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hockeylovee12 · 7 months ago

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Crossing Enemy Lines

Chapter One

Luke Hughes x Original Character

Summary: When Luke Hughes got drafted by the New Jersey Devils he knew he was entering one of the most intense rivalries in professional hockey. But what he didn't bargain for was falling in love with a Rangers player's sister during his first year in the show.

OR Luke Hughes meets the right girl with the wrong last name.

Warnings: Cussing

November 10th, 2023

Inside a dimly lit bar tucked away in Jersey City, Luke occupies a corner seat surrounded by some of his teammates. His shoulders hunch inside the navy jacket he wears, while a grim scowl tugs at the corner of his mouth.

Around him the sounds of clinking glasses, rhythmic thuds of billiard balls, and lively chatter echo off the walls, creating a cacophony of noise as he tries to drown out the bitter feeling of defeat.

John, slides into the empty seat beside him, nudging his shoulder lightly, "Come on Lukey, Just shake it off, it's not the end of the world" he urges, allowing a smile that doesn't quite reach his warm brown eyes to cross his lips.

Luke turns towards John, his scowl unwavering.

If Luke was a Swiftie, he could point out the irony of John quoting Taylor Swift after they lost to the New York Rangers. But he's not so instead he settles for a half-hearted shrug.

"Seriously, man, you can't let one loss get to you like this," Jack cuts in, placing a hand on his younger brother's shoulder. "Just forget about it. It's one game. We still got three more against those assholes" He adds with the same persuasive tone he used less than an hour ago to convince Luke to come to the bar in the first place.

A heavy sigh escapes Luke's lips as his shoulders slump further.

He can't just forget about it. They lost 1-7 to the New York fucking Rangers, their literal Rivals. The same team they managed to kick out of the playoffs last season, the same team they beat several times in preseason, and the same team they couldn't fucking score against.

It was a complete shit show from start to finish.

A stupid hooking call cost them the game's first goal. Then a series of shitty defense decisions, put them in a hole they couldn't climb out of. And then there was Igor fucking Shesterkin, standing on his head and making 23 saves out of 24 shots like he was some kind of brick wall. The one goal they managed to squeeze past him was a lucky bounce that barely counted.

It was infuriating to watch Panarin and Zibanejad dance circles around their defense, while they couldn't even get a decent scoring chance on the other side.

Luke is momentarily pulled away from his bitter recounter of the game, as the loud laughter of his teammates, Nate and Dawson echoes throughout the space, as they return to their table with a fresh round of drinks.

"What's with the long face, Rusty?" Dawson asks, as he sets down the glasses, with a clink, and claps Luke on the shoulder.

"Don't tell me you're still moping about tonight's loss" Nate jokes, his tone light and teasing, as he sticks to his well-known game philosophy of 'play and move on'.

A sentiment clearly not shared by every member of the Devils.

"Shut it, Bass" Luke mumbles, shooting him an irritated glare.

A small chuckle rumbles from Dawson's chest, "Come on man. Don't be like that" he says as Luke's lips return to a scowl.

"Alright fine, if you're gonna pout about the game at least do it well drinking so you're not a buzzkill" Dawson boasts as he slides a fresh beer across the table to Luke, which would otherwise be inaccessible to him seeing as how he's still got 10 months till he can order one for himself-at least legally.

Luke accepts the beer with a resigned sigh, his hazel eyes somewhat softening for the first time tonight, as the crisp, tangy scent wafts towards him "Easy for you to say, you weren't the one getting ragdolled by fucking Trouba every damn shift."

"Tell me about it," Nate shakes his head in dismay. "Did you see the way he drove Jonas into the boards in the third? Could've broken some ribs with that bullshit cheapshot."

"Jacob Trouba's a fucking punk, can't believe he wears the C" Jack adds

"They're all fucking punks" Luke mutters

"At least our rookies' loyalties lie with the right team" Nate jokes, as he reaches across the table to ruffle Luke's hair, much to his annoyance.

"Their dirty fucking players" Luke adds, taking a sip of his beer

"Ok true, but we can't let them get in our heads" John states with conviction. "They can play as dirty as they want, alright we just gotta focus on our game"

"Mr. Harvard's right" Nate says confidently, raising his now half-full beer "Next game, we return the favor and shut up those loudmouths"

"That's not-"

"Alright guys enough dwelling on that shit show," Dawson states, "We're supposed to be blowing off steam tonight, not sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves."

Jack nods in agreement "Daws is right, we won't seem em for a while anyway, so let's stop talking about the Rangers"

The group mutters in agreement before falling into silence, waiting for a new topic to arise.

"Did you guys see Haula's reaction to the prank Nate and I pulled on him yesterday?" Dawson asks

"That was you guys, Damn he was pissed" John says

"Hey payback bitch he shouldn't have put shaving cream in our skates. Piece of shit" Nate claims, his voice wavering with some degree of platonic affection for one of their older teammates.

Most of the group chuckles at Nate's anecdote, except for Luke, who's still stuck in his own head.

"Remember that time, we triple knotted every pair of Quinn's shoes" Jack asks, gently nudging Luke's arm.

A faint smile tugs at the corner of Luke's mouth as the memory surfaces "Ya, he tried to shove his big ass feet into my Vans"

"And then he spent the next week trying to get us back" Jack adds, grinning "And failed miserably every time."

Luke let's out a soft chuckle, it's not his usual boisterous laugh, but hey it's a start.

*****

As the night wears on, the lively conversation and laughter enveloping their table slowly eases the weight of the loss from Luke's shoulders.

Then in the midst of a lively discussion about fantasy football with Dawson, Jack and John, his attention absentmindedly drifts towards the door, and his gaze suddenly locks onto the captivating sight of a stunning girl with cascading locks of dark-chocolate colored hair, and a warm smile, gracefully stepping into the bar.

"Hey, where did Nate disappear to?" John's question floats through the air momentarily anchoring Luke back to the table strewn with empty glasses.

Their eyes wander around the bar, until the spot Nate weaving his way through a small crowd an impish grin plastered on his face.

"Big news boys! Guess who's got a date tomorrow!" he boasts, wavering around a paper napkin that seemingly has a phone number written on it-whether it was actually the girls or a random one made up on the spot, we may never know-prompting a chorus of laughter to ripple across the table.

Luke cracks a smile too, but it's not one that reaches his eyes. They've wandered off already, tracking the girl he spotted moments ago, who now leans casually against the bar counter, her fingers drumming a silent rhythm on its surface as she waits for her drink.

"Luke?" Jack's voice cuts through his thoughts, sharp enough to draw attention, yet laced with a hint of concern "You okay, man?"

"Uh, yeah" Luke stammers, trying to mask how his focus had strayed. He forces himself to lock eyes with Jack hoping to convey a sense of normalcy.

But Jack knows him too well, reads him too easily and one look at Luke's face tells him where his brother's mind had wandered off to.

Luke's eyes quickly shift towards the girl again, who's retrieving her drink from the bar, and takes a small sip.

"Earth to Luke," John teases.

All heads subtly turn to acknowledge the object of Luke's distraction, watching as she walks towards the vacant pool table.

"Looks like someone caught your eye" Dawson says with a wry smile, elbowing Luke playfully.

"Looks like your type too," Jack adds, a sly grin crossing his lips. "Why don't you go say hi?"

"Come on, man" John's encouragement is gentle, persuasive "Take your mind off things for a bit"

"Go ahead rook" Nate prods "Show us what you've got"

Luke hesitates for a moment, allowing the suggestion to linger in the air.

Before a not so subtle shove to the shoulder by Jack, causes him to push his chair back and stand up.

"Alright wish me luck" He mutters

"Attaboy!" Nate exclaims, clapping his shoulder.

The cool air circulating inside the bar brushes against the small amounts of exposed skin, as he crosses the short distance to the pool table.

"Hey," he says, flashing a quick grin that hopefully looks more charming than nervous.

"Hi," the girl replies, her voice a melodic hint of intrigue. She looks up, a smile teasing at the corners of her lips. "I'm Jordan"

"Luke" he offers back, a tentative smile of his own forming.

"Want to play?" she asks, gesturing to the table with a cue stick.

"Sure," Luke responds, retrieving a cue from the rack on the wall.

"So are you any good?" Jordan teases, as she lines up for her shot.

"Depends on the day," Luke admits, watching as she sinks a solid ball into a corner pocket.

"Looks like today might be my day then" she quips, with a soft smile on her face as she steps to the side.

Luke chuckles as he takes his shot, cleanly sinking a striped ball into a corner pocket. "Guess we'll see about that."

*****

As the game plays out, the rhythmic clack of pool balls blends nicely with their voices, providing a backdrop as they learn more about one another.

"So, Jordan," he asks curiosity gleaming in his eyes, "what brings you here tonight?"

Jordan leans against her cue, "Just wanted to explore a little"

Luke lets out a soft laugh as he lines up his shot, expertly guiding the striped ball into the middle pocket "You from around here?" he asks

Jordan leans forward, cue in hand and takes her shot. The satisfying click of the pool balls echoing in the bar, signaling another point for her.

She straightens up and glances at Luke with a smirk, "New York City" she replies

"Let me guess, you're a secret pool shark, got bored of the games up there?" he asks, his tone laced with a sense of humor, as he takes his shot and the ball ricochets off the side and misses sinking into the pocket by an inch.

"Close I'm a student at NYU" she answers

"NYU, wow that's really impressive. What's you studying?" Luke questions watching as she sinks another ball

Jordan shrugs, a modest smile on her lips "I just started up a few weeks ago, but I'm majoring in English Lit" she replies

"English Lit, huh, you a big reader?" Luke asks

"Yeah, there's just something about getting lost in a good book, you know?"

"Yeah I do" Luke agrees "Although I probably don't read as much as I should. Maybe you can recommend something for me?"

"I'd love to," Jordan says, her eyes sparkling. "But only if you promise me you'll actually read it."

"Cross my heart," Luke grins, making an exaggerated gesture.

Their eyes meet, a spark of connection passing between them as they share a smile.

Jordan leans against the pool table, studying Luke for a moment before asking, "So, what about you? What's your story?"

Luke hesitates, his mind racing as he considers how to respond. His eyes briefly flicker to his teammates, still laughing and joking at their table.

He's seen it before, seen it a handful of times over the past few months since he's become an NHL player, hell he saw it before too, with both his brothers being in the show.

The way people's perceptions change when they learn of his profession, or his last name, the way their eyes widen with awe or narrow with skepticism, or the way the conversation shifts completely and suddenly their no longer talking to him, their either talking at him telling him their thoughts and opinions about him, or they throw questions at him like a round of rapid fire, wanting to know what life in the NHL is really like.

And so, in this moment, with Jordan's eyes on him, warm and inviting. Luke decides tonight he's not a hockey player, he's not Hughes, he's just a guy enjoying a night out and connecting with a beautiful girl over a game of pool.

"Well, uh-I'm originally from New Hampshire" he begins, the half-truth rolling off his tongue "But I moved out here for school. Studying sports business"

He sinks another ball, the satisfying clack echoing in the bar.

He was born in New Hampshire, even if he hasn't lived there since he was 3, and technically, he's doing something with sports business, just not studying it, so it's not completely a lie or at least that's what he tells himself.

"What made you interested in sports business?" Jordan remarks, her eyes sparkling with genuine interest.

"I've always been pretty active, played a lot of sports growing up," Luke explains, watching as Jordan takes her turn, expertly maneuvering the cue ball. "I guess I just wanted to find a way to stay involved, even if I'm not playing, you know?"

Jordan nods, understanding in her eyes. "That makes sense."

As they continue to talk, the game progresses, with Jordan maintaining a slight lead. She sinks her last solid ball, leaving only the 8-ball and one striped ball remaining.

"You're pretty good at this," Luke says, lining up his shot.

"Ya well growing up with an older brother has its perks, taught me how to handle my own" Jordan replies, brushing a strand of brown hair from her face.

"Sounds like a good guy" Luke says just before hitting his last striped ball into a middle pocket

"Most of the time," she admits

A small smile tugs at Luke's lips as he watches Jordan ready herself for the final shot, "Your form could use some work, though" Luke teases

"Is that so?" Jordan smirks, glancing up at him.

"Maybe just a little" Luke grins, with a playful glint in his eyes "Care to prove me wrong?"

Jordan leans in, focusing on the shot. With a smooth, confident motion, she strikes the cue ball, sending the 8-ball rolling towards the corner pocket. It teeters on the edge for a brief moment before dropping in with a satisfying thud.

"Looks like I just did," Jordan grins, straightening up and facing Luke.

Luke chuckles, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "I guess I stand corrected. Clearly, you've got this game figured out."

They share a smile, the air between them charged with a flirtatious energy. Jordan takes a step closer, her eyes locked on Luke's.

"Well, maybe I just got lucky," she murmurs, her voice low and playful.

"Or maybe you're just that good," Luke counters, his gaze drifting to her lips for a fleeting moment.

The tension between them is palpable, the rest of the bar fading into the background as they stand mere inches apart. Jordan's hand brushes against Luke's, sending a jolt of electricity through his body.

"I guess we'll have to play again sometime," Jordan suggests, her tone laced with promise. "Give you a chance to redeem yourself."

"I'd like that," Luke replies, his voice soft and sincere.

Jordan smiles, a genuine, warm expression that makes Luke's heart skip a beat, as she reaches for her phone. "Here, put your number in, and I'll text you."

Jordan smiles before adding "Maybe next time, I'll even let you win."

Luke laughs, shaking his head. "Oh, you're on. But I won't need you to let me win. I can do that all on my own." he says as he takes the phone, his fingers brushing against hers as he types in his number.

There's a spark, a jolt of electricity that passes between them, and for a moment, the rest of the world falls away.

"I don't doubt it for a second," Jordan grins, the admiration clear in her eyes.

When he hands the phone back, their eyes meet once more, a silent acknowledgment of the connection they both feel.

"I should probably get going," Jordan says reluctantly, glancing at the time. "Early class tomorrow."

"Of course," Luke nods, trying to ignore the twinge of disappointment in his chest.

Luke nods, trying to ignore the twinge of disappointment in his chest. "It was nice to meet you Jordan"

"It was nice to meet you too Luke"

Luke grins, watching as she gathers her things and heads for the door.

Luke stands there for a moment, watching as Jordan's silhouette fades into the night, a grin plastered across his face. The cool evening breeze rustles his hair, but he barely notices, his mind still replaying the events of the past few hours.

With a final glance at the door, Luke turns and makes his way back to the table where his teammates await. As he approaches, he can see their faces light up with a mix of curiosity and good-natured mischief.

*****

"Well, well, well," Nate drawls, leaning back in his chair with a smirk. "Look who decided to grace us with his presence again."

"Shut it Nate" Luke replies, but there's no heat behind his words. He slides into his seat, grabbing his half-finished beer and taking a swig.

"So..." John says, a smile tugging at his lips.

"So?" Luke questions taking another sip

Dawson and John exchange a look, "Give us details?!" Dawson encourages

Luke rests his elbow on the table, and locks eyes with his teammates before letting out a simple "No"

Dawson, John and Nate's mouths dramatically drop, as if Luke just informed them that he's the notorious Zodiac Killer.

"Luke!' Dawson exclaims

"Aw, come on!" John protests, a good-natured grin on his face. "You can't leave us hanging like that. Did you get her number? Are you gonna see her again?"

"Maybe," Luke replies, a hint of mystery in his voice.

Nate leans forward, a mischievous glint in his eye. "So, what's her name? Come on, you gotta give us something, man."

Luke takes a sip of his beer, a small smile playing on his lips. "Her name's Jordan, and that's all you're getting out of me tonight."

"Jordan, huh?" Dawson repeats, waggling his eyebrows. "And what does this mystery girl do? Is she a student? A model? A secret agent?"

Luke chuckles, shaking his head. "She's a student, but that's all I'm saying. You guys are worse than a bunch of gossiping old ladies."

"Hey, we're just looking out for our boy," John defends, holding his hands up in mock surrender. "We gotta make sure she's good enough for our rookie."

"Trust me, she's more than good enough," Luke assures them, a hint of admiration in his voice.

"Ooh, sounds like someone's smitten!" Nate teases, reaching over to ruffle Luke's hair.

Luke swats his hand away, laughing. "Shut up, I am not. It was one game of pool and I had a good time, that's all."

"One game of pool that lasted, what, two hours?" Dawson teases, giving Luke a playful shove. "Face it, Hughesy, you're smitten."

Luke rolls his eyes, but before he can retort, Jack stands up and stretches. "Alright, boys, as much as I'd love to sit here and watch you interrogate my little brother all night, we should probably head out."

A chorus of groans rises from the table, but the guys begrudgingly agree. They settle their tab and say their goodbyes, each one giving Luke a final nudge or wink before heading out into the night.

As Jack and Luke step outside, the cool night air hits them, a refreshing change from the stuffy bar. They walk side by side, hands shoved in their pockets, the silence between them comfortable and familiar.

After a few moments, Jack glances over at his brother, a small smile on his face. "So, this Jordan girl," he begins, his tone casual. "She seems to have made quite an impression on you."

Luke ducks his head, feeling a flush creep up his neck. "Yeah, I guess she did," he admits, kicking a pebble along the sidewalk. "I don't know, man, there's just something about her. It's like... like we just clicked, you know?"

Jack nods, a look of understanding on his face. "I get it," he says, a note of wistfulness in his voice. "When you meet someone special, it's like everything just falls into place."

They walk in silence for a few more blocks, each lost in their own thoughts. As they approach their apartment building, Jack turns to Luke, a serious expression on his face.

"Just be careful, okay?" he says, his tone gentle but firm. "I know you're excited about this girl, and I'm happy for you, I really am. But don't forget who you are, and what you're here to do."

Luke meets his brother's gaze, a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. "I know," he sighs, running a hand through his hair. "It's just... it's nice to feel normal for once, you know? To just be Luke, not Luke Hughes, the hockey player."

Jack puts a hand on his brother's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I get it," he says, a hint of a smile on his face. "And you deserve that, Luke. You deserve to be happy, both on and off the ice. Just don't lose sight of what's important, okay?"

Luke nods, feeling a surge of gratitude for his brother's support and understanding. "Thanks, Jack," he says, bumping his shoulder against his brother's as they enter the building.

As they ride the elevator up to their floor, Luke can't help but feel a sense of excitement bubbling up inside him.

Meanwhile, across the Hudson River, Jordan steps out of her Uber, the upscale apartment building looming before her. She thanks the driver and makes her way through the lobby, the click of her shoes echoing off the polished floors, as she makes her way to an apartment door.

As she enters she's greeted by the sight of hockey memorabilia adorning the walls, a New York Rangers jersey bearing her brother's name and number taking center stage.

Careful not to wake Jacob and his wife, Jordan tiptoes to her room, a soft smile playing on her lips as she replays the evening's events in her mind. She goes through her nightly routine, the familiarity of it soothing after the excitement of the night.

Settling into bed, Jordan reaches for her phone, the screen illuminating her face in the darkened room. She opens her messages and starts a new conversation with Luke, her fingers dancing across the keyboard.

Hey, it's Jordan. I had a great time tonight. We should do it again sometime :)

With a satisfied grin, she hits send and places her phone on the nightstand, letting the promise of future adventures lull her to sleep.

#luke hughes #nj devils #jack hughes #hughes brothers #quinn hughes #original story #crossing enemy lines #ny rangers #jacob trouba

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