.

“You’re so pretty when you need me.”

The praise goes straight through you.

Your movements get sloppier after that, desperate little drags of your hips making the bed creak softly beneath you both. Luke watches the whole thing with heavy eyes and parted lips, caught somewhere between calming you down and making it worse. He kisses you again, deep enough to steal the air from your lungs. When you whimper into his mouth, pulling back slightly to brush his thumb along your lower lip.

“So sensitive,” he whispers. “Look at you.”

Your thighs squeeze around him hard enough to make him groan.

“Baby,” he says against your mouth, voice strained now, "you keep moving like that and I’m not gonna last long.”

But his hands are still guiding your hips, still helping you grind against him slow and deep until your breathing turns shaky and uneven.

Every soft sound you make seems to hit him right in the chest.

“That’s it,” he murmurs. “Use me.”

Your forehead drops against his shoulder as you move faster without meaning to, chasing the pressure desperately while Luke holds you steady beneath him.

“There you go, my love,” he says softly, kissing the side of your head.

A shaky sound leaves your throat when he rolls his hips up into yours once, slow enough to make your stomach tighten painfully.

“Oh my God.”

Luke huffs out a laugh at that, though it sounds strained now.

“Yeah?” His hands spread wider over your hips, fingers digging in just enough to keep you moving against him. “Feel good?”

You nod helplessly against him.

The chain around his neck catches against the collar of your shirt every time your bodies shift together, riding higher on your thighs while his hands keep roaming over your waist and hips. Everything feels too warm, too tight, too sensitive.

Especially when Luke starts whispering to you.

“That’s my girl.”

“Pretty thing.”

“So desperate for me.”

Each one goes straight through you.

Your breathing breaks apart completely when he kisses under your jaw again, open-mouthed and lingering this time. He’s still half sleepy and still soft around the edges from being dragged out of bed, but there’s something wrecked in the way he touches you now.

He likes this far too much.

Your hips stutter when the friction finally starts building properly, enough to make your eyes squeeze shut. Luke notices immediately.

He whispers again, softer this time. “C’mon, sweet girl. Let go for me.”

You bury your face in his neck with a muffled whine.

“I can’t—”

“Yes, you can.” His hand slides up your back slowly, calming and grounding all at once. “I got you.”

The words hit something deep in your chest.

Suddenly it’s too much. His voice, the rain outside, the way he keeps kissing your forehead between every sentence as if he can’t stop touching you.

Your movements turn frantic for a second before Luke steadies you again.

“Easy,” he murmurs, repeating, “I got you.”

“Lu—”

“I know, baby. I know.”

Luke kisses you slow again, grounding and deep, but the second you grind down harder against him, he breaks with a low groan into your mouth. His forehead falls against yours, eyes squeezed shut for a second while he exhales shakily.

“You’re killing me.”

“Sorry,” you whisper automatically.

That makes him laugh softly despite everything.

“Don’t apologize.” His nose nudges against yours affectionately. “I like when you need me.”

Your hips move again before you can help it, a moan cracking from within you as your clit drags perfectly against his throbbing length through your clothes.

Luke curses quietly under his breath. “That’s the one, huh?”

You nod quickly, breathing unevenly now.

He keeps helping you through it, guiding your rhythm with both hands firm on your waist while his own hips start moving more openly beneath you.

Every rock forward pulls another broken sound from your throat.

You finally lift your head enough to see him properly.

His hair is messy, lips swollen from kissing you, chest rising hard beneath your hands.

Completely undone for you, and the sight nearly makes you cum alone.

“Luke…” Your voice breaks around his name.

“I know.” His hand slides into your hair again immediately, gentle despite the tension running through him. “I know, my love. I got you.”

The praise and softness and pressure all blur together at once.

Your movements lose rhythm completely, desperate now. The second your forehead drops into his neck with a choked little sound, core snapping, twitching from your orgasm with unsteady breaths, Luke’s composure finally snaps too.

“Oh, fuck.”

His hands grip your hips hard enough to still you for a second while a sharp breath punches out of him. His head tips back against the pillow, spilling into his boxers while he rides it out beneath you, every muscle tense under your hands.

“That’s it,” he whispers hoarsely, pulling you back down against his chest almost immediately after. “Good girl. Good fucking girl.”

You can feel the uneven rise and fall of his breathing against your cheek while his hands rub slowly up and down your back again, gentler now.

Rain fills the silence for a few seconds.

Thunder rumbles somewhere out over the water.

Then quietly, still catching his breath, Luke presses a kiss to your temple.

“Feel better?”

A sleepy little laugh leaves you against his skin.

“So much better.”

“Yeah?” His arms tighten around you beneath the blankets. “Good.”

You stay tangled together in the dark for a long time after that, Luke lazily tracing shapes onto your spine while the storm rolls softly over the lake outside.

Every few minutes he kisses your forehead absentmindedly, warm and lingering.

“My sweet girl,” he murmurs eventually, his voice drifting and sleepy again. “Next time just wake me up sooner.”

thank u for reading!! feel free to chat in my inbox!! i am always down to be a freak or talk whenever! ✭

°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Cold, distant, and clipped are the only three adjectives that can properly describe your boyfriend for the past week.

You don't get it. You hadn't disagreed on anything, much less argued.

Everything was great Sunday night in bed, but by the time he came back home from morning skate he had suddenly become someone else. Someone that's nothing like your Luke.

"Hey, babe?", you yell to the bedroom.

All you get is a grunt of acknowledgement, instead of the usual "Yeah, baby?". You don't think you can deal with this version of him for much longer.

You practically stomp your way to the bedroom. Before opening the door, you inhale and exhale three times. This one's going to be a doozy and a half.

"Luke? You okay?", you ask in your gentlest tone.

He nods, eyes fixed to the wall like it's his greatest enemy.

"I-Uh, I don't know what's going on lately with you, Luke. You were fine on Sunday, but you've been weird since Monday morning. Is there a reason?", you ask.

He pales a bit but shakes his head.

You decide if he won't say it himself, you won't force it out of him.

"Alright, if you do want to talk about it...I'm always here", you finish. You can't help the sadness on your face and the way you play with your fingers to hide how nervous you are.

Before you close the door, you hear the bed sheets rustle and Luke get up.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm being stupid", he mutters.

"You're not. Whatever's got you shaken up isn't stupid, Lukey. I just wish you would open up so I could help you, or, I don't know...at least share the burden."

He gets close enough to get a hold of your hands and to interlace your fingers.

"It's the guys. In the locker room", he admits. You look up at him, confused.

"They were joking around and stuff about how we should all hit the bar downtown. I-I told them I'd skip out and go home. Told them you were waiting for me and that tonight's date night", he further explained.

"Yeah?", you gently allow him to continue.

"They said I was too in love. Obsessed. That they bet you're sick and tired of me being so clingy", he finally finishes.

You look up at him and brush the curls off his forhead. "And you believed them?", you ask.

He nods, suddenly looking unsure.

"Luke. I could never be tired of you, first of all. Secondly, I love how you are. All of it. I love how you hug me while we brush our teeth at night and how you wrap your legs around me while we sleep", you say.

"You don't wish I was more cool and distant?", he asks.

"God, no. I would hate that. Y'know Melanie, right?", at this he looks down at you and nods. "Well, her boyfriend's like that. She hates it. So much, Luke. To the point that she's been planning how to break up with him for the past week!"

He looks stunned. He hadn't thought that the way he loved you was right because of the guys. He thought loving you out loud less would result in you loving him more.

"God, I'm stupid. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let them get in my head like that", he apologized profusely. You swear you see tears start to well in his eyes.

"Don't apologize. Just talk to me next time, yeah?" He nods and wraps his arms around you.

"Noted. Never listen to the idiots in the locker room ever again." You chuckle and draw circles on his clothed back.

clad in nothing more than one of luke’s button ups and your bikini, you found a nice spot to lay out a blanket to enjoy the afternoon breeze. you chose a spot near the dock, under a tree overhanging. the sun was still high enough that it wouldn’t disturb you. you brought your phone with you, mostly for an alarm so you didn’t lose track of the time, and a book that you’ve been meaning to start all summer. 

this was your first summer at the lakehouse with luke and his brothers, and you had no idea what to expect. their friends were in and out of the house for the first few weeks, and it felt like things would never slow down. you were almost thankful for the heat wave, forcing the brothers and their gang inside to play beer pong and video games. it left the outdoors nice and peaceful. it was perfect to lay out and finally start your book. 

you insisted that your boyfriend didn’t have to join you. you were perfectly content to sit outside alone while luke enjoyed guy time with his friends. there were a few other girlfriends, but they were attached to the hip of their men, and their men were attached to the hip with each other. that didn’t mean you weren’t attached to the hip of your man because you were. however, luke’s focus was on you and only you. so, he was lying next to you on the blanket with his head on your lap. 

you didn’t mind at all. it was nice to have a moment with just the two of you. even back in new jersey, luke lived with jack, so whenever you were over, jack was just there. it was hard to have a moment alone. at the lake house, it was even harder. you welcomed an opportunity to have luke all to yourself while the rest of the house was occupied. 

luke made himself comfortable with his cheek against your thigh, spooning your legs. he was lucky it was too hot to be in the sun because you were not going to have a luke shaped tan line across your legs. however, in the shade, even in the suffocating heat, you couldn’t tell him no. your hand found a home in his curls, and your fingers danced along his hairline. sweat droplets pooled at the nape of his neck, but you didn’t mind. you were happy to have a moment of peace. 

pages turned, albeit slowly. the heat made it difficult to stay focused, and the soft lapping of the water was soothing. your movements in luke’s hair were repetitive. it wasn’t helping you to stay awake. it wasn’t long before luke’s soft snores joined the ambience. a soft smile spread across your face as you felt your body growing heavier and heavier. you barely had time to place your bookmark into the pages before you joined luke in slumber. 

~~~~

a chill settled in the air. the sun was dipping below the lake and shining off the water directly across your face. you stirred, however you weren’t able to move far. luke was still spread out across your legs. there was a wet spot growing on your thigh from luke’s drool. you giggled softly before glancing around. behind you, music was playing, evidence that the party has finally moved outside now that the heat had died down. your alarms either didn’t go off or you slept right through them. to be honest, you didn’t really care either way. being at the lake house, there was almost something going on. there was barely time to stop and breathe, so having a moment of peace with luke was just what you needed. 

sitting up, you gently ran your fingers through your boyfriend’s curls. “lukey,” you said softly. you didn’t want to startle him awake. “hey, babe, we fell asleep,” you attempted to shift your legs from under him. that earned you a soft groan and a mumbled “five more minutes,” which made you giggle again. “we’ve been napping for a while, babe,” you glanced over your shoulder to see jack and quinn whispering to each other and pointing in your direction. that could only mean one thing. “come on, luke, your brothers are already staring.” 

that seemed to wake luke up. he sat up immediately, wiping his chin. his curls were sticking out awkwardly on one side and your thigh and his cheek had matching red marks. “oh god, they’re coming over here,” the youngest brother rolled his eyes. he normally didn’t mind the teasing from his older brothers, but when they involved you, luke had an issue. 

“rise and shine, little bro,” jack started once he and quinn were in earshot. “nice of you to join the land of the living.” 

quinn chuckled, “thought we were gonna have to plan your funeral, you were so dead.” while luke was used to the teasing, you were not. you blushed, visible even in the glow of the setting sun. despite dating for a while, you found the older hughes brothers to be quite intimidating. you were desperate for them to like you. you felt like you needed to gain their approval to continue dating their brother. luke seemed to pick up on it because his hand rested on your thigh, his thumb drawing soft circles against your skin. it was endearing and subtle. he was letting you know that he wasn’t going anywhere. “is taking naps a crime?” he chirped back confidently. 

“here, everything is a crime,” jack quipped. 

luke rolled his eyes again. “not everything needs to be so fast paced. it’s okay to slow down and enjoy it.” 

quinn seemed to like that answer as he elbowed his middle brother in the side. “we have chicken and burgers on the grill if either of you are hungry. should be ready in a couple minutes.” there was something about quinn that was so calming. he navigated the line of teasing and controlling well. 

you nodded, appreciating the invite. you were hungry, your stomach rumbling right on cue. “thank you, quinn.” 

quinn smiled and pulled a reluctant jack away with him, leaving you and luke alone once again. 

“sorry about them. i promise you get used to it.” luke reached out to tuck your hair behind your ear. 

you smiled, leaning into his touch. “it’s okay. i know what i signed up for,” you assured him. it was all part of being a younger sibling. you understood, being the younger sibling yourself. still, he didn’t need more reasons for his brothers to pick on him, so you started to fuss over his hair. a giggle slipped out as you attempted to tame the unruly curls. “i think you’re helpless.” 

“it can’t be that bad.” luke picked up your phone from where it lay on the blanket and used the screen as a mirror. “oh god, it is that bad, isn’t it?” his hand worked to flatten his curls, but it was no use. the combination of the heat and his sweat made them untameable. he gave out a sigh and shook his head. “it’s fine,” he shrugged, “i’m not ashamed of my love for you.” 

in that moment, you hoped your sunburnt cheeks were enough to hide the blush that heated your face. though you’d only been dating for a short while, and you did what you could to keep the peace, your love for the youngest brother knew no bounds. you couldn’t help it. leaning forward, you sealed your lips against his. it was slow and lazy, much like the afternoon. it was words unspoken and promises of tomorrow. luke smiled against you, reaching up to cup your face gently. he deepened the kiss, adjusting himself to tip your head back. 

you could’ve stayed right there with luke, frozen forever in that moment. 

however, the party found its way outside to the lawn, and the hoots and hollers were enough to pull you out of the fantasy. a deeper blush flooded your face, and no sunburn was hiding that. you hid your face in your hands, embarrassed. you weren’t ashamed, but this was more than you’ve ever done in front of his friends and family. luke sensed your apprehension and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear, smiling. “don’t worry about them, angel. just me and you,” he pecked your lips again before standing up, holding out his hand. “together,” he helped you stand. “together.” 

as always, dedicated to @definitelynotdomanique for listening to the whorish thots first and letting me run ideas past you c: i love you forever baby girl

tag list: @kodzuvk @miserymeats @hodgepodge-musings @majestyceleste @jackxhuggy-lover @probably--possessed @velocitytimes2 @hughesyhoe

It’s lively out tonight, the bars overflowing with drunk sports fans - crowding around the nearest screen to catch whatever primetime hockey game is playing out. You pay little attention to it at first, although the flashes of colour against the white ice catches in the edge of your vision every so often. Absent-mindedly, you find yourself drawn to watching a little, peering upwards with an awkward tilt of your neck and twirling your hair around a finger, letting each strand catch and tug tenderly at your scalp.

It reminds you of the ice rink that your dad used to build every winter when you were younger. You remember how he would begin it at the first cold flash, and on Christmas Day, he’d drag you and your younger brother out onto the rink to toss around pucks. You’d never been very good then and it always felt like a chore, an obligation.

Now, staring up at the screen, alone at a bar, you wish for those moments again. You wonder when everything changed so much.

Your fingers ghost over your phone, wanting to text, ask about the game that your dad was almost certainly following - but they fall away, curling back around your glass, slick and sticky with the sweat of condensation.

When you were younger, time seemed to pass slowly. Every memory, every second elongated. It was almost as if each second stretched into a minute, an hour drawn out into an entire day - your thoughts, imagination running wild, unable to restrain itself to the normal passage of time. You remember yearning for Christmas time in July and waiting what felt like a decade for your birthday. The year, those torturous twelve months dragged its feet behind you despite how you willed it not to. Oh how you would pull and pull on the rope of time but to no avail. To be puffed out after mere hours of wishing. It seemed as if the years passed so sluggishly that you might miss out on the future that was waiting for you. 

You chased after the future in your dreams until your feet bled and you could no longer stand. In your little mind, it was perfect - adulthood and all it’s promised delights.

It’s all an illusion obviously.

These days, now that you are older and know better, time moves differently. You don’t remember when it happened, when time began to speed up. Not a single point that you could assign it to. It was slow, barely noticeable. Until, suddenly, it wasn’t.

The years whip past you like a train blasting through a station. 

The announcement over the tannoy crackles. This train does not stop here.

You watch it, eyes darting over the flash of colour. This train does not stop here. You want to run after it, to try and catch it’s escaping matter. But your bones ache and there is a headache beginning to bruise against your temple so you don’t move an inch.

Your hair whips as it rushes past, your coat flapping violently as the train passes by you. And you don’t move an inch.

You board the next one dully, this time you are the one dragging your feet, and you wonder quite how and when did this whole thing become so utterly depressing.

When did time start to move so quickly? When did you stop caring? 

Somewhere in the years in between. The answer does not present itself.

New Years passed in a moment’s glance. Been and gone without even a second thought. You had wrung it in alone, half awake in your bed, scrolling endlessly and huffing as you watched the time on the little numbers on the left of the screen tip over into midnight. The moment was so utterly momentous. No fireworks, no screaming. No New Years kiss. That night, you had let a little tear slip from the edge of your eye, dripping into your bedding before you turned over and went to sleep.

You’d known that you would be spending it alone for a long time beforehand. Since the beginning of December possibly, mid December probably and since Christmas definitely.

Everyone was away, already doing something, having plans without you. Leaving the city for the holidays. That winter, you watched as Christmas posts popped up from glamorous locations - skiing in Aspen, New Years in Thailand, Christmas in Paris. 

And then there were the engagements, the baby announcements, the wedding invitations that slipped out of the Christmas cards that you opened alone in your apartment.

It all left a sour taste in the back of your throat, a little lump there that you just couldn’t push down, swallow away.

You had RSVP’d yes to half of them, slowly writing the number one on the slip of paper and stuffing it in the envelope as fast as you could. 

So you were single, horrendously, tragically single. There was nothing wrong with that, no, lots of people your age were single. There was no error in the system, nothing tragic that had befallen you for being single when most of your friends were browsing engagement rings and bringing their ‘long term life partner’ to girl’s brunch.

It just left a pit in your stomach. 

You hadn’t been in a serious relationship since you were a teenager really. If you were being honest with yourself, one couldn’t really have a serious relationship at seventeen - that’s just a lie that you had told yourself to make it all seem less… sad.

It wasn’t that in the four years since then you’d never been on a date, because you had, a fuckton of them. You’d chatted up guys at bars, and kissed strangers in the club and conducted highly problematic situationships which involved acting like a couple and then being told a couple months later that there would never be a date. So, your love life was active. It was just wilting.

Constantly autumn in the world of your love life. Rain was falling, enough to water the plants, and be hopeful of a prosperous crop. You waited and waited for a budding stem. Watched as the green leaves turned brown and fell off the trees. Bit by bit, your hope was beginning to run out and the rainfall and cold weather felt no different from the droughts of summer. Different conditions, same exact result. No crop, no flowers.

December had slipped through your fingers, days filled with self-pity and resentment. It is spring now. Mid-may. You sit at the bar, dressed up and waiting for your Prince Charming to walk through the door, to just know. But you’d ‘just known’ before, all to be let down.

You sip your rum and coke, swirling the dregs of it around in the bottom of the glass - the dark colour of the coke melding with the warm tones of the rum and the varnished surface of the wood that decorated the bar. 

All you want is someone. You need someone.

The thought replays in your mind, stuttering, buffering as your broken and aging laptop does when it is trying to open too many apps. You look up from your drink, looking up towards the door. 

You should leave.

But your eyes don’t meet the door. Someone is in the way.

You meet his eyes instead. Their eyes, looking directly back at you. Your breath seems to steal itself from your chest, green eyes looking back at you - wide as if they can see right through you.

Golden and dark. Like a forest, a deep and endless one, like where you planned your trail runs. Under the shadows, like the shade of your drink. 

Although it pulls at every muscle in your lung, although you already feel deprived of oxygen - the world spinning around you, tunnelling in on the man before you - you speak.

“Hi.”

One word but it feels like the world might collapse in on itself.

He doesn’t look away.

“Hi. I- uh, I’m Luke.”

His voice is gentle, sweet, almost uncertain at its edges.

You inch closer on your chair, doing the things, sending the signals, you open your stance up to him. 

The bar noise dims around you, the clamour of hockey night dissolving into nothing. Time slows as you drag your gaze over him.

Damp hair, curly and messy. A plain white t-shirt clinging to barely visible muscles that rippled under the surface. Rough and calloused palms, something entirely incongruous to the almost nervous man before you, switching leg from leg with each passing beat. You feel hot all over at the mere insinuation of what is under that thin cotton and those loose jeans.

You smile back, “Luke, I’m- well everyone just calls me Sugar, really.”

“Sugar.” He grin, leaning in, bare arms resting down on the bar as he sips on a beer. He gestures to your now empty glass, “I don’t suppose you’d want another of them, would you?”

Intoxicated by the rich smell of his cologne and the sweet awkward smile on his lips, you nod and pinch your cheeks with your teeth to keep from smiling too much as he leans over the bar area to practically shout a drink order at a free bartender. It shouldn’t feel as romantic as it does - but it is. You are already halfway gone for him. For Luke.

Time slows when you look at him.

Between the two of you, three or four more rounds disappear. Somewhere between the first and second round, your memory begins to blur, colour, light, sound all bleeding together

Not everything is lost to intoxication however.

His warm palms on your bare skin, spreading out against the expanse of your body, guiding you as you dance round him to the late night country songs that have no business playing in a New York bar. His legs press against your burning thighs in the darkened back hallway, hot breath on your neck, the allure of a terrible mistake. The warbles of a long lost Dolly Parton song playing out while your eyes flick to and from his lips and he leans in just far enough to make you keen for it.

Your breath is whispery as you pull him in by his beltloops, “Luke.”

You’ve always loved a terrible decision, and this is the embodiment of one.

His hand slips up your shirt, you can feel each groove and the scrape of coarse and marked skin, unsubtly grazing the lace of your bra. It sends heat pulsing right through you.

“Sugar.” He rasps and you fall right into it.

The air is thick with sweat and antiseptics, the scent overtaking the physical trainer room. You’re cleaning your exam table, getting rid of all the sweat and grime that your last patient, Dawson, left on the table. Chatter from the hallway mixed with the sound of sticks being set against the wall signals the end of practice. You busy yourself by organizing supplies and writing your latest report of Dawson’s minor injury while you wait for your newest patient since you started this job: Luke Hughes. The youngest Hughes brother has been coming to your exam table after every practice claiming his shoulder hurts, yet every time you tell him that you need to inform Keefe, Luke blanches and tells you it no longer hurts.

Luke always comes in 10 minutes after the team gets off the ice, walking into the exam room like a sheepish little kid who was caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar. “Knock knock.” You turn to face the door where a sweaty, tired looking Luke Hughes stands. “Good morning Luke! How may I help you today?” He smiles shyly and gestures to his shoulder, the one he’s been claiming that hurts. “My, uh, my shoulder hurts.” You motion him forward and pat your exam table, urging him to sit down and let you look at his shoulder. Luke walks forward and immediately sits down right where you patted the table, listening to you like a well trained puppy. “Luke, I'm going to need you to be a little more specific. Where exactly does it hurt? What’s your pain level? If you want me to help you, you have to give me the tools to help.”

Luke nods and shyly flickers his eyes up to you before looking back down at his lap. “Um yeah, sorry.” He rolls his shoulders back, winces, and raises his other hand to poke at the area surrounding his labrum. “It hurts right here, like it did when I hurt my shoulder last year. Oh, and I would say it hurts like a, uh, 4 out of 10.” You nod, write down what he’s saying on your chart before carefully moving his shoulder, occasionally asking if what you’re doing hurts. “Okay Luke can you please take off your shirt for me.” Luke’s head snaps up to look at you, his cheeks flush into a bright red color, his mouth gaps open like a fish out of water. “W-Why, um, why d-do you need me to?”

You smile at him, “Your shirt is constricting your movements. In order for me to work I’m going to need your shoulder to move around freely.” Luke nods and forms an ‘O’ with his mouth before shrugging off his shirt. The moment your hands touch Luke’s bare shoulder and upper chest he shudders, a full body shudder. You hesitate for a second, “Sorry. Are my hands cold?” Luke shakes his head and mutters a quiet ‘no’ before looking back down at his lap. You move gently but diligently, making sure not to miss a single twinge or quirk Luke makes. “Well Luke, your shoulder feels fine and is moving perfectly. I can give you some minor pain medication but other than that I just recommend doing your shoulder exercises.”

Luke nods and grabs his shirt, putting it back on before standing and walking to the door. He stops in the doorframe and looks back over his shoulder at you. You’re standing with your back towards him, writing something down on your charts. Luke breathes in, the scent of your perfume short circuits his brain. It makes him forget, for only a second, what your hands felt like on his body and the way he yearns for your hands to travel and canvas the rest of him. He takes one last look at you before opening his mouth, words leaving him the moment right when he decides to finally ask you the question that’s been on his mind for months. He shakes his head before finally walking out of the exam room and back into the locker room. “Struck out again, huh?”

“Shut up Jack.”

────────── ❤︎ ──────────

Luke is going through withdrawals. Specifically, you withdrawals. He hasn’t seen you, talked to you, or even heard your voice in a week. You are all that Luke has talked about making Jack feel like he is losing his mind. But now? Now, Luke is hurrying Jack out of the car so they can enter the Prudential Center for their afternoon practice. Jack just laughs to himself as he watches his love struck brother race through the back halls of The Rock so he can see you again. Luke’s mind is racing but that doesn’t stop him from talking a million miles an hour about everything that includes you. Your hair, your smile, your laugh, everything. Jack has to jog to catch up with Luke’s long strides in order to physically hold him back from entering your exam room like a bull in a china shop.

“Luke, bud, we need to practice and we’re already late so we can't waste anymore time.” Luke whips his head back to look at Jack, “Speaking to her is not a waste of time!” Jack rolls his eyes at Luke’s whiney outburst and just throws an arm around Luke before leading him towards the locker room, “After practice Luke, then you can go see her.” Luke hesitates before nodding his head, casting one more glance at your room before walking with Jack to practice.

Luke swears this has been the longest practice he’s ever attended, it also wasn’t the best he’s ever performed at practice. He was constantly zoning out, missing passes, and stumbling around the ice. You consume his thoughts, nothing could tear his mind away from the thought of you. Well…except one thing. “HUGHES!” Keefe’s voice shatters Luke’s thoughts like a glass bottle shattering on the floor. He looks up at his coach in alarm, the team has gone silent and are now awkwardly looking between Luke and Keefe.

“Luke! Where the hell is your head? You’re playing like shit!” Luke gulps and looks down in shame. Luke apologizes, hoping that will appease his coach but Keefe just shakes his head in response and dismisses the team. Luke sulks off the ice, unlike the last time Luke was leaving the ice after practice, his excitement to see you is now trumped by getting screamed at by his coach. He walks slowly back to the locker room, as if he was physically wounded by Keefe yelling at him. He undresses slowly, his mind swarming with thoughts of his sloppy passes and ruined practice exercises.

When Luke finally makes his way to your room he is 20 minutes later than his usual time. You notice his unusual mood the second he walks through the door, no shy smile or cute stutter, just a blank look on his face as he sits himself down on the exam table. “Hey Luke, are you okay?” Luke sighs before saying “Yeah. My shoulder hurts.” in a very non-convincing tone. This time you sigh and set your chart down on a table as you make your way over to Luke’s side. You set your hand on his shoulder, forcing him to look at you. “Again? Luke, what’s wrong? I hate seeing you like this.”

Luke was already shook when you put your hand on his shoulder but now that you’re asking him how he feels, showing you care, Luke’s shitty mood turns into pure unfiltered joy. Luke can barely keep the smile off of his face when he explains what happened at practice. “Aw Luke I’m so sorry,” you hug him unaware of the effect you have on him , “I think I know something that’ll make you feel better.” Luke’s head was resting on your shoulder but lifts up when you pull back from the hug. He looks at you confused before asking “What would that be?”

“You, me, and a date.”

The look on Luke’s face is almost laughable, his eyes are wide, his cheeks are red, and his mouth is open. He has trouble speaking as he stutters out a ‘yes, oh god yes’ in response to your question. He jumps up from the table, a wide smile on his face, his slightly damp curls bouncing as he moves around the room. He runs out the room, heads down the hall towards the locker room before turning back around and going to your exam room. He rushes back through the door, enveloping you in a hug and pressing a kiss to your cheek shouting “You won’t regret this!” as he rushes back down the hall, shoving a poor Nico out of the way.

Luke had told her that the Devils were doing a charity visit at the children’s hospital where she worked, but she hadn’t expected his entire defensive unit plus Jack to be trotting through the pediatric wing like overly energetic golden retrievers.

She was at the nurses’ station, updating charts, when she heard it:

“LUKE! Look—STICKERS.”

Jack. Obviously.

She turned, trying not to laugh as Luke pried a sheet of dinosaur stickers out of his brother’s hands.

“Jack, those are for the kids,” she said, stepping toward them.

Jack blinked. “I’m a kid at heart.”

“Uh-huh,” she deadpanned.

Luke lit up the second he saw her. “Hey,” he said softly, leaning in just enough that only she could hear it. “Didn’t think we’d end up on your floor.”

“I work here, Luke,” she teased. “You had at least a 50/50 chance.”

Before he could respond, Timo Meier wandered over holding a teddy bear wearing an oversized mini-Devils jersey. “Where do you want us?” he asked her.

She led them room to room, watching Luke transform from NHL defenseman into the sweetest version of himself. He knelt beside beds, let little kids tug on his jersey, listened intently to their stories even the ones that made no sense and involved Pokémon, spaceships, and a unicorn with Quinn’s face.

But the highlight was the girl in room 14.

She was eight, shy, and so in love with hockey she almost vibrated. She clutched a mini Devils stick so tightly her knuckles were white.

Luke crouched in front of her bed. “You play?” he asked.

She nodded enthusiastically. “Defense. Like you.”

He smiled, cheeks pink. “You’re probably better than me.”

The girl shook her head so hard her ponytail whipped her cheeks. “No! You’re the best!”

Her girlfriend watched Luke melt on the spot. He signed her stick, then the girl shyly asked, “Can I take a picture with you and your… your wife?”

She choked. Luke’s ears turned red. Jack, from across the room, yelled:

“NOT HIS WIFE. HIS BOSS.”

She slapped a hand over her face. Luke groaned. The parents laughed. Jack was absolutely thriving.

She stepped closer to the bed, offering a warm smile to the girl. “I’m not his wife,” she said gently. “Just his girlfriend.”

“Oh,” the little girl said thoughtfully. “Are you gonna marry him?”

Jack inhaled sharply like he’d been waiting his whole life for that question. “Let’s get a PICTURE.”

“Oh my god,” Luke muttered under his breath.

But he let her slide beside him, both of them leaning in for the photo with the little girl beaming between them. Luke’s hand brushed her lower back barely there, still respectful because she was working but familiar enough to make her stomach flip.

Then, as soon as the door closed behind them, Jack clapped his hands loudly.

“All right! Couple photo next!”

“No,” Luke said immediately.

“Yes,” Jack insisted, already grabbing her phone off the nurses’ station like he lived there.

She protested. “Jack, I’m on shift. No PDA.”

“Standing next to each other isn’t PDA,” Jack argued, shoving them shoulder-to-shoulder.

“It is for Luke,” Dougie chimed in, passing with an armful of goodie bags.

Luke glared at all of them. “I hate all of you.”

But he still slipped an arm around her waist—quick, subtle, instinctive as Jack took the photo. And despite his complaining, Luke smiled. Softly. The way he only did with her.

Jack checked the screen. “OHHHH okay this is adorable. I’m sending it to the group chat.”

“No—Jack, don’t—”

“Too late,” he singsonged, skipping down the hallway.

Luke groaned into her shoulder. “I swear he’s actually twelve.”

She laughed, brushing a hand down his arm. “You’re good with them, you know.”

“The kids?”

“No,” she joked. “Jack.”

Luke deadpanned. “I want that on record as the worst thing you’ve ever said.”

She grinned. “Fine yes, the kids. You’re amazing with them.”

His expression softened, the chaos fading from his features. “It was easier with you here,” he admitted quietly. “Makes everything feel… I don’t know. Right.”

Before she could respond, her pager beeped.

Duty called.

She squeezed his hand once fast and professional and he understood. That was them. Soft in quiet moments, strong in busy ones, always connected even when they weren’t touching.

“We’ll meet you downstairs before we go,” Luke promised.

She nodded, already shifting back into nurse mode.

But as he walked away to catch up with the team, he glanced back at her once more. Just for a second. Just long enough for her to feel it.

Even in a hospital filled with sick kids, bright lights, beeping machines, and loud players…

You wanted to watch a show to distract yourself but couldn’t concentrate, you tried some calm music to help clear your thoughts but you can’t help feeling sad and uneasy.

You lean against your pillow for a second, trying to fall back asleep but a scream from across the room makes you open your eyes. You take a deep breath, trying to calm yourself but you feel your eyes welling up with tears anyway. You’re not quite sure why your whole world is spinning with a sense of helplessness and loneliness.

Luke.

From the kitchen, you hear his voice in the distance. He’s laughing, talking loudly with his brothers while playing on the screen. You can hear the sound of the video game, quick comments, jokes.

A tightness in your chest makes you get out of bed, feeling a little sore, holding your breath as the urge to cry hits you. You don’t remember ever feeling this bad during your period and you’re really suffering through it.

You shuffle across the floor without thinking too much about it, tears starting to fall before you can stop them. You must look absolutely terrible, as if it were the end of your days but you also want some attention.

When you appear in the doorway, he doesn’t even notice at first. He’s focused on the screen, controller in hand, his eyes fixed on the game.

“Luke…” you call out from behind him. He doesn’t answer, and that makes you feel ignored.

“Luke!” You raise your voice a little but loud enough for him to hear.

He turns around suddenly and as soon as he sees you, his smile quickly fades. He stops playing immediately, putting down the controller without even finishing the game.

You pout, hiding your tears, while your tear-filled eyes watch him look worried. You feel really upset right now, but you can’t help wanting to feel his presence.

“Hey babe… what’s wrong?” he says, standing up quickly, clearly scared.

You shake your head, feeling the tears cascade down your face, your head hurts, you feel swollen, completely distant and abandoned.

Luke comes over to you right away, looking at your wet face, confused, worried. You hear Jack’s shouts calling for him over and over and Quinn complaining about the video game. You don’t want to interrupt him, especially when he’s spending time with his brothers but you can’t stand being alone with your thoughts anymore.

“Are you okay? Did something happen?” One of his hands gently wraps around your waist.

You shake your head again with a stifled sigh. He quickly wraps his arms around your shoulders and pulls you into a warm, familiar embrace, feeling every cell in your body respond to him. You sigh, inhaling his scent as your senses sharpen, the tension releases and finally, you can breathe easily.

“I just… need you” you whisper hoarsely.

Luke leans back slightly to look at you tenderly and your words are enough. Luke nods and turns back toward the couch, he doesn’t ask any more questions at that moment and as soon as he picks up the remote, he turns off the game without hesitation.

He’s back with you in seconds, giving you his full attention. With his warm fingers, he wipes the tears from your face while gently kissing your forehead.

“Shall we go to bed?” he says more softly now.

You grab his sweatshirt slightly, as if seeking support, and nod barely.

“I want to go to bed, I want to sleep but i can't…”

He nods immediately, carefully. He takes your hand and you follow him as they walk toward the bedroom, he glances at you out of the corner of his eye, still worried. A sharp pain in your lower abdomen makes you groan, causing you to stop as you hold your stomach.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”

You sigh wearily. “I’m on my period”

He makes a small, understanding grimace, as if everything suddenly clicked into place. The tension in his face eases slightly but not the worry. It just shifts to something softer. He wraps his arms around your shoulders, supporting you gently and making room for you as you enter the bedroom.

When you reach the bed, he helps you slip under the sheets, settling you in slowly. He helps by lifting your legs and once you’re lying down, he tucks you in with the blankets.

“Do you want me to get you anything? A pill, water, some tea…?”

You shake your head, looking at him. He looks at you expectantly.

“No. I just want you... with me”

He stands still for a second, looking at you, as if processing that. One of his hands takes a lock of your hair and gently tucks it behind your ear, making you tremble.

“Are you sure? Don’t you need a painkiller or a heating pad?”

His worried face makes you melt with love and even though you’d ask him to hold you forever, you just nod affectionately.

“I want you to lie down with me… I’m cold…”

He lets out a soft, tender chuckle, while your eyes beg him to stay. Luke starts taking off his clothes and gets into bed with you, then immediately moves closer, settling in behind you. He wraps his body around you, pressing himself against you, slipping an arm around your waist.

Carefully, almost instinctively, he lowers his hand to your lower abdomen, caressing you gently. He doesn’t press hard, just rests his hand there and begins to stroke slowly, generating warmth. His touch makes you shiver, but the sensation is enough. Enough to make you feel his warmth, his closeness, his love.

“Is this okay?” he murmurs close to your ear.

You nod, closing your eyes.

“I’m sorry, Luke” you say, feeling bad about the situation.

He caresses your skin once more as he wraps his hand around your head from beneath the pillow.

“I hate feeling this way… Like I have no control over anything. I don’t want to bother you…” you explain but he interrupts you.

“You would never be a bother to me, babe” he says in his clear, confident voice. “You’re my girlfriend and it’s my duty to be with you during these moments and support you”

His words make you tremble with happiness, your heart calms down. Everything in your body seems to return to normal with that.

The warmth of his body, his calm breathing, his hand moving slowly, his words, everything begins to soothe you. Your thoughts have finally faded and now you feel that everything is more bearable you’re finally yourself again.

He hugs you a little tighter, tucking the sheets around you more snugly.

“At least there’s no baby, rigth?” he murmurs in your ear.

Your chest tightens and a loud laugh bursts from your mouth, making you shake. All the pain seems to disappear and your heart leaps with joy as you laugh at his joke. Luke pulls you closer in his embrace and you feel the warmth you love so much.

And in that moment with your tears now subsiding, you let yourself sink completely into that embrace. Because that was what you needed... just him, holding you.